Drought pushes wildlife into homes and highway

A pack of wildlife feed near Karagita estate in Naivasha and along the Moi South Lake road on 19/1/25.   [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The ongoing drought has pushed tens of wild animals from their habitats to homes, private farms, and major roads in Naivasha as cases of human-wildlife conflict continued to rise.

The most affected are Hellsgate and Mt National parks, where wild animals have strayed into homes and farms in search of water and pastures.

Animals around Lake Naivasha have not been spared and have been pushed by the rising waters to the nearby Moi South Lake road and even Naivasha town.

Tens of roaming zebras have become the norm in some estates in the town, while marauding hippos have been spotted along Moi South Lake Road daily.

According to the Chairman of Friends of Lake Naivasha, Francis Muthui, the full effects of the drought were being felt by the high numbers of wild animals on the loose.

He added that the situation has been worsened by the closure of nearly all wildlife migratory routes in the Lake Naivasha basin, forcing the animals onto nearby roads.

“We have seen an increase in the number of zebras, giraffes, warthogs, buffaloes, and even hippos that are straying into human settlement and this is a major concern,” he said.

Muthui said that as a result, animals were straying into private farms and nearby estates, leading to an increase in cases of human-wildlife conflict, with several cases of attacks reported.

“Nowadays, zebras are feeding on the streets of Naivasha while hippos are roaming in Kihoto estate and along the Moi South Lake road, exposing motorists to great danger,” he said

On his part, David Kilo, an honorary game warden, said that the encroachment of riparian land and closure of wildlife corridors had pushed the animals into residential estates and nearby roads.

“The harsh weather has pushed wild animals from the parks and ranches to roadsides, posing a major threat to motorists, but the rise in water levels in the lake has worsened things,” he said.

He noted that it was common for visitors to spot zebras, warthogs, baboons, and even buffalo along the highway, a move he termed as dangerous for road users.

“The presence of wild animals mainly along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway has become the norm, and this poses a danger to motorists mainly at night,” he said.

A senior KWS officer who declined to be named admitted that the problem was beyond their control, as all the game parks in Naivasha were not fenced.

“The biggest challenge we are currently facing is the drought, which has pushed the animals into farms and roads, but we hope this will change due to the ongoing rains,” said the officer.