Set on 61,000 acres, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya, is home to many of Africa’s most iconic and most loved species.
It’s also home to a group of very special individuals who stand on the frontline of conservation to protect Africa’s most threatened wildlife, like the endangered white rhino.
While filming in Lewa for BBC Earth Unplugged, we met one of these men: local Maasai, Wilfred Legei.
As part of the anti-poaching team, Legei has worked at Lewa for 11 years and his innate connection with the land comes from a lifetime of love for his surroundings.
As he guided us through the game reserve, he explained his passion for the conservancy, which invests a great deal of time and money in developing their neighbouring communities through education, healthcare, infrastructure and much more. These projects not only benefit the locals, but bring jobs to a part of Africa where opportunities are few and far between.
Lewa hosts a maximum of 102 tourists at any one time – a very low number compared to places like the Maasai Mara, where you may have many hundreds of vehicles at a single river crossing.
This special intimacy with the wildlife, coupled with Legei’s experience and understanding of the environment, makes Lewa a truly extraordinary place to visit.
BBC’s Earth Unplugged brings you quirky, beautiful insights into the incredible natural world around us.
