Study

Fencing protected areas: a long-term assessment of the effects of reserve establishment and fencing on African mammalian diversity

  • Published source details Massey A.L., King A.A. & Foufopoulos J. (2014) Fencing protected areas: a long-term assessment of the effects of reserve establishment and fencing on African mammalian diversity. Biological Conservation, 176, 162-171.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Build fences around protected areas

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Build fences around protected areas

    A before-and-after study in 1963–2011 at two montane forest and alpine grassland sites within a conservation area in central Kenya (Masey et al. 2014) found that after installing fencing around the protected area, mammal abundance and species richness increased initially but, at one site, abundance and richness subsequently declined. At both sites, following fence installation around the protected area, a declining trend in mammal abundance and species richness changed to an increasing trend (data reported as model results). However, at one of these sites, eight years after the fence was installed, abundance and species richness had again declined significantly, though there was no significant decline at the other site (data reported as model results). Nightly censuses of wildlife at watering holes and salt licks were carried out between approximately 15:00 h 08:00 h, at two lodges in Aberdare Conservation Area, in 1963–2011. In 1991, fencing was built around the 38 km perimeter of the park closest to the study sites and, by 2009, the entire conservation area was fenced.

    (Summarised by: Phil Martin)

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