KWS Dismisses Claims Ritz-Carlton Camp Is Blocking Wildebeest Migration

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has moved to quell a wave of public concern following widespread social media allegations that the newly established Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is obstructing the famed wildebeest migration.

In a statement released on Thursday, KWS clarified that the camp sits within a designated low-use tourism zone, as stipulated in the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan (2023–2032). The zoning, the agency said, was informed by extensive scientific and ecological studies undertaken jointly by national and county authorities.

According to KWS, more than two decades of GPS tracking data from collared wildebeest—spanning 1999 to 2022—confirm that the animals move freely across the entire 68-kilometre stretch of the Kenya–Tanzania border inside the Reserve, without relying on a single fixed crossing point.

The agency further noted that the Mara, Talek, and Sand Rivers have hosted numerous lodges and camps for decades, yet wildlife has continued to cross these areas uninterrupted. The Ritz-Carlton site, KWS emphasized, is not located on any migration route and presents no barrier to animal movement.

KWS also cautioned the public about misleading images circulating online, many of which stem from unrelated or outdated incidents in 2018 and 2020. The agency urged Kenyans to rely on verified information rather than unsubstantiated social media posts.

Reaffirming its commitment to conservation, KWS stated that all necessary environmental and regulatory approvals were granted only after the camp met stringent ecological requirements. The agency reiterated that protecting wildlife corridors and safeguarding the iconic wildebeest migration remain top priorities.

The Maasai Mara, host to one of the world’s most spectacular natural events, continues to attract global attention—and scrutiny—as development and conservation interests intersect.