Kenya
Kenya Country Profile
Kenya is an East African country, bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, and lying on the Indian Ocean. It covers an area of 580,367 km2, with a population of just over 57 million. Kenya has more than 60 languages spoken among more than 40 ethnic groups, with English and Kiswahili as its official languages.
Geography & Wildlife
The climate in Kenya varies from tropical along the coast to arid in the interior, with low plains (savannas) rising to central highlands that are bisected by the Great Rift Valley, comprising one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa. The west boasts a fertile plateau.
Though Kenya is well known for its vast savanna habitats, its ecosystems also include deserts, swamps, mountain and forests.
Kenya famously boasts the ‘Big Five’: lions, rhinos, elephants, buffalo and leopards. The country also has cheetah, hyena, giraffe, hippos, zebra, numerous species of antelope – including wildebeest, hartebeest, impala and dikdik – and several primates, such as baboons and colobus monkeys.
Main Conservation Challenges
Prone to recurring drought and flooding during rainy seasons, the country suffers from soil erosion and desertification. There is water pollution from urban and industrial wastes and water shortages. Deforestation and poaching are also challenging.
Our work in Kenya
PRIDE OF MERU
Animals: lions
Supported since: 2014
Work: conservation
Monitoring lions, working with communities to nurture tolerance and implement mitigation measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Boma in Amboseli © BFF, F Fortuna
PRIDE OF AMBOSELI
Work: conservation
To reduce conflict (loss of livestock and retaliatory killings of lions) and promote coexistence between people and carnivores.
Construction of smart bomas is a cost-effective approach to protecting livestock from predation at night.
SAVING MERU’S GIANTS
Work: conservation
Monitoring the elephant and giraffe populations, to understand the threats they face. This enables us to initiate nature-based solutions to human-wildlife conflict, and promote coexistence across the landscape.
Elephant Conservation Giraffe Conservation
RHINO CONSERVATION
Animals: black/white rhino
Work: conservation
With support from Born Free, Kenya Wildlife Service rangers carry out daily monitoring and patrols of the black and white rhino population in the Rhino Sanctuary, Meru National Park, Kenya.
EDUCATION
Animals: general wildlife and environmental topics
Work: education and community engagement
To increase understanding about the importance of wildlife, environmental protection and sustainable development. Working with schools and communities through clubs, awareness sessions and practical activities such as water conservation and collaborative approaches to community support.