You know about the rhinos and elephants facing extinction, but have you heard about the giraffe’s silent disappearance? Even more endangered is the graceful hirola, a magnificent antelope down to fewer than 500 animals, found only on the Kenya–Somalia border. Enter Dr. Abdullahi Ali. This episode tells the story of how his nomadic childhood shaped…
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Background & History The Ishaqbini Hirola Sanctuary was established in 2013 as a critical conservation stronghold for the critically endangered hirola (Beatragus hunteri). With fewer than 500 individuals remaining in the wild, the sanctuary was created to protect a genetically viable population through a dedicated breeding and rewilding initiative. The founding population consisted of 48…
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The problem In the vast rangelands of North Eastern Kenya, drought has evolved from a cyclical challenge to an existential catastrophe. Climate change has transformed what were once manageable dry seasons into prolonged, devastating crises. While all life suffers, wildlife populations the brunt as the prolonged droughts lead to mass wildlife mortalities, increased human-wildlife conflict…
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Located at our main camp the Garissa Giraffe Centre, the Hirola Wildlife Education Centre stands as the first and only wildlife education centre in North Eastern Kenya. Dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of local biodiversity, the centre provides a unique platform for children and communities to connect with nature, learn about conservation, and witness…
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The National Government of Kenya declared the drought a national disaster on 8th September 2021 (https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001422964/president-uhuru-declares-drought-a-national-disaster). The drought condition is dire and worsening in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) including our conservation sites in Garissa County. Garissa county received no rainfall in August and an average of 3.1mm in July which is below the…
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The impacts COVID-19 have seen conservation areas operate at lower intensities due to; (i) budget and staff cuts that have reduced their management effectiveness, (ii) diminished functional capacities as a result of reducing vital management services e.g. ranger patrols, and (iii) disruption of livelihoods that have led to increased poaching incidents, illegal logging activities, and…
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In Garissa, local pastoral communities share the same landscape and resources with carnivores. However, a frequent drought that diminishes the available resources threatens the co-existence of the communities and carnivores. Currently, the short rains from October to November have failed in our conservation areas. This has heightened the human-carnivore conflicts as carnivores including lions, spotted…
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If you consume meat-based foods in the local hotels within Garissa and the region along the Kenya-Somalia border, there is a high chance you might have unintentionally eaten bushmeat. Particularly giraffes that for unknown reasons have been the target for the bushmeat trade. This illegal enterprise is purported to be very lucrative for instance,…
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It is critically endangered and has been listed among 10-top focal species at risk of imminent extinction (IUCN, 2008, Isaac et al. 2007). The likely extinction of the world’s most endangered and refugee antelope species could be the first loss of an entire mammalian genus in modern times. Even though the governments of Kenya and…
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In this post Jacob Goheen and Abdullahi Ali discuss their recent paper ‘Resource selection and landscape change reveal mechanisms suppressing population recovery for the world’s most endangered antelope‘. The arid climate of eastern Kenya is harsh and daunting to outsiders. In this part of Kenya, however, lie the only known haunts of the hirola, one…
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