 |
| January 2016 |
 |
|
|
| Dear Friend of Ol Pejeta: |
| Ol Pejeta’s CEO admits that 2015 has been one of the most difficult years in the history of the Conservancy. Tourism numbers were 40% lower than the previous year due to Kenya’s isolated insecurity incidents and the Ebola crisis in West Africa. On top of this, drier than normal climatic conditions and the continuing poaching threat made things difficult for the wildlife and teams that protect them.
Despite the challenges however, we still have plenty to celebrate. The support we receive from people around the world is overwhelming, and we remain eternally grateful for every donation, share and kind word. Here we look back on 2015 with a list of some of our proudest achievements and significant events. |
|
|
|
| Ol Pejeta expands black rhino habitat by 20,000 acres |
| A partnership with the Agricultural Development Corporation saw 20,000 acres of prime black rhino habitat come under Ol Pejeta’s management in 2015. Thanks to significant investment from the Monarch Group in the form of Mantis Mutara Tented Camp, Mutara Conservancy now stands to emulate Ol Pejeta’s model of using tourism and livestock to sustain wildlife conservation operations.
Find out more about Mutara // |
|
|
|
| Community development support increased |
| Support to Ol Pejeta’s surrounding communities increased by 56% in 2015, to USD 750,000. Our Community Development Programme supports education, healthcare and sustainable farming practices along Ol Pejeta’s borders, as well as raising conservation awareness.
Read more about our Community Development Programme // |
|
|
|
| Citizen visits up by 36% |
| We have been delighted to see the numbers of local Kenyans visiting Ol Pejeta go up by a staggering 36% during this time of tourism downturn. Ol Pejeta is close enough to Nairobi for a wild weekend getaway, and offers some of the best game viewing in Kenya.
Plan your visit! // |
|
|
|
| Stars for the last male standing |
| Support for Sudan, the last male northern white rhino in the world, skyrocketed after visits from three celebrities boosted his online following and raised global awareness about the plight of the species. Actress and model Nargis Fakhri visited Sudan in May along with human and child rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Khaled Abol Naga. Captain of the Mumbai Indians cricket team and one of the most successful batsmen in the Indian Premier League, Rohit Sharma, visited in September. |
|
|
|
| Ol Pejeta awarded Eco Warrior Award |
| In October, Ol Pejeta was presented with the Private Conservancy of the Year, Judges Award at the 10th Eco Warrior Awards and Gala Dinner 2015 held at the Leisure Lodge Resort in Diani.
Read more // |
|
|
|
| Supporting the next generation of wildlife guardians |
| The future of Kenya’s wildlife lies in the hands of its children. Several initiatives undertaken by Ol Pejeta in 2015 aimed to support education programmes and extra curricular activities for the children along our borders. We partnered with Laikipia Wildlife Forum to bring Swahili documentary screenings to schools, and Irura Primary School benefitted from over 40 customised tablets which will enhance conservation education. We’ve also increased our solar power initiatives, to bring sustainable green energy to schools and homesteads. |
|
|
|
| PEGAS continues to expose illegal pet trade |
| In 2014, the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Ol Pejeta secured a three-year grant to initiate the Project to End Great Ape Slavery (PEGAS) funded by the Arcus Foundation. One of the mains aims of the project is to try to understand and document the illegal trade in great apes, including mapping trade routes and identifying individuals involved.
PEGAS continues to gather intelligence on the shocking trade in chimpanzees from West Africa – like the online market place for great apes in the Middle East. What’s more, the Project has found evidence that several officials appointed to uphold the international laws put in place to protect these animals are the very people involved in the illegal trafficking. Earlier this year, PEGAS rescued two young chimpanzees from Liberia. It was hoped that they could bring them to Sweetwaters, but legal complications have prevented this. |
|
|
|
| Baby rhino steals hearts across the world |
| In early November, our rangers rescued a southern white rhino calf on the brink of death. With the right medical attention, and a whole lot of love, the little boy has made a full recovery. It is hoped that one day he can be re-released into the wild in Ol Pejeta.
Get me some more baby rhino // |
|
|
|
| New conservation activities |
| At Ol Pejeta, we like to keep curiosity wild. We also don’t like our visitors to be passing tourists – we like our guests to get involved, get their hands dirty, and see conservation in action. In 2015, we launched several new conservation activities that aim to do just that. |
|
|
|
| 2020 Management Plan |
| At the end of March, Ol Pejeta’s senior managers finalised the 2020 management plan. The strategic document defines our plans and goals as a Conservancy for the next five years.
The finalisation of this document was a huge milestone for us and the culmination of over a year’s worth of hard work. This strategic plan has been developed with the input of all Ol Pejeta staff and we have sought to iteratively factor in the feedback of all our stakeholders. |
|
| Ol Pejeta is a non-profit wildlife conservancy in Kenya supporting endangered species, tourism and community outreach.
www.olpejetaconservancy.org
info |
| © 2016 Ol Pejeta Conservancy |
|
|
|
