The greater Maasai Mara is one of Kenya’s key ecosystems and provides an essential barrier between agricultural areas and the Maasai Mara reserve itself. The stewards in the greater Mara area rely primarily on tourism to manage and protect the ecosystem, which given the seasonal nature of tourism in the area and the current pandemic presents certain challenges.

The goal of the UltraMARAthon is to raise funds to support key initiatives in the region related to conservation and enhancing the lives of the communities within the area. The initiatives that will be supported this year are:

• Mara Elephant Project – funding for the recruitment, training, and deployment of rangers specifically to address poaching, human/wildlife conflict and habitat loss challenges in the region. Protecting elephants and their habitats across the greater Mara ecosystem.
• Africa Mission Services Women’s Health & Birth Center – funding to expand a women’s health centre located in Engos, which serves a population of approximately 7,000 local Maasai, providing prenatal/postnatal care, family planning education and services, and assists 50 – 60 women in childbirth each month.
• Hosting Conservancies’ Ranger Support – funding for uniforms, equipment and general administration for the conservancies involved in the event.

In addition, this event will encourage tourism to the Mara conservancies and provide beneficial exposure on both national and international levels, raising awareness of the challenges of conserving and managing this iconic yet threatened ecosystem during these difficult times.