Participants

Henry Lekochere –team leader John Mungai Abdi Adan Boru Okicha Gerald Maghanga 2 KWS rangers

Area Covered

During the month of February we carried out patrols at the Kasaala fence line, Umbi, Thalakana and the Athi River.

TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED 102

Findings

During the course of the month we patrolled the Kasaala fence line where we carried out a thorough check of the fence line up to Kanziku in order to ascertain if the poachers had passed through it in an effort to enter the park. Thankfully we did not come across any footprints or indications that poachers had entered the park through the fence.

We carried out patrols at Umbi for the duration of a week and noticed that poaching and logging is still taking place.

We managed to life 35 snares which targeted small animals such as Dikdiks. We also uncovered a poacher’s hideout where we laid an ambush for a period of two days. Unfortunately no arrests were made.

We patrolled the Athi River from buffalo bend towards the Mukwanyima gate. We lifted a total of 67 snares, all of which targeted small game, and also observed several poachers footprints crossing the river into the park. We laid an ambush but no arrests were made.

The community areas around the park at Ithumba have benefited from the rains and people are still busy tending to their farms and harvesting their maize crops. For this reason there has been little poaching taking place. Furthermore the rich vegetation at Ithumba is a hindrance to the poachers as it is very thick, preventing them from going deep in to the bush. Several poisonous snakes were spotted during our patrols.

Report by Henry Lekochere