Sporting a light brown coat of fur the Hirola have both black and white markings. Please help us to reach our goal of establishing dedicated conservation attention at “High” levels for all EDGE species. The Hirola boast great horns that can reach up to lengths of 70cm and are essential for defense against predators and inter-species rivalries. There is a small translocated population in Tsavo East National Park, outside the species’ natural range. And the heroes are the equally unassuming Somali pastoralists, who live alongside them on the east bank of the Tana River. The fawn coloured antelope is a shy animal, with a long thin face and spectacled eyes. Hirolas are antelopes belonging to the family Bovidae (hoofed mammals) that includes buffalo, cattle, goats, and sheep among others. Hirolas, which are found only in Kenya and Somalia, and which are considered the world’s most endangered antelopes, have been plagued by disease and habitat loss. Hirolas are core grazers with selective feeding habits. Hunter in 1888. Not only are they conserving wildlife, but they are securing peace and building resilient livelihoods for rural communities on the back of it. In late 2005, four local communities within Ijara District, developed and put forward a proposal to formally establish the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy for the in-situ protection of hirola. They have experienced a consistent decline since the 1970s from approximately 15,000 individuals to less than 500 individuals currently. Please check the URL and try again. Characteristics of Bengal tigers; Why are Bengal tigers endangered? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The Hirola are active throughout the day and prefer a habitat of grassland plains. Bespoke safaris and stories. Sourcing the funding and support they needed through Northern Rangelands Trust, the Kenya Wildlife Service and others, the Ishaqbini community built a 3,000 hectare, predator-proof enclosure in an attempt to protect the last remaining hirola in their area. Hirola predators include large carnivores such as lions, cheetahs, the African wild dog, and humans. The female Hirola reach sexual maturity at around the age of 2 or 3 with males reaching sexual maturity a little later at around 4 or 5 when they are strong enough to compete with other males for the mature females. For each key category of conservation action, we calculated a conservation attention score based on expert information. Despite the arid environments they occupy, hirolas appear to survive without access to surface water. Available at: Known populations are effectively protected, Range restoration effort initiated and sustained, Mechanisms for regional  cooperation on all aspects of hirola antelope conservation established, National hirola action plans produced in both Kenya and Somalia endorsed in all states, The conservation strategy is coordinated and resourced, Conservation funding and effort increased, Poaching pressure on hirola antelope reduced, The ex-situ population within coordinated breeding programmes is managed for future reintroductions, The regional Protected Area Network is fully effective to meet the needs of hirola antelope conservation, Hirola antelope are recognized as a flagship species for Garissa County. The name hirola comes from the Somali name ‘Arawla’ which refers to their rufous-tawny coat colour. They were discovered by the big game hunter and zoologist H.C.V. Through NRT, they had access to expert scientific advice to help them shape their conservation and management strategies. Why are giraffes important to the environment? The page you are looking for has been moved or deleted. This wordcloud illustrates the threats facing this species. The Ishaqbini Conservancy team raised awareness about the plight of the hirola amongst the local people, and dedicated conservancy rangers to anti-poaching patrols outside the sanctuary and full-time monitoring of individual hirola herds in the sanctuary. And yet this unassuming creature is the centre of what may be one of the most successful conservation efforts in recent history. Hirola are a grassland species preferring habitat with less than 30% tree cover. Saddle up with Africa Geographic Travel in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Ignorant complicity amongst some safari guides, Tembe elephant bull relocated to community-owned reserve, ZAMBIA IS OPEN: 3 Top Places to Visit and Why. These restoration efforts aim at restoring grasslands in areas where hirola persist currently as well as future reintroduction sites through bush clearing, grass reseeding and fertilisation.