The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has successfully translocated four reticulated giraffes from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.
KWS has described the feat “yet another win for wildlife”, after a joint effort by the KWS Vet and Capture team.
But why do KWS translocate? It’s all part of a bigger conservation strategy:
- Decongestion: Giving wildlife the space they need to flourish,
- Introduction & Reintroduction: Helping species thrive in new or familiar habitats,
- Supplementation: Strengthening populations by enhancing genetic diversity, and
- Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict: Promoting harmony between communities and wildlife.
“Partnerships power conservation and together we can ensure Kenya’s wildlife thrive for generations to come!” KWS asserts.
Giraffes are an iconic species of African landscapes, found in a range of habitats from savannahs to woodlands.
They play a critical role within the ecosystems they live in by promoting fresh vegetation growth by grazing on leaves, grass, flowers and fruit, as well as being important seed dispersers. Their incredibly long necks allow them to the reach high branches other species cannot get to.
Kenya is home to 3 species of giraffe that include the Maasai giraffe, the Nubian Giraffe, and the Reticulated Giraffe.
According to the National Wildlife Census of 2021, Kenya had an estimated population of 34,240 giraffes, of which the Maasai, Nubian and Reticulated Giraffe consisted of 13,530 animals, 970 animals, and 19,740 animals respectively.
