Where people and wildlife share the same ground.

Traditionally, establishing a conservancy in Kenya has relied heavily on external funding, often resulting in unsustainable outcomes. However, in Central Kajiado, a new approach is taking shape, where local communities are leading conservation efforts through self-initiated conservancies that prioritize development alongside wildlife preservation.

For years, Central Kajiado—an essential wildlife corridor—received minimal conservation investment. This neglect led to the proliferation of fenced private ranches, and an increase in poaching. Human-wildlife conflict became a persistent challenge for residents, and wildlife populations steadily declined.

Taking Ownership

“By building strong conservancies before involving external partners, communities can establish solid foundations. This approach allows time for the “storming and forming” phases—where new institutions find their footing and become stable.”

In response to these challenges, community leaders founded RAMAT Wildlife Society to support their conservancies. Unlike traditional models, the 14 community-led conservancies, spanning 105,000 hectares, were established without external funding. Instead, they emerged from a shared vision of environmental stewardship and community development. “Our model is based on community development, not just wildlife conservation,” explains Simon Sosoika, Chairperson of RAMAT Wildlife Society. “Wildlife is only one of our resources. If we protect our environment, we unlock many opportunities—such as better health, clean water, and tourism.”

These conservancies operate through mutual agreements rather than formal contracts, aligning with Maasai traditions of respect and cooperation. Membership is voluntary, with no coercion involved. Landowners collectively commit to safeguarding wildlife and preventing land degradation. Over time, they aim to attract investments in tourism and other development projects.

Strengthening Governance

RAMAT has prioritized training conservancy committees to establish strong governance structures and fostering partnerships with Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association and is currently pursuing working relationships with The Nature Conservancy, WWF, and IFAW. These efforts empower communities to manage their conservancies independently, ensuring that governance remains in the hands of those who live on the land and understand its value.

“We have dispelled the myth that you need large sums of money to start a conservancy,” Sosoika adds. “All you need is open land, organized communities, and wildlife—that’s 80% of the investment.”

By building strong conservancies before involving external partners, communities can establish solid foundations. This approach allows time for the “storming and forming” phases—where new institutions find their footing and become stable.

The Road Ahead: Exploring New Frontiers in Conservation

Despite these achievements, access to resources remains a significant challenge. “International conservation agencies often dominate donor networks, making it difficult for grassroots organizations to secure funding,” notes John Kisimir, RAMAT’s co-founder. But RAMAT remains optimistic and is currently working on developing carbon credits to create sustainable income streams for its conservancies.

A Model for the Future

The conservancies in Central Kajiado offer a blueprint for reimagining conservation across Africa. They demonstrate that local communities—united by a shared vision, robust governance, and cultural heritage—can restore ecosystems while building sustainable livelihoods.

Oct 14, 2024

In the heart of Kajiado Central, a critical wildlife corridor between Bisil and Ng’atataek Towns along the 133 km Athi River–Namanga Highway is facing an imminent threat. This 8-kilometer stretch, the last remaining passage for wildlife migrating from Amboseli National Park towards Lake Magadi and Maasai Mara, is on the verge of disappearing. As fencing and urbanization spread rapidly, wildlife movement has become increasingly restricted, endangering the survival of key species and the long-term health of the ecosystem. This corridor is not just a pathway for animals but a lifeline for wildlife migrating between the two iconic parks in the Southern Rangeland. The Maasai families that occupy this 15,000-hectare area primarily use it for livestock rearing, and while they are not opposed to wildlife conservation, it currently offers no tangible economic value to them. As a result, fences are erected, urban centers expand, and crop agriculture continues to encroach into wildlife territory, choking off the natural migration routes.

If we do not take decisive action to protect this corridor, we risk losing it forever, just as we have lost other critical crossing points along the highway, which has led to the isolation of Nairobi National Park. RAMAT Wildlife Society has been organizing local communities to form conservancies, but these efforts alone are not enough. We need immediate and sustainable solutions that align the needs of wildlife with the livelihoods of the people living in this landscape.

The closure of wildlife corridors has dire consequences. Without these passages, animals are forced to cross dangerous roads, leading to an increase in wildlife-vehicle collisions. More importantly, the fragmentation of habitats isolates populations, reduces genetic diversity, and makes wildlife more vulnerable to disease and environmental changes.

But this isn’t just a wildlife issue—it’s a community issue. As urban centers grow and agriculture expands, land-use conflicts between humans and wildlife escalate, deepening poverty and reducing opportunities for sustainable economic development.

Possible Solutions: A Way Forward for Policymakers, Conservationists, and Donors

1. Trans-Highway Conservancies: Encourage landowners to establish a trans-highway conservancy that is adequately funded and supported as a vehicle for economic development. Funding is urgently needed to support the creation and management of the conservancy and provide training for communities in sustainable land management.
2. Wildlife-Friendly Land-Use Policies: Legal frameworks for voluntary conservation easements can provide landowners with financial returns while keeping wildlife corridors intact, preventing further encroachment, and incentivizing landowners to maintain open landscapes.

Why We Must Act

The Maasai people who live in this region are the stewards of this land, and their livelihoods depend on maintaining a healthy balance between wildlife and livestock. But they cannot do this alone. By aligning conservation efforts with economic development, we can support them in creating a future where wildlife and people thrive together.

We still have time to save this corridor, but the window is closing fast.

A crisis is unfolding in Central Kajiado, threatening one of Africa’s most iconic animals: the Maasai giraffe. As human activities continue to encroach on their habitat, these gentle giants are increasingly at risk. Without urgent action, we may soon lose these majestic creatures from the region.

In the past decade, the open landscapes of Central Kajiado have been transformed by the rapid rise of private ranch fences. While these fences were not intended to harm wildlife, they are blocking crucial migratory routes, especially along the Namanga Highway. These routes are vital for giraffes to move freely in search of food, water, and safety. Tragically, the fences have now become death traps.

The Toll on Giraffes

“Over the past year, 20 giraffes have died after being trapped by these barriers,” says John Kisimir, Partnerships Director and Co-Founder of RAMAT Wildlife Society.

Currently, around 30 giraffes are trapped inside fences in Mailua Location, cut off from their herds, and unable to reach better pastures. Isolated from their social groups, these giraffes face increased risks of starvation, injury, and sometimes go months without access to water.

What makes this even more heartbreaking is that the Maasai communities of Central Kajiado have long coexisted with wildlife. With support from the RAMAT Wildlife Society, some communities have set up conservancies to protect both their land and the animals that live there. However, their efforts face significant challenges, particularly a lack of adequate support and technical resources.

Urgent Action Needed

Immediate action is needed. The key to solving this crisis is engaging private landowners in a productive dialogue. They should be encouraged and incentivized to create wildlife corridors—open spaces where giraffes and other animals can move freely between their habitats.

The Maasai giraffe is not just another animal; it represents the wild heritage of the Maasai people. Losing it due to man-made barriers would be a tragedy. Efforts to ensure their survival must start now.

For generations, Maasai families have coexisted with wildlife, their lives intricately woven with the rhythm of the savannah. But this delicate balance has always brought pain — one where human life is lost and livelihoods are devastated.

The scars of this conflict are deep, and the tragedies are frequent. Just a few months ago, my brother’s life at Kikesen River Conservancy was changed forever. His three-year-old daughter, the jewel of his eye, was taken from him in the cruelest of ways. The deadly Egyptian cobra had slithered into their home—likely seeking shelter from the searing heat or in search of prey. It nestled under the bed where the children, playing their innocent game of hide and seek, unknowingly danced with danger. When the snake bit her, they rushed to the nearest health facility. But it was too late. In less than an hour, her tiny body succumbed to the venom.

Grief overwhelmed the family, but even before the tears had dried, another horror struck. The chairman of Kisapuk Conservancy reported that a 12-year-old girl, on her way to fetch water for her parents, had also fallen victim to a snake bite. She died, just like the countless others whose stories are whispered in mourning but never make headlines.

The Unseen Epidemic

Beyond the visible tragedies lie the unseen dangers—zoonotic diseases that quietly ravage these communities. Just weeks after the snake bite deaths, at least 6 women in the community experienced bouts of miscarriages. This followed reported cases of abortion in livestock. Wildlife too showed signs of distress. Lab tests confirmed the presence of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted from wildlife to livestock, and from livestock to humans. Last year it was Brucellosis that led to abortion by women, livestock, and wildlife – losses that families could neither predict nor prevent.

A Call for Urgent Action

Despite the enormity of these tragedies, help is far from reach. The nearest source of life-saving anti-venom is 100 kilometers away, and the roads are treacherous. By the time families reach help, the chances of survival have already slipped away. There is no reliable emergency response for snake bites, and the lack of basic health infrastructure is a death sentence.

Kenya Wildlife Service Compensation: A Fragmented Lifeline

Kenya Wildlife Service guidelines on wildlife compensation provide for payments to families who lose loved ones or livestock due to wildlife. However, this compensation is sporadic, delayed, and often inadequate. It does little to ease the long-term suffering of families who’ve lost their children, their livelihoods, and their futures.

A Cry for Intervention

These communities cannot continue to face these challenges alone. The human cost of inaction is mounting. The establishment of more fully operationalized health units, early warning systems, and better infrastructure is not just necessary—it’s life-saving. Policymakers must prioritize investments in health care for communities living with wildlife, road networks, and wildlife management programs that focus on coexisting safely with nature.