Nyeri: Residents have urged the government to come up with a mechanism of feeding wildlife as a way of curbing human-wildlife conflict resulting from the invasion of wild animals into agricultural farms in search of pasture. The residents, including farmers who border the Aberdare National Park, Solio Ranch, and Hombe forest, have argued that while little effort is being spared in rehabilitating degraded forests, similar effort should be made to ensure that the wildlife do not leave their protected areas in search of food.
According to Kenya News Agency, the residents want the Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism and the Kenya Wildlife Service to consider planting food in the forests and national parks to ensure that wildlife is contained in their restricted areas. Moses Ndegwa, a resident of Ruring'u, emphasized the need to plant fruit trees or any food in forests or game reserves for the sake of wildlife. He suggested that providing food for wildlife could reduce incidents of human-wildlife conflict.
To further control the increasing cases of invasions by birds and monkeys in their farms, the residents have also challenged the Ministry of Wildlife to consider classifying monkey meat as bush meat. They argued that since the government doesn't compensate farmers for damages caused when monkeys destroy their crops, farmers should be allowed to trap and eat monkeys after seeking approval from county veterinary doctors. Additionally, stakeholders in the wildlife sector are urged to introduce a breeding control mechanism to moderate the ballooning number of monkeys in the country. Mwende Ndote, a farmer from Kiganjo, pointed out the destruction caused by monkeys and some birds such as the guinea fowl, calling for government intervention.
The residents spoke during a public participation session on the Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill of 2025 at the Nyeri Town Constituency Development Fund Hall in Ruring'u. The Head of Legal Affairs at the State Department for Wildlife, Paul Ojwang, stated that the Bill seeks to address 15 key areas, including the management of human-wildlife conflict cases and benefit-sharing mechanisms between the two levels of government and the communities residing near national parks.
Ojwang also mentioned that the State Department hopes to introduce reforms to modernize the governance of the wildlife industry by incorporating emerging trends into the proposed law. Other proposals residents would like incorporated in the Bill include establishing a special compensation scheme for wildlife rehabilitators who care for abandoned or injured wildlife. They also want the government to compel individuals who undertake mining or quarrying activities in National Parks or Game Reserves to restore and rehabilitate the protected areas.
