A community in northern Kenya is celebrating the birth of a black rhino – the first born on a conservancy in the region for 25 years. The rhino population in Samburu was wiped out not so long ago. And locals are working together to revive their numbers. So, there are big hopes for this little rhino. But actually tracking the tot can be a huge challenge.
An experiment’s underway at Sera conservancy, can a population hunted to extinction here…return and reclaim their place? for Lekanaiya that would mean reviving a landscape thought forever lost.
‘Our parents told us that there were many rhinos on this land years back. I never got to see them growing up, most were hunted and killed. So we guard rhea for our children and other visitors. Many people have never seen one. I first saw a rhino when I went for training in Lewa’ Said Kalaiyo Lekanaiya
Last year, 10 black rhino were brought to Sera from other areas of Kenya and last month, the herd grew a little.
“The reaction with KWS is that the area is good for breeding so they still have plans to bring more to the area to have a population of 20 Rhinos. We are getting more guests and more people are interested to invest in Sera.” said Rueben Ndindira, Sera Conservancy Manager
With this new addition, the sanctuary has now 11 rhino wandering around but it’s so difficult to get close to them, especially the young celebrity, rangers still don’t know if the baby is a boy or girl
The mother’s called Maitamany – which in the local language means one who can breed. But she’s one who can hide too – defying the sharpest eyes and tracking equipment. The rhino merge with the thickets of this semi-arid land – if you get too close, they get aggressive.
“Rhinos are really endangered across the globe. There are very few in any one place so the government is encouraging us to be very protective of them. So we really look after them maybe more than any other animal here.” Said Keilaiyo Lekanaiya, rhino monitor
Our prize for hours tracking in 40 degree heat seems to be a one bad-tempered male Rhino. After starting again in the evening, and finally pick up the mother’s signal the real work begins.
