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COMMUNITY CONSERVATION |
WILDLIFE
TRANSLOCATION
Through these various programs Lewa has proved to the communities
that domestic stock and wildlife can co–exist.
By preserving the wildlife the communities gain another source
of income, and as a rebound of this the wildlife corridors
are protected and Lewa can concentrate its efforts in directions
other than anti poaching!
Due to these efforts Lewa has been able to translocate 100
Burchell’s zebra in February 2002 to re-stock Meru National
Park, increasing their population by 20%.
In 2003, 50 reticulated giraffe, one black rhino, 500 Zebra
and 400 impala were moved to Meru. This was the first
mass-translocation of its kind: A mass-translocation
of wildlife from private land to re-stock a National park.
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ORPHANS AND EMERGENCIES
There is always injured wildlife to attend to.
There are always orphans wandering into our care.
So far everything I have talked about comes with an emotional
and financial price tag!
There are rangers, security, communications and personnel,
buildings, vehicles, and a good supporting infrastructure,
all creating another problem!
A price tag?
Through tourism and donor funding Lewa has so far been able
to keep the wolves at bay.
However there are numerous projects on the back burner as
a result.
Tourism may not be our backbone, but it is the easiest way
of providing unrestricted funds, however fickle the market
may be.
By coming to stay on Lewa, and at Lewa Safari Camp, you will
be directly supporting this unique and successful conservantion
venture in northern Kenya.
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Lewa provides a heavily subsidised clinic and a medical program
for the neighbouring communities and for any victim of wildlife
encounters. Most importantly Lewa assists the communities with
their own conservation and tourism ventures.
Two of the better known are Il N’gwesi Lodge
and Tassia Lodge. These are both community owned
and managed tourist destinations. Lewa provided logistical,
technical and financial support until they were established
and running off their own steam.
Lewa is still in the picture here but has taken a back seat
to encourage them to develop along their own lines and follow
their own initiatives. Incidentally, Il N’gwesi was
one of the winners of the Equator Initiative Award
this year.
For
more information about Lewa Wildlife Conservancy,
visit their excellent web site.
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