Mt. Kenya To Be Surrounded By Electric Fence

According to the BBC, the Kenyan government has approved a proposal to construct an electric fence around the country’s tallest mountain, the 5199-meter (17,057-foot) Mt. Kenya. The plan, which is backed by several conservation groups, was developed to help keep wild animals from straying onto farmland and destroying crops there.

The project is a collaboration between Rhino Ark, an organization dedicated to conservation in Kenya, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forest Service. The three groups feel that the electrified fence will not only protect the crops but the animals as well. When wildlife strays onto farmland, it often comes into conflict with the farmers that live there. The fence will help prevent those kinds of interactions, saving the lives of animals in the process.

When completed, the fence will stretch for more than 250 miles and surround about 772 square miles. It’ll stand 2 meters in height and extend another meter into the ground, just to ensure that especially determined critters are kept at bay. Construction started this past week with the first segment expected to be finished in early 2014. The entire project will wrap up in about five years at a total cost of $11.8 million.

Lest this seem like an overly ambitious endeavor it should be pointed out that Rhino Ark has completed a similar project in the past. The organization spent 12 years fencing in the Aberdare Mountains, the source of the clean water supply for Nairobi.

Trekking Mt. Kenya for a cause

When most adventure travelers consider their options for mountain trekking in Africa, they invariably think about Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain on the continent at 19,340 feet. But for those looking for a completely different, and decidedly less crowded, experience, Mt. Kenya is a great option. The extinct volcano is the second tallest mountain in Africa, at 17,057 feet, and though lesser in stature than Kili, it still represents a considerable challenge.

The International Childcare Trust is organizing a climb of Mt. Kenya for early 2011 in an attempt to raise funds and awareness for their cause. The organization is dedicated to protecting the rights of children around the world, and has partnered with other groups in Asia and Africa to address poverty, sickness, and educational needs of young people on those continents. Earlier this year, the ICT conducted its first fund raising trek along the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, successfully raising £65,000, or roughly $101,000.

Following up on the success of that trek, comes this Mt. Kenya expedition, that will run from March 11th through the 21st of next year. While on the trek, the travelers will pass through rainforests, moorlands, alpine deserts, and across a glacier. Few places on Earth offer that kind of diversity in landscapes over a relatively short distance. The mountain has a distinct profile, offering three main peaks, and while it is a daunting physical challenge, it is possible for anyone to reach the top, provided they are in good physical condition and have an adventurous spirit.

After the climb is finished, the climbers will also make a visit to an ICT project village so they can see the work that the organization does first hand. Those who join this charity trek will be raising funds for the Trust, and this will give them a chance to see exactly how those funds are put to use while observing the impact of the ICT on the daily lives of children in Kenya.

For more information on this trek and to find out how you can take part, visit Trek-Mount-Kenya.com.

[Photo credit: Chris 73 via WikiMedia]