I awoke at 6:00 a.m. to the calls of flocks of Hadada Ibis hadada...hadada as they flew over our tented research camp towards the swamp, no need for an alarm clock here! I climbed out of my tent which I'll call home for the next two months to see a troop of Vervet monkeys scatter away from us into the yellow fever acacia trees. In this early morning glow the trees glow like gold and the monkeys yellowish- green, except for their very black faces.

A wildlife management specialist from the University of Peoria, South Africa named Graham, my husband Herbie and I jump into the Land Rover and head out for three hours of observations. Using a global positioning system (GPS), binoculars, and our knowledge we head for a different area of the Conservancy each day to gather data. We travel down the rocky road a short distance until we spot some of the study animals, the grazing animals of Lewa Downs. We count the numbers, identify the males, females and juveniles, list their activity, habitat type, association with other animals, and other data to complete a habitat selection study. Near noon we return to the camp for lunch, enter the data into the computer, take care of our personal effects, and head back out to gather more data around 4:30 p.m.

Graham is employed by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC - formerly Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary and Lewa Downs) to help them learn to analyze their habitat and to encourage proper wildlife management. Wildlife management has long been in practice in South Africa but is a fairly new concept in Kenya because much of the wildlife areas are somewhat recently enclosed by protective fences, or surrounded by farms and people creating a fencing effect. This creates many of the same management problems that are faced in the zoo world.

On these data collecting trips I've realized how lucky we are to be involved in supporting the LWC. The climate is nearly ideal, on the equator but nearly 1 mile high in elevation, the days are warm and dry, and the nights are cool -- perfect for sleeping. The habitat includes all habitats one would expect throughout Africa (except desert). There are great grassy plains speckled by acacia, rocky buttes pointing upward out of the rolling plains, the swamp with tall reeds and abundant with wildlife, a newly constructed dam (actually, a place that collects rainwater where the elephant LOVE to swim and play), streams that are fed by the runoff of Mount Kenya that breakup the plains with reeds, yellow fever trees, and figs, the Ndare Forest thick in vegetation with waterfalls, oak, cedar, and many trees with berries and the acacia forests, grouped in areas with red and yellow seyal acacia (the bull elephants seem to love the sound the seyal makes when they snap it apart, hardly any is left!)

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy started as a private cattle ranch called Lewa Downs, named after the Lewa springs which runs through its heart. Since 1945, the Craig family directive was always make room for the wildlife. In 1985, Anna Merz approached David Craig to start a rhino sanctuary on their property. David agreed and allowed 5000 acres for the start of the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary. Due to the success of the Rhino Sanctuary, this 5,000 acres soon became 10,000 acres. Since 1990, through the efforts of Andy Lodge of the Ngare Sergoi Support Group, AAZK has been helping Lewa through the Bowling For Rhinos project and has sent over $560,000 to Lewa. These funds have been used to purchase a surveillance airplane, a large lowry (truck), patrol jeeps, fencing materials, and pay the salaries of the armed guards needed near every rhino to keep them safe from the shifta (poachers). Recognizing the tremendous success of Lewa Downs, the government allowed 15,000 acres of the Ndare Forest to be enclosed under the protection of Lewa Downs. In April of 1993, the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary, the Lewa Downs Ranch, and the Ndare Ngare Forest were opened up to the rhinos and became the 61,000 acre Lewa Downs Conservancy. The LWC management staff hopes to include a huge area to the north of Lewa as part of their wildlife management plan as the local peoples have realized the benefits wildlife and tourism offer.

Now one can watch the Black and White Rhinos roam the hills and plains, intermixed with livestock, and the other African wildlife. Included are 12% of the worlds population of the endangered Grevy's zebra, many Plains zebra, warthogs, Reticulated giraffe, African buffalo (Cape Buffalo), Common eland, Greater kudu, waterbuck, gemsbok, impala, hartebeest, oryx, dikdik, Thompson's and Grant's gazelle, gerenuk, aardvark, rock and bush hyraxes, Savanna baboon, Vervet and Colobus monkeys, bushbabies, hundreds of Elephant, crowned cranes, ibis, bee-eaters, monkey-eagles, and thousands of other birds and insects to name only a few.

Saving the rhino habitat is what Bowling For Rhinos is all about and my first three days at Lewa reminded me of this. While staying in the guest house of Anna Merz, each morning I was awaken by the pig- like squeals of the 200 pound Samuel, a two month old black rhino whose mother is Samia, the rhino Anna Merz hand raised. Many were concerned about Samia's mothering ability, since she learned hers from a human, but as you watch mother and son together, it is apparent that Samia is doing an excellent job. In the evenings, Samia brings Samuel near Anna's garden for safety. At sunrise, Samia leads Samuel out into the plains, browsing on her favorite acacia and responding to Samuel's squeaks Mom, where are you?

Samia browses constantly while walking, until she pauses to feed Samuel. In the heat of the day, they lay beneath a large acacia in the shade, mother resting with one ear up listening while Samuel suckles or sleeps. Once rested, Samia leads into the bush, with Samuel romping in the grasses behind her. It is obvious that Anna was a very good rhino mom, so is Samia.