Electric motorcycles deployed for conservation in Maasai Mara

In Kenya’s Maasai Mara game reserve, conservationists are testing electric motorcycles to support wildlife protection and the broader energy transition. Rangers, such as Joshua Kijape of the Mara-Siana ranger unit, are using near-silent electric bikes to patrol the grasslands. The lack of engine noise allows rangers to approach wildlife without disturbance and provides a tactical advantage when tracking poachers, who may not hear them approaching.

These vehicles are charged using solar energy, part of an effort to replace petrol-powered transport with sustainable alternatives in remote ecosystems. The initiative aims to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance costs while minimizing noise pollution during critical periods like the annual wildebeest migration. For the Nairobi-based company ROAM, the rugged terrain of the Mara serves as a rigorous engineering test for their Kenyan-built electric motorcycles.