by Cosmas Wambua

Starting December 2009, Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK) staff are conducting walking point and distance sampling transects in four farms in our study area to estimate densities of various herbivore species and relative abundance indices of carnivore species.

The choice of the point sampling technique for carnivore has been driven by the fact that carnivores in farm land areas are extremely shy and the dependence on actual sightings for relative abundance indices (RAI’s) estimation is difficult. Other signs of presence (tracks) have been used variously to estimate RAI’s of carnivores elsewhere.

The walking point transects will be conducted once monthly throughout 2010. The scout will stop every two hundred meters and record all carnivore spoors in a 20 meter diameter circle along the four kilometer transect. The scouts will also record the prey sighted during the walk.

For herbivorous species, Distance sampling technique was chosen for another walking transect of similar length to enable for the density estimation of herbivore species that would form the core diet of cheetahs in the area. By conducting counts throughout the year we will acquire invaluable data on the relative abundance of carnivores and estimated densities of herbivores in the study area. The information gained will be used to drive the conservation agenda of ACK in this particular area.

We will keep updating you on the progress of this particular undertaking.