Kenya plans to give legal protection to seven more wildlife corridors. Three routes have already been formally recognised, The Star reported. More than 10 corridors have been identified in Laikipia and Samburu. They allow elephants and other wildlife to move between habitats.
Ben Okita, director of the Wyss Academy for Nature East Africa Hub, spoke at a three-day conservation meeting in Nanyuki, Laikipia. He said the next phase would secure the remaining corridors through law and policy. "Out of these 10 that we identified, we have managed to secure three into law," he said. The other seven have been prioritised.
Wildlife PS Silvia Museiya said the government had raised the issue of shrinking corridors with President William Ruto and his council of advisers. She warned that the trend threatens wildlife populations and increases conflict with communities. Settlements, farms and industries are expanding into traditional wildlife areas. The Nairobi National Park-Athi-Kapiti corridor is under pressure from urban growth. Nairobi National Park, set up in 1946, is now largely surrounded by settlements, industries and farms.
Museiya said Kenya needs stronger local and cross-border cooperation, especially with Tanzania. The aim is to protect elephant routes between Amboseli and Mkomazi national parks. She said the corridors must be mapped clearly, existing ones safeguarded and threatened ones marked. Officials will also check whether routes that have closed could reopen.
The financial stakes are high. Kenya earned about KSh 500 billion from tourism in 2025, according to The Star. The Kenya Wildlife Service makes about KSh 7.9 billion a year from wildlife-related activities. KWS has previously estimated that it needs KSh 19.7 billion a year for conservation. That leaves a shortfall of about KSh 12 billion. Museiya said elephants account for more than 80 per cent of human-wildlife conflict compensation cases.
Communities near the corridors now help monitor them. Agnes Pani, a corridor monitor, said she and other women use mobile phones to record elephant movements. They also watch for people who could damage the routes. She said the work has brought jobs and training.
Delegates came from several African countries. Steeve Ngama of Gabon said his country is only starting to learn land-use planning and elephant management. Emmanuel Hema of Burkina Faso said Kenya had made progress through partnerships with communities, counties, the private sector and national institutions. Leonard Mubalama of DR Congo said participants heard lessons from Kenya, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa.