Spatial ecology of lions in a small, semi-fenced park surrounded by dense human populations: the case study of Nairobi National Park, Kenya

Human population growth near protected areas often results in detrimental edge effects for apex carnivores, such as the African lion. Urbanization leads to new scenarios of the human–lion conflict, thus understanding ranging patterns close to urban environments is crucial to inform future management strategies. We collected GPS data from 12 collared lions between 2014 and 2018 in Nairobi National Park, which borders the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi city. We estimated home ranges, calculated daily distance traveled and tested for differences between sex, season and pride. Additionally, we investigated how disturbance from Nairobi and surrounding human settlements affected space-use of lions, and tested for differences between sex, season and time of day. Lions showed restricted movements (4.5 km/day) and had small home ranges (49 km2). Male lions had larger ranges than females, but avoidance behavior of disturbed areas was similar. Lions took advantage during times of low human activity, i.e., during the night, to extend ranging behavior in search for resources. Risk for livestock depredation also increased during the wet season when lions roamed longer, more frequently, and deeper into the community lands. We recommend the establishment of buffer zones to maintain a viable lion population and reduced risk for conflict.

Analysis of Impacts of Land Use Changes in Kitengela Conservation Area on Migratory Wildlife of Nairobi National Park, Kenya

Nairobi National Park (NNP) in Kenya was established in 1946 to conserve the abundance and diversity of wildlife in the Kitengela-Athi-Kaputei plains, from excessive exploitation. It is currently fenced except on the Kitengela side across the Mbagathi River due to the sub-division of the group ranches, which commenced in the 1980s, limiting access of wildlife to the migratory corridor and dispersal areas. This paper is based on a study conducted to assess the impacts of the resultant land use changes in the Kitengela dispersal area/ migratory corridor on the migratory fauna of NNP, and to identify appropriate mitigation measures. The findings indicated that increased human settlement, led to changes in land uses which resulted into multiple negative impacts on the migratory wildlife of Nairobi National Park, mainly due to loss of dispersal area and blockage of migratory routes, leading to wildlife confinement, decreased wildlife tolerance and increased incidences of human wildlife conflicts. Data analysis indicated decline in migratory wildlife population thus negative effect (F=, 6.066, p<0.05). The findings also indicated that loss of migratory routes/dispersal area and reduced vegetation cover was regarded by 55% of the local community respondents as one of the main consequences of the land use changes resulting from the subdivision of the group ranches leading to decreased wildlife tolerance (β = 0.246) and wildlife confinement (β = 0.371) in NNP (p= 0.021, < 0.05, F= 2.678; R=0.179, R2= 0.032). The paper also discusses the mitigation measures for the longtime sustainability of the park, the dispersal area and migratory corridor, including holistic implementation of the Kitengela-Isinya-Kipeto Local Physical Development Plan, mapping and protection of the vital wildlife areas within the migratory range, including the wildebeest calving area in North Kaputiei.

Nairobi

Nairobi is one of the largest metropolises of Africa, with a current population of almost four million, and much larger with the wider metropolitan area taken into account. Its great contemporary size is hard to reconcile with its humble origins over a century ago as a campsite on a marshy plain, formed when building the Uganda Railway in the 1890s. This campsite grew quickly as a railway depot, taking its name from the Maasai enkare Nairobi, meaning “place of cold water,” and it was soon chosen as a provincial capital. It became a municipality in 1919, then designated a city in 1950. Despite initially being planned as a European town, Nairobi soon became highly cosmopolitan, with a large Indian population, many Africans from near and far, and others from as far afield as Somaliland and the Seychelles. Nairobi’s history is bound up with the wider story of colonial Kenya and East Africa, being a site of many of the tensions and contradictions of colonial rule, and this past still influences its current form. However, since Independence the city has grown into a vibrant political, commercial, touristic, artistic, and academic hub of East Africa. It hosts many international media and humanitarian organizations, as well as various branches of the United Nations. It is a city of great contrasts, with numerous slum settlements juxtaposed with estates of great wealth, and with its busy and often congested roads and streets contrasting with the nearby Nairobi National Park. Like many other cities in Africa, Nairobi faces great challenges in an era of rapid urbanization, and much of the academic literature reflects this, with work focusing on topics such as failing infrastructure, corruption, and violence. However, it is also a place where challenges are overcome, where much innovation takes place, and where many see brighter futures for themselves. In short, it is a compelling city that speaks to many of the ambiguities of contemporary urban life, and one deeply fascinating to scholars from a range of disciplines interested in urbanization in the 21st Century.

The Kenyan Dream: Developing Concept of Nairobi MRTS

<p>Nairobi, famous for Nairobi National Park, the world's only game reserve found within a major city, started developing as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway and in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya. The city of Nairobi had a population of mere 11,500 in the year of 1906, and it grew to 3,138,369 by Year 2009, at growth rate of 4.1% a year.</p> <p>At this rate, the difficulties commuting to the central business area is getting more and more complicated, though plans are being implemented in the need to decongest the city's traffic and the completion of Thika Road has given the city a much-needed face-lift attributed to road's enhancement of global standards. The need of the hour is developing a world class MRTS system, combination of Road and Rail Based MRTS technology. A comprehensive study was carried out in this direction to find out the feasibility of such MRTS and the various options worked out to find suitable solution, shall be discussed in the paper.</p>