Kimitei Keneth completed a Wildlife Management degree at Moi University in Kenya and, after graduating, formed a community-based organisation aimed at conserving natural resources at a grassroots level. He is currently an assistant research scientist with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) working at the Tsavo Research Station in southern Kenya. In his capacity as an EDGE Fellow, Kimitei is monitoring the translocated hirola population in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.

Hirola were once widespread throughout Kenya and Somalia, but suffered a devastating decline from 14,000 individuals in the early 1960s to about 300 in 1995. Concerns about whether hirola would survive in their natural range a founder population of about 20 individuals was released into Tsavo East National Park in southern Kenya in 1963. By 1996 this population had grown to 79 individuals, and a further 29 hirola were moved to the site to augment the population. An estimated 100 hirola inhabit Tsavo East National Park today.

Individual groups of hirola can be recognised by unique features such as horn shape and length. Through ground and aerial searches Kimitei is identifying and recording the various groups to monitor their survival and condition. He also records factors such as vegetation type and cover, group age and sex structures, activities, and associated species. His results will show:

• absolute/estimated population size;
• habitat needs;
• distribution;
• animal population performance indicators (e.g. percentage of calves in the population, cow/calf ratios, calving intervals, group size);
• the recruitment rate to the Tsavo population;
• the age and sex structure of the Tsavo population.