Rhino Tagging in the Masai Mara

The Masai Mara’s black rhino population is one of only two wild, free-roaming groups of these critically endangered mammals left in Kenya. Close monitoring of this vulnerable species is vital to its survival. Earlier this year, The Safari Collection helped coordinate an operation to ear notch and fit GPS tags to 13 of these black rhinos.

The week-long tagging operation was a huge success thanks to excellent collaboration between all the partners involved: the Narok County Government, the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, The Safari Collection Footprint Trust, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Mara Conservancy and 51 Degrees Ltd.

The new satellite tags, which were fitted into the rhinos’ ears, are providing real time data of the rhinos’ movements, enabling more effective conservation management to take place. Ear notching is also greatly assisting the Mara Rhino Ranger team in identifying and tracking individual rhinos for monitoring purposes.

Read more about the successful tagging operation here.