Participants

Alex Macharia – team leader Francis Chege Kathuki Ngongo James Nyumu Mutua Nteritu Kapina 4KWS Rangers

Areas Covered

During the course of the month of August the following areas were patrolled by the Mtito de-snaring team: Ngulia hills, Mangelete, the Tsavo and Mtito River, Iviani, Kyosiani, Kenani, Kanga, Wuyuni, Matulani, the Rhino Circuit and the Pump area.

386 SNARES COLLECTED 4 ARRESTS

Findings

Our main objectives during the course of the month were to arrest as many poachers as possible. Our ultimate goal is the conservation of wildlife through the lifting of snares and the raising of community awareness about the need to conserve their natural heritage.

A total of 386 snares were collected some of which were bird snares.

With the onset of the dry season we expected snaring to be on an increase and therefore intensified our operations in all the areas that we patrolled. There is an ever increasing amount of livestock that is being brought into the park. The herders bring the cattle into the park and then in order to avoid arrest return to their homes, leaving the cattle behind to graze till the evening when they return to gather up the cattle for the night.

Our operations started on the 5th of August with a great deal of enthusiasm. Most of the snares collected were medium and small sized thus targeting antelope sized game and Dikdiks.

During the course of the month 3 Dikdiks were rescued from a painful death as they struggled for breath.

The Dikdiks were all found within the Mangelete area where a total of 271 snares were lifted. We also found cases of cows getting caught in the snares. Mangalete is right on the parks boundary making it easy for poachers to enter the park and set snares, making this area a hotspot.

Charcoal burning and logging is still a major problem in the park.

Four men were arrested for different illegal activities including vegetation destruction, charcoal burning, cattle and cattle grazing.

Observable evidence During our patrols we came across footprints, cuttings, and poachers hideouts.

Community work A school trip for Matulani primary school into Tsavo West National Park was organized as part of our community awareness programme.

We arranged a meeting with the student’s parents to plan the trip and at the same time addressed the issue of poaching and other illegal activities that take place in the park. Wildlife films were shown to the students, where they saw the destruction that is taking place due to poaching, charcoal burning, logging, etc. There is an ever increasing need to educate the children as they are the future custodians of wildlife.

Report by Alex Macharia