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A visit to Ol Jogi wildlife conservancy where the only Grizzly bear in Africa calls home

The ranch; Ol Jogi wildlife conservancy, situated 225 km north of Nairobi just north of Nanyuki in the Laikipia North District, hosts the only grizzly bear in Kenya and reportedly in Africa.

  • The ranch, situated 225 km north of Nairobi just north of Nanyuki in the Laikipia North District, hosts the only grizzly bear in Kenya and reportedly in Africa.
  • Ol Jogi ranch is a private reserve established more than 60 years ago for the protection of black rhino.

The space is also a wildlife rescue centre, that houses animals rescued from different parts of the world, either because their lives were in danger, or they had been orphaned.

One such animal is Potap (Russian for bear) who was brought to the ranch at the age of 4 months.

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The 16-year-old bear, who weighs 490kg, is a donation from Moscow, and the only one in the country.

Visitors can get a once in a lifetime chance to interact with the grizzly bear which majestically strolls and even growls at visitors within the safety of its enclosure.

Photos of the dark brown grizzly bear with a dished face, short, rounded ears, and a large shoulder hump is also allowed to perhaps ensure its memories are captured forever.

Bears have a lifespan of 35 years and can weigh up to 800 kg, so Potap could still be around for a another two decades.

To ensure he attains his full life expectancy, Potab on daily occasion feasts on food fit for a king.

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For breakfast, his menu ranges from 10 loaves of bread with three litres of milk, to oat porridge, assorted cheese and honey. His supper includes fish, beef, rice, 10 boiled eggs and sweet potatoes. Fruits include water melons, tree tomatoes and ovacados.

Ol Jogi ranch is a private reserve established more than 60 years ago for the protection of black rhino. Shortly after in 1986, Ol Jogi set up its first Wildlife Rescue Centre to support the rescue, recovery and rehabilitation of the ever growing wildlife numbers entering the conservancy.

In addition to the ‘only bear in Africa’ Ol Jogi has an abundance of other endangered species such as the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, elephants, African wild dog, lion, cheetah, greater kudu and Laikipia hartebeest.

Ol Jogi currently hosts approximately 80 rhinos (55 black and 25 white), 400 elephants, 22 species of ungulates, 5 species of large carnivores, 3 species of primates and 310 avian species.

Roaming freely throughout the conservancy, wildlife tend to move in times of drought and successfully return when circumstances improve.

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In order to allow the wildlife to freely migrate through the conservancy, sixteen game corridors operate as walkways whilst still prohibiting the movement of rhino, keeping them safe from external threats.

The ranch, formerly owned by Alec Nathan Wildenstein, a French-American tycoon, changed hands in 2013 and is now run by a group of individuals under the name Ol Jogi Ltd.

In 2013, the Directors of Ol Jogi made the decision to open their extraordinary house situated inside the conservancy to the public to help pay for the cost of rhino conservation.

The house itself is particularly luxurious, offering a fantastic contrast to the wild environment in which it is situated.

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The house, which has a capacity of 22 people, is now open to tourists and comes with unmatched irresistible offer.

The house is only available exclusively to one group of tourists at a time ensuring the guests not only have the entire house to themselves but indeed, the entire 58,000-acre conservancy.

This gives visitors the opportunity to witness Africa through an exclusive, unique and truly individual experience in one of Kenya’s most pristine wilderness areas.

The house has an outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, library, tennis court and even a secret tunnel for viewing wildlife among other great amenities.

Some of the activities visitors can enjoy while at Ol jogi ranch includes, game drives, horse riding, walk with baboons, bird watching along Ewaso-Ng’iro river, visit to Twala cultural center among other activities.

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Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

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