X-From_: tgray  Wed Nov 11 09:30:36 1992
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Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 09:34:55 PST
Reply-To:     Tom Gray <tgray@IGC.APC.ORG>
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From:         Tom Gray <tgray@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      IPS: Animals and Man in Kenya

/* Written 12:09 am  Oct 23, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:ips.englibrary
*/
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Environment
Title: KENYA: WILDLIFE UNDER THREAT


an inter press service feature

by pamphil h. kweyuh

nairobi, oct 20 (ips) -- kenya's wildlife is under increased
threat of extinction with the development of new human
settlements.

agricultural developers and conservationists are currently in
disagreement over the use of ndere national park, a 420-ha
island on lake victoria and a proposed national reserve to cover
the 20,000-ha tana river delta, 500 km south-east of here.

if the agricultural developers win the tussle, it will be a
continuation of successes scored over the past six years in the
takeover of large proportions of five other parks in the
country.

''the question we are asking is who between wildlife and
man is more important to the government'', says henry mutua, a
resident of masongaleni squatter camp, 300 km south of here.

kenya's per capita arable land has dropped from 0.5 ha to
about 0.1 ha per head as a result of increased population
pressure, rising at an average of 3.7 percent yearly.

already the country has three million squatters who are
upset that 45,000 sq km is being conserved for animals.

''the bottom point is that we would have 77 million people
in need of food or income from agriculture by 2025 and virgin
land is seen as having a potential to generate income'', paul
harisson, a british conservation researcher here says.

nairobi-based estate agent john mathu says inadequate land
for agricultural development and the attendant soaring of prices
will pose serious threat to sanctuaries for wildlife.

''we are unable to secure land for our clients and people
don't see any reason to buy expensive land while fertile land
exists in the sanctuaries'', mathu adds.

richard leakey, director of kenya wildlife services which
manages parks, reserves and wildlife, says he is aware of the
pressure being exerted on conservation areas, but argues that
such developments will not be sustainable.

''wildlife in the nairobi national park will soon be starving
or overpopulated simply because of estates, factories and home
developments around the 52-year-old park'', leakey says.
(more/ips)


kenya: wildlife (2)

''developments that do not appreciate the need to conserve
the flora and fauna whose rare species' uses have not even been
researched upon is totally destructive'', he explains.

however, galole constituency member of parliament mohammed
galgalo says tana river and half of game parks and reserves
should be scrapped as they are ''unviable''.

galgalo, whose constituency covers the 20,000 ha tana delta
reserve, in 1988 unsuccessfully moved a motion to ''scrap
unviable parks''.

''i do not see the prudence in continuing  with this kind of
affair, when over 400 million dollars is spent on food imports,
notably rice and wheat, annually.

''this land should be used for food production to cover the
gap in local output instead of spending tourism receipts to
import food'', galgalo argues.

tourism tops kenya's foreign exchange earnings list with over
500 million dollars generated in 1991.

but nehemiah rotich, executive director of east african
wildlife services, regards as imprudent the desire of
agriculture developers to acquire the tana delta, an area
infested with tsetse fly.

''besides being pre-determined to fail, the development will
interfere with breeding grounds for sea fish, the rare colubus
monkey and natural habitat of the nile crocodile which has been
listed as an endangered species'', he says.

joseph kioko, deputy director of kenya wildlife service, told
ips that all conservation areas are gazetted owing to their
possession of adequate plants and animals to warrant the status.

''we have been looking at the people's approach towards the
park for some time and have concluded that the government's
firmness, education and formulation of strategies to benefit the
people are urgent if these areas have to be saved'', he says.
(ends/ips/phk/ro/ar/92)

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