About Rhino Ark
The 70 km long Aberdares mountain range, located in central Kenya, East Africa, is a complex, bio-diverse ecosystem that encompasses over 2,000 square kilometres of national park and forest reserve. Its highest peak, Ol Doinyo Lesatima, towers 4,000 metres above sea level. This rich habitat is home to numerous species of plants and animals that include black rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo, and the rare, highly endangered mountain bongo antelope. The Aberdares are one of the key water catchment areas of Kenya, providing the headwaters of four of Kenya’s seven major rivers.
Over the years, the wildlife and forests of the Aberdares have faced numerous threats arising from human activities, including poaching, bush-meat hunting, snaring, illegal logging, charcoal burning and human encroachment. These activities, by the 1980’s had decimated the wildlife population, with the black rhino population, in particular almost wiped out. At the same time, the increasing human population in the prime agricultural land surrounding the Aberdares meant that farming activity was being conducted right up to the national park and forest reserve boundary. Regular crop damage by wildlife, especially elephant, was a major problem for the farmers. Encounters between farmers and wildlife occasionally led to fatalities, and served to heighten tensions between humans and wildlife.
A drastic intervention was called for, and in 1988 a group of visionary conservationists stepped into the breach, forming Rhino Ark, a Kenyan Charitable Trust. Rhino Ark seeks solutions in the Aberdare mountain range and its ecosystem to:
• Conserve one of Kenya’s finest indigenous forests and its total habitat
• Resolve human wildlife conflict
Rhino Ark is committed to:
Mobilize stakeholders nationwide and internationally for initiatives to protect and conserve the habitat and promote managed use of Aberdare resources for the benefit of present and future generations
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Raise funds and other forms of support for the building and long-term management of an electrified fence to encircle the Aberdare National Park and demarcated forestry areas which form the Aberdare Conservation Area
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Build mechanisms and management structures to prevent illegal exploitation of the forest habitat wherever it is threatened
In so doing, all stakeholders will benefit; the rhino, bongo, indeed all flora and fauna will be secure.
Rhino Ark and the Rhino Charge
The Rhino Charge event is the creation of the Rhino Ark, and is currently the principal tool by which Rhino Ark raises funds for the Aberdare Electric Fence project. The Rhino Charge is managed by a committee, whose members comprise officers of Rhino Ark and a core team of dedicated, talented long-term volunteers from diverse backgrounds, who provide time, technical expertise and support.
Reproduced with kind permission from www.rhinocharge.co.ke
