Kenya - Ol Pejeta Conservency Game Drive 'Baraka the Rhino'

With the Game Drive all but over we headed back to our starting point . We had seen nearly everything that we had hoped to and a lot more on top. I couldn't even begin to estimate the number of different species we had seen.

One thing we hadn't seen was 'Baraka' the blind Black Rhino. He was nowhere to be found earlier in the day , perhaps our luck would be better this time around?

 Baraka now lives in the large  enclosure, located next to the Morani Information Centre, for his own safety, and seems to have taken to his new role as rhino ambassador.

We were soon stopped by a Ranger as we merrily made our way down to his enclosure. Nobody is allowed down  unless they are escorted for their own safety as well as that of Baraka.

'Baraka' (Swahili word for blessings).

Again there was no sign of him sadly. The Ranger said he would see if he could round him up. It wasn't long before we saw them both coming towards us. 'Baraka' being encouraged along with some tasty leafy branches.

Baraka is a 21yr old male Black Rhino. He was born on Ol Pejeta  and was sadly blinded at the age of 13. He got into a fight with is younger brother over territory and lost one eye. His other eye became infected with cataracts and and that too was lost. As a result he tends to navigate by making urine trails within his enclosure.

It was wonderful to actually get the chance to feed and touch him. The horn was much heavier than I expected ! He has not always been this ‘tame’. When he first started living in his enclosure the keepers would leave a radio playing  on the platform so that he would get used to the sound of human voices. Whenever he approached the radio he would be fed. Over time he got used to the sound of the radio and began to associate human voices with food.

There is a dedicated force of  armed and a canine anti-poaching unit.  The highly trained dedicated force, watch over the conservancy. Particular attention is paid to the rhinos. The rangers patrol in two’s, each of the Black Rhinos must be sighted at least once every 3 days, If not then there is cause for alarm.

It was a perfect ending to one of the greatest days that I can remember.