Participants

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

Area Covered

During the month of November we carried out patrols at the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Oza ranch, Kishushe ranch, Maktau and the Lumo wildlife sanctuary

TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED 56

Findings

We began the months desnaring activities by carrying out patrols at the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, which has proven over the past few months to be a poaching hotspot. We managed to lift 42 snares that targeted large game.

During our patrols in the area we came across the remains of a giraffe. We suspect that the giraffe had become trapped in a poachers snare but had rotten and been eaten by predators and scavengers before the poachers were able to recover the carcass and dry the meat to sell at market. The Taita Hills wildlife sanctuary has a wide variety of wildlife as there is permanent water source and plenty of pasture, for this reason the area is a poaching hotspot, especially in the dry season when the surrounding communities enter the sanctuary to poach and set snares.

At Oza and Kishushe ranches we lifted 12 snares 9 of which targeted small animals such as Dikdiks, with the other 3 targeting medium sized game.

Charcoal burning continues to be a problem in both of the ranches.

At the Maktau park boundary, we observed footprints from 2 individuals. We followed the footprints and were able to lift 2 snares. We also came across a hole that the poachers had covered with logs.

Upon removing the logs a distressed porcupine, which had been trapped in the hole, ran out and disappeared into a thick bush.

Towards the end of the month’s operations we visited the Lumo Wildlife Sanctuary where no major illegal activities were noticed. We did however come across a pregnant female buffalo that had become stuck in the mud at the dam.

We called the vet to come and assist us in freeing her. The team worked hard to free the buffalo but sadly it had to be euthanized as it was extremely weak and dehydrated as it had been stuck for a couple of days.

Report by Henry Lekochere