History

FOC was founded in 1982 to work to prevent wildlife and habitat degradation in the Masai Mara - one of the most ecologically important regions of the world. This was at a time when poachers had decimated black rhino and elephant populations in the Masai Mara / Serengeti and the fragile ecosystem was under threat from an increasing number of tourists.

In 1984, FOC initiated the first Rhino Monitoring and Habitat Protection Programme in the Masai Mara to save the last 11 remaining rhinos on the reserve. The programme included a full time Project Manager as well as allowances for the Reserve Rangers, communication equipment, four wheel drive vehicles, a maintenance workshop and other necessary equipment and infrastructure. When FOC handed the programme over to the Reserve's management authority in 1999, rhino numbers had increased threefold to 33.

Due to the changing local situation at the beginning of the 1990's FOC started to expand its focus to encompass not only the wildlife, but also the local communities whose natural heritage is inextricably linked with the environment we were working in. Over time this has led to our current campaigns of Environmental Education and Environmental Management within those communities surrounding the Masai Mara National Reserve.

FOCUK also continues to evolve. We are developing an increasing number of new programmes and supporting a wider range of projects. Our world wide conservation programme, supported by the Travel Industry now covers conservation projects in countries such as Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Caribbean, Namibia , Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda

FOC is incredibly aware of the adverse effect that an increasing number of tourists have on the environment. Through our Traveller's Code, we campaign for sound tourism practices and are currently working with the Eco-tourism Society of Kenya to ensure that a Code of Conduct for wildlife tourism will be adopted nationwide.

Over the last 20 years we have become an organisation with a reputation as one of East Africa's leading environmental charities and work alongside some of the most progressive minds in the conservation arena.