Conservationists demand probe into relocation of orphaned giraffes from Wajir to Nanyuki
NECA is calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the relocation, with findings made public to ensure transparency and accountability.
The North Eastern Wildlife Conservancies Association (NECA) has accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of illegally relocating two orphaned Somali giraffes from Wajir County to a private sanctuary in Nanyuki, describing the move as "a betrayal of both the law and the people of North Eastern Kenya."
NECA Chief Executive Officer Sharmarke Mohamed Sheikh said the giraffes - whose mother was killed by poachers - were rescued and cared for by local communities in Wajir, only for KWS to remove them without notice or consultation.
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"This is unacceptable," said Sharmarke. "Instead of protecting these orphaned giraffes within their natural home, KWS chose the easy way - to take them away to a private sanctuary in Nanyuki. No community consent. No due process. No law was followed."
According to NECA, KWS violated several key provisions of the Constitution of Kenya, the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2013), and its own Translocation Guidelines, all of which require written proposals, technical assessments, and stakeholder consultations before moving wildlife.
"There was no proposal, no consultation, no technical approval, and no emergency," Sharmarke said. "These giraffes were safe and stable under community care. What justification could there possibly be for removing them?"
Sharmarke accused KWS of undermining years of community-led conservation in the North Eastern region, saying the action erodes trust and disregards the sacrifices made by residents who have long protected endangered species under harsh conditions.
"It sends the wrong message - that wildlife from our region can simply be removed and displayed elsewhere while we continue to face poaching, weak ranger presence, and delayed compensation for human-wildlife conflicts," he said. "Conservation must respect ecology, natural range, and community rights. Removing these giraffes violates all three."
NECA Chief Executive Officer Sharmarke Mohamed Sheikh. (Photo: Issa Hussein)
He further noted that North Eastern Kenya already has suitable sanctuaries, including the Garissa Giraffe Sanctuary and the Wajir Giraffe Sanctuary, both community-run and equipped to host the giraffes.
"Why were they taken to Nanyuki? Who made that decision? Which community was consulted?" he asked. "Our people have invested in sanctuaries - yet our wildlife is taken elsewhere. That's not conservation, that's marginalisation."
NECA is now demanding the immediate return of the two Somali giraffes to their natural range in Wajir or Garissa counties.
The organisation also wants a public explanation from the KWS Director General detailing who approved the translocation, the justification, and whether any technical committee or community consultations were carried out.
In addition, NECA is calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the relocation, with findings made public to ensure transparency and accountability.
The association insists that the Garissa and Wajir giraffe sanctuaries, along with NECA itself, must be formally included in all future decisions involving Somali giraffe conservation in Northern Kenya.
Sharmarke also urged KWS to make a binding commitment that wildlife from the region will remain within their natural ecosystems and that the agency must prioritise community-based protection, including permanent ranger posts, reliable fuel and motorbike support, and operational bases in key conservation areas such as Habaswein and Dadaab/Lagdera that host refugees.
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"Our region continues to lose Somali giraffes at alarming rates," Sharmarke concluded. "Removing survivors to other landscapes is not conservation — it is abandonment. The law is clear. The guidelines are explicit. Our resolve is firm. These giraffes must come home."
The Somali giraffe, also known as the reticulated giraffe, is an endangered subspecies native to Kenya's arid north and symbolic of the region's fragile biodiversity. NECA and local leaders have vowed to pursue accountability and ensure the giraffes' return to their rightful home.
The leaders from the region, led by Wajir South MP Mohamed Adow, also condemned the relocation of the two orphaned giraffes, calling for their immediate return.
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