DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
ANTI-POACHING UNITS MONTHLY REPORT
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 MONTHLY SUMMARY: ALL UNITS TOTAL SNARES RECOVERED: TOTAL ARRESTS MADE: TOTAL ILLEGAL STRUCTURES DESTROYED:
118 36 23
The short rains came to an end in early December with very little rain anywhere in Tsavo with the exception of the North, which encountered several concentrated storms. Whilst most of the bush began to dry out there were still waterholes across much of the landscape meaning that elephants were still widely dispersed. With the rains coming to an end and vegetation drying out, there was a slight increase in illegal activity compared to the month of November. The Mtito and Chyulu teams had the busiest months in terms of arrests, with 28 arrests between them. Various forms of wood utilisation accounted for the majority of arrests including 5 charcoal burners, 6 woodcarvers and 3 loggers. The Chyulu team also arrested 7 offenders for grazing livestock illegally and 3 for harvesting miraa, whilst the Ziwani team apprehended 3 minors herding livestock, 3 charcoal burners and 2 poachers Notable arrests during the month were made by the Mtito team who arrested 1 bushmeat poacher and 1 bushmeat trader in addition to destroying 9 charcoal kilns and recovering close to 1000 wood carvings. The teams recovered 118 snares in total, down from 193 last month. Snaring activity is expected to increase again in January and February as waterholes dry up and animal movements become more predictable to the poachers setting snares. Knowing these trends in poaching and snaring activities the DSWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Units are deployed to the most sensitive areas operating jointly with the Aerial Surveillance Unit in providing a solid security presence over the Tsavo Conservation Area.
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
MAP OF ALL UNIT’S PATROL ROUTES
MAP OF ALL UNIT’S ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAILY SITUATION REPORT MONTHLY SUMMARY – DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED - DECEMBER 2014 - All Teams
TOTAL ARRESTS MADE - DECEMBER 2014 - All Teams
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
INDIVIDUAL TEAM REPORTS DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 TIVA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP with a focus along the Tiva River DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS DE-SNARING PATROL 8/12/14
The team conducted a de-snaring patrol within the Kyae rock area of Tsavo East
POACHERS CAMP 10/12/14
The team found a recently used poachers camp in the Nthlakana area whilst on patrol
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
POACHERS CAMP 11/12/14
The Tiva team found another recently used poachers camp in a cave in Nthalakana area and destroyed all the structures
ELEPHANT TREATMENT 13/11/14
The team supported the Amboseli Field Veterinary Officer Dr Njoroge on a Sky Vet mission to treat an injured elephant at Ithumba
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
TIVA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 CHYULU TEAM PATROL AREA: Chyulu National Park, Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS ILLEGAL LOGGING 1/12/14
The team found a man illegally logging large piles of hard wood in the forested areas
ILLEGAL INTRUSION 2/12/14
A Masai boma was found in the Chyulu Hills NP and the livestock herders were moved out of the Park and structures destroyed
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
WOOD COLLECTING 3/12/14
The Chyulu team removed a group of women from the Park who were illegally entering to collect wood
LIVESTOCK INTRUSION 6/12/14
The team found another livestock boma inside the Chyulu Hills and destroyed it, evicting the livestock and their herders
MIRAA HARVESTERS 16/12/14
The team arrested a group of miraa harvesters who were operating illegally in the Park
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
CHARCOAL BURNING 16/12/14
The team during a night ambush arrested a group of men illegally transporting charcoal sacks out of the park on donkeys
CHARCOAL BURNING 22/12/14
The team arrested a charcoal burner and destroyed the active kiln inside the Chyulu Hills NP
LIFTING SNARES 30/12/14
The Chyulu team worked with the Kenze team in de-snaring along the exterior boundary of the Kibwezi Forest
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
CHYULU UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 KENZE TEAM PATROL AREA: Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY:19
SECURITY & INCIDENTS LIFTING SNARES 21/12/14
The Kenze team lifted a number of small snares from within the Duwa area, set by communities to catch small game
CLEARING TRACKS 27/12/14
The team worked with the Kibwezi Forest staff helping to clear tracks through the forest
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAME DAPHNE VISIT 28/12/14
The team were happy to see Dame Daphne Sheldrick in the Kibwezi Forest during a visit to see the elephant orphans located there
ILLEGAL LOGGING 31/12/14
The Kenze team worked members of the local community it planting indigenous tree saplings to regenerate deforested areas
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
KENZE UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 ZIWANI TEAM PATROL AREA: Central sector of Tsavo West NP south of the Tsavo River DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS INJURED ELEPHANT 5/12/14
The Ziwani team were monitoring an injured female elephant with a swollen back leg who had a young calf
ELEPHANT TREATMENT 9/12/2014
The Amboseli Mobile Veterinary Unit was called in as the Tsavo Unit was on leave to treat the mother elephant
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
LIFTING SNARES 10/12/2014
The team lifted a number of snares at Oza ranch laid by poachers to capture bush-meat
POACHERS ARRESTED 12/12/2014
Notorious bush-meat poachers were arrested in the act having killed a warthog at Mbu
CHARCOAL BURNING 12/12/2014
A number of charcoal burners were arrested for logging inside the Park to stock a new charcoal kiln
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
ILLEGAL LIVESTOCK 14/12/2014
The team removed juveniles with their livestock from the Park, who were found illegally grazing
ELEPHANT CARCASS 16/12/2014
The team helped to remove the tusks from an elephant which had recently died from ill-health
LIFTING SNARES 18/12/2014
The team lifted a number of small and medium snares from within the Sisal plantations
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
SHOOTING BLIND 23/12/2014
The team found a shooting blind overlooking a popular water hole in the Park and destroyed it
CHARCOAL DEALERS 23/12/2014
The team laid an ambush for a group pf charcoal dealers operating in the Park using motorbikes
SHOOTING BLIND 28/12/2014
The team destroyed a shooting blind found on a dam near the Park boundary
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
CHARCOAL BURNING 29/12/2014
DECEMBER 2014
The team found a camp where logs had been cut ready to make a new charcoal kiln within the Park
ZIWANI UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 MTITO TEAM PATROL AREA: Tsavo Triangle, northern sector of Tsavo West NP & surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS WOOD CARVING 4/12/14
The Mtito team arrested a group of wood carvers operating within the Park boundaries on a commercial scale
BUFFALO RESCUE 5/12/14
The team found an adult buffalo which had become stuck in a ditch along the Mombasa road. With a vehicle they successfully pulled it out
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
CHARCOAL BURNING 6/12/14
The team confiscated a number of sacks of charcoal illegally made in the Park and arrested the man transporting them
ILLEGAL LOGGING 10/12/14
The Mtito team arrested a man cutting down trees in the Park within the Mtito area
CHARCOAL BURNING 10/12/14
The team found and confiscated a number of snares within the Tsavo Triangle laid to capture small antelopes for bush-meat
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
POACHER ARRESTED 12/12/14
The team arrested a man with a large cable snares intended to catch elephants and other large game animals
POACHER ARRESTED 12/12/14
The Mtito team arrested a poacher with bushmeat at the Kilalinda area long the Athi River
POACHERS HIDE 15/12/14
The Mtito team found a recently used poachers camp in the Kenani area and destroyed it
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
BUSHMEAT 18/12/14
A woman was arrested with bushmeat caught by a snare in Ngiluni along the Mtito River
ILLEGAL LOGGING 20/12/14
The Mtito team found tools and equipment used for illegal logging inside the park and confiscated them
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
MTITO UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 BURRA TEAM PATROL AREA: Southern sector of Tsavo East NP & the Taita Ranches DAYS ON DUTY: 30
SECURITY & INCIDENTS DE-SNARING 17/12/14
The team patrolled the Manga Hill area collecting any small snares set to trap animals for bush-meat
LIFTING SNARES 18/12/14
The Burra team patrolled the Manyani area and found a number of small to medium wire snares
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
LIFTING SNARES 20/12/14
DECEMBER 2014
A large cable snare was found within the Irima Plains area and was confiscated by the team
BURRA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER 2014 YATTA MOBILE TEAM (Meru National Park) PATROL AREA: This is a mobile anti-poaching team currently operating in Meru and the northern and eastern conservation area DAYS ON DUTY: 19
SECURITY & INCIDENTS CABLE SNARES 21/12/14
The Yatta team is still operating in Meru National Park. They found and removed a number of large cable snare set for buffalo and big game
LIFTING SNARES 21/12/14
The team continued to patrol the Ura area and found and removed a number of medium snares set to capture smaller antelopes
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
ILLEGAL LOGGING 21/12/14
The Yatta team found evidence of illegal logging along the Ura River in Meru NP
SHOOTING PLATFORM 28/12/14
A shooting platform was found and destroyed in the Kiolu area where a poacher was targeting elephants
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014
YATTA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2014