The local communities have attempted to develop adaptation strategies – cultivation of perennial crops, engaging in ecotourism – to manage the impacts arising from the creation of the KCA. Yet, the interview results indicate that inadequate local community consultation by the government in the provision of alternative livelihood options, and conflicts between traditional leaders as a result of the creation of KCA have rendered these adaptation strategies ineffective, making local livelihoods uncertain and difficult. In essence, a modest commitment by the government and conservation agencies towards supporting and engaging the local people in the management of the KCA has the potential to create renewed optimism in local communities, in relation to biodiversity conservation and provision of alternative livelihood support. In the absence of such a commitment from government and conservation agencies, the ongoing robustness of community support for conservation, in the face of a continuing lack of benefits and increasing deprivation, is unknown. Effective biodiversity conservation may occur when there is an understanding of the socio-cultural and political context of local communities. This is imperative in involving and engaging with different stakeholders in the process of biodiversity conservation.