The government in association with a local conservation Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Nakuru County is set to construct a Ksh200 million wildlife overpass.
The unique overpass along the Moi North lake road will ease the movement of wildlife between the Eburu forest and lake Naivasha. Wildlife overpasses have been found useful in western countries like the US.
This followed the increase in deaths of wild animals when crossing the road in search of water and pasture.
"There is a lot of wildlife killed on the road where the animals have a small corridor to walk on. I have many pictures of the killed animals.
"What we want is an overpass. The animals that we have killed here include leopards, zebras, impalas, and jackals," stated Ronaldo Retielf Chairperson of the Eburu Committee.
According to Joseph Motongu, a member of the NGO, the high speed and ignorance of motorists are the cause of animal deaths.
Notably, the overpass was designed in 2016 but it is yet to be constructed. The project, which will be about 50 meters wide, is an ambitious plan to save the wildlife in the country that is a major tourist attraction.
Over the past five years, efforts have been made to help protect the wildlife after they began leaving the forest in numbers.
Human activities were halted, the forest was protected using an electric fence, and the government also added a number of trees.
"The fencing of Eburu Forest was a great idea and we can see the improvement. However, after fencing, we realised that there was also a need for wildlife to use a corridor and get to Lake Naivasha to access water," Motongu had earlier stated.
The Eburu forest is home to over 40 different types of mammals including the endangered Mountain Bongo antelope. It is the largest, heaviest, and most colorful of all antelopes on the continent and is found in high-altitude forests.
