The Rhino Charge is an annual off-road competition held in Kenya in which entrants are required to visit a number of points (Guard Posts) while traveling the shortest possible distance across difficult, trackless terrain, where speed is penalized. The event is organized in order to raise funds to support the activities of the Charitable Trust Rhino Ark.
Final touches to the 32nd edition of the Rhino Charge, Kenya’s unique off-road
competition, are being made today, as camp operators and competing vehicles
continue to arrive at the venue in Baringo County.
Inspection of competing cars will be done today as participants prepare to drive in rocky, hilly, rugged terrains of Sabor, Baringo County. It is one of the few sport events run with a national conservation purpose. It is
conducted to support the safeguarding of the integrity and ecological functions of
Kenya’s mountain forests, also known as water towers, as they are the source of
all main rivers in the country.
Since its conception in 1989, the Rhino Charge has raised a staggering
amount of over Kshs 1.7 billion towards the conservation of Mount Kenya, the
Aberdares and Mount Eburu in the Mau Forests Complex. Whilst the first Rhino
Charge raised only Kshs 250,000, this amount has increased tremendously over
the years to cross the Kshs 180 million mark in 2018, thanks to supporters locally
and internationally.
Projects funded thanks to the Rhino Charge funds include the construction of the
world longest game-proof fences, such as the 450 km Mount Kenya Electric Fence
of which 210 km have been built to date. The funds have also been used in the
maintenance of the completed 400 km Aberdare Electric Fence and 43.3 km
perimeter electric fence around Mount Eburu, as well as for the preparation for the
fencing of Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya.