Who owns Lewa Wildlife Conservancy? David and Delia Craig, along with Ana Mertz and Peter Jenkins, originally set aside 5,000 acres of their cattle ranch, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, to protect and breed rhinos, whose population had plummeted from 20,000 to less than 300 in the 1970s. Following a decade of project success and increased demand for land, the Craig’s made the decision to dedicate their whole ranch to wildlife conservation in 1995.
Since the mid-1990s, Lewa has acted as a catalyst for conservation in the area, inspiring the establishment of multiple conservancies that are both privately and communally held, bringing the total area of land in northern Kenya under conservation management to over 2 million acres.
Established in 1995, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary, which had been founded in 1983 to preserve the last of Kenya’s black rhinos, was repurposed into the Conservancy. Lewa is now a driving force behind conservation efforts both within Kenya and outside. Lewa has developed into a model for wildlife conservation not only on private land in Kenya but also a centre of excellence for conservation in the region. This has been accomplished through the protection and management of endangered species, the founding and support of community conservation and development programmes, and the education of surrounding communities about the value of wildlife.
The region is also a popular tourist attraction and a perfect example of an integrated strategy where conservation benefits both people and animals. Lewa’s pioneering methods have produced a flourishing black rhino habitat and population over the past three decades, which in turn has created a robust ecosystem for a variety of species, including the endangered Grevy’s zebra, elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe, and more.
Lewa Conservancy vision
Who owns Lewa Wildlife Conservancy?
In the future, Lewa sees Kenyans continuing to respect, safeguard, and profit from wildlife. Communities’ ability to generate daily income in ways that are compatible with thriving wildlife habitat is essential to this future. As a result, Lewa makes significant investments in its neighbours’ quality of life through programmes in water, microenterprise, youth development, and more.
Through these initiatives, the Conservancy has been able to foster positive relationships and goodwill among the surrounding communities, ensuring that both people and wildlife profit from Lewa’s conservation efforts. Lewa has inspired and supported the conservancy management for both private and communal lands across Meru, Laikipia, and Isiolo Counties and beyond as a catalyst and champion of this approach that places people at the centre of conservation.
Lewa is also distinct from other entities in the nation in that it is a privately managed conservation area that is owned and operated by Kenyan citizens and managed for the good of regional communities and Kenyans in general.
Conservation efforts
The highly threatened black rhinoceros, the endangered Grevy’s zebra, and other important species like the elephant and lion are among the animals that are protected within the Lewa environment along with its western neighbour, Borana Conservancy. 14% of Kenya’s rhino population and 11% of the endangered Grevy’s zebra population reside in the Lewa-Borana Landscape. The number of black rhinos in Lewa has surpassed 100, making it the third ‘Key 1’ (a rhino population that is stable and growing and is of national significance) black rhino population in Kenya.
Lewa have been essential to Kenya’s rhino conservation over the years. More than 30 animals were relocated from Lewa to other regions, and they have played a key role in the construction of additional rhino sanctuaries, most recently at Sera Community Conservancy in Samburu.
Lewa Conservancy also collaborates with its neighbours to maintain landscape connectivity for all migratory species. The conservancy is a vital landscape for the elephants of northern Kenya. Together with collaborators, they have created an elephant underpass that connects Mount Kenya to the formerly cut off savannah landscapes of Lewa and farther north. With the help of this creative roadway solution, there is less interaction between people and wildlife, and elephants can now freely travel along their regular migration routes.
Support to community projects
Lewa has developed activities over the years that directly assist the local community, strengthening bonds and generating support for Lewa’s conservation efforts. As a result, Lewa has high levels of trust and participation with its neighbours. These advantages have grown to include education, health care, microfinance, enhanced security, and agricultural support. Lewa invested about Kshs 200 million in community development in 2018 alone, using money raised from philanthropists and conservation fees.
Education
By constructing classrooms, dorms, laboratories, boreholes, teacher housing, kitchens, and libraries across three counties, we support 23 primary and secondary government schools serving roughly 10,000 students.
Healthcare
More than 50,000 people receive affordable and accessible healthcare services each year from Lewa’s four clinics.
Micro enterprises
In order to help more than 1,800 women manage their enterprises and better the standard of living for their families, our women’s micro-enterprise initiative offers low interest loans to them.
Bursaries
More than 400 students get education subsidies from us each year.
Water
Through its 17 water programmes, Lewa makes sure that 20,000 people have access to clean, safe water for drinking and cultivation.
Forestry conservation
Lewa supports Community Forest Associations through the community development plan by offering managerial, financial, and technical assistance. Ngare Ndare, Marania, and Muchiene Forests are a few of these.
Employment
Over 90% of the 450 people working in various positions across Lewa and the lodges are from the surrounding towns.
Conservation partnership
Private – Public partnership
Lewa collaborates closely with regional and federal government organisations to save wildlife and guide development. An illustration of such a collaboration is the government-run Ngare Ndare Forest, which collaborated with Lewa to maintain both areas for the sake of animals.
Private – community partnership
Lewa collaborates closely with its neighbours to carry out its plans, using Development Committees to carry out development programmes.
Sustainable tourism
The tourism industry has the greatest potential to contribute to conservation financially. Currently, tourism contributes roughly one-third of Lewa’s annual income. The Lewa model guarantees that tourism is optimised and has as little detrimental effect on the environment as possible.
Conservation efforts
The 65,000-acre conservancy is a sizable wilderness area. Lewa offers breath taking views of the snow-capped Mount Kenya to the south and the desert Tassia and Il Ngwesi to the north. It features a wide variety of habitats, including pristine forests, lush grasslands, huge springs, and acacia woodland.
Lewa is home to 20% of the world’s Grevy zebra population and 10% of Kenya’s rhino population, both of which are endangered animals. The conservancy was officially recognised as a rhino sanctuary in 1983. Over 150 rangers are employed by the reserve, which is completely fenced in. To educate the public about the advantages of wildlife, the conservancy engages in substantial outreach work in the nearby villages through its Community Development Programme, which includes water, healthcare, and educational and microfinance projects.
Anti poaching team
A specialist anti-poaching squad led by The Northern Rangelands Trust and Lewa Conservancy is centred on the outstanding tracking abilities of Sacha, a Bloodhound mix, and Ruby, a full Bloodhound. Brothers Tipper and Tony, the two Bloodhounds who have worked with the rangers for years but are set for a well-earned retirement, are replaced by Ruby and Sacha.
Bloodhounds in particular continue to prove invaluable for anti-poaching and neighbourhood security tasks. The rangers and local law enforcement organisations have accomplished what was previously exceedingly challenging thanks to their amazing capacity to interpret terrain and track odours.
