The Human Footprint Project
Kenya’s north is changing fast. Development is already encroaching on the reserves where STE’s research centre is based. Many new lodges have sprung up within the reserves, while a newly-built highway is attracting ribbons of development on either side and has swollen Archer’s Post into a busy town. By 2030, the nation’s vision for the area includes a railway, oil pipeline, highway and a resort city. STE’s Human Footprint project aims to understand and visualize the effects of increased human populations and infrastructure on the land used by elephants in and around Samburu and Buffalo Springs Reserves. By better understanding the interaction of elephants and humans we can work with government to plan for a future to allow both species to thrive.
In 2005, there were five permanent lodges in the area and one under construction. Now there are 11 fully operational lodges inside the reserve boundaries and two just outside park limits.
Lodges employ community members, and bring tourists who buy gifts, artifacts and leave donations, giving an economic incentive to grow roots near the reserves. A paved highway bordering the East side of the Reserves was completed in 2010. Easy access to larger markets and fast transportation have greatly benefited the Samburu and Turkana people, but has created a dangerous obstacle for migrating elephants and speeded the transport of illegal ivory.
Of the multiple threats that elephants face such as poaching, drought, and climate change, coping with an expanding human presence is possibly the most critical long-term challenge.
This prompted the bit of the human footprint project. Mapping changes over time is crucial to understanding the encroachment of humans into what was previously wildlife dominated landscape. Overlaying this with elephant movement data is imperative if we are to safeguard humans and elephant safety. In terms of policy, the correlations between these maps can be used to help conservancies plan where their settlements should be positioned to avoid elephant corridors. As the data is refined and used, this sort of planning at a local level could translate into a political push for national wildlife corridors.
More Projects Under Human Elephant Conflict
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The fate of elephants is in the balance. The record price of ivory has attracted organised crime, rebel militias and even terrorist groups, fuelling a surge of poaching across the continent. Without the outstanding support and generosity of our donors, STE would not be able to continue securing a future for the elephants. We urgently need your support, while there is still time. You can be of vital assistance by donating to either our core funds or to any of our projects.
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The fate of elephants is in the balance. The record price of ivory has attracted organised crime, rebel militias and even terrorist groups, fuelling a surge of poaching across the continent. Without the outstanding support and generosity of our donors, STE would not be able to continue securing a future for the elephants. We urgently need your support, while there is still time. You can be of vital assistance by donating to either our core funds or to any of our projects.
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Elephants are facing intense threats to their survival in many parts of Africa. The Elephant Crisis Fund provides rapid, catalytic support for the most effective projects designed to stop the killing of elephants for ivory, reduce conflict between humans and elephants, and safeguard important elephant landscapes.
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