AGSP 2005 

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"Changing Spatial Relationships in the Human/Wildlife Interface in Kimana Group Ranch, Kenya"
Miguel Ordenana

Undergraduate Student

University of Southern California

Abstract

Changing land-use practices have been diminishing the self-sustainability of Kimana Group Ranch as a wildlife dispersal area/corridor.  Kimana Group Ranch is a communally owned property allocated by the Kenyan government to a group of Maasai families who use it for agricultural and living purposes. Kimana Group Ranch lies within the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem, which encompasses more than 6,000 km² and is home to one of the most abundant free ranging wildlife concentrations.  Due to overpopulation, corrupt institutions, and desperate socio-economic situations the local Maasai are converting their land use practices to unsustainable ones.  The objectives of the study were to figure out the proportion, total area, and total displacement area to wildlife of human structures within Kimana Group Ranch.  Most wildlife species that were sighted were found in open woodland/shrubland (15 out of the 17 sighted).  Livestock especially shoats (goats/sheep) were significant displacement agents.  The human structures that took up the most area in proportion to Kimana Group Ranch were the Kimana and Namelok electric fences (21.09%).  The number of wildlife individuals seen outside the fences was considerably more than how many were seen within.  The amount of wildlife sightings outside the electric fence was considerably more than the wildlife sightings made inside.  However, damage to the fences has only been able to guard the local communities’ protected resources from African elephants (Loxodonta africana).  Surprisingly, the most displacing human structure in proportion to the structure’s actual size was roads.  Roads take up less than 1% of the total Kimana Group Ranch area but displace more than 15% of the total area.  Wildlife abundance was found to be dependent on habitat.  However, number of wildlife sightings was independent of habitat.  Almost half (43.29%) of the Kimana Group Ranch was taken up by human structures.  The remaining wildlife dispersal area/corridor is shrinking rapidly especially between the Namelok and Kimana electric fences (5 km).

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