Conservation

Laikipia is a model for wildlife conservation on private and communally owned land, making the area unique and important in Kenya and globally.  In the 1980’s, amid global concern for the fate of the black rhino, Laikipia took the lead with the establishment of sanctuaries for the last remaining individuals, spearheaded by Solio and the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.  Soon after, photo-tourism became a viable land use option and private and communal land owners embraced wildlife as a means to support livelihoods.  As a result conservation interest has grown, and with it new challenges have arisen, such as the growing numbers of elephants.  Although this has been an added tourist attraction, elephants and people often conflict, as they compete for space.

Conservation as a whole across Laikipia has been stimulated through Laikipia’s own membership conservation organisation – the Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF) which was established in 1992.  In the early days LWF focused on finding ways of making wildlife an asset rather than a threat to the people of Laikipia, and has since taken on a much broader role, embracing all aspects of conservation, land management and natural resource management.  The challenges of implementing an integrated conservation strategy for Laikipia are immense given the diverse land uses and land ownership, but the trends in wildlife numbers and habitat restoration are good indications of success, and provide hope for other areas of Kenya.

On the community lands of the Mukogodo region in northern Laikipia, community owned tourism ventures such as Il N’gwesi, Tassia, Koija Starbeds, Ol Gaboli and Ol Lentille, have been instrumental in securing dispersal areas and corridors for elephant, Grevy zebra, Wild Dog and other wild animals, whilst providing benefits to local people.

The LWF touches over 300,000 people through it’s programmes on Wildlife Conservation & Management, Environmental Education/Literacy, Tourism Sector Support, Management of Rangeland Resources, Management of Forests, Management of River Water Resources, Conservation Enterprise, Peace & Security, and Communication.  More information can be found on the website:  www.laikipia.org

Tourism’s Community and Wildlife Support

In the face of competing land-use interests and economic sectors, space for wildlife in Kenya is threatened.  By visiting Laikipia you will help demonstrate that wildlife and healthy environments is an essential contributor to Kenya’s economy and the well being of the people. Your visit supports conservation and development in Laikipia and beyond.

Combined, Laikipia tourism operations employ over 1,300 people (each of which has on average 5 dependants), creating approximately US$3 million in wage earnings per year.

Tourism operators also support social and infrastructure development within neighbourhoods, investing approximately US$3.5 million per year.  Projects include community healthcare, education and enterprise development, as well as security enhancement, water management, fencing and public road maintenance.

Each year Laikipia’s tourism operations collectively invest over US$5 million to protect and conserve wildlife and the natural environment.

With tourism development, landowners have grown more tolerant of wild animals, including the predators, and have adopted new ways of protecting livestock, including ‘lion proof boma’s’ which have proved effective and are now widely used.  This growing tolerance to wildlife and the growing tourism sector has made Laikipia one of Kenya’s most important conservation areas and tourism destinations.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Laikipia is abundant and total numbers are higher than any of Kenya’s protected areas except the Maasai Mara National Reserve.  In contrast to most of Kenya, where wildlife numbers have been in decline, the population of wildlife in Laikipia has increased by about 15% in the last 30 years.  It is worth noting that Laikipia is not an official protected area - this conservation success is due to the landowners and people of Laikipia.

Laikipia and the wider Ewaso ecosystem hosts the highest diversity of large mammals in Kenya, including the “Big 5” and has significant populations of all major predators.   More than 7,000 elephants migrate within Laikipia and the wider Ewaso ecosystem.  Importantly, Laikipia hosts the highest populations of endangered species (large mammals)  in the country, including half of Kenya’s rhino population and 37% of the total African population of the Eastern Black Rhino. The region also hosts 70% of the 3,000 remaining global population of the Grevy zebra, and similar numbers of the remaining global population of Reticulated giraffe.  Laikipia hosts Africa’s fastest expanding population of Wild Dog, with the 4th largest population of this globally threatened species.  The interesting and rare Patas monkey, of which there are about 400 individuals in Laikipia, can be seen feeding on insects and gums from the acacia whistling thorn trees. There are approximately 350 lions in Laikipia, an important number of the estimated 2,000 individuals remaining in Kenya.