The rising cases of human-wildlife conflict in Naivasha have been blamed on capital projects that have ended up blocking animal migratory routes.

The most affected areas are Mai Mahiu and Olkaria where several government projects including the industrial park and geothermal exploration are currently going on.

This came as a herd of elephants for the first time ever found their way into Naivasha town leading to massive destruction of property and disruption of traffic on the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu Road.

Conservationists are now warning that the investments could lead to the death of the tourism sector that rakes in billions of shillings every year.

According to Francis Muthui, the chairman Friends of Lake Naivasha, the massive investment in Naivasha was a major blow to wildlife conservation.

Muthui noted that already tens of wild animals have been displaced in Mai Mahiu area where the Inland Container Depot (ICD) and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) station were constructed.

This was the same in Olkaria area and Hellsgate National Park where ongoing geothermal drilling had pushed away more animals into neighbouring farms and ranches.

He noted that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done before the projects had indicated that wildlife routes would not be affected but things on the ground were different.