Conservation and Management Strategy for the Elephant in Kenya

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34 CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ELEPHANT IN KENYA 3. Strategy vision, goals and objectives 3.1 Vision A secure future for elephants and their habitats, based on peaceful and beneficial co-existence with people, now and for generations yet to come. 3.1.1 Rationale and considerations Elephant populations are returning to some areas of former range, particularly in northern Kenya, as security improves. Co-existence with humans at low human densities occurred over millennia until modern times and there are still suitable large habitats in several areas of the country including trans-frontier ecosystems which can simulate these historic conditions: (1) Greater Tsavo ecosystem, including Amboseli, with linkages across the Tanzania border in the West Kilimanjaro basin and Mkomazi; (2) Mara ecosystem, linked to the TransMara, Mau complex, Ngurumans and across the Tanzania border in the Serengeti; (3) Around Mount Elgon across into Uganda; (4) Lamu – Tana ecosystem across into Somalia; (5) Northern Conservation Area linked with the Laikipa-Samburu ecosystem, Marsabit, Meru ecosystem linking into Ethiopia; (6) Nasolot, Rimoi, Kerio Valley, Turkana ecosystem with Sudan. Elephants can bring significant benefits as: (1) a ‘flagship’ species, a charismatic large mammal, which can be used to generate interest in, and financial support for, the conservation of all wildlife and the communities which share their habitats; (2) an ‘umbrella’ species, whose protection provides collateral security for overall biodiversity and for the tourist industry; (3) an ‘architect’ species, capable of modifying habitats to the benefit of different plant and animal species on a local or wider scale, depending on the nature and extent of the impact; and (4) a ‘keystone’ species in cases where their presence has a strong influence on other species and where their removal is likely to have a correspondingly strong, even ‘cascading’ effect on the structure and function of ecosystems. The vision for elephants and people in Kenya is one of coexistence. To achieve this will require finding ways for people and elephants to share the landscape, with zones established through participatory planning at local and higher political levels, supported by national legislation. These zones will include: conservation areas including priority core habitat areas for elephants and other wildlife, buffer zones and corridors containing mixed land use, where protection of human interests is concurrently paramount, and elephant-free areas for human use only. [ TOP ] Plate 29. A young elephant calf playing - Renaud Fulconis, Awely, Wildlife and People
CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ELEPHANT IN KENYA 35 [ BELOW ] Plate 30. 3.2 Overall Goal Two young males testing each other’s strength by play-sparring Cynthia Moss, Amboseli Trust for Elephants Maintain and expand elephant distribution and numbers in suitable areas, enhance security to elephants, reduce human-elephant conflict and increase value of elephants to people and habitat. 3.2.1 Rationale and considerations Elephants, more than any other large mammal, require a significant amount of space, or more critically, key areas of important habitat linked by movement corridors. Their foraging, social behaviour and life history are based on mobility, their ability to detect, remember and return to areas of favoured habitat or avoid areas of high risk. Restricting elephants’ movements creates all the ‘problems’ associated with elephants in the public mind: conflict where there is overlap between elephant and human populations, and perceived ‘overabundance’ leading to, or defined by, habitat change in the restricted core areas. Solutions based on control of elephant numbers by lethal management – control shooting or culling – are ineffective, serving only to exacerbate conflict problems, as surviving elephants’ memories of events promotes future aggressive behaviour, and concentration problems, as elephant retreat from confrontation zones to converge on core PAs. The 1991–1996 KWS Policy Framework and Development Programme emphasised protection of elephant populations after a period of severe poaching, reducing HEC and securing habitat through agreements with communities. These efforts have been largely successful in protecting elephants and in building the basis for working with communities. In broad terms, the elephant population is secure overall, reasonably large and, in many parts of the country, growing steadily. However, the same objectives remain important today. Security in former range areas in northern Kenya remains poor. In addition, the conversion of habitats through human use has continued with increasing isolation and HEC. Furthermore, it has become clear that there should be greater emphasis on partnerships, agreements and participatory land use planning with communities and land owners at the local level. Devolution of tenure and use rights to the lowest levels should be pursued, with attendant agreement of responsibilities for habitat maintenance. At higher governmental and political levels, there should be new and sustained efforts at harmonisation of legislation, policies and practices between different sectors towards a recognised role for natural resource conservation in general and elephant conservation in particular.
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