NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 12 – The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has called for a harmonized coexistence between humans and elephants following rise in jumbo mortalities in the country.
According to KWS Director General Erustus Kanga, elephants play a critical role in Kenya’s ecosystem and national heritage.
Kanga says Kenya has witnessed a drop in the population of elephants despite a slight recovery, orchestrated by the scaling up human-elephant conflict.
“Kenya’s elephant population has seen a remarkable recovery, growing from 16,000 individuals in 1989 to over 36,280 as per the 2021 National Wildlife Census. However, this progress slowed down by ongoing challenges, including habitat loss, climate change, and poaching,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the new KWS Strategic Plan, which focuses on habitat restoration, conflict mitigation, and enhancing the value of elephants to local communities, will address these pressing threats.
He avverd that the strategic plan contains initiatives which will tackle the root causes of human-elephant conflict and demonstrate KWS commitment to finding effective solutions.
The KWS is advocating for the deployment of innovative methods, such as barriers designed to reduce conflicts, and is encouraging the identification of key sites to showcase these solutions.
The goal is to create a blueprint for peaceful coexistence that can be replicated in other regions facing similar challenges.
Human -elephant conflict has been an issue in the country for a while now, with locals in areas with national parks blaming the government for negligence in dealing with the issue.
In March, the government asserted that it was working on hastening compensation for human-wildlife victims, coming at a time when survivors have been complaining of the lethargic process.
The State Department of Wildlife, in conjunction with the Kenya Wildlife Services, pledged to ensure victims do not wait for long to get their compensation from the government, which often increases animosity.
According to KWS, the national government is expected to compensate for permanent injuries leading to disability, deaths, or property damages arising from conflicts.
