Background

Melako Community Conservancy operates under the banner of the Northern Rangelands Trust in Northern Kenya. NRT is a community led initiative, registered in 2004, whose members represent politically and socially marginalised pastoralist communities of Northern Kenya. NRT assists communities to use biodiversity conservation and improved environmental management as a means of improving and diversifying livelihoods.

Melako Community Conservancy, established in 2005, is NRT's northernmost community conservancy, covering an area of 33,000 hectares and with a population of approximately 6000 people from the Rendille, Samburu and Boran tribal groups. Melako is an important area for Grevys Zebra, hosting the northernmost significant population of this species, with an estimated 200 individuals or 9% of the total population. Other speices also found in the area include african wild dog, lion, elephant, beisa oryx, cheetah, buffalo and giraffe.

Melako's Vision

 To be a world-class wildlife conservancy that attracts tourism through wildlife management;
provides security for its people, wildlife and environments;
and enhances quality of life through sustainable use of the environment.

Zoos Victoria's Partnership

Zoos Victoria's partnership with Melako Community Conservancy is about forming long lasting relationships with the community. Our common goal is to save wildlife whilst building the capacity of people to form sustainable livlihoods from wildlife related activities like tourism. This decreases the communities reliance on livestock related income, which in turn fosters a greater connection and passion for local wildlife and creates more space and secure future for wildlife.

Zoos Victoria supports the administration costs of Melako Community Conservancy and the Melako scouts, who are the backbone of the conservancy. The role of the scouts is to provide security for the community, wildlife and visitors. The scouts achieve this through anti-poaching patrols, livestock recovery, community education and through wildlife monitoring and data collection.

Zoos Victoria also directly supports the women of Melako by selling their beautiful beadwork through our retail outlets, thus creating alternative income streams.