The second phase of the national wildlife census has kicked off at the Lake Nakuru National Park and Bird Sanctuary, whose results will inform retooling of conservation programmes for iconic species grappling with climate change and human-induced threats.
According to the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), which is spearheading the exercise, the census, which involves an aerial survey, will enable the government to obtain accurate data on wildlife resources, including giant land mammals, carnivores, and marine life.
Principal Scientist at WRTI, Mr. Stephen Ndambuki, said the exercise at Lake Nakuru National Park and Bird Sanctuary, which is the fourth after similar ones in Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, and Athi Kapiti Wildlife Conservancies, comes in the wake of the recent drought and flooding which killed and displaced hundreds of wild animals in various parts of the country.
The last national census was conducted in 2021, where over 30 species of mammals, birds, and marine species were counted in various ecosystems across the country.
“We have been working with other government agencies like Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and we successfully conducted the first phase as we seek to establish the current status of wildlife,” Mr. Ndambuki said.
The scientist noted that the country’s wildlife landscapes were currently facing multiple challenges, including poaching and increasing human and livestock populations.
“In the second phase we are covering Nakuru, Naivasha, and other closed ecosystems like Solai, and the data obtained will help in decision-making in wildlife conservation,” he said.
He noted that the 2022 drought had resulted in serious habitat loss and wildlife mortalities.
The WRTI scientist said the census aim was to provide accurate data on wildlife populations, distribution, and the health of the ecosystem.
“The Institute is employing a new platform, the Earth-ranger, which seeks to enhance patrols and offer real-time monitoring during the exercise,” stated Mr. Ndambuki.
He added, “The census is utilising globally recognised methodologies to obtain accurate data on wildlife resources in the country and mitigate future threats to their survival.
The census, which is utilising state-of-the-art technology, has been funded by the government to the tune of Sh302 million.
It is expected that the outcome of the exercise will strengthen evidence-based management of iconic species that are an integral part of Kenyan heritage besides contributing to national coffers through tourism.
“The country needs precise data on the wildlife population in the country to guide effective conservation of species amid challenges like climate change, changing land use practices, and competition with agriculture,” stated Mr. Ndambuki.
Data-driven interventions are key to minimising human-wildlife conflicts that have emerged as a grave threat to the survival of iconic species like rhinos, elephants, lions, and leopards.
The scientist termed the exercise as important in biodiversity monitoring, saying that information obtained would be essential in wildlife conservation.
“The census will offer a comprehensive overview of the biodiversity within the Lake Nakuru ecosystem, and the information is essential for tracking changes in wildlife populations and assessing the health of the ecosystem,” he said.
The scientist indicated that accurate data on wildlife populations and their habitats would inform conservation strategies and policy decisions.
He explained that this would enable authorities to identify critical areas for protection, design effective wildlife corridors, and allocate resources where they are most needed.
“In habitat management, understanding the distribution and movement patterns of species aids in managing habitats more effectively,” he said.
Mr. Ndambuki identified human-wildlife coexistence as an emerging issue which had seen migration corridors across parts of the country closed and pasture land reduced.
He said that as human populations expanded and encroached on wildlife habitats, conflicts between humans and wildlife had intensified across the country.
He emphasised that WRTI had developed rigorous scientific methodologies to conduct the census, and these would ensure that they gather reliable data on wildlife populations.
Geographic Information System (GIS) analyst at WRTI, Ms. Grace Waiguchu, said the census was aimed at providing accurate data on wildlife populations, distribution, and the health of the ecosystem.
“The Institute is employing a new platform, the Earth-ranger, which seeks to enhance patrols and offer real -time monitoring during the exercise,” she said.
Ms. Waiguchu emphasised that understanding the distribution and movement patterns of wildlife is key to better habitat management.
“Advanced technologies such as GPS tracking and drone imaging are also being utilised to enhance data accuracy,” she said.
The GIS analyst noted that the census was employing a combination of aerial surveys, ground counts, and camera trapping in gathering data.
“By employing advanced technologies such as satellite imagery, GPS tracking, and drone surveys, we aim to achieve a level of precision and detail that is unprecedented,” she added.
She highlighted multiple challenges that the country’s wildlife landscapes were currently facing, such as increasing human and livestock populations.
Other challenges include impacts of global climate change, the spread of invasive and alien species, and a rise of infectious zoonotic (transmittable from animals to humans) diseases.
Kenya boasts of myriad creatures in unique ecosystems, but whose numbers fluctuate due to climate change, poaching, pests and diseases, human-wildlife conflict, and other factors.
A systematic counting of animals is critical to inform conservation strategies, reduce the effects of climate change, and prevent biodiversity loss.
A reduction in the number of lions, for instance, or their increase in human-inhabited areas, tells more, including about the health of their habitats.
Such information is vital, especially in a country like Kenya, where tourism contributes more than eight per cent to the GDP and directly employs over one million people.
Senior Assistant Director in charge of Central Rift, Ms. Lucia Makosi, said data from censuses will be key in informing how fast interventions are needed and which areas to prioritise.
Policymakers, she added, can also create effective long-term conservation strategies based on census information.
“Wildlife censuses are effective in ensuring conservation and providing the data needed to address climate change and biodiversity loss. An integrated approach, therefore, offers an opportunity for conservation and preservation of Kenya’s rich biodiversity for future generations,” observed Ms. Makosi.
Ms. Makosi explained that experts were using various methods to collect data, including aerial counts, ground counts, and spatially explicit capture recapture methods, or SECR.
The SECR method is used to estimate animal population density by employing tools that gather cues, such as cameras, traps, or snags that capture and sample animals’ unique marks or fur.
Key stakeholders like KWS, the National Census Planning Committee, the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, and the and the Conservation Alliance of Kenya, among others, are also involved in the census.
Ms. Makosi stated that the census will help determine the exact population of wildlife species, their distribution, economic value, and emerging threats.
The government is required by law to regularly update wildlife population data as a means to strengthen conservation efforts.
By Anne Mwale
