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.
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[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
Michael Sampson Werikhe, born 25 May 1956 Mombasa. Son of Emanuel Werikhe. Michael spent his early life in Nairobi with his half-siblings Mary, Susan & David. Under the kind, nurturing & guiding influence of Emanual Werikhe's British born second wife, Sheila Margaret Werikhe (nee Lewis), Michael's lifelong interest in conservation issues began.
By the age of 11 Michael had an extensive collection of rescued snakes, reptiles and chameleons living in pens at the familiy 2 bedroomed flat in The Westlands residential area of Nairobi. Aged 19 Werikhe worked at Fort Jesus, Mombasa. Here he was given the task of cataloging the large store of illegally poached elephant ivory and Rhino horn. It was the experience of witnessing tonnes of poached ivory and rhino horns that led Werikhe to begin his fund raising.
Werikhe believed the East African conservation solutions would only work with the active participation of local East Africans. Kenyans had always lived alongside the wildlife, the concept of killing animals for sport or poaching for profit are driven by influences beyond Kenya's borders. During the fund raising walk across East Africa, Werikhe never carried money but relied on the goodwill of the ordinary Kenyans living in the bush to feed and shelter him. The rural population were Werikhe's initial target group. Rural people know what was happening within there local area and provide the first line of defence against poachers.
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].
[edit] Awards
Michael Werikhe won several awards, including global 500 award by UNEP [3].
- Guinness Stout Effort Award (1983)
- David Sheldrick Memorial Award (1984)
- Boots Action Award (1985)
- EAWLS Conservation Award (1986)
- UNEP Global 500 Award (1989)
- Goldman Environmental Prize (1990)
- Eddie Bauer Heroes of Earth (1991)
- San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal (1991)
- African of the Millennium" award by BBC (1999) -posthumous
[edit] References
- Reader's Digest, October 1990 (Finnish edition)
