The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has implemented a series of proactive measures to safeguard wildlife as the drought conditions intensify. Director General Erustus Kanga emphasized that these initiatives focus on ensuring the availability of essential water and pasture resources.
Kanga announced plans for several water infrastructure projects across regions including Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Isiolo, Tana River, Marsabit, Turkana, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tharaka Nithi, and Meru.
To combat the ongoing drought, the government will allocate Sh4 billion each month for food and non-food items, livestock feed, and water. This funding aims to support communities, livestock, and wildlife in the most affected areas.
Furthermore, the government has reached out to development partners, requesting an additional Sh2 billion. This combined funding is expected to enhance the overall drought response efforts.
Kanga noted that feed supplements will be distributed to livestock near parks including Tsavo East National Park, Tsavo West National Park, Meru National Park, Kora National Park, and Sibiloi National Park. Water trucking operations will also take place in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Turkana, Marsabit, Taita Taveta, and Kwale.
While Kanga acknowledged that these interventions serve as short-term solutions due to budgetary constraints, he indicated that there are plans to drill new boreholes as well as repair existing ones.
Despite the challenges posed by drought, wildlife populations in Kenya have shown resilience. The latest national census highlights a significant increase in iconic species, with the elephant population now at 42,072, up from 36,280 in 2021, representing an impressive annual growth rate of 3.99 percent.
The 2025 National Wildlife Census indicates that the rhino population has also grown to 2,102, which includes 1,059 black rhinos and 1,041 white rhinos.
However, the drought of 2022 severely impacted wildlife, as a report from the Wildlife Research and Training Institute revealed that several key species perished due to insufficient water and pasture. The report documented the deaths of 512 wildebeest, 381 common zebras, 205 elephants, 49 Grevy’s zebras, and 51 buffaloes.
Kanga confirmed that boreholes are currently being drilled in Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Wajir, Kilifi, Marsabit, and Turkana. He also identified human-wildlife conflict hotspots in regions such as Lamu, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kajiado, Laikipia, and Meru, prompting intensified patrols by the problem animal management unit.
“The animal management unit operates around the clock, equipped to handle conflicts effectively,” Kanga stated.
Additionally, KWS is utilizing helicopters to safely guide elephants away from agricultural lands. Other strategies include the installation of new electric fences, repairs to existing ones, and heightened community vigilance to prevent wildfires.
Kanga cautioned communities against igniting cigarettes or small fires during the dry season, as such actions could lead to devastating consequences. He also noted that the fire response team remains on high alert to address emergencies, supported by various partners.
Fire suppression efforts will take place in Aberdare National Park, Mount Kenya National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Chyulu Hills National Park.
The Kenya Meteorological Department warns that the ongoing drought may exacerbate resource-based conflicts between pastoralists and farmers, as water availability for both humans and livestock continues to dwindle, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Increased cases of human-wildlife conflict are anticipated as animals migrate in search of water and pasture, potentially leading to a rise in wildlife fatalities.
Kenya boasts numerous protected areas, covering approximately 12.34 percent of its landmass, including 24 terrestrial national parks, 29 terrestrial national reserves, four marine parks, six marine national reserves, eight national sanctuaries, and 234 forest reserves.
Data spanning 15 years from 2009 to 2024 reveals a total of 57,006 reported human-wildlife conflict incidents, with fluctuations over the years. For instance, incidents rose from 2,409 in 2009 to a peak of 8,272 in 2023, before falling to 7,883 in 2024.
Crop destruction remains the predominant form of conflict, with 32,480 cases reported, followed by livestock predation, which accounted for 15,940 incidents. Between 2022 and 2024, elephants were implicated in the highest number of conflicts, totaling 17,917 cases, with a significant portion related to crop destruction.
Hyenas contributed to 3,109 incidents during the same period, primarily linked to livestock predation.
A geographical analysis over three years highlighted Taita Taveta as the county with the highest number of incidents, totaling 6,293. Other counties with significant conflict rates included Laikipia (4,479), Kajiado (3,196), Meru (1,451), Marsabit (1,373), Nakuru (1,136), Kilifi (1,041), Kitui (1,037), Kwale (948), and Isiolo (897).
