(Posted 19th February 2025)
Courtesy of African Elephant News and Beth Nyaga, KBC
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in collaboration with key conservation partners, has deployed ten aircraft to conduct an Ecosystem Aerial Total Census in Tsavo West and East National Parks.
The census, expected to span eight days, will utilize internationally recognized methods to ensure accuracy and avoid double counts.
According to KWS, the Tsavo ecosystem spans five counties and is a crucial pillar of Kenya’s biodiversity, representing 38 per cent of the country’s elephant population range.
The last comprehensive census in 2021 recorded 14,964 elephants in the region, reaffirming its status as Kenya’s largest elephant stronghold.
The aerial survey aims to provide critical insights into wildlife population trends, habitat dynamics, and challenges affecting species within the ecosystem.
This information is vital for conservation planning, ensuring sustainable management of Kenya’s rich biodiversity.
Flagging off the aircraft to commence the census, officials from KWS, the Department for Wildlife and other stakeholders emphasized the importance of the exercise.
The Tsavo ecosystem is Kenya’s largest continuous savannah range, covering approximately 49,611 square kilometres.
By deploying advanced aerial monitoring techniques, KWS and its partners seek to safeguard the future of Tsavo’s wildlife and enhance conservation strategies for generations to come.
A few months ago, the government conducted a national wildlife census across Kenya’s national parks and reserves to obtain data that would guide policy development, management, and conservation of wildlife resources.
The exercise, led by the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) in collaboration with KWS and conservation stakeholders, covered key ecosystems, including the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Lake Magadi.
Conservation Secretary Dr. John Chumo, while monitoring the progress of the second phase of the census in the Amboseli-Magadi ecosystem, emphasized its significance in determining wildlife populations, mapping their distribution and identifying migratory corridors.
The census, which is required by law every three years, also assesses land use factors such as human settlement, agriculture, fencing and infrastructure development, which impact wildlife distribution.
Dr. Chumo acknowledged the joint efforts of WRTI, KWS and conservation partners and pledged government support for the initiative.
The census was conducted by wildlife scientists, ecologists, pilots and data specialists using GPS, modern surveillance cameras and audio recorders to ensure data accuracy.
The Amboseli-Magadi ecosystem remains one of the most studied wildlife conservation areas where humans and wildlife coexist.
The data gathered from the national census will complement the ongoing Tsavo aerial survey, ensuring a comprehensive approach to wildlife conservation and management in Kenya.
