KWS races to save displaced wildlife as lake waters rise

KWS scientists engage in the translocation of giraffes from Kedong ranch to Nairobi National Park. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has identified rising water levels in Lake Naivasha and changing land use around the lakeside town as major threats to wildlife conservation.

According to the agency, tens of animals have been displaced after grazing areas were flooded, while the fencing of private land has pushed others into nearby estates.

In response, KWS scientists have intensified the translocation of wildlife from Manera and Kedong ranches to Nairobi National Park and the Naivasha Game Sanctuary.

In recent months, zebras, giraffes, and kongonis have been the most affected as water levels continue to rise. On Kedong ranch, located along the Mai Mahiu–Narok road, subdivision and sale of parts of the property have further contributed to the displacement of wildlife.

Francis Mutuko, the KWS Senior Warden in Naivasha, said flooding and land-use changes were undermining conservation efforts. He confirmed that the first phase of translocation from Manera farm had been completed and that operations had now shifted to the expansive Kedong ranch.

 “Dozens of animals, mainly zebras and giraffes, were displaced by the rising lake waters, but we have relocated them to Nairobi and Naivasha,” he said, adding that fencing on Kedong ranch had restricted wildlife movement in search of pasture and water.

Francis Muthui, chairman of Friends of Lake Naivasha, welcomed the translocation, noting that the number of wild animals roaming freely was worrying. He urged KWS to address the growing presence of hippos in the flooded Kihoto estate, saying they posed a risk to residents.

He noted that only about 20 per cent of wildlife in Naivasha is found inside Hell’s Gate and Mount Longonot national parks, with the rest spread across conservancies and private land. Muthui added that wildlife-related accidents had increased. [Antony Gitonga]