About 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).
Established in 2012, 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 at 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.
Through the creation of conservancies such as Kamungi and Shirango, Tsavo Trust is pioneering a model of conservation that benefits both people and wildlife. These conservancies serve as vital buffer zones to the national parks, while also supporting local livelihoods through community programmes in education, sustainable agriculture, water access, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. By employing 65% of their staff from local communities, Tsavo Trust also fosters a strong culture of conservation and local ownership.
The Challenge
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.
The success of the breeding program in Tsavo, in particular the rhino sanctuary in Ngulia. Means the need to expand habitat is now of critical important.
However, this landscape is not without its threats. Poaching, habitat degradation, climate change, and growing human-wildlife conflict continue to place immense pressure on wildlife populations. The black rhino, in particular, remains critically endangered, with fragmented populations requiring intensive monitoring and protection.
Despite these challenges, the landscape’s vastness presents an incredible opportunity. Through habitat connectivity, strategic conservation infrastructure, and deep-rooted community engagement, there is real potential to turn the tide for rhino conservation in Kenya.
Our Impact
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
With poaching levels down, rhino numbers growing, and communities increasingly engaged in conservation, Tsavo Trust’s impact is clear. Our partnership will help to ensure that black rhinos — and the ecosystems they call home — have a future in the wild.
Donate
to protect the black rhino and secure the future of Kenya’s threatened wildlife.
By choosing a monthly donation, you will have a greater impact, helping to care for and protect countless black rhino.
We are truly grateful for every gift we receive – THANK YOU.
To donate in USD or EURO, please visit our DONATE page.