ZIWANI TEAM

De – Snaring Report for July 2007

Participants

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

Area Covered

During the course of the month we carried out patrols at: The Lumo Wildlife Sanctuary, Makatau, and Kishushe Ranch.

TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED 60

Findings

The Team began their patrols at Lumo Wildlife Sanctuary. After about a month of not patrolling there the poachers had increased their activities there, we lifted 6 big snares there.

Taita Hills was another hotspot for poaching; the team was surprised to find a freshly slaughtered buffalo. The only thing left was the head and skin. We lingered in the area knowing the poacher responsible was near. We ambushed the poacher and caught him the next day after six hours of ambush as he was returning to check his other snares. With the coming if the dry season poaching is on a hard increase. We lifted a lot of snares and found a lot of signs of poaching as well as unfortunate wildlife trapped in snares. During the rainy season the communities focus more on agriculture of crops, in dry season the wildlife becomes more of a source of food and income. At Taita Hills we lifted 50 big snares targeting big game like giraffe, buffalo, and possibly even elephant. The poachers set the snares along regularly used animal paths which lead to water knowing the animals thirst will drive them through these paths. The Kishushe and Maktua areas had less poaching activities. The team lifted 4 snares targeting medium game. There were signs of poaching activities near the Mzima water pipeline.

Report by Henry Lekochere