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In the shadow of Mount Kenya, the national parks and extensive ranch and communal lands of the Samburu Heartland support some of Africa’s most impressive wildlife and wild lands. Northern specialty species like the reticulated giraffe and the Grevy’s zebra roam the acacia grassland where lions and wild dogs hunt their prey.

Conserving Wildlife

Rebuilding the wild dog population and protecting northern specialty species such as Grevy’s zebra.

AWF solutions in Samburu:

Protecting Land

Conserving private lands with the Kenya Land Conservation Trust.

AWF solutions in Samburu:

The Kenya Land Conservation Trust – A New Chapter in Conservation

Empowering People

Promoting conservation tourism and ranger-based wildlife monitoring.

AWF solutions in Samburu:

Engaging You!

You can play a role in the future of African conservation. Click on these Solutions to become involved!

AWF solutions in Samburu:

May 08, 2008 | AWF’s Nairobi-Based President to Visit Washington

May 05, 2008 | Green Living Project Champions AWF

Apr 29, 2008 | Support the Great Cats and Rare Canids Bill

More headlines & highlights >

Because the Heartlands cover truly vast tracts of public and private land, cooperation by many public and private parties is required for success. Here are some of AWF's partners in the Samburu Heartland:

IUCN - Netherlands
Laikipia Predator Project (LPP)
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Loisaba Wilderness
Northern Rangelands Trust

Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Samburu, Isiolo and Laikipia County Councils
Samburu-Laikipia Wild Dog Project
Tiermamut Grazing Group
USAID / Kenya

More partners >

Philip Muruthi. African Heartlands: A Science-Based and Pragmatic Approach to Landscape Level Conservation in Africa. Technical Papers, 2005.

M. Northon-Griffiths. Counting Animals. Technical Papers, 1978.

Joanna Elliott and Muthoni Mwangi. Developing Wildlife Tourism in Laikipia, Kenya - Who Benefits?. Technical Papers, 1998.

J.J.R. Grimsdell. Ecological Monitoring. Technical Papers, 1978.

Philip Muruthi. Human Wildlife Conflict: Lessons Learned From AWF's African Heartlands. Technical Papers, 2005.

Joanna Elliott and Muthoni Mwangi. Increasing Landowner Earnings From Wildlife Cropping in Laikipia, Kenya. Technical Papers, 1997.

Kadzo Kangwana. L'Etude des Elephants. Technical Papers, 1996.

Frank Vohries. Making Community Conservation Economically Attractive. Technical Papers, 1995.

Joanna Elliott and Muthoni Mwangi. Making Wildlife "Pay" in Laikipia, Kenya. Technical Papers, 1997.

David Western and J.R.R. Grimsdell. Measuring the Distribution of Animals in Relation to the Environment. Technical Papers, 1979.

Lucy Emerton. Participatory Environmental Valuation: Subsistence Forest Use Around the Aberdares, Kenya. Technical Papers, 1996.

More Resources & Documents >

Empowering People

View AWF's slide show on Empowering People

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Quick Facts

Area: 4,007,076 hectares (15,471 square miles)

Key landmarks: Mt. Kenya National Park; Laikipia; Samburu National Reserve; Buffalo Springs National Reserve; Shaba National Reserve

Maps: this region | Africa

Staff in this Heartland

Paul Muoria, PhD
Grevy’s Zebra Research Scientist
Samburu Heartland, Kenya

Benson Lengalen
African Wild Dog Researcher
Samburu Heartland, Kenya

Fiesta Warinwa
Samburu Heartland Director
Nanyuki, Kenya

View more staff >

Samburu Wildlife

Grevy's Zebra

Historically, Grevy's zebra inhabited the semi-arid scrublands and plains of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Kenya in East Africa. However, due to a rapid decline in their population, they are now restricted to the northern parts of Kenya and a few pockets in southern Ethiopia.

View more Samburu wildlife >