Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta  is situated on the eastern side of Laikipia Country, the conservancy is 90,000 acres. Ol Pejeta Conservancy is known as the home of the last two Northern White Rhinos and a sanctuary for the endangered Black Rhinos. Additionally, the conservancy hosts a Chimpanzee sanctuary that offers refuge to abused and orphaned Chimpanzees. The Laikipia region has the richest diversity of wildlife in Kenya outside of the Maasai Mara – and protected areas like Ol Pejeta are key to conserving this natural wonder. The key habitats found include open Red Oat grasslands, riverine vegetation along the Ngobit and Ewaso Ng’iro rivers, and extensive stands of Whistling Acacia all of which provide habitats for a wide range of bird species, including resident species and an ever-increasing number of Palearctic migrants, residents, and intra –African migrants. Ol Pejeta has horse ride tours to see rhinos and game drives for lion tracking, also night game viewing is allowed.

Birding tour in Ol, Pejeta  starts right from the Rongai gate, where many plain grassland birds, will be seen, You will get a warm welcome from the Superb Starling– a stocky colorful starling, found in a variety of habitats in East Africa. A colony of Speke’s Weaver whose nests hang from beneath the solar panels installed above the gate building. A Lanner Falcon hunting Speckled Pigeon nesting in the adjacent buildings and Nanyuki Black-lored Babblers busy feeding on bushes behind the gate.  Ol Pejeta has different habitats; grasslands, open bushes, riverine, swamp and marshes, and thick bushes which all host myriad bird species. Birdwatching safaris in Ol Pejeta Conservancy are confined in the vehicle. Still, there are designated areas where walking, such as the Chimpanzee Conservation Park where a river cut across it, along the River trail Ethiopian Swallow, Hildebrandt’s Francolin, White-crested Helmetshrike, Rufous Chatterer, and African Black Duck may be encountered. In the tall grass, mainly during the rainy season, the males of Jackson’s and Long-tailed Widowbirds may be seen aggressively displaying in their black breeding dresses.

Ol Pejeta Birds common birds; African Black Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, Secretarybird, African Spoonbill, Hamerkop, White-backed Vulture, Ruppell’s Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Grey-crowned Crane, African Cuckoo, Dusky Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Somali Tit, Kori Bustard, Ruff, Meyer’s Parrot, Black-winged Lapwing, White Helmetshrike, Namaqua Dove, African Swift, Nanyuki Black-lored Babbler, Pgymy Falcon, Shikra, Long-crested Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar Goshawk, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, African Hawk Eagle, Common Buzzard, White-eyed Kestrel, Steppe Eagle.

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