Grevy's
Zebra Trust
October 17, 2020
12:15 pm PDT
Found only in northern Kenya and parts of Ethiopia, the Grevy’s zebra is the rarest zebra species in the world. It is also the largest, but its physical size has not helped it fare well against threats like food and habitat loss due to rampant livestock grazing and severe drought. With roughly 3,000 individuals remaining, Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) is dedicated to helping this rare zebra population rebound. GZT teaches pastoral communities about the importance of Grevy’s zebra conservation and works with them to promote sustainable livestock grazing. GZT scouts also monitor Grevy’s zebras to make sure they have access to key resources for their survival.
SPEAKER
Belinda Low Mackey
Executive Director
Belinda Low Mackey was born and raised in Kenya and is the founder of Grevy’s Zebra Trust. She has an MSc. in Conservation Biology from the Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology and is a Certified Educator in Holistic Management. Belinda is a member of IUCN’s Equid Specialist Group and sits on Kenya’s Grevy’s Zebra Technical Committee and Grevy’s Zebra Disease Response Committee. Under her leadership, Grevy’s Zebra Trust was awarded the prestigious 2012 AZA International Conservation Award in recognition of their practical and effective community-led conservation efforts.
Julius Lekenit
Governance and Partnerships Manager
Julius Lekenit joined Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) in March 2012. He has a BSc. in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University, with previous work experience in participatory forest conservation. He also obtained his master’s in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge in 2018. Julius is the Governance and Partnerships Manager at GZT, responsible for leading their Infrastructure & Biodiversity Program with county and community partners, coordinating GZT’s engagement in the peace-building process in El Barta, and developing strategic partnerships with stakeholders in Grevy’s zebra range.
Sheila Funnell
Program Manager
Sheila Funnell grew up splitting her time between living in Kenya and the UK and joined Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) in 2015 as their Research Manager. She has a degree in Conservation Biology and a master’s in Taxonomy and Biodiversity. Sheila transitioned to the role of GZT’s Program Manager in 2020, and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of GZT’s Research Strategy to ensure that it delivers on its impact model. She also oversees monitoring, evaluations, and learning for GZT’s different programs and communicates our impact to partners.
