The Wildlife Conservancy Act 2013 is Kenya's primary wildlife protection legislation, providing legal framework for conservation of Kenya's wildlife. The act establishes the Kenya Wildlife Service, defines wildlife protection and management authorities, and provides penalties for wildlife crimes.
Legislative Framework
The act provides comprehensive legal structure for wildlife conservation in Kenya. It defines protected areas, establishes protection mechanisms, and defines offenses related to wildlife protection.
Kenya Wildlife Service Authority
The act establishes KWS as the primary wildlife conservation authority with responsibility for managing national parks, reserves, and wildlife protection.
Protected Area Designation
The act provides framework for designating and managing protected areas including national parks and national reserves.
Wildlife Protection Provisions
The act provides penalties for poaching, illegal trade, and other wildlife crimes. Penalties include fines and imprisonment.
Wildlife Species Protection
The act provides specific protection for endangered species, with higher penalties for protecting critically endangered animals.
Hunting and Use Regulations
The act regulates hunting and sustainable use where permitted, providing framework for managing wildlife exploitation.
Community Engagement
The act includes provisions for community participation in conservation, though implementation of community engagement provisions has been variable.
CITES Implementation
The act provides Kenya's implementation mechanism for international wildlife trade convention CITES.
See Also
- Kenya Wildlife Service - Implementing authority
- Kenya and CITES - International trade agreements
- Illegal Wildlife Trade - Crime enforcement
- Endangered Species - Protection framework
- Conservation NGOs Kenya - Implementation partners
- Protected areas - Designation system
- Community Conservation Model - Participation provisions
Sources
- https://www.kws.go.ke/
- https://cites.org/
- Leader-Williams, N. (1992). The World Trade in Rhino Horn: A Review. TRAFFIC International, Cambridge.
- Jacobson, A.P. & Riggio, J. (2020). Coexistence from the Margins: Unraveling Africa's Carnivore Conservation Crisis. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 569809.