The counting of wildlife in the northern zone, including Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, and Laikipia Couties, has come to a close after 10 days of rigorous activity that kept animal experts airborne.
The activity was spearheaded by the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) as well as several partners, especially those who have been at the frontline regarding conservation in the area.
Addressing the media during a closing session, WRTI Director Dr. Patrick Omondi said the personnel involved in the census applied the latest technology in counting the animals, which he said would give them the reality on the ground.
“The exercise, which involved 11 aircraft and wildlife experts armed with the latest technology, was meant to capture the populations of the smaller to the biggest terrestrial game, occupying an expansive terrain of 65, 000 square km,” said Dr. Omondi.
He added that the exercise was also aiming at capturing the status of all the animals, including the threatened and endangered species, which will enable the government and conservation partners to plan better for the management of Kenya’s rich biodiversity through monitoring, assessment, conservation planning, and management strategies, especially after the 2022 drought and the ensuing floods that could have adversely affected them.
He, however, noted that during the exercise, the experts only concentrated on the animals that were from the size of Dik Dik to the largest one, the elephant.
Dr. Omondi said the exercise was successful and they were looking forward to updating the elephant population, bearing in mind the landscape boasts of the second largest elephant population in the world of 7,000.
Kenya Wildlife Service’s Deputy Director in Charge of Conservation Science Programmes, Lekishon Kenana, said the results of the census will aid in effective conservation efforts.
He said the collaborative exercise with all the stakeholders will be of great importance to the government, especially in terms of future planning.
“Our vision in the strategic plan as KWS is thriving wildlife healthy populations for all, forever. We are an enabler in creating an environment for pushing the conservation agenda forward,” Kenana said.
Save the Elephant donated three of the 11 aircraft for the exercise, in addition to Sh4 million for other expenses.
The organisation CEO, Frank Hope, said, “Kenya is home to some of the richest biodiversity in the whole world, especially among the larger mammals.
And as the world becomes more crowded, this biodiversity is being more and more valued, and Kenya is already seen as a world leader in both understanding this wildlife and biodiversity and protecting it, added Hope.
The census of wildlife across the country comes at a time when the Wildlife Conservation Management Act is under review, and various wildlife census partners say the results will inform the review and various conservation actions.
Meanwhile, Dr. Omondi said the census had so far been conducted in the Amboseli, Maara, Athi-Kapiti, Nakuru-Naivasha, and Northern Kenya ecosystems, while the expansive Tsavo ecosystem will be covered in February next year.
By Dickson Mwiti
