“Kenya’s future depends on wise stewardship of its natural
resources, and this partnership represents a positive step
toward that effort.” —David Banks By David Banks The Nature
Conservancy and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) recently
presented the Kenyan government with a gift of land that will
establish the country’s newest national park. The 17,100-acre
Eland Downs property, to be named Laikipia National Park and
managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service, will secure critical
wildlife movement corridors across central Kenya’s Laikipia
Plateau. It is good for conservation, and it will benefit
Kenya’s economy and the people of this region. The future
Laikipia National Park’s open savannas host a range of animals,
including elephant, eland and the endangered Grevy’s zebra.
Lesser-known denizens range from the patas monkey to Somali
ostrich to beisa oryx. When the Conservancy and AWF started
working together to acquire this former cattle ranch, our goal
was to secure a critical wildlife corridor linking toge