ANNEX 1 – SUMMARIES OF CONTEMPORARY CONSERVATION & RESEARCH Institutional Affiliations Parent Body: AERP/SEVP. Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict in the Amboseli Ecosystem, Kenya
Main Partners: School for Field Studies, KWS, ACC, AWF.
Mission/Objective To limit escalating human-elephant conflict in the Amboseli ecosystem and to promote harmonious co-existence.
Contact Info Winnie Kiiru c/o Amboseli Trust for Elephants PO Box 15135 Langata 00509 Nairobi, Kenya
Description The HEC project was initiated by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants/Amboseli Elephant Research Project (ATE/AERP). The project strategy comprises investigating ways to encourage elephants away from agricultural areas, stimulating appropriate land use, understanding patterns of crop-raiding elephants, developing conflict mitigation tools and methods and empowering communities to use their own resources to manage human-elephant conflict. In the first phase of the project efforts have been dedicated at mobilizing the community, developing and introducing deterrents to the field and seeking wider collaboration with the stakeholders working in the Amboseli ecosystem. In a series of public meetings, the project team presented the project goals and scope to organizations, local community groups and other stakeholders, all of whom have shown enthusiastic support for the project. The creation of local ownership of elephant mitigation efforts is a major achievement. Introduction and pilot testing of deterrents (chilli and oil tainted perimeter lines, noise-makers, lights) have already reduced the number of HEC incidents as well as reduced the pressure on (and costs to) the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for more drastic intervention.
info@elephantrust.org winniekiiru@yahoo.co.uk
Products Practical, appropriate HEC solutions in place; research theses (in prep.) [Source: AERP ]
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Principal(s) Winnie Kiiru (through February 2006); John Kioko Location Southeastern ecosystem on parts of Kimana and Olgulului/ Ololarrashi Group Ranches Timing Originally 36 mo from August 2004, but funding for the third year had not been secured. Funding source(s) US Fish and Wildlife/AECF, the Born Free Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
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