Saving Stripes

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Oct 09 2007 | By: admin

Hello everyone, my name is Siva Sundaresan, I study Grevy’s zebra in the Laikipia-Samburu savannahs of Northern Kenya. Grevy’s zebra are the largest, prettiest and rarest of all the zebras – there are three species of zebras in the world.

The Grevy’s are amongst the most endangered of all zebras. They have declined from more than 15,000 is the 1970s to fewer than 2000 today as a result of over hunting in the old days. Kenya banned hunting as a result of its impact on many species. Despite the hunting ban they remain at risk due to changes in their environment, habitats and competition with livestock and disease.

Today this spectacular species is found only in northern Kenya and Ethiopia, their last stronghold is the Laikipia-Samburu ecosystem where there are only 1,500 still remaining. Even here they are really vulnerable, … don’t tell them I said it but they are a little dim witted and are not all that predator savvy.

I work together with other scientists, local communities and land managers to learn more about how Grevy’s zebra interact with livestock, lions and people so that we may better conserve them. We do radio tracking, behavioral research, monitor their health and their parasites, and we from time to time we have to move them.

In this blog I’ll tell you about the zebras, the Laikipia landscape, their nemesis - lions, and the local pastoralists who share the land with them. There’s a lot happening on the ground so stay tuned to this blog if you want to know more about the secret life of my favourite animal.

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