Nairobi — The North Eastern Wildlife Conservancies Association (NECA) has condemned what it calls the "unilateral and unlawful" relocation of two endangered Somali (reticulated) giraffes from Wajir County to a private sanctuary in Nanyuki by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The two young giraffes, orphaned after their mothers were killed by poachers, were rescued and raised by local community members in Wajir.
NECA says the animals were healthy and thriving within their natural habitat before KWS transferred them without any consultation.
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"Local community members rescued them, nurtured them and kept them within their natural ecosystem. Instead of returning them to their rightful habitat in North Eastern Kenya, KWS transported them away. This is unacceptable," said Sharmake Mohamed Sheikh, NECA Chief Executive Officer.
The association alleges that the relocation breached multiple legal and policy provisions, including Article 69 of the Constitution, which requires public participation in natural resource management.
Violations
It also cites violations of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 (WCMA), which prioritizes in-situ conservation and defines as "alien" any indigenous wildlife moved outside its natural range.
"Section 75 of the WCMA mandates that every conservation decision must not be exercised in a manner prejudicial to the rights and privileges of communities living adjacent to conservation areas," NECA noted.
NECA further accuses KWS of ignoring its own Guidelines for Translocation of Wildlife Species in Kenya, which require written proposals, ecological and veterinary assessments, approval by a technical committee, and documented community consultations before any relocation.
"There was no public proposal, no community consultation, and no technical approval that NECA is aware of," Sheikh added. "KWS did not engage the Wajir County Government, local conservancies, or NECA in any meaningful way."
Local conservancies under NECA say the move has damaged trust between communities and KWS in a region already grappling with rampant poaching, limited ranger capacity, and delayed compensation for human-wildlife conflict.
Local alternatives
NECA insists that viable local alternatives existed, including the Garissa Giraffe Sanctuary and the Wajir Giraffe Sanctuary--both community-managed and equipped with trained rangers and secure habitats.
"Why were the giraffes sent to Nanyuki instead? Who made that decision? Which community was consulted?" the association questioned.
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The association has demanded the immediate return of the two giraffes to their natural habitat in Wajir or Garissa County.
NECA also called for a full public disclosure of who approved the relocation, including justification, technical reports, and records of community consultation.
The association further called for an independent investigation into the translocation exercise, with findings made public.
NECA maintains that true conservation must respect ecological integrity and community rights, warning that the relocation sends a dangerous signal that wildlife from North Eastern Kenya can be moved at will.
"Our region continues to lose Somali giraffes at alarming rates. While we call on KWS to deliver on its mandate, removal of survivors to other landscapes is not conservation--it is abandonment," Sheikh said.
"The law is clear. The guidelines are explicit. Our resolve is firm. These giraffes must come home."
