Baboons are a major attraction of tourists in the country. [Photo|primetime.co.ke]
Kenyans living near forests have been urged to learn to co-exist peacefully with baboons.
According to George Kibanya, a conservationist with Conserve the Baboon campaign initiative, the killing of these wild animals by humans would lead to the extinction of baboons which are a major attraction of tourists in the country.
"Harming baboons erodes our foreign exchange-earning capacity, considering that there are tourists who visit Kenya to see our baboon species," he said, as quoted by Saturday Standard.
Kibanya said that at least 15 baboons are killed every day on the Northern Corridor, noting that public service vehicles were the lead cause of deaths of these animals.
The conservationist identified areas along Limuru-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha-Gilgil highway where the animals live, as the most affected.
"Some of these speeding vehicles are commercial PSVs and motorcycles meant to use the upper route through Kwa Mbira, Kijabe and Fly Over," he said.
Kibanya spoke at Mai Mahiu during a public sensitisation forum on the importance of baboons on Friday.
He said conservationists and stakeholders in animal welfare will continue fighting for the welfare of baboons, by ensuring they rescue them from human harm.
"We appeal to the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) to contain baboons which attack people in search of food as reported recently in some parts of the country, while at the same time restraining people who kill baboons for food and rituals," Kibanya was further quoted by the local daily.
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