Generic Ecological Assessment Endpoints (GEAEs) for Ecological ...
Ecological monitoring on ol pejeta
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The Ol Pejeta The Ol Pejeta ConservancyConservancy
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
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www.olpejetaconservancy.org
Ol Pejeta Conservancy – geographical contextOl Pejeta Conservancy – geographical context
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History and land use patternsHistory and land use patterns
Former Sweetwaters Game Former Sweetwaters Game ReserveReserve
Established in 1989 ~ Established in 1989 ~ 24000 acres24000 acres
Reserve expanded in 2007Reserve expanded in 2007 • Prime conservation area - Prime conservation area -
75,000 acres75,000 acres
Total area of OPC: 90,000 acresTotal area of OPC: 90,000 acres
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Tourist establishmentsTourist establishments
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Livestock with Wildlife – Why?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
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EEcologicalcological MonitoringMonitoring
The Ol Pejeta The Ol Pejeta ConservancyConservancy
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AimAim
• 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 advice management on possible interventions based on sound research results
• To coordinate third party research to understand the causes of prevalent trends
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Habitat Monitoring ProgrammesHabitat Monitoring Programmes
• Acacia drepanolobium
To improve habitat productivity in order to To improve habitat productivity in order to optimize resource utilization by both wildlife optimize resource utilization by both wildlife and livestockand livestock
Main objective:
Key habitats:
• Pasture/Rangeland
• Acacia xanthophloea
• Euclea divinorum
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Pasture Monitoring Pasture Monitoring
Numbers = 97 blocksTotal area = ~ 303 Km2
Known Info per block
• Size• Species• Biomass Level• Treatment history
Pasture management blocks
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Why Monitor Pastures? 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
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Why Monitor Pastures? Why Monitor Pastures? cont…cont…
To advise on grazing regime
Use of habitat by cattle can be controlled - wildlife cannot !
Ultimately a sustainable rangeland!
Controlled grazing has its benefits:
• Removal of rank grass• Recovery of eroded areas• Enriched lawns• Species diversity
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Acacia xanthophloeaAcacia xanthophloea Monitoring Monitoring
Concern: Annual tree loss was 7.5% (2002-2005)
• Big trees - Principally Elephants & partly Giraffe
• Seedlings - Mixed feeders / rhino
• Establish exclusion zones (>8)
• Where necessary replant
Restoration strategy:
• Constitutes the largest proportion of riverine habitat
Damage caused by:
Facts:
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Euclea divinorumEuclea divinorum Monitoring Monitoring
Main objective:Determine the spatial distribution of Euclea Determine the spatial distribution of Euclea and continually monitor to establish rate of and continually monitor to establish rate of spread in OPCspread 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
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EUCLEA DIVINORUM MONITORINGEUCLEA 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?
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Acacia drepanolobium Acacia drepanolobium MonitoringMonitoringMain objective:To monitor (Earthwatch) long term impacts on To monitor (Earthwatch) long term impacts on this habitat by elephant, rhino and giraffe this habitat by elephant, rhino and giraffe
• Elephants, Giraffe, Rhino, Drought, Fire
• Restocking • Translocation 56 Elephants in 2001• 2007 expansion by ~x3• Connectivity to Laikipia ecosystem
Restoration strategy:
Concerns - damage by:
Facts:• Largest habitat• Chief rhino diet
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Wildlife Monitoring Programmes Wildlife Monitoring Programmes
PredatorsPredators • Lions • Hyenas• Cheetahs
Main objective: Maintain the predator-prey-herbivore Maintain the predator-prey-herbivore densities within the threshold levelsdensities within the threshold levels
Key wildlife species:
HerbivoresHerbivores • Black rhinos• Plains zebras• Grevy’s zebras• Jackson’s hartebeests• Beisa oryx• Problem elephants• Other herbivores
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Predator MonitoringPredator Monitoring
• Collared = 6• Identified by
– whisker spots – notches &
scars • Total pop 69• Confirmed 60
Main objective: To determine the population To determine the population status and their impacts on key prey speciesstatus and their impacts on key prey species. LionsLions CheetaCheeta
hshsHyenasHyenas
• Collared =1• Identified by
– Tail rings– notches &
scars • Total pop 29• Confirmed 20
• Identified by – Spot pattern – notches &
scars • Confirmed 99
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Common Common ZebraZebra
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
Wildlife Monitoring Wildlife Monitoring
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Grevy’s ZebraGrevy’s Zebra
Wildlife MonitoringWildlife Monitoring
Hybrid ZebraHybrid Zebra
Population structure:Total 23: Adults 11Juveniles 4Foals 8
Concerns: Hybridization and loss of marginal population through predation
Plan: Establish a breeding facility to help re-stock core Grevy’s areas.
Population structure:Total: 13 Adult males 7Adult females 4Juveniles 2
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Jackson’sJackson’s HartebeestHartebeest
• Population estimate: 169• Survival: Sirima 75%, open
area 22.5%
BeisaBeisa OryxOryx
• Population estimate: 13 (7 males, 4 females, 2 foals)
• Mortality: Juveniles 33% , Sub-adults 0% , Adults 7%
Wildlife MonitoringWildlife Monitoring
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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
Problem Elephants: Problem Elephants:
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• Fence upgrading & modification of “pressure points”
• Movement corridors• Elimination of habitual
fence breaking elephants
Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
Crop raid intensity in 2003-2004 reduced dramatically after 2006
Interventions
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Old fence:Average voltage 5KV
New fence (built from 2005):Average voltage 6.7KVCost approx US$ 1 million
Electric fence upgrading
Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
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Fence modification along “pressure points”
Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
Short fence with outriggers in front of the main fence
Outriggers fixed to the main fence
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Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
3 Corridors to the North
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Movement Corridors + STE Tracking System & E-fence
Satellite collar transmitter on ‘Kimani’
Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
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• 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
Conclusions:
Problem Elephants cont…Problem Elephants cont…
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Other Monitoring Data CollectedOther Monitoring Data Collected
• Annual aerial censuses
• Animal mortality
• Erosion control
• Corridor movement
• Rainfall data
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Thank YouThank You