Kenya’s Natural Capital: A biodiversity atlas

Abstract

Kenya is renowned for its spectacular wildlife, but the grandeur and diversity of its landscapes are often overlooked. The constellation of climates and tapestry of landforms make Kenya a biodiversity hotspot of the African continent and among the richest regions on earth for the diversity of its mammals, birds and other vertebrates. Here, in the cradle of humankind, indigenous and immigrant peoples down the ages introduced and developed crops, animals, husbandry skills, livelihoods, cultures, religions and languages, raised the productivity of the land and supported a diverse and growing population. Kenya survived ancient and modern waves of extinctions around the world to retain its wildlife and biodiversity relatively intact. The fist steps to conserve Kenya’s heritage were taken in the late 1800s. Forests were protected as state land in 1902, the Game Department was established in 1906 and Kenya National Parks in 1947. At independence Kenya declared its natural heritage as the foundation of its economic growth and wellbeing. Despite the conservation measures, a burgeoning population and rising consumption despoiled lands and depleted natural resources. Forest and wetlands shrank, rangelands degraded, erosion climbed, wildlife numbers fell and effluents polluted waters, air and...