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Students, parents and staff hear from Ol Pejeta Conservancy team

On Wednesday, a team from Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya visited Hurst to talk to students, staff and parents about the plight of white rhinos. 

The main speaker, James Mwenda, is one of the caregivers for the last two northern white rhinos at the not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya’s Laikipia County. Since 2013, James has taken care of the rhinos including Najin, Fatu, and Sudan. Tragically, Sudan, the last male of his kind passed away in 2018, stressing the significance of James’ work. 

James, who plays a pivotal role in Ol Pejeta’s mission, spoke passionately about what is being done in East Africa to halt the extinction of this rare breed and recounted his time with Sudan. He joined Ol Pejeta’s Wildlife Department as rhino caregiver and has grown to become the conservancy’s ambassador and the voice of the rhinos. His colleague Susan also spoke about tangible ways in which students and families can engage with the conservation process. 

“I would like to say a huge thank you to James, Susan, Sarah and the team from Ol Pejeta for an inspirational presentation with such an important message, which is key in helping our students understand the wider world in which we live,” Mike Lamb, Director of Staff and Pupil Wellbeing.