Kenya saves rhino extinction with zero poaching

Wild animals are in danger of extinction due to wildlife smuggling in sub-sahara, Kenya sets an exemplary role model in a local animal protection community with the protection and care of wild animals, especially rhinos.

Greenhouse Community Rhino Sanctuary – operating in Samburu region of Northern Kenya – is the first community in East Africa to set up a black rhino breeding shelter, as well as boasting the growing number of rhinos they care for.

Working with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), a membership organization managed by 43 community conservation organizations, rhino conservation took 10 endangered black rhinos in 2015, bringing that number to 19 rhinos.

Salome Lemalasia, 30, is one of the officials in this community.

Lemalasia, who comes from the local community, known in the past for hunting wildlife, became the only female ranger in the sanctuary protecting the rhinos with her life.

“I sleep, eat and spend all my time with my favourite rhino named Lojipu. From the age of nine months, I started to take care of him. He’s six years old,” Lemalasia told AA reporter.

A cordial bond was formed between Lojipu and Lemalasia. So much so that Lojipu is just docile towards Lemalasia and more distant towards other rangers or other people.

“Lojipu would come to my bed and wake me up so that I could give him milk or food. He is very kind to me. When I go for a walk in the wild with other rhinos, Lojipu will come to me. He will smell me and walk with me,” said Lemalasia. He pointed out that he was like a son.

The local community here is leading the recovery of endangered species while taking advantage of this through tourism revenue and conservation from the built Saruni Rhinoceros Lodge.

Since its establishment, no-poaching cases have been reported in the 107 square kilometer sanctuary.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Sera community conservation manager Reuben Lendira praised their initiative, saying that local communities have proven that if given a chance, they can do a lot to protect and preserve wildlife.

“We are pastoralists and we only do livestock and they are suffering from drought. So the community went to conservation because now we benefit from tourism and we keep wildlife safe,” he said.