Encroachment of human beings on elephant corridors and climate change are major threats to survival of jumbos. Stakeholders are worried that elephants may become extinct if environmental conservation and peaceful co-existence between human beings and wildlife is not entrenched among members of the community.
The decline in numbers of elephants has also been associated with poaching menace in the country. Justus Nyamu, the Director of The Elephant Neighbor Center Organization and a research scientist said poachers have become the worst enemy to the Big Five animals.
“We boasted of 167,000 elephants in 1976. Today, we only have 30,000,” Nyamu said.
He lamented that Mt Kenya Forest had the largest number of elephants but it declined to only about 2500. He said climate change has also affected heavily their conservation measures.
“We urge Kenyans to take caution in protecting these animals,” he said.
He said elephants are among the highest tourism income earner in the country with at least 14 percent of Kenya’s GDP coming from tourism. He appealed to locals to join efforts played by CFAs in planting trees to counter climate change effects. “It is always sad to lose a life which compensation is Sh5 million and when livestock is killed, their compensation varies with it’s value,” he said.
The Ivory belongs to Elephant on Thursday toured Tharaka Nithi County doing sensitization on preservation and conservation of elephants to stakeholders. Tharaka Nithi is the sixth county to tour on their journey that started on July 26, 2024 at Kenya Wildlife Service Lang’ata in Nairobi headed to Ethiopia.
Nyamu noted that their aim is to sensitize and bring all stakeholders on a round table to deliberate on how to protect the lifespan of elephants. “We can’t deny elephants are destructive and dangerous but there is law. If one is attacked or property is destroyed, one must report the incident to the relevant authorities within 24 hours,” he said. Nyamu said since 2014, the Kenyan government has solved 70 per cent compensation claims but noted that the hardest thing was related claims because many people exaggerate claims.
“The most disturbed or attacked people are those who constructed or their farms encompass the elephants corridors. We have a strategy to open elephant diverse corridors. For example, elephants fear ants and frogs and so they can’t give birth in cold areas,” he said.
Chuka Sub County Deputy County Commissioner Wanyama Anjela urged people to learn how to coexist with wild animals. “We insist on planting trees and practicing cleanness close to forests. I am impressed because residents are involved and committed towards implementing policies and creating awareness on compensation of residents who are victims of animal attacks by the organization,” Angela said.
Elizabeth Kariuki, a conservator said the KWS main clarion was to protect elephants as a tourist attraction and income earner for the country. She urged individual farmers to aid in President William Ruto’s call of planting trees to attain the 15 billion target. Kariuki said farmers can plant avocado trees to earn income and conserve environment.
