Also at the species level, the programme’s
second objective focuses on the Roan
antelope and Greater kudu, both of which are
no longer present in the Reserve but for which there are plans to
reintroduce as part of the process to restore the Reserve’s
natural species diversity.
Besides Black rhinos, several other species were
identified through the CAP process as MMNR conservation targets,
and these species will also require ecological management action
and monitoring. These target species are: Roan antelope; Greater
kudu; and large carnivores (including lion, Spotted hyena, cheetah,
Wild dog, and leopard). Of these, Roan antelope were once a common
feature in the MMNR, in particular the Mara Triangle area along the
Siria Escarpment, but the species is now extinct in the Reserve,
and the only remaining population in Kenya is in Ruma National
Park. Similarly, the Greater kudu was also once commonly seen in
the MMNR, particularly in the eastern part of the Reserve, but has
nowbecome locally extinct in the Reserve itself (although it is
still present in the hills to the east of the
area).
Large carnivores remain in high numbers in and
around the MMNR, and the ecosystem is one of the few areas
remaining in Kenya with sufficient prey and habitat to support
ecologically functional populations of these animals over the
long-term. The selection of large carnivores as a conservation
target reflects their particular importance in the MMNR, not only
due to the vital ecological roles these predators play, but also
their economic importance as one of the key features that attracts
high number of visitors to the area (especially outside of the
annual migration period). However, recent research has indicated
that there may have been a 40 percent decline in lions inside the
MMNR in the last 15 years21, and concerns have also been raised
about the populations of other carnivores, such as cheetah. The
reasons for the decline remain unclear, but it is likely to be due
to a combination of factors such as habitat loss, disease, decline
in prey availability, and direct killing due to conflict with local
people.
In order to address these, and other key issues,
impacting on the status of MMNR species conservation targets, five
management actions have been developed; these are elaborated in
detail in the following sections.
