The ongoing drought has triggered an increase in cases of human-wildlife conflicts across the country, Kenya Wildlife Service has said.
KWS acting Director General Dr Erustus Kanga says the hotspot areas for human-wildlife conflicts include Kajiado, Tsavo, Laikipia, Samburu, Meru and Kitui.
“We are scaling up response and trying to explain what we are doing. We are negotiating as we need much more resources for intervention until we get rain towards March and April,” Kanga says.
But even as the service is rolling mitigation measures, the amount of money allocated is not enough.
Kanga says there is a need for more resources.
He says the drought situation is getting out of hand in Kajiado, Tsavo, Taita Taveta, Narok, Laikipia, Isiolo, parts of Meru, Garissa, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Turkana.
Kanga says wildlife smell where there is little water, thereby coming in contact with humans and hence conflicts.
In November last year, Tourism CS Peninah Malonza said those affected by the human-wildlife conflict witnessed over the years will be compensated Sh2.6 billion.
Malonza said she has written to the National Assembly regarding the approval of the funds.
"The amount will enable us to pay 2,663 cases. It will also benefit those injured and farmers whose crops were destroyed by wild animals," she said.
Malonza was speaking at Katse market in Kitui county when she flagged off the distribution of relief food to residents across the county.
"We are waiting for the National Assembly to approve so that residents can be compensated," she said.
Malonza said she is determined to clear the pending bills, which are stuck at Sh5 billion.
The Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013 provides for the establishment of an insurance scheme to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict.
The Act proposes other modes of intervention for mitigating human-wildlife conflicts as well as compensating victims.
Currently, family members of human-wildlife conflict victims get Sh5 million compensation in case of death.
Victims are paid up to Sh3 million if the injuries cause permanent disability.
For other injuries, the victims are entitled to Sh2 million upon approval by the compensation committee.
Owners of crops, property or livestock destroyed by wildlife get compensation of equivalent value.
Those not satisfied may appeal to the National Environment Tribunal or Environment and Land Court.
Kanga says the service has deployed its specialised team of rangers known as the Problem Animal Management Unit (PAMU) to help mitigate conflicts.
The acting DG says they are also doing security surveillance to protect wildlife.
KWS is already rolling out some initiatives to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
This was after the service was allocated Sh 98 million.
Kanga says they are doing water pans and sand dams in some of the areas as part of long-term measures.
“Once rains come in March or April, we will do water harvesting,” Kanga says.
Kanga cites water tracking as part of the ongoing initiatives as well as the provision of forage for both wildlife and livestock.
The money is however a drop in the ocean.
Kanga says they are working on a proposal with a view of securing more resources over and above what had been allocated.
In seeking to mitigate the effects, President William Ruto announced that the Kenya wildlife service will be allocated Sh200 million to support wild animals dying in huge numbers in parks and game reserves to track water.
On Monday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua met with players in the latest efforts aimed at mitigating the drought.
Kanga says the multi-agency approach that is being applied to address the impact of drought has helped to remove duplication and enhance effectiveness.
KWS had expected the rains to be more and spread across the country.
Unfortunately, the rains were not adequate and neither were they uniform.
Kanga the intensifying scramble for scarce resources such as water and pasture had led to conflicts.
Similarly, livestock is also moving into the same landscapes where wildlife is, amplifying the conflicts.
As an intervention, Kanga said many water pans have been done particularly in Tsavo East and West National parks.
The two parks are reported to have been worst hit by the drought.
On November 5, last year, the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) released a report showing that most species had died due to lack of water and pasture.
WRTI said then that urgent and immediate interventions must be put in place to help save the animals dying in various ecosystems and conservancies due to lack of water and forage.
The Institute, in a study, noted that in the last two seasons (October 2021 to May 2022), the country has received rainfall below average, and more than 1,000 deaths have been recorded.
The most affected species are the wildebeests, common zebras, elephants, Grevy’s zebras, and buffalos with Amboseli, Tsavo, and Laikipia-Samburu ecosystems being hard hit.
In the statistics, 512 wildebeests, 381 common zebras, 205 elephants, 49 Grevy’s zebras, and 51 buffalos have so far died.
“The Amboseli and Laikipia-Samburu ecosystems are worst affected by the drought having recorded more than 70 elephants’ deaths... the continued worsening of the drought condition could affect more rhinos in overstocked rhino sanctuaries,” reads the report.
Most of the elephant mortality cases were recorded in Amboseli, Laikipia-Samburu, and Tsavo conservancies.
The institute had recommended that wildlife be provided with water as well as salt licks in the most affected ecosystems of Amboseli.
“We recommend the immediate provision of hay to Grevy’s zebra in northern Kenya should be enhanced over the next two months of November and December to cover a wider area,” WRTI said.
The Institute had also called for the allocation of funds from the Treasury to support the National Wildlife Census in 2024 to establish the impact of the current drought on wildlife populations in all the affected ecosystems.
“WRTI should be supported to undertake well-structured monitoring of wildlife mortality in all protected areas to better understand the effects of the drought and recommend future action plans.”
Provision of funding to support the destocking of Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary (Tsavo West National Park) and prevent any imminent drought-related mortality of black rhinos in the sanctuary is another plan.
Kanga said 12 water pans have recently been desilted while preparations were ongoing for another nine.
The acting DG said preparations are ongoing for Meru National Park, Kora National Park, and Amboseli National Park to have more water pans.
This, he said, will be expanded to Northern Kenya.
Kanga said some of the resources had come from the state while some partners have also made donations.
KWS has also started growing trees in the protected areas as part of mitigating the impacts of drought.
The service is seeking to grow more than 2 billion trees with communities around national parks.
The trees are also food for wildlife.
Kanga said they have begun ensuring that in any event the service host, tree planting is part of the activities.
(Edited by V. Graham)
