How Many Wildebeest do You Need?

The catastrophic decline of wildlife in Kenya—some 60% over the last 30 years—finally galvanised the government into a review of wildlife policy. But what should have been a sober discussion of market failures, institutional failures, policy failures and conservation failures was hijacked by the international animal welfare lobby and degenerated into a sterile shouting match about the reintroduction of consumptive utilisation and sport hunting. The resulting Wildlife Act, by pandering to the welfare lobby, removes all remaining incentives for communities and landowners to keep wildlife on their land.