Nanyuki: The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has unveiled an initiative to expand black rhino habitats across the country, aiming to grow the endangered population to 2,000 by 2037. Speaking at a conservation stakeholders’ meeting in Nanyuki, KWS Director General Prof. Erastus Kanga described the Kenya Rhino Range Expansion Initiative (KREI) as a project with ecological and socioeconomic impacts.
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative will open up over 34,000 square kilometers of new, secure, and interconnected habitats in Tsavo and Central Kenya, easing pressure on overcrowded sanctuaries where territorial conflicts have hindered population growth. Kanga noted that current sanctuaries are at full capacity and overcrowding threatens further expansion and genetic health. The KREI aims to create thriving, connected landscapes that ensure long-term survival and genetic diversity.
Kenya’s black rhino population has grown from 381 in 1990 to 1,000 in 2024 through sustained conservation efforts. KREI now sets a national target of 2,000 rhinos by 2037. Beyond wildlife protection, Kanga revealed that the programme promises benefits for local communities, aiming to create 18,000 new jobs in conservation, tourism, and ecological enterprises, generate $45 million annually in conservancy revenue, and $15 million per year in additional tax income.
Prof. Kanga emphasized that KREI would empower Kenyan youth with career pathways in conservation, tourism, and green innovation while positioning Kenya as a global leader in sustainable high-value tourism. The KREI marks a step toward securing the future of one of Africa’s most iconic species and delivering lasting prosperity to the communities that share its landscape.
