No abstract

Poaching with snares has been identified as the main cause of decline of the endemic roan antelope Hippotragus equinuslangheldi in Ruma National Park, Kenya, from > 200 in 1979 to 37 in 2009. However, the spatial snaring patterns in the Park are not clearly understood. The focus of our study was to map the spatial distribution of snares in the Park and to identify the factors influencing this distribution, to develop effective methods of wildlife protection. Using data collected from 56 sample plots during 2006–2008, coupled with geographical information system techniques, we investigated the association between the occurrence of snares and the distribution of geographical features (slope, elevation), infrastructure (roads, fences), essential resources for wildlife (water, salt licks, forage), roan locations and wildlife density. Ripley's L function for assessing complete spatial randomness indicated that snares occurred in clumps (hotspots) up to 4 km apart. Negative binomial regression indicated that these hotspots occurred (1) near water resources, salt licks and the Park boundary, (2) far from roan locations and Park roads, (3) in areas with low gradients and low wildlife density, and (4) in areas with burned vegetation. We recommend concentrating routine security patrol efforts and resources on snare hotspots to reduce snaring and to protect the roan antelope and other threatened wildlife.

The roan antelope, endemic to Africa, is drastically declining in Kenya and most of its range throughout Africa. Extensive research on roans in South Africa has not provided effective remedial management actions. The solution to Kenya's roans will come from detailed research in Kenya. This paper reports an on-going research on "mapping and modelling the roan antelope population and habitat in Ruma National Park, Kenya. " The research is employing the state-of-the-art techniques in modelling and geographic information systems (GIS). Preliminary findings indicate that (i) the roan population has declined to 45 animals; (ii) the roans' home range changes (a) with any slight change in surface water and/or rainfall frequency and (b) between and within seasons (dry and wet); and (iii) the roans' behaviour implies possibilities of poaching. Among other interventions, establishment of a roan sanctuary (with intensive active management) in Ruma N. Park seems to be the best way forward.

The roan antelope is locally endangered in Kenya with <50 individuals remaining in Ruma National Park (RNP). An understanding of the habitat requirements is essential to formulate habitat management strategies for species recovery. This study identifies habitat and management features affecting roan distribution in different seasons using information-theoretic and multimodel inference (MMI) techniques. MMI averaged models were coupled with GIS data to develop habitat suitability maps. Results showed that roan habitat suitability is determined by different factors in different seasons but overall habitat was more important than management. Best predictors of roan incidence were wooded grassland, open grassland and water points. Water was more significant in the dry season whilst vegetation burned status, slope, soil type, distances to snares, park fence and security gates were important predictors at other seasons. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots confirmed that the models fitted well to the data (AUC>0.9). Sustainable conservation of roans in RNP can be achieved via long-term habitat management including prescribed burning and construction of more water points and short-term urgent solutions to key management issues, especially control of poaching.R esum e L'antilope rouanne est localement en danger au Kenya o u il reste moins de 50 individus dans le Parc National de Ruma (RNP). Il est essentiel de bien comprendre ses pr ef erences en mati ere d'habitat pour concevoir des strat egies de gestion de l'habitat propices a la restauration de cette esp ece. Cette etude identifie les caract eristiques de l'habitat et de sa gestion qui influencent la distribution de la rouanne selon les saisons au moyen de techniques de th eorie de l'information et d'inf erence multi-mod eles (MMI). Des mod eles de MMI moyens ont et e coupl es a des donn ees SIG pour dresser des cartes du caract ere plus ou moins appropri e des habitats. Les r esultats ont montr e que la pertinence de l'habitat des rouannes est d etermin ee par diff erents facteurs selon les saisons, mais aussi que l'habitat en g en eral est plus important que sa gestion. Les meilleurs pr edicteurs de la pr esence de rouannes etaient des prairies bois ees, des prairies ouvertes et des points d'eau. L'eau etait plus importante en saison s eche alors que l' etat plus ou moins brûl e de la v eg etation, la pente et la nature des sols, la distance par rapport a des pi eges, des clôtures du parc et des portes de s ecurit e etaient les meilleurs pr edicteurs pendant les autres saisons. Des graphiques ROC (Caract eristiques du fonctionnement du r ecepteur) ont confirm e que les mod eles concordaient avec les donn ees (Aire sous la courbe : AUC>0.9). La conservation durable des rouannes dans le RNP peutêtre r ealis ee par une gestion de l'habitat a long terme, y compris des feux programm es et la construction de nouveaux points d'eau, et par la r esolution urgente des probl emes de gestion essentiels, sp ecialement le contrôle du braconnage.

The Narok District has undergone rapid changes in land use patterns from nomadic pastoralism to a sedentary and farming lifestyle. In this study we describe wildlife and livestock numbers and past and present land-use patterns in three group ranches from 1975 to 1997. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of land-use changes on herbivore populations. Research methods included observation and interpretation of satellite imageries and aerial photographs, field checks, participant observation and secondary data. Results indicate that human settlement areas have increased significantly (x 2 = 11.475, 3 df, p=0.001), while natural vegetation area has decreased insignificantly (x 2 = 0.2, 3 df, p = 0.777) between 1975 and 1997. Trend analysis indicated an increase in livestock numbers (601100 + 843 year; r 2 = 0.127; P=0.018), a decrease in wildlife numbers (953400-632 year; r 2 = 0.272; P = 0.036) and an overall increase in large herbivore numbers (155000+211 year; r 2 = 0.150; P=0.043). The information gained in this study can be used in the process of zoning the dispersal areas for different land uses. Also, if supported by a further study it can establish the optimum sustainable land use(s) around Masai Mara Reserve, that can assure the coexistence of man and wildlife.