Participants

Isaac Maina. Jacob Dadi. Sammy Odero. Mutua Koti Philip Kipkorir Alden Jarison- K.W.S Rangers Mohamud Dima- KWS Ranger

Findings

The season was characterised by a downpour, which resulted in the majority of people in the community to concentrate on their farms. Added to this the bush has become thicker and harder to move around in and so snaring declined this month. A total of 181 snares were recovered this month as well as a bow and 3 arrows and unfortunately one dikdik was found dead in a snare. A total of 18% of the snares were targeting larger animals while the other snares were designed to capture smaller mammals and birds. This month Ndii and Irima areas were very encouraging. Unlike in the past, this month a total of 15 snares were recovered in Ndii and none at all in Irima. The snares recovered in Ndii were very old and this may be due to the poacher being arrested in the area last month which has been a deterrent. Added to that the removal of the telephone wires in area has also had a positive effect. In Mbirikani – Ngutuni area we collected 35 snares, 21 of which were designed to capture larger animals. The snares were mainly found close to the fence line. In Mwenda mbogo area in Mariwenyi we collected 25 snares, of which 13 were for larger animals and were scattered all over the place. Sagalla ranch was also patrolled and another 25 snares were collected here, six of them were designed for larger animals. Other areas visited include mbula where 40 snares were retrieved and Manga where we collected 38 and this is where the Dikdik was found dead. Snaring in theses areas has gone down as a result of several factors, the removal of the railway line as well as the heavy rainfall being a few.

Report by Issac Maina