Conservation Challenges and Opportunities in Kenyan Protected Areas: A Biodiversity Perspective

Kenyan protected areas face significant biodiversity conservation challenges due to human-wildlife conflict, habitat degradation, and climate change. A mixed-methods approach involving surveys of local communities, expert interviews, and satellite imagery analysis was employed. Data indicate that 60% of surveyed households experience crop damage due to wildlife, with significant habitat loss identified in the Maasai Mara region. Current conservation efforts are insufficient to mitigate biodiversity loss, highlighting a need for more integrated and community-based management strategies. Enhanced community engagement, improved infrastructure, and targeted policy interventions are recommended to address these challenges effectively. Kenya, protected areas, biodiversity, human-wildlife conflict, climate change The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.