Grevys Zebra Project

Elephant on the Maasai Mara, Kenya © Nelson Guda

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.