Influence of cultivation, settlements and water sources on wildlife distribution and habitat selection in south-east Kajiado, Kenya

Abstract

SUMMARYIn Kenya, lands surrounding wildlife protected areas (PAs), referred to as dispersal areas, have undergone widespread land use changes, but these have been little studied. This study investigated impacts of different land use types on wildlife distribution and composition. Transect data from stratified random sampling based on land use and vegetation type were analysed using correlation and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Household density and cultivation intensity were negatively correlated with grass cover and were greatest on small-scale farms and lowest in a dedicated PA. Three patterns of wildlife distribution were identified. Wildlife density in communal grazing and the PA was significantly higher than on other land use types. While most wildlife used pastoral ranches in the wet season, larger herbivores moved to the PA during the dry season. Wildlife density along the grass cover gradient, which was a disturbance gradient, was dome shaped, indicating that wildlife tolerated moderate levels of disturbance. The primary factors influencing wildlife distribution were vegetation type and proximity to water sources in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. The apparent anomaly in the wet season is attributed to wildlife moving from Chyulu, which lacked seasonal ponds, to the lowland Masaai ranches, which had plenty of ponds. In both seasons, cattle density was the most important secondary factor. To mitigate declining wildlife trends, management should ensure a heterogeneity of vegetation types is maintained and wildlife retain access to seasonal water sources.

Herbivore Dynamics and Range Contraction in Kajiado County Kenya: Climate and Land Use Changes, Population Pressures, Governance, Policy and Human-wildlife Conflicts

“…The demographic changes are linked to expansion of urban centres, intensifying land use and expanding subsistence and commercial agriculture, supported by Mt. Kilimanjaro's runoff, settlements, development infrastructure, poaching and human-wildlife conflicts (Mworia et al 2008, Okello et al 2009, Okello & Kioko 2011.…”

“…8000 km 2 Amboseli ecosystem (Western 1975, Western & Maitumo 2004. They congregate in the protected areas, especially Amboseli National Park with permanent swamps supplied by melt water and runoff from the nearby Mount Kilimanjaro and in other wetlands and riverine habitats in the dry season and disperse into the surrounding pastoral ranches in the wet season when water and forage are widely available (Western 1975, Andere 1981, Mworia et al 2008. Maasai livestock are also allowed to enter Amboseli NP to access permanent water at midday in the dry season.…”

“…Maasai livestock are also allowed to enter Amboseli NP to access permanent water at midday in the dry season. The large grazers concentrate in areas of high grass cover or biomass within the parks while small herbivores concentrate in areas of low grass cover and biomass in the pastoral ranches in the dry season (Mworia et al 2008). …”

“…First, disaggregation of bomas following privatization of land tenure and land subdivision has led to an increase in boma density (Grandin 1991, Kimani & Pickard 1998 and reduced wildlife density in the group ranches (Mworia et al 2008). Mworia et al (2008) also reported that cattle and boma densities strongly influence wildlife distribution in the Amboseli group ranches.…”

Invasive Plant Species and Biomass Production in Savannas

“…In these areas wildlife, livestock and human settlements exist in interrelationships that create complex spatial variations in disturbance patterns. For example Mworia et al (2008a) found that in areas occupied largely the Maasai pastoralists adjacent to Amboseli and Chyulu wildlife reserves in Kenya that wildlife movement and distribution was primary determined by vegetation type and distribution of seasonal water resources while important secondary modifiers were human settlement density, livestock density and cultivation intensity. Disturbances as we shall see below increase the vulnerability of communities to invasion.…”