Operation Areas. Umbi cut line stretch and the Umbi hill area, Tiva river and the adjacent area, the Yatta, Kasaala-Kimweli boundary stretch and area around Ithumba base.

Participants

Wambua Kikwatha Francis Itumo Munywoki Kisangi Martin Wambua 2 KWS rangers

Findings

During this month we managed to lift a total of 333 snares. Most of the snares targeted small game with only 23 snares aiming to capture larger animals. Generally, there is a decline in snaring levels compared to the previous months findings. This month is usually the peak of the snaring previous but for the first time we collected fewer snares than expected. However there were still illegal people in the areas that focused on the collection of honey. Next month we plan to patrol the Yatta from Cottars to Gazi as well as our routine clearance patrols along the northern boundary.

Community work

On the 10th of June 2003, we organized a community awareness function at Kivuti primary school. Community leaders including chiefs, sub chiefs, councilors, village heads and the community members attended the function. During this meeting we presented textbooks to the school as a donation from the Moore Foundation through the Trust. The community was very pleased by the continued support and is becoming more willing to co-operate with the KWS and the Trust in eliminating poaching. The leaders requested to be involved in such functions and promised to focus more on conservation.

On the 11th of June we were involved in the start of the Jambo project exchange program. The de-snaring team introduced the idea to Kaluluini primary school, exercise books and drawing materials were donated. The pupils were asked to do drawings of wildlife and write essays about field trips as part of a conservation initiative to be sent to the USA.

On the 12th of June the electric fence committee had a meeting at Kakindu shopping center. The purpose of the meeting was to sort out controversial fence issues and gather information on wildlife. The committee as the representatives of the entire community unanimously voted for the construction of the fence. They also gave their support towards the project and wildlife issues. They did however make one request and that was to be involved in the building of the fence and its maintenance afterwards.

Other activities that took place were the video shows to two primary schools and routine school visits to all the schools within the areas of our operation. The visits involved conservation talks with the wildlife clubs. We intend to take one more school to the Park for another field trip next month as part of the Jambo project.

Compiled by Wambua Kikwatha