Poaching in Kenya now made difficult by New bill

President Uhuru Kenyatta

HE the President Hon Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law the Wildlife Conservation & Management Bill, making it the law of the land with immediate effect.

This is the best gift to nature lovers in Kenya and beyond as New Year beckons.

For years had the country’s conservationists demanded that harsher penalties be imposed as often poachers, when nabbed, were released on bond or bail almost immediately as they faced minimal fines and often short prison terms, which led to a sharp increase in poaching across the country with hundreds of elephants and dozens of rhino killed.

Kenya still has a significant wildlife resource but over 60% of that resource resides outside the protected areas. Typically the management of that wildlife has been the responsibility of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).  However the 2010 Constitution has changed that responsibility in that it recognizes Public, Private and Community land as distinct entities falling under different management responsibilities. Many species do not stay in protected areas and venture into human-inhabited areas thus leading to human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.

KWS is doing all in its power to reduce poaching incidents to its bare minimum. The menace to the past weak wildlife laws where wildlife related crimes were treated in the court of law as a misdemeanor and a lesser crime now remain in the past. Under the new bill, wildlife-related crimes will now be considered as an economic crime which will carry stiffer penalties of up to five years in jail, a million shillings plus fine or both.

Now, under the new law, poachers, their financiers and the traders will face substantially higher fines, confiscation of property and long prison terms, but most extensively will those nabbed at airports, in possession of blood ivory or other prohibited wildlife items, face fines of not less than a million Kenya Shillings and prison terms of not less than five years. Many smugglers have been caught over the past years mostly at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Consequently any magistrate who now fails to impose both fines and custodial sentences must be dragged before the disciplinary committees and investigated for possible links with poaching syndicates.

Conservation Heroes Remembered

Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers bow their heads in honor of departed colleagues during the annual KWS Heroes’ Day observed on the 16th of December every year. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Prof. Judi Wakhungu (Centre) was the chief guest during this year’s event at KWS headquarters.

The day is also used to celebrate the birthday of Nairobi National Park which was gazetted on the 16th December, 1946.On December 16, 1946, Nairobi National Park, the first national park to be created in Kenya was gazetted. The KWS Board of Trustees and Management have since 2005 set aside the day to commemorate the birthday of the park and to honour conservation heroes. Since a similar event last year, four new names of rangers killed in the course of active duty have been added to the roll of honour.

Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Natural Resources Prof. Judi Wakhungu who presided over the solemn function  noted that while the nation celebrates strides it has made over the years, “We in the conservation sector take pride in the growth of the national pride, a heritage and a key foundation of the country’s economy through tourism. Indeed, the government recognizes the role wildlife-based tourism plays in the economy. For this reason, Kenya’s transformation blue-print, Vision 2030, has identified tourism as one of the six key sectors to deliver the 10% economic growth rate per annum envisaged under the economic pillar. It cannot be gainsaid that tourism is the second largest sector in Kenya’s economy after agriculture and accounts for 21 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings and 12 % of GDP. We are proud of KWS contribution in the embodiment of the people of Kenya development and aspiration” Prof wakhungu said.      

This years celebrations came at a time when KWS has also adopted a multi-faceted approach to eliminate the poaching vice. The organization has actively engaged communities living next to wildlife sanctuaries through conservation education on the negative impacts of poaching. Consumers of illegal wildlife products, both local and international are being sensitized on their indirect contribution to poaching by buying such products. KWS also urges the Judiciary to mete out deterrent sentences to smugglers of wildlife products.

Fundraising Brochure for KWS's New Molecular Biology Lab

DNA analysis has revolutionized the investigation and prosecution of human crime and can do the same for wildlife crime. With well-trained technicians and the right facilities and equipment, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will be able to use the DNA found in crime-scene evidence and confiscated material. 

The laboratory will operate under international standards published by the Scientific Working Group for Wildlife Forensic Sciences (SWGWILD). When the lab becomes fully operational, it will be the first of its kind in East and Central Africa and one of the world’s leading centres for wildlife DNA forensics. Kenyan Wildlife Service is using all the traditional enforcement tools to patrol wildlife conservation areas, stop illegal hunting and penalize wildlife criminals. Now KWS is adding new technologies, such as DNA forensic analysis, to its arsenal of tools used to protect Kenya’s wild heritage.

Attached is a fundraising brochure for KWS's new molecular biology lab constructed on here at the headquarters.  As you know, KWS and the National Museums of Kenya are co-leading the country’s involvement of Barcode of Wildlife Project, which is a Google-funded initiative led by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.  CBOL has agreed to help KWS in their efforts to raise funds for the purchase of the equipment needed for the lab. 

The first phase of lab construction has been completed and it included some additional room modification, installation of stainless steel workbenches, and the placement of freezers and refrigerators. The Barcode of Wildlife Project (BWP) is an international initiative funded by Google Giving through a Global Impact Award. BWP will enable the Kenya Wildlife Service and other participating agencies to use DNA technology for wildlife crime investigation.

 

KWS Restocks Depleted Shimba Hills

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has embarked on a restocking exercise at Shimba Hills National Reserve to replenish the dwindling wildlife population at the game reserve, as well as improving the gene pool. To think about genes at a population level, the concept of a gene pool is used because it takes us beyond the single-organism level. The exercise was aimed at boosting the wildlife under- populated areas especially on Impalas species.

Impalas in wooden container fitted onto a truck.

While receiving a breeding population of Impalas, the Senior Warden at Shimba Hills National Reserve Mr. Mohamed Kheri said visitors at the Reserve have been raising concerns on the status of the dwindling Impala population. “Under the Kenya Coastal Development Programme (KCDP), 17 impalas have been translocated from Naivasha to Shimba Hills National Reserve and these are some of the inputs put in place by the management to augment the genetic pool of the Reserve, improve visitation, and boost revenue collection.” Kheri said.

Recently, the Reserve launched the Conservation Strategy for Sable Antelopes in Kenya, and also saw the reconstruction of improved electric fence meant to address the human wildlife conflict in the area. “We have redesigned a new model of electric fence because human wildlife conflict has been a big issue and I believe that the current scenario will subside. By restocking the reserve in this approach, the new impalas will enhance the existing population.” Senior Warden noted. 

In the year 2006, 49 impalas were translocated but today there are only 13 remaining. According to the Warden, some of the causes of impala decline in the Reserve are hunting predators though the possibility of poaching is not ruled out. “Now that the Shimba Hills National Reserve security has been improved we believe there is a brighter future for their survival.” Kheri highlighted. 

“When capturing impalas, there are lots of challenges at your disposal and this range from running vehicles at night, unexpected trenches and pits, trees and logs, and complete darkness, hence the capture team must be vigilant for the success of such exercise. The translocated animals however still require close monitoring until such a time when they shall have adapted fully to their new environment by the scientist at the Coast Conservation Area.”  Mr. Patrick Mulandi, Warden Capture Services. 

The best time to capture impalas is at night, a time when they don’t see the nets when chased by vehicles. The animals would then be directed into the nets by vehicles, when impalas get tangled by the nets they would be restrained physically by hand. The animals are then loaded individually by hands into a wooden container fitted onto a truck, whereas the floor of the container is filled with sawdust to evade leg injuries during transportation.

 

Senior Warden at Shimba Hills National Reserve Mr. Mohamed Kheri (Lf) and Mr. Patrick Mulandi, Warden Capture Services (Rf) during the release exercise in Shimba Hills.
 

Translocation in wildlife conservation is the capture, transport and release of species, from one location to another. These exercises are an effective management strategy and important topic in conservation biology. It decreases the risk of extinction by increasing the range of a species, and augmenting the numbers in a critical population hence improving the level of biodiversity in the ecosystem. Kenya Wildlife Service regularly demonstrates leadership by focusing on the benefits of status of its protected areas. These particular species were captured in Marula Farm Estate in Naivasha, Kenya. In the new Sable Strategy, plans are also in place to add up more sables to the existing 56.