Wildlife Conservation Education in the Laikipia District of Kenya by Amy Masching and Jen Bahmeier
In August 2008, Jennifer Bahmeier (Education Department) and Amy Masching (Conservation Biology Department) travelled to Kenya to begin a conservation education program in support of Denver Zoo’s wildlife conservation efforts there. This program initially focuses on complementing the Laikipia Grevy’s Zebra Project to build local capacity and to create future conservation leaders. The program works with numerous partners in the Laikipia District of northern Kenya to help fulfill currently unmet wildlife conservation education and outreach needs there.
Much of this work takes place through the Mpala Research Center, the base for a great deal of conservation research in northern Kenya. Together they assisted in expanding the Northern Kenya Conservation Club, an organization that works to involve local schools in conducting community outreach activities, such as Grevy’s Zebra conservation and other important environmental activities. A scholarship has also been awarded for locals to pursue higher education degrees in wildlife conservation. All these programs have help lay the foundation for a long-term cooperative program that utilizes the expertise of our new Kenyan partners.
