Imagine waking up every morning to a cool breeze off the lake, birds chirping and the sun painting the sky with different colours as it rises above the horizon.

This must be what the people of Nakuru living in Lakeview, Flamingo, Mwariki, Manyani, Kwa Murogi in Free area and Pipeline's Mzee Wanyama Estates must have imagined.

Since the estates border Lake Nakuru National Park.

Little did they know that living in such a tranquil environment would later turn into a constant battle between them and the wild animals that live in the national park.

Baboons and monkeys have wreaked havoc on people living near the national park, leading to human-wildlife conflicts.

The baboons are notorious for destroying crops, stealing food from unattended kitchens and sometimes even killing domestic animals such as chickens.

But as the proverbial saying goes, "if you can't beat them, join them", locals have come to terms with living with the notorious baboons.

A spot check by Mtaa Wangu on some of the estates bordering Lake Nakuru National Park reveals a number of measures that locals have taken to try and live in harmony with the unwanted guests.

At Lakeview Estate, Hudson Mwangi has found a way to live peacefully with the baboons after struggling for more than 10 years.

Mwangi, who grows maize on his piece of land, has decided to turn the maize into animal feed. In this way, he plants maize and rather than wait for it to mature he uses it as animal feed. Baboons usually wait for the maize to mature to feed on the cobs.

"I have decided to farm somewhere else than here, so that whatever I plant is for my animals. Before, I would suffer huge losses because of the damage caused by the baboons," said Mr Mwangi.

He says this is one way of ensuring that there is no conflict between him and the baboons.

Jane*, a student living in Manyani Estate, always makes sure that all her kitchen windows and doors are closed, day and night.

She says this is the only way to keep the baboons from scavenging for food in her kitchen, as they used to do.

"Here you just have to be disciplined and make sure that the windows are always closed when you leave the house, otherwise the 'unwanted visitors' will find their way in and eat all the leftover food," said Jane.

In Kivumbini estate, Chris Kivunaga relies on the help of his three dogs to chase away baboons and monkeys.

His dogs usually have a unique way of barking when baboons try to enter his compound. He then goes out and helps chase the animals away.

For school going children, parents have no choice but to accompany them to the various schools to avert any attack by the hungry baboons.

Women on the estates have also developed a habit of not carrying fruit such as mangoes or bananas, as the primates are always looking for food to snatch from people.
"We advise women and children not to carry fruit in their hands because it attracts the baboons," says Chris Kivunaga.

With these measures in place, the people whose land borders the national park have been able to coexist with the wildlife without conflict.

Under the Kenya Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013, baboons and monkeys are classified as primates and no compensation is paid for losses caused by the animals.
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How Nakuru residents have found ways to co-exist with notorious baboons

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Pristone Mambili