Impacts of Constructed Water Pans on Mammal Distribution and Abundance. A Case of Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Abstract

Aim: To assess the impacts of constructed water pan utilization on wildlife distribution and abundance in Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Study Design:  Ecological survey design. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the dry season (June 2022) and wet season (October 2022) at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya. Methodology: Systematic sampling using belt transects was used in collecting data on mammals’ distribution and abundance. Results: Distribution patterns differed with species between seasons. For the dry season, results show that eland(r=-0.516, p=0.295), impala(r=-0.714, p=0.111), warthog(r=-0.754,p=0.08), waterbuck(r=-0.986,p=0.0003), and zebra(r=-0.657,p=0.156) had a strong negative correlation with distance from water pans. During the wet season, impala (r = -0.49, p=0.329), wildebeest (r = -0.26, p=0.623), and waterbuck (r = -0.71, p=0.111) showed a negative correlation, while warthog (r = 0.60,p=0.208) and zebra (r = 0.26, p=0.62)showed a positive correlation with increased distance from water. Conclusion: many mammals concentrated near the constructed water pans during the dry season due to the presence of forage and drinking water but dispersed out when ephemeral water sources and forage availability increased during the wet season.