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Wild Thing

by Celia Shatzman
Animal Orphanage Organic Spa Magazine

Images courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

The Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage allows visitors to get up close and personal with wild creatures for a good cause.

Visualize a safari in Africa, and cheetahs racing across the striking landscape will most likely come to mind. Now imagine trying to pet one. Not a good idea! But that can happen at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage. The safari-meets-petting zoo doesn’t just give visitors the opportunity to interact with animals. “The objective is to release them back to the wild when possible,” says Donald Bunge, wildlife and operations manager. “If not, we give the animals a second chance to permanently live here and serve as ambassadors for conservation of their wild relatives.”

The Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage is located within the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, along with the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, a luxurious hotel that oozes old Hollywood glamour, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kenya. The animals come from all over Africa, and the majority are young animals that need to be cared for. “They end up here because we’re a rescue facility,” explains Bunge. “Our main purpose is to care for young animals with special needs, especially the orphaned, injured and those confiscated from people keeping them in bad conditions.” The number of animals at the orphanage varies; currently, there are 189, from 28 species. To prevent extinction, they also breed endangered species to release them into the wild and are presently breeding the critically endangered mountain bongo.

The orphanage also serves as an educational center, hosting more than 10,000 students annually. For many, it is their first exposure to their natural heritage, granting them an experience that will stay with them forever. “We work in collaboration with the William Holden Wildlife Foundation education center,” Bunge says. “We advocate for conservation of wildlife, offering young school groups opportunities to interact up close with the animals. This raises awareness of the ecological and economic roles wildlife play.”

Financial support comes from visiting guests’ donations, entry tickets and the director’s personal savings to bridge the gaps. “We are in the process of raising funds to fence an expanded bongo breeding sanctuary in Mount Kenya forest,” says Bunge. “This will be a step in preparing the bongos for release into their depleted ranges.”

For Bunge, a typical day at the orphanage includes everything from inspecting the animals for illness, supervising staff and guests, meeting new wild arrivals, coordinating group visits and ensuring the correct diet and rations are given to different species, to name a few. But the results make it all worth it. Bunge says, “The most rewarding thing is our successful progress in the breeding of the critically endangered mountain bongo and seeing the many animals under our care pull through, healthy and looking happy.” animalorphanagekenya.org

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