In 1988 by the conservationist, Ken Kuhle, when poaching of rhino and elephant had reached its peak and the bordering farming communities were demoralised by the constant raiding of their land by animals.

A report was written on the Aberdares –Butyinski Report of 1999 – in which a physical barrier was identified as a necessity for the Aberdare Conservation Area (ACA) to prevent movement of wildlife out of the ACA therefore reducing human-wildlife conflict. This barrier was also supposed to protect the significantly important habitats, species and overall biodiversity that the ACA offers.

True, but it has been tailored to the particular circumstances that exist in the Aberdares region where rich forests border highly productive farmland and where wildlife and humans are competing for land. It is not a remedy for all areas.

The fence rises seven feet above ground and three feet below. It is electrified and wired down to three feet below ground (to deter burrowing wildlife) and the upright posts are hot wired to deter baboons and monkeys from scaling them.

The average cost today is Kshs 1.5 million (US$20,000) per kilometre.
Donate US$ 200 (Kshs 15,000) and you will have built 10 metres of fence.

Mainly by the annual world unique Rhino Charge where some cars raise as much as seven million shillings and more each year.
But we now have additional partners, The European Union's Biodiversity Conservation Programme (BCP), which has made two grants totalling Ksh 23.5 Million and the Safaricom Foundation who have donated a total of Ksh 8million since 2005. There have been many corporate donors including Nation Media Group, Eden Wildlife Trust, Kenya Shell/BP, KenGen, Carbacid CO2 and AFEW (Giraffe Centre).

There is a ground swell of public opinion amongst Kenyans who believe that their future depends upon keeping Kenya's Aberdare highland forests intact.

A team of trained fence attendants to be called “Fence Scouts” will patrol the fence to repair and maintain the fence so that it continues to reduce human/wildlife conflict and protect the forest, thereby receiving the continued backing of the communities who are adjacent to it.

We already have a Maintenance Fund which has raised over ksh 15.7 Million as seed money and KWS has provided personnel for constant maintenance of the fence. However, we do need a policy that is able to withstand the huge anticipated pressures from illegal and greedy elements in the society who eye rhino horn, trees and bush meet for gain.

Projected date for fence completion including Mt. Kipipiri Extra Section is mid-2008. A second fence build team has been engaged starting April 2007, thus doubling the build schedule from 3.5kms to 7kms per month in gentle terrain.

So far we have built 306kms as of April 2007. We have about 86 Kms to complete. The initial estimated length of the fence was to be 350kms however in 2004, the Rhino Ark Trustees committed to find funding for an extra section – Mt. Kipipiri as per various recommendations in the 1999 Butyinski Report. This Kipipiri section includes a major additional support for wildlife conservation – a 4km long elephant corridor linking the main Aberdare range with Mt. Kipipiri. The fence will be approx. 400kms once complete.

They are seen regularly at The Ark and Treetops game lodges in the Salient area of the National Park. However, the threat from poaching is real and tougher measures are needed to provide adequate security.

Support the Rhino Ark initiative. We shall be posting details of all our new fund-raising activities on our Website www.rhinoark.org. Visitors to our offices, in Kenya, UK and USA are always welcome.

Yes, because the voices raised against illegal forest off-take and land grabbing are not only growing in numbers but also impacting strongly upon public opinion.

For more information, contact Rhino Ark, Tel: (20) 609866, Telefax: (20) 604246,
Email: rhinoark@wananchi.com