Safeguarding Ol Pejeta's Rhino Populations

It's time to share your quarterly update showcasing the progress achieved at Ol Pejeta, made possible by your generosity. 

Following the births and audits we celebrated at the end of last year, we are thrilled to report continued growth within our crash. As of the end of February, the rhino population under our care stands at 241 individuals, including 188 Eastern Black Rhinos. 

Our security and wildlife teams have maintained an incredible pace to stay ahead of the curve. While our internal protocol requires a check on every rhino at least once every three days, your support allowed our teams to achieve the following:

• January Performance: A record-breaking 2,524 sightings, averaging 81 a day.

• February Performance: 1,781 sightings, averaging 64 a day.

• Operational Milestone: On February 9th, our teams recorded a peak of 101 individual sightings in a single day.

You may notice a slight decline in sightings in February compared to January. This is primarily attributed to the current dry period, which has caused the rhinos to adjust their home ranges in search of drinking water. This shift requires our teams to work even harder to track and verify each individual as they move across the landscape.

This level of intense, data-driven monitoring is the protection your gift provides. It ensures that even as the environment changes, every one of these 241 rhinos is healthy, safe, and accounted for.

The success we share—from population growth to sustained patrol coverage—is a direct result of your partnership. Your investment ensures we can implement a myriad of solutions, including ranger training, effective water management, and community support.

Thank you once again for making these vital conservation efforts possible. We look forward to sharing more milestones with you as the year progresses.

With gratitude,

The Ol Pejeta Team

We are writing to you with our quarterly update to share the incredible progress achieved at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, made possible by your generosity. As one of the world's most important wildlife sanctuaries, hosting Kenya's largest population of eastern black rhinos and the last two northern white rhinos, the challenges we face are significant.

Thank you. Your commitment powers the round-the-clock ranger patrols, wildlife monitoring, and community engagement programs that safeguard these globally relevant species. We are pleased to share the following progress, demonstrating the direct impact of your investment:

We are thrilled to report continued growth within our crash. We recorded two new black rhino births in October  this development brings our total births for the year to 22 calves (16 Black Rhino and 6 Southern White Rhino).

As of the end of October, our total rhino population stands at 237 individuals:

• 182 Eastern Black Rhino (We proudly remain the biggest Eastern Black Rhino sanctuary in East Africa!)

• 53 Southern White Rhino

• 2 Northern White Rhino

To support the highest standards of rhino management and monitoring, our Wildlife Operations team recently embarked on a critical three-week external rhino audit.

• Objective: To physically verify, photograph, and update the identification records of every individual rhino under our care. This will involve creating and updating detailed ID booklets to enhance future recognition and monitoring.

• Collaboration: We are working closely with accredited rhino monitors from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other leading rhino sanctuaries in the landscape.

• Wider Impact: This essential exercise supports the implementation of the National Rhino Recovery Strategy and will contribute significantly to our broader conservation goals.

The success we share—from population growth to effective monitoring—is a direct result of your partnership. Your investment ensures we can implement a myriad of solutions, including ranger training, wildlife conservation, and community support.

Thank you once again for making these vital conservation efforts for a globally relevant species possible. We look forward to updating you on the final results of the rhino audit next year.