De – Snaring Report for July 09

Participants:

Alex Macharia- Team Leader Francis chege Nterito Kapina Semeli lolchuraki Bramwel ireri-- - - peregrine team Peter mwangi---- - peregrine team

Area of operation:

During the month of July the Mtito team patrolled the following areas: Kilalinda, Marcus Dans land, Tsavo farm, Trust land, and nearby community land.

487 SNARES COLLECTED

INTRODUCTION

The Teams efforts continue to be on the outskirts of the National Park and other protected areas. Due to little previous efforts to protect the wildlife on the outskirts of the park the poaching levels are very high and the wildlife is under great threat. Wild animals are being heavily targeted especially smaller antelopes which are for the game meat market.

Elephant spilling out the parks and into the ecosystem lands might be dying un-noticed as information of deaths never reaches those in charge of protecting them.

FINDINGS

KILALINDA AND KALAWA

These areas had the highest number of snares collected totaling about 254. Some of these snares even trap and kill goats. Kilalinda is a big chunk of private land which as no regular patrols and hence poaching levels have gotten out of hand.

KAMBU RIVER

The team collected 213 snares in the area and managed to rescue two dikdiks from a snare during patrols.

Sadly the team came across many carcasses of animals that were not so lucky to be found in time, 3 snared baboons were seen. Some poachers have started targeting primates for food as they are an easy target to being so close to human settlements were they scavenge off the waste of humans. There were a lot of elephants along the river which is a cause for concern as the nearby area of Kambu is a well known hotspot for Illegal Ivory trade.

KARI/ KIBOKO/ MAKINDU AREA

The Ithumba team got together with the Chyulu Team paid a visit to KARI (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute) which is government owned land used for agricultural research. This land borders Chyulu National Park so there is wildlife moving into the area from the park. Poaching here is high and hence the two teams patrolled together Allot of the wildlife prom the parks in moving out in search for water and hence areas bordering the parks are where most of the poaching takes place. The poaching is particularly bad near areas with water as this is where the wildlife congregates. Poachers have also begun to deliberately chase wildlife out the protected areas so that attacking and killing the animals is made easier. These deaths are undertaken in brutal ways as crowds of people stone and slash the animal to death. The Team together with Chyulu Team and KWS rescued a Zebra from this fate as we came across a huge mob trying to kill the animal with stone and machetes. The Zebra was rescued and driven to safety. The challenge of lack of water due to the drought is driving more and more people to take part in illegal activities in the struggle for survival. The longer this drought carries on the worse the situation will get.

WILDLIFE FILMS

The Mtito team has received new film showing equipment and showed a wildlife film at Kithiini Primary School.

Report By

Alex Macharia