Photos: Brooke Squires

Zoos Victoria partners Melako Community Conservancy in northern Kenya.  Melako Conservancy is one of sixteen Kenyan community-run conservancies coordinated by the Northern Rangelands Trust. 

Melako Conservancy's goal is to help human communities live in balance with wildlife through local development programs and sustainable use of natural resources.

Melako Conservancy covers 33,000 hectares of arid rangelands and savannah, and supports approximately 6000 people.  It is also home to the Endangered Grevy's Zebra, Equus grevyi, supporting 9% (or approximately 200 individuals) of the remaining population. 

THE CONSERVATION ISSUE

Traditionally, the Rendille people of Melako Conservancy are nomadic pastoralists, relying on livestock (camels, cattle, goats and sheep) for food and trade.  However, ongoing drought and human conflict has increased competition between livestock and wildlife for water and grazing.  Illegal poaching exerts further pressure on local wildlife, including Grevy's Zebra, African Elephants and Beisa Oryx.

KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Melako Community Conservancy aims to:

• Restore the environment
• Provide security for wildlife and the community
• Provide alternative income generation enterprises
• Provide community development programs for health and education

ZOOS VICTORIA'S ROLE

Zoos Victoria supports the operations of the Melako Scouts to increase security and prevent poaching.  We also directly support the women of Melako by selling their beadwork through our retail outlets.  This alternative income stream reduces people's reliance on livestock and so alleviates pressure on wildlife.  Find out more on our community trade campaign page - Beads for Wildlife.

In 2011, Zoos Victoria will fund:

• Wages for 21 Melako Scouts
• Life insurance for Scouts through The Thin Green Line Foundation
• Desks, uniforms and teaching resources for Mercy Primary School, Laisamis, Kenya
• We will also continue to support the women through our Beads for Wildlife campaign
  
  

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

• 500 women employed to supply Zoos Victoria's Beads for Wildlife campaign
• To date (Jan 2012), we have sold 65,243 pieces of beadwork and sent AU$236,217 back to the women in Kenya.
• Population of Grevy's Zebras increased
• More efficient wildlife-related communications (e.g. anti-poaching) through the installation of a radio-tower
• Extended areas patrolled by scouts due to improved equipment leading to greater wildlife security

PROGRAM PARTNERS

Melako Community Conservancy is Zoos Victoria’s direct in-country partner.  Melako Community Conservancy is part of the Northern Rangelands Trust, and also works closely with the Grevy's Zebra Trust.

The Thin Green Line Foundation partners Zoos Victoria to provide support for the Melako Scouts.

The program is supported by the Kenya Wildlife Service and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.