Photo : webshot. 

August 23,2021

Andrew Campbell 

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, and the newly formed Wildlife Research and Training Institute worked together on the two-month exercise, which was funded by the government for 250 million Kenyan Shillings (KES) (about USD 2.28 million). From May to August, KWS counts everything from the majestic giraffe to the endearing cat-sized dik-dik using GPS trackers, aircraft, camera traps, and significant manpower.

Kenya held its first nationwide wildlife census on May 7 to assess the state of its wildlife resources. KWS enhances conservation efforts by determining the precise number of wildlife species, including endangered species, as well as their precise location, allowing us to deal with issues affecting various wildlife species more effectively.

The census is focusing on endangered species such as the pangolin, which is frequently illegally traded, as well as the sitatunga antelope, aardvarks, and hedgehogs. The Cabinet Secretary responsible for Wildlife Conservation and Management will present the reports to Parliament in accordance with sections 49(4) and 64(3) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013.

The Great Wildlife Census will be crucial in understanding and protecting Kenya's over 1,000 native species, some of which have seen alarming population declines in recent decades. It is Kenya's most ambitious conservation project to date: every animal and marine life in the country's 58 national parks has been counted for the first time.

The census is especially important because it will provide information that will assist the East African nation in developing a long-term strategy to save a treasured asset that is also a major tourist attraction, contributing to a more orderly approach to animal protection and creating a more robust management plan.