Horn of Africa Antelope Survey (2025–2026): Northwestern Kenya
New Report
Yvonne de Jong and Tom Butynski
Report to Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations
This survey was kindly made possible by the inheritance of Michael Amend
Summary
Northern Kenya is the most poorly known region in Eastern Africa as concerns the taxonomy, distribution, abundance, threats, and conservation status of its larger mammals. Nonetheless, this region is known to hold a high number of threatened species and subspecies. Among the larger mammals, 19 species of antelope are known to occur. During November 2025 to July 2026, we completed ‘Phase Three’ of the ‘Horn of Africa Antelope Survey’. Phase Three consisted of two field trips in northwestern Kenya covering as much of the land area as possible in the region west of Lake Turkana and Suguta Valley (i.e., west of the Eastern (Gregory) Rift Valley), north of Kainuk, east of the Uganda border, and south of the Elemi Triangle. In addition, we conducted two shorter surveys, one in far western Laikipia County (4 days) and one in the vicinity of the Merti Plateau (7 days), central Kenya. Diurnal surveys, nocturnal surveys, and camera trap surveys were conducted by two researchers (total of 47 field days; total distance driven 5,883 km).
The objectives of Phase Three were to: (1) considerably improve our understanding of the taxonomic status, distribution, relative abundance, and threats to the region’s species of antelope; (2) contribute to the reassessments of their IUCN Red List degree of threat status; (3) provide practical, prioritized, recommendations for ameliorating the threats; and (4) bring local, national, and international attention to the unique biodiversity of northern Kenya, using antelopes as a flagship group.
Adult female Southern Gerenuk Litocranius walleri walleri in acacia woodland, Biliqo Bulesa Conservancy, central Kenya.
Twelve of the 19 antelope species of northern Kenya were encountered during Phase Three. The species most frequently encountered was Kirk’s Dik-Dik Madoqua (kirkii) kirkii, followed by Common Impala Aepyceros melampus melampus. The least common were Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus, and Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros.
Adult male Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, Laikipia, central Kenya.
During Phase Three, antelope species were extremely scarce in northwestern Kenya. Most of northwestern Kenya has been historically marginally suitable for water-dependent antelopes. Five of the 16 antelope species known for northwestern Kenya were recorded. All are water-independent species with Smith’s Dik-Dik Madoqua (guentheri) smithii and Common Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia nyansae most common.
Uganda Crowned Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia nyansae, Karasuk Hills, western Kenya.
All antelope species in northern Kenya are threatened to some extent by competition with livestock for food and water, habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation, and poaching. In northwestern Kenya, most, if not all, are to some extent negatively affected by the invasion of woody plants, particularly Mesquite Neltuma juliflora and False Umbrella Thorn Acacia reficiens. There are now large areas of monotypic ‘Mesquite woodlands’. While these two invasives provide some browse and shade for several species of antelope (e.g., Impala Aepyceros melampus, Smith’s Dik-Dik, Bright’s Gazelle Nanger notata, Lesser Kudu Tragelaphus imberbis, Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, Gerenuk Litocranius walleri), particularly during droughts, it seems unlikely that they, in balance, they benefit from these species. Invaded habitats are unlikely to support the same antelope diversity and abundance as intact native habitats.
Mesquite Neltuma juliflora forest on the Lotikipi Plains, northwestern Kenya.
Most of northwestern Kenya is too arid for large-scale agriculture or even large-scale ranching. It appears that the most threatened antelope species in northwestern Kenya at this time are Tiang Damaliscus lunatus tiang, Defassa Waterbuck Kobus defassa, Mountain Reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula, Impala, Oribi Ourebia ourebi, followed by Beisa Oryx Oryx beisa, Common Eland Taurotragus oryx, and Kirk’s Dik-Dik Madoqua kirkii. Kirk’s Dik-Dik is presumed to be present in the southern part of northwestern Kenya. Both species of Dik-Dik are relatively adaptable to human-caused habitat changes. To some extent, livestock grazing and browsing might favor them.
Smith’s Dik-Dik Madoqua (guentheri) smithii, Nalapathu, Turkana County. The adult male is the individual with the raised crest.
Man-made perennial water sources (dams and boreholes) provide water to antelopes and other wildlife in some parts of northwestern Kenya. These are, however, typically unavailable to wildlife as they are fenced and/or occupied by people, livestock, and dogs. Although the vegetation in and around settlements is typically severely degraded by livestock and people, the human population in the region is relatively small and there are few roads. The natural habitats of large parts of northwestern Kenya are, therefore, little affected by livestock or people due to the scarcity of perennial sources of water.
North of Lokichokio, Turkana Country, northwestern Kenya.
Forty-nine mammals species, other than antelopes, were encountered during Phase Three, seven of which are ‘threatened with extinction’ according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. During Phase Three we found one new primate species for Kenya, Budgett’s Tantalus Monkey Chlorocebus tantalus budgetti, and collected additional records for a phenotypic cline for Baboons Papio in central Kenya. We also obtained elevational range extensions, geographic range extensions, and natural history data for Somali Lesser Galago Galago gallarum, Senegal Lesser Galago Galago senegalensis senegalensis, and for several bird species. Most notably, we encountered the River Prinia Prinia fluviatilis at two sites on the Lotikipi Plains of extreme northwestern Kenya and once in the Elemi Triangle. These encounters extended the known geographic range of this species to 140 km to the northeast.
River Prinia Prinia fluviatilis in Mesquite Prosopis juliflora, Lotikipi Plains, northwestern Kenya.
Eventually, all 12 of the antelope species range maps presented in this report, and some non-antelope species maps, will be further updated based on: (1) geographic range extensions found during this survey, (2) application of soil and vegetation shapefiles that identify areas of unsuitable habitat, and (3) locality data from the databases that we have compiled over the past 25 years.
Adult male baboon with phenotypic traits both of Olive Baboon Papio anubis and Ibean Yellow Baboon Papio cynocephalus ibeanus, northeast Barata, central Kenya.
Tags: antelope, conservation, horn of africa, Kenya, Primate, River prinia