How Kenya Is Using AI to Protect Biodiversity

As climate change, poaching, and habitat loss escalate across Africa, Kenya is spearheading a bold shift, using artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technologies to reimagine conservation.

From high-tech surveillance to real-time data platforms, the country is deploying smart tools that are not only preserving endangered wildlife but also shaping a new global model of biodiversity protection.

“We can’t afford to be left behind,” Paul Udoto, Senior Corporate Communications Manager at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) told Impact AI News. “Technology is not just supporting conservation anymore. It’s driving it.”

Udoto spoke on the sidelines of Kenya’s ongoing public participation forums for the review of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Regulation 2025.

The forums, he said, aim to gather public and stakeholder feedback as Kenya revises its conservation strategy to reflect new challenges—from the rising cost of wildlife management to human-wildlife conflict and the evolving demands of eco-tourism.

The new regulation is set to align with the KWS Strategic Plan 2024–2028, which focuses on restoring ecosystems, strengthening community participation, and integrating smart technology into conservation.

At the heart of Kenya’s tech-driven shift is EarthRanger, a software platform developed by the Allen Institute for AI (AI2).

Often described as a digital command center for conservation, EarthRanger consolidates data from GPS collars, thermal cameras, drones, acoustic sensors, ranger patrols, and community inputs—presented in a single real-time dashboard.

“Before EarthRanger, everything was reactive. Now we are proactive, even predictive,” says George Kuria, a wildlife operations coordinator at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the world’s last two northern white rhinos.

EarthRanger has become a lifeline for conservancies like Ol Pejeta and Solio Ranch. By enabling faster decision-making and early threat detection, it has significantly reduced incidents of poaching and human-wildlife conflict.

In fact, Solio Ranch has reported zero rhino poaching since deploying EarthRanger and AI-enabled thermal cameras in 2023.

Kenya is also pioneering AI-powered thermal imaging systems, initially rolled out in Ol Pejeta and later in Solio Ranch.

These systems use machine learning to distinguish between human and animal movement, sending instant alerts to rangers when intrusions are detected—especially during nighttime when poaching risk is highest.

“AI is becoming the frontline in a war we can’t afford to lose,” Udoto says.

The same surveillance systems have been adapted to monitor one of Kenya’s most unique species—the only white giraffe in Sub-Saharan Africa, found in Ijara, Garissa County.

Using drones, AI-enabled chips, and thermal cameras, KWS tracks its movements in real time, guarding it from poachers and habitat threats.

In high-conflict areas like in the northern counties of Mandera and Wajir—where Al Shabaab terrorism activity has disrupted traditional conservation efforts—remote monitoring has proven invaluable. 

Northern Conservation Area Assistant Director Bakari Chongwa notes that tech is allowing the wildlife census to proceed in regions where boots-on-the-ground operations would be too dangerous. “Tech isn’t just saving wildlife; it’s also saving lives.”

In Laikipia, satellite collars on lions and livestock are connected to EarthRanger. When lions approach community grazing lands, automated alerts warn herders—allowing them to steer livestock away from danger.

“This system has helped reduce retaliatory killings of lions,” says Jane Maina, a conservation technologist at the Northern Rangelands Trust. “It’s turning conflict into coexistence.”

Community rangers and even pastoralists now use EarthRanger-linked mobile apps to report sightings or threats via SMS—transforming local residents into citizen conservationists.

Kenya’s strategy isn’t unfolding in isolation. Around the world, EarthRanger is helping conservationists reimagine protection strategies:

In Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, the platform powers over 100,000 species observations through drone and camera trap integration.

In the Congo Basin, EarthRanger supports satellite monitoring to detect illegal logging and unlicensed fishing.

Across African Parks’ 22 reserves, it facilitates wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching patrols, and ecological restoration.

These examples demonstrate a new conservation paradigm—where data is as vital as boots on the ground.

Despite its success, Kenya’s high-tech conservation efforts still face hurdles. Funding constraints, internet connectivity issues in remote parks, and limited technical capacity threaten to slow progress.

But support is growing. Organizations like WWF, the Allen Institute for AI, and African Parks are partnering with KWS to provide training, devices, and digital infrastructure.

With the rollout of solar-powered field devices and 5G expansion, even remote outposts like Marsabit, Samburu, and parts of northern Kenya may soon be seamlessly connected to EarthRanger’s network.

“The technology isn’t just watching animals,” Asha Mukhtar, KWS Senior Assistant Director for Customer Experience, told this writer. “It’s empowering rangers, protecting communities, and making conservation smarter, safer, and more sustainable.”

Kenya’s integrated approach, merging AI, big data, and community participation, is laying the groundwork for a continent-wide model of conservation that balances ecological integrity with socio-economic equity.

By unifying ecosystem monitoring, ranger coordination, and real-time species tracking, Kenya is not only pushing toward zero poaching in elephant and rhino strongholds, but also strengthening resilience in a climate-stressed world.

“This isn’t just about wildlife,” says Chongwa. “It’s about securing our future—our tourism, our culture, and our connection to nature.”

As nations worldwide confront biodiversity collapse, Kenya’s tech-forward pivot may prove to be the blueprint others urgently need to follow. 

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