STORIES FROM THE RANGELANDS
NRT Quarterly
SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE
The White Giraffes of Ishaqbini
The family of three giraffes fascinating scientists and conservationists across the world
Ishaqbini’s famous ‘white giraffe’ has given birth to a second healthy calf – bringing the total number of white giraffes in the coastal conservancy to three. Some believe their rare colouring is caused by a condition called leucism – which causes partial loss of pigmentation in the skin. Leucism is different from albinism (a condition in which there is an absence of the melanin that gives skin, feathers, hair and eyes their colour), which has been ruled out as the giraffes have dark tail hair, and dark eyes. The condition does not affect the giraffe’s health in any way. “The only disadvantage would be predation because they are more conspicuous than the other giraffes,” says Steven Chege, a veterinary officer at NRT. // Read more.
First Lady Meets ‘Exceptional’ Women of BeadWORKS
Kenya’s First Lady, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, has said she was inspired by the "exceptional women" she met at the NRT Trading headquarters during a visit in late June, when she was joined by the Sports, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary (CS) and other dignitaries. // Read more
Deforestation; Not Always Bad News
It sounds counter-intuitive: cut down trees to help rehabilitate land. But that’s exactly what the community of Namunyak have been doing, with support from NRT and SIDA. In July, they held a ceremony to mark the clearing of the highly damaging Acacia reficiens tree from across 1,300 hectares. // Read more
Samburu Becomes the First County to Approve Bill for Community Conservancies Funding
The County Assembly of Samburu has approved the Samburu County Community Conservancies Fund Bill, 2019, making it the first County to approve a conservation bill in the country. The Bill seeks to fund community owned conservancies – who largely still rely on donor funding – starting with KSH. 120 million this financial year, helping them move toward independence from NRT. // Read more
Sowing the Seeds of Change in Narupa Conservancy
How 200 community members from Narupa Community Conservancy transformed more than 200 hectares of land – and what impact this has had on wildlife, women and working pastoralists. // Read more
Off-road Car Rally Raises KSH 4.6m For Nannapa Conservancy
It’s a challenge that pits man’s mechanics against Africa’s toughest terrain, and nature held no punches in the 2019 Rhino Charge competition, held in Nannapa Community Conservancy. // Read more.
Marsabit conservancies choose education and microfinance for priority spending.// Read more
#10Morans: How Kevin Lesita from Ruko found opportunity in drought.// Read more
Fishing closures in Pate Conservancy reap big rewards for fishermen.
// Read more
Incoming Director of Environment Office for USAID Kenya, Aurelia Micko, visited five NRT member conservancies on a learning tour ahead of assuming her new position.// Read more
28 reticulated giraffe collared in Sera, Kalama, Westgate, Biliqo, and other conservancies in an effort to gather movement data and inform conservation actions.// Read more
Women from conservancies in Isiolo, Marsabit, Baringo, Samburu and Laikipia attend a two-day training on ‘Women in Conservation’.// Read more
Warriors from different ethnic groups came together for an inter-conservancy football tournament in August, as part of NRT’s Sports for Peace Programme.// Read more
#10Morans: “We need trees for [our] survival… that is why I have set myself out to champion against charcoal burning and logging in our area.” Meet Lokeno. // Read more.
NRT wins USAID biodiversity integration case study competition, which examines examples of biodiversity integration from across USAID’s portfolio.// Read more.
Women in Conservation
Video: Jeremiah Kipainoi
NRT in the Media
- *** Ngare Ndare Forest Trust wins 2019 Social Impact Eco Warrior Award ***
- Pokot Conservancies Boost: County benefits from Ksh. 5m enterprise fund – K24TV
- Acacia bushes taking over Samburu grassland- The Star Newspaper
- Lenolkulal praises assembly for passing conservancies’ bill – Daily Nation
- Ukwasi wa Kenya: Mbuga ya ilngwesi iko Laikipia – K24
