Lewa

The conservancy is home to a wide variety of wildlife with over 70 species of mammal including the Big Five - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. The varied landscape includes mountainous regions, open grasslands, indigenous forest, riverine valleys and a diverse range of plant and animal life.

Lewa's origins as a wildlife conservancy date back to 1983 when the Craig family allocated part of their ranch to the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary for the safekeeping and breeding of northern Kenya's remaining wild black rhino.

The number of black rhino in Kenya had dropped from some 20,000 to less than 300. The only effective safeguard from poaching was the creation of high security sanctuaries. There are now roughly equal numbers of white as black rhino in a total around 110.

The programme was so successful that the entire ranch was handed over to create the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 1995. It now holds 10% of Kenya's black rhino , the largest population of Grevy's zebra in the world and rare sitatunga antelope.