Ecology and conservation of the
Endangered Rothschild’s giraffe in Kenya
Explorers Club Report
January 2012
Project personnel
Ms. Zoe Muller
Principal Investigator, Rothschild’s Giraffe Project
Research Associate, Giraffe Conservation Foundation
Member IUCN SSC/ASG International Giraffe Working Group (IGWG)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +254 (0) 713 814 334
Dr. Julian Fennessy
Chair IUCN SSC/ASG International Giraffe Working Group
Trustee, Giraffe Conservation Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +264 (0) 814 893 107
Ongoing Project Progress
2011 has been a busy and successful year in which the Rothschild’s Giraffe Project has been
involved in a number of giraffe conservation activities and of course, has continued to
operate the vital field research necessary for future conservation of the Endangered
Rothschild’s giraffe.
Throughout the year the Project has continued to operate at Soysambu Conservancy, the
Project’s main study site. Soysambu Conservancy is a 48,000 acre wildlife area which
provides a safe refuge for a number of animal species. The Conservancy is home to
approximately 65 Rothschild’s giraffe and is an important site since this represents 10% of
the remaining wild population. Since the start of 2011 data collection and field research
activities have continued at Soysambu, helping to build a wealth of data and information
about the giraffe at this location.
In April 2011, the Project expanded its research and data collection activities into the nearby
Lake Nakuru National Park (LNNP). The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) kindly granted
permission for Project personnel to enter LNNP on a daily basis in order to establish
population monitoring of the Rothschild’s giraffe population within the park and to begin
data collection. With approximately 80 giraffe in the Park, this study sample is an important
addition to the Project and the Project is now studying 22% of the world’s remaining
population of Rothschild’s giraffe in the wild.
The field research and data collection activities of the Project have been progressing steadily
throughout the year and gradually we are building up a strong data set for future analysis.
The results of the ecological study will assist KWS in developing conservation initiatives for
the Rothschild’s giraffe in Kenya.
Other Project Activities
Translocation event
In February 2011, eight Rothschild’s giraffe
were selected for a translocation effort coordinated by the Kenya Wildlife Service with
support from Born Free. Zoe Muller (Principal
Investigator of the Rothschild’s Giraffe Project)
was involved in this move and acted as giraffe
consultant throughout this important event.
Eight giraffe were selected from the Project’s
main study site at Soysambu Conservancy for
translocation to Ruko Conservancy, 160km
north near Lake Baringo. Ruko Conservancy is a
new community driven initiative which aims to restore wildlife to the area and attract
tourism and further conservation activity.
Rothschild’s giraffe were historically found in the area surrounding Lake Baringo (hence
their common name, the Baringo giraffe) but have not been present here since the 1950s.
This move therefore was an historic occasion, restoring the Rothschild’s giraffe back to its
original range and homeland. Furthermore, this move was the first time anyone has ever
attempted to move giraffe by boat.
Despite the potential for major problems, the experience and professionalism of the capture
and translocation team ensured that everything went smoothly and the translocation was a
complete success. A number of articles were published in wildlife magazines about the
translocation and a great deal of press coverage was attained around the world, which has
helped raise awareness about giraffe conservation and highlight the plight of the
Rothschild’s giraffe in Kenya.
National Giraffe Conservation Strategy for Kenya
The Rothschild’s Giraffe Project has been assigned sole responsibility of collating data and
information for use in the newly developing National Giraffe Conservation Strategy for
Kenya. Zoe Muller has been invited to sit on the Board of Directors in order to facilitate the
development and implementation of this new conservation legislation. This Strategy will be
the first of its kind for any country in Africa since it focuses solely on the conservation of
giraffe.
Presentations and dissemination of information
Zoe Muller has been invited as a Special Guest to speak and present about the Rothschild’s
Giraffe Project at the second conference of the International Association of Giraffe Care
Professionals (IAGCP). This is a great honour and an important opportunity to speak about
the work of the Project to a key audience of conservation and zoological professionals. The
conference will be held in San Francisco in February 2012.
Plans for 2012
The Project will continue to operate its field research activities throughout 2012. Alongside
collecting data at Soysambu Conservancy and Lake Nakuru National Park, field work will
continue in Ruma National Park in south-west Kenya, which is home to 122 Rothschild’s
giraffe – the largest single population in Kenya. Field work in Ruma NP commenced in 2011
with help from the Explorer’s Club Grant and will continue into 2012.
Data generated in 2011
The Rothschild’s giraffe population range
In 2011 the Rothschild's giraffe survives in Uganda and Kenya, almost all in protected areas.
Habitat fragmentation, habitat loss/conversion and illegal hunting have confined giraffe to
these clearly defined conservation areas. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) aims to increase
the population figures and range through translocations, for which a detailed knowledge of
the social system is required. Results from this research will be able to assist wildlife
managers conducting translocations.
Table 1 shows the population and distribution figures for Rothschild’s giraffe in Kenya and
Uganda, i.e. the population remaining in the wild.
Country
Kenya
Uganda
Population
Numbers
Status
Threats
Ruma NP
Nakuru NP
Soysambu
Conservancy
Kigio Wildlife
Conservancy
Giraffe Manor
130
65
63
Declining
Stable
Increasing
32
Increasing
<20
Increasing/Stable
Mt Elgon NP
<20
Decreasing
Murgor Farm,
Iten
Mwea
National GR
Sergoit Kruger Farm,
Iten
Kitale area
farm
Nasalot GR
Murchison
Falls NP
Kidepo Valley
NP
TOTAL
<20
Decreasing
<20
Increasing
<20
Decreasing
Habitat loss &
fragmentation
Introduced
<10
Decreasing
Habitat loss /
fragmentation
Introduced
<10
240
Stable
Stable
Introduced
Natural
<20
Stable/Decreasing
Introduced
Poaching
Poaching,
habitat loss
Habitat
minimal
Habitat
minimal
Poaching,
habitat loss &
fragmentation
Habitat loss &
fragmentation
Natural/
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced
(captive)
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced
<670
Table 1. 2011 Population and distribution figures for the Rothschild’s giraffe (compiled from
various personal communications and data provided by KWS)
Results
Population figures
A review of Rothschild’s giraffe population figures has highlighted that there are less than
670 individuals now remaining in the wild. 61% (n=410) of these are located in Kenya.
Across the two study sites, this project is collecting data on 20% (n=128) of the world’s
remaining Rothschild’s giraffe population and 49% of Kenya’s population of Rothschild’s
giraffe.
Group Type
After initial testing of the methods in the field, a total of six categories were identified as
being sufficient to describe Group Type;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Lone Male
Lone Female
Females
Males
Mixed sex
Females & Young
Once data collection started however, it was necessary to add an additional category to
include Males & Young since this was observed on a few occasions. Figure 1 shows the
frequency of different group types in Soysambu Conservancy (SC) and Lake Nakuru National
Park (LNNP).
Number of groups
Frequency of different group types in
LNNP and SC
150
100
50
0
LNNP
SC
Type of group
Figure 1. Frequency of different group types in SC and LNNP.
Group Size
Group sizes ranged from 1 to 26 in LNNP, with the largest group being composed of females.
In SC, group size ranged from 1 to 33, with the largest group consisting of females and
young. Figure 2 shows a basic report of group size data for SC and LNNP.
Number of giraffe in
group
Analysis of group size between SC and
LNNP
10
5
LNNP
0
Mean
Median
Mode
SC
Measure
Figure 2. The mean, median and mode group sizes for SC and LNNP
Survey analysis
Surveys tend to be longer in LNNP because the area is much bigger and the roads are better,
allowing ground to be covered more easily.
Study Site
SC
LNNP
Average survey time
(minutes)
259.42
484.83
Average survey length
(kilometres)
45.19
83.04
Average number of
giraffe seen
19
28
Volume of data
Study Site
SC
LNNP
TOTAL
No. of data points
186
292
478
The Rothschild’s Giraffe Project would like to thank the Explorer’s Club for the
kind contribution and financial support received in 2011.
www.girafferesearch.com