Elephants in the park.[Photo/the-star.co.ke]Wildlife conservationists have lauded the use of technology, fencing, and community participation in the fight against poaching.
According to Environment and Natural Resources, Judi Wakhungu revealed in a wildlife census released last week that there has been an increase in the elephant population in the Laikipia-Samburu-Marsabit ecosystems by 12 per cent.
About 7,347 elephants were counted in the census compared to 6,454 in 2012.
“Out of these, 7,166 and 181 elephants were counted in Laikipia-Samburu and Marsabit ecosystems compared to 6,365 and 89 elephants in 2012 respectively,” the report on the census reads.
The results indicated that there was an increase in the elephant population in the Laikipia-Samburu-Marsabit ecosystems by 12 per cent over the past five years, from 2012-2017, representing an annual increase of about 2 per cent over the period.
Adoption of the spatial monitoring and reporting tool, also known as Smart, a mobile phone-enabled application designed to help rangers and managers fight poaching by identifying hotpots, improving rapid response, and collection of intelligence data, according to conservationists, has helped the effort.
The open source and non-proprietary software system is majorly used in overseas countries to track the endangered elephants, lions, and cheetahs.