Trade-offs for climate-resilient pastoral livelihoods in wildlife conservancies in the Mara Ecosystem, Kenya: Small Grants Programme

This paper investigates the ability of wildlife conservancies in the Mara, Kenya to act as an alternative for pastoralists in mitigating risks and maintaining resilience in a changing climate. Conservancies can integrate with and contribute to pastoralist livelihoods. The report weighs trade-offs for pastoralists as they work with conservancies to mitigate climate change amid pressures on ecosystem resources. Findings show that conservancy payments provide important, reliable year-round income and prevent households from having to sell livestock during stressful periods. They also retain grass banks during the dry season for continued access to forage. However, among other drawbacks, they reduce access to large areas of former grazing lands.UKaid from the British peopl

Maternal hypotension and neonatal acidemia during Caeserean delivery under spinal anaesthesia

Objectives: To determine the incidence of neonatal acidaemia following delivery through caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia and determine the prevalence of maternal hypotension during Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia and its correlation with neonatal acidaemia.Design: Prospective observational studySetting: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: One hundred and seventy-two ASA I and II consecutive term patients undergoing elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesiaResults: Forty three babies (27.2%) were born with neonatal acidaemia, defined as umbilical arterial blood pH≤ 7.2. There was, however, no significant difference in the five minute Apgar scores between the acidotic and non-acidotic neonates. Twenty eight patients (17.7%) developed maternal hypotension (systolic Blood Pressure less than 100mmHg). The hypotension was readily corrected within two minutes (mean of 1.43 minutes) of onset using vasopressors and boluses of intravenous fluids.Conclusions: A short period (<2 minutes) mean of 1.43 minutes of maternal hypotension has no significant effect on the neonate as assessed by five minute Apgar Scores. Similarly, neonatal acidaemia following Caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia does not seem to have any short-term effects on neonatal well-being

Spontaneous Rupture of the Caesarean Section Scar in the First Trimester: Case Report

First trimester rupture of uterine scar in pregnancy is an extremely rare event and can confound a clinician. This is especially, if there is an over reliance on diagnostics services without a high index of suspicion. This was a case of a 31 year old, Para 1+0 G2, with one previous caesarian scar who presented to The Nairobi Hospital with acute onset of abdominal pains at 12 weeks of gestation. An ultrasound done showed moderate amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity with an intra-uterine pregnancy. Subsequently a laparoscopic evaluation was done and revealed ruptured uterus through the previous scar. A decision to convert to  laparotomy was made, products of conception evacuated, uterine rupture repaired in layers and abdominal  cavity closed. The post-operative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged home on third post-operative day. This case report underscores the rarity and the diagnostic challenges of spontaneous rupture of caesarian section scar in the first trimester

Lithopedion Causing Intestinal Obstruction

The formation of a mummifi ed intra-abdominal pregnancy (lithopedion) is rare. A 25 year old Para 4 + 0 gravida 5 presented with features of intestinalobstruction and a four year history of an intra abdominal mass. Examination revealed a solid mass in the right upper quadrant. Ultrasound imaging showed a poor echo-calcifi ed mass while an erect abdominal x ray revealed foetal bones within the abdominal cavity. At laparatomy a lithopedion witha normal uterus was found. Her last normal delivery was one year prior to this current presentation. A lithopedion causing a mass effect (intestinal  obstruction) and predating a normal intra uterine pregnancy followed by spontenous vertex delivery has not been reported in Kenya

Human-wildlife conflict, benefit sharing and the survival of lions in pastoralist community-based conservancies

No abstract available

Evaluating the determinants of participation in conservancy land leases and its impacts on household wealth in the Maasai Mara, Kenya: Equity and gender implications

Understanding the impact of conservation interventions on local communities is important in determining their effects on livelihoods and wellbeing. However, impacts are often not uniform and there are important equity dimensions when evaluating interventions. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate determinants of participation in conservation land leases in the Mara Conservancies in southern Kenya and its impact on household wealth. We find that land ownership determines who can participate in and benefit from conservancy land lease payments, and by how much. The design of the land lease payment scheme therefore has the potential to reinforce and, in cases, amplify existing inequities as it is built upon a legacy of unequal historical land distribution processes that limit the participation of women and poor landless households. We observed significantly higher incomes amongst participant households compared to non-participants, but these differences disappeared after propensity score matching. These results suggest that the differences were not caused by participation in conservancies. Our findings suggest that the design and outcomes of land-based conservation or payment for ecosystem services schemes should consider historic and existing land tenure systems if they are to reduce inequality

Unilateral spontaneous tubal twin ectopic pregnancy: A rare occurrence

Unilateral tubal twin pregnancy remains rare despite a rise in the incidence of singleton ectopic pregnancies. A 27-year-old  Gravida 1 Para 0+0 at 12 weeks gestation, presented to our institution with a 1-month history of lower abdominal pain, that  progressively worsened and became very severe. An abdominal ultrasound revealed an extrauterine gestational sac that looked like a single viable fetus in the right adnexa at about 12 weeks by crown rump length. Free fluid was noted in the right iliac fossa and Morrison’s pouch. A conclusion of a right-ruptured ectopic pregnancy was made. The patient underwent laparotomy and a diagnosis of twin right-sided fimbrial ectopic pregnancy was made. The crown rump lengths of the twins were 6cm and 4cm. We present this case because unilateral tubal twin pregnancy is still a rare phenomenon, and clinicians as well as clinical  embryologists need to acknowledge its existence considering the diagnosis of this case was not made pre-operatively.Key words: Twin Tubal, ectopic pregnancy, unilatera

Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Human–Wildlife Conflicts in the Kenya Greater Tsavo Ecosystem

Biodiversity conservation in developing countries is faced with many and mounting challenges, including increasing human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs). In Africa and other developing countries, increasing HWCs, particularly those adjacent to protected areas, can adversely affect local stakeholder perceptions and support for conservation. We analyzed HWC reports for multiple wildlife species compiled \u3e23 years (1995–2017) from the Greater Tsavo Ecosystem (GTE) in Kenya to determine HWC trends. The GTE is the largest protected area in Kenya, covering 22,681 km2. Overall, 39,022 HWC incidents were reported in 6 GTE regions (i.e., Taveta, Mutomo, Kibwezi, Rombo, Galana, Bachuma). The 5 wildlife species most often implicated in HWC incidents were the African elephant (Loxodonta africana, 61.6%, n = 24,032), nonhuman primates (11.5%, n = 4,480), buffalo (Syncerus caffer, 6.2%, n = 2,432 ), African lion (Panthera leo, 4.2%, n = 1,645), and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius, 3.8%, n = 1,497). The HWC reports also revealed spatial distinctions across the 6 GTE regions. More human–elephant conflicts (HECs; 43.3%, n = 10,427) were reported in the Taveta region than other regions. The Mutomo region was the epicenter of primate, snake, and python (Python spp.) conflicts. More large carnivore depredations on livestock were reported in the Taveta, Rombo, and Mutomo regions. Lions, spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), and leopards (P. pardus) were implicated in more livestock depredations than other carnivores. The number of HWCs reported varied by year and season and were related to similar variations in the availability, quality, and distribution of food and water governed by rainfall fluctuations. Reported HECs were positively and linearly related to human, elephant, and livestock population densities. The Kenya Wildlife Service responded to \u3e90% of the reported HWCs. In general, the number of HWCs and trends reported were higher in the regions that also exhibited the highest human population growth rates and densities. Sustainable biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes is contingent upon communities deriving meaningful benefits from wildlife conservation. Far-sighted measures and different conservation approaches are required to mitigate HWCs in communities neighboring protected areas