Urgent Action Needed to Combat Zoonotic Diseases and Snake Bites Among Communities Living with Wildlife

By John Kisimir

In the vast rangelands of Central Kajiado, Kenya, the people live close to nature. 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.