Saving the Endangered Grevy’s Zebra
My 11 year old daughter, Mayian, has raised GBP £3,885 via Go Fund Me to help the highly endangered Grevy’s zebra of north Kenya that are suffering from malnutrition and starvation due to the prolonged drought, now entering its third year. These funds have now been transferred in to Kenya shillings and donated to the Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT). We hope this will buy more than 1000 bales of hay to assist GZT’s supplementary feeding programme.
The link to Mayian’s Go Fund Me campaign is here: https://gofund.me/e602f691
There are only +/- 3000 Grevy’s zebra left in the wild, so Mayian’s goal was to raise £1 for each one. In the photos below, Mayian (aged 6) is helping the Grevy’s Zebra Trust with a previous supplementary feeding effort during a similar drought in 2017.
Grevy’s zebra are in serious trouble. The biggest issue they face is habitat loss as their home range is being rapidly degraded through overgrazing by livestock, loss of topsoil, erosion, and failed rains brought about by climate change.
Everything comes down to the availability of grass in the landscape.
The grass stalks below were collected by Mayian and her parents in the Maasai Mara in 2021, and represent 13 different species.
The most nutritious of these grasses is the species found on the far right-hand side of the photo called red oat grass.
Unfortunately, livestock – especially goats and sheep – have been devastating the grazing areas of north Kenya by pulling up the roots of the small patches of grass that remain. It’s been estimated that 70% of the landscape is now on the edge of permanent desertification, which means that only 30% of the area has the ability to repair itself and produce the grass that is so desperately needed by wildlife and livestock alike.
Mayian’s dream is to see Samburu covered in rich fields of grass again one day. It will take a lot of work to restore the landscape and regenerate the grass, but in the meantime she wants to find ways to help the Grevy’s zebra and the other wild life that depends on grasslands to survive. Her aim is to raise awareness and contribute to raising funds by making Art.
Her sculpture of a Grevy’s zebra in amongst a herd of the more common Burchell’s zebra tries to highlight how different these rare, very special, desert-adapted zebra are to common zebra. The sculpture is for sale in Kenya to the highest bidder and this plus all donations will go to the Grevy’s Zebra Trust to fund their feeding programme!
Please spread the word and thank you for your support!
The link to her Go Fund Me campaign is https://gofund.me/e602f691 or you can visit the Grevy’z Zebra Trust homepage to donate direct.
See how Mayian made her zebra sculpture!
Saba Douglas-Hamilton 
Hi, Saba, I am not sure how best to reach you so here goes. My name is John Beaumont, writing from the UK. I run an educational youtube channel, THE PRACTICAL ANIMAL. I interview conservationists via Zoom, recording the chat and creating videos for the benefit of New Entrants into the animal industry. I ask my guests about where their passion, drive and commitment come from to do what they do, often for little financial gain but as a lifestyle choice. I would like to know if you would be interested in talking to me about knowledge gaps and research priorities for elephants. It would be a privilege to talk to you.
Hello John – apologies but I have only just seen your message. I’m not quite sure what you mean by “entrants into the animal industry”, nor whether this aligns with the conservation movement … however, perhaps you can send me a link and I’ll have a look at your interviews.
https://youtu.be/ShlXAbYPFrc
Saba,
Thank you for your reply. I have pleasure in attaching my latest video. Please let me know if you encounter any issues accessing it.
I have degrees in Field Biology (Lancaster); Conservation Biology (Manchester) and Veterinary Medicine (Brazil).
John.
Wow I think you all are absolutely amazing,my name is Charlene Roberts from the UK,I have never been out of the country,and now with a second time round spinal injury,I really do love all Animals, especially the rihno,they are amazing animals,i believe that saba is incredible trying to save the Rhino 🦏.
If there is any way I can help with a donation even just £5 a week,I would love to.it makes me feel like,I am giving to those animals,they deserve our upmost respect.as Animals where here before us,and they are all so beautiful.
I’m so sorry to hear about your spinal injury. And thank you for your amazing offer to support rhino. I’ve sent a link under a separate answer.
Hi do you know how I can donate £5 every two weeks to the Rhino 🦏 please.i really want to help save them.its heartbreaking,all the Animals that are suffering and becoming extinct, because of humans.
Hello Charleyne – sorry for such a slow response, and thank you for your heartfelt offer to support rhino conservation. I’ve been in the bush away from my computer so have only just seen your message. I think the best people to donate to are Save The Rhino Trust in Namibia. They do incredible work and I’ve known them for donkey’s years.
I just looked at their website and found the following link with suggestions of how to donate. Please mention that the money should go to SRT, Namibia.
https://www.savetherhinotrust.org/you-can-donate.html
My wife and were watching Gordon Buchanan doing a TV program on a family of elephants , and both my wife and looked at each other and at the same time , said. “ I wonder what Saba is doing.” . Is there any plans in the pipeline for any more media , such as your previous stints on TV? I was born in West Africa but did not have the same exposure to wildlife as you did. My all time support is for Dementia but my support goes to anti poaching units, and would love to join them in an operation against the insidious trade that affects both elephants & Rhinos , best wishes to you your family.