TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

33" IMPROVEMENT 0' TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL RANGBLANDS
Table 10-1 Animal Populations and Wildlife Ranchlnl and ReMan:h, 101l-1G14
Jan. 1081 Jan. 1082 Jan. IOU Jan. 1984
Speci.. No. Biomau No. Biomau No.Blo_ No. Biomau
(kl) (kl) (Ill) (Ill)
Thompeon Gaulle 622 9,062 l1li6 8,880 727 11,632 070 16,620
Grant'. Gaulle .60 16,100 S60 12,600 836 11,726 307 10,7.6
Hartebeelt ••6 37,910 617 62,••6 666 66,626 604 60,.00
Wildebeelt 264 33,000 263 31,626 336 .1,876 446 l1li,626
Subtotal 1,792 96,962 1,786 106,660 2,062 121,767 2,316 132,380
Biomau (kl/ha) 12 IS 16 16.3
CaUle 2,360 880,000 1,876 6.0,288 1,600 .32,000 1,2311 3611,880
ShMp .76 19,000 603 20,120 160 6,000 01 S,640
Subtotal 2,8311 690,000 2,379 660,.08 1,660 .sa,ooo 1,326 369,320
Bio_(kl/ha) 86.3 60.2 114.1
••••
Total Biomau 796,960 6611,068 669,767 .01,700
Biomu. Oen.ity kl/ha 98.3 82,2 60.1 60.7
Note: Overall biomau density by the end of 1984 i. reduced to approximately 60 q/ha.
Once the fence was completed, the project faced extraordinary
delays while securing the Kenyan government's permiaion to market
the game meat. In 1981, the necessary permits were granted for the
project to enter its operational phase. At present, the ranch, referred
to hereafter as WRR (Wildlife Ranching and Rnearch), is the only
commercial venture authorized to harvest wildlife and market the
meat in Kenya.
From January 1981 until January 1984, cattle numbers were re.
duced from a biomass of 86.3 to 44.4 kg per hectare (table 1~1).
During this period, the economically important species of wildlife,
comprising the vast majority of native animals on the ranch, increased
from 12 to 16.3 kg per hectare. The policy of destocking
cattle to make room for the wildlife populations to' grow has led to
a 50 percent reduction in herbivore biomass over the last four years,
dramatically relieving forage p1'88l!lure on the land.
Over the study period, cattle and wildlife have coexisted on the
ranch. Animal census counts are regularly carried out on the ground,
with aerial counts used to check accuracy. The counts show a 12­
percent yearly increase in wild animal populations after harvest is
subtracted.
For the first 21 months, harvest was confined almost entirely to