Sosian Conservancy sits in the heart of Laikipia, which 20 years ago, was almost exclusively a cattle and sheep producing area. As a result much of the wildlife was not tolerated. With the highest diversity of large mammals in Kenya, including the big five as well as wild dog, cheetah, spotted and striped hyena, jackal and caracal, which are all traditionally livestock predators, these species were persecuted by farmers and communities. Additionally primary grazers such as zebra and buffalo were seen as competition for grass, as well as hosts to a multitude of livestock diseases.
However, as ancestral rangelands for much of Kenya’s wildlife diminishes at the hands of humans, areas like Sosian have become more and more crucial sanctuaries for wildlife. As custodians of this land our perception has changed, and wildlife and livestock are now part and parcel of modern day ranching on Sosian. Like many of the other properties in Laikipia, Sosian is determined to preserve and conserve the wild species native to this area, and prove that livestock and wildlife are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact beneficial to each other, terming the phrase “Conservation Beef”.
With large numbers of elephant residing in the Sosian Conservancy and greater area, we have a huge responsibility to protect these endangered animals from poachers. The ivory trade, despite its ban, operates fervently and over the years we have invested huge sums of money to provide the level of protection required. Our most effective strategy is boots on the ground in the form of well trained rangers. The equipment, communication systems and level of training required for them to do their job safely and effectively is an on going commitment that Sosian have made to our elephant populations. We are hugely grateful to the charitable work that For Rangers do to support us and our rangers.
With highly trained rangers we are also improving the overall security of the area as well as counteracting further poaching incidents for the bush meat trade, to which giraffe, warthog, antelope and buffalo are highly susceptible to. Our rangers are always monitoring the wildlife and calling in any incidences of wounded animals that we may be able to assist.
