It will cost Sh500,000 to have elephants named after you, CS Malonza says

It will cost between Sh100, 000 and Sh500, 000 to adopt an elephant in Kenya. [Peter Muiruri,Standard]

It will cost you between Sh100, 000 and Sh500, 000 to have an elephant named after you, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza has said.

Malonza, speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday, March 1, stated that the Ministry's initiative to allow Kenyans to adopt animals is aimed at creating an environment where human-wildlife conflict can be minimised.

She stated that the naming ceremony dubbed, Tembo Naming Festival, will take place at the Amboseli National Park in Kajiado County on March 3, 2023, when Kenya will join the rest of the world in commemorating World Wildlife Day.

The goal of the festival is to secure a future for elephants and their habitats in peaceful co-existence with humans while providing benefits and for posterity.

"What this initiative is all about is we will have people naming elephants after them. It could a baby elephant or a young tusker or a family of elephants for that matter, and all this will come at cost. Basically the initiative seeks to create awareness and creating a world where human beings can relate with the wildlife," the CS said.

She added that Maasai elders will be in charge of the naming process due to their extensive knowledge of how animals interact with humans.

"They have lived in the community for a long time and are familiar with animal behavior. They will be able to describe their background and behavior, including whether they are destructive or polite," said Malonza.

"After the adoption, Kenyans will be able to access information about the elephant. As you know, these animals travel long distances, from Somalia to Tanzania, and we will continue to track them."

The theme of this year's World Wildlife Day is "Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation." The event will also include a tree planting exercise at Amboseli National Park.