Elephant Ecology and Conservation in Kenya

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is an important keystone species in Africa and has profound influence on the structure and dynamics of landscapes where it co-exists with other species. It’s one of the most charismatic and charming species, but its conservation and population status has continued to attract a lot of concern within and beyond Africa. A key worry is that its conservation is increasingly becoming uncertain across the entire African continent due illegal poaching, landscape fragmentation, and retaliatory attacks by local communities due to prevalence of human-elephant conflicts. In this course students will learn and examine diverse and critical aspects of African elephants in Africa, Kenya, and in the Amboseli and Maasai-mara landscapes. This learning process will be achieved through classroom interactive learning sessions, experiential field activities, class discussions and lectures by Faculty and various guests.