Participants:

Alex Macharia – team leader Peter Gitau Peter Wambua John Malonza Ikutha Mwoni 2 KWS Rangers

Area of operation:

The areas patrolled this month were Ngutuni, the areas in and around Gulalao and Galana, the Tsavo River, Manyani, Ndii and Irima

123 SNARES RECOVERED

1 POACHER ARRESTED

FINDINGS.

Operation settings. During the months operations it was noted that most of the poaching is taking place in the ranches, which are buffer zones, and are found adjacent to the park. We feel that this is due to the fact that our anti-poaching unit has increased its efforts in the park restricting poachers from carrying out their poaching activities. As a result the poachers have changed their strategies and are now concentrating their activities in the private ranches where wildlife is abundant and the constraints against them are practically non existent. For this reason we now try to follow the poachers to their hideouts. We are carrying out more ambushes and most of our operations are taking place at night. While patrolling at Ngutuni we were able to arrest a poacher who was setting snares.

He was in possession of a knife and 67 snares. Upon interrogation he told us that he was waking up early in the morning to set his snares and returning late in the evening to check his catch.

Evidence of poachers. At Gulalo we found 7 hideouts that contained fire points. In these hideouts we found bones

and the remains of a buffalo confirming the fact that bushmeat had been slaughtered here before being taken to market.

At the Tsavo River footprints were seen along the river bank that led us to snares and the remains of a rotting elephant.

Community During the course of the month we visited various schools with the aim of educating the children about conservation.

The schools visited included Gimba primary and Mwakichuche secondary school located in Sagalla ranch where poaching is a problem. Going by the questions asked by the students during the visit it became evident that there is an increasing need to educate the public about the importance of wildlife. They need to learn about the direct and indirect benefits of wildlife as well as the consumptive and non consumptive uses of it.

In collaboration with Maungu wildlife club a clean up was organized along the Maungu-Voi area.

This created an opportunity to educate the community about the dangers of poaching, the importance of conservation and the need to protect their natural heritage. The clean up was attended by the primary schools in the area and local community members.

Report by Alex Macharia