Vehicle patrols are carried out in the very remote areas of Laisamis and El Barta that are not reached during the regular foot patrols that our Grevy’s Zebra Warriors and Ambassadors carry out. These patrols aim to increase security on the ground for Grevy’s zebra and other wildlife and also establish the distribution on Grevy’s zebra and livestock in these areas. These patrols can be tough; carried out over five days in very rugged environments, the team is continuously searching for wildlife, recording their observations and talking with community members and partners to better understand the security situation on the ground for wildlife and people.
Grevy’s Zebra Ambassadors and County Conservancy Rangers
During the most recent vehicle patrol in El Barta, Joel (GZT El Barta Regional Coordinator) and Titus (GZT Driver) set an intention for the day: they were going to have breakfast at the foot of the Mputaput hills where they were sure Grevy’s zebra would be found. Despite a long journey over tough terrain to reach their destination, no Grevy’s zebra could be seen. For Joel, this signalled that the area was likely to be insecure. Eventually, they found the Grevy’s zebra at the foot of Nkotikal hills, the second best spot after Mputaput.
“Woah! What are these creatures that are watching us?!” the first herd of Grevy’s seemed to say to Joel, staring at him in curiosity. In this beautiful, isolated part of El Barta, the Grevy’s zebra seemed to be right at home with no concerns about their safety. Joel, conscious not to disturb them, settled far enough away that they could still be kept in sight with binoculars.
The following day, Joel and Titus, along with the Grevy’s Zebra Ambassadors from Ngilai and Lesirikan had breakfast in Lbaaroi, wondering where else they may see Grevy’s zebra. Knowing that Nkotikal was currently a Grevy’s zebra hotspot, they returned to watch a herd of 72 Grevy’s zebra. The most delightful part about watching this herd was seeing how healthy the many young foals were, which really energised the team. It gave them hope for the future of this species to know that surviving conflict is not the only option they have- they can thrive in a peaceful El Barta too.
