Ol Pejeta News Updates

February 2020

Dear ATCNews Readers,

Welcome to our February e-newsletter. We have so many exciting stories to share this month and we hope you enjoy reading about them. Our mission of protecting wildlife and empowering our surrounding communities continues. We are so proud of the work we are doing and are very aware that we wouldn’t achieve any of it without your support. Thank you!

One step ahead with Kifaru Rising

It’s an ambitious target – eliminate rhino poaching in Kenya by 2021. But that’s exactly what the Kifaru Rising Project aims to achieve, by deploying thermal imaging technology to help improve ranger safety and give rangers teams a competitive advantage over poachers, who primarily operate at night. While they can evade torchlight, there is nowhere for poachers to hide from thermal cameras, and Ol Pejeta is one of 10 areas chosen to be involved in national roll out of this cutting-edge technology. The Kifaru Rising Project is a collaboration between NGOs, the Kenya Wildlife Service and FLIR Systems, a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of thermal imaging cameras.

// rise with us

We’re not washing – skip showers and change lives with us!

Every year, international water organization Well Aware goes on Shower Strike. Thousands of people sign up to stop bathing for a week, raising awareness and money for clean water provision in rural communities.

2,000 people have participated in Shower Strike since 2009, raising over US$1.5 million dollars for clean, sustainable water projects that have benefitted more than 100,000 people. This year, a bunch of us at Ol Pejeta are signing up to Shower Strike from April 19-25, and we want company!

We know first hand what impact their water projects have. Well Aware installed a water tank and solar-powered pump at Njoguini Primary School on Ol Pejeta’s border. Now 250 students have access to clean water at school, and they’ve used this to plant trees and crops for the school kitchen.

// learn more about Shower Strike and mark your calendars for April 19-25 to join the Ol Pejeta team in this powerful campaign!

Transforming lives at Liki Special Needs School

Liki Special Needs School near Ol Pejeta is one of only a handful of schools in the region where severely disabled children can receive specialist education and care. But the school struggles to fund and access some of the most basic equipment they need to ensure a comfortable and conducive environment for the children. That is why Ol Pejeta have partnered with the Rotary Clubs of Langley Central, North Delta and Nanyuki to donate much-needed furniture to the school, including specially adapted dining chairs and hospital beds for pupils who board.

// read more

Restoring Ol Pejeta’s Ostrich Population

The largest bird in the world is in trouble in Kenya. The Maasai ostrich, which can grow up to 2.7 metres tall and weigh 145 kilos, is listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN list, and we’ve certainly noticed a decline in numbers on Ol Pejeta. Our 2019 aerial census recorded just nine birds, which is a 66% decline on 2010 numbers. We think this is due to predation on young birds and eggs, while elsewhere in Kenya hunting is also a threat. That is why in late 2019, two females and a male were captured (in partnership with KWS) and moved to the endangered species enclosure – where predators are minimal. We hope this move will provide the ostriches with the right conditions to breed and that they will eventually help repopulate surrounding areas. Stay tuned to find out how they get on.

Introducing Sanctuary Tambarare

Tourism is a critical part of our model. Not only does it bring in valuable revenue to fund community and conservation projects, but it also allows visitors to experience the work we do first hand – we like to think everyone that stays here leaves a conservation champion! So we are delighted to announce that as of July 2020, we will be adding another camp to our family. Sanctuary Tambarare will comprise of 10 luxury tents, each with stunning views of the wilderness.

// find out more about what the camp has to offer

Kifaru to Feature in the New York WILD Festival Opening Night

New York WILD is an annual documentary film festival that showcases a variety of adventure and wildlife films. This year’s opening night will feature Kifaru, a film that follows the lives of two young rhino caretakers at Ol Pejeta, who watch over northern white rhino Sudan in his last days.The evening’s Q&A session will be moderated by world renowned National Geographic photographer, and friend of Ol Pejeta, Ami Vitale. One of our rhino caretakers, Joseph "Jojo" Wachira, has been invited to appear as a special guest alongside the film’s director, David Hambridge. A huge thank you to Kenya Airways for sponsoring Jojo’s trip. The festival starts on the 27th of February and will go on until the 4th of March.

// learn about the festival

World Wildlife Day – how are you celebrating?

3rd March is World Wildlife Day, and the theme for 2020 is ‘sustaining all life on Earth.’ encompassing all wild animal and plant species as key components of the world’s biodiversity.

Have you thought about how you can make a difference even if in a small way? Everyone should be part of the change because everyone is affected when the planet suffers. So do your part; recycle that bottle, switch off that bulb, volunteer at an animal shelter, play the whistle blower on the wrongdoers, gift a love one by adopting or donating to wildlife. Every little thing counts.

Tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter on how you are working towards a better planet and we will do our best to share your story.

Tune into BBC America and watch Sir David Attenborough with the northern white rhinos

Only two of this sub-species remain in the world. In the last few years, we have seen them become functionally extinct with the last male of their kind – Sudan, dying in 2018 at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Scientists all around the globe are working tirelessly to save the northern white rhinos from this man-made disaster. This Saturday at 9pm, BBC America and Sir David Attenborough explore the circumstances that have led us to this point and what the future holds for the northern white rhino.

// find your air time