Area of operation

The area of operation this month included Ndii, Sagalla ranch and the Taita ranch

Participants

Isaac Maina – Team leader Mutua Koti - Tracker Jacob Dadi - Tracker Feisal Muteti- Vehicle guard 2 K W S Rangers.

Findings

The exercise covered three main areas and yielded a total of 441 snares mostly targeting dikdiks. Recovered also were 2 bows and 8 arrows which were left behind by fleeing poachers. At Ndii, a neighboring reserve land, we recovered 297 snares and found a dikdik and young guineafowl caught in snares. We gathered that the poachers are mainly herds’ boys who graze livestock in this region. Incidences of goats falling prey to snares are common

Sagalla ranch that we visited as a follow-up yielded 106 snares. 16% (17 snares) were a target of big mammals including giraffes while the rest targeted dikdik and small antelopes. 2 poachers left behind 2 bows and 8 arrows when they realized that they were being persued. Illegal charcoal burning is a prevalent occurrence that is threatening to decimate the vegetation if unchecked. Lorry tracks maneuvered through the bush and previous charcoal burning sites were also observable features.

Taita ranch on the southwestern park boundary of the park yielded 30 snares in its periphery with neighboring ranches. Ranch rangers who also accompanied us in our patrols have managed to put poaching, logging and charcoal burning to minima ammountl. On the western part of the ranch it seems that charcoal burning is taking its toll on the tree line. During our patrols we found fire work where poachers had roasted meat, and saw a hide-out where they hide when attacking animals with arrows if animals come for water.

All in all snaring problem seem to be everywhere around. The problem is to identify the specific region.