7000 zebra and wildebeest to be moved to Amboseli to restock after drought

Part of the herd of Zebras during the translocation exercise from Soysambu Conservancy to Amboseli National Park. Credit KWS

137 zebra captured
The capture of 137 zebras in the 44,000-acre Soysambu Conservancy, 25 kms from Nakuru, launched the relocation project, marking the first phase that is targeting 1000 zebras in the restocking exercise that will run until the end of February. Subsequent phases will include wildebeests which will be translocated after their calving season.

A 26-member capture team comprising a helicopter pilot, technicians, drivers, capture officers and rangers are camping in the Soysambu conservancy. They have a helicopter, three trucks and other small vehicles for the exercise. Each of the trucks can carry up to 90 wild animals per trip.

Some of the challenges faced by the capture team include change of wind direction, failure of camouflage, shortage of trucks and constant risk of injuries to staff and the wild animals.

Recent translocations
He noted that the capture team had had recent landmark experiences in the successful translocation of 250 elephants from Shimba Hills to Tsavo and 2,000 herbivores from Marua Ranch in Naivasha to Meru National Park.

Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park, a dry season feeding refugee for wild animals, normally attracts thousands of herbivores which congregate within its boundaries during the dry season and later migrate to other outlying areas at the onset of the wet season.

60% of herbivores died in the drought
Last year's devastating drought attracted many herbivores in the park that resulted in overgrazing. This led to the deaths of over 60 per cent of the zebra and wildebeest population. These deaths severely compromised the ecological balance of the park and its surrounding areas.

A census conducted in October 2009 showed that there were only 3,023 wildebeests and 2467 zebras, a sharp drop from similar census carried out in 2007 that indicated 12,411 and 6,978 wildebeests and zebras, respectively.

Lions forced to kill livestock
The two animal species are the most preferred prey of the lions and hyenas and their subsequent fall in numbers led to the carnivores invading and killing livestock from the communities living around the park, compounding a problem given that already they had lost up to 80 per cent of their livestock to the drought. This led to a sharp increase in human wildlife conflict incidents in the area.

To address the local community's concerns over loss of livelihood, KWS has held at least 18 meetings with the residents to discuss various interventions, including the restocking. Others include the building of predator-proof bomas to protect livestock from carnivores as well as other appropriate animal husbandry practices. This will be done in due course.

Human v wildlife conflict
Amboseli National Park and its surrounding areas are one of key tourist destinations in Kenya as well as critical conservation points. The death of lions from human wildlife conflict and loss of livelihood by the local community would serious undermine conservation and tourism promotion efforts. Human wildlife conflict has been one of the major factors behind the rapid decline of the lion population in Kenya.

The worst drought in 26 years killed huge numbers of herbivores in Amboseli in 2009. KWS are  relocating huge numbers of zebra and wildebeest to the park. However how much thought has been put into the fact that another drought may happen at any time? Photo courtesy of Wildlifedirect. Copyright  Scott Ward.

Dr. Musyoki said the restocking aimed at restoring the balance of wild animals within the park and at the same time reduce cases of human-wildlife conflict by reducing the lion and hyena attacks on the local community's livestock.

Other sources of wildlife
Apart from the Soysambu Conservancy, other areas where the translocation exercise is expected to take place include Machakos, Shompole in Kajiado and the Athi-Kapiti plains.

Translocation teams
The translocation is carried out by aerial and ground teams. The aerial team in a helicopter identifies pockets of the target animals and drives them into the broad end of a tarpaulin funnel-shaped camouflaged boma. The 26-member ground team drives them through an enclosure leading to the back of a waiting truck.

The restocking comes ahead of the launch of a national large carnivore conservation and management strategy at KWS headquarters. The strategy covers five species, namely lions, cheetahs, spotted hyena, stripped hyena and wild dogs. The strategy for leopards will be developed after the launch.

Cost $1.35 million
The exercise, which is estimated to cost 103 million Kenyan shillings ($1.35 million), will go along way in addressing some of the problems arising from last year's severe drought in many parts of Kenya.