The Atlas Obscura Podcast Ol Pejeta Rhino Cemetery (Classic)
Jul 18, 2025
A small cemetery in Kenya honors the rhino, a species on the edge of extinction. The transformation of Ol Pejeta from a cattle farm to a wildlife sanctuary highlights the urgent need for conservation. The plight of the northern white rhinos is especially dire, threatened by poaching and habitat loss, while innovative solutions like IVF are explored. Efforts from past Kenyan leaders to combat wildlife trafficking are discussed, alongside the challenges and opportunities for visitors engaging with conservation at Ol Pejeta.
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Rhino Memorial Anecdote
- The memorial at Old Pejeta has 16 black gravestones, each named after a rhino who died mostly due to poaching.
- This site serves as a powerful tribute and awareness point for rhino conservation.
Rhino Population Decline
- Rhino populations have drastically dropped from 500,000 in the early 1900s to around 27,000 today.
- Conservation efforts have helped stabilize the southern white rhino, but other species remain critically endangered.
Northern White Rhino Story
- Four of the last northern white rhinos were brought back to Ol Pejeta from a Czech zoo to live in their natural habitat.
- Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, failed to mate due to an infection and passed away in 2018.