Amboseli Aerial Censuses

Kenya Wildlife Service and other partners carried out a census of wildlife at the Amboseli National Park. The partners include Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE), African Wildlife Foundation and various other private stakeholders as well as the local community. On the Tanzanian side, the partners will include Tanzania Wildlife Institute (Tawiri) and Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)
The total aerial count will focus on the large herbivores as well as the lion and hyena population at an estimated cost of Sh.3.25 million stretched over a over a period of five days starting from February 28, 2010.
This year’s census will be a joint exercise carried out by the Kenyan and Tanzanian wildlife authorities covering the greater Amboseli ecosystem which includes the West Kilimanjaro area in order to get a broader distribution pattern and numbers of the animals.
This year’s census is particularly crucial given that the park’s ecosystem was hard hit by the recent prolonged drought which led to massive losses of zebras, elephants, and buffalos and wildebeest.