From Memory to Meaning: The Power of Naming a Rhino

Across Africa, fewer than 6,500 eastern black rhinos remain — each one a symbol of resilience and hope. At Loisaba Conservancy, these critically endangered animals are once again thriving thanks to years of collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Through our Rhino Naming Programme, supporters can become part of this remarkable story — honouring a loved one or marking a personal milestone while directly funding the protection of rhinos and the wild landscapes they help sustain. As an umbrella species, safeguarding rhinos means protecting vast habitats and the hundreds of other species — from elephants and lions to birds and butterflies — that depend on them.

Our very first rhino namings came from dedicated Loisaba supporter Jennifer Keegan. Discover her story — what inspired her to name two rhinos and the meaning behind their names.

What moved you to support the Rhino Naming Programme at Loisaba?

I’ve supported wildlife conservation for a long time — across different species, landscapes, and communities — but rhinos have always touched me in a particular way. Their situation is so clearly manmade, and it’s hard not to feel responsible for helping them. I’ve been lucky to visit and support rhino conservancies in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa, but 2024 was my very first visit to Loisaba. I’d followed Loisaba’s journey closely — the years of careful preparation, the dedication, the standards Kenya Wildlife Service demands after what happened with the rhino relocation to Tsavo East. I knew how much was at stake.

That year, I planned a 30-day overland journey through Kenya with my friend James Mwenda, former Rhino Ambassador at Ol Pejeta. We started in Samburu with Save the Elephants, then Sera Rhino Conservancy, Loisaba, Mpala, Segera, Ol Pejeta, Solio, Nairobi National Park, and finally Tsavo.

Loisaba stood out to me — not only because of the vast, open space but because of the people. Tom, Jo, the community… they felt like people I’d known my whole life.  During my visit, I saw two rhinos — both from far away. And honestly, that’s exactly how I want to see them: wild, free, and out of sight of man. That’s the goal. I could almost feel what this place must have been like hundreds of years ago — full of life and balance. The only other time I’ve had that feeling was in western Namibia, tracking rhinos on foot. Loisaba has that same quiet magic — remote, real, and built on trust with the surrounding communities. I think I’ll have a lifelong relationship with this place.

Violet - one of the baby rhinos named by Jennifer

Why did you choose to name the rhinos after your grandmothers, Violet and Cecilia?

It just felt right. To honor my grandmothers is to honor all matriarchs — all the women who’ve worked hard, held families together, and done so much behind the scenes. My Grandma Vi was a farm girl, tough as nails, raising kids through WWII. She had this booming laugh, made everything from lard, and loved a beer with tomato juice. She was round and jolly and loved by everyone. Grandma Cecilia was her opposite in some ways — an intellectual, a musician, a reader, and one of the first cohorts of women to attend Northwestern University. A big Irish-Catholic family, full of opinions and heart. Both were born in rural Wisconsin in the early 1900s, at a time when the kind of opportunities I’ve had weren’t available to women like them. I can imagine them standing in Loisaba, completely in awe of the rhinos — especially the mothers raising calves on their own. This was my way of saying, “I see you. I carry you with me.” It’s for them, and really, for all women who came before us.

How do you feel their spirit or legacy lives on through this gesture?

I believe they’re with me always — just like my dad, who passed when I was eight. He had that same sense of wanderlust. I can feel them proud and smiling when I’m out there, halfway around the world doing this work. I’ve always believed there are no boundaries when it comes to serving the planet and its creatures. This work — protecting species, supporting communities — is part of their legacy too. It’s all connected. And honestly, I feel like I’m just getting started.

What does it mean to you personally to have their names connected to conservation in Kenya?

It means everything. I’d like to think they’d be proud — proud that I’m generous with what I have, that I give my time and energy to something bigger than myself. Having their names live on through this effort, in a place that represents hope and renewal, feels deeply right.

What do you hope others take away from this tribute?

I hope people feel the love and gratitude I have for the women in my life — and see that same strength in the women of Loisaba and in the rhino moms. Maybe it’ll make someone new learn about Loisaba or rhino conservation for the first time. And maybe that small spark will create some positive ripple. That would mean a lot.

Do you have a favourite memory or moment from your time at Loisaba?

My first morning there. Before sunrise. The light was soft, and I saw the land stretch endlessly in every direction. Then, a rhino on a distant hillside — just a shadow at first. It filled me with this quiet kind of hope. Later, I spent time with the Chui Mamas and community members, and that sealed it — I knew I’d found a place doing the real work of coexistence.

When you think about Loisaba, what stands out most to you about the place or the people?

It feels like home. The people are humble, grounded, and completely aware of the responsibility they’ve taken on. Protecting rhinos isn’t a job for them — it’s a calling. The landscape mirrors that: vast, resilient, and full of quiet strength.

How do you see the connection between people and wildlife — and why do you believe protecting wild spaces like Loisaba matters?

For me, people and wildlife are one and the same — we’ve just forgotten that. I don’t even love the word “protect,” because it can sound like something we do to nature instead of with it. I believe in stewardship, in community-led care. At Loisaba, that’s exactly what’s happening — people working together to restore biodiversity, to live in balance again. Poverty and inequality have to be addressed first; when communities thrive, wildlife thrives too. That’s what gives me hope. It’s the only way forward.

Every rhino at Loisaba represents a victory for conservation — and a promise for the future. Donations from the Rhino Naming and Adoption Programme go directly toward Loisaba’s on-the-ground efforts: ranger patrols, veterinary care, monitoring, and community-led conservation that safeguards not only rhinos, but the rich biodiversity that thrives under their protection. By naming or adopting a rhino, you’re helping to secure a future for one of the world’s most endangered animals — and leaving a lasting legacy of hope.

Learn more about how you can be part of this journey at www.loisaba.com/adoptarhino.