BFR’s contribution to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – Kenya

R. A. Moller, Chief Conservation Officer

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Isiolo , Kenya

r.moller@lewa.org

The aim of this presentation is to brief the audience on the current poaching threat to rhino in Northern Kenya and to demonstrate how vital the BFR funding through the AAZK is to combat this threat.

I will briefly cover Kenya ’s historical and present black rhino population showing just how “close to the brink” rhino came. I will cover Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC), how it all began and how it stands today with regards to its contribution to rhino conservation in Kenya, showing the counter measures we have put in place to the increasing poaching threat, rhino recruitment statistics, rhino security measures, veterinary back up, daily rhino monitoring capacity and finally a plan for the future of LWC’s increasing rhino population. I will portray the reasons for the continual demand and current threats to rhino in Northern Kenya . Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of the extremely important funding that BFR has provided over many years and just how this supports LWC’s core objective – that of rhino conservation.