What are conservancies and why are they important? | Fair Voyage

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What are conservancies and why are they important?

The concept of wildlife conservancies in Kenya was devised as a means to address the escalating issue of lost indigenous habitat and the resulting impact on the country’s unique wildlife. Division of land, over-grazing, and intensive farming were increasing, as was conflict between landowners and wildlife. For example:

– The Selenkay area was previously an important wildlife dispersal zone and elephant migrated in from Amboseli during the wet season. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, there was increased hostility towards wildlife by the community. Elephants were harassed to the point that they stopped migrating into Selenkay. There was also wide scale snaring of wildlife for the “bush meat” trade while leopard, lion, and cheetah were frequently speared.

– The Mara ecosystem (where Ol Kinyei, Olare Motorogi, and Naboisho Conservancies are located) is under serious threat as land is being divided into individually owned plots. Where not protected, tracts of wildlife habitat are being permanently lost with this subdivision of the community ranches. Many small landowners are now selling their plots to the highest bidders, who are then setting up non-sustainable mass-market concrete lodges or becoming involved in intensive farming and fencing of their small holdings. Snaring of herbivores and poisoning of big cats has increased and wildlife is being driven out.

– Previously, the Maasai were entirely dependent upon their livestock and in recent years, they have lost much of their rangeland with permanent water. As a result of the increasingly frequent droughts in East Africa, there has been degradation of the environment through over-grazing and the Maasai communities have suffered hardship with loss of livestock.

The conservancy projects have gone a long way in bringing long-term benefits to local communities while also protecting the land and wildlife and ensuring an enhanced wilderness experience for guests.