Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy
The Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy is a community-based conservation area located in Garissa County, Kenya. The conservancy covers approximately 72 km2. It is located along the eastern bank of the Tana River, and borders the former Tana River Primate Reserve.
Ishaqbini Hirola
Ishaqbini Hirola is part of the Northern Rangelands Trust Kenya, which focuses on protecting wildlife and land. The Conservancy aims to help the Hirola antelope, a very endangered species, while also supporting the local communities. They have a research center that looks for ways to protect the Hirola from threats like habitat loss and poaching. By working with local, national, and international partners, their research helps improve conservation efforts worldwide.
The Hirola antelope, known scientifically as Beatragus hunteri, is one of the most endangered antelopes in the world. Its population has decreased drastically due to habitat loss and hunting. Once found in many areas of Kenya and Somalia, there are now only a few hundred Hirola left. The Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy was created to protect this unique animal and its rich habitat, which is home to many plants and animals.
The Conservancy not only protects the Hirola but also provides a safe space for other animals, such as giraffes, warthogs, kudus, gerenuks, ostriches, and even a special group of maneless plains zebras. This diversity shows how important the Conservancy is for many species.
The Hirola is a medium-sized antelope, with a tan to reddish-brown coat that gets darker as they age. They have white inner ears and a white tail. Their horns are sharp and ridged, and as they grow older, the number of ridges increases. Hirola have special dark glands on their faces to mark their territory, which gives them the nickname “four-eyed antelope.” They also have white markings around their eyes and a white shape between their eyes. Males and females look quite similar.
Hirola live in dry areas that get between 300 to 600 millimeters of rain each year. They prefer open grasslands and wooded savannahs, often on sandy soil. Surprisingly, Hirola can go a long time without drinking water; they were seen drinking only ten times in 674 observations, mostly during dry seasons. They like short green grass and often graze near waterholes. Their diet mainly includes grass, especially those with more leaves than stems, but they can eat tougher plants when it’s dry. This shows that having enough food is more important to them than the quality of the grass.
The Hirola population, endemic to north-eastern Kenya, has been the center of the formation of the conservancy. The conservancy is owned by three communities – the Korissa, Hara and Kotile. The conservancy hosts about 120 hirola antelopes. Along with those in Arawale (first conservancy established to protect endangered hirola antelopes in the world), there are about 300 in total. ‘Arawale’ is the Somali word for the hirola.
White Reticulated Giraffes
The only white reticulated giraffes in the world, suffer from a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits pigmentation in skin cells. Unlike albinism, animals with leucism continue to produce dark pigment in their soft tissue, which explains the white giraffes’ dark eyes and other coloring.
As well as hosting a thriving population of the most endangered antelope in the world, the Ishaqbini Hirola Sanctuary is also home to a variety of other species including giraffe, warthog, kudu, gerenuk, ostrich and even a unique group of mane- less plains zebra.
The Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy is a hopeful place in the fight to save the Hirola and its habitat. Through its work, the Conservancy protects the Hirola while also helping local people. It aims to create a balance where both wildlife and communities can thrive together.