By Victor N. Mose and David Western

Introduction
The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) has conducted regular aerial sample counts of Amboseli and eastern Kajiado continuously since 1973. Details of the counting method and previous counts can be found in published papers (Mose & Western, 2015; Western & Mose, 2021) and on the ACP website.
In May 2024 African Conservation Centre (ACC) and ACP, funded by the European Union-MOSAIC project and The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation (LCAOF), commissioned the Department of Regional Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) and Flight Training Centre (FTC) to take stock of the recovery in wildlife and livestock in the aftermath of the 2022-2023 drought. The count was timed after the birthing seasons of wildebeest and cattle were delayed a year by the drought. The rain season count was flown across the 7,800 km² of Eastern Kajiado between May 21st and May 25th when the herds were maximally spread on migration and easily visible against the green vegetation.

Distribution of each species tallied on the May 2024 count overlaid on 5 X 5 km

Population estimates of large herbivores species in the Amboseli Ecosystem and Eastern Kajiado in May 2024. The sample, standard error and the coefficient of variation (CV) are also shown. Grant’s gazelles were most spread out (lowest CV value of 11%) while buffalo were the most clustered (CV=94%).

Download Full Report Here : Amboseli Ecosystem Aerial Count Analysis May 2024

By David (Jonah) Western

October 16, 2026

Six decades on from studying the ecology of Amboseli, I wrote in We Alone. How Humans Have Conquered the Planet.

By David (Jonah) Western

October 6, 2026

Last week saw the worst fires in years envelop Kilimanjaro.

By David (Jonah) Western

September 25, 2026

The extensive flooding in March of 2026 caused the closure of the Amboseli airstrip.

Amboseli Ecosystem Aerial Count Analysis-May 2024

Authored by : Victor N. Mose and David Western
Posted on July 23, 2024

Introduction
The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) has conducted regular aerial sample counts of Amboseli and eastern Kajiado continuously since 1973. Details of the counting method and previous counts can be found in published papers (Mose & Western, 2015; Western & Mose, 2021) and on the ACP website.
In May 2024 African Conservation Centre (ACC) and ACP, funded by the European Union-MOSAIC project and The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation (LCAOF), commissioned the Department of Regional Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) and Flight Training Centre (FTC) to take stock of the recovery in wildlife and livestock in the aftermath of the 2022-2023 drought. The count was timed after the birthing seasons of wildebeest and cattle were delayed a year by the drought. The rain season count was flown across the 7,800 km² of Eastern Kajiado between May 21st and May 25th when the herds were maximally spread on migration and easily visible against the green vegetation.

Distribution of each species tallied on the May 2024 count overlaid on 5 X 5 km

Population estimates of large herbivores species in the Amboseli Ecosystem and Eastern Kajiado in May 2024. The sample, standard error and the coefficient of variation (CV) are also shown. Grant’s gazelles were most spread out (lowest CV value of 11%) while buffalo were the most clustered (CV=94%).

Download Full Report Here : Amboseli Ecosystem Aerial Count Analysis May 2024

By Victor N. Mose and David Western

Introduction
The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) has conducted regular aerial sample counts of Amboseli and eastern Kajiado continuously since 1973. Details of the counting method and previous counts can be found in published papers (Mose & Western, 2015; Western & Mose, 2021) and on the ACP website.
In May 2024 African Conservation Centre (ACC) and ACP, funded by the European Union-MOSAIC project and The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation (LCAOF), commissioned the Department of Regional Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) and Flight Training Centre (FTC) to take stock of the recovery in wildlife and livestock in the aftermath of the 2022-2023 drought. The count was timed after the birthing seasons of wildebeest and cattle were delayed a year by the drought. The rain season count was flown across the 7,800 km² of Eastern Kajiado between May 21st and May 25th when the herds were maximally spread on migration and easily visible against the green vegetation.

Distribution of each species tallied on the May 2024 count overlaid on 5 X 5 km

Population estimates of large herbivores species in the Amboseli Ecosystem and Eastern Kajiado in May 2024. The sample, standard error and the coefficient of variation (CV) are also shown. Grant’s gazelles were most spread out (lowest CV value of 11%) while buffalo were the most clustered (CV=94%).

Download Full Report Here : Amboseli Ecosystem Aerial Count Analysis May 2024

By David (Jonah) Western

October 16, 2026

Six decades on from studying the ecology of Amboseli, I wrote in We Alone. How Humans Have Conquered the Planet.

By David (Jonah) Western

October 6, 2026

Last week saw the worst fires in years envelop Kilimanjaro.

By David (Jonah) Western

September 25, 2026

The extensive flooding in March of 2026 caused the closure of the Amboseli airstrip.

Posted on July 23, 2024

By Victor N. Mose and David Western

Introduction
The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) has conducted regular aerial sample counts of Amboseli and eastern Kajiado continuously since 1973. Details of the counting method and previous counts can be found in published papers (Mose & Western, 2015; Western & Mose, 2021) and on the ACP website.
In May 2024 African Conservation Centre (ACC) and ACP, funded by the European Union-MOSAIC project and The Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation (LCAOF), commissioned the Department of Regional Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) and Flight Training Centre (FTC) to take stock of the recovery in wildlife and livestock in the aftermath of the 2022-2023 drought. The count was timed after the birthing seasons of wildebeest and cattle were delayed a year by the drought. The rain season count was flown across the 7,800 km² of Eastern Kajiado between May 21st and May 25th when the herds were maximally spread on migration and easily visible against the green vegetation.

Distribution of each species tallied on the May 2024 count overlaid on 5 X 5 km

Population estimates of large herbivores species in the Amboseli Ecosystem and Eastern Kajiado in May 2024. The sample, standard error and the coefficient of variation (CV) are also shown. Grant’s gazelles were most spread out (lowest CV value of 11%) while buffalo were the most clustered (CV=94%).

Download Full Report Here : Amboseli Ecosystem Aerial Count Analysis May 2024

Recent Posts

By David (Jonah) Western

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Ecotourism Kenya celebrated its 30th anniversary at festive gala held at the Hyatt Regency on 16th of October.

By David (Jonah) Western

October 16, 2026

Six decades on from studying the ecology of Amboseli, I wrote in We Alone. How Humans Have Conquered the Planet.

By David (Jonah) Western

October 6, 2026

Last week saw the worst fires in years envelop Kilimanjaro.

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The deaths of two more elephants in the Amboseli area last week bring the total to 19, further fueling speculation

By Victor N. Mose

August 10, 2026

Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) statisticians this week took Bayesian inference back 1 million years.

By Dr. David Jonah Western

August 5, 2026

Sixteen elephants have died in Amboseli in just a few weeks, alarming conservationists and the Maasai community

By David Western, Victor N. Mose*, David Maitumo, Winfridah Kemunto, Sakimba Kimiti, Immaculate Ombongi, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti

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Fireworks displaying EU–Kenya relations rocked the skyline in Loresho at Shamba Café, lighting up the evening sky

Contact Us

Amboseli Conservation Program
P.O Box 15289-00509 or 62844-00200
Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel/Fax: +254 20 891360 / 891751
Email: acc@acc.or.ke