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WRTI Publications Database · 847 peer-reviewed works

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Peer-reviewed journal articles, technical reports, evidence briefs, and book chapters from WRTI scientists — 1976 to present. All open-access publications are freely downloadable.

elephant corridor lion prey black rhino genetics wild dog laikipia distance sampling human wildlife conflict
847
Total publications
614
Open access
28
Authors
1976
First publication
14,200+
Total citations
847 publications
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⊙ Open access Journal article
Long-term population dynamics of large carnivores in the Maasai Mara: a 12-year GPS telemetry study of lions, cheetahs, and African wild dogs
Osei, A., Kamau, N., Ndung'u, J., Waweru, P., Ali, H., Odhiambo, R. & eight co-authors
Conservation Biology, 36(4), e13891 · 2022
We report on 12 continuous years of GPS telemetry monitoring of large carnivore populations in the Maasai Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, Kenya. Data from 62 GPS-collared individuals across five species (lion, cheetah, leopard, African wild dog, spotted hyena) reveal consistent patterns of population change driven by corridor availability, prey density, and human land use intensity…
📅 2022 📑 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13891 🔖 482 citations 🏷 Carnivores · GPS · Mara
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We report on 12 continuous years of GPS telemetry monitoring of large carnivore populations in the Maasai Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, Kenya. Data from 62 GPS-collared individuals across five species (lion, cheetah, leopard, African wild dog, spotted hyena) reveal consistent patterns of population change driven by corridor availability, prey density, and human land use intensity. Lion population declined 8% over the study period, while African wild dog numbers recovered from 3 packs (23 individuals) in 2010 to 8 packs (68 individuals) in 2022 following improved corridor connectivity. Prey availability emerged as the primary driver of carnivore space use, with GPS cluster analysis revealing 23 distinct kill sites. Our results highlight the critical importance of maintaining connectivity between the Mara National Reserve and adjacent pastoral lands for carnivore population viability.
GPS telemetrylarge carnivoresMaasai Maralionwild dogcorridor connectivityprey availabilitypopulation dynamics
Citation
APA BibTeX Chicago
Osei, A., Kamau, N., Ndung'u, J., Waweru, P., Ali, H., & Odhiambo, R. (2022). Long-term population dynamics of large carnivores in the Maasai Mara: a 12-year GPS telemetry study of lions, cheetahs, and African wild dogs. Conservation Biology, 36(4), e13891. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13891
482
Total citations
DOI10.1111/cobi.13891
JournalConservation Biology
Volume36(4), e13891
PublishedAugust 2022
Impact factor6.8
AccessOpen access (CC BY 4.0)
⊙ Open access Journal article
Elephant corridor connectivity in the Amboseli–Tsavo landscape: consequences of fragmentation for range use, calving success, and population dynamics
Kamau, S., Osei, A. & Mwangi, D.
Biological Conservation, 261, 108744 · 2021
Using 10 years of GPS tracking data from 34 elephants in the Amboseli–Tsavo ecosystem, we demonstrate that corridor availability is the primary determinant of population-level movement patterns and calving success. Elephants using intact corridor segments showed 31% higher calving rates than those using fragmented routes…
📅 2021 📑 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.108744 🔖 374 citations 🏷 Elephants · Corridors · Amboseli
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Using 10 years of GPS tracking data from 34 elephants in the Amboseli–Tsavo ecosystem, we demonstrate that corridor availability is the primary determinant of population-level movement patterns and calving success. Elephants using intact corridor segments showed 31% higher calving rates than those using fragmented routes, controlling for prey availability and season. Home range sizes contracted by 42% in individuals whose primary corridor was blocked by fence or cultivation. Our findings provide quantitative evidence for the policy case for statutory corridor protection and have informed the National Wildlife Corridors Conservation Strategy 2022–2030.
African elephantGPS trackingwildlife corridorsAmboseliTsavofragmentationcalving success
Citation
APA BibTeX Chicago
Kamau, S., Osei, A., & Mwangi, D. (2021). Elephant corridor connectivity in the Amboseli–Tsavo landscape: consequences of fragmentation for range use, calving success, and population dynamics. Biological Conservation, 261, 108744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.108744
374
Total citations
DOI10.1016/j.biocon.2021.108744
JournalBiological Conservation
Volume261, 108744
PublishedSeptember 2021
Impact factor7.2
AccessOpen access (CC BY 4.0)
⊙ Open access Journal article
Genetic diversity and population structure of Kenya's black rhinoceros across 12 sanctuary sites: implications for conservation management and breeding programme design
Muthoni, G., Kamau, N., Waweru, P. & four co-authors
Molecular Ecology, 32(8), 1892–1908 · 2023
We characterised the genetic diversity and population structure of Kenya's entire black rhinoceros population (n=1,014) across 12 sanctuary sites using 18 microsatellite loci. Mean expected heterozygosity (He=0.62) was within the range of other managed rhinoceros populations but showed evidence of inbreeding depression in four sanctuaries…
📅 2023 📑 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16758 🔖 218 citations 🏷 Rhino · Genetics · Conservation management
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We characterised the genetic diversity and population structure of Kenya's entire black rhinoceros population (n=1,014) across 12 sanctuary sites using 18 microsatellite loci. Mean expected heterozygosity (He=0.62) was within the range of other managed rhinoceros populations but showed evidence of inbreeding depression in four sanctuaries with small effective population sizes (<20 individuals). We identify seven genetically distinct management units and provide recommendations for individual transfers to maximise genetic diversity while maintaining population viability across the sanctuary network. Our genotype database (n=6,843 individuals including historical samples) now provides baseline data for forensic identification of poached animals.
black rhinocerosconservation geneticspopulation structuremicrosatellitesinbreedingKenyasanctuary management
Citation
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Muthoni, G., Kamau, N., & Waweru, P. (2023). Genetic diversity and population structure of Kenya's black rhinoceros across 12 sanctuary sites: implications for conservation management and breeding programme design. Molecular Ecology, 32(8), 1892–1908. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16758
218
Total citations
DOI10.1111/mec.16758
JournalMolecular Ecology
Volume32(8), 1892–1908
PublishedApril 2023
Impact factor4.9
AccessOpen access (CC BY 4.0)
⊙ Open access Journal article
Predator-livestock conflict and mitigation in the Laikipia Plateau: an evidence synthesis from 340 households and 8 years of camera trap monitoring
Ndung'u, J., Osei, A. & Waweru, P.
Oryx, 56(5), 742–754 · 2022
We synthesise 8 years of predator-livestock conflict monitoring data from 340 households across the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya, integrating household survey data, camera trap detection records, and GPS carnivore location data to identify spatial and temporal conflict drivers and evaluate mitigation effectiveness…
📅 2022 📑 DOI: 10.1017/S0030605321001058 🔖 167 citations 🏷 HWC · Laikipia · Carnivores · Mitigation
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We synthesise 8 years of predator-livestock conflict monitoring data from 340 households across the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya, integrating household survey data, camera trap detection records, and GPS carnivore location data to identify spatial and temporal conflict drivers and evaluate mitigation effectiveness. Conflict was significantly predicted by cattle density, proximity to lion pride home ranges, and boma construction quality. Reinforced boma enclosures reduced livestock loss by 74% (95% CI: 62–82%), while early warning SMS systems reduced response time from 48 to 6 hours on average. Our results provide practical evidence for nationally scalable HWC mitigation and informed the National HWC Mitigation Framework 2023.
human-wildlife conflictlivestock predationLaikipialionsboma reinforcementmitigationearly warning
Citation
APA BibTeX Chicago
Ndung'u, J., Osei, A., & Waweru, P. (2022). Predator-livestock conflict and mitigation in the Laikipia Plateau: an evidence synthesis from 340 households and 8 years of camera trap monitoring. Oryx, 56(5), 742–754. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605321001058
167
Total citations
DOI10.1017/S0030605321001058
JournalOryx
Volume56(5), 742–754
PublishedSeptember 2022
Impact factor3.7
AccessOpen access (CC BY 4.0)
⊙ Open access Journal article
Priority wildlife corridors in Kenya: a national GIS assessment using GPS tracking data, habitat modelling, and human land use datasets
Mwangi, D., Odhiambo, R., Kamau, S. & Kamau, N.
Landscape Ecology, 37(3), 621–640 · 2022
We present the first national GIS assessment of wildlife corridor priority in Kenya, integrating GPS tracking data from 48 species across 1,840 GPS-collared individuals with habitat suitability modelling, land use datasets, and connectivity analysis using Circuitscape to identify 24 priority corridors…
📅 2022 📑 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-021-01374-9 🔖 148 citations 🏷 GIS · Corridors · Connectivity · Kenya
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We present the first national GIS assessment of wildlife corridor priority in Kenya, integrating GPS tracking data from 48 species across 1,840 GPS-collared individuals with habitat suitability modelling, land use datasets, and connectivity analysis using Circuitscape to identify 24 priority corridors across Kenya's major ecosystems. Fourteen corridors were classified as highest priority based on combined criteria of species movement frequency, habitat quality, and current land use threat. The Amboseli–Tsavo corridor emerged as Kenya's highest-priority single corridor based on the breadth of species utilisation and severity of existing fragmentation. These findings informed the Kenya Wildlife Corridors Conservation Strategy 2022–2030.
wildlife corridorsGISlandscape connectivityCircuitscapeGPS trackingKenyahabitat modelling
Citation
APA BibTeX Chicago
Mwangi, D., Odhiambo, R., Kamau, S., & Kamau, N. (2022). Priority wildlife corridors in Kenya: a national GIS assessment using GPS tracking data, habitat modelling, and human land use datasets. Landscape Ecology, 37(3), 621–640. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01374-9
148
Total citations
DOI10.1007/s10980-021-01374-9
JournalLandscape Ecology
Volume37(3), 621–640
PublishedMarch 2022
Impact factor4.3
AccessOpen access (CC BY 4.0)
⊙ Open access Technical report
Kenya National Biodiversity Index 2023: annual assessment of ecosystem health across 6 biome types
Kamau, N., Mwangi, D. & the WRTI Biodiversity Monitoring Team
WRTI Technical Report TR-2023-04 · 2023
Annual assessment of Kenya's national biodiversity index, documenting ecosystem health scores across savanna, forest, wetland, arid, coastal, and highland biomes. The 2023 assessment records a 2.1-point decline in savanna biodiversity — the largest single-year decline since monitoring began in 2010…
📅 2023 📑 WRTI-TR-2023-04 🔖 84 citations 🏷 Biodiversity · Monitoring · Ecosystem health
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Annual assessment of Kenya's national biodiversity index, documenting ecosystem health scores across savanna, forest, wetland, arid, coastal, and highland biomes using WRTI's standardised monitoring protocols. The 2023 assessment records a 2.1-point decline in savanna biodiversity — the largest single-year decline since the index was established in 2010 — driven primarily by habitat fragmentation in three priority corridors and exacerbated by the 2022 drought recovery lag. The national index score of 64.2/100 remains above the critical threshold of 60.0, but the declining trend requires urgent policy response. Forest and wetland biomes showed marginal improvement (+0.4 and +0.8 points respectively).
biodiversity indexecosystem monitoringsavannaKenyahabitat fragmentationannual assessment
Citation
APA BibTeX Chicago
Kamau, N., Mwangi, D., & WRTI Biodiversity Monitoring Team. (2023). Kenya National Biodiversity Index 2023: annual assessment of ecosystem health across 6 biome types (WRTI Technical Report TR-2023-04). Wildlife Research and Training Institute.
84
Reports citing
Report no.TR-2023-04
PublisherWRTI
Pages142
PublishedOctober 2023
AccessOpen access
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