Kenya Wildlife Trust

What Kenya Wildlife Trust does

Kenya Wildlife Trust (KWT) is a Nairobi-headquartered nonprofit conservation organization founded in 2007, dedicated to science-driven predator conservation across three of Kenya's most important ecosystems: Greater Mara, Samburu-Laikipia, and Amboseli-Tsavo. Its core programmatic portfolio comprises the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP) — the flagship field-monitoring initiative using GPS-collared lions and Spatially-Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) methodology — alongside the National Lion & Predator Survey (the first rigorous African national lion census, executed in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service and 20 partner organizations), the One Mara Research Hub for stakeholder coordination, the Conservation Leadership Program (a rebranded scholarship-to-degree pipeline for Kenyan youth), and a Grassroots Grant-Making programme funding community organizations in predator landscapes. Supplementary offerings include the Ole Peenko children's book series, the Kericho Gold Conservation Range retail tea partnership, and the Ufugaji Hifadhi smartphone platform connecting livestock farmers to value chains.

KWT's revenue model is donation-dependent, comprising three streams: (i) individual and corporate donations routed through JustGiving (UK), Empowers Africa (US 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor), and Pesapal (global); (ii) institutional grants from conservation foundations including the Lion Recovery Fund, National Geographic Society, Liz Claiborne Art Ortenberg Foundation, WWF-Kenya, African Wildlife Foundation, ICEA Lion Insurance Group, Disney Conservation Fund, and the Siemiatkowski Foundation; and (iii) affiliate-referral revenue from a percentage of Kericho Gold Conservation Range tea sales at Chandarana Foodplus and Quickmart supermarkets. The organization operates a UK-registered charity subsidiary (KWT-UK, No 1162781) and closed its US entity (FoKWT-US) in 2019. KWT has no AI/ML or software-product offering; its underlying technology is statistical-ecological (SECR) and field-data-collection oriented. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kenya Wildlife Trust

Legal name

Kenya Wildlife Trust

Website

https://kenyawildlifetrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kenya Wildlife Trust is a Nairobi-based nonprofit founded in 2007 that uses SECR scientific methodology, GPS collaring, and community partnerships to conserve lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs across Kenya's Greater Mara, Samburu-Laikipia, and Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystems, funded by institutional grants and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Predator conservation
• Wildlife research
• Community conservation
• Conservation grants
• Conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate donations, and fundraising campaign contributions from global donors. UK donors use JustGiving platform; US donors use Empowers Africa fiscal sponsor; global donors can use Pesapal online donations.
2. Foundation and Institutional Grants: Funding from conservation foundations including Lion Recovery Fund, Liz Claiborne Art Ortenberg Foundation, National Geographic Society, WWF-Kenya, African Wildlife Foundation, ICEA Lion Insurance Group, Siemiatkowski Foundation, Disney Conservation Fund.
3. Product Partnership Revenue: Percentage of sales from Kericho Gold Conservation Range tea products donated to KWT to support conservation efforts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kenya Wildlife Trust is a non-profit conservation organization that conducts long-term scientific research on large predators (lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs) and delivers integrated conservation programs across the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Laikipia-Samburu ecosystems in Kenya. Its offering combines field research, predator population surveys, community engagement and scholarships, conservation grantmaking to grassroots initiatives, and predator-friendly livelihood programs such as predator-proof bomas.

Product overview

Kenya Wildlife Trust operates as a not-for-profit conservation organisation offering multiple interconnected programmes focused on predator conservation in Kenya. The core offerings include the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP) for field research and monitoring, the National Lion & Predator Survey for population assessment, the One Mara Research Hub for stakeholder coordination, the Conservation Leadership Program for youth education scholarships, and Grassroots Grant Making for community organisations. Additional offerings include the Ole Peenko children's book series for conservation education, the Kericho Gold Conservation Range tea product partnership, and the Ufugaji Hifadhi smartphone platform for farmer connectivity. The Trust's work spans three key ecosystems: Greater Mara, Samburu-Laikipia, and Amboseli-Tsavo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP): KWT's flagship programme focused on long-term monitoring and conservation of predators in the Greater Mara Ecosystem using science-based approaches including Spatially-Explicit Capture-Recapture methods.
• Conservation Leadership Program
• National Lion & Predator Survey

Products and services

• Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 50%+ decline in predator populations reversed through conservation interventions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Kericho GoldcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2023Partnership to launch Conservation Range tea products (Black, Green, Decaffeinated). Percentage of sales donated to KWT to support predator conservation, community empowerment, and education. Eco-friendly biodegradable packaging.
• Great Plains FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Committed to creating bright future for endangered wildlife, fragile ecosystems, and remote communities. Partner for Conservation Leadership Program.
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency for wildlife in Kenya; collaborated with KWT on National Lion & Predator Survey. KWS adopted SECR methodology developed by KWT as standardized framework for national surveys.
• Kenya Wildlife Trust UK (KWT-UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered charity in England and Wales No 1162781. Supports KWT projects in UK, facilitates donations via JustGiving, and provides Gift Aid (25% additional value) for UK taxpayers.
• Empowers AfricacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUS public charity under IRC Section 501(c)(3) that processes US donations for KWT. Provides tax-deductible donation processing, wire transfers, stock donations, and check collection services.
• WWF-KenyamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided survey equipment and funding for sightings-based surveys in Southern Kenya. Technical team participation.
• WildCRU, University of OxfordmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical team consultant Nic Elliot, PhD from WildCRU contributed to National Lion Survey methodology and implementation.
• Wildlife Conservation SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical team member Arjun Gopalaswamy, PhD from Wildlife Conservation Society contributed to survey methodology.
• Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKWT's flagship program in Greater Mara Ecosystem combining natural and social sciences to monitor and conserve predators. Implements 'Collars for Conservation' initiative with GPS collars.
• Communities Health Africa Trust (CHAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth organization using backpack strategy with Population, Health, and Environment approach. KWT provided grant for extension to Amboseli in 2020. Focus on family planning and ecological awareness.
• Lion GuardiansmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-driven conservation organization working in Amboseli ecosystem on lion conservation. Collaborates on National Lion Survey and local conservation efforts.
• Ewaso LionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization working in Samburu ecosystem on predator conservation. Listed as partner organization in KWT's ecosystem approach.
• Kitirua ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservancy in Amboseli ecosystem. Listed as partner organization in KWT's ecosystem approach.
• One Mara Research HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative to drive 'collective impact' among key network of stakeholders in Greater Mara ecosystem. Aims to create efficiencies, core strategies, and models for sharing and using information for policy-level change.
• Wildlife Research Training Institute (WRTI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment institution in Naivasha offering conservation-related diploma courses. CLP beneficiaries study here; green projects implemented in partnership with WRTI.
• The Africa Conservancy FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by Michael Wamithi, new Board Chair of KWT. Over 35 years of conservation experience including leadership at KWS and IFAW.
• JustGivingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline fundraising platform used by KWT-UK for processing donations including Cheetah Patrol Vehicle Project and general KWT donations.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mara Predator Conservation Programme: KWT's flagship partner program in Greater Mara combining natural and social sciences for predator monitoring. Operates as the on-the-ground science counterpart to KWT's coordination role with substantial overlap in staff and methodology.
• Ewaso Lions: Kenyan NGO focused on lion and large carnivore conservation in the Samburu ecosystem. Directly comparable as a community-based, science-driven predator conservation organization operating in one of KWT's three core ecosystems.
• Lion Guardians: Community-driven lion conservation organization working in the Amboseli ecosystem alongside KWT. Both organizations operate Maasai-partnership models for predator monitoring and conflict mitigation in overlapping Kenyan geographies.
• Panthera: Global wild cat conservation organization with significant African predator programs including lions and cheetahs. Directly comparable in science-driven approach to large carnivore conservation and technical staff deployment in field sites.
• Big Life Foundation: Predator and habitat conservation NGO covering the Amboseli-Tsavo and Greater Mara ecosystems in Kenya. Comparable community-based ranger and conservation model with overlapping donor base and ecosystem footprint.

Broad incumbents

• African Wildlife Foundation: Larger pan-African conservation organization funding wildlife protection and habitat across the continent including KWT's Tsavo survey work. Operates broader portfolio but shares Kenyan ecosystem priorities and overlapping foundation funder relationships.
• WWF-Kenya: Kenyan country office of a global conservation NGO and listed KWT partner. Overlaps on Southern Kenya sightings-based surveys and shared foundation funding streams, but operates much broader portfolio across species and habitats.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global conservation organization whose technical staff member (Arjun Gopalaswamy) directly contributed to KWT's National Lion Survey methodology. Comparable large-scale wildlife monitoring and policy work with overlapping scientific personnel.

Regional players

• Grevy's Zebra Trust: Kenyan community-based conservation NGO protecting endangered species in northern Kenya including Samburu-Laikipia. Comparable nonprofit model focused on a single country's endangered wildlife with community partnership approach.
• Save the Elephants: Kenyan-based elephant and ecosystem conservation organization with overlapping GPS-collaring technology and GPS tracking research methodology. Comparable specialist research NGO operating in similar Kenyan ecosystems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KenyaWildTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1gZNbg80DmnZst_gvDqXVw
• Facebookfacebook.com/KenyaWildlifeTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/kenyawildlifetrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kenya-wildlife-trust

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kenya Wildlife Trust