Ol Kinyei Conservancy featured on IUCN “Green List”

Conservation Past Blogs Wildlife September 17, 2020

Ol Kinyei Conservancy – the pristine setting of our Porini Mara and Porini Cheetah Camps – is included on the prestigious IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, one of only 45 in the world.
Located within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, Ol Kinyei Conservancy in Kenya lies between the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Loita Plains providing a critical dispersal zone to many species of wildlife. It comprises open savannah plains, riverine forest, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills and spectacular views across the Mara.

Ol Kinyei has been recognised by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) for its efforts in providing safe habitat for wildlife as well as tangible benefits to local communities. The IUCN is comprised of government and civil organisations and is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
Sites on the IUCN Green List are certified as being effectively managed and fairly governed, with long-term positive impact on people and nature. Every five years, they are evaluated against a set of demanding criteria defined by the IUCN Green List Standard. These criteria include the quality of protection of natural values and the effectiveness of actions against threats.
Having been founded in 2005 through a partnership between Gamewatchers Safaris and local private landowners, the Conservancy was the first sizeable area in the Mara where community-owned land was leased to be set aside for wildlife. This “Conservancy Concept” was a great success and it has since been replicated in other areas.
Nearly two decades on, the Ol Kinyei Conservancy has steadily grown to a substantial 18500 acres and many indigenous species have returned to the land. A wide variety of wildlife is found here and the area now has one of the highest densities of lions in Africa.

There are several leopards with territories that include the conservancy and cheetahs are frequently seen. There is also a large number of giraffes as well as Cape buffalo, elephants and over 300 species of bird.
Ol Kinyei is listed as one of the critical elephant corridors and the wildebeest migration also passes through when herds from the eastern plains of Loita join the migration to the Mara Reserve.




More information about the IUCN Green List status can be seen here:
IUCN: Pioneering Conservation Model: Ol Kinyei

Staying in Ol Kinyei Conservancy
Ol Kinyei is home to the award-winning Porini Mara Camp which is located in a unique and beautiful setting under yellow-barked Acacia trees along the banks of the Laetoli river. The camp has just five spacious guest tents and one family unit, and guests enjoy exclusive access to the conservancy for day and night game drives (by 4×4), guided walks and sundowners.

The Porini Cheetah Camp is also located in Ol Kinyei Conservancy. It is close to the Olare Lemunyi watercourse, between the White Rock feature on the one hand and a marsh fed by a permanent underground spring that is a magnet for the antelopes and zebras, especially in the dry season. Like the other Porini camps, guests have day and night game drives, guided walks and sundowners.