Michael Werikhe

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Michael Werikhe (1956 - 1999), also known as “the Rhino Man” was a Kenyan conservationist. He became famous through his long fundraising walks in East Africa and overseas. He started his campaign after learning how drastically Black Rhinos had decreased in Africa. Wherever he walked, his arrival was greeted with much public fanfare and media attention. This helped to raise funds for conservation of Rhinos and other endangered African mammals.

1 Activism
2 Private life
3 Awards
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Activism

His first walk began on December 27, 1982. His walk from his hometown Mombasa to Nairobi, lasted 27 days. In March 1985, he started his first international walk, from Kampala to Dar es Salaam and eventually Mombasa where he arrived on May 25.

Three years in 1988 he started he walked in Europe and walked through several countries, including Italy, Switzerland, West Germany. His 3000 kilometres walk finished at the stairs of the Natural History Museum in London on September 14, 1988.

Werikhe visited United States in 1991 where he held a walk culminating at the San Diego Zoo.

He held two "Rhino walks" in 1993 in Taiwan, a notorious consumer nation of Rhino horns.

Basically, Werikhe walked alone, but had often co-walkers and guides with him.

His campaign was supported by Nehemiah Rotich (then chief of the East African Wildlife Society (EAWLS)), Richard Leakey, Juanita Carberry, Prince Philip and Prince Bernhard among others.

[edit] Private life

Werikhe was born in 1956 in Mombasa. His ordinary work was being a guard at Associated Vehicle Assemblers factory, later he was promoted as a maintenance superintendent.

Werikhe died on August 9, 1999 after sustaining injuries in an assault near his home when leaving for work. He was a widower at the time of his death and left two daughters (Acacia and Kora). He was buried at Emmanuel Cemetery, Kisauni, Mombasa [1]. The Michael Werikhe Trust was founded in his memory. In addition, the EAWLS donates an annual Michael Werikhe Award [2].