24.6 Ecosystem management - Masai Mara

The Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) in Southern Kenya is an example of an ecosystem that is actively managed to balance the needs or humans and the need for conservation. The reserve was established as wildlife sanctuary in 1961, and covers around 1500 km2. - it is situated approximately 1500 - 2000m above sea level.

Ecosystem

MMNR is primarily a savannah ecosystem, divided by the main Mara river. The fertile regions close to the river are a combination of rich grassland and woodland - further from the river and open plains with scattered shrubs and trees.

The region is famous for its annual zebra and wildebeest migrations and is home to a wide range or large mammals, including buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions and black rhinos.

In the past, it was dominated by acacia bush, this provided a habitat for the tsetse fly which is a carrier of African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) To attempt to reduce incidence of the disease, government workers and indigenous communities have cleared major tracts of acacia over the past 50 year. Elephants, fire and cattle grazing have further reduced the presence of acacia and other woody plants.

Farming

  • Grazing

Traditionally the Masai Mara has been used by local tribes for livestock grazing. In the past, the Masai practised a traditional methods of farming known as semi-nomadic farming.

Tribes frequently moved depending on climate variation and the presence of tsetse flies, which allowed vegetation time to recover from animal grazing whenever the farmers moved to another area.

Grazing is now limited to areas on the edge of the reserve, as local tribes are prevented from entering the park. Populations have grown n these marginal areas. Larger herds grace the grassland areas and more trees are removed for fuel. As the vegetation is removed, the risk of soil erosion increases.

  • Cultivation

The level of cultivation around the region of the Masai Mara has increased in recent years. As grassland has been converted to cropland, natural vegetation is removed, and nutrients in the soil are used up. Overtime this leads to a reliance on fertilisers for effective crop growth.

  • Ecotourism

Ecotourism - tourism directed towards natural environments, to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.

It is a type of sustainable development which aims to reduce the impact that tourism has on naturally beautiful environments. This is usually seen as a less invasive use of land than agriculture.

Masai Mara relies on tourism for most of its economic input.

Key principles of ecotourism

  • Ensure that tourism does not exploit the natural environment or local communities

  • Consult and engage with local communities on planned developments

  • Ensure that infrastructure improvement benefits local people as well as visitors.

Ecotourism can have negative impacts on the ecosystem, there is evidence that tourist movements such as the repeated use of hiking trails, use of mechanised transport may contribute to soil erosion and other habitat changes.

Conservation and research

The natural reserve plays an important role in conservation of endangered species. Some of the most popular large mammals have experience population declines in recent years - beyond expected from climate or natural variation.

Black rhinos are one of the most endangered animals in Africa, appearing on IUCN critically endangered list. Despite trade being illegal, rhino horn is in huge demand, for use in traditional medicine. People are lured into poaching by the large sum of money.

1972 - over 100 lived

1982 - illegal poaching meant that only handful remained. Active conservation and protection programme was established to encourage a balance between the needs of local communities and those of the wildlife. This programme included the employment of reserve rangers, provision of communication equipment, vehicles and others. By the mid 1990s rhinos numbers have increased significantly.

A number of scientific research projects have been undertaken in Masai Mara

  • Michigan state university - studying behaviour and physiology of the predator spotted hyena

  • Subalucky and Dutton - completing a flow assessment for the Mara River Basin. The aim of the research is to identify the river flows needed to provide for both basic human needs of the million people who depend on the water, and to sustain the ecosystem in its current form.

  • The Mar Predator Project, which catalogues and monitors lion populations throughout the region. The project aims to identify population trends and responses to changes in land management, human settlements, livestocks movements and tourism.

  • The Mara-Meru Cheetah Project, which aims to monitor the cheetal population and evaluation the impact of human activity on cheetal behaviour and survival.

Striking a balance

Some human land uses in Masai Mara are incompatible with wildlife survival - increasing the wildlife density also threatens pastoral and cultivation lifestyles. A constant balance has to be maintained between the human and animal population.

  • Elephants - threaten cultivation. Large elephant populations are often responsible for crop trampling and damage to homesteads. Other grazing animals may also eat the crops. To prevent these problems land may be fenced, but this has a negative impact on natural migration.

  • Legal hunting is used to cull excess animals. This can successfully maintain population numbers and bring in considerable amount so money for conservation work. However, number must be constantly monitored to ensure that levels are sufficient to maintain the natural balance within the ecosystem.

  • Livestock also faces threatens from migratory wildlife. For example during the annual wildebeest migration, the wildebeest outcompete the cattle for grass. Diseases are introduced to the domesticated animal population. Equally, the domesticated cattle eat vegetation that could be used by migrating zebras and wildebeest, and disease can spread from the domestic to the wild animals.

  • As the human population expands more homes are required as well as land for cattle and agriculture. Evidence suggests that wildlife density declines significantly as the density of the built environment rises.