People, Predators, Practices and Perceptions: Socio-Economic Implications of Livestock Predation by African Large Carnivores in Samburu County, Northern Kenya

Abstract

We conducted an attitudinal study on the socio-economic implications of human-carnivore conflict in an East African pastoralist landscape through a semi-structured questionnaire survey complemented by a locally organised community carnivore conservation workshop. We compared actual livestock predation rates by the large carnivores from a nine-year livestock predation dataset for Samburu County to perceived predation rates from our respondents. Our study revealed that perceived rates of livestock predation vis-à-vis actual rates of livestock predation by large carnivores in a modern pastoralist community setting are dissimilar. Even though community goodwill to embrace coexistence with wildlife persists, the perceived lack of equitable sharing of benefits from wildlife earnings nationally with local communities inadvertently reinforces negative views towards wildlife in general and carnivores specifically. Therefore, an increased participatory community approach in the management and conservation of wildlife needs to be addressed appropriately by policy makers for the benefit of the communities and wildlife.