Area Of Operation

During this month patrols were done along the Tiva river stretch, Umbi and area around Ithumba including the Kasaala Kimweli boundary Participants Wambua Kikwatha Paul Kasau Francis Itumo Munywoki Kisangi Mwoni Ikuthu Francis Ekelo Muteti Feisal 2 KWS Rangers

Field Findings

This period being the dry season yielded 664 snares. There are various reasons that make this particular period an animal slaughter period. • Lack of enough water in the park forcing animals to congregate around water holes and rivers. This makes snaring easy in that poachers do not have to travel great distances to capture their prey.

• Vegetation is scarce so animals move to areas where there is more to eat. • Due to the dry season there is very little farming activity and so there are a number of people who have nothing to do. • Due the harvest some months ago families now lack things to eat and so start to snare. The above figure is very high, however there is still a slight decline in the level of snaring compared to the last few years. During our patrols, fewer snares were lifted in areas expected to have the highest amount. The poachers, to avoid detection, are now snaring a little distance away from the water holes, whereas before the waterholes were surrounded in snares.

Community Work

Two fence committee meetings took place. The purpose of the meeting was to take the community members to the boundary to confirm the fence line and also see the fence progress. The meetings were very successful and they confirmed once again their support for the project. Two schools were visited, Kimweli primary school and Kivuti primary, in order to follow up on the wildlife club projects which are doing very well indeed.

Report by Wambua Kikwatha