Joseph Kiprono, a farmer in Mogotio Baringo County, has taken the bold step to domesticate the most feared reptiles in a bid to earn income.

On his farm, the farmer, in partnership with his sons Moses and Andrew, practices commercial farming of monitor lizards and tortoises.

In an interview with Citizen TV, Kiprono admitted that the move was triggered by the ill treatment of tortoises he witnessed in his village as neighbors deemed them  crop-destroying pests.

In a bid to find a lasting solution, Kiprono sought a permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to protect them.

“Farmers would turn the tortoises upside down until they died….I wanted to save them,” he recalled.

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The move that was first met with fear and suspicion eventually paid off. Today, the farmer has over 3,000 tortoises which fetch him good money.

His son Moses also introduced monitor lizards popularly known as burukenge. These lizards have traditionally been viewed as pest due to their habit of consuming goat’s milk and causing udder swelling.

“I always saw these lizards as enemies to my livestock. I never imagined they could be pets,” Gilberto, a resident of Baringo South remarked.

The Kipronos farm is currently focusing on breeding Savanna monitor lizards and leopard tortoises. The farm hosts over 20 adult monitor lizards and 80 hatchlings, alongside a sprawling population of over 500 tortoises.

The reptiles are sold as pets, both locally and internationally, and the monitor lizards are also marketed as a delicacy to countries like Hong Kong and China, where they are believed to possess medicinal properties.

A fully grown monitor lizard fetches between Sh2,500 and Sh3,000, while a tortoise sells for Sh3,000.

Kipronos Farm was recently recognized during the World Wildlife Day exhibition for its efforts in creating a sustainable livelihood while contributing to wildlife conservation.