Abstract:
Kenya has one of the highest remaining concentrations of tropical
savanna wildlife in the world. It has been recognised by the state and interna-
tional community as a 'unique world heritage' which should be preserved for
posterity. However, the wildlife conservation efforts of the Kenya government
confront complex and often persistent social and ecological problems, including
land-use conflicts between the local people and wildlife, local people's suspi-
cions and hostilities toward state policies of wildlife conservation, and acceler-
ated destruction of wildlife habitats.
This essay uses a political-ecological framework in the analysis of the social
factors of wildlife conservation in Kenya. It postulates that the overriding
socioeconomic issue impacting wildlife conservation in Kenya is underdevelop-
ment. The problem of underdevelopment is manifested in forms of increasing
levels of poverty, famine and malnutrition. The long term survival of Kenya's
wildlife depends on social and ecological solutions to the problems of underde-
velopment.