An interview with Dickson Ntika, Naboisho Landowner & Conservancy Manager.
For many visitors to Kenya or Africa, wilderness begins where people and livestock disappear. In Naboisho, that perception meets a much older truth. The Greater Maasai Mara is a pastoralist landscape, shaped over generations by Maasai communities whose lives, culture, and economy have long been tied to livestock and movement across the land. Grazing is not something newly introduced into an otherwise untouched system. It is part of the place’s history. What the Naboisho model does is bring that reality back into conservation, not as a compromise, but as part of the logic of sustainability. Yet once tourism enters the picture, the balance becomes more complex. Wildlife, livestock, and tourism are all asked to share one landscape, while tourism often still leans on an idea of wilderness that is more comfortable with people and cattle kept just out of sight.
The reflections below are drawn from a recorded interview with Dickson Ntika, speaking from the dual perspective of landowner and conservancy manager.
What does coexistence between wildlife and livestock really look like here?
Wildlife and livestock can coexist very well when numbers are balanced and the land is properly managed. That is not new to this landscape. Pastoralist communities have lived with livestock and wildlife side by side for generations. In Naboisho, both livestock numbers and wildlife numbers have increased since the conservancy began, showing that coexistence is not a contradiction in itself. In some areas, wildlife concentrations are even higher where grazing is managed and allowed than in places where grass is left long for extended periods. The key is not exclusion, but prudent management.
Why does landowner participation matter to the success of conservation here?
Conservation is strongest when the people who own the land are part of shaping it. Landowners have made real sacrifices by setting land aside for conservation, and that must be matched by a real voice in how the conservancy works. That means participation in governance, in decision making, and in practical systems such as grazing management. In Naboisho, landowners are not outside the model. They are a key part of it. That makes conservation more grounded and more likely to succeed over time.
What do visitors often misunderstand about the role of livestock in this ecosystem?
A common misconception is that a healthy ecosystem must be empty of people and livestock. But the Greater Mara is not complete without people, and it is not complete without livestock either. This landscape has long been shaped by both. The real issue is not whether livestock is present, but whether the land is managed in a way that protects ecological function. Managed grazing is part of that work. It protects grass, supports habitat, and also helps reduce friction with tourism by guiding where and when cattle is present, so that grazing does not dominate the visitor experience. The deeper tension is not only ecological, but perceptual: tourism often relies on an idea of wilderness that is more comfortable with visiting pastoralist life than encountering it on the landscape itself. What is often called wilderness here is, in reality, a lived and managed landscape.
What does a thriving Naboisho mean to you, both as a landowner and as a manager?
A thriving Naboisho means three things working together: conservation, community livelihood, and tourism. Conservation success can be seen in the rise of wildlife numbers. Behind me, you can see a herd of about 800 buffalo. When we started, there were only eight on this landscape. Community impact, on the other hand, can be seen in better household income, access to grazing, and stronger livestock holdings. Tourism is the third pillar: from having no tourism facilities at the start, the conservancy has grown to multiple camps and a defined bed capacity. None of these should be looked at in isolation. The model works when wildlife is protected, communities benefit, and tourism remains strong enough to sustain the wider system.
Where does the pressure build first in difficult seasons, and how is it managed?
Pressure builds first around grass. Livestock numbers are high, wildlife numbers are high, and the weather is increasingly unpredictable. During the dry season, this creates real competition for pasture, especially where some parts of the conservancy are rested from grazing for much of the year so that grass remains available for wildlife. That pressure must be managed carefully and management means education, explaining why certain areas must be held back and helping people move to better pasture where possible. It also means managing grazing carefully across the conservancy as a whole, including in relation to tourism, where visibility, timing, and movement all matter.
What changes have you seen on the land?
The land is changing, especially outside the conservancy. There is more development, more fencing, more homesteads, more degraded land, and more pressure on wildlife corridors. Population growth is reshaping the wider landscape. Inside the conservancy, however, proper management shows what is possible. In rehabilitated areas, grass diversity has returned strongly, with far more species present where concentrated restoration and careful management have taken place. That contrast matters. It shows that while pressure on the land is increasing, good management can restore ecological health and bring life back.
Closing reflection
Naboisho shows that coexistence is not simply about allowing wildlife and livestock onto the same land. It is about managing a landscape where ecology, livelihood, culture, and tourism all press on one another at once. That is what makes the model demanding, but also significant. The question is not whether the land can hold all three, but whether people are willing to recognise the value of this model and, as the name Naboisho suggests in Maa, come together to create a sustainable future.
