Fencing the Arabuko-Sokoke Reserve to Protect Kenya’s Last Great Coastal Forest and its Wildlife

The coast of Kenya was once dominated by sweeping forests, where elephants and a host of other creatures traveled freely between the bush and the sea. Today, the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest CCF 2024 6 is the last and largest protected fragment of East African coastal forest remaining, located a few km inland between the towns of Malindi and Kalifi and 110 km north of Mombasa. A small but significant population of elephants—roughly 300—continues to call this tropical forest home, along with an array of birdlife, woodland animals and rare butterflies. What’s more, elephants have long followed an ancestral migratory path between the Galana and Kulalu conservancies by Tsavo East National Park and the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest on the coast. However, human habitation isolated Tsavo’s herds from their coastal brethren, and when they leave the protection of the National Parks, they find themselves in a vulnerable position.

Although the park is fenced in parts—there is a section of electric fence to prevent elephants from damaging crops and keeps elephants to a smaller area of the park to reduce human-wildlife conflict—it is inadequate to truly protecting this vulnerable population in a landscape that is also traversed by visitors.

In partnership with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust alongside the Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service, we are complementing efforts in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest to protect this fragile park area with 120 km of electric fencing around its perimeter, envisioned in 3 phases. Work commences in July, and we plan to complete at least half of the project this year. The fencing project, which is estimated to span at least two years, will play a crucial role in combating poaching and preventing further habitat destruction. By creating a barrier to unauthorized entry, the fencing will help safeguard the elephants and other wildlife within the Sokoke Forest, while also mitigating the threat of deforestation for charcoal production.

Impact Overview:

• 2024: CCF has made a $3.6 million grant contribution towards fencing the Arabuko- Sokoke Reserve

• 120 km of fencing will be implemented in 3 phases of 40 km each, with a goal of finishing half of it by the end of 2024 and completion in 2025