On Thursday, the students traveled to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the world’s largest black rhino sanctuary and home to three of the worlds last remaining northern white rhinos. Ol Pejeta is not only home to these extremely rare rhinos but hundreds of zebra, gazelle, impala, elephants, baboons and even lions! Although not native to Kenya, the students even had the chance to visit Ol Pejeta’s famous chimpanzee sanctuary. Throughout the trip, the students were accompanied by a safari guide, Jackson, who knew everything and anything about all the animals at the conservancy!
Yvette, Millie, Emily, Natalie and Max spelling out Kenya right after arriving at Ol Pejeta!
Ankole Longhorns enjoying the grass!
Grants gazelle
Water buck
One of the three white rhinos!!
Baby baboon and its mother
Pundamilia! (Zebra in swahili)
Black rhino- very rare to see
One of the first stops made was to the rhino cemetery which recognized all of the rhinos poached on since 2004. This was a very heart-rending experience but extremely important for the students and other visitors to see the impacts of poachers. This allowed the students to see how important it is to have this conservancy by protecting many animals from going extinct.
Headstones for some of the rhinos who passed from poaching.
The students had the opportunity to meet a great black rhino named Baraka! After losing an eye in a fight and the other to a disease, Baraka could never be released back into the wild. He is permanently blind, however, lives happily in a very large enclosure with endless amounts of hay, carrots and lucerne to feed on! Baraka is a fat and happy rhino who simultaneously works as an ambassador for his endangered species. The students were ecstatic to spend the afternoon with Baraka as each of them took turns feeding him.
Group shot with Baraka!
Esther and Baraka
Carla and Baraka
Kathryn and Baraka
At lunch, Jackson explained to the students how the rhinos are transported in these crates
“Please touch” sign at information center of Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Natalie examining some bones and horns on display
Tobby and Esther touching different animal parts from the conservancy
Morgan eye to eye with a few baboon skulls
Danielle bravely tries to guess whats in the secret box
Jon found an impala horn!
Entrance sign in sanctuary
Just incase, we had somewhere safe to hide!
Students’ first encounter with the chimpanzees!
Max looking back at the students
Oscar being a little shy