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Wildlife populations in Africa are declining rapidly because of natural and human – induced causes. Large animal aerial counts were done in 2010 and 2013 wet and dry season in Mid Kenya/ Tanzania borderland. These counts came after the severe droughts of 2007 and 2010 and so they were critical also in establishing the effects of droughts on large mammal populations. Of the 15 common large mammals seen in the borderland, the five most abundant large wild mammals were the common zebra, common wildebeest, Grants gazelle, the Maasai giraffe, and the common eland respectively but the five rare were the common waterbuck, the common warthog, the lesser kudu, gerenuk, and the olive baboon. Based on the numbers and rate of decline, species of conservation concern were common waterbuck, olive baboon, buffalo, common warthog, lesser kudu and African elephant respectively. Elephant numbers in Amboseli stood at 1,145, much higher than Magadi / Namanga (69), West Kilimanjaro (67) and Lake Natron area (27) of the estimated 1,308 in the borderland. Amboseli area led in numbers, proportion and density, but had the lowest values on population growth. It is recommended that species that are declining have focused conservation action. For West Kilimanjaro and Lake Natron area, poaching and habitat degradation should be addressed. Consistent cross border monitoring should continue to animal establish trends and performance of ecosystems in the borderland. Key words: Amboseli, effect of droughts, Lake Natron, Magadi / Namanga, West Kilimanjaro, Wildlife status and trends. |
