Africa’s Female-Run Elephant Sanctuary
A community-led wildlife sanctuary in northern Kenya is helping protect endangered elephants while creating economic opportunities for local women. Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is Africa’s first Indigenous-owned elephant sanctuary, run by members of the Samburu community who rescue, rehabilitate, and release orphaned elephants back into the wild. Among the staff is Dorothy Lowakutuk, one of Africa’s first female elephant keepers, who has helped challenge gender roles while caring for vulnerable elephants. The sanctuary employs 110 local residents full time and partners with 1,250 women to supply goat milk to feed the elephants. Last year, the program paid nearly $342,000 directly to Samburu women, helping many gain financial independence for the first time. On the conservation side, 13 elephants were released back into the wild last year, and elephant populations in the surrounding region have grown from a few hundred to several thousand. The initiative demonstrates how protecting wildlife and empowering local communities can go hand in hand, creating lasting benefits for both people and the environment.
Image via Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
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