The expansion of infrastructure development poses a growing threat to elephant habitats and migratory corridors through fragmentation and destruction. Monitoring the impact of major infrastructure projects in Kenya, such as the new Nairobi-Mombasa railway, is vital to Save the Elephants’ mission to protect elephant habitats.
An elephant walking under the SGR underpass in Tsavo © Josh Clay
The railway, which links Mombasa to Nairobi, cuts through the heart of the Tsavo ecosystem, one of Africa’s last great wilderness areas. For 93 miles, it cuts through the unfenced Tsavo National Park, restricting the movement of Kenya’s elephants and other wildlife to just 41 underpasses.
Monitoring team at the SGR underpass corridor © Jane Wynyard
Since 2016, Save the Elephants, in partnership with the Wildlife Research and Training Institute and the Kenya Wildlife Service, has employed a dedicated monitoring team to analyse how wildlife use the various underpasses and culverts beneath the railway.
Grace Wairimu (R), STES’s Tsavo Research Officer and other members of the monitoring team © Jane Wynyard
The project documents wildlife crossing patterns, maintains a regular presence to detect illegal activities and security concerns within the park, and provides evidence-based insights to inform park management decisions. The data reveals that elephants are the second most frequent users of underpasses after zebras, with buffaloes, lions, and even giraffes – previously wary of such structures – also crossing. However, human settlements, livestock encroachment, and vehicle and train collisions on nearby roads and railways remain serious threats.
Elephant walking through an SGR Underpass © Richard Moller
The research will provide critical insights for future mega-projects, such as the upcoming six-lane Nairobi-Mombasa expressway, helping ensure that Kenya’s infrastructure development minimises the impact on the country’s globally important biodiversity and ecosystems.
