Borana Conservancy is part of the wider Laikipia-Ewaso eco-system which holds the highest diversity of large mammal species of any ecosystem of its size in the world. Borana Conservancy is home to elephant, black rhino, lion, Jackson’s hartebeest, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and many other endangered species.
Constant bio-diversity studies and annual species surveys are conducted, and comprehensive action plans are in place to protect those on the brink of extinction. Securing and expanding much needed safe habitat and increasing the conservation landscape available for wildlife is the underlying mission of Borana Conservancy.
The most urgent challenge we currently face is to secure further safe habitat. We are embarking on a programme to expand available rhino habitat for rhino on Borana Conservancy and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
This program will provide support to Il’Ngwesi to the north, which is land owned by the Il’Ngwesi Maa community, to become ready to host Rhino. This will mean that Rhino will have access to the Lewa-Borana Landscape along with state owned land, Ngare Ndare forest and community owned land, Il Ngwesi.
Video by Dustoff Films
Rhino
Borana Conservancy, under a collaborative management agreement with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, is now home to a ‘Key 1’ black rhino population, one of only three in East Africa.
‘Key 1’ rating is given by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s African Rhino Specialist Group to identify significant populations that are stable, increasing and have achieved continental importance. Kenya is home to just over 760 black rhinos and 620 southern white rhinos, the Lewa-Borana Landscape is home to 13% of this population.
Rhino are an ‘umbrella’ species, the conservation efforts needed to protect rhino have a positive knock on affect to the success of a number of other species. The preservation of habitat is an integral element to the continued protection of black rhino across the African continent.
Lion
Borana Conservancy is home to one of the largest prides of Lion in Laikipia, currently consisting of 26 individuals.
We continue to work closely with our partners Lion Landscapes to monitor their population and prevent human-wildlife conflict. Lion Landscapes have facilitated the training of seven members of the Borana Conservancy security and monitoring to become Lion Rangers.
Real time data from collars now allows conservancy management and local livestock owners to move their animals accordingly to ensure they are kept away from known lion locations.
Grevy’s Zebra
The Grevy’s zebra is one of Africa’s most endangered mammals with an 80% decline in their populations since the late 1970’s and their numbers stand at just 3,000 today.
The main cause for the decline is loss of habitat due to the desertification of much of Northern Kenya. Grevy’s zebra live in the semi-arid lands with limited access to water so herds can be separated by several kilometres. They are matriarchal with stallions approaching the females when they are in oestrus. Therefore, the males are often solitary so easy prey for lion and hyenas, meaning that the mares may go for periods of time without meeting a mature stallion.
Reticulated Giraffe
These tall elegant creatures used to range over north-central Kenya all the way to Ethiopia and Somalia. Their necks were a common site amongst the acacia forests but in the last 30 years their numbers have dropped dramatically and they have were added to the IUCN Red List of endangered species in 2016.
Habitat loss is the core driver of this giraffe’s decline along with their value in the bushmeat trade. Their immense size and vulnerability mean they are very valuable and easy pray. Lion and hyena also find them easy to hunt, especially their young with many calves often not making it to adulthood.
Elephant
The heaviest land mammal weighing from 4 to 7 tons and large males reaching a height of up 4.5 meters. They live on the grasslands, scrub and forests of the majority of sub-Saharan Africa.
Elephant primarily eat grass but need mineral supplements from salts and the bark of certain trees. Their gestation is around 660 days (almost 2 years) and they have a calf every 3 - 5 years.
Elephant populations are suffering due to loss of habitat and therefore increasing human-wildlife conflict as well as being poached for their ivory.
During certain times of year when the rains bring ample food and water there is a migratory population of well over 300 elephant across Borana Conservancy. They can traverse the whole of Northern Kenya through protected corridors designed around ancient migratory routes.