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BILL: Wildlife conservation
can take many forms.

People can influence it
by their daily actions

and nations can create
massive national parks

like the Maasai Mara in Kenya
and the Serengeti in Tanzania,

or, closer to home, Yellowstone.

But there is a third option
that falls between the individual

and a whole country -

private parks.

Often funded and run
by not-for-profit entities,

they can vary in size from
a few acres to large enterprises,

capable of sustaining populations
of the biggest animals in the world,

like elephants, rhinos, and lions.

It is in one of those private parks

that I intend to take on
my next two quests -

first to photograph one of the big 12
that has evaded us so far,

the black rhino,

and second, to learn
how to climb a sheer cliff

and attempt to do it.

Since I was young,

I had an intense desire
to discover the world around me.

That hasn't changed,
just the level of adventure.

Now every journey has a purpose,

and each time I venture out

to explore new destinations
around the globe,

I am following my travel quest.

Ol Pejeta Conservancy
is located in Kenya

about four hours north-west
of the capital city of Nairobi.

This 90,000-acre reserve is run
by Fauna and Flora International,

a UK-based
conservation organisation.

All fees from the various aspects
of the park -

entry, special activities, hotel,

house sales of the 100 private
residences at the edge of the reserve

and public donations

go for wildlife management
and local community development.

The park is in a semi-arid zone
of Kenya,

which is ideal for cattle ranching.

And, up to the 1970s,
this was a successful ranch,

but fate intervened.

With increased elephant poaching
to the north

and Kenya's ban on shooting game
on private property,

the wildlife began to settle
on the ranch grounds.

The elephants
that once migrated through,

now stay to avoid the poaching,

and, in the process,

the cattle fences were destroyed.

With wildlife numbers increasing,

cattle ranching became impossible.

So in the '80s, the land
was sold to the Conservancy

and, as they say,
the rest is history.

What really sets Ol Pejeta apart
from the many larger national parks

is sheer number of animals.

With one of the highest
predator densities in Africa,

including lions,
cheetah, leopards, wild dogs,

and spotted hyenas,

this is a great place to observe
the top of the food chain.

But more important than that
is the reason that I came.

Ol Pejeta has the largest black rhino
population in East Africa,

with 106 individuals.

In past filming trips to Africa,

we were able to capture footage
of 10 of the big 12 -

lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo,

hyena, zebra, giraffe, hippo,
white rhino, and cheetah -

but never the black rhino.

And I'm afraid if we can't see one
here in the next couple of days,

we may never get another chance.

I'm thrilled
to be visiting this park.

It has so many different
and exciting aspects to it.

I planned a very full schedule
for the three days here

with several special side trips,

including lion tracking,

a visit to a chimp sanctuary

and, of course, my cliff climb.

So, here's the crazy thing.

We just entered the park
and there, on the side of the road,

just a few feet inside,
a black rhino.

Seeing black rhinos this quick is not
normal, for an obvious reason -

they are rare,

even more so than their
close cousins, the white rhino.

Their eating habits also make them
hard to spot

because they're browsers,
or leaf eaters.

They tend to stay in dense cover

as opposed to the whites,

who graze on the open savannah.

One quest down and one to go.

Worldwide, there are probably
only 5,000 left in the wild.

The two big distinguishing features

that separate the black
and the white rhinos

have to do with their heads.

Black rhinos have narrow mouths
with a prehensile lower lip,

while the white rhinos
have a broad mouth

for taking in more grass per bite.

Their alternative names -

hook lip for the black rhinos,
and wide mouth for the whites -

are dictated by that very feature.

Ironically, the most famous creatures
in the park are not black,

but white rhinos.

Northern white rhinos,
to be more precise.

Though, never found naturally in
Kenya, the last two individuals,

both females, of this nearly extinct
subspecies are here.

The last male was Sudan.

When he died in 2018
at the ripe old age of 45,

it potentially ended the subspecies.

I say potentially
because some cutting-edge embryo

and frozen sperm technologies
are being contemplated.

I was lucky enough to have had
a chance to meet Sudan

before he died.

This has been the most exhilarating
and sobering experience all at once.

Exhilarating because I got to see one
of the rare northern white rhinos,

which are extinct in the wild,

but sobering because this could be
the last one of their kind.

He's the last male,

and at age 43, it's very unlikely
that he'll ever reproduce.

I guess this is a footnote

to what can happen
if we don't watch out for nature.

Sudan and the two females had been
in a zoo in the Czech Republic

before being transferred here
to give them more natural environment

where breeding could take place.

Sudan, named for the country
of his origin,

had one big problem though -

a bum back leg.

That effectively prevented him
from breeding.

When Sudan died -
this may sound weird -

but I felt I had lost a friend.

The two females,
the last of their kind,

are kept in a 700-acre predator-free
fenced area in the conservancy.

There they can roam freely

and associate with a number
of their southern cousins

brought to the park
from South Africa.

A number of predator-free animals
are attenuated to humans,

but not all of them.

Black rhinos tend to be more skittish
than whites,

so you need to be wary around them.

It should be noted that most
individuals of both species

are in the greater conservancy area,

and so are exposed to predation.

Adults have little to fear,
even from lions.

I love the chance to interact
with these rare creatures,

but being so close to wild animals
can be dangerous and unpredictable.

Suddenly, one of them did something
I was totally unprepared for.

(FARTS)

(LAUGHTER)

The predator-free area is also home

to another rare
and threatened animal, Grevy's zebra.

Americans may not realise
their predicament

since many US zoos
display and breed them

precisely
because of their endangered status.

The Species Survival Program, or SSP,

is a coordinated breeding program
of American zoos

aimed at saving some of the rarest
animals on earth.

A stud book is maintained
by an appointed national director

for that particular species,

and in an attempt
to stop inbreeding,

individuals are transferred
from zoo to zoo

to enhance the genetic diversity.

Plans are to release the Grevy's
into the greater park

as numbers increase.

Animals sense they are safe in here.

One of the rangers told me
that in the predator-free area,

warthogs sleep above ground,

while in the greater conservancy,
they sleep in deep burrows.

These creatures seem to have
a much better understanding

of their environment
than we give them credit for.

Hearing so much about predators,

I wanted to see some of the famous
lions of the park.

One of the more fun and actually
helpful activities you could do here

is to join a lion tracking trip.

These serve many purposes,
including as an educational tool,

a fundraising project
and research functions.

All lions can be identified
by facial patterns -

scars, whiskers, and birthmarks.

A simple diagram is used
to record these features

so individual lions can be ID'd.

Older females are radio collared
because they are less likely

to leave the main pride
and start and join another.

One of the advantages
to a lion tracking trip

is the ability to go off road.

Most preserves require guests
to stay on the road

to avoid destroying the vegetation
and stressing the wildlife.

Lion tracking vehicles are given
special permission

so they can follow the tracking
wherever it leads them.

This privilege gave us
some good sightings of oryx,

a desert-dwelling antelope

that was a prized hunting trophy
in the great white hunter days

for its long, impressive horns.

We also came upon one of
the rare antelopes of the park,

the hartebeest,
protected here in the conservancy.

We got a special treat,

seeing the mother rejoin the herd
with her newborn.

Probably born
in the last few hours,

the youngster is already up
and running with mom.

With lions we are tracking
somewhere nearby,

getting your legs quickly
is an essential adaptation.

We saw another antelope

that doesn't have to worry
about lions all that much -

the waterbuck.

No, it's not because
they're particularly fast.

In fact, they are
one of the slower antelope.

It's not because
they're fierce fighters,

despite the males' large horns.

No, they don't have to worry
about the king of beasts

because they taste bad.

They spend a great deal
of their time in or near water.

They secrete an oil for waterproofing

that makes especially older animals
smell and are unappetizing.

So they are left off the buffet.

It isn't long before we get up close

to both one of the lion's
favourite prey species

and its mortal enemy, the buffalo.

These 2,000-plus pound monsters

will charge and kill a lion
if given an opportunity,

but they are also on the top
of the lions' must eat list.

To feed a pride of 17 adults,

the game taken has to be big,

and buffalo
are on the top of the menu.

The tracking signal indicates
that the lions are here - somewhere.

The king of beasts can hide better

than virtually any other
big animal in Africa.

We scan the bushes.

No visual sign of any of the 17.

No lions.

Unfortunately, our tracking time
is drawing to an end,

so we make a note
of where we got our last ping.

Lions become active at night,

so we will return this evening
to complete our mission.

Night drives are another
special feature of the conservancy.

These are not allowed
in Kenya's national parks,

so Ol Pejeta provides
a special opportunity

to see these elusive
nocturnal animals.

Before the night drive though,

I have scheduled an unusual activity
for Africa,

or anywhere else for that matter.

It's my second quest, rock climbing.

An affiliate partner of the
conservancy, Rift Valley Adventures,

runs a number of programs

that offer hands-on experiences
in the bush.

I love trying new things
and rock climbing fits that bill.

I had done an indoor rock wall
before, but never the real thing,

especially in a national park

where the thrill is notched up
several degrees.

Of course, my first
and foremost concern was safety.

Rift Valley Adventures
uses the latest equipment

and has excellent experienced guides.

So I knew I was in good hands.

The sheer rock wall I will be
climbing, called Baboon Cliff,

because baboons take refuge here
at night to avoid predators,

has two climbing routes.

Both are challenging,

but the first route is a bit easier,

with a large crack that can be
followed most of the way to the top.

The second route features
a scary protruding ledge

that you have to pull yourself over.

I chose to take the easier route
to get experience,

this being my rookie climb.

Even though this was supposedly
the easier route,

I soon found myself dozens of feet in
the air and seemingly nowhere to go.

I just needed
to get one more handhold.

I reached the top
without another incident.

The way down was made much easier
by abseiling, or rappelling -

basically walking backwards
down the face of the cliff.

I am not a quitter
nor do I take the easy way out,

so it was inevitable that
I would attempt the second route.

You are on a safety harness,
so you really can't fall,

but I was determined
not to need the backup.

I was able to go up two different
routes up this rock wall,

and I made it both times,

and even surprised myself
because, to be honest,

I've never done this before,

but I had two great teachers,

and it does help to know
that you're roped off.

The right move can require
all the strength, balance

and mental toughness you can summon,

but when it works - ah! -
it is so sweet.

I was pretty stoked
after my rock climbing sojourn,

which I could direct
to my next activity,

finding those pesky lions.

Our radio tracking
had brought us to this area.

A night drive offered us the
opportunity to resume our search,

when the lions leave their
hiding places and begin their hunt.

Night drives open a whole new world
to the safari goer.

Many of Africa's animals
are nocturnal

and are never seen by tourists.

Only on these special drives
can you join that dark world.

I hope this safari would finally
bring us face to face

with those secretive lions.

As a bonus, our discovery would help
researchers collect data

on their numbers and habits.

Once we reached the spot where
we heard our last radio collar ping,

we began to scan the area
for the big carnivores.

Just ahead, wow, I could not believe
what I was seeing.

10 lionesses on the prowl,
working as a unit.

This was the largest hunting party
I had ever seen.

This has to be our 17-member pride.

Not far from the females
was the big man,

the pride-leading male
finishing off a warthog.

To think...

.I. could have given up on finding
the lions after this morning.

Nature changes so quickly, you can
never be sure what will happen next.

One thing was certain -

they were gearing up
for whatever the night would bring.

After such a busy day,

a good lodge with superb meals

is a necessity.

At Ol Pejeta, the Serena Hotel
offers two intriguing choices.

For most of us, that would be
the Serena Sweetwater Lodge.

Having all the amenities of a top
hotel, like a pool and a spa,

this is a great place to relax
after a busy day.

In fact, you wouldn't have to leave
the lodge

with the surprising number of animals
that come to drink at the waterhole

right in front of our cabins.

Because the animals
are relaxed here,

you can observe behaviours
you normally would never see.

This perfect setting
of hotel in nature

got me curious
about the history of this lodge.

I asked Henrietta Mwangole
to explain a bit about the property.

Sweetwater is the area
where the hotel is built,

so that is where the camp
has derived its name from.

It's a relatively big camp for
the camp in the Kenyan standards.

We can say mid-sized.

And we have a total of 56 tents.

39 of them are standard tents,

and we have 17 deluxe tents.

It had been a home,
but many, many years back.

And it has changed management
over the years.

And we, as Serena, just expanded

on what we already found that
was probably running as a hotel.

We have fresh produce

and I'm sure you've seen we have
a wide array of food selection

for breakfast, lunch and dinner
of all cuisines.

We cater for vegetarian,

we cater for gluten-free diet,
you name it.

Our food is halal,

and we are able to take care of
all sorts of nationalities

across the board, internationally.

The next day
brought a fresh challenge.

I had booked
with Rift Valley Adventures

a bike ride through the park.

I knew first-hand
from last night's game drive

that the park's predators
were numerous and hungry,

which is why I was thrilled
Ol Pejeta had a safe zone.

To my surprise and horror,
the bike trip was not in that area,

but in the main park,

along the same road where we
encountered the pride of lions.

What was I thinking?

The ride will cover 15 kilometres,
or about 9 miles,

not a super long distance,

but it's over a rough road

and around wildlife.

A car with an armed ranger
will follow us.

The guard told me
he fears buffalo more than lions,

since they are highly unpredictable.

You get a very different sense
of the savannah on a bike

than you do from a safari vehicle.

It isn't so much the fear
that you feel, but awe -

a more-in-touch-with-nature vibe
that goes through your very being.

It's hard to describe,

but it is an adventure
that I would heartily recommend.

We had two final activities
before we had to head back to Nairobi

and catch our late-night flight home.

The first
was the chimpanzee sanctuary.

This is one of 20 in the world

that has saved over 800 orphaned
or mistreated chimps.

Here, 36 individuals
are split into two groups

and have free range
on a 250-acre predator-free zone,

living out their lives
in near wild conditions.

Founded by Jane Goodall,

this facility
replaced one in Burundi

when a civil war forced her to find
another location for two orphans.

Ol Pejeta volunteered,

and from those first two,

the population has grown to 36.

The growth, though,
has not been through reproduction.

All of the residents
are on birth control.

Unfortunately, most arrivals
are either confiscated babies

originally intended
for the illegal pet trade

and by abused and neglected pets.

It was quite a chore
encouraging and waiting for the gang

to all go inside the building,

a task that is repeated every night.

For the chimps, it's dinner and bed.

It's a wild time as they all get
together and celebrate the day.

Just as quickly as the mayhem began,
they quiet down,

make their nests and go to sleep.

We had one last special animal
to visit,

and this was related
to the main reason I came -

the black rhinos.

This particular individual is blind

so he is kept separate
from the others.

This is Baroka.

In the wild
he would not have survived,

but here
he is an ambassador for his kind.

As I got to feed him,

I could easily see
his prehensile lip,

one of the distinguishing
characteristics of the black rhino.

I couldn't help
but feel both sad and hopeful

as I watched Baroka eat.

Sad for the plight of his species,

and happy
that in parks like this one,

their numbers are on the rise.

Ol' Pejeta has proven to be
a great discovery,

boasting all 12 of the big 12

and being the largest
black rhino reserve in East Africa.

Wildlife numbers are staggering,

with one of the densest
predator populations anywhere.

Having the chance
to track the lion pride was fun,

frustrating,
and ultimately thrilling.

Seeing the remnants of the
northern white rhino population

has a sobering effect,

something that will stick with me
forever.

Doing high adventure in Africa has
a special adrenaline rush of its own.

Whether climbing cliffs
or biking in the savannah,

nothing gets you feeling more alive

than pushing yourself to the limit

while trying something new.

Visiting the only chimp sanctuary
in Kenya

reminded me
of how similar wildlife is to us

and the need to do our very best
to ensure it survives

for future generations to marvel at,

just as I got to.