The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has dismissed recent social media claims suggesting that the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is blocking wildebeest migration routes.
The agency stated that the camp is located in a low-use tourism zone, as outlined in the 2023–2032 Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan.
KWS highlighted that the wildebeest migration is a major natural phenomenon, recognized globally by the World Book of Records and the World Tourism Market for its scale and contribution to Kenya’s tourism sector.
The government has continued to prioritize the protection of wildlife corridors, with initiatives such as the Nairobi National Park–Athi-Kapiti wildlife corridor demonstrating Kenya’s long-term commitment to conservation.
The agency referenced over 20 years of GPS tracking data from more than 60 collared wildebeest, showing that migrating herds use the entire width of the Kenya–Tanzania border within the reserve. Each GPS fix represented groups of between 2,000 and 100,000 animals.
The data confirmed that there is no single preferred migration route, and that the location of the Ritz-Carlton camp does not impede wildlife movement.
KWS also pointed out that historical images and claims circulating online date back to 2018 and 2020 and lack proper context.
Similar tourism facilities along the Sand River, including five permanent and two seasonal camps, have not previously attracted such concerns, indicating that tourism infrastructure can coexist with wildlife corridors when properly planned.
According to KWS, all environmental and regulatory standards were met before the establishment of the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp.
The agency stressed that every tourism investment in protected areas undergoes rigorous assessment to ensure alignment with conservation priorities.
“KWS remains dedicated to maintaining the integrity of migratory wildlife corridors and ensuring the survival of these iconic species for future generations,” the agency said, urging Kenyans to rely on verified sources and avoid spreading misinformation.