Trust History

The George Adamson & Tony Fitzjohn Wildlife Trust (formerly called The George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust*) was founded in the UK in 1980 to support the work of George Adamson, Terence Adamson and Tony Fitzjohn in the infrastructural development of Kora National Game Reserve in Kenya and in particular the rehabilitation of animals into the wild. During that time, largely due to the dedication and work of George and Terence Adamson and Tony Fitzjohn, Kora became a centre for environmental conservation and the reintroduction of endangered species. In 1983, Kora was chosen by the Royal Geographical Society and the National Museums of Kenya for a major joint research project. In 1989, Kora National Game Reserve was upgraded to National Park status.

The George Adamson & Tony Fitzjohn Wildlife Trust (formerly called the Tony Fitzjohn George Adamson African Wildlife Preservation Trust*) was founded in the USA in 1983. The Trust works to re-establish ecosystems, protect endangered African wildlife and develop partnerships with local communities. The Trust was instrumental in supporting Tony Fitzjohn and his team to rehabilitate the Mkomazi Game Reserve in Tanzania to National Park status, to carry out important endangered species programmes for the black rhino and African wild dog and to undertake extensive outreach programmes in the surrounding communities. The Trust has now refocused its attention to providing support for the Kora project. The Trust is a non-profit organization 501(c)3 with the donations going directly to the field.

* Founded as the Kora Wildlife Preservation Trust in the UK and the Kora Wildlife Preservation USA Inc. in the USA

Following the unique opportunities offered by The Mkomazi Project in Tanzania, the Trusts were enlarged to take on the major challenge, historical in terms of environmental conservation, of the rehabilitation of the Mkomazi Game Reserve. The name of the Trusts were changed to reflect the widening of its activities and to pay tribute to the invaluable contribution made by George Adamson to the cause of preservation and the defence of the natural world. George Adamson was later murdered in the course of his work in 1989.

Mkomazi and Tony Fitzjohn park infrastructure

In 1989, Tony Fitzjohn was invited by the Government of Tanzania to join with them on The Mkomazi Project, a National Priority Project to revive and rebuild the devastated Mkomazi Game Reserve, 3,270 sq km of African bush which, together with the Tsavo National Parks on its northern boundary, forms one of the largest protected ecosystems in Africa. It saw the beginning of an extraordinary project which continued for over thirty years and which saw Mkomazi being upgraded to a national park. The work of the Trust included the construction of 800 miles of roads; the re-clearing of boundaries; dam de-silting and construction; the installation of radio networks; drilling for water and underground storage tanks; the clearing and maintenance of six airstrips and fire breaks; the establishment of a base camp; over 4,000 hours of aircraft patrols and surveys; the hiring of 50 Tanzanian personnel; procurement of vehicles; the construction of a purpose built workshop and permanent ranger outposts.

Wildlife returned in substantial numbers, in particular the elephant. By 1989 their numbers had been reduced to just 11 individuals. By 2010 up to 600 elephant were counted during the wet season.

This transformation included intensive programmes to preserve endangered species, centered on the black rhino and African wild dog.

A rhino sanctuary was constructed covering 55 square kilometers. Through a series of complex international operations 15 black rhinos were translocated to the Sanctuary from South Africa, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. The breeding population when we handed over the project to Tanzania National Parks was 34 black rhinos.

The African wild dog project was an endeavour to breed up dogs for eventual release into the wild in to areas where they would have the best chance of success. A veterinary programme focused on disease ran alongside the breeding and reintroduction programme. It is estimated that over the course of the project, over 200 African wild dogs were reintroduced into the Mkomazi/Tsavo ecosystem.

Mkomazi Community Outreach Programme

Our community outreach programmes in Mkomazi included the construction of a secondary school with science labs, computer rooms, a headmaster’s house and staff quarters. As a result the village of Kisiwani had a secondary student population of over 300. In the nearby village of Gonja, the Trust constructed an entire Vocational Training Centre fully equipped for 350 students. Classrooms and science labs were constructed in 20 other schools. The rhino sanctuary had an educational centre with full audio/visual equipment and educational materials. With the ‘Rafiki wa Faru’ environmental education programme, students arrived in a 28 seater bus staffed by our environmental educational officer. 800 schoolchildren, 150 school teachers and 100 elders and community leaders attended this programme every year.

Kora Community Outreach Programme

The Trust has undertaken valuable community outreach work in Kora in the past including joint projects with African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) focused on relief support, a medical dispensary and Flying Doctor Service clinic visits to Asako village; improved water supply and sanitation in Asako village and installation of a water windmill pump in Asako village.

Education initiatives continue together with Trusts for African Schools (TAS) who came in to provide valuable educational work in the surrounding communities. TAS has done an incredible job in these remote, poor areas and has provided infrastructural support and education initiatives to thirteen schools in these communities over the past fifteen years.

Kora Community Outreach Asako water pump

The Future

In late 2019 the Trusts handed their part of The Mkomazi Project over to the wildlife authorities – Tanzanian National Parks – and returned to Kenya to focus on the rehabilitation of Kora National Park, continuing extensive discussions with the Kenya Wildlife Services for the long-term stewardship, conservation, environmental protection and sustainable development of Kora and to forward joint objectives.