Kenya Savannah Conservation
Overview
Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary is an 80,000-acre wildlife haven that lies between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks in southeast Kenya. The sanctuary is home to more than 50 species of large mammal, many of which are endangered, including elephants, Grevy’s zebras, cheetahs, lions and African wild dogs. There are also more than 300 species of birds residing in this important wildlife haven.
The sanctuary faces continuous challenges from climate change, ivory poachers, illegal deforestation and human activity. The human population surrounding the sanctuary is rapidly increasing (around 20,000 people live on the sanctuary borders) and competition between people and wildlife for precious resources such as water, food and space is fierce. The sanctuary is in urgent need of constant restoration and protection if rare wildlife is to continue to flourish here.
Your key focus will be monitoring and tracking changes to the critical savannah biome. You will use a wide range of scientific methods as part of a holistic research effort, covering key ecosystems and working with enigmatic species. The data you help to collect will form part of a long-term collaborative study which will be used to provide valuable insights, helping local communities manage the natural environment and protect ecosystems.
Methods will include:
- Collecting physical samples from natural environments
- Surveying, classification and taxonomy of local species
- Providing insights and management strategies for local people and authorities
- Monitoring activity and populations of local wildlife
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