Nature and Extent of Livestock Depredation in Wildlife Dispersal Areas of Maasai Mara National Reserve - Kenya

The study in the wildlife dispersal areas of Maasai Mara National Reserve established the nature and extent of livestock depredation in in terms of the types of livestock attacked, the specific carnivores responsible for depredation, the causes of depredation, as well as the timing and seasonality of these events. It also examines the locations and habitats where depredation occurred and identifies hotspot areas for livestock depredation. Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were used through questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews with key informants, observation and monitoring sheets. Data from the questionnaire survey were analyzed using frequencies and chi-square, while spatial-temporal data were analyzed through Kernel Density and Standard Deviation Ellipse. The results showed that all respondents interviewed experienced livestock depredation in the study area. Although lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas were identified as the problem animals, the most problematic carnivore involved in depredation was hyenas (98.8%, n=338), followed by lions (56.7%, n=194). The chi-square analysis showed that the type of carnivore involved in depredation was dependent on the location where depredation took place (χ<sup>2</sup>=60.732, df=4, p=0.001). The most vulnerable livestock to depredation were sheep (n=208, 71% killed and n=31, 62% injured), followed by goats (n=59, 20% killed and n=15, 30% injured). The cattle that had an “eye” mark on their hinds to scare predators were not attacked during the entire study period. The results revealed that there was no association between the type of livestock attacked and the habitat where the attack took place (χ<sup>2</sup>=6.215, df=3, p=0.400). The major cause of livestock depredation was the grazing of livestock on the conservancies (n=152, 44.2%). When the herders carry defensive equipment like knives, clubs, sticks, and spears, depredation cases are less experienced (n=173, 51%). In conclusion, the type of livestock significantly influences the rate of depredation, with sheep and goats being the most vulnerable to predator attacks. The absence of attacks on cattle with "eye-marked" signs highlights the potential effectiveness of this low-cost, simple deterrent method. The high incidence of injuries and fatalities among sheep and goats calls for targeted interventions to protect these more vulnerable livestock types. Given the high involvement of hyenas in depredation, the study recommends that specific strategies to mitigate livestock attacks should be prioritized.