Humans, livestock and wildlife at risk as Voi River faces extinction

Residents planting vetiver grass along Voi River in Wundanyi. Voi River originates from Taita Hills and flows through Voi town and Tsavo East National Park. [Renson Mnyamwezi, Standard]

KWS recently announced that Tsavo has lost 140 elephants and 32 buffalos to drought.

In December last year, Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Penina Malonza launched Sh200 million water tracking for wildlife and tree planting in Tsavo.

The CS disclosed that apart from constructing 12 new water pans, the government is also planting over 200,000 trees in Tsavo to mitigate the effects of drought and human activities.

"Water has dried up in all dams and water pans, and that is why we are looking for a long-term mitigation measures to save our animals like elephants, giraffes, buffalos and zebras from dying of prolonged drought," said Ms Malonza in a television interview on World Wildlife Day on March 3.

Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest service have embarked on tree planting in forests and Tsavo to improve forest cover.

According to Kalo, several water sources are slowly drying up due to increased farming activities.

The region is endowed with enormous water sources like the Mzima springs, Njoro springs, Challa and Jipe lakes, but the resources have been harnessed.