Participants

Isaac Maina John Malonza Samuel Adero Peter Wambua Mwoni Ikuthu Rangers – Mugendi, Mutie, Lenaola, Langat

Area Covered

This month we patrolled Irima, Ndii, Ngutuni, The Sagalla and Kajire ranches and Mariwenyi

248 SNARES RECOVERED

Findings

The month was characterized by an initial dry spell followed by cold weather. Although we visited all the above areas most of our operations were concentrated around the Sagalla and Kajire ranches. During the month we were able to arrest 3 poachers.

Our patrols in the Irima area yielded 9 snares comprised of 3 big snares, which were located on the inner side of the parks boundary, and 6 small snares which were lifted from the area between the railway line and the parks fence line. No new activity or footprints were found in the area. A total of 21 snares were recovered in the Ndii area, 18 of which targeted Dikdiks with 3 targeting larger animals such as buffaloes. The larger snares looked as if they had been freshly laid. We also came across signs of night poaching which uses the lamping method. We were able to recover 3 large snares in the Ngutuni region.

While patrolling the Sagalla ranch we were able to apprehend a poacher who was in possession of 2 Dikdiks, a catapult and 20 snares. He also had 4 dogs with him who aided him in his poaching efforts. The poacher was from Kajire village and in addition to poaching was also a charcoal burner.

In the Sagalla ranch area we were able to find and lift a total of 55 snares, all of which targeted Dikdiks, as well as one snared Dikdik. In the Kajire ranch, which neighbors the Sagalla ranch, we were able to lift 186 snares 8 of which were bird snares. A further two poachers were arrested, the first of which was found patrolling his snare lines and was in possession of a Dikdik and 22 snares that had been recovered from this line, which was about 1km in length. We were able to spot signs of two other snared Dikdiks which had been slaughtered the previous day. The third poacher was in possession of a guinea fowl and 52 snares. Upon following his footprints we were led to his hideout where we recovered some more snares. While being interrogated the poacher confessed that he had left his hideout that morning and that he had slaughtered two Dikdiks the previous day. Earlier in the month we had laid an ambush in the Kulalu region, which unfortunately was unsuccessful and no arrests were made as the poachers used a different route to exit the park. We were able to gather information on the various meat outlets in Kulalu, and were thus able to identify some of the meat brokers. This allowed us to uncover the fact that the meat is sold to the outlets by hawkers who get the game meat from poachers.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH We had a very busy and eventful few days in the week leading up to the world environmental day on June 5th. In conjunction with a local youth group we carried out cleanup exercises in Voi town and its suburbs. We also planted trees and showed videos geared towards sensitizing the communities about conservation. The week long exercises took place in Voi town, Sophia, Sikujua, Kaloleni, Kariokor-Tanzania and Mambomani estates. In these areas we conducted clean-up exercises, distributed trees, and demonstrated how the trees should be planted. We also visited Marapu, Ikanga (Irima), Mariwenyi area, and Mwambiti secondary school which while carrying out our activities in Voi. More than five thousand seedlings were distributed courtesy of Voi municipal council, the Voi youth forum and the Voi forest department. Each evening we screened a video show entitled “running dry”. We also presented a lecture about bush meat, littering, and the need for a greener town, all of which was in line with this year’s environmental theme “Greener Town”. The environmental week brought together individuals form various communities, in and around Voi town, with the final climax being on Sunday when all the communities merged together in Voi stadium. On June 28th we presented 50 desks to Kajire primary school and 48 desks to Gideo Mosi.

Both schools are located in the Kajire area. The function which was attended by parents and the villagers, and was also attended by the areas District and Education Officers, the area councilor as well as the local administration and KWS representatives.

Report by Isaac Maina