West Gate
| Conservancy Facts |
| Location |
Ngutuk Ongiron Group Ranch, Waso East, Waso Division, Samburu District |
| Postal address |
Ngutuk Ongiron Group Ranch, PO Box 610, Isiolo, Kenya |
| Ethnicity |
Samburu |
| Population |
3,500 |
| Land ownership |
Group Ranch |
| Core conservation area |
880 ha |
| Main livelihood |
Livestock keeping & tourism |
| Key wildlife species |
Grevy’s zebra, Grant’s gazelle, Somali ostrich |
| Year of registration |
2004 |
| Current donors |
San Diego Zoo, Tourism Trust Fund |
| Staff employed from the community |
27 |
| Annual operating budget |
US $85,000 |
Background of West Gate
West Gate Community Conservancy borders Samburu National Reserve to its south, Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy to its east and Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust to the north. Its southern and western boundary is the Ewaso Nyiro River. The Conservancy was initiated by the owners of Ngutuk Ongiron Group Ranch in August 2004, managed by a group of representatives elected among its registered members at its Annual General Meetings. The goal of West Gate Community Conservancy is to develop a platform for the Samburu pastoralist community living within the Group Ranch to reduce poverty levels through integrated eco-friendly tourist activities and conservation.
The Conservancy acts as the development arm of Ngutuk Ongiron Group Ranch and ensures the equitable sharing of benefits accrued from its resource utilization. Current tourism facilities are operated by Tamimi Company Limited, in their luxury tented camp on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. An estimated 60% of the Conservancy’s income from tourism activities funds its community projects while 40% is ploughed back to meet the institution’s operating costs.
The Conservancy also acts as the entry point through which other programmes are extended to the community by partners such as government agencies, NGOs and investors. The Conservancy mobilizes the community through lobbying and awareness-raising on matters relating to specific partners so that a strong foundation for collaboration is established.
Grevy’s Zebra Conservation
West Gate is one of the most important areas for Grevy’s zebra conservation in northern Kenya where herds of up to 500 can be seen on the Naibelibeli plains. The long-term goal of the Conservancy is to increase the capacity of the local community to manage the Group Ranch with particular emphasis on their valuable population of Grevy’s zebra so that the land retains its ecological importance for the species.
The Future of West Gate
The Conservancy intends to establish a headquarters to accommodate the sparsely positioned staff to enhance effective management. Tourism development within the conservation area, bird shooting, baseline vegetation data collection, participatory strategic planning workshops and personnel training are all part of its short to medium-term future plans. |
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