Rangers relocated five giraffes from Kedong Ranch near Lake Naivasha to the Oserengoni reserve after land sales and new fences blocked grazing corridors between Mount Longonot and Hells Gate. The risky operation required helicopters, trailers and dozens of staff because giraffes are highly sensitive to anaesthesia and difficult to move. Experts say such relocations are increasing as Kenya's population grows and land is privatised, heightening human-wildlife conflict. Conservationists call for solutions that reconcile development and wildlife protection.
Stranded, Stressed Giraffes Relocated as Kenyan Habitat Is Carved Up
Rangers relocated five giraffes from Kedong Ranch near Lake Naivasha to the Oserengoni reserve after land sales and new fences blocked grazing corridors between Mount Longonot and Hells Gate. The risky operation required helicopters, trailers and dozens of staff because giraffes are highly sensitive to anaesthesia and difficult to move. Experts say such relocations are increasing as Kenya's population grows and land is privatised, heightening human-wildlife conflict. Conservationists call for solutions that reconcile development and wildlife protection.
10:45 PM, 11/17/2025Environment
Giraffes moved after habitat fragmentation near Lake Naivasha
A blindfolded giraffe, coaxed and gently tugged by rangers, staggered into a specialised transport vehicle as conservation teams relocated five animals from Kedong Ranch to the Oserengoni private reserve in Kenya's eastern Rift Valley. The operation, overseen by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), required dozens of staff, trailers, a plough and even a helicopter to track and dart the animals across the plains.
Why relocations are happening
Conservationists say such relocations are a last resort when human development, land subdivision or climate pressures make coexistence with people impossible. At Kedong Ranch, decades of land sales and subdivision have blocked grazing areas and the natural wildlife corridor between Mount Longonot and Hells Gate, leaving animals "stranded, stressed," according to KWS official Patrick Wambugu.
Risky, complex operations
KWS veterinarian Dominic Mijele — who took part in the recent move — described giraffes as the most challenging species to relocate. Tranquillised giraffes risk fatal falls; their long distance from heart to brain makes them highly sensitive to anaesthesia, so they cannot remain sedated for long. Rangers therefore physically immobilise and blindfold the animals before loading them for transport, mindful that a powerful kick can injure handlers.
"The animals began to suffer. They were stranded, stressed,"
— Patrick Wambugu, Kenya Wildlife Service
After the move
The convoy covered roughly 30 kilometres to the Oserengoni reserve, where veterinarians will observe the newcomers for about a week. Typically the animals begin to establish territory within two days, and conservationists hope the relocated giraffes will breed and thrive in the new landscape.
Broader pressures
Such relocations are becoming more frequent in Kenya. Experts cite environmental destruction and rising human-wildlife conflict as primary drivers. Kenya's population has grown from roughly 30 million in 2000 to about 56.4 million in 2024 (World Bank), and land privatisation and speculation have pushed people into areas that double as wildlife refuges.
Evan Mkala, programme manager for eastern Kenya at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), warned that the Lake Naivasha area is being "invaded" by settlement, forcing costly relocations when a critical point is reached. Philip Muruthi of the African Wildlife Foundation urged that tourism, development and conservation be reconciled rather than treated as opposing goals.
"Africa doesn't have to choose between wildlife conservation, nature protection, and development," Muruthi said, stressing that the well-being of people and animals is inseparable.