As Kenyans ushered 2023 on January 1, many new year resolutions were made with diversifying sources of income topping the list.
Among the alternatives considered is agriculture, specifically animal husbandry. New trends have seen entrepreneurs make money from animals for their aesthetic and food value.
However, unknown to many, the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act prohibits the rearing of certain animals for personal or commercial purposes.
Here are some of the popular animals that one requires a license to keep as compiled by Kenyans.co.ke.
The Wildlife Act prohibits the rearing of animals and birds categorized as 'game'. These include geese, ducks, quails, guinea fowl, pigeons and doves.
"No person shall keep in captivity any live protected animal, game animal or game bird except in accordance with a permit issued by a licensing officer in that behalf," the Act reads in part.
In addition, the law further provides that licensed game bird keeper will be subjected to checkups by an officer from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
"Any animal or birds kept under the authority of a permit under this section shall be made available for inspection, together with the cage or other enclosure in which it is normally kept, by any warden at all reasonable times," the law reads.
Failure to avail the bird or animal for inspection will attract a fine not exceeding Ksh5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
Notably, those who have licenses have made millions of money from rearing of animals especially those with high aesthetic value.
Retired military man James Opondo revealed that he makes millions from the sale of exotic birds such as the albino peacock which fetches Ksh500,000 in the local market.
In 2021, Kenyan youth from Kwale made headlines selling Bantam chicks, ornamental birds whose chicks retail at Ksh10,000 per piece.
