Understanding How Infrastructure
Impacts Giraffe Movements

The Athi–Kapiti Plains are an important wildlife landscape connecting Nairobi National Park with surrounding rangelands and the greater Amboseli ecosystem. For generations, giraffes and other wildlife have moved across this landscape in search of food, water, and safe places to live. Today, however, roads, railways, settlements, and other developments are increasingly dividing these important habitats.

One major development is Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which crosses the Athi–Kapiti landscape. To help wildlife continue moving between habitats, a wildlife underpass was incorporated into the railway at Lukenya. But an important question remained: would giraffes actually use it?

Save Giraffes Now and its partners have documented giraffes using the underpass to move safely beneath the railway, confirming that the crossing provides an important connection between habitats. The underpass is also used by other wildlife, including plains zebra and spotted hyena, demonstrating its importance as a shared pathway for wildlife.

The research also showed that giraffes have adapted how they use the crossing. More than 90% of crossings occurred at night, with most activity around midnight, when human activity was much lower. Giraffes also crossed more frequently shortly after trains had passed, suggesting they adjust their movements around railway traffic.

Importantly, the area surrounding the underpass contains particularly good giraffe habitat, with taller vegetation, more available browse, and higher vegetation productivity than areas farther away. This suggests that the success of a wildlife crossing depends not only on the structure itself, but also on protecting the habitat around it.

These findings demonstrate that well-designed infrastructure can help giraffes continue moving through landscapes increasingly affected by human development. By combining wildlife crossings with protection of surrounding habitat, we can help ensure that giraffes and other wildlife remain connected to the resources and landscapes they need to survive.