KENYA'S NATIONAL STRATEGY
The Grevy’s Zebra Task Force
The sustained decline in Grevy’s zebra numbers and range has been a major concern to stakeholders in Grevy’s zebra conservation in Kenya. It was recognised that the conservation of Grevy’s zebra and its semi-arid ecosystem in Kenya and Ethiopia will require commitment and coordination among all stakeholders to ensure the future survival of this species. This led to the formation of a Grevy’s Zebra Task Force chaired by the Kenya Wildlife Service to coordinate Grevy’s zebra conservation efforts in Kenya.
A major output of its meetings was the need to develop a national Grevy’s zebra conservation strategy to guide national and regional conservation efforts.
Owned and Developed by Those on the Ground
Those taking conservation action on the ground, particularly local communities who are the major stakeholder across the species’ range, were responsible for developing and endorsing the strategy. The implementing structure identified during this process reflects this emphasis with field site committees forming the foundation of conservation management for the species.
Setting Targets
Unlike other species, baseline data for setting measurable targets at a national level are not available. Because of the diversity of threats facing different sub-populations of Grevy’s zebra, knowledge of numbers and monitoring these trends across their entire range is currently limited. It was therefore agreed in the national workshop that qualitative targets would initially be set. Information gathered during the first year of implementation will then be used for developing achievable, measurable targets which will be incorporated into the current strategy. One of the first steps in achieving this is the national survey scheduled for July 2008.
Strategic Vision
The vision of this strategy is to have viable and sustainable Grevy’s zebra populations and their habitats for present and future generations. Its goal is to mitigate the threats and reverse the decline in Grevy’s zebra, and work towards fostering ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability within their natural range.
This vision and goal will be achieved through nine Strategic Objectives that focus on mitigating the threats to Grevy’s zebra survival, increasing their numbers, and building a solid foundation upon which to sustain Grevy’s zebra conservation in the long-term.
Implementation
The implementing structure for this strategy is centred on site committees based on the ground in geographical units of known connected Grevy’s zebra populations. The Grevy’s Zebra Liaison Office in the Kenya Wildlife Service will be the central coordinating body responsible for oversight of the strategy’s implementation and acting as a critical link between stakeholders to ensure effective conservation action.