Participants: Isaac Maina - Team Leader Joseph Musau - Tracker Mutua Koti - Tracker KWS Rangers - (2) Lualenyi Rangers (3)

Project Period: March 1 – March 21, 2002

We covered the area between Ndii and Mackinnon Road on both sides of the Mombasa Road. On the Eastern side is a land reserve for the railway line and water pipeline while on the Western side lies road reserve for the oil pipeline and power pylon lines. Along these reserve areas a lot of illegal activities take place namely poaching, snaring, charcoal burning, and illegal fuel depots, among others.

A total of 332 snares were recovered (88% for dik dik, 9% for large game, and 3% bird traps), 2 caterpaults, 1 fresh dead dik dik snared, and a poacher with 19 slaughtered dik dik packed neatly into 2 cartons, on the way to market. We also recovered 2 beam tortches equipped with a horn - a tool used by poachers to attract the animal’s attention at night, to facilitate a second poacher to attack from behind.

It was sadly noted that all the 19 dik dik were caught in one night over a very small area indicating a high loss of wildlife through snaring.

OBSERVATIONS

Snaring was more prevalent near settlements; however, less so with pastoralists (Masai and Orma), as opposed to farming and charcoal burning groups (Taita, Kamba). Snares were concentrated in one area making it difficult for any animal moving in the area to escape uncaught. Barrier like fencing was put in place to direct animals toward snare zones.

Report compiled by Isaac Maina