Matterhorn mit Sohn

Dear Elspeth,  

Matterhorn is in good health. She had her first calf just over 3 months ago, and since the birth her body has adjusted and is back to normal. The calf is also healthy and we found out recently that it’s a male. By the way, Matterhorn holds the record of Lewa’s youngest rhino mother (she was only 4.8 years old when the calf was born)!

As the seasons change it is time for your update on Matterhorn. This female white rhino is now five years old and doing really well. Matterhorn lives on Sierra 13, in the northern section of the Conservancy. We caught up with Naahashon Kirimba, one of the two rangers in the field who look after Matterhorn, to interview him about your rhino’s recent activities.

Matterhorn has been hanging around with a regular group of friends for quite some time, including two females named Jacho and Schini, and a male named Samawati. Recently Schini also had a calf and left the group, and for now Matterhorn is keeping away from the others because she is looking after her little one too.

Matterhorn doesn’t feed a lot during the day. She prefers to find a cool area to rest and then eats in the evening. Her calf is so sensitive that if it hears anything at all it starts to run away, and naturally Matterhorn follows. Actually, Naahashon reports that the calf leading the mother is quite normal for white rhino.

Naahashon is of the Maasai tribe, and has been working at Lewa for 13 years. He tells us that everything he has now was gained because of his career as a ranger. Married, with a 2 year-old son, Naahashon owns his own shamba and cattle. He has worked at the Conservancy for a long time, and says it is a good job, and a great learning experience. He has seen the way the rhino move about with the seasons and notices the changes they take on over time. Naahashon compares looking after rhino with tending to the cattle, which is something that many Maasai people do all their lives. In the future, Naahashon says he would like to see even more protection for rhino and other species, so that the next generations can see these creatures for themselves. Naahashon is proud to be involved in Lewa’s wildlife conservation programme, and says he is happy to be a part of it for the rest of his life.

Naahashon and the other rangers spend every day patrolling a 2.5 km block of the Conservancy on foot. Equipped with hand-held radios, a solar panel for charging the battery, and a pair of binoculars, these men focus on identifying individual rhino on a daily basis, as well as acting as eyes and ears for a potential poaching threat, or any other occurrences in their block. If Matterhorn, or any other rhino at home in Sierra 13, is not spotted within 5 days, backup is called in – sometimes including aerial surveillance. The rangers grow attached to their rhino and take their jobs very seriously.

On behalf of all the beneficiaries of your generous support, we want to thank you. Lewa’s core programme of wildlife conservation could not be possible without sharing the proceeds of our progress with hardworking rangers like Naahashon. With his community behind us as well as your caring consideration, Lewa’s rhino are thriving. So far in 2009, we have had twelve births (9 black and 3 white rhino), bringing the total population to 112: 68 black rhino and 45 white. With over 10% of Kenya’s black rhino population, we are proud to tell you that there has never once been an incident of poaching on our grounds. This is thanks to our dedicated rhino surveillance teams, and to people like you who continue to invest in the work that we do. 

  jüngste Nashornmutter Matterhorn mit Sohn