Fences serve to protect what's on either side. A fence around an African mountain is no
small feat but is hoped to yield valuable results.
Several organizations are working together to build a fence
around Mt. Kenya. The goal of the fence
is to keep wild animals from straying onto farmland and destroying crops. The
fence will serve as a protective barrier around Mt. Kenya National Park and the
surrounding forest that's listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The Mt. Kenya Fence
Various types of fencing will be used to deter the
animals. Both physical and psychological
barriers are used. As the name suggests,
physical barriers are difficult to cross and may be made of stone, wire or
chain, or could even be moats.
Psychological barriers are electric fences that serve to remind animals
not to cross that area. Solar power can
be used to electrify the fence.
Here are the specs of the Mt. Kenya fence:
- 6 feet 6 inches high
- 3 feet 4 inches feet deep into the ground
- 250 miles long
- 5 years to completion at a cost of $11.8 million
As of August 8 about one mile of fence had been completed. Construction began near Castle Forest Station
in Kirinyaga County. It's part of the
31-mile long first phase expected to be completed in 18 months.
Fence Maintenance
What happens to the fence after years are invested in its
construction? The groups most recently
completed a fence around the Aberdare
Mountains, a source of clean water supply for Nairobi. The fence is regularly maintained by about
100 "scouts" that clear undergrowth, repair damage, and replace worn out parts.
Pros and Cons of
Wildlife Fences
Keeping the animals away from farmland protects the farmers'
efforts. The fence also protects the
wild animals from harm such as angry farmers or poachers. This sounds like a win-win situation, right?
Like any project, a wildlife fence is not 100% ideal. Many animals, especially certain African
mammals, migrate to follow food supplies and water sources. Would the animals face hardships if they
could not migrate?
Researchers in the Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert
tracked some of the park's zebras to see how the animals deal with drought and
migration. After 10 years of monitoring
researchers agree that the fence does not cause problems caused by migration
constrictions. Park workers did,
however, dig some additional watering holes to replace those that the zebras
could no longer access.
Resources:
Gradling - Mt.
Kenya to be Surrounded by Electric Fence
Kenya Wildlife Service - KWS
Fencing Program [image]
Rhino Ark
Smithsonian.com - Nothing
Can Stop the Zebra
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Re: Fences Make Good Neighbors in Africa
