We are working with animal owners in Kenya to prepare for the strongest El Niño weather patterns in over 15 years.
We are pleased that the Kenya County Government and partnership groups are keen to work with us on this preparedness plan so as to avoid a repeat of the devastating impact of the 1997 El Niño floods.
It is predicted that Kenya will be impacted by the El Niño weather phenomenon in the coming months. To help mitigate the impact, our disaster response team has implemented a preparedness plan with country officials and the University of Nairobi to ensure they do not experience a repeat of the tragic 1997 El Niño floods.
This year’s El Niño is expected to have the worst impact in over 15 years. We want to be sure that Kenya is as prepared as possible to limit the potential impact that the predicted floods and landslides will have on Kenyan animals and their owners. But Kenya is not the only country that will feel the effects of El Niño. We are already working to help llamas and alpacas that have been affected by the cold wave in Peru.
Phases one and two of our disaster preparedness plan have been implemented
This past month, we joined with the Directorate of Veterinary Services, the County Government of Baringo and the University of Nairobi to implement our prepardness programme in Baringo County, Kenya.
Agriculture is one of the most prominent economic activities in the country and animals play a huge part of that. Floods that reach farms can drown or injured animals leaving them distressed vulnerable to disease.
We are pleased that the County Government and partnership groups are keen to work with us on this preparedness plan in the hope of avoiding a repeat of the devastating impact of the 1997 El Niño floods.
Hundreds of thousands of animals have already been reached
Actions of the two phases included:
Immediate vaccinations for animals against Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and rabies
Veterinary care and immunity building through vitamins, deworming, and treatment
Flood preparedness awareness training for extension officers and county officials to pass messages to farmers
Preparedness and survival tips shared through radio, television campaigns and on the streets
268,968 animals were reached under these two phases and, we are on call and ready to do response work to help animals when floods hit.
Help us to continue to prepare for the El Niño impact globally
It’s not just Kenya’s animals that need our help; this El Niño has the potential to impact countries on a global scale. Please consider making a donation to help our efforts.
Go to our Animals in disasters page to find out more about the disaster management work we do and how you can help.
Today Oxford University have published a study concluding that at least 4 million tourists who visit tourist attractions involving wildlife are likely to be...
