Citation: Wakoli, E.; Syallow, D.M.; Sitati, E.; Webala, P.W.; Ipara, H.; Finch, T. Efficacy of Bomas (Kraals) in Mitigating Livestock Depredation in Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya. Conservation 2023, 3, 199–213. https://doi.org/10.3390/ conservation3010015 Academic Editor: Antoni Margalida Received: 23 December 2022 Revised: 28 February 2023 Accepted: 3 March 2023 Published: 7 March 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Article Efficacy of Bomas (Kraals) in Mitigating Livestock Depredation in Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya Elizabeth Wakoli 1,2, *, Dorothy Masiga Syallow 3 , Evans Sitati 4 , Paul W. Webala 2 , Hellen Ipara 5 and Tabitha Finch 6 1 Department of Natural Resources, Egerton University, Egerton-Njoro P.O. Box 536-20115, Kenya 2 Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok P.O. Box 861-20500, Kenya 3 Department of Agroforestry, Environmental Studies and Integrated Natural Resource Management, University of Kabianga, Kericho P.O. Box 2030-20200, Kenya 4 Mara Siana Conservancy, Narok P.O. Box 724-20500, Kenya 5 Department of Wildlife Management, University of Eldoret, Eldoret P.O. Box 1125-30100, Kenya 6 Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada * Correspondence: wakoli@mmarau.ac.ke or wakolizy@gmail.com; Tel.: +25-47-2461-9620 Abstract: Livestock depredation is a major conservation challenge globally, causing significant economic losses to pastoralists and threatening large carnivore species outside protected areas. Our study investigated the temporal and spatial distribution of livestock depredation incidences, carnivore species associated with livestock depredation, and assessed mitigation measures in Maasai Mara Conservancies in Southern Kenya. Using daily monitoring of livestock depredation cases, we made comparisons between livestock attacks occurring in predator-proof bomas and those with traditional kraals. A total of 305 livestock depredation incidents were recorded between January and December 2021, translating to a total tally of 1411 livestock maimed or killed. Most livestock depredation incidents occurred during the day (59%) as opposed to night (41%), but this difference was not significant. Livestock depredation incidents in the nighttime occurred mostly inside traditional kraals (34%) and occurred the least in predator-proof kraals (2%). Lions were responsible for more livestock attacks in the grazing fields compared with leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. Hyenas were more daring and attacked livestock inside traditional bomas relative to lions and leopards. Our study concludes that predator-proof bomas are more effective in minimizing livestock depredation and can be embraced as a sound intervention for human–carnivore co-existence in communities’ wildlife conservation areas. Keywords: livestock depredation; bomas/kraals; conservancies; human–carnivore conflict; human–wildlife conflict 1. Introduction Livestock depredation by mammalian carnivores is a form of human–wildlife conflict and a widespread phenomenon globally. It poses a major conservation challenge to large and threatened carnivore species, particularly those residing outside protected areas, and causes significant economic losses to farmers. The expanding human population and subsequent requirement for more space for settlement and agricultural production have led to the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of habitats, bringing livestock and carni- vores into close proximity. This results in intense human–wildlife conflicts [1,2]. Further, ecological conditions relating to climate change continue to intensify livestock depredation by exacerbating wild prey scarcity and forcing people and predators to share increasingly crowded spaces [3,4]. Poor guarding practices such as leaving the livestock under the care of children, larger herds versus one herder, location of grazing pastures close to protected reserves, and a lack of animal shelters also impact the extent of predation on livestock [5]. Certainly, livestock depredation incidences are on the increase in Kenya [6–8]. Conservation 2023, 3, 199–213. https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010015 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/conservation