The elephants came back — and a Maasai-led conservancy just became a global finalist

When Nashulai Maasai Conservancy was founded in 2016, local wildlife had largely vanished after years of land subdivision and fencing. A decade on, 500 Maasai households have pooled their own land so animals can roam again — and the elephants, including mothers with young calves, have returned. Tourism income for participating families has more than doubled, rangers and a Predator Prevention Unit keep people and wildlife safe side by side, and Nashulai has now been named a finalist for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, bringing Maasai-led conservation to a global stage.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: community action