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

Preamble
​The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, with the exception of slightly weaker rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the loss of body condition livestock and wildlife suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their herds, and inflation.

NDVI satellite image for October 2024, showing remaining green patches in Olgulului and Eselenkei and dry conditions across Mbirikani and Kuku-Rombo.

The Outlook
The heavy and prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, except for poorer rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the depleted body conditions of livestock and wildlife
suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their
herds, and inflation.

The post-drought recovery captured in all our key rangelands indicators, coupled with the surplus pastures left by the prolonged rains, spells good outlook for Amboseli through the end of the year. Less clear is the outlook for the short rains at the end of 2024. Originally projected by the Met Department to be poor due to the El Niño cool phase typically following in the La Niña cooling phase, the forecasts are now less clear. Warming
seas and atmospheric temperatures are changing climatic patterns globally, creating greater weather extremes which complicate weather forecasts.

The unpredictable weather patterns make it all the more important to assess the outlook for Amboseli based on actual conditions.

 

Download the full outlook report below.
Amboseli_outlook_report_26th_nov_2024

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

By Victor N. Mose

May 22, 2026

Herders in Amboseli gathered under the shade of an acacia tree for a parliamentary style debate on co-production.

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 November 30, 2024

Preamble
​The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, with the exception of slightly weaker rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the loss of body condition livestock and wildlife suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their herds, and inflation.

NDVI satellite image for October 2024, showing remaining green patches in Olgulului and Eselenkei and dry conditions across Mbirikani and Kuku-Rombo.

The Outlook
The heavy and prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, except for poorer rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the depleted body conditions of livestock and wildlife
suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their
herds, and inflation.

The post-drought recovery captured in all our key rangelands indicators, coupled with the surplus pastures left by the prolonged rains, spells good outlook for Amboseli through the end of the year. Less clear is the outlook for the short rains at the end of 2024. Originally projected by the Met Department to be poor due to the El Niño cool phase typically following in the La Niña cooling phase, the forecasts are now less clear. Warming
seas and atmospheric temperatures are changing climatic patterns globally, creating greater weather extremes which complicate weather forecasts.

The unpredictable weather patterns make it all the more important to assess the outlook for Amboseli based on actual conditions.

 

Download the full outlook report below.
Amboseli_outlook_report_26th_nov_2024

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

Preamble
​The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, with the exception of slightly weaker rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the loss of body condition livestock and wildlife suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their herds, and inflation.

NDVI satellite image for October 2024, showing remaining green patches in Olgulului and Eselenkei and dry conditions across Mbirikani and Kuku-Rombo.

The Outlook
The heavy and prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, except for poorer rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the depleted body conditions of livestock and wildlife
suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their
herds, and inflation.

The post-drought recovery captured in all our key rangelands indicators, coupled with the surplus pastures left by the prolonged rains, spells good outlook for Amboseli through the end of the year. Less clear is the outlook for the short rains at the end of 2024. Originally projected by the Met Department to be poor due to the El Niño cool phase typically following in the La Niña cooling phase, the forecasts are now less clear. Warming
seas and atmospheric temperatures are changing climatic patterns globally, creating greater weather extremes which complicate weather forecasts.

The unpredictable weather patterns make it all the more important to assess the outlook for Amboseli based on actual conditions.

 

Download the full outlook report below.
Amboseli_outlook_report_26th_nov_2024

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

By Victor N. Mose

May 22, 2026

Herders in Amboseli gathered under the shade of an acacia tree for a parliamentary style debate on co-production.

Posted on November 30, 2024

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

Preamble
​The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, with the exception of slightly weaker rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the loss of body condition livestock and wildlife suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their herds, and inflation.

NDVI satellite image for October 2024, showing remaining green patches in Olgulului and Eselenkei and dry conditions across Mbirikani and Kuku-Rombo.

The Outlook
The heavy and prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem to peak growth in May, except for poorer rains on Mbirikani. The rich pastures fully restored the depleted body conditions of livestock and wildlife
suffered in the 2022-2023 drought. Milk yields also recovered from the year-long delay caused by the drought. Market prices for livestock hit an all-time high due to cattle shortages, rising national beef demand, pastoralists rebuilding their
herds, and inflation.

The post-drought recovery captured in all our key rangelands indicators, coupled with the surplus pastures left by the prolonged rains, spells good outlook for Amboseli through the end of the year. Less clear is the outlook for the short rains at the end of 2024. Originally projected by the Met Department to be poor due to the El Niño cool phase typically following in the La Niña cooling phase, the forecasts are now less clear. Warming
seas and atmospheric temperatures are changing climatic patterns globally, creating greater weather extremes which complicate weather forecasts.

The unpredictable weather patterns make it all the more important to assess the outlook for Amboseli based on actual conditions.

 

Download the full outlook report below.
Amboseli_outlook_report_26th_nov_2024

Recent Posts

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

By Victor N. Mose

May 22, 2026

Herders in Amboseli gathered under the shade of an acacia tree for a parliamentary style debate on co-production.

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

May 20, 2026

As a result of the unseasonal rains in January to April, conditions in Amboseli have changed from a severe drought

By Victor N. Mose

May 12, 2026

Staff at the Embassy of Kenya in Vienna were treated to an “elephant show” following Angela Mumbi’s presentation

By Victor N. Mose

April 4, 2026

The MOSAIC meeting in Montpellier focused on practical solutions for shared environmental and health challenges

By Victor N. Mose

March 18, 2026

Project MOSAIC has launched community-driven One Health Clubs in Amboseli to strengthen local action on resources.

By David Western

February 25, 2026

The greatest wildlife spectacles on earth are the migrations of large mammals and birds.

By David Western

December 5, 2025

Short rains failed in Oct to Nov 2025 and heavy post-drought stocking pushed pastures from green to red.

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