Longleat’s Lead Carnivore keeper Caleb Hall is running the Lewa Safari Marathon the raise funds for Tusk, a conservation charity that helps threatened species across Africa. Caleb, who has worked at the Wiltshire Safari Park for over 12 years, will be running through the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya on 29 June. The marathon takes in the UNESCO World Heritage site which is home to more than 70 different animal species and over 400 species of birds.
Regarded by Runner’s World as one of the world’s top ten ‘must do’ marathons, not only due to the stunning surroundings and close proximity of wildlife, but also because of the challenging heat and altitude of up to 1750 ft.
Caleb, 36, said: “Many of the species I’m lucky enough to work with at Longleat are at risk of disappearing forever and that’s why raising money for Tusk is so important to me, because I have such a strong passion for those animals. “I want to do as much as I can to ensure they are here for the next generation to enjoy,” he added.
2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the Lewa Safari Marathon and not only is it a personal challenge for Caleb but it is also fundamental in supporting conservation projects across Kenya.
He said: “I love looking after my animals, especially our lions here, but if I can do something to help their wild counterparts, that’s exactly what I want to do.”
The Lewa Marathon is organised by Longleat’s conservation partner Tusk, a charity working across Africa, and hosted by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
This isn’t Caleb’s first marathon, nor is it his first fundraising for Tusk. “I ran the London Marathon in 2016 for Tusk and it was a great experience.
“It was obviously very urban, so I wanted to try the wild experience. The Lewa Marathon has always been a dream of mine because you get to run in the footsteps of wild animals.
“I tend to run about three or four miles each day, and throughout my training I’ve been slowly building that up. I now do two 20 mile runs a week, mostly around the fantastic Longleat estate.
“While I can’t prepare for the heat or altitude in Lewa, I’ve been running many of Longleat’s hills and taking in the beautiful landscapes right on our doorstep.
“I want to raise as much as possible for Tusk. I’ve set my goal at £3,000, but Tusk is worth as much as we can raise.
“I have such a passion for the animals they support, so anything I can do to help lions, African painted dogs, hyenas and cheetahs I am more than happy to do so. I’m super excited by the challenge of this marathon,” he added.
For over 30 years, Tusk has supported conservation projects across the continent, with tackling poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict at the forefront of their actions.
Tusk aims to help local people and organisations who are best positioned to help with these threats, by giving them resources and recognition.
- Caleb’s dedicated fundraising page can be found here https://gbp24.supportlewasafarimarathon.com/campaigns/Caleb-Hall
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