Once widespread across the Horn of Africa, Grevy’s zebra have declined sharply and are now classified as endangered, with most of the remaining population found in Kenya. Habitat loss, competition with livestock, climate change and predation have all contributed to this decline.
At Ol Pejeta, we have been working to support the recovery of Grevy’s zebra since the 1990s, focusing on building a sustainable breeding population to help strengthen Kenya’s national numbers.
However, survival in non-exclusive areas of the conservancy became increasingly challenging. Predation, particularly by lions, reduced survival rates, while the risk of hybridisation with plains zebra threatened the species’ genetic integrity.
In response, we made the difficult but necessary decision to move our Grevy’s zebra into an enclosure at Mount Kenya Wildlife Estate. Considerable effort went into making the area as secure as possible, but in reality, it is almost impossible to make any enclosure completely predator-proof. Leopards, in particular, are highly adaptable and can sometimes jump fences or exploit small gaps, including holes dug by warthogs beneath the perimeter. Recently, two leopards were captured after preying on two zebra foals and were handed over to the Kenya Wildlife Service Problem Animal Control team.
Further challenges at Mount Kenya Wildlife Estate have come from prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall linked to climate change, which placed heavy pressure on grazing and water resources, while a disease outbreak, exacerbated by these conditions, further compounded the situation. Taken together, these pressures highlighted the need for a larger, more secure home for our Grevy’s zebra.
As a result, the herd is now being established in a 2,000-acre predator-proof enclosure at Sirima. This area of Ol Pejeta offers more suitable habitat and allows for close monitoring and management. The current group of 11 individuals forms an important foundation for rebuilding a viable breeding population. While predator-proof enclosures are not a permanent solution, they play a vital role in protecting vulnerable populations and supporting long-term recovery. These efforts are closely aligned with Kenya’s Grevy’s Zebra Recovery and Action Plan, contributing to national priorities to protect the species, strengthen key populations and secure its long-term survival in the wild.
Looking ahead, if populations within managed enclosures continue to perform well, Ol Pejeta will consider the possibility of a carefully planned reintroduction of Grevy’s zebra into its wider conservation area.