‘Elephant Man’ Goes on a Journey to Protect Species

Justus Nyamu, Kenya’s elephant conservation champion, yesterday embarked on his 17th walk from Nairobi to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, to raise public awareness about poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.

It will take Nyamu about 90 days to complete the 2,900-kilometer journey. It is an adventure that will include community meetings, school visits and public forums to discuss the importance of elephant conservation and sustainable practices that can help protect elephants.

“This walk is not just about covering distance; it is about connecting with people and inspiring them to take action,” said Nyamu.

“Elephants are a keystone species and their protection is essential for the health of our ecosystems and the well-being of local communities.”

The Elephant Neighbors Center founder and his entourage were welcomed at the Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters by Charles Musyoki, KWS Director of Wildlife and Community Service.

Nyamu noted that the African elephant population is declining at an alarming rate and is in danger of soon being considered an extinct species due to poaching for their ivory.

He said the ‘Ivory Belongs to the Elephants’ campaign is both a call to action and an educational initiative aimed at engaging communities, policymakers and international stakeholders in measures to stop human abuse of wildlife.

Some of the proposals he will present during his walk include advocating for stricter anti-poaching laws, supporting community-based conservation initiatives and promoting human-wildlife coexistence.

“The walk will take me through diverse landscapes, including national parks and reserves, allowing me to document and share first-hand accounts of the challenges and successes in elephant conservation,” he said. Nyamu said about 70 percent of Kenya’s wildlife lives outside protected areas, which has fueled human-wildlife conflict over time.

On his way north, he makes his first stop between Ruiru and Juja to see areas where hyenas attack people. He then heads to his home province of Murang’a, where the residents are dealing with an invasion of monkeys on their farms.

“Tomorrow (today) I will address the issues of hyenas between Ruiru and Juja. I also know that the Murang’a people are waiting for me because velvet monkeys are everywhere. Our conversation with these people will help open a dialogue about who came first. Is it man or the wild? Who has the authority to look after these animals?” he stated.

Nyamu noted that the compensations paid to victims of wildlife damage are not sustainable. He said stakeholders should educate the public who are vulnerable to wildlife attacks about their safety.

“Is granting protection sustainable? Because if you compensate me today after I lost my brother to nature, there is no guarantee that I will not lose my sister tomorrow. So that is a discussion that we will have, which will be based on the recently launched KWS national strategy, which contains a comprehensive strategic objective on how to engage stakeholders in matters related to nature,” he said.

Nyamu added: “This time we are doing it for real, to educate Kenyans. The moment we lose our wildlife, we will be the people that generations to come will ask a lot of questions.”

According to the wildlife enthusiast, the conflict between humans and animals is so great because humans have become so greedy and want to take up as much space as possible. In doing so, he does not take into account wild animals, which are an important part of the ecosystem.

In addition, Nyamu stressed that countries must work together to protect transboundary species that are not limited to one country.

“Animals like elephants are transboundary species that need protection beyond borders. Elephants in Kenya will not be safe until we get other countries on board. Fortunately, Kenya chairs the Lusaka Agreement, which looks at the collective problems of transboundary species,” he said.

Musyoki assured Nyamu that KWS would provide him with all the necessary support during his journey through 10 provinces before reaching Ethiopia.

“This is a very important course because if we don’t mobilize support for conservation and if we don’t raise public awareness about the plight of not only elephants but other wildlife, then you will soon find that we don’t have these animals in our field anymore,” Musyoki said.

He continued: “Initiatives like Nyamu’s and others are very important to us (KWS) so that we can reach as many people as possible about the plight of elephants, the plight of many other wild animals in this country and around the world.”

Nyamu has previously completed 18 similar walks in other countries including Tanzania, Uganda, DRC Congo, Rwanda, Botswana, the United Kingdom and the United States.