Jim McMahon
Two pastoral communities in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley have been clashing for generations, but giraffes like this one are helping to change that. The Pokot and Il-Chamus people have historically fought over access to necessities such as land, water, and cattle, while problems like droughts, floods, and a surge of malaria have made the conflicts worse. As the violence escalated in the mid-2000s, elders from both groups looked for common ground that could bring peace to the region. They landed on Baringo giraffes, an endangered species that used to be native to the area but hadn’t been seen there since the 1960s. Together, the two groups—and several wildlife organizations—created the Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy and reintroduced the giraffes to the region, in hopes they would attract tourists, create jobs for young people, and encourage members of both communities to work together. It seems to be working: The animals are thriving, and tensions have eased among the Pokot and Il-Chamus people. It was a “game changer to the community,” Rebby Sebei, who manages the conservancy, told environmental news outlet The Revelator. “Giraffes have a symbolic meaning to the two warring communities and have united them,” she said. “When they see giraffes, they see peace.”