Effects of Land Use Change on African Lion (Panthera Leo) in Eselenkei Group Ranch in Amboseli Ecosystem, Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

The study was conducted in Eselenkei Group Ranch (EGR) in Loitoktok sub county, Kajiado County in the greater Amboseli ecosystem. The group ranch suffered degradation as a result of land use activities which had negative effects on lion population dynamics by primarily affecting lion migratory corridors, increased human lion interactions, reducing land carrying capacity and habitat fragmentation and loss. The main goal of the study was to assess the effects of land use change on African lion (Panthera leo) in Eselenkei Group Ranch. The objectives of this study were to; a) asses the land use changes experienced in Eselenkei Group Ranch (2003-2023), b) analyze the changes in lion population in Eselenkei Group Ranch (2003-2023), and c) examine the effects of land use changes on management and conservation of the lions (2003-2023). To address these objectives, the study applied descriptive survey study design that utilized both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Sampling procedure was achieved by the use of purposive and simple random sampling. Hypothesis testing was done using Pearson chi-square (X2) test. The data collected for the study was on land use change in Eselenkei Group Ranch ranging from 2003, 2013 and 2023, lion population and the effects of land use changes on management and conservation of the lions in the three sub-locations where household survey was carried out through administration of the questionnaires as primary method of data collection among a sample size of 119 households. The results showed a significant association between respondents seeing lions and the extent of land use changes related to increase in human settlement (p = 0.023), increase in crop land areas (p = 0.007), and increase in grazing areas (p = 0.007). Additionally, the study results showed a significant change in the three land use classes; agriculture, grazing and settlement changed from one class category to the other across the time period from 2003 to 2023. The local community 57.1% (n=68) observed that land use changes had indeed affected management and conservation of the lions. The study concluded that land use changes affected lion population in various ways that include; disturbances of lion habitats, blockage of lion migratory corridors, reduced land carrying capacity for prey distribution, and increased incidences of human-lion conflicts within the ecosystem. Implementation of the current land use zoning plan in Eselenkei Group Ranch (EGR) is needed to capture more land use restriction in conservation areas. Lion conservation strategies such as community engagement and awareness as well as further research on long term lion monitoring and how land use changes affect their population dynamics across time are needed to protect the lions. This will limit further human encroachments towards lion conservation areas in Eselenkei Group Ranch (EGR).