Wildlife and environmental conservationists now want the government to gazette elephant migration corridors to protect animals and reduce human-wildlife conflict.

They were speaking in Mombasa during the flagging-off of the Tsavo East-Galana-Arabuko-Sokoke Elephant campaign walk initiated by Jim Justus Nyamu, the Executive Director for Elephant Neighbours Centre.

The 25km walk is 14th since 2013 when Nyamu started the campaign dubbed“Ivory Belongs to Elephants Walk” to raise awareness on the value of elephants, how to mitigate human-elephant conflicts and raise awareness on poaching.

The ENC walk is aimed at sensitising Coast residents on the value of the animals to the country’s economy, culture and heritage.

The walk, flagged off by Mombasa County Commissioner John Otieno, is conducted in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Galana Crocodile Camp, Ministries of Tourism and Wildlife and Interior ministry.

The 16-day walk covering forested areas in Mombasa and Kilifi counties also involves different rotaries, conservationists, environmentalists, 65 schools and individuals.

Remarkable memory

Pollman Tours and Safaris Operations Director Mohamed Hersi urged Lands and Environment and Forestry ministries to move with speed and gazette elephants’ traditional migration routes.

Illegal settlements and land grabbing have led to blocking of elephants and other species migratory corridors between Tsavo East National Park and forests in Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu counties.

“Research has shown that elephants have remarkable memory to remember migratory routes, most of which have been affected by human activities. We urge the lands and environment ministries to gazette all these routes for the sake of these animals,” added Hersi.

The Kenya Tourism Federation Board Member noted that settlements on the migratory corridors have escalated wildlife-human conflicts in the region hence posing serious threats to protection of endangered species.

Nyamu said his campaign was informed by the need to enable the movement of 14,000 elephants migrating to water sources, pasture and breeding. “Elephants move with other species like hyenas and hence the need to raise awareness to create harmony between wildlife and human beings.”

Nyamu observed that although the national government had allocated a lot of resources for compensation of victims, human-wildlife conflicts can be minimised by educating the people to act responsible towards animals.

He raised alarm about poaching of dik diks, gazelles, giraffes, and guinea fowls and other animals for bush meat trade in Kilifi county.

Otieno said Kenya had made huge steps in addressing killings of elephants since the government applied a multi-agency approach in anti-poaching operations. 

The County Commissioner said collaboration between Kenya and foreign governments, particularly the United States, had yielded fruit, including arrest of prime suspects behind ivory trade in the region. “Elephants conservation is a global campaign and that is why the US and our government are collaborating in dealing with poaching which also fuels other crimes like illicit drugs and money laundering,” he added.

Otieno hailed the walk, saying it will go a long way in raising public awareness on the value of protecting elephants and other wildlife.  “Tourism is a key pillar of our country’s GDP hence there is need for a concerted effort to conserve these animals.”

KWS Coast region Head of Conservation Samuel Tokore also praised the initiative, terming it a compliment to his agency’s conservation efforts.  “We have elephant migratory corridors coming from Tsavo West to Tsavo East down-Arabuko Sokoke forest-Tana River-Lamu and along these corridors affected by human activities and this campaign will go a long way in educating our people on the need to protect our elephants and other species,” he added.