| Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a
90,000 acre wildlife conservancy situated between
the foot hills of the Aberdares and the magnificent
snowcapped Mount Kenya. This conservancy boasts an astounding variety
of animals including the non-indigenous chimpanzees
and the big 5 (the endangered black and white rhino, leopard,
elephant, buffalo and lion).
The combination of amazing wildlife and stunning
views across the open plains of Ol Pejeta guarantees
an unforgettable safari experience.
Ol Pejetas past is filled with many colourful
history and characters alike, during the colonial
era, the Laikipia Plateau was utilized as an
extensive cattle ranching area. Lacking the rainfall
required to successfully cultivate crops, cattle
ranching was seen as the next best way to utilize
the land. Lord Delamere owned it in earlier years,
John & Jane Kenyon took over the management in 1949
and spent the next 15 in the ranch. Over time cattle ran ching became less and
profitable. Increasing elephant populations that
previously used the ranch as a transit area from the
north to Mount Kenya and the Aberdares were forced
to take up permanent residence on the property. Consequently, in the face of declining
wildlife populations elsewhere and as a means to
effectively utilize the land, the recent past has
seen increasing emphasis placed upon wildlife
conservation.
The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary opened in
1993. Lonrho Africa, the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS)
and the Jane Goodall Institute established a
facility to receive and provide sanctuary and
housing to an original group of 3 chimps orphaned at
a young age by the bush-meat trade. With the
evacuation of the Jane Goodall Institute facility in Bujumbura due to
civil war breaking out in Burundi, the chimps were
brought to Sweetwaters. In 1995, 9 older chimpanzees
arrived, followed at the beginning of 1996 by 10
younger chimpanzees.
The Sanctuary is partitioned into two parts, with
the river acting as a natural border between the two
groups. The eastern side of the sanctuary is 96
acres and home to the older group while the western
side is 151 acres and home to the younger group. The
sole objective of the sanctuary is to provide a
safe, secure and permanent refuge for theses
chimpanzees in an environment that is as natural as
possible.
Owing to the ongoing destruction of the West
African rainforest and continued demand for
bush-meat, Sweetwaters is compelled to continue
accepting new orphaned and abused chimpanzees. The
sanctuary now holds 40 chimpanzees with 16 fully
qualified staff taking care of them day and night.
In 2004 the reserve was purchased by Fauna and
Flora International, a UK based conservation
organization. The Sweetwaters game reserve has now
been extended to encompass the entire ranching area
to create the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, approximately
90,000 acres in extent. This has created the largest
black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, with the aim
of generating profit from wildlife tourism and
complementary activities (including cattle) for
reinvestment into community development in the local
area
|
Mocabe Tours and
Safaris, P.O. Box
95535 - 80106 Mombasa