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

Preamble
The outlook for livestock and wildlife in the short dry season normally stretching from January to the long rains in March-April is exceptionally good. The prolonged short rains from October through December 2024 were followed by heavy unseasonal rains in January. The heavy and extended rains produced a bumper crop of grasses which will see animals through the long rains in good body condition. Cattle milk yields have also rebounded with the extended rains.

Grazing pressure on the pastures is also unusually low for the short dry season due to wildlife and livestock moving out of the Amboseli dry season area.

Livestock market prices are at an all-time high due to the good body condition of livestock, a reduction in herds due to the 2022-2023 drought, and a high national demand for beef.

Families with small farms are also benefiting from the extended rains to intensify and expand crop production.
The outlook for wildlife is also excellent. The sustained body condition of zebra and wildebeest during the 2024 long-dry season should see heavy foaling and calving during the long rains. The extended migration of the wildlife through the short rains into the dry season has reduced predation levels and will result in a higher survival of newborns during the long rains.

On the downside, the extended wildlife migrations and resident herds of livestock due to permanent settlement around Amboseli has seen a sharp increase of predator attacks on cattle, sheep and goats around the outskirts of the national park.


Livestock depredations by lions and hyenas have increased around Amboseli in January due to the absence of wildlife on migrations, leaving resident cattle, sheep and goat herds vulnerable to predation.

Download Full Article : Amboseli Outlook Report January 2025

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 outlook-current situation report

Authored by : David Western, Victor N. Mose, David Maitumo, Immaculate Ombongi, Sakimba Kimiti, Winfridah Kemunto, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti
Posted on February 7, 2025

Preamble
The outlook for livestock and wildlife in the short dry season normally stretching from January to the long rains in March-April is exceptionally good. The prolonged short rains from October through December 2024 were followed by heavy unseasonal rains in January. The heavy and extended rains produced a bumper crop of grasses which will see animals through the long rains in good body condition. Cattle milk yields have also rebounded with the extended rains.

Grazing pressure on the pastures is also unusually low for the short dry season due to wildlife and livestock moving out of the Amboseli dry season area.

Livestock market prices are at an all-time high due to the good body condition of livestock, a reduction in herds due to the 2022-2023 drought, and a high national demand for beef.

Families with small farms are also benefiting from the extended rains to intensify and expand crop production.
The outlook for wildlife is also excellent. The sustained body condition of zebra and wildebeest during the 2024 long-dry season should see heavy foaling and calving during the long rains. The extended migration of the wildlife through the short rains into the dry season has reduced predation levels and will result in a higher survival of newborns during the long rains.

On the downside, the extended wildlife migrations and resident herds of livestock due to permanent settlement around Amboseli has seen a sharp increase of predator attacks on cattle, sheep and goats around the outskirts of the national park.


Livestock depredations by lions and hyenas have increased around Amboseli in January due to the absence of wildlife on migrations, leaving resident cattle, sheep and goat herds vulnerable to predation.

Download Full Article : Amboseli Outlook Report January 2025

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

Preamble
The outlook for livestock and wildlife in the short dry season normally stretching from January to the long rains in March-April is exceptionally good. The prolonged short rains from October through December 2024 were followed by heavy unseasonal rains in January. The heavy and extended rains produced a bumper crop of grasses which will see animals through the long rains in good body condition. Cattle milk yields have also rebounded with the extended rains.

Grazing pressure on the pastures is also unusually low for the short dry season due to wildlife and livestock moving out of the Amboseli dry season area.

Livestock market prices are at an all-time high due to the good body condition of livestock, a reduction in herds due to the 2022-2023 drought, and a high national demand for beef.

Families with small farms are also benefiting from the extended rains to intensify and expand crop production.
The outlook for wildlife is also excellent. The sustained body condition of zebra and wildebeest during the 2024 long-dry season should see heavy foaling and calving during the long rains. The extended migration of the wildlife through the short rains into the dry season has reduced predation levels and will result in a higher survival of newborns during the long rains.

On the downside, the extended wildlife migrations and resident herds of livestock due to permanent settlement around Amboseli has seen a sharp increase of predator attacks on cattle, sheep and goats around the outskirts of the national park.


Livestock depredations by lions and hyenas have increased around Amboseli in January due to the absence of wildlife on migrations, leaving resident cattle, sheep and goat herds vulnerable to predation.

Download Full Article : Amboseli Outlook Report January 2025

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 February 7, 2025

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

Preamble
The outlook for livestock and wildlife in the short dry season normally stretching from January to the long rains in March-April is exceptionally good. The prolonged short rains from October through December 2024 were followed by heavy unseasonal rains in January. The heavy and extended rains produced a bumper crop of grasses which will see animals through the long rains in good body condition. Cattle milk yields have also rebounded with the extended rains.

Grazing pressure on the pastures is also unusually low for the short dry season due to wildlife and livestock moving out of the Amboseli dry season area.

Livestock market prices are at an all-time high due to the good body condition of livestock, a reduction in herds due to the 2022-2023 drought, and a high national demand for beef.

Families with small farms are also benefiting from the extended rains to intensify and expand crop production.
The outlook for wildlife is also excellent. The sustained body condition of zebra and wildebeest during the 2024 long-dry season should see heavy foaling and calving during the long rains. The extended migration of the wildlife through the short rains into the dry season has reduced predation levels and will result in a higher survival of newborns during the long rains.

On the downside, the extended wildlife migrations and resident herds of livestock due to permanent settlement around Amboseli has seen a sharp increase of predator attacks on cattle, sheep and goats around the outskirts of the national park.


Livestock depredations by lions and hyenas have increased around Amboseli in January due to the absence of wildlife on migrations, leaving resident cattle, sheep and goat herds vulnerable to predation.

Download Full Article : Amboseli Outlook Report January 2025

Recent Posts

By David (Jonah) Western

October 28, 2026

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.

By David (Jonah) Western

September 25, 2026

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

By Victor N. Mose

September 23, 2026

Herders from Amboseli, who are members of a community visited JKUAT.

By Jonah Western

August 17, 2026

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

July 31, 2026

The latest Amboseli Ecosystem Outlook Report combines perspectives from local herders and livestock traders

By Victor N. Mose

July 22, 2026

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