Operation Period 05.10.04-18.10.04

Participants

James mbuthia – team leader John Malonza - Tracker Francis Chege – Car guard Masakau Mbanga – In Camp CPL.C Ngau - KWS Steve Mireri - KWS Patrick Wachira - KWS N. Abwapo - KWS

SNARES COLLECTED 636

Findings

This month a total of 636 snares were collected, four DikDiks found alive and released from snares and another six were found dead. With the ongoing drought and the increase of people, mainly poachers, in the area these results are hardly surprising. On our patrols we discovered a large amount of foot prints going in and out of the game park and on speaking to the community it is apparent that there is a lot of lamping going on at night too. Lamping is becoming a very common method of poaching in and around the park and is an extremely successful way to poach.

Of the snares collected 98% of them were designed for smaller animals while the rest targeted larger ones such as buffalos, Impala, waterbuck and Kudu. The reason for this may be due to there being so few larger animals in the area or because the cost of the heavier duty snare wire is on the high side. Night ambushes as well as usual de-snaring operations will have to be the way forward now if we are going to apprehend the poachers. With snares being set through out the day and sitting there for a few days, and lamping going on at night then the wildlife in the area has very little chance of survival.

Community Awareness

This month Iviani primary school benefited from a Safaricom donated field trip into Tsavo West national park. This is the second time that Iviani have benefited from a school trip in two years, they were extremely grateful. Kamunyu school are at the moment in the process of digging holes for tree planting. Added to that there are members of the community who have asked to be given some seedlings so that they can start nurseries too.

Kamunyu, Ngiluni, Iviani and Kyusiuni were shown wildife videos and discussions took place after. Some of these schools along with Likoni and Mbetwani were also involved in sporting activities too.

Report of James Mbuthia