Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest

Peter Fundi

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest

Peter Fundi

Published in International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 5, Issue 3)

Received: 17 July 2020 Accepted: 3 August 2020 Published: 13 August 2020

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Abstract

Three communities living in areas adjacent the western side of Mount Kenya forest and close to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were sampled to assess opportunities provided for by the forest, determine conservation benefits from Mountain bongo and evaluate the threats to a released bongo population and to the forest resources. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 120 households and interviews conducted to persons above 10 years of age. Despite a large proportion of respondents believing in community’s ownership of forest resources (48%) and it is their duty to actively protect the forest (65%), benefits received from the forest including farming (72%), livestock grazing and pasture extraction (14%), access to firewood, timber and bush meat (14%) tend to threaten the same forest. Overall, there was a significant difference (χ²=24.96 df=3, p<0.05) on benefits received from the forest by the three communities sampled. Poverty was cited as the driving force to overreliance on forest resources for livelihood support. Kanyoni and Kangaita communities, living in squatter systems, pose more danger to the forest than the small scale farmers at Kwamwea. The high prevalence of hunting in the region (55%) mainly for subsistence purposes (45%) pose a major threat to a reintroduced bongo population. All livelihood support activities from the forest are however, a threat to the success of Mountain bongo reintroduction. Nonetheless, the general feeling that presence of wild bongos would boost tourism in the region (85%) ought to be emphasized and escalate conservation education underscoring the impacts of human activities on forest resources and to Mountain bongo habitat.

Published in	International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
Page(s)	102-107
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Mountain Bongo, Conservation Benefits, Reintroduction, Threats, Conservation Education

References

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Peter Fundi. (2020). Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 5(3), 102-107. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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ACS Style

Peter Fundi. Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2020, 5(3), 102-107. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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AMA Style

Peter Fundi. Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2020;5(3):102-107. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13,
  author = {Peter Fundi},
  title = {Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest},
  journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
  volume = {5},
  number = {3},
  pages = {102-107},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  abstract = {Three communities living in areas adjacent the western side of Mount Kenya forest and close to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were sampled to assess opportunities provided for by the forest, determine conservation benefits from Mountain bongo and evaluate the threats to a released bongo population and to the forest resources. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 120 households and interviews conducted to persons above 10 years of age. Despite a large proportion of respondents believing in community’s ownership of forest resources (48%) and it is their duty to actively protect the forest (65%), benefits received from the forest including farming (72%), livestock grazing and pasture extraction (14%), access to firewood, timber and bush meat (14%) tend to threaten the same forest. Overall, there was a significant difference (χ2=24.96 df=3, p<0.05) on benefits received from the forest by the three communities sampled. Poverty was cited as the driving force to overreliance on forest resources for livelihood support. Kanyoni and Kangaita communities, living in squatter systems, pose more danger to the forest than the small scale farmers at Kwamwea. The high prevalence of hunting in the region (55%) mainly for subsistence purposes (45%) pose a major threat to a reintroduced bongo population. All livelihood support activities from the forest are however, a threat to the success of Mountain bongo reintroduction. Nonetheless, the general feeling that presence of wild bongos would boost tourism in the region (85%) ought to be emphasized and escalate conservation education underscoring the impacts of human activities on forest resources and to Mountain bongo habitat.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest
AU  - Peter Fundi
Y1  - 2020/08/13
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
T2  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
JF  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
JO  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
SP  - 102
EP  - 107
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3061
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
AB  - Three communities living in areas adjacent the western side of Mount Kenya forest and close to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were sampled to assess opportunities provided for by the forest, determine conservation benefits from Mountain bongo and evaluate the threats to a released bongo population and to the forest resources. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 120 households and interviews conducted to persons above 10 years of age. Despite a large proportion of respondents believing in community’s ownership of forest resources (48%) and it is their duty to actively protect the forest (65%), benefits received from the forest including farming (72%), livestock grazing and pasture extraction (14%), access to firewood, timber and bush meat (14%) tend to threaten the same forest. Overall, there was a significant difference (χ2=24.96 df=3, p<0.05) on benefits received from the forest by the three communities sampled. Poverty was cited as the driving force to overreliance on forest resources for livelihood support. Kanyoni and Kangaita communities, living in squatter systems, pose more danger to the forest than the small scale farmers at Kwamwea. The high prevalence of hunting in the region (55%) mainly for subsistence purposes (45%) pose a major threat to a reintroduced bongo population. All livelihood support activities from the forest are however, a threat to the success of Mountain bongo reintroduction. Nonetheless, the general feeling that presence of wild bongos would boost tourism in the region (85%) ought to be emphasized and escalate conservation education underscoring the impacts of human activities on forest resources and to Mountain bongo habitat.
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Peter Fundi

Department of Environmental Studies and Resource Development, Chuka University, Chuka, Kenya

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Peter Fundi. (2020). Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 5(3), 102-107. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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ACS Style

Peter Fundi. Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2020, 5(3), 102-107. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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AMA Style

Peter Fundi. Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest. Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2020;5(3):102-107. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13,
  author = {Peter Fundi},
  title = {Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest},
  journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
  volume = {5},
  number = {3},
  pages = {102-107},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20200503.13},
  abstract = {Three communities living in areas adjacent the western side of Mount Kenya forest and close to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were sampled to assess opportunities provided for by the forest, determine conservation benefits from Mountain bongo and evaluate the threats to a released bongo population and to the forest resources. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 120 households and interviews conducted to persons above 10 years of age. Despite a large proportion of respondents believing in community’s ownership of forest resources (48%) and it is their duty to actively protect the forest (65%), benefits received from the forest including farming (72%), livestock grazing and pasture extraction (14%), access to firewood, timber and bush meat (14%) tend to threaten the same forest. Overall, there was a significant difference (χ2=24.96 df=3, p<0.05) on benefits received from the forest by the three communities sampled. Poverty was cited as the driving force to overreliance on forest resources for livelihood support. Kanyoni and Kangaita communities, living in squatter systems, pose more danger to the forest than the small scale farmers at Kwamwea. The high prevalence of hunting in the region (55%) mainly for subsistence purposes (45%) pose a major threat to a reintroduced bongo population. All livelihood support activities from the forest are however, a threat to the success of Mountain bongo reintroduction. Nonetheless, the general feeling that presence of wild bongos would boost tourism in the region (85%) ought to be emphasized and escalate conservation education underscoring the impacts of human activities on forest resources and to Mountain bongo habitat.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Potential Opportunities and Threats to a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Mountain Bongo Population and Its Habitat at Mount Kenya Forest
AU  - Peter Fundi
Y1  - 2020/08/13
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
T2  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
JF  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
JO  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
SP  - 102
EP  - 107
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3061
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20200503.13
AB  - Three communities living in areas adjacent the western side of Mount Kenya forest and close to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy were sampled to assess opportunities provided for by the forest, determine conservation benefits from Mountain bongo and evaluate the threats to a released bongo population and to the forest resources. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 120 households and interviews conducted to persons above 10 years of age. Despite a large proportion of respondents believing in community’s ownership of forest resources (48%) and it is their duty to actively protect the forest (65%), benefits received from the forest including farming (72%), livestock grazing and pasture extraction (14%), access to firewood, timber and bush meat (14%) tend to threaten the same forest. Overall, there was a significant difference (χ2=24.96 df=3, p<0.05) on benefits received from the forest by the three communities sampled. Poverty was cited as the driving force to overreliance on forest resources for livelihood support. Kanyoni and Kangaita communities, living in squatter systems, pose more danger to the forest than the small scale farmers at Kwamwea. The high prevalence of hunting in the region (55%) mainly for subsistence purposes (45%) pose a major threat to a reintroduced bongo population. All livelihood support activities from the forest are however, a threat to the success of Mountain bongo reintroduction. Nonetheless, the general feeling that presence of wild bongos would boost tourism in the region (85%) ought to be emphasized and escalate conservation education underscoring the impacts of human activities on forest resources and to Mountain bongo habitat.
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
ER  -

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