The wildlife in Kenya was untouched until over 80 years ago. When the exploration of the wildlife here started, there was rapid loss of the wildlife. Over the last 70 years, Kenya has lost over 30 percent of its wildlife due to many factors. Some of the factors are due to climate change while others are to human activity ns poaching.
The establishment of conservancies in the region has been attempted as a result of these causes. An area under private landowners’ or cooperative or community organizations’ management with the intention of advancing conservation is called a conservancy.
It’s interesting to note that more than 65 percent of Kenya’s wildlife is found on community-owned land. This benefits most communities by allowing them to maintain their standard of living while simultaneously protecting the environment. The Kenyan animals Act recognizes the transfer of animals to community conservancies.
Giving the community control over Kenya’s wildlife conservation initiatives will also serve as a motivator to raise community members’ standard of living. The Masai Mara National Park contains more than 15 conservancies covering more than 450,000 acres of land. The community benefits from the conservancies annually to the tune of about $4 million.
The fauna has also improved, with the number of lions and the critically endangered Hirola antelope. They rose from 48 in 2012 to over 100 in 2016, the year of the most recent census.
Since the community is forced to profit from the positive aspects of the wildlife trade, namely tourism, their involvement in the area’s conservation efforts also lessens their involvement in the illicit wildlife trade. It is recommended that you visit the conservancies to help the locals. In turn it will help to preserve the wildlife in the Masai Mara region.
Ol Choro Oirouwa Conservancy
The conservancy is among the first conservancy that was established in the East African region. It was established in the 1991 as a trust. The Late Willy Roberts was instrumental in the establishment of this conservancy since it’s under his advice that the Masai elders started this conservancy. The elders were told that this area was good for the white rhinos. They then brought white rhinos from the natal in South Africa. Being a model conservancy, today, Ol Choro is the only conservancy in Mara protecting two southern white rhinos under the surveillance of rangers and Kenya Wildlife Service officers.
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