Why Building Bridges Between People And Predators Matters

Kenya has always been home to a rich variety of wildlife, but as people continue to expand their communities and farms, living peacefully with animals like lions, leopards, hyenas, and cheetahs has become more challenging.

This issue was at the center of discussions during the 15th Carnivore Conference on Human and Wildlife Coexistence, hosted by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in Nairobi.

The two-day event which occurred between October 30, 2025 to October 31, 2025 brought together conservation experts, scientists, government officials, and community leaders to find practical ways for people and predators to live side by side.

For many families living near national parks, losing livestock to predators is not just frustrating but also financially damaging. In response, some take matters into their own hands, harming wildlife in return.

The conference focused on ending this cycle and helping people understand that protecting wildlife can also bring benefits to their communities.

Principal Secretary for Wildlife, Ms. Silvia Museiya, said that conservation can only succeed when everyone works together.

She explained that it thrives when local communities take ownership, counties have enough capacity, researchers receive the support they need, and partners work in trust.

Furthermore, she reiterated that The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife is on the verge of maximizing investment in science-driven policy and community-based conservation.

"We are indeed committed in supporting initiatives that blend indigenous knowledge with modern research; integrating technology, data and local involvement to mitigate conflicts and promote co-existence," she said.

Her words captured the main idea of the conference: that wildlife conservation must include the people who live closest to it.

This message is closely linked to one of the laws recently signed by President William Ruto, the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill of 2023.

The law gives more power to counties and local communities in handling human-wildlife conflicts. It also improves the system of compensating families who lose loved ones, livestock, or crops because of wildlife.

Across the country, many local initiatives are already showing how coexistence can work like the LUMO Community Wildlife Conservancy Sanctuary which embodies the flourishing coexistence between people, wildlife and the land.

These efforts help prevent attacks, create jobs, and make conservation more meaningful to local people.

The 15th Carnivore Conference came at the right time, when Kenya is shifting from viewing conservation as a government responsibility to seeing it as something shared by everyone.

With the new law supporting these goals, there is growing hope that people and wildlife can live together without constant conflict.

Through stronger laws, community participation, and shared responsibility, Kenya is moving closer to a future where people and predators can truly coexist.

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