Protecting Habitats and Wildlife

About 70% of Kenya’s Wildlife is found outside of the protected areas. One of the fundamental and most effective approaches to conserve wildlife is to preserve the ecosystem.

Support for locals

Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps work closely with communities living alongside National parks and wildlife reserves to help them derive benefits from conserving wildlife species and the indigenous habitat. The communities are able to earn an income from ecotourism by setting aside areas of their land as wildlife conservancies, thereby creating wildlife dispersal areas outside the parks, increasing wildlife numbers, habitat and biodiversity.

Neebati cheetah cubs

The Porini Conservancy concept pioneered by Gamewatchers Safaris in partnership with the local communities in Selenkay in Amboseli and Ol Kinyei in the Masai Mara has made a significant contribution to wildlife conservation and habitat protection in these areas. Within just a short time of conception each conservancy saw a significant increase in wildlife numbers and a regeneration of vegetation in areas that were previously over-grazed by livestock. At Selenkay, elephants returned after an absence of twenty years and in the Ol Kinyei conservancy the number of lions increased very quickly with several residential prides. Besides, we’ve observed higher cheetah numbers, cub survival rate and an influx of other species. The Ol Kinyei conservancy is currently recognized as International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List site.

Neebati cheetah cubs

Monitor impact

The concept ensures minimal impact on the habitat and wildlife by minimizing the numbers of vehicles and camps in the conservancy. This has reduced stress caused by overcrowding by tourist vehicles and intense human impact on the habitat. The conservancies provide a buffer between community and protected areas, it also hosts vulnerable species such as lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant and Maasai giraffe and.

Leopard "Furaha"

Studies by the Mara Predator Conservation Program indicate higher survival rate of wildlife in conservancies with low tourism density. Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps pay monthly land leases directly to local community from tourism earnings thereby reducing dependence of livestock for livelihood and providing an alternative source of income. This unique concept has secured land for conservation and minimized land subdivision from other competing non-wildlife land use such as agriculture and infrastructure development.

With the closing down of safari tourism for the immediate future because of the global Coronavirus Pandemic there is growing concern about the welfare of those Maasai communities who depend on tourism income from conservancies. There are also fears that the future of these important areas of protected wildlife habitat may be threatened with serious consequences for the teeming wildlife species that have made them their home.

Green eyes

Currently, in Ol Kinyei, the Porini Mara Camp Manager Jimmy Lemara, the conservancy manager and some of the rangers are patrolling the Ol Kinyei Conservancy to ensure wildlife safety. During the Easter holidays “Green Eye” one of the 3 dominant lion males of the famous Rekero pride, was sighted with a wire snare around his neck. The Ol Kinyei Conservancy in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service Veterinary, Niels Mogensen Senior Researcher with the Mara Predator Conservation Program helped locate Green Eye, managed to dart him, and remove the snare.

Lion "Green eyes"
Wire snare removed from lion

Adopt an Acre

To enable payment of the monthly leases and ranger salaries to secure these important habitat and safeguard wildlife in the conservancies, Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps have introduced the “Adopt-an-Acre” plan. Through the Adopt-an-Acre plan, contributors can adopt an acre of land in the conservancies for a year via a donation to the Wildlife Habitat Trust which will help pay for the leases and rangers wages until the camps re-open, ensuring that the Maasai families continue receiving some income and the conservancies can continue to exist. The Trust will be audited by a reputable firm of auditors in Nairobi, Grant Thornton Kenya, so that contributors can be confident that all the money will be used for the intended purpose.

Leopard "Fig"

You can make a difference by supporting the Adopt-an-Acre program, please visit https://www.porini.com/adopt-an-acre-2/ for more information.

Corona Virus and more……

While the Corona virus turned out to be a world wide threat and problem, causing all kinds of complications, we like to keep the positive spirit. Luckily we are in the position to continue what we have started recently and which will in the end give our projects, the species we are fighting for and working with, and all involved the long-awaited boost.

Volunteers who booked with us and aren’t able to take their flight to enjoy spending time @ Wild Cats World, we can always look for another period of time that will suit us both. Just e-mail us and we can take it from there. Same goes for volunteers who like to make a booking; best to get in touch first to see what the best option is.

We sympathize with all victims of the Corona virus and wish for you all to Keep Well!!

With all negativity there’s always some positivity. For the environment & wildlife the world-wide crisis comes as a blessing……Mother Earth seems to strike back big time and so far there’s nothing people could do to stop this.

Let’s work together, one for all instead of all for one, and let’s beat the crisis in a positive way. And just realise it is not people who rule the planet. Let’s stop destroying the earth and by doing so ourselves!

Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge
Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge
Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge
Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge
Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge
Leopard - Photography Babette de Jonge

Merry X-Mas & Happy New Year

Published December 18, 2019 | By Web Master | Edit

Team Wild Cats World and all wonderful wild cat ambassadors love to express our gratitude for your wonderful support throughout another year. A year with lots of difficulties to overcome, plans to make, changes taking place. Another year full of love and care for the resident wild cats and species in our sanctuary and conservation programs.

What kept us most busy and still is: the fight for the African leopard. With the “disappearance” of our female Olive on her way to the wild, we discovered many shocking things which are huge threats to the wild leopards. So a courtcase and lots more will be happening next year and also lots of other ambitious plans to start with.

But we will keep you up-dated by posts on social media and this website.

For now: have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2020 in good health!

Wild Cats vs abuse, trade, hunting and exploitation

Yes THIS (see photo!) is exactly what we think about all the animal abuse… exploitation, trade, bone and Hunting ‘industry’ in South Africa.


Thanks to the best Leopard ambassadors we have been working for most of 2019 on a huge scale Investigation as for the mentioned before. Name and shame and revealing time soon…

It is scary that everybody somehow and in some way is involved in this business. Foundations, welfare organisations, conservation… huge laugh, in fact the biggest threat to Wildlife as it appears now. Learnt so much past time… hard to describe. Yes the book will be there in the end too!

Thanks to Caib our volunteer from Scotland for the great picture, Chui @ Wild Cats World.

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