Human Wildlife Conflict as A Driver of Localized Insecurity: A Case of Amboseli National Park, Kajiado County, Kenya

In Kenya, HWC is a major source of insecurity in communities surrounding protected areas, but policies frequently fail to recognize that the conflicts vary in terms of types, species, frequency, and severity. The study focused on the nature of human wildlife conflict and its impact on the localized feeling of insecurity by communities living close to Amboseli National Park, Kajiado County, Kenya. The study was based on the Resource Scarcity Theory and Human Security Theory. A convergent parallel design was used, which involved a household survey of 345 respondents in six community clusters (Kimana, Enkongo Narok, Olgulului, Eselenkei, Mbirikani and Rombo) and key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) in March 2026. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression were used for quantitative data analysis, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The findings indicate that the composite index for the nature of human wildlife conflict had a high mean score of 4.01 out of 5, with livestock predation being the most severe type of human wildlife conflict identified by 53.0 percent of the respondents, and perceived increasing severity of HWC at a mean score of 4.25. Localized insecurity (r = 0.524) was positively correlated with the nature of human wildlife conflict and was the strongest independent predictor of insecurity in multiple regression analysis (β = 0.392, p < .001), outpacing land use change and the effectiveness of land use conflict resolution mechanisms. At the cluster level, there was a significant spatial variation, with composite scores varying from 3.42 in Enkongo Narok to 4.40 in Kimana indicating variation in livelihood systems, corridor location and predominant conflict species. Livestock predation, elephant incursions and gendered exposure to nighttime wildlife encounters were the major themes that emerged from the qualitative evidence and these were the ones that shaped insecurity. The study finds that, human wildlife conflict (HWC) in Amboseli is structural and spatially differentiated, and suggests cluster specific, species targeted interventions underpinned by a standardised monitoring and early warning system.

human wildlife conflict; localized insecurity; Amboseli; conflict nature; Kajiado County

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