The hirola is Africa’s most threatened antelope. It is the sole survivor of a once abundant group of antelopes, and is often referred to as a living relic. Once common throughout East Africa, the species has suffered a devastating decline in the last 30 years, with numbers plummeting from around 14,000 in the 1970s to an estimated 600 today. The surviving hirola are threatened by drought, poaching and habitat loss. Intensive conservation efforts are needed if this species is to survive.

The EDGE of Existence programme aims to provide support for researchers studying a small protected population of hirola in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. This population was established in the National Park during the 1960s, and is the only insurance the hirola has against extinction, if a disaster should occur in its natural habitat. The National Park provides an ideal opportunity for researchers to study the behaviour and ecology of the species and understand more about what factors could be responsible for its decline in the wild.

Take Action

£1000 Could cover in-country training and field costs for a local student to research and help conserve an EDGE species.