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WRTI Research Division

Wildlife science at the
frontier of conservation.

Eight research themes. Twelve field centres. 847 publications. WRTI generates the wildlife knowledge that drives Kenya's conservation policy, management, and practice.

Browse publications Access datasets Apply for research permit
847
Publications
38
Active projects
8
Research themes
12
Field centres
214
Open datasets
Research Themes

Eight scientific disciplines.
One national mandate.

WRTI's research is organised into eight thematic areas, each with dedicated research centres, field programmes, and publication streams.

🦁
Species Ecology & Population Dynamics
12 active projects · 186 publications
Population monitoring, demography, behavioural ecology, and species-level conservation for Kenya's vertebrate fauna.
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🌿
Biodiversity & Ecosystem Science
8 active projects · 142 publications
Biodiversity assessment, ecosystem health monitoring, habitat mapping, and the ecological processes that sustain Kenya's wildlife.
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🧬
Wildlife Health & Forensics
5 active projects · 98 publications
Disease epidemiology, pathogen surveillance, forensic genetics for anti-poaching, and One Health approaches.
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🏘️
Human-Wildlife Conflict
6 active projects · 112 publications
Conflict mapping, mitigation strategies, coexistence frameworks, and livelihood integration for pastoral and agricultural communities.
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☁️
Climate Change & Ecological Adaptation
4 active projects · 76 publications
Climate-wildlife interactions, drought ecology, species range shifts, and adaptation planning for Kenya's changing landscapes.
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🔬
Conservation Genetics
3 active projects · 64 publications
Genetic diversity assessment, population connectivity, phylogeography, and forensic genetics for wildlife law enforcement.
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🗺️
Spatial Ecology & GIS
5 active projects · 93 publications
GPS tracking, habitat modelling, landscape ecology, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis for conservation planning.
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📊
Wildlife Economics & Governance
3 active projects · 76 publications
Economic valuation of wildlife, governance frameworks, community conservation, policy analysis, and wildlife trade research.
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Active Research Theme

Species Ecology & Population Dynamics

12
Active projects
186
Publications
Active Projects
Key Publications
Expert Team
Research Paper
Prey selection and kill rates of African lions in pastoral ecosystems: a multi-year telemetry study in the Mara-Serengeti
Osei, A., Mwenda, K., Kariuki, S., & Ndung'u, T. (2023)
Key findings
  • Lions in pastoral zones select livestock in 18% of kills, highest during dry seasons
  • Kill rate increases 42% following wildebeest migration departure
2023
Open Access ↓ PDF
Census Report
National Wildlife Census 2022: Population estimates for 38 large mammal species — methodology, results, and trend analysis
WRTI Census Programme Team (2023)
Comprehensive aerial and ground-based census covering 580,000 km² across all major ecosystem types in Kenya.
2023
Open Access ↓ PDF
Active Research

Science in the field, right now.

All 38 active projects
⭐ 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, using GPS telemetry, camera traps, and aerial surveys. Integrated analysis of land-use change, prey dynamics, and pastoral community coexistence strategies provides the most comprehensive carnivore dataset for any East African ecosystem.

Duration
2012–Present (12 years)
Research Centre
Narok Research Centre
Principal Investigator
Dr. Amara Osei
Partners
KWS, Frankfurt Zoo, Panthera
Publications
24 papers, 3 reports
GPS collars
62 active units
Carnivore Ecology Human-Wildlife Conflict GPS Telemetry Camera Traps Maasai Mara Cross-boundary
View project details Read publications Access datasets
Elephant corridor connectivity and seasonal range use in the Amboseli-Tsavo landscape under climate variability
Active
2010–Present · Amboseli Field Station · Dr. Siti Kamau
Elephants Corridors Climate
48 GPS-collared elephants · 14yr dataset →
Kenya Biodiversity Information System: national species occurrence records and habitat assessment programme
Active
2015–Present · WRTI HQ · Prof. Njeri Kamau
Biodiversity Data systems National
2.4M occurrence records →
Black rhinoceros population recovery monitoring and genetic diversity assessment across all Kenyan sanctuaries
Active
2008–Present · Tsavo Research Centre · Dr. Grace Muthoni
Black rhino Genetics Recovery
All 12 sanctuaries covered →
Reticulated giraffe population dynamics and habitat use in northern Kenya's arid rangelands
Active
2016–Present · Samburu Research Centre · Dr. Hassan Ali
Giraffe Arid systems
Northern Kenya ecosystem →
Publications

847 research outputs,
structured and searchable.

Full publication catalogue
Advanced search
All types Research Papers Census Reports Technical Reports Policy Briefs Conference Proceedings
Research PaperOpen Access
Prey selection and kill rates of African lions in multi-use pastoral ecosystems: a 10-year GPS telemetry study from the Mara-Serengeti
Osei, A., Mwenda, K., Kariuki, S., Ndung'u, T., & van der Weyde, L. (2023) · Journal of Applied Ecology · DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14418
Key findings
  • Pastoral livestock accounts for 18% of lion kills in the study area, peaking during dry seasons
  • Kill rate increases 42% following the departure of the wildebeest migration
  • Female-led prides show greater prey flexibility than male coalitions
🔬 Carnivore Ecology 📍 Mara Ecosystem 🐾 Lion · Prey dynamics
2023
↓ Download PDF
2.4 MB · English
Census ReportOpen Access
National Wildlife Census Kenya 2022: Aerial survey population estimates for 38 large mammal species across 580,000 km²
WRTI Census Programme Team (2023) · WRTI Technical Report NWC-2022 · Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Nairobi
Comprehensive aerial and ground-based census covering all major ecosystem types in Kenya. Includes species population estimates, confidence intervals, trend analysis since 2010, methodology documentation, and raw GPS flight tracks.
📊 38 species 📍 Kenya-wide ✈️ Aerial survey
2023
↓ Download PDF
8.7 MB · English
Research PaperOpen Access
Elephant corridor usage and seasonal movement ecology in the Amboseli-Tsavo landscape under drought conditions, 2010–2022
Kamau, S., Osei, A., Mwangi, D., & Said, M.Y. (2023) · Oryx — International Journal of Conservation
Key findings
  • GPS-collared elephants expand dry-season range by 67% to access water in adjacent landscapes
  • Three critical corridor chokepoints identified — all under agricultural pressure
  • Corridor restoration associated with 31% population growth since 2010
🐘 Elephants 📍 Amboseli-Tsavo 🛰️ GPS tracking
2023
↓ Download PDF
3.1 MB · English
Technical ReportOpen Access
Biodiversity Information System Kenya — Annual Status Report 2023: Species occurrence records, data quality assessment, and system performance
Kamau, N., Waweru, P., & Odhiambo, R. (2023) · WRTI Technical Report BIS-2023
Annual review of Kenya's national wildlife biodiversity database, covering 2.4 million occurrence records, 847 species, data quality metrics, and gaps analysis for 2023.
🌿 Biodiversity 💾 Data systems 🇰🇪 National
2023
↓ Download PDF
4.2 MB · English
Policy BriefOpen Access
Wildlife corridor protection in Kenya: evidence from 10 years of GPS tracking and the policy case for corridor corridor legal protection
WRTI Policy Team (2022) · WRTI Policy Brief PB-2022-04
Evidence synthesis for policymakers on the value of wildlife corridors to population viability, with specific recommendations for corridor designation under Kenya's Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
⚖️ Policy 🏛️ Government use
2022
↓ Download PDF
1.1 MB · English
Browse all 847 publications
Open Data

214 datasets, freely available.

Browse all datasets
🐘
Open
Kenya Large Mammal Census Dataset 2022
Complete aerial survey results for 38 species, including species counts, population estimates, confidence intervals, transect data, and GPS flight paths. National coverage.
CoverageKenya-wide · 580,000 km²
FormatCSV, GeoJSON, Shapefile
Records284,420 observations
UpdatedMarch 2023
↓ Download View metadata
🛰️
Open
Elephant GPS Tracking — Amboseli-Tsavo Corridor Study
GPS location data for 48 GPS-collared elephants across the Amboseli-Tsavo landscape, 2010–2023. Fix rate every 2 hours. Includes individual ID, sex, age class, and movement parameters.
CoverageAmboseli-Tsavo · 13 years
FormatCSV, GeoJSON, GPX
Records2.1M GPS fixes
UpdatedJan 2024
↓ Download View metadata
🌿
Open
Kenya Biodiversity Occurrence Records — BIS 2023
Species occurrence records from WRTI's national Biodiversity Information System, aggregated from field surveys, citizen science, literature, and museum records. 847 species across all taxonomic groups.
CoverageKenya-wide · 1960–2023
FormatCSV, Darwin Core
Records2.4M occurrences
UpdatedDec 2023
↓ Download View metadata
🗺️
Open
Kenya Wildlife Ecosystem Zones — GIS Shapefile Package
Vector GIS dataset defining Kenya's seven major ecosystem zones with habitat classification, area estimates, protected status overlay, and management unit boundaries. Derived from WRTI remote sensing analysis.
CoverageKenya-wide
FormatShapefile, GeoJSON, KMZ
Resolution30m · 2022 basemap
UpdatedJune 2023
↓ Download View metadata
📸
Open
Carnivore Camera Trap Survey — Mara-Serengeti 2012–2023
Camera trap detection records for lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, and spotted hyena from 240 camera stations across the Mara ecosystem. Includes trigger events, timestamps, and individual ID where known.
CoverageMara Ecosystem · 11 years
FormatCSV, EXIF metadata
Records840,000 trigger events
UpdatedFeb 2024
↓ Download View metadata
🦏
Restricted
Black Rhino Individual Location Records — Kenya 2008–2023
Individual-level location and demographic records for Kenya's black rhino population across all conservancies and national parks. Restricted access for security reasons — available to verified researchers via data agreement.
CoverageAll Kenya sanctuaries
FormatCSV (restricted)
AccessData agreement required
UpdatedQuarterly
Request access View metadata
Research Centres

12 field centres. Every major ecosystem.

View all on map
01
Narok Research Centre
📍 Narok County · Maasai Mara — Mara Ecosystem
WRTI's most active field research facility, covering the globally significant Maasai Mara–Serengeti ecosystem. Primary focus on large carnivore ecology, large mammal population dynamics, and human-wildlife coexistence in pastoral landscapes.
Large carnivores Elephant ecology Human-wildlife conflict Camera trapping
6
Active projects
14
Researchers
02
Tsavo Research Centre
📍 Taita-Taveta County · Tsavo East/West National Parks
Kenya's largest protected area ecosystem hosts WRTI's elephant, rhino, and habitat research programme. Key site for long-term population monitoring, vegetation change, and recovery ecology of critically endangered black rhinoceros.
Elephant ecology Black rhino Habitat monitoring Ecosystem restoration
5
Active projects
10
Researchers
03
Amboseli Field Station
📍 Kajiado County · Amboseli Ecosystem — Kilimanjaro foothills
Home to WRTI's flagship elephant research programme, with 13 years of GPS tracking data for 48 individual elephants. Studies drought ecology, corridor use, and elephant-pastoral community relations in the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro.
Elephant tracking Drought ecology Community coexistence
4
Active projects
8
Researchers
04
Laikipia Field Station
📍 Laikipia County · Laikipia Plateau ecosystem
Laikipia hosts Kenya's largest population of African wild dogs and significant numbers of grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, and black rhino outside formal protected areas. Research focuses on ranching-compatible conservation and primate ecology.
African wild dog Conservation genetics Primate ecology Private land conservation
4
Active projects
7
Researchers
View all 12 research centres with field maps
Research Permitting

Conduct research in Kenya's wildlife areas.

1
Determine your permit type
WRTI issues four categories of research permit: Wildlife Survey (non-invasive), Sample Collection, GPS Tagging & Telemetry, and Data Access agreements for existing datasets. Select the permit type that matches your methodology.
⏱ 15 minutes to identify correct permit type
2
Prepare your application documents
Required documents include a detailed research proposal, institutional affiliation letter, ethics clearance from your home institution, CV of principal investigator, and proposed field methods and equipment list.
⏱ Allow 2–4 weeks to gather all required materials
3
Submit online application
Complete the online application form and upload all required documents. Applications are reviewed by WRTI's Research Ethics and Permits Committee, which meets monthly. You will receive an acknowledgment within 3 working days.
⏱ 20–40 minutes to complete the online form
4
WRTI review and approval
The Permits Committee reviews all applications within 21 working days. Complex or invasive research may require additional documentation or a committee interview. All applicants receive a written decision with reasons.
⏱ 21 working days standard review period
5
Data submission on completion
As a condition of all WRTI research permits, permit holders are required to submit a copy of all data and findings to WRTI within 12 months of permit expiry. A summary report is required at the 6-month mark.
📊 Data submitted to WRTI national wildlife database
Apply for a research permit.

WRTI is the national authority for wildlife research permitting in Kenya. All permits are issued in compliance with the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013.

👁️
Wildlife Survey (Non-invasive)
21 days · Annual renewal
KES 15,000
🧪
Sample Collection
21 days · IACUC required
KES 35,000
🛰️
GPS Tagging & Telemetry
30 days · Vet clearance required
KES 85,000
💾
Data Access Agreement
14 days · Restricted datasets
KES 5,000
Start permit application Contact permits office
Permits office: permits@wrti.go.ke · +254 (0)20 600 4000
Conferences & Events

Bringing wildlife researchers together.

All events
14–17 October 2024 · Nairobi, Kenya
Upcoming

WRTI Annual Wildlife Research Symposium 2024: Data-Driven Conservation in East Africa

WRTI's flagship annual conference bringing together wildlife researchers, conservation practitioners, policymakers, and data scientists from across East Africa to share findings, methodology, and emerging research priorities.

280
Expected delegates
64
Paper submissions
18
Countries represented
March 2024 · Virtual & Nairobi
Upcoming

East Africa GIS and Remote Sensing for Wildlife Conservation Workshop 2024

A 3-day technical workshop on geospatial methods in wildlife research and conservation, covering species distribution modelling, satellite tracking data analysis, and landscape connectivity assessment using open-source tools.

60
Participant limit
3
Days of training
8
Technical modules
Past conference proceedings
Full archive
WRTI Annual Research Symposium 2023
Nairobi · September 2023 · 242 delegates · 58 papers
Download proceedings
WRTI Wildlife Census Technical Workshop 2022
Virtual · November 2022 · 180 delegates · 32 presentations
Download proceedings
WRTI Annual Research Symposium 2022
Nairobi · August 2022 · 220 delegates · 54 papers
Download proceedings
🤝

Collaborate with WRTI researchers.

WRTI welcomes research collaborations with universities, conservation organisations, government agencies, and individual scientists. Explore our partnership typologies and submit a collaboration inquiry.

Explore research partnerships
📋

Apply for a research permit.

WRTI manages the national research permit process for wildlife research in Kenya's protected areas and national parks. Permits for non-invasive surveys, sample collection, and GPS telemetry.

Start permit application
🎓

Train in wildlife research methods.

WRTI's training programmes include dedicated modules in wildlife survey methodology, GIS for conservation, and research data management. MSc and Certificate programmes available.

View training programmes