Soon, the Kenya government will undertake a National wildlife census which is expected to cost that country about Sh200 million. This exercise will be in December this year, so said the Environment cabinet secretary Judi Wakhungu. She also said that this is intended for the ministry to obtain the exact number of wildlife in the country in order to devise mechanisms of protecting and increasing their populations.
She was speaking at the pass out parade of 566 rangers at KWS Law Enforcement Academy at Manyani and he added that the census will involve all wildlife species across the country unlike the last census which focused on only involved large animals, this time it will involve 108 endangered animal species across the country and will be done through aerial and ground spotting in order to reach the most accurate figures.
“The census will involve scientific analysis of all wildlife in the country by KWS and science experts in ecology and wildlife management and they are planning on recruiting 566 rangers to help with the escalated poaching as experienced early this year. The 566 will join the other wildlife protection staff in the country that is about 2800 of them now in number.
Wakhungu was with her principal secretary Richard Lesiyampe, KWS acting Director General William Kiprono, Commandant of the Law enforcement academy Dickson Lesimirdana, Voi MP Jones Mlolwa, Assistant Director in charge of Tsavo conservation area Robert Obrien, among others.
The government will provide sophisticated weapons for the KWS rangers to use to fight poachers, night vision goggles and fire arms as well as choppers which they can use for emergency, so said Lesiyampe.
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