Upon arriving at our camp, you are likely to be welcomed by a limping adult male giraffe named Kiwete. Despite his apparent disability, he is a resilient survivor of the conflict between farmers and giraffes along the Tana River. Kiwete was once among the frequent farm invaders, from the Garissa Giraffe Sanctuary which intensified farm…
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The National Government of Kenya declared the drought a national disaster on 8th September 2021 (https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001422964/president-uhuru-declares-drought-a-national-disaster). The drought condition is dire and worsening in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) including our conservation sites in Garissa County. Garissa county received no rainfall in August and an average of 3.1mm in July which is below the…
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The impacts COVID-19 have seen conservation areas operate at lower intensities due to; (i) budget and staff cuts that have reduced their management effectiveness, (ii) diminished functional capacities as a result of reducing vital management services e.g. ranger patrols, and (iii) disruption of livelihoods that have led to increased poaching incidents, illegal logging activities, and…
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In Garissa, local pastoral communities share the same landscape and resources with carnivores. However, a frequent drought that diminishes the available resources threatens the co-existence of the communities and carnivores. Currently, the short rains from October to November have failed in our conservation areas. This has heightened the human-carnivore conflicts as carnivores including lions, spotted…
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If you consume meat-based foods in the local hotels within Garissa and the region along the Kenya-Somalia border, there is a high chance you might have unintentionally eaten bushmeat. Particularly giraffes that for unknown reasons have been the target for the bushmeat trade. This illegal enterprise is purported to be very lucrative for instance,…
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It is critically endangered and has been listed among 10-top focal species at risk of imminent extinction (IUCN, 2008, Isaac et al. 2007). The likely extinction of the world’s most endangered and refugee antelope species could be the first loss of an entire mammalian genus in modern times. Even though the governments of Kenya and…
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In this post Jacob Goheen and Abdullahi Ali discuss their recent paper ‘Resource selection and landscape change reveal mechanisms suppressing population recovery for the world’s most endangered antelope‘. The arid climate of eastern Kenya is harsh and daunting to outsiders. In this part of Kenya, however, lie the only known haunts of the hirola, one…
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Our guide to the world’s most endangered antelope – the hirola, including why they are sometimes known as four eyed antelopes, and why their populations have declined. What are hirolas? Hirolas are antelopes belonging to the family Bovidae (hoofed mammals) that includes buffalo, cattle, goats, and sheep among others. They are medium sized slender antelopes…
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Arawale National Reserve (ANR) offered an important conservation area not only for the long-term recovery of the critically endangered hirola, but also for the conservation of other endangered species including the Grevy’s zebra, the Somali giraffe and the East African Wild Dog. Immediately after its short-lived operation, poaching increased considerably while wildlife populations in…
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Africa is home to 22 species of sting-less bees, many of which favor Kenya for its climate and landscape. These tiny creatures are vital pollinators, helping to spread the grasslands which are so important for the Hirola, as well as elephants and other wild animals. Not only dobees play a crucial role in hcp’s…
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