Kimani Rimui,
Foreman, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy
In the Kikuyu tradition a man is often judged not by what he has achieved himself, but by what his children have achieved.
Kimani's father would be a proud man.
The son he named PHARIS KIMANI RIMUI back sometime in August of 1928 at a place called Rongai in the Nakuru District, has come a long way.
He was one of 4 brothers and one sister. Old Moses Rimui and his wife Wanjiku worked in the farms of the white settlers in what was then known as 'the white highlands'. They lacked for nothing, yet they were poor hardworking labor folk. The boy Kimani was lucky to go to school, even when only until class 4. He had barely learned to read and write a little, when it was time to go to work.
His parents, in good standing with the white settlers, secured him a job as an apprentice poultry keeper with a mzungu (white man). Kimani remembers that Bwana Shister singling him out as a bright boy and therefore putting him 'in charge' over other youngsters.
Soon after that Kimani's quest for practical knowledge led him to the small farming town of Nakuru where he found work with May Contractors to learn the work of a mason. In his twenties the infamous mau-mau uprising came and like most of his age mates, Kimani fell victim and was subsequently rounded up and arrested and jailed for 7 years.
After his release and before independence came to Kenya, Kimani moved to another small farming center, Limuru near Nairobi. He was employed by 'Bwana Young' as a handy man and to help his wife maintain the chicken coops. Fate had it that Don Hunt arrived on the scene shortly after Independence and rented a house on a small coffee farm. His Neighbor, Ralph Young and his wife Allison took to advising the 'green horn' from America and let him employ Kimani as a fundi (skilled handyman) with knowledge of fixing anything and especially building animal pens etc.
Not much later when the Hunts, Bill Holden and Julian McKeand bought the land in the foothills of Mount Kenya that was to become the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Kimani was their first eager employee. He helped fence the land, assisted in building the Hunt's bungalow, stood by Iris in building the Animal Orphanage and built countless other animal pens and crates.
Soon Kimani rose to 'foreman' a title he prefers to this day. But the humble man is much more than that. He has been a friend and adviser, an important link between the ranch labor that he overseas and the management. Of late, aged 75, he learned to build the 'Stay Tite' fence in preparation for the arrival of the American born bongo.
After 37 years in the employ of the Hunts' Kimani does not want to talk about retirement.
As long as the Bwana Don works here at the Ranch, I will also work."
"I love my job and after all these years it is on my finger tips. And I love animals. They have always been part of my job. I like to work here because my bosses are very good people and have taught me a lot about animals at the Game Ranch. I especially like the bongo because of their elegant fur and I look forward to a successful rehabilitation of these animals on this mountain in my country."
Kimani raised a family of two girls and five boys. All went through school. Some graduated from college and all have work. Recently they bought him a small car so he can get home to Limuru easier, and a cell phone so he can stay in touch.
Like his Father before him Kimani can be a proud man!
Muraya, as he is known to us, is our longest serving Orphanage attendant. He is now the senior keeper.
He was born in the year before Independence, 1962, in a village near the town of Nyeri, not far from here.
The father was employed by the government in the forestry department of Mount Kenya and so the family moved to the Mountain where Muraya and his 5 siblings helped their mother on their small farm. He remembers spending the little free time he had with the farm animals. He had a fascination about the wild animals of the forest that surrounded them. Elephant and Rhino and Buffalo were plentiful and a danger. Monkeys often raided their harvest but the smaller forest dwelling animals were rarely seen except for their spoor. Muraya the boy tried to trap them out of curiosity.
Florence, an older Sister to Muraya had meanwhile found employment in the Hunt household and brought the growing youngster along sometimes so he could visit the ever changing menagerie of orphaned animals Iris kept.
After completing primary school the only choice available was contract labor to earn a living. But Muraya never forgot his goal to work with animals. Finally there was an opening so he happily joined the orphanage staff as a trainee.
From the start, Muraya showed a natural ability to deal with wild animals in need. The animals themselves responded well to his efforts.
From his grandparents Muraya learned respect for the elderly and transferred his affection to "Speedy" the gentle Aldabra Tortoise and oldest animal here. She became his favorite.
"I Would like to see the Orphanage expand and willing hearts to help with contributions so we can care for more animals in need. I like my job very much; I like to make sure the animals are fed, healthy and happy."
Well he certainly does that and far more. The affection the animals have for Muraya bears witness.
Our dedicated staff of African animal keepers continue to delight our visitors with their real life anecdotes of the animals in their care. Whenever possible they will keep diaries listing special events in the lives of their varied charges, funny episodes and all noteworthy incidents. Here, Peter Fundi, Wildlife Officer, contributes excerpts form the keepers diaries.
Our animal keepers were astounded when overseas visitors told them how American celebrities had adopted African babies.
Why not adopt our animals in need, they wondered. "We will look after them for you until they can fend for themselves and then you will always have "your own special wild animal" out there, born free, as they should be!
as "Jack" with Suzanne Dugan as his godmother
and adopted in August 2006 by Annie Katz
"Jamie" and a female Bongo "Jessica" was
named after his sister
adopted by Kathleen Droste who named her "Kathy"
Learn how you can help to support the work of the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy!
One of our female ostrich has developed a fondness for big cameras James reports.
Whenever a large lens is pointed her way she immediately responds to the attention. She dances and "displays" until the lens is lowered.
This behavior is normally only observed as a part of the ostrich's mating behavior, or in an attempt to take the attention away to safeguard the location of her nest.
Could it be she wants to be discovered and video recorded as the "Diva" of the savannah?
Our two colossal Rhinos play their part as honorary "Gardeners of Eden!"
With no formal "toilet training," these huge prehistoric animals deposit their waste neatly onto the same pile each day.
This is most convenient for the animal keepers who in turn transport the precious matter to a special area for composting.
Rhino manure is said to be the best manure nature provides.
While the manure is drying, all sorts of "good" insects feast on it and in turn become themselves prized nourishment for the larger birds living on the conservancy. They are a source of food for the smaller wild predators found there like serval or genet cats, or providing eggs for the wild primates
Once the manure is ready it is spread on our flowerbeds to keep the orphanage surrounds beautiful and supply nectar for our resident sunbirds, and seeds for the guinea fowl and countless other colorful birds.
They, in turn will spread the seeds in their droppings, and voilá, the circle is complete when "Big Mama" the Rhino grazes out on the ranch enjoying product of her own link in the food chain. (No e-coli here!!!)
