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Kenya Wildlife Research & Training Institute

Kenya's wildlife,
understood.

Research, intelligence, training and policy — from the institution mandated to know Kenya's wildlife more deeply than any other.

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36,284
Elephants monitored
847
Research publications
12
Field research centres
3,200+
Professionals trained
🐘
36,284 ▲ 12%
Elephant population (2023)
🦁
2,489 →
Lion population estimate
🌿
72.4 ▼ 2.1
Biodiversity index
🔬
38 Active
Research projects
💾
214
Open datasets available
Who are you?

Find what you need, faster.

WRTI serves researchers, students, governments, partners, donors, journalists, and citizens. Choose your path.

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Researcher or Scientist
Access publications, datasets, research permits, and collaboration opportunities.
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Student or Trainee
Explore programs, check intake dates, and apply for training in wildlife science.
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Policymaker or Government
Access census data, evidence briefs, and wildlife intelligence for decision-making.
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Conservation Partner
Explore collaboration models, biodiversity data, and institutional expertise.
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Donor or Funder
Review institutional impact, active programs, and funding engagement pathways.
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Media
Find experts, download press assets, and access authoritative wildlife data.
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Private Sector
Access consulting services, GIS capability, environmental impact expertise.
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Member of the Public
Explore Kenya's wildlife, read conservation stories, and get involved.
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Wildlife Intelligence

Kenya's wildlife, measured and mapped.

Explore intelligence platform
40K 28K 16K 2000 2005 2010 2015 2022 36,284 Kenya Elephant Population Trend Source: WRTI Census, 2023
Species Intelligence

Population trends for 240 monitored species

Interactive population trend charts, distribution maps, threat assessments, and linked research for every major species in Kenya's wildlife ecosystem.

240 species profiled · 2023 census data · Explore species →
1°N 0° 1°S 35°E 37°E 40°E Monitoring sites Arid ecosystems
GIS & Geospatial

Interactive ecosystem and species mapping

Explore GIS layers including species distribution, habitat connectivity, monitoring transects, and human-wildlife conflict zones across Kenya.

47 GIS layers Open map explorer →
Biodiversity Index by Ecosystem 78 Savanna 68 Forest 62 Wetland 56 Arid 73 Coastal
Biodiversity

National biodiversity health indicators

Ecosystem health scores, species richness indices, and habitat coverage data across Kenya's five major ecosystem types.

Updated 2023 View biodiversity data →
Research

Active science. Accessible knowledge.

View all research
Featured Project

Long-term carnivore monitoring across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem: population dynamics, prey relationships, and coexistence with pastoral communities

A 12-year longitudinal study tracking lion, cheetah, leopard, and wild dog populations across the transboundary Mara ecosystem, with integrated land-use and community coexistence analysis.

Carnivore Ecology Human-Wildlife Conflict Active
Narok Research Centre · Principal: Dr. Amara Osei · 2012–Present
Read project overview →
Research Paper

Elephant corridor usage and movement ecology in the Amboseli-Tsavo landscape under drought conditions

GPS collar tracking of 48 elephants reveals critical corridor dependencies during dry-season foraging range expansion.

Journal of Wildlife Research · 2023 · Open Access
Spatial Ecology Elephants
Download paper →
Census Report

National Wildlife Census 2022: Aerial survey results for large mammals in Kenya's protected and unprotected areas

Comprehensive aerial and ground-based census covering 580,000 km² and 38 species, with population trends since 2010.

WRTI Technical Report · 2023 · Open Access
Census National
Access census data →
Training & Learning

Build a career in wildlife science.

Structured programs combining ecological theory, field research, and data science — delivered from Kenya's most biodiverse landscapes.

🔬
MSc Wildlife Management & Conservation
24 months · Residential + Field · Postgraduate
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🗺️
Postgraduate Diploma in GIS for Wildlife
12 months · Residential · Postgraduate
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🦁
Certificate in Wildlife Research Methods
6 months · Mixed · Certificate
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Short Courses in Conservation Data Science
2–6 weeks · Short Course · Professional CPD
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Next intake opens
January 2025.

Applications are now open for the January 2025 intake across all postgraduate programs. Field-based components begin in February.

MSc Wildlife Management
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Closing
PG Diploma GIS for Wildlife
Deadline: 20 December 2024
Open
Certificate Wildlife Research
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open
View all programs & apply
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Join 3,200+ conservation professionals trained by WRTI since 1976.
Institutional impact

The scale of WRTI's mandate.

47+
Years of continuous wildlife research
Since 1976
240
Species actively monitored
Across all major taxonomic groups
847
Research publications
Peer-reviewed and technical reports
3,200+
Conservation professionals trained
In 40+ countries
12
Field research centres
Across Kenya's agro-climatic zones
580K
km² covered by the 2022 census
National aerial survey
214
Open datasets available
Freely accessible to researchers
68
Institutional partnerships
Global research and conservation
Conservation Stories

Science with a face.

Read all stories
WRTI Field Photography, Amboseli 2023
GPS Collar Data
48 elephants tracked
🐘 Species Story

How Kenya's elephants reclaimed their ancient corridors

In 2010, the Amboseli-Tsavo corridor was severed by agricultural expansion, cutting off seasonal migration routes used by elephant herds for generations. WRTI's GPS collar program documented what happened next — and what 12 years of community coexistence work made possible.

48
Elephants GPS-collared
12
Years of tracking data
340km
Corridor restored
+31%
Population growth since 2010
Read the full story Explore elephant data
Expert Directory

The researchers behind the data.

Meet all experts
AO
Dr. Amara Osei
Principal Research Scientist, Large Carnivore Ecology
Carnivores Spatial Ecology
42 publications · Narok Research Centre
NK
Prof. Njeri Kamau
Head of Biodiversity Information Systems, WRTI
Biodiversity Remote Sensing
61 publications · Nairobi HQ
DM
Dr. David Mwangi
Senior GIS Analyst & Conservation Geographer
GIS Habitat Mapping
28 publications · GIS Laboratory
Trusted by Kenya's leading research and conservation institutions
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Wildlife intelligence, directly to you.

Species updates, research releases, census findings, and conservation news from Kenya's national wildlife research institution.

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Media enquiries and press resources.

Request expert comment, download press photography, and access wildlife data formatted for media use. WRTI experts are available for media engagement.

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Partner with WRTI.

Research collaboration, data-sharing agreements, conservation partnerships, and funding relationships. Explore how your organization can work with WRTI.

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