Save our Stripes! Help save endangered zebras

We’ve launched a ‘Save Our Stripes’ campaign to save the most endangered species of zebra from extinction, and you can help during a bumper ‘double the difference’ fundraising week.

Fewer than 3,000 Grevy’s zebra remain in the wild, as habitat loss, droughts, competition with livestock and infrastructure development threaten their survival.

We have been at the forefront of Grevy’s zebra conservation efforts for more than 20 years, and we’re now calling upon our supporters to back this year’s £16,000 Big Give campaign, which will see your donations doubled thanks to the generosity of businesses and philanthropists.

Every penny raised during the week of April 22nd to 29th will be matched up to £8,000 by the Big Give’s Green Match Fund and used by our conservation experts to mobilise local scouts to monitor and safeguard the Grevy’s zebra population in northern Kenya.

This region, home to the majority of the remaining wild population, is where Marwell operates a dedicated in-country team, including a programme manager, field coordinator, three field assistants and 24 community scouts.

Marwell Wildlife CEO Laura Read, currently visiting the charity’s projects in Kenya, said: “We must act now to save the Grévy’s zebra for the future. The species was once widespread across east Africa but numbers have declined by over 75% since the 1970s.

“The remaining population live in remote and fragmented areas where there are ongoing risks of drought, caused by our changing climate. Our approach is to work with the local communities in these areas, using their distinct and valuable knowledge of the landscape, to help protect the Grevy’s zebra and highlight its importance as a symbol of this beautiful part of the world. I feel very fortunate to have been able to witness this work firsthand.

“We are privileged to have some of the world’s leading zebra conservationists at Marwell, and our work is helping to inform government decisions on infrastructure projects, conservation strategies and also to further empower local communities to take action to protect their valuable wildlife.

“With public support during this crucial fundraising week, we will be able to support our network of scouts and the communities that they are from. We are also keen to explore exciting new strands of the project that will involve more women and girls in Grevy’s Zebra conservation as well as fund additional local school outreach programmes.”

The funds raised will support the scouts in Kenya to deliver wildlife monitoring and community engagement, while also offering them vital literacy and numeracy training.

Using camera traps and GPS-enabled phones, scouts will collect crucial data on zebra populations, water sources, grazing sites and injured animals. This information will feed into Kenya’s national database, helping inform long-term conservation plans.

The project will also equip three villages with solar panels to power scout equipment and increase patrol frequency, while also providing communities with a reliable energy source – strengthening local support for conservation efforts.

In addition, Marwell will run tours to nearby conservancies, giving children and teenagers from remote villages the chance to see a Grevy’s zebra and other native wildlife for the first time and fostering a deeper connection with the natural world.

Marwell’s Grevy’s zebra Programme Lead Tanya Langenhorst, who manages both the International Studbook and European breeding programme for the species, said:

“This project is about much more than saving a species. It’s about creating a sustainable, community-led conservation model where people and wildlife not only coexist but thrive side by side.

“Grevy’s zebra are just gorgeous creatures. They are the largest of the three zebra species, and have very narrow stripes and large round ears. They can survive for days without water and travel vast distances across some of the toughest terrains on Earth. They’re resilient, beautiful, and absolutely worth saving.

“Every penny goes a long way in Kenya, so if you’re able to give anything, it really would make a huge difference.”

Doubling a donation to Marwell through the Big Give is easy – simply visit the Big Give website or www.marwell.org.uk/save-our-stripes between April 22nd and 29th, choose Marwell as the cause, and give what you can. Donations are match funded with support from larger donors such as philanthropists, foundations and businesses.

Marwell Zoo is home to more than 140 rare and endangered species, including all three zebra species; Grevy’s, Hartmann’s mountain and plains, Amur tigers, snow leopards, red pandas, penguins, rhino, and much more.

By visiting Marwell, you are contributing to the vital conservation projects here in the United Kingdom and across the globe. Book tickets online now to save.