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The School for Field Studies (SFS) Kenya - Endangered Species Conservation (Directory Program)

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  • Locations: Kigali, Rwanda; Kimana, Kenya
  • Program Terms: Fall, Semester, Semester I, Semester II, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: The School for Field Studies (SFS) 
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Click here for a definition of this term Language of Instruction: English Click here for a definition of this term Class Status: 1-first year, 2-sophomore, 3-junior, 4-senior, 5-grad student, 6-other
Housing Options: Dormitory Click here for a definition of this term Areas of Study: African Studies, Animal Science, Biology, Culture, Ecology, Environmental Studies, Public Policy, Sciences, Tourism, Zoology
Program Type: field study, study abroad Minimum GPA: 2.7
Click here for a definition of this term Program: Direct
Program Description:

SFS KENYA: ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION
(SEMESTER)

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PROGRAM DETAILS

Terms | Fall, Spring
 
Credits | 18 semester-hour credits
 
Prerequisites | One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science | 2.7 GPA | 18 years of age
 
Application Deadline: Fall: May 1st. Spring: November 1st. Early applications encouraged!
 
Financial Aid | All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans.

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OVERVIEW

Beneath Mount Kilimanjaro, students track elephants moving through Amboseli’s wetlands, where papyrus rings open pools and giraffes drift along the acacia edges. At nightfall, lions skirt Maasai bomas, underscoring the tension of shared space. That theme of coexistence continues northward, as students journey to Rwanda’s volcanic highlands. Here, in the cloud forests, they kneel to observe mountain gorilla families feeding, playing, and resting. Research on wildlife corridors often takes place alongside farmlands and settlements, where lions and other species overlap with human activity. Between camera traps, migration maps, and conversations with herders about predator conflict, students learn how people and wildlife persist together across two of Africa’s most iconic landscapes.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

→ Track and age Amboseli’s savanna elephants using scan sampling to construct detailed behavioral ethograms.

→ Observe endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s volcanic highlands under strict conservation guidelines, recording social interactions, feeding patterns, and family structures.

→ Analyze wildlife corridors against newly farmed parcels, comparing shifts in animal movement patterns with land-use records.

→ Deploy and monitor camera traps to identify lions, rhinos, and cheetahs, integrating findings into long-term datasets.

→ Conduct Directed Research: frame a stakeholder-driven question, collect and analyze field data with faculty guidance, and present actionable findings to local partners.

LOCATION

Our students live and study at the Center for Endangered Species Conservation, known locally as Kilimanjaro Biodiversity Camp. The center lies in the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley, between three world-famous national parks.

The snow-capped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro towers over miles of savanna, replete with diverse wildlife. Our sprawling, grassy campus, just down the road from the small town of Kimana, includes traditional thatched bandas (cabins) and a central chumba (main building).

RESEARCH THEMES

  • Wildlife Management and Sanctuaries
  • Climate Change Resilience
  • Water Conservation
  • Wildlife Ecology and Behavior
  • Endangered Species
  • National Parks Management
  • Community Governance of Protected Areas
  • Conservation Strategies
CORE SKILLS
 
  • GIS
  • Species Identification and Wildlife Census
  • Basic Swahili Language
  • Interview and Survey Methods
  • Research Design and Implementation
  • Data Collection and Analysis
  • Research Presentation
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CONNECT WITH SFS

• Visit our website: fieldstudies.org

• Email: admissions@fieldstudies.org

• Read updates from the field on our blog

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