Sixteen professionals from seven different zoos in North America travelled to Kenya to take part in the 2018 Great Grevy’s Rally. Our zoo team included specialists from Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Lion Country Safari, Oklahoma City Zoo, Sacramento Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, San Diego Zoo and Zoo Miami.
We spent one day in Nanyuki training and preparing for the Rally before heading up north to Laisamis. For the next few days we split into three different camps at Mt. Baio, Logologo and Laisamis in order to cover our assigned blocks. For most of our group this was the first time they would experience Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe in their natural habitat and everyone was eager for the Rally to start. Each day of the Rally required many hours of driving, during which we saw many of the amazing species that call northern Kenya home. Some teams were lucky enough to spot Grevy’s zebras and reticulated giraffes and snapped photos of their right side for the census.
Following the GGR, we visited the Grevy’s Zebra Trust field camp in the Westgate Community Conservancy. Most of our zoos have supported GZT for a number of years and we now had an opportunity to meet the team and learn more about the GZT programs that benefit both the local communities and the wildlife.
During our stay we spent time with a few of the Grevy’s Zebra Scouts. We gained a better understanding of their work and developed a deep admiration for their dedication as they balance tracking zebras with the demands of raising their own families and livestock. The Scouts were also kind enough to show us the puppet show they use to educate the local communities on the importance of sharing their resources with the wildlife.
Another highlight of our GZT visit was time spent with the Grass Guardians. These children came to the camp to teach us about their program and performed several of the skits they use to help educate the community on the importance of holistic land management and water conservation. These kids were truly amazing and they certainly are a bright future for conservation in Westgate.
It was fantastic to be part of a national census that will help direct future conservation efforts for both Grevy’s zebras and reticulated giraffes, and to experience the wildlife and culture of northern Kenya. The dedication of the GZT team is truly amazing and has inspired me, and I believe all members of the zoo team, to work harder than ever to conserve the endangered Grevy’s zebra. Here’s to GGR 2020!
