Human-wildlife conflict in Isiolo County, Kenya: An assessment of its nature and extent

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is still a significant environmental, socio-economic and security problem in Isiolo County, Kenya, as more and more interactions between local communities and wildlife continue to present a threat to human livelihoods and wellbeing.   This study aimed to assess the nature and extent of human–wildlife conflict in Isiolo County, Kenya, to generate empirical evidence to inform policy and practice.  The study was guided by the Human–Wildlife Coexistence Theory, Human Needs Theory and Political Ecology Theory, to examine the occurrence of conflict incidents, common types of conflict, wildlife species involved, frequency and severity of conflict, factors contributing to human–wildlife conflict and impacts on livelihoods and community security. This study used descriptive survey research design and the respondents were 2,422 from the local communities, Kenya Wildlife Service officers, local administrators, security officers, and conservation stakeholders. The sample size was determined using Yamane formula for stratified and simple random sampling techniques with n=330. Structured questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were employed as data collection methods and descriptive data analysis and thematic analysis were utilized. The results showed that 62.6% of the respondents had encountered or managed human-wildlife conflict (HWC) incidents during the past five years. Crop destruction and livestock predation were the two most frequent types of conflict reported (63.9% and 56.1%, respectively). Actually, the wildlife species identified most often involved in wildlife conflict issues are elephants (30.3%), hyena (26.5%) and leopard (21.3%). Most respondents indicated several times a year people had been impacted by conflict and 69.1% felt the increased frequency of conflict over the last five years. The top three drivers of conflict were drought (66.5%), wildlife migration corridors through settlements (59.4%), and human occupation of wildlife habitat (55.5%). The study shows that human-wildlife conflicts are quite prevalent and are having a high impact on livelihoods, food security and community security in the study area of Isiolo County. The study suggests a need for robust protection of corridors, better management of habitats, community-based alternative strategies for managing conflicts, and greater cooperation between various stakeholders to support sustainable human-wildlife coexistence.