KENYA LAUNCHES GREVY ZEBRA CENSUS HOT ON THE HEELS OF THE COMPLETION OF THE LARGEST EVER ELEPHANT CENSUS IN AFRICA
(Posted 08th January 2016)
When the results of Africa’s greatest ever game census, mainly directed at establishing elephant population numbers, were recently published, did the conservation world sit up and take notice of the massive task which had started in early 2014. Funded by billionaire turned conservation patron Paul Allen did a fleet of light aircraft help survey at least 18 elephant range countries, flying a total of over 460.000 kilometres, comparable to circling the glove nearly a dozen times. The findings of the survey are presently being compiled in the city of Arusha, aka the East African Safari Capital and springboard to the famous northern circuit national parks of Tanzania.
Tanzania had been hardest hit by the poaching scourge over the past several years with her elephant populations decimated and the data are keenly awaited by wildlife managers and conservation groups to see what action needs to be taken and where, a situation however, albeit at a smaller scale, similar to the other range countries.
Under the new government of President John Magufuli, have new priorities emerged and poaching, like the country’s endemic corruption, are finally being tackled with some seriousness not seen for ages.
More resources have been made available for surveillance and enforcement at the Selous Game Reserve and the donation of two Husky aircraft by the German Government in conjunction with the Frankfurt Zoological Society will go some way to more effectively monitor elephant populations from the air.
On a much smaller scale will at the end of the month in Kenya conservation friends come together and survey the remaining Grevy Zebra populations, only found in the North of the country and down south to the Laikipia plains, where their range overlaps with the more common Burchell’s Zebra. In fact it is only on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy where this correspondent has ever seen hybrid breeds between the two species, in itself a major tourist attraction of course.
From an estimated 15.000 Grevy Zebras in the early 1980’s has the species suffered a sharp population decline to only an estimated 2.500 left in present day Kenya and the census will help to establish a more detailed picture as to where they are found and in what numbers.
The promoters of the census were swift to share the concept when asked to elaborate on their plans for the weekend of the 30th and 31st of January:
On 30th and 31st January 2016, scientists, landowners and conservancy managers will be joined by members of the public in driving through designated areas and photographing the right side of each individual Grevy’s zebra observed with a provided GPS enabled digital camera. Each Grevy’s zebra has a unique stripe pattern, which allows us to identify each individual. The photographs will then be processed by the Image Based Ecological Information System (IBEIS), which will identify the individual and its age and sex, and will record the observational time and location. The IBEIS results will estimate the size of the Grevy’s zebra population throughout Kenya.
In addition to providing an updated population estimate, each photograph will contribute to determine the current population age and sex structures. The age and sex structure of a population indicates its potential to grow. For example, if the total number of juveniles and foals account for 25% of the total population, then the population is on the rise. As for sex structure, if there are three females for every one male, then there is high potential reproduction and overall population growth. The population’s distribution and age and sex structures will indicate areas of high and low growth potential. With this information, Grevy’s zebra conservation partners will investigate what factors are contributing to these results.
The exercise has received material and financial support from a number of high profile sponsors who are acknowledged and thanked here:
Results, as and when available, will be published here for both the Africa wide elephant census as well as for the Kenyan Grevy Zebra census. Meanwhile can additional information about this be sourced via http://www.greatgrevysrally.com/
