Population surge: KWS moves 50 elephants from Mwea Reserve to Aberdare
Kenya Wildlife Service rangers prepare to translocate an elephant. 50 elephants have been moved from Mwea National Reserve to Aberdare National Park.
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said the translocation is aimed at improving human-wildlife coexistence and addressing environmental degradation in Mwea National Reserve.
About 50 elephants have been moved from Mwea National Reserve to Aberdare National Park following a surge in the animal's population in the reserve.
The development comes at a time when the country's elephant population has reached 36,280 after a dramatic increase from 16,000 in 1989, putting pressure on some of the country's game reserves.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said the translocation, which is being carried out by a multi-disciplinary technical team, is aimed at improving human-wildlife coexistence and addressing environmental degradation in Mwea National Reserve.
KWS Director-General Erustus Kanga said the elephant population in the reserve had increased from 49 in 1979 to the current 156. The aim of the translocation is to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities and ensure the welfare of the remaining elephants in Mwea by reducing competition for resources, he said.
“While this population growth marks conservation success, it has strained the ecosystem, with around 50 elephants venturing outside the reserve, leading to property damage and intensifying human-elephant conflict,” said Dr Kanga.
“The translocation is therefore essential to protect the welfare of both the elephants and the surrounding communities,” he added.
He explained that the translocation will reduce pressure on the Mwea ecosystem while strengthening the elephant population in Aberdare National Park, thereby promoting ecological balance.
The move, he added, will minimise competition for resources and promote healthier ecosystems in both reserves.
“The reduction in human-wildlife conflict will enhance the socio-economic well-being of communities living near Mwea, creating a foundation for peaceful coexistence,” said the KWS boss.
“In Aberdare, the expected increase in elephant numbers will boost ecotourism, driving economic benefits and supporting sustainable development,” he added.
Speaking at the launch, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said that the translocation will bring long-term benefits by strengthening vulnerable elephant populations, enhancing genetic diversity and protecting ecosystems critical to elephants and other species.
She also stressed that Kenya cannot conserve elephants in isolation and that regional and international cooperation is essential.
“Kenya’s growing human population is encroaching on remaining elephant rangelands, exacerbating conflicts,” she said.
Between 1979 and 1989, Kenya faced an alarming decline in its elephant population due to rampant poaching for ivory. Numbers plummeted from an estimated 170,000 to just 16,000.
However, the establishment of KWS by an Act of Parliament reversed the decline and helped to stem the crisis.
Since then, extensive conservation efforts have helped reverse the decline, and the 2021 National Wildlife Census recorded an elephant population of 36,280, with the resurgence reflecting the success of collaborative conservation efforts.
In line with these ongoing conservation strategies, KWS and its partners have developed the National Elephant Action Plan (2023-2032), which aims to ensure sustainable elephant populations, reduce human-elephant conflict, restore degraded habitats and enhance the economic benefits of elephants to local communities.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire said the initiative was timely, noting that it would not only reduce elephant numbers but also improve the livelihoods of local communities.
She also highlighted the county's plans to rename the Mwea National Reserve, an underutilised wildlife habitat.
