A presentation about ecological monitoring on Ol Pejeta and its benefits to wildlife conservation

1. The Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy works to conserve wildlife, provide a
sanctuary for great apes and to generate income through wildlife
tourism and complementary enterprises for re-investment in
conservation and community development

2. Ol Pejeta Conservancy – geographical context
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

3. History and land use patterns
Total area of OPC: 90,000 acres
Former Sweetwaters Game Reserve expanded in 2007
Reserve • Prime conservation area -
Established in 1989 ~ 24000 75,000 acres
acres
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

4. Tourist establishments
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

5. Livestock with Wildlife – Why?
• Ecology – nutrient rich “hotspots”, removal rank grass, creation of
a heterogeneous landscape
• Economics – cattle and wildlife together make more money than
“either or”, taxable revenues, employment.
• Model for conservation in pastoral areas
• Risk management
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

6. The Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ecological Monitoring

7. Aim
• To identify and monitor key variables necessary to maintain
healthy trends in both habitat and animal species by:
– Establishing the relevant /key habitat and species monitoring
programmes
– Setting appropriate threshold levels for key animals and habitats – to
act as early warnings
• To coordinate third party research to understand the causes
of prevalent trends
• To advice management on possible interventions based on
sound research results
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

8. Habitat Monitoring Programmes
Main objective:
To improve habitat productivity in order to optimize
resource utilization by both wildlife and livestock
Key habitats:
• Pasture/Rangeland
• Acacia xanthophloea
• Acacia drepanolobium
• Euclea divinorum
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

9. Pasture Monitoring
Pasture management blocks
Numbers = 97 blocks
Total area = ~ 303 Km2
Known Info per block
• Size
• Species
• Biomass Level
• Treatment history
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

10. Why Monitor Pastures?
To advise on prescribed burning:
– Improve forage quality – remove moribund grass
– Increase production of forage and browse
– Improve grazing distribution
– Create grazing ‘hot spots’ for tourism purposes
– Control bush encroachment
‘Hot spots’ created after burning
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

11. Why Monitor Pastures? cont…
To advise on grazing regime
Use of habitat by cattle
can be controlled -
wildlife cannot !
Controlled grazing has its
benefits:
• Removal of rank grass
• Recovery of eroded areas
• Enriched lawns
• Species diversity
Ultimately a sustainable rangeland!
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

12. Acacia xanthophloea Monitoring
Concern: Annual tree loss was 7.5% (2002-2005)
Facts:
• Constitutes the largest
proportion of riverine habitat
Damage caused by:
• Big trees - Principally Elephants &
partly Giraffe
• Seedlings - Mixed feeders / rhino
Restoration strategy:
• Establish exclusion zones (>8)
• Where necessary replant
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

13. Euclea divinorum Monitoring
Main objective:
Determine the spatial distribution of Euclea and continually
monitor to establish rate of spread in OPC
Facts:
• 27% cover
• Occurs along drainage lines
• Not palatable
Concerns:
• Encroachment
• Displacement of other habitats?
Specific objectives:
• Establish spatial distribution
• Determine the annual rate of spread
• Determine rate of conversion in height classes
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

14. EUCLEA DIVINORUM MONITORING
We also seek to answer these:
• Does Euclea displace or facilitate growth of other woody
species?
• Does it’s canopy shield the other woody species from heavy
herbivory and damage?
• How much grass is lost to the established Euclea bush?
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

15. Acacia drepanolobium Monitoring
Main objective:
To monitor (Earthwatch) long term impacts on this habitat
by elephant, rhino and giraffe
Facts:
• Largest habitat
• Chief rhino diet
Concerns - damage by:
• Elephants, Giraffe, Rhino, Drought, Fire
Restoration strategy:
• Restocking
• Translocation 56 Elephants in 2001
• 2007 expansion by ~x3
• Connectivity to Laikipia ecosystem
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

16. Wildlife Monitoring Programmes
Main objective:
Maintain the predator-prey-herbivore densities within the
threshold levels
Key wildlife species:
Herbivores Predators
• Black rhinos • Lions
• Plains zebras • Hyenas
• Grevy’s zebras • Cheetahs
• Jackson’s hartebeests
• Beisa oryx
• Problem elephants
• Other herbivores
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

17. Predator Monitoring
Main objective: To determine the population status and their
impacts on key prey species.
species
Lions Cheetahs Hyenas
• Collared = 6 • Collared =1
• Identified by • Identified by • Identified by
– whisker spots – Tail rings – Spot pattern
– notches & scars – notches & scars – notches & scars
• Total pop 69 • Total pop 29 • Confirmed 99
• Confirmed 60 • Confirmed 20
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

18. Wildlife Monitoring
Common Zebra
Facts:
• Main prey species for lions
• Declined from 1,972 in 1995 to 459 in 2007
• Skewed demography
• Low sub-adult foal survivorship
Healthy population = 70% adults,
30% sub adults and foals
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

19. Wildlife Monitoring
Grevy’s Zebra Hybrid Zebra
Population structure: Population structure:
Total: 13 Total 23:
Adult males 7 Adults 11
Adult females 4 Juveniles 4
Juveniles 2 Foals 8
Concerns: Hybridization and loss of Plan: Establish a breeding facility to
marginal population through predation help re-stock core Grevy’s areas.
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

20. Wildlife Monitoring
Jackson’s Hartebeest Beisa Oryx
• Population estimate: 169 • Population estimate: 13 (7 males,
• Survival: Sirima 75%, open area 4 females, 2 foals)
22.5% • Mortality: Juveniles 33% , Sub-
adults 0% , Adults 7%
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

21. Problem Elephants:
Two fold issues on OPC:
• Fence breakages, high financial costs
• Crop raids in neighboring community farms = negative attitudes
Need for Monitoring Problem Elephants on OPC:
• Outline extent of the problem (non-economic aspects only) with a view to
implementing appropriate long-term control measures in and around OPC
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

22. Problem Elephants cont…
Interventions
• Fence upgrading &
modification of “pressure
points”
• Movement corridors
• Elimination of habitual fence
breaking elephants
Crop raid intensity in
2003-2004 reduced
dramatically after 2006
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

23. Problem Elephants cont…
Electric fence upgrading
Old fence: New fence (built from 2005):
Average voltage 5KV Average voltage 6.7KV
Cost approx US$ 1 million
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

24. Problem Elephants cont…
Fence modification along “pressure points”
Short fence Outriggers fixed to
with outriggers the main fence
in front of the
main fence
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

25. Problem Elephants cont…
3 Corridors to the North
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

26. Problem Elephants cont…
Movement Corridors + STE Tracking System & E-fence
Satellite collar
transmitter on ‘Kimani’
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

27. Problem Elephants cont…
Conclusions:
• Fence modification along “pressure points” in addition to high
voltage fence was effective.
• GSM technology greatly enhanced monitoring & demonstrated
that elephants used corridors rather than breaking thro’ the fence.
• Combination of fence modifications, corridors (landscape
approach), & elimination of habitual fence breaking elephants
significantly reduced the HEC incidences in OPC.
• The integrated approach experimented in OPC allows adaptive
management of problem elephants
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

28. Other Monitoring Data Collected
• Annual aerial censuses
• Animal mortality
• Erosion control
• Corridor movement
• Rainfall data
www.olpejetaconservancy.org

29. Thank You