The main objective of the analysis is to acquire the most suitable site or sites for designating land as a reserve. The reserve is being designed with conservation in mind there for issues of that nature will have to be addressed. As well, the conservation is based on a particular species, the Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus. Similarly, particular criteria will have to be met in assessing suitable habitat for this animal. Two different types of criteria have to be met and will be addressed further. The development of this analysis from the data obtained is outline by the Interactive Cartographic Model. The model is sectioned under the headings of Conservation Factors, Species Specific Factors, MCEWLC and Final Analysis..
Conservation Factors
Conservation of an area must meet many requirements, which may be specific
to that particular country or ecosystem. For instance, in Kenya there is a
rapidly increasing population of over 2% which may have a number of effects
on the placement of the reserve in future years. people need places to live
in the future and the population is expanding in rural areas as the access
to medical aid increases from one year to the next. Another consideration
that needs to be made is the size and shape of the reserve. The size of the
reserve will be determined by two factors, the government and the species
being conserved.
1. Reserve Size
Between 1000 and 8000 km square has been allotted for the size of the conservation
area. The minimum is based on what would be suitable for a viable cheetah
population. The maximum is based on how much the government would be willing
to allow as a conservation area. Currently the two largest parks in the country
are aprox 10 000 km squared, East and West Tsavo. Therefore anything over
that size would probably not be obtainable. There are on the other hand a
few parks that number around 5000 km squared, so I took the average of the
largest parks.
2. Reserve Shape
Next, is the shape of the park? This is important because the area is being
conserved for a reason, the vulnerability of either the ecosystem it self
or a particular species. The objective in the analysis of the shape is to
minimize the amount of outside disturbance. Shaping the reserve in such a
way that it resembles a circle can do this. This will give the lowest ratio
of perimeter to area. The reduction of edge effect will create a more stable
environment. In order to identify this characteristic the concavity index
was used.
3. Distance From Disturbances
Finally three other related factors that were considered where distance from
population, cash crops and overgrazed areas. Over grazed areas would indicate
large cattle populations where individuals often fall victim to young and
older Cheetahs, which may have problems catching wild prey. If animals are
caught killing cattle they are often hunted and killed. As well as having
a negative impact on population this often decreases the support for conservation
from local people. These three factors are interrelated, as the population
increased the amount of food needed increases and if there is more food made
available then it is likely that populations will increase. Time needs to
be taken into consideration, as you wanted to be as far away from populations
and cash crops as possible. This would allow room for them to increase in
size and have no immediate impact on the conservation area.