Verification process to be followed in compensating human-wildlife conflict victims, KWS says

Speaking in Lake Nakuru National Park, Mr. Edward Karanja who is in charge of the park has said that the process will award those who filled the required forms and submitted them for verification.

Karanja said this during a science cafe for Environment Journalists that was held over the weekend at the park, where he said that scientists are doing all that is required to ensure that park has the required number of herbivores especially the buffaloes which have been frequently invading surrounding private farms.

"There is also a compensation scheme for those who have been affected. Again there are those requirements for one to qualify for compensation and there are those species which are compensated, not all the species and the compensation program is ongoing," said Karanja. 

On matters human-wildlife conflict, Karanja added that KWS has fenced the park saying that the move has reduced the number of incidents as a result of the park.

Lake Nakuru National Park is currently the home of more than seven thousands buffaloes, a number that is said to have exceeded the carrying capacity of the park.

However, things have not been easy for the residents living and farming near the park since the buffaloes have been invading their farms. 

Esther Wambui, a resident of Pwani Village in Njoro Sub County has said that they have been spending the whole day manning their farms from buffaloes and monkeys and using Vuvuzela to scare the wild animals away.

"We have been forced to watch our farms and escort our children to and from school fearing that they might be attacked by the buffaloes from the park", said Wambui

But according to Karanja, he has said that there are strict measures being undertaken by the KWS management including conservation education among the park neighbors.

"When we had the last count, a number of natural happenings have occurred including the drought where we lost a number of them and again to ascertain whether we need to conduct translocation of the buffaloes, there is a need to bring the scientists to count again the number of buffaloes so that they can advise on the process," Karanja added