Carnivore population in Kenya has drastically dropped and its estimated to be above 2,000 individuals according to the latest survey by the Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS) released on Friday.
According to KWS, land loss and encroachment, unpalatable infrastructural development syndicates and lack of goodwill from communities along wildlife protected areas have been cited as major setbacks in population growth of the carnivores
Cheetah populations are said to have suffered a two per cent decline in the last decade and 90 per cent reduction in lion range across Africa.
The carnivore population play an essential role of herbivore population control, which brings about balanced ecosystem in the wild.
Speaking in Nairobi on Friday, KWS Director-General, John Waweru, called on delegates attending an annual carnivore conference to recommend ways of tackling challenges facing the meat-eating mammals.
He noted that the 13th Annual Carnivore Conference theme of “Carnivore conservation in changing landscapes” resonated well with the current situation “as our landscapes has changed drastically over the years due to increase of human population, sedentary lifestyles to once nomadic communities and increased demand for modern infrastructural facilities.”
He called on delegates attending an annual carnivore conference to recommend ways of tackling challenges facing the meat-eating mammals.
The two-day forum, which has been meeting for the last decade, this year seeks to explore a wealth of knowledge and experience that will ensure better understanding of carnivores, their conservation, management, scientifically standardized information sharing methodologies and policy formulation in relation to changing landscapes in protected areas.
This year’s meeting also aims at employing standardized, modern and technologically advanced methods of survey in mapping and monitoring of both large and small carnivores in Kenya and across Africa.
JK/APA