ALLOW PRIVATE WILD LIFE CONSERVATION

Over the past and continually as per now, the country has lost close to millions of wildlife resources attributed to poor management by the government caused by poaching, drought and deliberate butcher by man due to the increased human-wildlife conflicts.

The diverse wild life however has been and still is among the key economic and cultural heritage resources of Kenya. Through sustainable wildlife conservation, the country can earn immense local and foreign income through tourism, a factor that can improve the national economy. The sundry wildlife is also part of our national pride that needs to be jealously conserved for national culture and heritage.

The next government must put in place long term measures to ensure effective management of wildlife resources. One way of doing so is by allowing private individuals, companies, educational and research institutions in the country to have a stake in wild life conservation on a large scale. Such should be given licenses after proposals to the wild life management board to collect wildlife species from national parks and reserves. The board can monitor and provide more incentives to such initiatives. This will go a long way in conserving endangered species apart from decentralizing wild life management in the country. It will also promote local and foreign tourism by bringing wild life attractions close to ordinary kenyans.Such initiatives will also provide employment to local people and improve the economy. It will promote training and research in the field of wild life and natural resources management as well as enhancing learning and reducing threats to endangered species.

For example research and higher learning institutions in the country can initiate breeding projects that can add variety and value to existing species and the endangered ones.

The gesture by Egerton University in Njoro to introduce wild life in its Botanical Garden is a role model in this argument. Already the university’s students and researchers in a variety of academic fields use the natural environment as a study centre while it also attracts both local and international nature lovers. A breeding project of the Llamas a unique exotic animal species at the sanctuary is an example of the diversification of animal populations the country can embrace for both social and economic benefits of Kenyans.