As the highest peak in the country and the second highest peak in the continent, Mount Kenya is an icon of the African wilderness. Due to human encroachment, however, Mount Kenya National Park has effectively become an “island,” surrounded by dense settlements and agriculture.

Mount Kenya Trust was established to facilitate the long-term conservation of the ecosystem and reduce conflict between local communities and wildlife. It spearheaded the Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor, a 14-kilometre elephant migration route linking the mountain with the Ngare Ndare Forest, Borana Ranch, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and beyond to Samburu National Reserve. Over 1,000 elephants use the route in a single year.

Since 2017, we have supported Mount Kenya Trust and their camping patrols. We fund the team’s equipment, rations, and logistics. We began by donating a Land Rover Defender 4x4 to the team, which continues to support their daily operations. Through regular mobile camping patrols, Mount Kenya Trust effectively secures the mountain, elephant corridor, and surrounding areas against pervasive threats.

As the pandemic continued to take its economic toll, many of Mount Kenya Trust’s partners were forced to reduce or halt funding. However, these same financial pressures drove an increase in illegal activities in the ecosystem. We continued our funding of the Mount Kenya Trust, enabling them to ramp up patrols that are so vital in combating bushmeat poaching and other threats.

In 2021, we bolstered our support in the region by funding the vehicle fuel costs associated with the KWS Mount Kenya rapid response team, having donated the land cruiser to KWS four years before. This team responds to any emergency calls within the region, tackling poaching issues and illegal activities, while also supporting elephant rescues and veterinary interventions. Keeping this team in motion is vital to the security of the ecosystem.

This new Land Cruiser will achieve just that. Now, the rangers will work on a one-month rotational basis, ensuring they can both detect hotspots in the region and tackle pervasive threats, from poaching to logging. We are honoured to support this important team, ensuring the protection of one of Kenya’s great landscapes.