NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 — Kenya is set to launch a National Wildlife Database next year in a landmark move aimed at strengthening conservation planning, wildlife management and policy formulation through a centralized repository of wildlife information.
The Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) on Friday convened a high-level stakeholder validation meeting in Kisumu to advance the development of the platform, which will consolidate decades of wildlife data currently held by government agencies, research institutions, conservation organizations, universities and community conservancies.
The initiative, anchored in Section 60 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, seeks to address long-standing challenges associated with fragmented wildlife information that has often been difficult to access, share and utilize for decision-making.
Speaking during the meeting, WRTI Deputy Director for Research, David Ndereeh, said Kenya possesses vast volumes of wildlife data collected over many years, but much of it remains scattered across multiple institutions.
“We have a wealth of wildlife information generated over decades of research and monitoring. The challenge has been that the data is dispersed among various state and non-state actors,” said Dr. Ndereeh.
Single data source
The National Wildlife Database is expected to become the country’s primary source of wildlife information, supporting biodiversity conservation, land-use planning, climate adaptation, wildlife disease surveillance, anti-poaching operations and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict.
According to WRTI, stakeholders attending the validation meeting reviewed the framework for integrating datasets into the platform, identified existing data gaps and provided technical input on governance structures, interoperability, quality assurance and long-term sustainability.
Dr. Ndereeh said the institute had already developed a prototype system and was now working with partners to validate, clean and migrate datasets into the platform ahead of its rollout.
“We verify the data together, clean it and validate the datasets before uploading them into the system that has already been developed,” he said.
The project was initiated in 2024 and has now entered its second phase of implementation.
WRTI officials said the National Wildlife Data Centre, which will host the database, is expected to be launched during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year at the institute’s headquarters in Naivasha.
“We are nearing the completion of the process and expect to launch the National Wildlife Data Centre within the first quarter of the next financial year,” Dr. Ndereeh said.
Timely data
Conservation experts attending the forum noted that growing pressure on wildlife habitats from climate change, population growth, infrastructure expansion and competition for natural resources has increased the need for accurate and timely data to guide conservation interventions.
The platform is also expected to reduce duplication of research efforts, preserve institutional knowledge and improve transparency and accountability in wildlife management.
Among the key datasets earmarked for integration is the National Wildlife Census completed in 2025, which mapped wildlife populations and distribution across the country.
“That census provided critical information on the population and distribution of various wildlife species,” Dr. Ndereeh said. “As Kenya expands conservation areas through community and private conservancies, the data will help identify suitable habitats and inform future conservation investments.”
Once operational, the National Wildlife Database is expected to provide policymakers, researchers, conservation managers, rangers and local communities with a shared evidence base for decision-making, further positioning Kenya as a regional leader in data-driven wildlife conservation.
