Maasai community commits to protecting last remaining wildlife corridor between Amboseli and the Mara

(Mashenani, Kajiado County, Kenya — 6th March 2024) Elephants, rarely seen African species and community livelihoods will be safeguarded after community landowners committed to protecting the last remaining migratory route between two key wildlife landscapes in Kenya. 

At a milestone meeting in Mashenani, Kajiado County this week more than 1,000 landowners from the Maasai community unanimously agreed to commit their individual parcels of land to conservation by leasing them to IFAW. The land is nestled within the last remaining natural corridor that allows wildlife to move between Amboseli and the Greater Mara landscapes.  

Through this innovative program, IFAW pays the community landowners for the land protected under a special agreement. This places over 29,000 acres of community-owned land under the stewardship of IFAW for wildlife conservation as part of the organisation’s Room to Roam initiative.  

The project, spearheaded by Olgulului Land Trust, and entrusted to IFAW, aims to safeguard both wildlife species and human livelihoods from, among other things, the unforgiving grip of climate change and extreme weather events.  

The land making up the new Illaingarunyoni Conservancy is an important wildlife corridor and dry season refuge for the pastoralist Maasai community. It is also a vital dispersal area for over 2,200 elephants and other wildlife species to roam freely in and out of Amboseli National Park. The protection of this important habitat deters other land use forms, further helping to restore healthy resilient ecosystems that are critical to absorbing carbon into the soil and supporting community livelihoods through tourism enterprises as well as employment opportunities. As a dry season refuge, Illaingarunyoni Conservancy stands out as a critical space for the survival of both wild animals and community livestock during extreme droughts. 

“By establishing the Illaingarunyoni Conservancy, we the community, are demonstrating our steadfast commitment to safeguarding our future and the future of elephants in Amboseli,” said Daniel Leturesh, Chairman of the Olgulului Land Trust.  

Habitat loss, has over the years, exacerbated human wildlife conflict in Amboseli as wildlife species and local communities struggle to access water and pasture in diminishing spaces. Aside from securing habitat connectivity, the Illaingarunyoni Conservancy will foster peaceful co-existence between human and elephant communities because it is a dry season reservoir for both wildlife and livestock. 

Illaingarunyoni is home to rarely seen wildlife species such as African wild dogs, pangolins, and the bat eared fox. It is a vital piece of the Room to Roam puzzle — IFAW’s flagship conservation initiative in Africa. 

“Human and wildlife coexistence is a vital part of our planet's future - both species can't survive unless we work together. The best way we can do that is by empowering the community to be a part of the solution. Illaingarunyoni Conservancy proves that local communities are committed to, and have a vital role to play in conservation,” said James Isiche, Africa Director at IFAW.   

Ends   

Digital assets  
Visuals and additional resources can be downloaded via   
https://spaces.hightail.com/space/ndrMSpc3c6 

 The project is spearheaded by Olgulului Land Trust and entrusted to IFAW: IFAW team provides the technical direction and guidance on the establishment and management of the wildlife area, whereas the Olgulului Land Trust oversee the strategic governance of the conservancy.  

Media contact:  
Guyo Adhi, Communications Officer, East Africa.  
gadhi@ifaw.org  
+254 701 928 662 (phone or WhatsApp)