Grevys Zebra Project

Grevy’s Zebra

From afar you might mistake the Grevy’s Zebra for it’s more common relative, the plains zebra. But side by side the Grevy’s zebra looks like a stallion next to a carnival pony. Grevy’s are only found in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia and are highly endangered.

I photographed the Grevy’s Zebra while I was in East Africa for my Enemies Project, when I spent several weeks documenting the work of the Grevy’s Zebra Trust. While providing media for the GZT I was also able to document the unique partnership they had helped forge with the Samburu and Turkana tribes in Northern Kenya.

Elephant on the Maasai Mara, Kenya © Nelson Guda

What happens when people are paid to help wildlife…

The conservation world knows that people with little resources will not try to protect wildlife if it does not benefit them. Northern Kenya is an area with little economic opportunity, so the Grevy’s Zebra Trust hires people from the Samburu and Turkana tribe to protect the Grevy’s Zebra that live on their land.

This arrangement brings jobs to Samburu and Turkana men who can use the skills they learn as young moran (warriors) in their work. This approach to solving the problem of human-wildlife conflict is working, and it was an amazing opportunity to spend time with the stoic and beautiful people of northern Kenya.

 

Grevys Zebra staff conferring in the field in northern Kenya

Samburu “moran” (warrior) from the border of Samburu and Turkana

Two Gravy’s Zebra guards from the Samburu and Turkana tribes – two tribes that have been in conflict for decades (at least)

Samburu women gather in advance of a coming of age ceremony

Samburu mother and two daughters preparing for a ceremony. Northern Kenya

A male Grevy’s Zebra getting aggressive with other males

A herd of Grevy’s Zebra graze in front of a morning rainbow on Samburu Conservancy land.

Northern Kenya frequently has prolonged and severe drought, which can decimate the wildlife

Young Grevy’s Zebra finding it’s legs

Young Turkana girl

A Samburu man digging a riverbed well in Northern Kenya

Nelson Guda with Samburu moran

Moran

When they come of age, young Samburu men are expected to become moran – the traditional warriors who hunt and protect the village. Young men training to be moran learn to track and hunt animals and practice skills for defending their villages from aggressive neighbors. The Grevy’s Zebra Trust hires young moran, whose skills fit perfectly with the job of protecting wildlife.

This man works with one of the Samburu land conservancies, and collaborates closely with the Grevy’s Zebra Trust.

While I was in Samburuland I was lucky to attend a coming of age ceremony when all the moran come in from the bush to celebrate their peers becoming men.

Samburuland

Their Own Land

The Samburu have created several Conservancies, which they manage and guard to ensure the protection of their homelands and the animals that live there. These men are standing on a high point above one of these protected lands.

Conservation Prints

During my trips to Kenya I created a set of Wildlife Prints to raise funds for wildlife conservation efforts.

The prints include images from this work with the Grevy’s Zebra Trust as well as an Elephant Relocation Project I documented with the Kenya Wildlife Service and World Wildlife Fund.

See the prints