Human-Wildlife Conflict in Kenya

Abstract

Out of Kenya’s 582,646 KM2, only between 17 to 20 percent has medium to high agricultural potential The rest of the land, about 80 percent, is either arid or semi-arid Part of the land (about 10 percent) is covered fry forest, woodlands, national reserves or game parks. The country has as many as 348 wildlife protected areas which cover 75,238 KM 2 or 12.7 percent of total land in the country. Within these areas are to be found 6,500 plant species of which 260 are endemic, more than 1,000 bird species and over 350 species of mammals which makes Kenya's wildlife diversity the second highest in Africa. But though Kenya has such an impressive diversity of wildlife, the survival and proliferation of the species in different parts of the country is now under varying levels of threat. This is attributed to massive growth in human numbers, urban sprawl that has been eating into agricultural land, poorly planned settlement as well as expansion of agricultural activities. Much of the land, and particularly the more arable land, is now under intense pressure. There is need to formulate effective policies for reduction of human wildlife conflict especially in view of the emerging challenges that are as a result of the effects of climate change.