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image: awl images |
Above: The view from Ithumba Hill
Lodge in Tsavo East National Park
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rare‘ Big Tuskers’, whose huge tusks almost drag along the ground. But you’ d be lucky to spot them: only around 20 survive, of which 10 are believed to be in Tsavo. Far easier to see are orphaned elephants in the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’ s sanctuary in Nairobi and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in the northern Namunyak Conservancy, both doing sterling work in rewilding rescued youngsters.
Many of Kenya’ s 2,000 precious rhinoceroses are protected by conservation projects. Loisaba recently received 21 black rhinoceroses in the country’ s biggest relocation project, the species having been locally extinct for almost 50 years. Neighbouring conservancies Lewa and Borana took down their fences in 2014, now sharing 250 black and white rhinoceroses between them. And in Ol Pejeta, guests are able to meet Najin and her daughter, Fatu, the last two surviving
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northern white rhinoceroses in the world. This was also home to their famous father and grandfather, Sudan, who became the poster boy of conservation as the last male northern white. Sadly, he died of old age in 2018. Scientists here are working to preserve the species, breaking new ground in protecting its genetics by creating an IVF baby using frozen sperm and eggs from Najin and Fatu.
HOW CAN I MAKE THE MOST OF MY TRIP?
Kenya’ s conservancies allow much more freedom than government-run national parks— depending on where you stay, you can join walking safaris, boat trips and go horseback riding or even cycling. You’ re not restricted to times on game drives either, with night drives allowing you to see the world of nocturnal species.
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spring 2025 • 43 |