Google offers virtual tour to Samburu National Reserve

Nairobi, Kenya: Google in partnership with Save the Elephants has for the first time in Kenya launched Google Street View in Samburu to create awareness and applaud efforts geared towards conservation of elephants.  

The newly launched Google Maps feature that enables users to explore places around the world through 360-degree, panoramic, and street-level imagery, will now feature the Samburu National Reserve, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust as well as Save the Elephants; bringing people around the world closer to the majesty and beauty of the remaining elephant population in Kenya.

“Samburu is an elephant paradise. Thanks to the culture of the Samburu people the elephants here are unusually tame and trusting, and that’s allowed us to study them as deeply as anywhere in Africa. It’s exciting to be joining hands with Google to open a window onto Samburu, and to help us better protect its elephants,” said Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants.

The Samburu street view special collect is part of Google Earth Outreach’s commitment to bringing knowledge and resources to nonprofit organizations like Save the Elephants.

The platform will not only serve to educate people about the recurring threat to the elephants but also provide, for the Samburu County Government, a platform from which they can spread awareness on the importance of elephants to the community. 

“We hope that by bringing street view to Samburu, we will inspire people around the world to gain a deeper appreciation for elephants and complement the efforts of organisations such as Save the Elephants. Today’s launch not only brings us closer to our ultimate goal of creating the world’s most comprehensive, accurate and usable maps, but also brings the beauty of Kenya to the world,” said Google Kenya Country Marketing Manager, Farzana Khubchandani. 

Samburu is, currently, home to one of the best-studied remaining elephant populations in the world. The reserve is used by approximately 900 elephants - which may not exist in the next 20 years if they are not protected. The reserve is at the heart of a growing community conservation movement that is seen as a model for elsewhere on the continent. For more than a decade Save the Elephants has been using Google Earth as a platform to display the movements of the elephants they track, assisting rangers in defending elephants and training local people to become wildlife experts. 

“Giving people a virtual tour of the Samburu National Reserve through Google Street View will bring the Samburu to the world and inspire the world to come to Samburu. The more people experience our culture, our people and the majestic elephants and other wildlife with which we co-exist, the more we are able to conserve and sustain the Samburu culture and its fragile ecosystem for generations to come,” said H.E. Moses Lenolkulal, Governor, Samburu County. 

The launch of Google street view in Samburu is part of Google’s on-going effort to create the most comprehensive, accurate and easy to use map. Google street view is available in 57 countries around the world, and Kenya is the 2nd country in Africa after South Africa to launch Street View.

Google street view is free for all and available on Google Maps in the web browser, as well as Google Maps for mobile on Android and iOS platforms. To take a virtual tour around Samburu’s reserves and conservatories.