Kenya's High Country: The Landscapes, Wildlife And Peoples Of The Laikipia Plateau

Description

Laikipia, rolling out from the slopes of Mount Kenya through to the rim of the Great Rift Valley, epitomizes a vast landscape of successful wildlife conservation overlain by a diverse - and fascinating - cultural setting. Here, elephants follow centuries-old migration corridors while rare species like Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, African painted dogs and black rhino find precious refuge. More than 80 mammal and 450 bird species comprise Laikipia's incredible wildlife display, and all live within a working landscape where lions live side-by-side with Boran cattle, and mixed herds of livestock, zebra, impala, gazelles, and tiny dikdik are a common sight. Coexistence and respect for wild animals and wilderness is the Laikipia mantra. This book celebrates Laikipia - its wealth of wildlife, plants, people and stunning landscapes. It examines the biological and social complexity of this spectacular region and the challenges of maintaining the beauty and magic that make Laikipia unique.

Author description

Photographers: Another brilliant natural history book from renowned photographers Tui De Roy and Mark Jones of Roving Tortoise Photography. Approached by the Laikipia Wildlife Forum to help produce a book to showcase the conservation achievements of the region, Tui and Mark jumped at the chance to go to a region whose wildlife populations are rivalled only by that of the famous Maasai Mara. Based in Golden Bay, New Zealand, Tui and Mark travelled to Kenya several times to capture the beauty and drama of the land, its people and wildlife to support a very special conservation initiative. Writer Miles Bredin is a much-published writer based in Kenya. The Laikipia Wildlife Forum asked him to writer about the natural history of the area but also to tell the story of the people, and how many groups with competing interests have managed to come together to not only conserve but increase the numbers of many endangered animals as well as provide livelihoods for the increasing population.