The Maasai giraffe, found mainly in Kajiado Central and Kajiado South sub-counties, is threatened with extinction due to human encroachment on its habitat.
Also known as the Kilimanjaro giraffe, it is found mainly in Kajiado Central and Kajiado South sub-counties and Tanzania. It has distinctive jagged, leaf-like spots that extend from its hooves to its head. The giraffe grows to a height of 18 feet.
Over the past decade, however, the open landscapes of Kajiado Central have seen an increase in the number of private ranches and their wire fences. These fences are blocking key migration routes, particularly along the Namanga Highway.
According to the Ramat Wildlife Society, 20 giraffes have died in the past year after being trapped by these fences. Poachers are also said to be using the fences to capture and kill giraffes for their tails and meat. The situation has become so serious that rangers are now rescuing a giraffe caught in a fence every fortnight.
“If the wildlife corridors in central Kajiado are lost, there will be no wildlife movement between Amboseli National Park and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve,” warned John Kisimir, co-founder of the Ramat Wildlife Society.
Paul Wambi, deputy director of Amboseli National Park, said the fences on wildlife migration routes were a disaster, especially for the giraffes.
Kenya Wildlife Service rangers try to rescue a giraffe caught in a fence in Kajiado County recently. At least 20 giraffes have died in the past year.
Photo credit: Stanley Ngotho | Nation Media Group
Community wildlife conservancies face many challenges, particularly due to lack of adequate support and technical resources. Conservation organisations are said to have largely ignored Kajiado Central, focusing instead on well-known areas such as Amboseli and Tsavo.
The government and key conservation actors have been urged to engage private landowners in dialogue.
“Private landowners should be encouraged and incentivised to create wildlife corridors – open spaces where giraffes and other animals can move freely between their habitats,” says Mr Kisimir.
Read: Worry as study shows Kenya’s Maasai giraffes on verge of extinction
Incentives include compensation for lost grazing land and investment in ecotourism ventures that benefit the landowners.
“The Maasai giraffe is not just another animal; it represents our wild heritage,” said Mr Kisimir. “Losing it to man-made barriers would be a tragedy. We must act now to ensure that the Maasai giraffe continues to roam these plains for generations to come.
Source link : https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/kajiado/kenya-s-maasai-giraffe-population-threatened-by-land-fencing-4789664
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Publish date : 2024-10-09 13:30:59
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