Maasai warriors hit boundaries in protection of white rhino
Members of the Maasai Cricket Warriors pose for a photograph with the last surviving male northern white rhino named 'Sudan' after playing against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
LAIKIPIA, Kenya (Reuters) - Under the gaze of the last male northern white rhino, a group of Maasai warriors in Kenya went into bat for the threatened species, wearing their traditional red shuka robes and clunky white cricket pads.
The warriors were taking part in the annual Last Male Standing Rhino Cup, a two-day tournament hosted in the Laikipia conservation area where the last three northern white rhino live under 24-hour armed guard to protect them from poaching.
"Because the cost of looking after rhinos is enormously expensive these days as a result of poaching, we use many other different ways to try and raise the money," Richard Vigne of tournament organizers the Ol Pejeta conservancy told Reuters.
Daniel Mamai of the Maasai Cricket Warriors plays against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
Ol Pejeta hoped to raise 1 million Kenya shillings ($100,000) from the 12-team tournament, which also featured sides from the British Army Training Unit and Australian High Commission.
Cricket is not the only method of fundraising that the male rhino, named Sudan, is part of.
Conservationists set up a Tinder profile for the rhino, to help raise money for his $9-million fertility treatment after all attempts at getting him to mate naturally have failed.
Daniel Mamai of the Maasai Cricket Warriors plays against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
(Reporting by Thomas Mukoya; Writing by Patrick Johnston in London; Editing by Alison Williams)
Francis Ole Meshami, captain of the Maasai Cricket Warriors bats against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya Daniel Mamai and Francis Ole Meshami of the Maasai Cricket Warriors walk as they play against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaThe last surviving male northern white rhino named 'Sudan' is seen at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaMembers of the Maasai Cricket Warriors team arrive to play against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaJosephat Mamai of the Maasai Cricket Warriors plays against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaRichard Martin and Fin Bibby of the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team walk after playing against the Maasai Cricket Warriors team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaDaniel Mamai of the Maasai Cricket Warriors plays against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaRobert Piroris and Josephat Mamai of the Maasai Cricket Warriors play against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaA member of the Maasai Cricket Warriors team prepares to play against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaDavid Naimado of the Maasai Cricket Warriors plays against the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaJaz England of the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team plays against the Maasai Cricket Warriors team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaScott Wallace of the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) cricket team walks after playing against the Maasai Cricket Warriors team during a charity tournament called the "Last Male Standing Rhino Cup" at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya June 18, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
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