Elephant Boom Redefines Conservation Progress
A new national wildlife census conducted from June 2024 to August 2025 shows sharp contrasts in species trends. Survey teams recorded a strong rise in the elephant population, which now stands at 41,952 in the wild. This growth highlights major advances in anti-poaching operations and improved habitat security. Officials also noted significant increases in giraffes, whose numbers climbed to 43,002, up from 35,355. Rhinos continue their slow recovery, reaching 2,102 animals compared with 1,812 in 2021.
Wildlife Research and Training Institute CEO Dr. Patrick Omondi confirmed these gains. He stated that elephants and rhinos both show encouraging upward movement.
Rare Species Face Severe Declines
Not all wildlife experienced positive change. The hirola, Africa’s rarest antelope, dropped sharply to only 245 individuals. The endangered Grevy’s zebra also declined, reaching 2,465. Sable antelopes fell from 51 in 2021 to just 40. Dr. Omondi emphasized that hirola populations continue to collapse because they survive only in Ijara in Wajir.
Census teams observed these declines even as other species surged. Conservationists now warn that some animals may face extinction without immediate intervention.
New Measures Aim to Ease Pressure
The census urges authorities to create wildlife corridors to improve movement between key habitats. Planners recommend linking Tsavo and Amboseli, as well as Nairobi National Park and Athi-Kapiti, to support seasonal migration. The report also calls for relocation of human communities that currently block these routes.
Rising human–wildlife conflict demands stronger land-use planning. The report advises national and county governments to integrate wildlife data into development decisions. It also recommends banning tourist hotels along buffalo migration paths in the Mara to reduce dangerous encounters.
Officials stress that wildlife trends now require urgent attention. Some species flourish, while others decline rapidly, and the country must act decisively to secure a stable future for all.
