Participants:

Nicodemus Kivindyo – team leader Samuel Odero Peter Wambua John Malonza Rajab Fundi Samuel Masaku 2 KWS Rangers

Area of operation:

During the month of March, the Burra team covered the following areas: Sagala ranch, L.M.D land, Taita ranch, Manyani and Tsavo river areas, Saltlick ranch and the Mbulia community ranch.

79 SNARES RECOVERED 4 ARRESTS

FINDINGS.

During the month of March the team lifted a total of 79 snares, 69 of which targeted large game and 10 targeting small game. The team was able to arrest 4 poachers. Two of the poachers were caught while setting snares at Sagala ranch and the other two were caught at Taita ranch in possession of 10 kilos of warthog meat. All four perpetrators were booked at Voi police station.

Observable evidence:

Most of the ranches patrolled by the team during the course of the month recorded a drop in the number of snares lifted. This is not due to a decrease in the number of poachers but a change in the poaching method with poachers opting to operate at night using lamping.

This is when the poachers use torches to confuse the animals so as to enable them to club and kill them. The start of the rains in April has led to people leaving the park in order to tend to their farms, which also explains the decrease in the number of snares lifted during the month

Sagala Ranch The team lifted a total of nine snares targeting large game and was able to arrest two poachers in the process of setting snares in the ranch.

Charcoal burning was also seen to be taking place, however this has declined due to our continued patrols in the area.

L.M.D Land (Livestock holding ground Bachuma) This is government land that is meant to be used for the holding of livestock that are coming in and going out of the Taita district for vaccinations. The team with assistance from the land’s management was able to lift 12 snares, 10 of which targeted large game. We located more than one hundred Dikdik skins and several metal rods that that been hidden in the bushes which indicated that the animals had been killed by the lamping method.

Taita ranch Two poachers were arrested during a joint operation with the Burra desnaring team and the Rukinga game scouts. The poachers were found in possession of ten kilos of warthog meat.

The culprits were booked at Voi police station. We were also able to retrieve two snares targeting large game.

Manyani and Tsavo River A total of twenty seven snares were lifted 23 of which targeted big game, and only 4 targeting small game. Some of the large snares had been set among the riverine trees which is an indicator that the snares targeted hippos which come out of the water to graze. Mbulia community Ranch Sixteen snares were lifted, 12 of which targeted large game with only 4 targeting small game.

The logging of trees was also noticed to be taking place

Community work The team organized two ecological trips to Tsavo East Nation Park. The two schools which benefited from the field trips were Alan Mjomba secondary school and Mwandango secondary school.

The two schools had never visited the park before and were taken to some of the parks main attraction features such as Aruba dam and Mudanda rock.

During the ecological trip the students saw herds of elephants, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, impalas, gerenuks, jackals and buffalos.

The schools were lucky enough to interact with some of the older orphans who had visited the orphans stockade and also visited the KWS education centre for lectures on conservation. Both of the ecological trips were successful and the students are hoping to go on another trip again soon.

The Burra desnaring team donated 40 desks to Gideon Mosi primary school. The school community was extremely appreciative as the desks were desperately needed. One of the classes had 57 students in it but only 7 desks.

This is due to the over enrolment of students following the governments decision to make primary education free. This means that children who couldn’t afford to go to school are now able to get an education

Report by Nicodemus Kivindyo