As SGN’s Marketing Associate, I recently had the opportunity to travel to Kenya to document ongoing projects as well as meet with partners and SGN team members in the field. I am thrilled now to update you on my trip and recent field news.
I started in the Athi-Kapiti Conservancies (directly south of Nairobi) to meet teams from Swara Plains and Maanzoni to learn more about the current giraffe population inhabiting that area and the work that is being done to protect them. I visited with partners, rangers, and local authorities in the area for updates on the poaching situation and the road crossing signs designed for this section of Mombasa Highway that runs through Athi-Kapiti and has been plagued by wildlife-car related deaths. SGN has been working on this wildlife crossing for some time, meeting with local government officials, designing the signs, arranging the installation, and advocating for a wildlife slow zone. The first signs are already in place, and the remainder should be installed in the coming days.
Next, I headed to Lewa for a meeting at the NRT headquarters, where they shared with me some of the latest technology to advance anti-poaching efforts across Kenya. NRT has been a key partner with SGN in multiple landscapes. Most recently we are especially proud of the 9-3 team stationed in Northeastern Kenya, which SGN funded in the fall of 2022 to combat a sharp rise in poaching. We celebrated a special victory over the Christmas holiday. Christmas normally sees a huge increase in poaching activity but with the team working around the clock there were no incidents.
I then travelled to Ruko Community Conservancy, home of the 9 giraffe successfully rescued from a shrinking island in the middle of Lake Baringo. This operation was beautifully documented through a National Geographic film called Saving Giraffes: The Long Journey Home, currently available on Disney+. I’m happy to report the giraffe continue to thrive in the sanctuary and 4 calves have been born since the move! We are also very excited that a new group of giraffe will hopefully be moved into the sanctuary in 2023 to diversify the gene pool and give the original giraffe some new friends.
Lastly, I traveled to Finch Hattons, a Luxury Safari Camp in Tsavo West National Park to help train safari guides to use high-tech equipment for giraffe monitoring in the area. This is timely, because while this area had recently been relatively safe for giraffe, poaching incidents have now begun to increase, and we are getting involved to help stop this before it becomes a larger issue. This is also a wonderful opportunity for camp guests to learn about and participate in giraffe conservation.
This trip was nothing but eye-opening as I was immersed in the community and welcomed with open arms. Stay tuned to SGN social media, as I share more photos and video from the trip and additional field news!
All my best,
Staley Lane,
Marketing Associate
Ways to Support Save Giraffes Now
Need a New Shirt or Hoodie?
Oysters Clothing has launched a new line featuring giraffe! The best part? 10% of the proceeds goes to Save Giraffes Now!
Giraffe Bottle has designed a limited edition bottle for Save Giraffes Now! A portion of every bottle’s sale goes directly to projects focusing on protecting key giraffe populations, and rewilding them to native habitats.
Save Giraffes Now has made great progress in our giraffe conservation efforts; however, there is much work left to do, and we need your help. Please join us in our fight to ensure giraffe can live freely and safely in their native Africa for generations to come.
