This study is based in Tana River National Primate Reserve (TRNPR), Kenya. The
reserve, established in 1976 to protect remnant patches of riverine forests from
increasing human pressure is home to two endemic endangered primate subspecies,
Tana River Red colobus (Colobus badius rufomitratus) and Tana River Crested
mangabey (Cercocebus galeritus galeritus). Habitat encroachment through indigenous
farming and forest uses was thought to be one of the causes of drastic colobus and
mangabey population decline after 1975. This study aimed at; generating information
on the impact of these human land-uses on the habitat, this would facilitate the
preparation of management recommendations which would improve the chances of
survival of primate habitats without compromising the welfare of indigenous people.
Using 3 sets of aerial photographs and a geographic information system, information on
land-use changes over time has been generated. A 3 month field work generated
information on agriculture, forest uses and other relevant socio-economic information.
Results from the study indicate that: (i) human population has increased by more than
two-folds between 1969 and 1991; (ii) this has not corresponded to a net increase in
forest area decrease or farm area increase; (iii) there has been a net increase in area
under forest and decrease in area under agriculture; (iv) spatial and temporal changes in
forest area explain colobus population crash observed between 1975 and 1985, (v)
indigenous farmers interviewed prefer a compromise, where they are allowed controlled
access to land within the reserve. They showed a keen knowledge of conservation costs
and benefits and cause-effect processes between humans and the environment.
Management recommendations advocate measures that encourage indigenous people to
be partners in conservation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218949 |
| Date | January 1992 |
| Creators | Gachugu, David Mukii, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Resource & Environmental Science |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright David Mukii Gachugu |
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