KWS set for Northern Kenya aerial game count

KWS TO CONDUCT WILDLIFE COUNT IN NORTHERN KENYA

The Kenya Wildlife Service will commence an aerial wildlife count with special aim on elephant and Grevy zebra starting from November 25th, involving as many as 12 aircraft and lasting until November 30th. Target areas are the Samburu National Park, the Marsabit area and Shaba Game Reserve, where the exercise will kick off. All three areas are part of a wider range for the elephant with regular migration of significant numbers of animals, following available pastures after seasonal and unseasonal rains.

The count is a follow up of earlier such activities to establish population trends in the semi arid North of the country and expectations are that while the elephant population has grown in recent years the rarer Grevy zebra population may have reduced, putting the species firmly on the endangered list.

A source close to KWS in Nairobi has put the cost of the exercise into the 15 million Kenya Shilling range with most of the expense going to aircraft hire and fuel for KWS’ own helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. As and when results become available, be sure to read about it here.