Kenya Wildlife Service Partners with Archipelagus to Strengthen Management of Sibiloi and Central Island National Parks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Strategic partnership will support implementation of the Lake Turkana National Parks Management Plan (2026–2036) and advance restoration of one of the world's most significant natural and cultural landscapes.
NAIROBI, KENYA (August 29, 2026) — The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) today announced a strategic partnership with Archipelagus to support the management of Sibiloi National Park and Central Island National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Lake Turkana National Parks. The collaboration marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the Lake Turkana National Parks Management Plan (2026–2036) and demonstrates KWS's commitment to strengthening protected area management through strategic conservation partnerships.
The Kenya Wildlife Service Director General, Prof. Erustus Kanga, said the partnership reflects KWS's commitment to safeguarding one of the world's most important natural and cultural landscapes through collaborative conservation.
"The Lake Turkana National Parks represent one of the world's most significant natural and cultural landscapes, with immense ecological, archaeological and heritage value. Through this partnership with Archipelagus, Kenya Wildlife Service is bringing together the expertise, resources and commitment needed to restore and secure this globally important ecosystem. It demonstrates our belief that strategic partnerships are essential in delivering effective, long-term conservation outcomes for present and future generations," said Prof. Kanga.
Archipelagus will now join KWS, the Turkana Basin Institute, the National Museums of Kenya, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, the Kenya Fisheries Service, the South Island Trust, Community Land Management Committees, and the county governments of Marsabit and Turkana in implementing the revised ten-year management plan for Lake Turkana National Parks.
An exciting opportunity for Archipelagus to work alongside such an incredible group of partners to help secure the future of this globally significant landscape.
Sibiloi stretches for roughly 100 kilometers along the eastern shore of Lake Turkana and, together with Central Island and South Island to the south, forms the Lake Turkana National Parks, a protected system spanning more than 6,000 square kilometers of parks and community-managed rangelands. The park is home to the Koobi Fora Formation, where three generations of the Leakey family have uncovered some of the most consequential discoveries in the story of human evolution, work that continues today through the Turkana Basin Institute and the National Museums of Kenya.
The wider basin is home to the Gabra, Daasanach, Turkana and El Molo communities, who have herded livestock and fished the shores of Lake Turkana for generations. The parks also support remarkable biodiversity, including some of Africa's oldest Nile crocodiles and Kenya's only population of tiang, a rare antelope found in the northern grasslands.
A Unique Opportunity
The Lake Turkana National Parks' World Heritage status is currently classified as "In Danger." Unregulated fishing has damaged breeding grounds, grasslands have degraded to the point where they no longer adequately support endemic wildlife, and increasing pressure on natural resources has heightened tensions among neighbouring communities. Despite these challenges, the ecological foundations remain intact, presenting a rare opportunity for restoration across this unique terrestrial and aquatic landscape.
The Work Ahead
Archipelagus Executive Director Edd Brooks stated "KWS brings deep institutional experience and a clear mandate to the Lake Turkana National Parks. Our work together will follow a phased strategy: first we will anchor foundations through security, governance and operational capacity; then we will strengthen land tenure, resolve resource conflicts and create economic opportunities; and ultimately build towards ecosystem restoration, wildlife reintroductions and a sustainable conservation economy."
Early priorities include establishing a new Sibiloi headquarters, a joint operations centre, additional vehicles, and a network of ranger outposts across Sibiloi and Central Island linked through real-time monitoring systems. The partnership will also support cross-community dialogue on water, grazing and security, alongside governance support for Community Land Management Committees that steward the rangelands surrounding the parks.
Over the longer term, the protection and restoration of Sibiloi's grasslands will lay the foundation for the phased return of reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, plains zebra and Somali ostrich, with black rhino reintroduction forming part of the long-term conservation vision. Conservation employment opportunities including rangers, community scouts and ecological monitors will provide local communities with a direct stake in the landscape's recovery, complemented by improved water access, community-led fisheries management and the development of carefully managed nature-based tourism.
Prof. Kanga said the implementation of the revised management plan signals a renewed commitment to restoring one of Kenya's most iconic conservation landscapes while improving the well-being of neighboring communities.
"This partnership is about securing the future of a globally important World Heritage Site through science, strong governance and inclusive conservation. By working alongside local communities, research institutions, county governments and conservation partners, we are laying the foundation for resilient ecosystems, sustainable livelihoods and a thriving conservation economy. We are confident that the restoration of the Lake Turkana National Parks will become a model for collaborative protected area management in Kenya and across Africa," he said.
About Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is the State Corporation established under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, and mandated to conserve and manage Kenya's wildlife and its habitats. The Service manages national parks and reserves, protects wildlife resources, undertakes research, enforces wildlife laws, advises Government on wildlife conservation policy, and works closely with communities, conservation partners and landowners to promote biodiversity conservation and peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.
About Archipelagus
Archipelagus is a non-profit organisation working across East Africa at the intersection of science, community leadership and conservation. Its work is founded on the belief that the people closest to conservation challenges possess the knowledge, commitment and long-term interest necessary to develop lasting solutions.
The organization focuses on ecologically significant but under-protected landscapes, partnering with Indigenous communities to strengthen land tenure, reduce resource conflicts and create sustainable economic opportunities. Through long-term investment, institutional support and evidence-based conservation approaches, Archipelagus seeks to ensure that both communities and ecosystems thrive together. For more information, visit https://archipelagus.ke.
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