Wildlife census kicks off in Ruma National Park

Rhinos in Ruma National Park, Homa Bay county on September 19, 2024. [James Omoro, Standard]

The Government is undertaking wildlife census to enhance sustainable tourism in Ruma National Park, Homa Bay county.

This is the only park in Kenya that hosts the rare roan antelope.

Besides the roan antelopes, there are a number of wild animals in the park. However, their number is not known, causing inefficiency in management and conservation.

The Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) started the wildlife census on Wednesday and Thursday through the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

The Natural Resources Management Scientist in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Joseph Gathua, WRTI’s Research Scientist Vasco Nyaga, and the KWS Senior Assistant Director in charge of Western Conservancy Mungumi Chongwa presided over the census.

The census was done using a helicopter that traversed the park which measures 120 square kilometers. A team gathering the data was in the helicopter with various tools for data collection.

“We were also using the current technology such as audio recorders for recording our voices whenever we saw an animal. We also used the GPS for mapping the location of the wild animals. Finally, we were able to come up with the wild animals’ distribution maps indicating where each species was in the park,” Nyaga explained.

He said the census was done scientifically to ensure the accuracy of the data collected during the exercise.

“We were also using cameras to capture the animals enabling us to verify the numbers we got. The census was done scientifically and accurately,” Nyaga said.

Gathua said the census is going to enable the government to come up with proper strategies for conserving wildlife.

Chongwa urged residents to collaborate with KWS officers in conserving wildlife in Ruma National Park.

He said this will eradicate cases of poaching and wildfires in the park.