About the TransMara Human-Elephant Conflict Project

A project aimed at saving lives and livelihoods

Each year, between 50 and 120 elephants are killed by the Kenyan authorities because they have come into conflict with humans.

While the total number of people killed or injured by elephants is not fully known, over the past two years in the TransMara region alone, humans have been involved in nine serious or fatal encounters with elephants.

Why the project was started
The conflict between elephants and people over cultivated crops began with the immigration of non-Maasais into TransMara in the 1920s. The problem increased significantly in the 1990s with the growing birth rate in Kenya, which had been and still averages 3% per annum, increasing the need for more land, for more people.

This project in the Transmara was established by DICE back in 1998, when Noah Sitati began studying the increasing conflict situation in the region. WWF has been a partner in the project since 2001.

Project steps

The first step, or phase, Noah had to undertake was to research and understand the problem and the situation.

Although human-elephant conflict is an age-old issue, it is only in recent years, as poaching decreased and human populations increased, that the conflict situation has become a more and more serious issue.

Early ground breaking findings
The results of those first few years, when published, was ground breaking... for the first time, replicable techniques were used to measure and therefore predict with greater accuracy where conflict may occur.

It led quickly to the 2nd phase where Noah put his research to the test using fields trials. It is at the end of this 2nd stage (July 2003), that this project profile was compiled. His 3rd, and perhaps most vital phase, is to take his successful trials out into the wider TransMara and promote their low-cost adoption to other farmers.

You are part of the project's objectives
The Human-elephant conflict project has 7 objectives. This web report on the project, which was sponsored by Canon, is helping to achieve Objective 6: "Raise local, national and international awareness of Human Elephant conflict issues and solutions."

In full, the goal and objectives of this project are:

Project Objectives

1. Build local and government capacity in monitoring and mitigating human elephant conflict.

2. Implement a HEC monitoring and research programme to identify trends, causal factors and predictor variables.

3. Identify, test and implement successful short-term HEC mitigation strategies.

4. Test and refine a HEC decision support system for practical use at all levels.

5 Identify means to provide benefits for local communities from elephants in conflict areas by exploring alternative land-use practices to those currently being promoted.

6. Raise local, national and international awareness of HEC issues and solutions.

7. Support the development of a HEC policy for Kenya, which will contribute to the development of a national elephant conservation strategy.