Addressing human-wildlife conflict for sustainable coexistence

The pervasive issue of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is an existential challenge for the future of Africa’s wildlife, wild landscapes and growing wildlife economies. This has been identified as the number one challenge by IUCN State Members in the region. Fundamentally, it is a development issue and not just a biodiversity issue - impacting on food security, land use, economic development, human health and climate change resilience, among others, in the face of rapid human population growth.

Communities in Kajiado county regularly face crop damage from elephants, while herders lose livestock to lions, hyenas and other predators. In response, some community members retaliate against wildlife, worsening threats to species already coping with habitat loss. Droughts intensify these conflicts, as animals move closer to villages in search of water and grazing land.

A key area of concern is the Kikesen River Conservancy in Ilbisil—a 25,000-acre unfenced conservancy managed by the RAMAT Wildlife Society. This land serves as an important wildlife corridor between Amboseli National Park and the Maasai Mara, but as human settlements expand and droughts become more frequent, encounters between people and animals have increased. The conservancy, run by local grazing, management, and workers committees, has adopted community-led wildlife monitoring. Community rangers have been trained by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to track animals and report poaching incidents.

BIODEV2030 IUCN Kenya

In Imbirikani, the Osiram Women’s Group working with the Africa Conservation Center (ACC) has installed sturdy modern fences around their homesteads (bomas), effectively keeping out wildlife. These measures have reduced conflicts and improved safety for both people and wildlife. These fences which are designed with wildlife movement in mind, create safe zones for both livestock and wild animals. This practical solution has transformed community attitudes. Where once retaliatory killings were common, there's now growing appreciation for non-lethal coexistence methods. 

Conservation efforts must also address community needs, as people and wildlife share the same landscapes. The BIODEV2030 team observed that Kajiado’s situation reflects a global challenge: balancing development with environmental protection. The solution — which entails addressing the root causes and drivers of the human wildlife conflict problem, not just its symptoms —lies in stronger collaboration between governments, conservation groups, and local communities. 

With sustained action, Kajiado can remain a place where wildlife thrives, livestock grazes safely, and communities prosper alongside nature.

BIODEV2030 is implemented by IUCN and WWF-France, coordinated by Expertise France and funded by the AFD, the BIODEV2030 project offers an innovative approach of biodiversity mainstreaming, based on science and multi-stakeholder dialogue. It specifically aims to steer a national vision for the sectoral integration of biodiversity, and to support changes in production practices.