The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is mobilizing additional resources to strengthen its wildlife conservation efforts, address emerging threats, and secure the long-term future of Kenya’s iconic biodiversity.
At the heart of this effort is the need to close a critical KES 12 billion annual funding gap. This shortfall, caused by stagnated income, inflationary pressures, and rising operational demands has significantly constrained the Service’s capacity to fulfill its conservation mandate.
In the 2024/2025 financial year, KWS generated KES 7.92 billion against a requirement of KES 19.79 billion, limiting its ability to protect wildlife, restore degraded ecosystems, and respond to challenges such as human-wildlife conflict and poaching.
To help bridge this gap, KWS has gazetted the draft Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access and Conservation Fees) Regulations, 2025, proposing a revised fee structure for access to national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and marine protected areas.
If approved, this will be the first comprehensive review of conservation fees in 18 years, a long-overdue move that reflects current conservation realities and the urgent need for sustainable financing.
The proposed changes are part of a broader revenue enhancement strategy designed to support core conservation activities, including;
- Restoration of habitats and ecosystem
- Mitigation of human-wildlife conflict
- Enhanced anti-poaching and wildlife security operation
- Modernization of park infrastructure and services
- Expansion of conservation education and awareness programmes
KWS Director General, Prof. Erustus Kanga says “For over a decade, our conservation fee structure has remained static, despite rising costs, evolving visitor expectations, and increasing threats to wildlife. Today, more than 90% of our internal revenue comes from tourism-related activities. Yet we face a widening fiscal deficit that undermines not only conservation, but also the livelihoods of over one million Kenyans whose jobs depend on a thriving wildlife economy, ranging from community scouts and rangers to tour operators, hoteliers, and artisans.”
An impact assessment conducted prior to drafting the new regulations informed the proposed pricing model. Under the new framework, park revenues are projected to grow from KES 7.92 billion in 2024 to KES 16.58 billion by 2028 driven by realistic trends in visitation and spending behaviour.
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