DSWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Units Report August 2015

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

ANTI-POACHING UNITS MONTHLY REPORT

AUGUST 2015

AUGUST 2015

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

AUGUST 2015

AUGUST 2015 MONTHLY SUMMARY: ALL UNITS TOTAL SNARES RECOVERED & COLLECTED: TOTAL ARRESTS MADE: TOTAL WEAPON/EQUIPMENT CONFISCATIONS: TOTAL ILLEGAL STRUCTURES DESTROYED:

783 21 97 26

August is known for being one of the driest months of the year as well as a month of intensified poaching and illegal activities within the Tsavo Conservation Area. The DSWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Units were on high alert during the month working tirelessly with the KWS Rapid Response Unit and new Dog Unit to ambush and capture poachers in the act.

A massive 783 snares were recovered and collected by the teams in total during August, including mostly small and medium sizes snares whilst the Ithumba team confiscated over 60 larger snares from a poacher who was yet to position them along strategic wildlife paths in the Park. The teams also made 21 arrests including 8 bush-meat and ivory poachers. Several of these arrests were made with thanks to the KWS’s new Dog Unit working in tandem with the Trust’s aircraft and rangers.

The month included many treatments of elephants who had been injured by poisoned arrows, especially within northern Tsavo East. Both the Tiva and Ithumba teams were vital in tracking the injured elephants and supporting the DSWT/KWS Mobile Veterinary Units, ensuring the elephants are efficiently treated and monitored.

The Burra and Mtito teams both discovered elephant carcasses of varying ages while the Ziwani team followed up on a poisoning case of wildlife during the month. All teams were active in apprehending charcoal burners, loggers and livestock herders operating in the Parks.

The Kenze team took part in GPS training with the KWS this month whilst patrolling the greater area as the Chyulu team were on their official leave.

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MAP OF ALL UNIT’S PATROL ROUTES

MAP OF ALL UNIT’S ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

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DAILY SITUATION REPORT MONTHLY SUMMARY – AUGUST 2015

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TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED – AUGUST 2015 - All Teams

TOTAL ARRESTS MADE – AUGUST 2015 - All Teams

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INDIVIDUAL TEAM REPORTS AUGUST 2015

AUGUST 2015

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AUGUST 2015 ITHUMBA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP, northern boundary & Gazi DAYS ON DUTY:31

SECURITY & INCIDENTS LIFTING SNARES 4/8/15

The team members lifted a number of small snares from the Gazi area and found a poachers campsite

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 6/8/15

The team help the veterinary unit from Nairobi treat a sick elephant in the Ithumba area

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ELEPHANT TREATMENT 12/8/15

The team support the Tsavo Vet Unit in darting and following the movement of an injured elephant at Ithumba

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 13/8/15

A team member pouring water on to a darted elephant at Ithumba in order to cool the body down

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 14/8/15

The Tiva and Ithumba Team joined hands at Ithumba in treating another wounded elephant

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AUGUST 2015

TRACKING POACHERS 19/8/15

Tracking poachers with a KWS sniffer dog at the Mathae area during a joint operation with the KWS

POACHERS ARRESTED 22/8/15

Bow, arrows and snares are confiscated from poachers at Kanziku during a joint ambush with the KWS and their tracking dogs

ILLEGAL LOGGING 32/8/15

Large scale logging found at the Umbi area during patrol

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AUGUST 2015

ITHUMBA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 MTITO TEAM PATROL AREA: Tsavo Triangle, northern sector of Tsavo West NP & surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 13

SECURITY & INCIDENTS ELEPHANT CARCASS 26/8/15

The team reported a fresh elephant carcass with both tusks missing through poaching at the Ngiluni area. KWS Dog Unit follow poacher tracks

POACHERS’ CAMP 29/8/15

A recent poachers camp/shooting blind discovered at the Mangelete area in Tsavo west

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AUGUST 2015

ELEPHANT CARCASS 29/8/15

An elephant carcass sighted during patrols at Mangelete, its tusks were already taken by poachers

CHARCOAL KILN 30/8/15

Team members destroying a charcoal kiln at Mangelete

CHARCOALER ARRESTED 31/8/15

The Mtito team arrested a charcoal burner who was seen during an aerial patrol

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AUGUST 2015

MTITO UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 KENZE TEAM PATROL AREA: Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 31

SECURITY & INCIDENTS GPS TRAINING 4/8/15

The Kenze team took part in joint training on GPS equipment with KWS Kithasyo

ILLEGAL LOGGING 6/8/15

The team reported vegetation destruction at Gituamba

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FOREST MEETING 7/8/15

AUGUST 2015

The Kenze team helped to manage a meeting of all the approved forest users from the surrounding communities

KENZE UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 BURRA TEAM PATROL AREA: Southern sector of Tsavo East NP & the Taita Ranches DAYS ON DUTY:13

SECURITY & INCIDENTS INJURED ELEPHANT CALF 22/8/15

The Burra team helped the Veterinary Unit in treating an injured elephant calf and reuniting it with its mother

ELEPHANT CARCASS 24/8/15

A three weeks carcass of an elephant was found at Ndara plains, its tusks had been removed by poachers

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AUGUST 2015

BURRA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 ZIWANI TEAM PATROL AREA: Central sector of Tsavo West NP south of the Tsavo River DAYS ON DUTY: 31

SECURITY & INCIDENTS POISONED WILDLIFE 3/8/15

The Ziwani team looked into the report of a silver backed jackal poisoned by herders at Kishushe ranch area, which killed several vultures

LIVESTOCK INCURSION 5/8/15

Herders were arrested by the team grazing in the Salaaita area

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AUGUST 2015

LIFTING SNARES 6/8/15

The team members lifted snares at the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

ILLEGAL LOGGING 10/8/15

Large pile of logs arranged to make a charcoal kiln were discovered in the area as well as a number of active charcoal kilns, a charcoaler was arrested

LIFTING SNARES 13/8/15

Team lifting snares at the Manyani area

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LIFTING SNARES 16/8/15

The team members lifted snares at the Mgeno ranch area

POACHER ARRESTED 17/8/15

A bush-meat poacher was captured and arrested in his hideout with carcasses of dikdik he had killed and skinned

POACHERS ARRESTED 25/8/15

Poachers were apprehended with 50kg of bush meat at the Maktau area

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AUGUST 2015

CHARCOAL BURNING 27/8/15

The team members destroyed an active charcoal kiln and sacks inside the ranch

CATTLE INTRUSION 31/8/15

Cattle were sighted and being driven out of the park at the Severin area

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AUGUST 2015

ZIWANI UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 TIVA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP with a focus along the Tiva River DAYS ON DUTY: 31

SECURITY & INCIDENTS POACHER ARRESTED 3/8/15

The Tiva team arrested a poacher at the Kimweli area with a bow and poisoned arrows

CHARCOAL BURNING 4/8/15

Fresh charcoal kilns were destroyed at the Gazi area during patrol

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AUGUST 2015

CHARCOALER ARREST 10/8/15

The Tiva team arrested a charcoal burner at Gazi area after an ambush

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 13/8/15

Treatment of a wounded elephant in the Ithumba area

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 14/8/15

The Amboselli Veterinary Unit was assisted by the Ithumba and Tiva Teams at the Ithumba area in treating an injured elephant

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POACHERS ARRESTED 22/8/15

AUGUST 2015

The Tiva team arrested a poacher with his equipment at the Kimweli area during a joint operation

TIVA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015 YATTA MOBILE TEAM (Meru National Park) PATROL AREA: This is a mobile team operating in the Meru Conservation Area and National Park DAYS ON DUTY: 31

SECURITY & INCIDENTS LIFTING SNARES 1/8/15

The Yatta team during Augsut continued to patrol in Meru National Park.

Lifting medium snares at the Ciabaringo area

SNARED DIKDIK 4/8/15

A snared dikdik carcass was found at the mk11 area

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SNARED DIKDIK 8/8/15

A snared dikdik carcass was found at shifta rock area

LIFTING SNARES 8/8/15

Assorted snares were lifted at the shifta rock area

SHOOTING BLIND 9/8/15

A shooting blind was found and destroyed at the mk11 area

AUGUST 2015

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

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LIFTING SNARES 21/8/15

Lifting big snares at the Rojewero area, set to trap antelopes and larger game

SNARED BUFFALO 21/8/15

A snared buffalo carcass was discovered at the Rojewero area

SHOOTING BLIND 27/8/15

Team members destroying a shooting blind at Tesiwa area, built by poachers to target elephants

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YATTA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES

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AUGUST 2015