By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, July 14 ,2026 - The Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), in partnership with Tsavo Trust and the Tsavo Simba Project, has launched a three-month scientific survey to determine the population status of lions and other large carnivores in southern Tsavo East National Park.
The survey aims to provide updated data on the abundance, distribution and movement patterns of key predators to guide conservation planning and wildlife management in the greater Tsavo ecosystem, one of Africa's largest protected landscapes.
Researchers said the exercise will generate critical scientific evidence to support long-term conservation strategies for some of Kenya's most iconic and threatened carnivore species.
“Before deployment, survey teams underwent a two-day technical training on survey design, carnivore identification, standardised data collection and quality assurance procedures to ensure accurate and reliable results,” said WRTI in statement released on Tuesday.
The study is using the Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) method, an internationally recognised scientific approach for estimating wildlife populations.
The technique analyses where individual animals are detected, how frequently they are encountered and the amount of survey effort involved, allowing researchers to estimate population density even when some animals are not observed during every survey.
Scientists will identify individual animals using distinctive natural features, including coat patterns, rosettes, whisker spots, scars, ear notches and mane characteristics. Repeated sightings will help researchers build encounter histories that form the basis of population estimates.
Although the survey primarily targets lions, it will also collect data on leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, striped hyenas and other medium-sized carnivores found within the Tsavo ecosystem.
Field teams are documenting distances covered, time spent in the field, GPS coordinates of wildlife sightings, species composition and photographic records to facilitate individual identification and monitor repeat encounters.
The institute said the findings are expected to improve understanding of carnivore populations in Tsavo and strengthen evidence-based conservation and monitoring programmes.
The survey is being undertaken with financial, technical and logistical support from Tsavo Trust and the Lion Recovery Fund.
Tsavo, which comprises Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks, is Kenya's largest protected wildlife ecosystem, covering more than 22,000 square kilometres.
The landscape supports one of the country's largest populations of elephants and serves as a critical refuge for lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs and other large mammals.
However, conservationists say growing human-wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation and poaching continue to pose challenges to the long-term survival of several carnivore species, making regular population monitoring essential for effective conservation planning.
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