By Philip Mwakio
Kenya: India and Kenya have agreed to strengthen their ties in wildlife conservation and management.
Indian High Commissioner to Kenya Sibabrata Tripathi and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director William Kiprono said there was need to share ideas on best practices in wildlife protection.
Mr Kiprono said the two countries would also explore training exchange programmes that can enhance knowledge on emerging wildlife issues.
“The two countries share the same variety of wildlife species hence the need to work together to address similar challenges they face such as wildlife crime, climate change, rising populations as well as the spread of invasive species,” Tripathi said when he paid Kiprono a courtesy call.
20,000 tourists
Kenya has in the recent past become a favourable tourist destination for Indians, with an estimated 20,000 Indian tourists visiting the country annually.
The most common areas visited by Indians include the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Amboseli National Park.
Meanwhile, hoteliers at the Coast want KWS to consider re-stocking the Shimba Hills National Reserve with additional wildlife.
South Coast hotelier Gomeri Kombo said the reserve that lies approximately 33 kilometres south of Mombasa city was receiving fewer visitors due to few wildlife that roam its environs.
Shimba Hills coastal ecosystem comprises of a heterogeneous habitat that includes forestlands, exotic plantation, scrubland and grassland.
The reserve hosts the highest density of African elephants in Kenya. It is also home to the rare Sable antelope, black and rufous elephant shrew, bushy tailed mongoose and other smaller mammals like fruit bat.
“These features are vital and can support any kind of wildlife. We believe KWS with its expertise in wildlife management could consider restocking it with more wildlife which visitors can see on a game drive,’’ Kombo said.
