Helping Rhinos and Tsavo Trust Formalise Partnership

We are thrilled to announce the formalisation of a new partnership between Helping Rhinos and Tsavo Trust.

Tsavo Trust is a Kenyan field-based conservation organisation dedicated to the protection of wildlife and their habitats across the vast and ecologically vital Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA).

Like Helping Rhinos Tsavo Trust was established in 2012, and the organisation works in close partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) and local communities to secure long-term protection for iconic species, including black rhino and the legendary Big Tusker elephants.

Based in the heart of the landscape, Tsavo Trust’s work spans multiple areas to create successful and sustainable conservation. The Tsavo Trust operates a robust anti-poaching programme, conducting frequent monitoring flights with their aerial unit for rhino security, elephant movements, and illegal activities across the landscape, eliminating black rhino poaching and reducing elephant poaching by 90% since 2017. By employing 65% of their staff from local communities, Tsavo Trust also fosters a strong culture of conservation and local ownership.

The Tsavo Conservation Area is home to nearly 40% of Kenya’s elephants and one of the country’s largest population of black rhino in the wild — making it one of the most important landscapes for conservation in Africa.

Our Partnership

Helping Rhinos is proud to begin partnering with Tsavo Trust in 2025, to support its pioneering work to protect the black rhino and secure the future of Kenya’s threatened wildlife.

Together, we will:

• Support the co-management of the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary and surrounding black rhino protection zones in Tsavo West National Park.
• Help fund vital monitoring tools including VHF horn transmitters, GPS collars, trail cameras, and aerial surveillance.
• Empower community conservancies that expand wildlife habitat and promote a culture of conservation.
• Strengthen data collection and science-based rhino management practices.

As our first collaborative action we were very proud to support Tsavo Trust in the implementation of the annual Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary night census. Led by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), this vital operation helps conservationists track and protect one of the world’s most important black rhino populations.

Each year, teams work through the night at Ngulia’s four waterholes, using specialist night-vision equipment and cameras to identify individual rhinos as they come to drink. The data gathered feeds directly into Kenya’s national rhino conservation strategy, guiding long-term protection for these iconic animals.

Helping Rhinos is proud to stand alongside Tsavo Trust, KWS, and WRTI to ensure Kenya’s black rhinos continue to thrive in the wild.

With poaching levels down, rhino numbers growing, and communities increasingly engaged in conservation, the impact of Tsavo Trust is clear. Our partnership will help to ensure that black rhinos — and the ecosystems they call home — have a future in the wild.