Every few years, Kenya does something remarkable: it tries to count its wildlife. Using aircraft, ground teams and years of monitoring data, scientists from the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), the Kenya Wildlife Service and partners build a picture of how the country’s most important species are doing. The latest estimates — comparing 2021 with 2025 — tell a story of real success, and of urgent warning.
The headline numbers (2021 → 2025)
- Elephant: 36,280 → 42,072 ▲
- Black rhino: 897 → 1,059 ▲
- Southern white rhino: 842 → 1,041 ▲
- Mountain bongo: 150 → 179 ▲
- Lion: 2,589 → 2,512 ▼
- Hirola: 497 → 245 ▼▼
- Northern white rhino: 2 (the last two on Earth, both female, at Ol Pejeta)
The good news: elephants and rhinos
Kenya’s elephant population has grown by almost 6,000 animals in four years. That’s the result of strong anti-poaching work, community conservancies that give elephants room to move, and a lot of very dedicated rangers. Rhinos are on the rise too — and Kenya recorded no rhino poaching at all in 2025. (Read our full story on Kenya’s black rhino comeback.)
The mountain bongo — a shy, striped forest antelope found only in Kenya’s highland forests — has also inched upwards, thanks in part to breeding and reintroduction work around Mount Kenya.
The warning signs: hirola and lions
The hirola is the world’s most endangered antelope, found only in a small area of north-eastern Kenya along the Somali border. Its estimated numbers have roughly halved, to about 245. Drought, competition with livestock, habitat change and insecurity in its range all make it extremely vulnerable. Few visitors will ever see one — which makes protecting it all the more important.
Lions have dipped slightly, to around 2,500. The biggest threat is conflict with people: when lions kill livestock, retaliation follows, sometimes with poison that also kills vultures. (See our post on the Amboseli poisoning.)
How do you count a whole country’s wildlife?
It’s a huge operation. In the northern zone alone — across Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Laikipia — the count covered about 65,000 square kilometres using 11 aircraft over ten days, with support from Save the Elephants. Teams have also surveyed Amboseli, the Mara, Athi-Kapiti, Nakuru-Naivasha and Tsavo. The results guide everything from anti-poaching deployments to Kenya’s wildlife laws.
What it means for your safari
- Elephant encounters are better than ever in places like Amboseli, Tsavo and Samburu.
- Your park fees matter. They help fund the rangers, counts and conservation that make these numbers possible.
- Choose community-friendly tourism. Conservancies that share benefits with local people are key to reducing conflict with lions and other predators.
Meet Kenya’s giants
For close-up elephant encounters with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop, join our Amboseli & Tsavo Photo Safari, or explore Samburu for northern specialities. Talk to us about your plans.
Sources: The Star; Kenya News Agency.
