Mount Kenya Animal Conservancy and The William Holden Wildlife Foundation

William Holden fell in love with Africa in the 1960s. He traveled there on a bit of a whim with a wealthy friend who wanted to go hunting big game. They purchased a ton of expensive supplies, anticipating wild and manly adventures. However, when Holden got an elephant in his rifle sights, we discovered he just could kill an animal like that.

However, this did not harm his love of the continent that would later become his second home. He purchased a hotel/club in Kenya, the Mount Kenya Safari Club. Finding hotel ownership more stressful and less profitable than he had hoped, however, he sold the property, turning instead to a plot of land nearby, which would become the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage, designed to protect endangered animals from poachers and to house orphaned or injured wildlife.

He started the refuge with his friends Don and Iris Hunt, realizing a need for conservation in Africa. The organization is still a growing concern, and relies on donations for it continuing efforts to protect animals and re-populate Kenya with rare species. After Holden’s death, the Hunts established the William Holden Education Center at the Conservancy, geared towards teaching local youth the value of their environment, as well as tourists from all over the globe.


The William Holden Wildlife Foundation, which was established as a memorial to the visionary actor, was established to carry out Holden’s ideals of stewardship and conservation. Donations to both organizations go entirely to projects furthering the cause of animal welfare in Africa, and in the case of the WHWF, beyond.