Participants

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

Area Covered

During the month of January we carried out patrols at the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Oza and Kishushe ranches and buffalo bend.

TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED 121

ARRESTS 2

Findings

The month’s patrols began at Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, where we found poaching to still be taking place.

We managed to lift 17 large snares that targeted big game and also found some dried game meat in a tree. We lay an ambush in the hope of arresting the culprits but no arrests were made. We have found that the poachers usually set snares along trails leading to water sources. We noticed that a lot of wildlife had migrated to the sanctuary where there is plenty of water and pasture, this migration is due to the fact that some parts of the Southern area of Tsavo West National Park have been hit by drought.

At Oza Ranch we found that poaching is rampant and were able to life 93 snares all of which targeted small game.

We came across a dead Dikdik still in the snare that killed it and were able to save another Dikdik that had become trapped in a snare.

At Kishushe Ranch we arrested 2 poachers in possession of 9 snares and some game meat.

The poachers were booked at Taveta police station where they are awaiting sentencing.

Toward the end of the months operations the team visited the Ithumba area where we patrolled buffalo bend and along the Athi river for a period of 3 days. We lifted 2 large snares and came across the footprints of 2 individuals.

Report by Henry Lekochere