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Retired Woman Saves Kenya's Rhinos From Extinction
6 Sep
Summary
- A woman's retirement plans shifted to rhino conservation.
- 5,000 acres became a rhino sanctuary in 1983.
- Kenya's rhino population has grown significantly since 1984.
By the early 1980s, Kenya's black rhino population faced extinction due to intense poaching, dwindling from an estimated 20,000 in 1970 to under 400 by 1989. Anna Merz, a British woman planning retirement in Kenya, was moved by the plight of these animals.
In 1983, Merz partnered with landowners to dedicate 5,000 acres of their cattle ranch, forming the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary. This secure area initially housed 15 rhinos, some relocated from vulnerable areas.
The sanctuary, later known as Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, expanded significantly. By 2013, it had about 70 rhinos, and as of recent reports, hosts around 245 rhinos in the greater Lewa Borana environment.
These conservation efforts have yielded remarkable results. Kenya's black rhino population has recovered from approximately 240 in 1984 to about 1,000 today, with white rhinos adding to the total. The sanctuary Merz established is now the anchor for a landscape ten times its original size.
