Climate Change Pressures on Kenyan Wildlife

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) says climate change is to blame for increasing conflicts between humans and wildlife across East Africa, and is heightening the risk that animal diseases will spread. The Biodiversity Research Unit of the KWS warns in its annual report -- released last week (10 August) -- that unless urgent strategies are developed to counter the effects of climate change, management of wildlife could suffer irreparably. Researchers at the unit say climate change is to blame for rivers drying up and species migrating to new habitats, causing changes in ecosystems. This has led to animals, such as lions, killing domestic animals like sheep and goats in villages near the animal parks. Villagers have also complained of elephants, rhinos and buffalo destroying food crops as they wander away from the parks in search of food and water.