Go Bowling. Save Rhinos.

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy works as a catalyst for the conservation of wildlife and its habitat. It does this through the protection and management of species, the initiation and support of community conservation and development programs, and the education of neighboring areas in the value of wildlife.

There is an abundance of wildlife on LWC. Lewa is home to both black and white rhinos and is first and foremost a rhino sanctuary. It is also home to roughly 15% of the world’s population of the endangered Grevy’s zebra. It is also home to over 70 different species of mammals and over 350 different species of birds. Among the types of mammals you will find on Lewa include: African lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, elephants, wild dogs, a large variety of hoofed animals including the rare aquatic antelope, the sitatunga.

The mission of Action For Cheetahs in Kenya is to promote the conservation of cheetahs through research, awareness and community participation in Kenya. ACK works closely with local wildlife authorities and landholders to develop policies and programs that support wildlife conservation and human livelihoods for the long-term development of sustainable human and wildlife zones.

While essentially still in its infancy, ACK is actively continuing the programs it started when associated with CCF. These include cheetah collaring, research and monitoring, as well as community outreach and education. Some of the projects include workshops on livestock dipping for improved husbandry. This project just recently concluded and ACK conducted a series of training workshops to train the managers on the functions and maintenance of the dips, basic book keeping, project planning and stock taking. The final workshop (8-9 March 2010) of the project presented the management with the positive direction they have come in running a sustainable business as dip managers. They were also told the improvements they need to make in order to remain sustainable.

Rhinos have lived on earth for over 50 million years but whether they survive even 50 more years is open to speculation. Only 5 species of rhino exist today when once there were over 100 species. All 5 species- the white, black, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan are endangered. Only the white rhino with a population of 4,600 seems to be somewhat safe from extinction. In 1960, 60,000 black rhinos roamed Africa. Today only 2,500 remain in isolated populations. On the Asian continent, the greater one-horned population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran species numbers around 200 and the Javan species has fewer than 60 animals.

The black rhino is a symbol of conservation in Africa as our bald eagle is to those of us in the United States. If the black rhino were to go extinct what message would we give our children? The rhino is a large, flagship species. By striving to save the rhino, we save large expanses of habitat. By saving these habitats, we are saving many endangered species, not just the rhino.