By Amin Kef Sesay
As Head of delegation, Dr. Memunatu Pratt, Minister of Tourism and a team of officials from the Ministry of Environment, the National Tourist Board, National Protected Area Authority and Conservation Society Sierra Leone are on a study visit in Kenya on wildlife tourism commencing on the 1st February, 2022.
The initiative was borne out of President Bio’s desire for Sierra Leone to have its own wildlife safari by relocating exotic wildlife species from Kenya to Sierra Leone. The study tour aimed at using the Kenya experience in wildlife tourism and sanctuary management as a benchmark for the establishment and management of wildlife safari in Sierra Leone.
The study tour started with a courtesy visit on the Principal Secretary, State Department and Wildlife, Prof. H.K. Segor who welcomed the Minister and her team to Kenya and assured them of his and the Kenyan Government support in making the tour a success. The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife in Kenya briefed the delegation on the study tour.
The Minister and team visited the office of Kenya Wildlife Services where the Deputy Director of Parks and Reserves did presentations on wildlife conservation and management, conservation challenges and mitigation, tourism development and management, community conservation, wildlife population trends and stakeholder involvement in conservation. The Principal Research Scientist of Kenya Wildlife Services, Barnard Ngonu also did a presentation on the Roles of Research on wildlife Conservation and Management.
Dr. Memunatu Pratt and team will visit National Parks in Kenya as part of the study tour for which two air transport have been provided by the Kenya Wildlife Service to the Sierra Leone delegation to tour important parks in Kenya.
