Rhino Updates

Thursday, July 23rd.

The first work assignment I received here in my internship was to investigate, take photos and write up factsheets for all of Lewa’s programmes. Once I handed them over to Elodie for editing I started working on something we call Rhino Updates. Let me explain:

Lewa is a not-for-profit organization and one of the ways it gets funding is through the adopt/name a rhino programmes. For a certain amount of cashola one lucky donor can name their own rhino anything they want! What they get in return includes, but is not limited to, not one but two (2) electronic updates per year telling them all about their rhino. You’re probably wondering what in the world these updates could possibly say, and I am about to tell you. They offer information about where their rhino likes to hang out and with whom, what their rhino’s favourite pastimes are, all about the rhino’s personality, and anything else that makes the rhino in question unique or different from the other rhinos.

And where do we get thus info, you ask? We make it up – NOT! We go out to the field to take updated photos of the animals in question, and interview their rangers, of course… More specifically, I, “Kate the Marketing Intern”, go out in the field with a driver and a translator to talk to the rangers. What is more, we have started to also take portraits and interview the rangers about their own lives, what they have achieved since beginning to work at Lewa, and what they think/feel about the organization.

Just to clarify, Lewa has 150 personnel on their security team and this includes highly trained rhino monitoring rangers. They work in pairs and patrol a 2.5 kilometre block every day looking for the individual rhinos that wander that territory, as well as any other animals who could be injured, unusual occurrences, and of course signs of poachers etc. These guys are trained and are excellent trackers who can spot things that even when they point to it and say “30 metres to the left of that tree, behind that rock…” I am still amazed that they saw whatever it is they’re pointing to. I tell you, seeing the way they look at the ground and at tree branches or poop or whatever, it’s just like the Prince Humperdink in the Princess Bride, or more recently Aragon in the Lord of the Rings (talk nerdy to me, baby!). If a rhino isn’t found within 5 days back-up teams are called in, and sometimes even aerial surveillance! I mean, to put things in perspective, there are 68 black rhinos living on Lewa, and that is more than 10% of Kenya’s entire black rhino population. These animals are critically endangered.

The black rhino are super kali (aggressive) and when they charge the rangers have to climb a tree at the speed of sound. The hitch is that the trees are covered in these wicked sharp long thorns. By the way a black rhino can grow up to 1.5 tonnes, and a white rhino can grow up to 2.5 tonnes and they can gain quite a speed too! In other words a charging rhino is no joke. These animals have bad eyesight, but good hearing and an excellent sense of smell. Being downwind is paramount.

Anyway, to make a long story a little bit bearably shorter, the rangers are awesome. And the stories they tell me are so interesting. I have learned LOTS (as you can see) about wildlife. Some of it is really unexpected too, like one day we came across these two white rhinos lying together in the grass. The female sort of got up and rubbed her head against the neck of the male. We drove a little closer so I could get a better angle but they were startled and stood up… And whadaya know? The male had the old fifth leg hanging out like nobody’s business! Yes, rhino foreplay! Minutes later we met with Naahashon Karimba who is the ranger in those parts, and he told us that these two are always together, and they are young but are learning how to mate. By the way did you know that rhinos average about 45 minutes for a session of lovemaking? That’s right, I said lovemaking.

SO here I am. I get to go out in the field and see beautiful things and talk to interesting people and take their portraits. I am truly happy.