gms | German Medical Science

The overlap in wildlife requirements with those of human populations creates costs to both humans and wildlife and hence human-wildlife conflict (HWC). In Kenya, HWC is escalating and has become a significant issue in the conservation and land use management. However, elephants are the most frequently implicated HWC this two communities due to high human population with limited income opportunities. This interaction and the social response of humans to crop and livestock depredation, labour and opportunity costs of crop and livestock defense and loss of wildlife species through retaliatory attacks is critically threatening wildlife conservation. This study will try to answer: How do human activities and land use practices in the Tsavo Conservation Area impact the distribution and behavior of elephants? What are the specific health risks and benefits associated with the presence of elephants in the Mangelete and Kamungi communities within the Tsavo Conservation Area? How do cultural beliefs, traditional knowledge, and community perceptions influence the coexistence between elephants and humans in this region? What are the implications of human-elephant interactions on the mental and emotional well-being of community members in the study area? How can the findings from this research inform conservation strategies, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and public health initiatives in the Tsavo Conservation Area? This study employed quantitative and qualitative research methods to gather information on people’s interactions with wildlife and their health outcomes. The results will increase awareness and understanding of the vital role of biodiversity in supporting human health, gain insights into the nature and consequences of conflict on the wellbeing of communities living with elephants. The results show that elephants still use the communal lands in Tsavo conservation area. However, there was no evidence of a further decline in the elephant range. Instead, this study points to a shift in elephant range against a background of increasing human settlement, land sub-division and agricultural expansion. The wellbeing of the two communities comprised eight indicators. Human-elephant conflict negatively affected peoples ‘wellbeing’, with transfer of Anthrax to humans through their livestock. Attitudes towards elephants and its conservation in TCA were influenced by the location of human residence relative elephant refuge, diversity of income sources, and age and gender. Human-elephant interaction in TCA is still elusive and challenging, but opportunities exist to develop simple and dynamic mitigation tools. The findings of this study have important implications for the future of elephant conservation in the face of competing human needs, both in Tsavo conservation area and elsewhere in Africa.