Three years of prolonged droughts have ravished Kenya leaving millions unable to find fresh water or food. Kenya has seen very little rain during the prolonged drought, which many are calling the worst in over a decade. Millions of Kenyans are now relying on foreign aid for survival. However, it is not just the immediate survival that some are worried about but the prolonged future effects that the drought will have on Kenya’s hope to progress in the future.
The industry that has raised the most concern is the travel and tourism industry in Kenya, which supplies a large portion of the country’s economy. In addition to the catastrophic effects the drought has had on the human population is the damage it is doing to Kenyan wildlife. There have been reports of hundreds of iconic animals like lions and elephants falling victim to the drought, which has tour operators in Kenya worrying about their own survival.
Operators of safari tours in Kenya wonder if the drought won’t also dry up their tourist money, which is a big part of the Kenyan economy. Some customers have expressed concerns over the death of elephants and hippos, although most have not cancelled as of yet.
Some game parks are being proactive to ensure that their animal populations have enough water so that future safari tours can continue. The Kenyan Wildlife Service has gotten involved by pumping water to areas like Lake Nakuru, and has also bought food, hay, and supplies to give to the hippo population in Mzima Springs.
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