The International Dimension of the Politics of Wildlife Conservation in Kenya, 1958–1968

Abstract

The period 1958–1968 was an important turning point for wildlife conservation in Africa. Having been dominated by preservationist ideas since its inception at the beginning of the colonial era in the late nineteenth century, wildlife conservation in Africa became an important focus for the ideas of rational use propagated by a resurgent international conservationist lobby since the late 1940s. This endeavour entailed convincing the hitherto marginalized African communities, which were starting to attain political independence from the late 1950s, that wildlife conservation was not only key to future prosperity but could be integrated into other socio-economic activities. Consequently, a variety of programmes were initiated with a view to making wildlife conservation amenable to African communities. These efforts, which culminated in the signing of the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources by the Organization of African Unity in 1968, led to the establishment of a number of community conservation projects in Kenya whose legacy persists to date. This paper highlights the factors that renewed international concern for wildlife conservation in Africa from the late 1950s and assesses the impact of the new ideas on the conservation programme in Kenya. The paper argues that local factors were significant in the evolution of the ideas that have come to dominate wildlife conservation in Africa.