KWS to turn Kora National Park to lion sanctuary
Visitors perform the George Adamson ritual of climbing the Kora Rock at Kora National Park in memory of of George Adamson’s death. KWS has announced that it will turn the park into a lion sanctuary. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- This is expected to help save the dwindling numbers of lions in Kenya.
- It will also help promote the park as a preferred tourist destination.
- To ensure security in the park, KWS will remove all herders who graze their animals there.
- County governments neighbouring the park have been urged to partner with KWS to ensure success of the initiative.
The Kenya Wildlife Service has announced plans to turn Kora National Park in Tana River County into a lion sanctuary.
Speaking to the media at the George Adamson's camp, assistant director in charge of Eastern Conservation region Simon Gitau said the plan was aimed at saving the declining number of lions in Kenya as well as boost tourism.
He said the move was also meant to promote the park as an exclusive tourist destination as it is the largest in Kenya after Tsavo and Sibilio.
The official regretted that lion population in the country was decreasing daily.
“We have decided to make the park a lion sanctuary after realising that the number of lions in the country is going down. At the same time, this will be a way of making the park a tourist destination,” he said.
He said the sanctuary would be more successful if the neighbouring counties including Meru, Kitui, Garissa, Isiolo, host Tana River and other partners supported the initiative.
ENSURE SECURITY
Mr Gitau KWS will ensure security in the park. Among other measure to be used to achieve this will be to drive out herders.
The announcement comes a few days to the 25th commemoration of the legendary lion conservator George Adamson who had set a lion camp at Kora.
At the camp, George used to take care of lions with feeding problems, gave them medication and released them after they recovered.
After releasing them, he would still make a follow up of their progress which he did through calling them for an assembly every morning and evening for inspection.
He died in 1989 and was buried in the park after KWS and the government signed an agreement to inter his remains there.
GEORGE ADAMSON
Mr Gitau further said that the commemoration of the life of the legendary of Adamson with the lions was a rallying call behind the idea to make the place a sanctuary as well as raising funds for the initiative.
His words were echoed by Mr Bakari Chongwa, one of the members of the management committee organising the August 30 commemoration who said they wanted to relish the life of Adamson in terms of conservation of lions.
He said that Kora held the key as far as tourism was concerned in Kenya "as it was the last haven that one could think about in terms of security, peace of mind and even space."
He called on the county governments near the park to join hands with the KWS to ensure the success of this initiative.
