KWS News Issue no. 2

8 Pages·2001·2 MB·English

by  Kenya Wildife Service

The KWS Capture team attempt to load a 40 year
old, four ton Mr V into a truck for translocation to
Meru.
live in harmony In addition, people who
have wildlife living on tiieir land should
benefit economically
Darting from above • Restock die Meru elephant population.
Meru once accommodated over 2,400 in¬
-A-'N dividual elephants which were greatly re¬
duced by poaching in the 60s and 70s, to
N*V
the extent diat only 300 elephants re¬
mained.
W 4 »
KWS undertakes Northern Kenya has great potential for fu¬
ture development and KWS would Like to
mammoth open up the area to tourism which would
elephant translocation
make the wildlife population more sustain¬
T
able. This would also help to alleviate
poverty by creating employment and pro¬
long term management options. Fencing has
he Kenya Wildlife Ser¬
viding markets for farmers and souvenir
been the most important, but tiiis has tended
vice recently translo¬
sellers.
to create ecological islands leading to habitat
cated nine family groups
The Elephant Programme - a unit that is
degradation. This option is only practical for
of elephants and nine indi¬
chained with overseeing elephant issues
isolated elephant populations in relatively
vidual bulls from Sweetwaters
within KWS fundraised for die operation in
confined elephant ranges; however, this
Rhino Sanctuary to Meru Na¬ which Ksh 10.5 million was spent. The op¬
metiiod cannot always be applied because of
tional Park in July 2001. This eration was carried out by KWS personnel
die costs involved and die vastness of the areas
was the largest elephant witii assistance from the Kenya Army, which
affected. Translocation has been adopted as a
provided two low loader trucks to transport
number to be translocated in
medium tenn strategy to manage problem ele¬
die elephants together with personnel. The
one operation in either phants and confined animals under Problem
exercise was funded by a number of donors
eastern, western and central Animal Control (PAC) strategy. Because of
including the International Fund for Animal
Africa. die number of animals involved and those lost
Welfare (IFAW) who contributed US$
under PAC, KWS has shifted its policy away
40,000, the Bom Free Foundation who gave
Elephant numbers in most range states have
from die mediod and adopted translocation as
US$12,500, Save the elephants who gave
continued to show an upward trend following
an alternative management option whilst
US$ 3,900, 01 Pejeta Ranching who gave
the international ban on ivory trade and en¬
odier long term strategies are being pursued.
US$3,000 and The Humane Society of USA
hanced security Alongside increasing ele¬
The translocation was carried out to:
who contributed US$4,500. In addition to
phant numbers is the increasing human
• Reduce the impact of elephants on vegeta¬
supplying personnel and equipment KWS
population tirat brings with it a high demand
tion as a result of high densities. The entire
also utilized two aircraft at a cost of
for land, botii for setdement and odder eco¬
Laikipia ecosystem has about 2,400 ele¬
US$51,000 in flying time.
nomic activities. Consequentiy, habitats are
phants witii Sweetwaters alone having 125
In an endeavour to ease pressure and mini¬
being fragmented, leading to compression of
elephants in an area of 90 sq. Ions. These
mize human-elephant conflict, KWS has
elephant ranges and emergence of isolated ele¬
densities are beyond the carrying capacity
translocated a total of 109 elephants from
phant habitats, resulting in increased human-
of the sanctuary
1996 to date:
elephant conflicts. This poses two major
• Reduce human-elephant conflict in die sur¬
• In 1996, 26 elephants were translocated
challenges: tire need to protect die elephant
rounding area by translocating identified
from Mwea National Reserve to Tsavo East
on the one hand and the need to protect
problem elephants. This was in response to
National Park to help reduce human-
human life and property on the other.
a call for help from die communities. KWS
wildlife conflict. For the last five years tirere
In order to mitigate the conflicts and conserve
would like, if possible, people and wildlife to
the elephant, KWS has initiated a number of
Continued on page 8
KWS News September 2001 1
•
Message From The Director
to 7 to increase efficient application of
resources.
(ix) rebuilt and enhanced the Wildlife Cap¬
ture Unit to strengthen the conservation
of wildlife and resolve human wildlife
conflict.
(x) rehabilitated and built new field oper¬
ating centres and staff accommodation.
(xi) provision of national and international
wildlife conservation leadership e.g. in
rhino, elephant and community conser¬
vation.
(xii) maintaining a well-groomed and disci¬
plined workforce.
(xiii) creation of team-spirit within the staff.
(xiv) reduction in pilferage of KWS resources.
(xv) allowing staff to rationally utilise their
full potential.
(xvi timely payment of staff salaries.
ICWS management is pleased to bring you yet an¬
(xvii) transparent recruitment, promotion and
other issue of ICWS News outlining some of the
disciplinary machinery
organisation's recent activities. KWS continues
(xviii) Trained some 200 members of staff, lo¬
to pursue its conservation mandate while en¬
cally and abroad.
hancing job security for all its employees.
For the first time in its existence, ICWS staff
ieWS also continues to work on donor support
have collaborated to produce our own corpo¬
and relations. Donor confidence is growing with
rate five-year Strategic Plan. Similarly, ICWS
improved management of our own generated rev¬
has courageously undertaken evaluations of:
enues and donor funds. We are wo riding towards
* pilot wildlife cropping scheme.
KWS' sustainability by bridging the budget deficit
* bird shooting and community involvement.
and creating a business culture and programmes
* crocodiles and their impacts on people out¬
that are conservation sensitive. We have recently
side parks and reserves.
created the Corporate Affairs and Business Devel¬
opment department and the Central Monitoring
ICWS administration has demonstrated recog¬
and Evaluation Unit.
nition and appreciation of Kenyan talent and
has recruited competent Kenyans to offices pre¬
We aim to promote respect and recognition of
viously manned by consultants. We have cre¬
community stakeholdership by advancing,
ated linkages between KWS professionals with
strengthening and institutionalising sustainable
international agencies, colleagues and conven¬
community wildlife service. Already, several com¬
tions, thus boosting confidence among ICWS’
munity based conservation programmes e.g sanc¬
own workforce and the international fraternity.
tuaries, ecotourism projects, etc. are being
Kenyan expertise has been demonstrated
established across the country In these areas we
through effective and successful handling of
continue to focus on resolving human - wildlife
sensitive and complex tasks. KWS profes¬
conflict while encouraging conservation of biodi¬
sionals have been called upon to assist other
versity.
African countries to help in resolving conserva¬
tion agenda.
Among recent achievements are the following:
(i) reduced trophy poaching levels.
We are institutionalising various KWS manage¬
(ii) eliminated cases of attacks on tourists in
ment systems, reviewing policies and legislation
parks and reserves.
and developing long-term strategies and pro¬
(iii) sustaining quality wildlife habitats in pro¬
grammes to form the basis for conservation in
tected areas.
Kenya. With a sound Strategic Plan we expect
(iv) maintaining a good road network in parks
to make an appreciable contribution to national
and KWS managed reserves.
development while aiming to be a leader in na¬
(v) maintaining access loads to key parks.
tional and international wildlife conservation.
(vi) integration of conservation programmes
within KWS and into local and national de¬
velopment agenda.
(vii) creation of harmonious environment be¬
tween members of the public and wildlife
management.
(viii) Downsizing of ICWS departments from 12
2 KWS News September 2001
•
Plastic surgery
on plastic waste
Trial operations have begun on a project By Ndung’u Njaga
that could turn around Kenya's plastic
T
waste pollution crisis.
biggest challenge is to make them firm, as
he ICWS pilot project is based in
they are still bending under pressure. Mr
Naivasha, and involves converting
Higgins is consulting with other plastic
waste plastics and polythene into
industries with a view to solving the
posts that can be used in construction
problem.
work. Nearly 300 such posts have already
ICWS has used 280 of these posts and has
been used in a 28 km stretch of electric
found them convenient because, unlike
fence bordering Aberdares National Park,
wooden ones, they offer automatic insu¬
as part of the on going ICWS project to
lation. According to George Odhiambo,
minimize human/wildlife conflict in the
conservation area. Works Superintendent at the Aberdare
park, bending of these posts may not be
The pioneering project, though not exclu¬
an immediate problem because animals
sive in principle, has a real potential to re¬
are repelled by electric power and not
lieve the country from the choking waste
necessarily the strength of the post.
paper pollution and a looming timber
crisis. The only challenge with such posts, ac¬ Waste plastic bags collected from Naivasha area are
fed into an agglomerator. Under heat and use of
cording to Mr Odhiambo, is along ver¬
ICWS acquired this project courtesy of
water the waste disintegrates into ‘flakes’ and is
Rhino Ark, who have been actively in¬ tical bends, as they tend to bend under ready for the extruding process which follows.
pressure from the electric wire. This they
volved in conservation projects in the Ab¬
are countering by erecting strain as¬ code of conduct for the Kenya Flower
erdares. Through the money raised from
sembly kits at every corner and using Council forbids disposal through
the annual ’Rhino Charge’, the trust
wooden posts every 100 metres. Mr burning. And since they cannot be effec¬
bought the facility and donated it to
Odhiambo said the posts are also likely to tively disposed of by burying - they are
ICWS. A Naivasha couple, Mike and
be more effective in controlling baboons non biodegradable - many flower farms
Sarah Higgins, volunteered to run it on
which are a major cause of are saddled with unmanageable loads.
an experimental basis on their farm. They
human/wildlife conflict and which the Others expressing interest in the project
are active fundraisers for the Rhino
conventional electric fence has been un¬ are Nairobi based garbage collection en¬
Charge and prominent Naivasha farmers,
actively involved in the Lake Naivasha able to confine. The baboons easily ma¬ trepreneurs, who are eager to 'jua
noeuvre their way along the wooden kalinize' the technology to make it widely
Riperian Association, which last year won
posts by shrewdly avoiding the live wires. available.
the Ramsar award of excellence. Ramsar is
In plastic posts, they are shortchanged in However, the project is seeking assistance
an international convention which seeks
that the posts are smooth, thin and uni¬ from donors to acquire a machine with
to promote wise use of important wet¬
form. higher speed and capacity to make it a
lands; Lake Naivasha is the second
Besides potential use in electric fencing, more feasible commercial undertalcing.
Ramsar site in Kenya and the hub of a
the project could revolutionize the Currently the Higgins’ estimate one post
horticultural industry, a heavy user of
timber industry. After witnessing the first to cost Ksh 400, which may not be com¬
polythenes.
pilot installations of the posts in the Ab¬ petitive against wooden poles. This high
The process involves collection of waste
erdares in April, KWS Director, Ne¬ cost is due to having to generate power
plastics, from low density polythenes to
ll emiah Rotich described the project as with a generator, owing to the unrelia¬
plastic pipes and containers. With no
cleaning whatsoever (a marked departure "one of the most challenging environ¬ bility of electric power, as the machine is
mental initiatives launched in East very sensitive to sudden power discon¬
from other plastic recycling operations),
Africa". nections.
they are fed into a machine, milled into
small flakes, then melted inside a second According to the Higgins', many con¬ The Rhino Ark, KWS and the Higgins'
sumer outlets such as supermarkets and invite any inquiries, suggestions and as¬
machine. From there the product is
pumped into a mould where the molten hotels, are already making inquiries, sistance from donors, plastic engineers
eager to dispose of their plastic waste at and others on how to bring this project to
plastic is compressed under pressure, after
which it is inserted into cold water to no cost. So are horticultural farms its fullest potential.
compact, before being forcefully ejected around the country, which are likely to be For more information contact:
as a post. key beneficiaries, being heavy users of Rhino ark e-mail: rhinoark#triad.co.ke
The current posts, 10 feet long and 6 polythene for their green houses. These KWS e-mail: [email protected]
polythenes have a short life span and the
inches wide, are still experimental and the Higgins e-mail: [email protected]
KWS News September 2001 3
•
"This is paradise", exclaimed an English lady who was visiting Amboseli National
Park for the first time. The middle aged woman had spent her entire afternoon
on a game drive in the 393 sq km area, currently the most visited park in Kenya.
Amboseli is home to most popular game, in¬ Already Kim an a has clinched a 10 year agreement
cluding 56 animal species, 400 bird species and with a tour operator to use its sanctuary at a fee
1,100 elephants that roam the expansive Am¬ of Ksh 7.5 million per year, while Eselenkei has re¬
boseli ecosystem. To cap it all, Kilimanjaro, served 5,000 acres for a conservancy An investor
Africa's tallest mountain, can be viewed at close has put up a tented camp and is paying the group
range. ranch Ksh 400,000 per year. "Wildlife will soon
During the tourism boom of the early 1990s, Am¬ be the economic mainstay of pastoralists because
boseli recorded an average of 220,000 visitors per livestock production has become an unreliable
year. It is estimated that the park nets an annual mode of sustenance", said Mr Joseph Miaron, the
revenue of Ksh 150 million from its current co-ordinator of the Amboseli/Tsavo Group
77,000 arrivals per year. However, its popularity, Ranches Conservation Association. His opinion
However, its popu¬
coupled with its small area, are Amboseli's un¬ is shared by the executive director of Pastoralist
larity, coupled with
doing. According to Mr Michael Kiplceu, the Development Education Programme (PADEP),
its small area, are senior warden in charge of the park, the number Mr Daniel Somoire. "Wildlife is our coffee and
Amboseli's undoing. of annual visitors is leading to overcrowding and tea," he said. "We are happy that KWS is facili¬
is detrimental to the ecosystem. tating initiation of ventures that will enable local
The rush by tour guides to trace the 'Big Five' has people to directly benefit from tourism."
been a major worry to park managers. To dis¬ Amboseli wildlife almost entirely relies on group
courage overcrowding, KWS is encouraging group ranches, as the park is too small even to cater for
ranches adjacent to the park to start ecotourism the pasture requirements of its 1,100 elephants.
adventures to ease pressure on the small park. The park has recorded an unprecedented degrada¬
These group ranches have borne the brunt of the tion in the past few years, attributed to various
spill-over effect of wildlife, as many animals live factors. One theory has it that the level of salinity
on their land. As a result, the group ranches of Ki- has risen, thereby causing havoc to the vegetation.
mana-Tikondo, Imbirikani, Olgulului, Lolarrashi Another theory blames the elephants who have
and Eselenkei are approaching investors to set up been destroying vegetation in the park, especially
tented campsites and other ventures that will earn the trees.
them revenue. KWS, together with Amboseli Serena Lodge, has
KWS News September 2001
•
DONOR
fenced off some areas with the aim of establishing whether
wildlife is to blame for the park degradation. Surprisingly, all the
news
fenced off areas have had speedy regeneration of vegetation and
become home to some shy animals. "The Amboseli vegetation
will only be saved if the elephants are assured of a bigger home
range", said Michael Kipkeu.
During the dry season, pastoralists graze their big herds of live¬
RHINO CHARGE RAISES
stock in the park in order to use reliable water sources in the
OVER KSH 16 MILLION
swamps. This adds to the pressure on the fragile ecosystem.
Grazing is a sensitive issue. In 1970 the government convinced
the Maasai to vacate the park before it was gazetted in 1974, by
The Rhino Charge 2001 held in June at Lekurruki
promising to provide water outside the park so that the commu¬
Group Ranch in Samburu raised a record of Kshl6.8
nity would not have to go into the protected area to water their
million, which will be used to continue building the
livestock. Many water projects were initiated as a result of the
fence encircling the Aberdares National Park Fence and
agreement, but not all have been implemented.
to establish a trust fund for the permanent mainte¬
So far the pastoralists have no objection to the elephants having
nance of the fence, said Mr. Colin Church, Chairman
their freedom, but their stand is not shared by the agro-pastoral-
Rhino Ark. The Rhino Ark has been involved in the
ists who feel aggrieved whenever the jumbos ravage their farm¬
Aberdares fencing programme since 1989 and so far a
land. John Makau, a resident of Inkariak Rongena is bitter. He
invested a lot in farming but harvested nothing one year, as the total of 120 km of fencing has been erected. Rhino
elephants reaped where they did not sow. "We will succeed as Ark hope to complete a total of 160 km by year 2002.
farmers only after KW S erects a live fence in the race to keep off This will be half of the total circumference of the fence
elephants", he said.
alignment around Kenya's largest mountain range
Fences have worked miracles elsewhere. In Namelok area, 101
which totals 320 km.
farmers belonging to group ranches, ai*e now tilling 253 acres of
land without fear of elephants, due to a 61 km fence that runs
through the group ranches.
The main concern of KWS is to ensure that pastoralists realise
the optimum benefits from their conservation efforts .Through
Conservation through Enterprise (CORE), KWS, in collabora¬
tion with the United States Agency for International Develop¬
ment (USAID), has spelt out an ambitious programme that seeks
to empower economically, the people living around the Amboseli
park. The programme will increase community capacity to con¬
serve and manage wildlife resources; facilitate active and mutu¬
ally beneficial partnerships between local communities and the
private sector; and establish and promote wildlife related enter¬
prises through training and the establishment of an enterprise
development fund.
Among the key implementers of the CORE programme are KWS,
the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) , East African Wildlife
Left to right: Colin Church, Chairman Rhino Ark, Dan Onsembe
Society, African Conservation Centre, Pact Incorporated and
Warden Aberdares, KWS Chairman, Charles Njonjo and Speaker of
Pricewaterhouse Coopers. AWF, in conjunction with KWS, is
National Assembly, Mr. Ole Kaparo holding the cheque at the prize
helping pastoralists who lose livestock through wildlife attacks. giving on Lekurruki Group Ranch, Laikipia/ Samburu District.
DAVID SHELDRICK
WILDLIFE TRUST
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust donated, in the
1999/2000 financial year, over six million shillings to
KWS divided up into the following projects in Tsavo
East National Park:
• Fuel for security vehicles Ksh3,246,676
• Hydrogeological survey Ksh 300,815
• Boreholes, Ndara and Aruba Ksh 1,000,000
• Ndara windmill Ksh 570,000
• Aruba windmill Ksh 761,132
• Kone Windmill Ksh 286,070
• Tipper repairs Ksh 67,360
KWS is forever grateful to its donors
for their support.
KWS News • September 2001 5
ropping
is it the best way?
The debate on wildlife utilisation
produces fierce divergence in the
conservation fraternity over private
appropriation of wildlife products as a
conservation principle. The debate pits
animal welfare groups and a section of
private citizens against wildlife farmers,
the latter managing wildlife on their farm
for economic returns.
At stake are millions of shillings that po¬
tentially accrue from sport hunting and
trust between KWS and land owners.
the sale of wildlife products. This posi¬ ment and exploitation of wildlife outside
Against this background the current KWS
tion claims wide support amongst liberal, national parks. He cited lack of this as the
Director, Mr Nehemiah Rotich, has called
utilitarian academics who insist wildlife reason behind wildlife decline and cau¬
for an independent assessment of the
must have an economic value, in order to tioned that wildlife in Kenya will decline
project's impact as a basis for future direc¬
compete with other land uses. Without dramatically should laws continue to re¬
tion. The findings of both local and inter¬
this, wildlife will perish, as land owners strict private ownership.
national evaluators were presented
will have no incentive to tolerate wildlife Slightly in agreement with their interna¬
recently at a national symposium. It is
on their farms. tional counterpart, the local consultants
clear that emotions could rise, as KWS
This 'Use it or Lose it' concept has been lamented that while the stated national
discusses recommendations from the re¬
aggressively promoted. Proponents have policy advocates both consumptive and
port which will, necessarily, aggrieve ei¬
constantly accused the Kenya govern¬ non-consumptive utilization of wildlife,
ther party.
ment of conservatism, for banning sport the operational policies are biased to¬
The bone of contention is the philosophy
hunting of wildlife over three decades ago wards non-consumptive utilisation. They
that says that wildlife cropping for private
and in effect denying the country a huge further noted disharmony between
profits is a conservation ideology. Animal
economic potential. clauses that control cropping and the use
welfare groups believe it is immoral to
Ten years ago Kenya Wildlife Service al¬ of wildlife products. Neither is the
subject animals to such methods in pur¬
lowed experimental cropping of wildlife Wildlife Act and Cruelty Act clear on
suit of profits for a minority of citizens.
on private farms with the principal aim of cropping policy. This restrictive and inex¬
This view is fortified by many others who
seeing if this would reduce wildlife related plicit legal system was reported to have re¬
argue that wildlife is a national resource
costs. The programme, called Pilot sulted in a lack of long term investment
which justifies its conservation even for
Wildlife Cropping Project, was’ borne of by land owners, butcheries and tanneries,
its own sake. They further argue that to
the need to protect wildlife outside na¬ such that the project is perceived to have
grant cropping rights to ranchers is to en¬
tional parks leading to the formation of so far failed to adequately reduce wildlife
trench a historical injustice, through
the Community Wildlife Service in KWS. costs and to produce markets for wildlife.
which a few individuals became owners of
The unit was charged with exploring pos¬ The failure of markets to evolve has been
large tracts of land.
sibilities of 'wise use' of wildlife as an in¬ punitive to land owners who reap only
The cropping proponents, however, insist
centive to conserve it outside protected two per cent from the market value of an
that wildlife is an economic asset and
areas and minimise its cost to communi¬ animal, while up to eighty per cent goes
must be subject to economic principles if
ties. The pilot project started in the four to the eateries who retail game meat, thus
it is to survive. An international con¬
districts of Machakos, Kajiado, Nakuru making wildlife uneconomical to farmers
sultant gave a comparative review of his¬
and Laikipia. The capacity of KWS to implement and
tory and wildlife trends in Kenya
The project has always been mired in con¬ monitor the cropping was in doubt and
compared with the Southern Africa states
troversy, as it was started without an ex¬ the consultants painted a gloomy picture
of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa
haustive legal, scientific and of the outcome by showing that wildlife
and advocated an overhaul of national
administrative framework, causing mis¬ in all the trial districts, except Kajiado,
laws to allow private ownership, manage¬
Continued on page 7
6 KWS News September 2001
•
ICWS Director Nehemiah Rotich (second
left) presents a trophy to a graduate at the
Passing Out Parade in Manyani Field
Training School, where 128 Rangers graduated.
Deputy Director, Abdul Bashir (left), looks on.
KAVS Chairman, Charles Njonjo (left),
Director Nehemiah Rotich (centre) and One of the ICWS
Deputy Director, Abdul Bashir, all in a Vet Unit rescue
jolly mood at Ithumba in Tsavo East, during the teams attends to
opening ceremony of Ithumba park headquar¬ a 'patient' in Amboseli
ters. The project was funded by Care for the National Park. In the pic¬
Wild International of the United Kingdom. ture Dr Adeela Sayyid
handles a highly delicate
case of elephant injury as
Sgt Joseph Koech (right)
examines a decaying por¬
tion of the intestine.
(Picture by Patrick
Omondi.)
Kinoshita Fumio, the JICA
Wildlife and Conservation
Advisor has left ICWS after five
years in Kenya, Mr Fumio, (or
Fumio as he was known to most
of us) came to Kenya in March
These two women from Waruini Community
1996 from his last position in
of Laildpia, Catherine Wamuyu (left) and
Zambia. During his time here he
Margaret Wanjiru help in the construction of
facilitated grant aid to ICWS in
a fence to keep away wildlife on Ol Pejeta Ranch.
excess of ICsh 20 million, some of
This is a KWS/Community venture to combat
which went towards multimedia
human/wildlife conflict. Communities are also trained
equipment which has enabled
in fence maintenance.
ICWS to produce news and
wildlife materials for use
by educational centres.
Continued from page 6
African countries where laws are more
has declined steadily. The question is - is
liberal in favour of wildlife ownership,
it because or in spite of cropping? The
cropping is an insignificant source of rev¬
consultants were unable to answer. Also
enue compared to activities like sport
of concern, said the consultants, was the
hunting. He argues further that the solu¬
fact that even species not listed for crop¬
tion is to open up the regulating edifice
ping, like the endangered Grevy's zebra
so that farmers can seek alternatives, that
and some giraffe, were recording negative
avail optimum benefits. Most liberal aca¬
growth, suggesting indiscriminate crop¬
demics support this thesis which, never¬
ping by the land owners, or other factors
theless faces stiff opposition from a wide
at play, or both.
spectrum of interest groups. The debate
Now that wildlife outside the protected
continues.
areas is declining, even with experimental
cropping, what next? According to the
Ndung’u Njaga
international consultant, even in South
ICWS Communications
KWS News September 2001 7
•
4 year old Continued from page 1
• hi April 2000, 10 elephants animal moats have been tried at
elephant translocation
were moved from Ol Pejeta and Limuru and Narok; and elephant
Nelly shows
Lewa Downs to Meru National drives from areas of conflict to
have been no reports of inci¬
her appreciation
Park in order to reduce human- National Paries or Reseives have
dents of deaths and injuries
elephant conflict, hi die same been undertaken. Translocation
caused by elephants around
year, diree bulls were moved of animals from areas of conflict
Mwea National Reseive.
from Sliimba Hills to Tsavo to areas of less conflict is part of
In 1997, 10 bulls were translo¬
East National Park to help re¬ our broader wildlife conservation
cated from Lewa Downs to
stock Tsavo and reduce human- and management strategy of re¬
Kora National Park These
wildlife condict surrounding solving human-wildlife conflict
bulls had sought refuge on die
the Reserve. and we work closely with die
private ranch during die
• In February 2001, KWS suc¬ communities in addressing
poaching era of the 60s and 70s
cessfully assisted the Uganda wildlife matters.
causing pressure on die already
Wildlife Authority to translo¬ KWS faces a number of chal¬
overcrowded vegetation. This
cate problem elephants from lenges, the greatest being die
translocation also helped to
the Luweero District to degradation of wildlife habitat
build up the Kora elephant
Murchison Falls National Park. through opening up savannah for
population, wiped out by
The Director KWS, Mr Nehemiah
KWS aims to reduce wildlife agriculture. Also, the receding of
Rotich (right) and with Dr John Wait- poachers in die 70s.
haka, Manager BCP at the Imenti management related costs to die our wedands due to human eco¬
hi 1999, 30 bulls were translo¬
Solar Fence launch with young Nelly
rural communities, lb tins end, nomic activities and the blockage
cated from Mwaluganje to
Karambu (4 years old) who thrilled au¬
KWS has formulated conflict res¬ of animal movement routes
diences with a poem. Tsavo East National Park in
olution guidelines which recog¬ through settlements, agriculture
older to reduce pressure on veg¬
KWS Director Rotich, Donor, nise the need for dialogue nidi and odier areas of competing land
etation resulting from a concen¬
Wageni waheshimiwa, wana
communities. KWS is in the use, are other challenges to KWS.
tration of bulls in the area. The
kamati, mabibi na mabwana.
process of forming conflict resolu¬ ICWS has received tremendous
translocation also helped to re¬
tion committees at village levels support from die general public,
duce the high level of human-
Jina langu ni Nelly Karambu,
which will work hand in hand especially during last year's
elephant conflict in die area
Nina umri wa miaka minne,
with KWS officers in die overall drought and the organisation
Naishi na nyanya. and to build up the elephant
goal of conservation. In addition, looks forward to working widi
Gakurine karibu na msitu population in Tsavo which had
KWS has erected electric fences various groups to address conser¬
Tunakuza mahindi, maharagwe, been reduced from 35,000 ele¬
na ndizi katika Shamba letu ndogo. in various parts of die country vation and management issues.
phants in die 70s to 5,000 ele¬
Ndovu wanapenda sana covering a distance of 1000 Ion;
phants in the late 80s.
kula mahindi, maharagwe na ndizi
kutoka kwa shamba letu ndogo. Imenti Community
Wanakula kila kitu na
Solar Fence Launched
tunakosa usingizi.
Ahsante Director Rotich na
In June this year the KWS Di¬ In an effort to solve the contiict
Donor Dr Waithaka
rector Mr Nehemiah Rotich at¬ the diree partners in the project
Kwa kutuletea ua la ndovu.
tended the launch of an have contributed a joint total of
Sasa tutajurahia mahindiyetu,
important community project in Ksh 13 million (over Ksh 10 mil¬ The Director KWS, Mr Nehemiah
maharagwe na ndizi.
Rotich (right) and Chairman, Board
the Meru region - the Imenti lion was donated by CDTF) to
Tutalala bila wasiwasi na
CTDF Board of Trustees Mr Peter
nitaweza kwenda shule. Solar Fence. construct this solar powered Makanu at the launch of Imenti Com¬
The 30 km fence is the result of electric fence around the forest, munity Solar Fence.
Ahsante Aisante Ahsante a joint undertaking between the with the help of die KWS
in the development field has so
na Mungu ambariki.
Community Development Trust fencing unit. During the con¬
far erected 1000km of fences
Fund (CDTF), the Imenti com¬ struction KWS will train the
throughout Kenya. According to
Recited by Nelly Karambu,
munity and the Kenya Wildlife community fence committee on
Mr Rotich plans are underway
aged 4 on the occasion of the
Service. Imenti forest is an im¬ the administrative requirements
to extend the fencing initiatives
opening of the Imenti forest
portant part of the ecology, his¬ for sustaining the fence, as well
Solar Fence. to Northern Aberdares, Mt
tory and culture of the Meru as giving technical guidance. In
Elgon Park, Arabuko Sokoke
area and is home to a large va¬ addition the community has
For non Swahili readers the Forest and Mem National Park.
riety of wild animals. It is also identified 10 trainees who will
poem briefly translates:
"Where fences are not feasible",
adjacent to many small farms be trained by KWS during the
he added, "other conflict resolu¬
I live near the forest. We grow maize, and unfortunately for the people construction. The Director, Mr
tion strategies will be applied".
beans and bananas on our farm. But of the area, many of tiieir farms Rotich, commented that, "Kenya
The Director also said that KWS
elephants love to eat these things as are destroyed by elephants who Wildlife Service fully recognises
is working closely widi the Office
well. They eat everything and we
use Imenti, and thus the sur¬ the need for communities to be
of the President and the Trea¬
have no food. Thankyou for the fence
rounding area, as a feeding empowered so as to effectively
sury to address compensation is¬
which will protect us from the ele¬
ground. This is a major cause of manage the project after con¬
sues for human injury or death
phants. Now we can eat our crops,
conflict between the local people struction".
caused by wildlife.
sleep well, and I can go to school.
and the wildlife. KWS, with the help of partners
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8 KWS News
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