Game Drive

6:30 AM

The pre-dawn light reveals large acacia trees in the distance. I peer into the dense brush outside my window and imagine what might be crouching in the shadows. The top of our vehicle is open and I stand to get a better look.

The cool morning air whips my face and I zip my coat a little tighter.

The excitement and anticipation of being out in the park wells up inside me.

What are we going to see? I can't help but smile.

7:00 AM

We're nearing Lake Nakuru, the namesake of the park, and we descend onto a wide open, grassy plain.

There's a gazelle grazing and a heard of a hundred cape buffalo up ahead. Egrets are wading in the water looking for a meal. Life is buzzing all around us.

I raise my camera.

click...click...click.click.click.

7:30 AM

A cape buffalo walks away from the herd and looks at our van.

Pauline, sitting two seats away from me, explains that cape buffalo are one of the deadliest animals in Africa — they're unpredictable and can become aggressive at a moment's notice. The herd works together to trample and gore any potential threat.

Many big game hunters in Africa have fallen victim to these powerful animals.

8:00 AM

I'm able to see the mud caked on his head and the rounded points on his horns.

It now makes sense why visiting most African National Parks occurs from the safety of a vehicle.

It's such a contrast to my experience in national parks in the U.S., where hiking on trails is my primary means of exploration.

8:05 AM

We continue driving for five minutes when four giraffe emerge from the edge of the forest. After making a few photos I can't help but stare at these majestic creatures in front of me.

They turn toward us for a moment, then continue feeding on acacia leaves. Their necks extend nearly twenty feet in the air.

8:30 AM

Irene, sitting next to me, explains that the pattern of the spots on their body help identify the species. This one is a Rothschild giraffe.

I learn that the Rothschild giraffe are endangered, with fewer than an 2,000 remaining in the wild.

Time passes as we watch them feed.

I don't think I could ever get bored of watching their graceful movements.

9:00 AM

Rapid Swahili is being spoken all around me.

There's no need for translation — I can see what they're talking about less than 100 yards away.

I focus my camera and hold my breath. Rhinos!

9:05 AM

A baby white rhino peaks out from behind its mother.

We drive a little closer, and our driver turns off the engine – he knows we won't want to leave anytime soon.

10:00 AM

We've barely moved in the last hour, and now there are now five rhinos all around our van.

As we sit and watch, I learn about rhino conservation in Africa from my friends in our van.

Horns like these are being sold for upwards of $300,000 on the black market. Many wildlife managers will remove the horns so the rhinos won't be as enticing for poachers. Armed guards patrol the borders of Lake Nakuru National Park 24 hours a day to ensure poachers don't come in.

Lake Nakuru National Park is a rhino sanctuary, and the populations of white and black rhinos are starting to grow.

The success of increasing the rhino populations is starting to raise concerns in the communities surrounding the park, particularly in the town of Nakuru. The town is growing, and there's increased concern not just for the rhinos, but for the lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffe, buffalo, and other wildlife in the park.

Human-wildlife conflict is a major issue in African conservation efforts. It's critical to involve local communities in conservation work.

10:15 AM

We reach the edge of Lake Nakuru and see Flamingos eating algae in the distance. This is our last stop before we return to the lodge.

I learn that trees on the edge of the bank are dying because of rising lake levels. The normally shallow lake is getting deeper due to climate change and increased precipitation in the region.

This is causing a chain reaction. More water in the lake means that that water chemistry is changing and the main food source for the flamingos is going away.

10:20 AM

The change in precipitation is also causing increased runoff from the town of Nakuru, and sewage is starting to spill into the lake during major rain events.

Between the impacts of climate change and the growing pressures from urbanizations, What will the future of Lake Nakuru look like?

It's hard to say for certain, but conservation groups across eastern Africa are working hard to adapt to the impacts of climate change and work with communities so that humans and wildlife can coexist.