Wildlife census hit by financial constrains

Tourists in their car watching elephants in the savanna in Etosha National Park, wildlife safari and game drive in Namibia, Africa. [iStockphoto]

Underfunding could affect the ongoing national wildlife census which seeks to establish the current wildlife population and impacts of ecological shocks such as the recent drought and flooding.

According to Naivasha-based Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), over Sh170m was required for the second phase which ends in June next year.

This came as the research institute identified game meat trade and invasive weeds as some of the emerging challenges currently facing wildlife conservation in the country.

The Institute CEO Dr Patrick Omondi noted that the first phase had been sponsored by the Tourism Promotion Fund at a tune of Sh130m.

Omondi said that this had covered Nairobi National Park and the Kitengela-Athi- Kaputiei ecosystem adding that the data on wildlife populations and their habitats would inform conservation strategies and policy decisions.

Omondi said that plans were at an advanced stage to construct a National Wildlife Laboratory complex which would come in handy in conservation.

He noted that the country was relying on donor countries like Italy in genetic tests to save the endangered species, an exercise he termed as tedious and expensive for the research institute. "We are currently involved in saving the Northern White Rhino and the exercise involves vitro fertilisation techniques which includes sending the samples to Italy," he said.

Omondi admitted that the issue of game-meat trade was serious, adding that the institute had embarked on a research to establish the drivers, those involved and the affected wildlife species.

"We want to make this facility a global research institute while addressing emerging challenges like the decline of various wildlife species," he said.

On her part, the PS in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Silvia Museiya called for studies in the issue of game-meat trade which is on the rise in various parts of the country.

"We are deeply disturbed by the rising cases of bush meat trade which is a threat to the tourism sector and the loss of various species of wildlife mainly to poaching," she said.