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Wildebeest herds in the Maasai Mara.

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Wildlife in Kenya

A wide range of wildlife species can be found within Kenya's borders all appearing in a multitude of sizes, shapes, colors and temperaments. Its almost impossible to see all these during the course of a single visit, though lots of people have lots of fun trying to accomplish this feat!

Beginning with the monstrous elephant roaming the plains and forests, to the regal lion whose roar can send lesser creatures cowing in fear over a radius of several kilometres. At the opposite end of the animal spectrum are rare insects which only exist on specific forests within Kenya - and no where else on earth.

The land of Kenya has been famed for its wildlife long before the birth of the modern state. When Arab explorers came across the giraffe thousands of years ago, they named it "giraffa" meaning "fast camel". When Chinese sailors visited the East Africa coast in the Middle Ages, they took with them a shipload of herbivorous animals to show the peculiarities of the land they had encountered across the vast seas.

Wildlife has thrived in this part of the world thanks to the savannah type of vegetation growing in a climate that rarely experiences extremes. Until a century ago, the human population was extremely low compared to the land area and this allowed wildlife to flourish virtually undisturbed. Many African tribes discouraged the hunting of wild animals for food and this contributed to their continued existence to this day. The Maasai thought that a responsible man should feed his family from his herds of livestock hence anyone hunting wild game was assumed too lazy to raise cattle.

The massive numbers of wildlife at the beginning of the 20th century attracted rich, famous personalities from all over the world eager to collect hunting trophies from what was then frontier country. Its said that herds of buffalo and rhino were walking along the dusty streets of Nairobi in the early 1900s. Of course that's no longer the case, but there's still lots of wild game around the country to satisfy your curiosity. Only this time, hunting is strictly forbidden by law. Beware: possession of game trophies such as skins and horns is strictly regulated.

The lion is said to be King of the jungle probably because of its mane. In reality, few wild lions actually keep a mane because fur gets lost to the bush and grass. The lion is a big cat that has evoked fear and respect  since time immemorial. The roar of a lion after a hearty meal in the growing shadows of the setting sun is a sound that sends shivers through any living creature within earshot.  The Maasai tribe encouraged its young men to kill lions in order to graduate into the privileged class of warriors but back then, it was done in a sustainable manner. In modern times, the lion is the mascot of the Kenya government, and its image adorns the national Coat of Arms. 

Other big cats that can easily be seen in Kenya include the fast running cheetah and the stealthy leopard. Smaller wild cats of various species can be found in the wilderness.

Elephant can be found in most parts of Kenya, but is best seen in national parks such as the Tsavo, Mt Kenya, Aberdares, Amboseli, Shaba, Shimba Hills and many others. It thrives just as well in lush forest as it does in woodland savannah. Its huge appetite shouldn’t be surprising but it can traverse long distances quite first in search of food. Elephant numbers are gradually increasing thanks to active conservation measures taken by world governments after these mammals were almost decimated by poachers in the 1980s. However, there is growing concern with the rising cases of elephants destroying farmlands or causing deaths as human settlements encroach on previously uninhabited areas. The dilemma facing conservationists is how to balance the demands of human development and the need to save the elephant.

Elephants have grown fearful of man's presence and its advisable to view them from a safe distance.

The African elephant can be found in our sun-drenched landscapes grazing side by side with herbivores such as the striped zebra, temperamental buffalo and the playful dik dik. Various species of  antelope and  giraffe can be found right across the country. The Biblical paradise, where all animals live harmoniously, finds easy rendition right here on earth in Kenya, where animals of many species, sizes and dispositions share grazing grounds and water. Carnivores such as lions, leopards and hyenas only hunt and kill when hunger pangs strike. Once they've eaten their fill, the herbivores can move safely move around them without getting attacked.

Playful baboons and monkeys can be found all over our forests and woodland plains. Monkeys and baboons are so prevalent that they are regarded as pests by local farmers, since they eat anything which humans consider edible including grains, fruits and vegetables. The primates are quite capable of digging up potatoes and cassava, or peeling oranges.

Traditionally, the black and white fur coat of the colobus monkey was worn by revered chiefs and medicine men. Several suburbs in our towns play host to some monkeys and baboons that have adapted to scavenging and begging. Chimpanzees are not naturally found in Kenya.

Zebra, buffalo and antelope species are highly intelligent in spite of their appearance which is similar to that of donkeys, cows and goats respectively. They possess strong senses of smell and hearing. 

Diverse reptilian species can be found alongside the well known mammals. Snakes may not be everybody’s favorite spectacle but those interested in them will find enough to satisfy their appetites. Pythons, mambas, vipers and adders have made their homes in the country’s forest, deserts, marshes and sun-burnt rocks. A snake park is in Nairobi for convenient viewing of the lithe creatures. Crocodiles have populated the local rivers and some sections of lakes. The concentration of crocodiles on Central Island of Lake Turkana is said to be one of the highest in the world. Nevertheless, the local people are, quite understandably, not very keen on the presence of these fearsome animals for several people lose their lives each year to crocodiles.

Birdwatchers and ornithologists (bird researchers) have found Kenya to be a valuable destination as far as the range of bird species is concerned. The world’s largest bird, the ostrich, is comfortable in our climate and grasslands. Ostrich eggs are proving to be a new found delicacy. Forest birds in Mt Kenya and Aberdare Ranges are in great abundance. Vultures, whose work in nature is to clean up carcasses, can be found all over the wilderness. Eagles, hawks, crows, marabou storks, swallows, weaver birds and many others can be seen in the towns too. Pink colored flamingo have made their home on the Rift Valley lakes of Nakuru and Elmenteita and so numerous are they that, from afar, the lake shores seem painted in pink.

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