A Rocha USA

Rare & beautiful wildlife

Just 50 kms inland from the coast of Kenya lies a beautiful and unique landscape of forest, woodlands and seasonal wetlands known as the Dakatcha Woodland.  Almost nothing was known about Dakatcha’s wildlife until about 30 years ago when an endangered bird, the Clarke's Weaver, found only on the north coast of Kenya, was seen there.

Endemic to the coast of Kenya, the Globally Endangered Clarke's Weaver breeds in Dakatcha Woodland

Since then, we discovered that the Woodland is home to a number of endangered and endemic species... all at high risk of becoming extinct due to habitat loss.

The Globally Endangered Sokoke Scops owl, Africa's smallest owl, is also found in Dakatcha - 1 of only 3 known sites!

Another Dakatcha inhabitant, the Golden-rumped Elephant-shrew (neither an elephant nor a shrew!) is also Endangered and found in only 2 other localities on the coast of Kenya. 

These are just a few examples of the Dakatcha wildlife. There are 18 other species of mammals in this area including leopard and civet, and over 200 species of birds, many of which are coast specialities. We've also recorded nearly 100 types of butterflies and two Vulnerable tree species. 

Threatened with extinction

Over the past 10 years, the threat of charcoal burning and forest clearance for agriculture has become intense.

With new roads being built, power saws making it easy to cut trees, and cheap motorbikes to transport charcoal, the forest is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. Most recently (September 2020), land adjudication has started which has created a land purchase frenzy.

This unique and incredible forest with its rare wildlife is literally going up in smoke - unless we take action to save it now.

The future of Dakatcha Woodland... if we don't act NOW!

With help from others, A Rocha Kenya has been buying blocks of remaining forest from willing sellers and creating a nature reserve to conserve this unique landscape for future generations. This effort contributes to both national and global efforts to conserve and restore forest landscapes to mitigate climate change. 

Throughout this process and as part of A Rocha Kenya’s community conservation approach, we have been involving people adjacent to the reserve in the sustainable management of their land,  teaching in schools and churches and introducing restorative farming and income-generating activities.

We need your help to save Dakatcha Woodland and its little inhabitants while it's still time! Join us to protect these species' home and save them from extinction. 

We need to secure 500 acres immediately before they are bought to be burnt down for charcoal or pineapple plantations - your gift will help us secure this critical land first - and save the owls and elephant-shrews living there. 

Who are we? 

A Rocha is an international Christian conservation organization and has been working on the coast of Kenya since 1999 to restore and conserve ecologically sensitive areas. We have been actively engaging communities in the conservation of their environments and conducting scientific research to better understand and protect locally threatened ecosystems. 

A Rocha Kenya staff conducting a Bioblitz in Dakatcha Woodland to learn more about its wildlife and current threats.

For more information about our work in Dakatcha, read our Concept Note or get in touch!

Launched by Colin Jackson, the founder and director of A Rocha Kenya, this initiative is kindly supported by A Rocha USA. This way, all US donations are tax-deductible. 

For donors based in the UK, you are welcome to donate via the A Rocha International Donations page , in order to claim Gift Aid on your donation. 

For donors based in Kenya, please view our fundraiser on M-Changa.