The Rhino Ark began in 1988 as a fundraising initiative to fence the Aberdare Range and protect its black rhino population. Fencing is controversial in conservation, but in Kenya it works. The fence keeps wildlife in and poachers out, reducing human-wildlife conflict and allowing populations to recover. The Rhino Ark expanded to Mount Kenya, completing over 400 kilometers of electric fencing. Critics argue it fragments ecosystems. Proponents point to the recovering rhino numbers. Kenya chose pragmatism over purity, and the rhinos survived.