National Park and Game Reserve
A national park is a wildlife protection area controlled directly by the national government through the Kenya wildlife service. In national parks people are not allowed to settle.
A game reserve is a wildlife protection area managed by the local county government. In game reserves, people are allowed to live and graze their cattle.
Locating National Parks and Game reserves in Kenya (map)
Importance of wildlife in our country
Wildlife is an important natural resource in Kenya. The following are
some reasons why wildlife is important:
➔ It is a major tourist attraction in Kenya. National parks and game reserves have rare kinds of animals which tourists pay to see. The government gets revenue from the tourists.
➔ It creates job opportunities for many people. Some people are employed to work in national parks and game reserves others are employed as tour guides or workers in hotels.
➔ It helps us to make good use of unproductive lands. Game parks and reserves are located in areas which cannot support domestic animals and crops.
➔ Some wild animals are eaten as food. This happens when the population of wild animals is high. E.g. gazelles, crocodiles, giraffes, zebras and impalas.
➔ It promotes cultural exchange. When tourists interact with Kenyans, they exchange ideas, beliefs and cultural values and practices.
➔ It is a national heritage and it contributes to the beauty of the land.
➔ It promotes development of transport and communication facilities in Kenya. Roads leading to game parks and reserves have been improved.
➔ Some wild animals have medicinal value and are used in the manufacture of medicine.
Tourists attractions in Kenya
A tourist is someone who travels to various places for leisure or
enjoyment.
Tourism is the practice of offering services to tourists with the
intention of making money.
Tourist attractions are things that tourists come to see or the
places they visit.
The main tourist attractions in Kenya are:
A. Wildlife- this is the main tourist attraction. Tourists come to see
animals such as the big five and flamingos in Lake Nakuru.
B. Historic built environments - such as Fort Jesus, Gedi Ruins and
the Nairobi National Museum.
C. Sandy coastal beaches- tourists visit the beaches to relax and
sunbathe.
D. Culture- Kenya has varied and unique cultures. These include,
dances, artefacts, ways of dressing and shelters.
E. Warm climate - Kenya experiences a warm climate most of the
year. This attracts tourists when it is cold in their countries.
F. Sports - some sports such as mountain climbing, sport fishing.
and motor vehicle rallies attract tourists.
G. Conference facilities - Kenya has modern conference facilities such as Kenya International Conventional Centre (KICC), UNEP headquarters and several five-star hotels.
H. Beautiful scenery - this includes the Great Rift valley, the hot water springs at Olkaria and the snow peaks of Mount Kenya
Contribution of Tourism to the economy of Kenya
Tourism contributes to the economy of Kenya in the following ways:
It is a source of foreign exchange
It creates employment for Kenyan
Tourists bring new ideas when they visit our country
Hotels where tourists stay promote the growth of agriculture in those areas.
They create a market for crops grown by farmers.
It leads to growth of urban centers. For example, Narok town has grown due to the presence of Maasai Mara Game reserve.
It provides a market for locally made items such as baskets and ornaments.
Ways of promoting tourism in Kenya
Ensuring safety and security of tourists.
Constructing electric fences around game parks and reserves to prevent human wildlife conflicts.
Conserving all the natural forests and planting more trees to sustain the wild animals.
Establishing anti-poaching units in all game parks and game reserves.
Charging affordable fees at all tourist attractions.
Building modern hotels and lodges for tourists.
Ensuring that roads to tourist attraction sites are well maintained.
Comments