Maasai Mara drama: KWS responds to accusations against Ritz-Carlton Camp

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has moved to dismiss widespread social media claims alleging that the new Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp is obstructing the world-famous wildebeest migration within the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

In a statement issued on Thursday, 27th November 2025, KWS said it was concerned by misleading posts suggesting the luxury camp was blocking river crossings used by migrating herds. 

The agency insisted that the camp is legally located and does not interfere with any migration route.

KWS reaffirmed that the wildebeest migration remains intact, calling the annual spectacle a globally celebrated natural wonder recently recognised by the World Book of Records (UK) and the World Tourism Market (London) as the greatest terrestrial wildlife migration on the planet.

Camp Located in Approved Low-Use Tourism Zone

KWS clarified that the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp sits within a designated tourism investment low-use zone approved under the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan (2023–2032).

According to the agency, all zoning decisions were based on scientific assessments, ecological sensitivity studies and spatial planning frameworks developed jointly by national and county governments.

Migration Corridors ‘Scientifically Verified’

KWS emphasised that more than 20 years of migration data strongly disproves claims of obstruction. GPS collar tracking from at least 60 collared wildebeest between 1999 and 2022 shows that:

Wildebeest use the entire width of the Kenya–Tanzania border within the reserve, not a single corridor.
Individual GPS tracks represent herds of between 2,000 and 100,000 animals.

The Mara, Talek and Sand rivers, where lodges have operated for years, have historically recorded seamless wildlife crossings.

The statement noted that five permanent safari camps and two seasonal camps already operate along the Sand River without any history of blocking migrating wildlife.

Old Photos and Misleading Narratives Circulating Online

KWS warned that many of the viral images and videos fuelling the controversy are outdated or taken out of context. Some, the agency said, relate to issues resolved as far back as 2018 and 2020 and may also reflect competing commercial interests within the tourism industry.

Members of the public were urged to rely on verified information to avoid spreading misleading claims about the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

All Environmental Regulations Were Met, KWS Says

The wildlife agency assured Kenyans that the Ritz-Carlton project underwent full ecological, environmental and regulatory assessment before approval.

It added that all tourism investments in protected areas must comply with stringent environmental standards to safeguard wildlife corridors, ecosystems and conservation priorities.

KWS restated its commitment to protecting Kenya’s natural heritage, preserving migration routes for future generations and maintaining Kenya’s leadership in sustainable tourism.