History
The Lewa Research Department officially started in 1995,
although baseline ecological data, such as rainfall and wildlife
numbers, have been collected on Lewa since the 1970s.
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
The World Bank has funded an exciting radio-collaring project
to compare the movements and population dynamics of the Lewa
Grevy’s zebra with the sub-populations in the north.
More
here
St Louis Zoo - Education
An education project that links in with the GEF study started
in March 2003. The importance of community involvement
in Grevy's zebra conservation cannot be underestimated:
with only 0.4% of the Grevy's zebra range falling within
official protected areas, their survival within community areas will depend
upon the attitudes of the people living there.
An education programme that builds upon the existing values
placed on Grevy's zebra is combined with outreach education,
which is expected will shape the proactive involvement of
communities in the future conservation of this species. Two
women and one man from each community have been employed
to monitor the Grevy's zebra in their area. Conservation
lessons have been conducted to children in selected schools
within the Grevy's zebra highlighting the importance of conservation
and the plight currently facing Grevy's zebra. The community
scouts have gathered invaluable baseline data on the distributions
and activities of Grevy's zebra in relation to livestock
and other anthropogenic factors. We hope that the scouts
will continue having direct impacts on the conservation of
Grevy's zebra while at the same time, provide economic development
to their immediate community hence the attainment of sustainable
conservation actions for Grevy's zebra.
More
here
Collaring Wild Animals
Many people do not like the sight of a collared animal,
often because it can spoil a photo. Collaring does not hurt
the animal, and is a research technique that has been used
for many years and which has proven to provide some of the
most valuable information on wildlife that we know very little
about.
Understanding how different species use their environment
and how they interact with other species is the only way
to ensure informed management of a protected area.
Each year the technology gets smaller and more sophisticated
so that soon you won't even know that an animal is electronically
tagged.
Currently, we have collared a sample of Grevy's and plains
zebra, lion and cheetah. A few buffalo have been ear tagged
while one rhino in the forest has a transmitter. It is our
intention to fix a transmitter on rhinos translocated out
or into Lewa.
Belinda Low – Research officer |
