This subset is the largest of the three zebra species found in Africa, and can be identified by stark white bellies, round ears and brown muzzles.
Kenya is home to 90% of the remaining wild population, says Funnell, program manager of Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) in the Samburu region of northern Kenya. She lives part-time on a GZT basecamp within Grevy’s zebra territory, collecting data that is used to advocate for and protect their habitat.
Funnell admits staying hopeful is one of the most challenging but crucial parts of the job.
“There are so many stories of species extinctions globally: stories of destruction, of loss of species, of pollution,” she says. “It’s very difficult to see a thousand years down the line how any species might survive, so you really have to have hope.”
To learn more about what it takes to protect the Grevy’s zebra, watch the video above.
