Conserving Wildlife Habitats Beyond Protected Areas: Efficacy of Relevant Regulatory Frameworks in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya has established five national sanctuaries, 22 terrestrial parks and 28 terrestrial reserves, totalling about 8% of the country's land mass. These protected areas (PAs) are governed by the state through stiff regulation and controls. But this notwithstanding, studies continue pointing to a calamitous decline in wildlife in the country, outside parks, which account for 85 per cent loss. In light of this decline, the study sought to assess Kenya's current regulatory frameworks in conserving wildlife habitats beyond PAs. The research data was collected from a mix of primary and secondary sources. The primary data was mainly acquired through interviews with key informants, while the secondary data was derived from the literature review. The study findings indicated that, even though over 65 per cent of the country's wildlife resides outside PAs, there is a lack of a specific regulatory framework for their conservation. Equally, sectorial policies, especially those concerning land use and natural resource management, sometimes advance positions that undermine wildlife conservation. This has been aggravated by a lack of or inadequate linkages and coordination in the governance of the country's natural resources. The paper, therefore, concludes that merely protecting habitats with strict rules and law enforcement is not enough to conserve biodiversity. The need for Kenya's wildlife law to extend beyond the traditional PAs to encompass private and community lands outside PAs is strongly recommended. In the same vein, all land use activities beyond PAs should be planned and integrated into both national and county spatial planning to avoid the risk of PAs becoming ecological islands.