Counting All Animals: AWF-Supported Ranch Rich in Wildlife

LAIKIPIA DISTRICT, KENYA--An aerial count of wildife populations on ADC Mutara Ranch brought good news, Ol Pejeta Conservancy reported last week. More than 100 elephants, 1,800 Burchell's zebras, 170 impala, a handful of giraffe, more than 200 Grant Gazelle's and several other species were spotted on the 20,000-acre ranch during the survey, which took slightly over an hour to complete.

"These are interesting and encouraging results but don't even tell the whole story. We know we missed one flock of 20 ostrich and a sizeable herd of oryx," says Richard Vigne, CEO of Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Recent rains have also left the lands green and lush, creating a rich haven for wildlife and a striking aerial view, he said.

Since October 2007, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has worked with Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Kenya's Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC)--the purveyors of the government-owned lands--to bring wildlife conservation to the ranch, which sits on a major wildlife corridor in the Samburu Heartland.

Ol Pejeta, a privately-owned wildlife area that borders Mutara ranch, is home to Kenya's largest black rhino population and promotes conservation and ecotourism. As part of the three-way partnership, Ol Pejeta will provide the equipment and personnel as well as advice on establishment of an ecotourism venture.

ADC, in addition to setting part of the ranch aside for conservation, is working with AWF to manage the entire ranch in a way that protects wildlife habitat and prevents poaching.

Ultimately, the three partners will work with local communities to bring conservation tourism and other conservation-friendly enterprises to the ranch and the surrounding areas. These activities, by linking community well-being to conservation, will help protect the wildlife prevalent throughout Kenya's Laikipia region for generations to come.

According to the recent aerial survey, on average, there are about 7.5 acres of land per animal on Mutara Ranch. A total of more than 2,700 animals were spotted on the ranchlands.