DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
ANTI-POACHING UNITS MONTHLY REPORT
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 MONTHLY SUMMARY: ALL UNITS TOTAL SNARES RECOVERED & COLLECTED: TOTAL ARRESTS MADE: TOTAL WEAPON/EQUIPMENT CONFISCATIONS: TOTAL ILLEGAL STRUCTURES DESTROYED:
168 12 10 18
The rains continued during the month of December creating a quieter period for the teams as the number of illegal activities witnessed during the month plateaued, which was likewise caused by many poachers and wildlife offenders returning to their farms to tend to crops and livestock. Despite a reduction in overall incidents the Mtito team successfully captured and arrested an ivory poacher in the Tsavo Triangle, who had in his possession an ivory tusk and a bow and poisoned arrows. Similarly, the Chyulu team arrested an ivory poacher whilst the Burra team captured 3 bush-meat poachers in possession of snares. Other arrests included charcoal burners, loggers and trespassers. During the month 168 snares were recovered from poachers and collected from the field. The numbers of snares found within the TCA continue to remain high as capturing the offenders guilty of setting them is a difficult task, whilst finding and removing them from the bush is similarly challenging. The Tiva team assisted the Mobile Veterinary Unit in treating an injured elephant during the month which had a severe wound to the front foreleg, they were active in tracking the bull whilst they continue to monitor the elephants condition and improvement post-treatment. The Kenze team worked with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the DSWT’s Aerial Unit in a humanelephant conflict case close to the Kibwezi Forest. The elephants had become trapped between community land and fence-lines and roads, creating hostility in the surrounding communities. With vehicles and the aircraft, the elephants were successfully pushed and redirected into the protected areas. In December the Ithumba and Yatta (Meru) Units were on annual leave, whilst the Kenze Unit worked half the month.
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
MAP OF ALL UNIT’S PATROL ROUTES
MAP OF ALL UNIT’S ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAILY SITUATION REPORT MONTHLY SUMMARY – DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED – DECEMBER 2015 - All Teams
TOTAL ARRESTS MADE – DECEMBER 2015 - All Teams
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
INDIVIDUAL TEAM REPORTS DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 MTITO TEAM PATROL AREA: Tsavo Triangle, northern sector of Tsavo West NP & surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS CHARCOAL KILN 3/12/15
The team destroyed a charcoal kiln in the Mangelete area
POACHERS CAMP 4/12/15
A recent poacher’s hideout found in the Triangle was destroyed by the team and tracks were followed
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
SHOOTING PLATFORM 8/12/15
The team destroyed a shooting platform in the triangle, which was built and hidden on top of a termite hill
POACHERS CAMP 9/12/15
A hideout and used fireplace was found in the triangle, signs of poachers in the area
ILLEGAL LOGGING 15/12/15
Illegal logging done recently was found in the triangle, with no signs of the culprits
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
LIFTING SNARES 16/12/15
Lifting small to medium wire snares in the Tsavo Triangle
IVORY POACHER 20/12/15
A poacher was captured and arrested in the Triangle in possession of an ivory tusk, poisoned arrows and other items
ELEPHANT CARCASS 21/12/15
The Mtito team answered a report of an elephant carcass at Manyani by the KWS aerial recce. Its tusks were confiscated and handed to KWS
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
LOGGER ARRESTED 28/12/15
An arrested logger with an axe along the Mtito river
CHARCOAL KILN 29/12/15
A fresh charcoal kiln was sighted in Mangelete during patrols
LIVESTOCK & HERDERS 31/12/15
The Mtito team found and evicted livestock from within the Tsavo Triangle and arrested herders with slingshots and tools
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
MTITO UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 ZIWANI TEAM PATROL AREA: Central sector of Tsavo West NP south of the Tsavo River DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS LIFTING SNARES 4/12/15
A cut and already used cable snare was found and removed in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
CHARCOAL KILN 8/12/15
Fresh charcoal kiln thought to have been put out by the heavy rains, although a number of other active kilns were found and destroyed
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
AMBUSH FOR POACHERS 9/12/15
Laying an ambush in the route believed to be used by bush meat dealers while transporting bush meat to the neighbouring area
LIFTING SNARES 11/12/15
Lifting snares in the thickets of the Taita Hills sanctuary. Many small snares were found in the forest
POACHERS CAMP 16/12/15
Old abandoned poacher's hideout sighted in the Murka area
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
CABLE SNARE 16/12/15
A large cable snare has been set but vegetation had overgrown stopping it from catching any animals
CHARCOAL KILN 22/12/15
Team destroying charcoal kilns spotted in the Kishushe ranch area
LIFTING SNARES 27/12/15
The Ziwani Team lifted large snares at the Oza ranch area near the fenceline
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
ZIWANI UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 TIVA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP with a focus along the Tiva River DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS ELEPHANT TREATMENT 3/12/15
The Tiva team assisted the vet unit to treat a wounded elephant at the Wamata area
POACHERS CAMP 4/12/15
A fresh campfire was sighted on patrol at Lesilau dam, lit by a probable poacher. Tracks were followed
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
SHOOTING PLATFORM 7/12/15
A very basic shooting platform in a tree was found and destroyed by the team
POACHERS CAMP 11/12/15
The Tiva team found another fresh jiko at the Wamata area on patrol as well as footprints, which they followed
LOGGING 27/12/15
Hardwood logging was discovered in the Tundani area
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
TIVA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 CHYULU TEAM PATROL AREA: Chyulu National Park, Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities D DAYS ON DUTY: 31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS BUSHMEAT POACHER 2/12/15
The team arrested a bush-meat poacher found in possession of meat in the Park
POACHERS CAMP 10/12/15
The team found and destroyed a fresh poachers camp at the Umbi area, there were also signs of logging and carving
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
POACHER ARRESTED 13/12/15
The team arrested a poacher at the Umbi area who was in possession of tools, bikes and poison arrows
ILLEGAL LOGGING 22/12/15
Illegal logging and a fresh fire was found in the Umbi area
AERIAL OPERATION 28/12/15
The team with the DSWT helicopter and pilot planning an operation in the Chyulu Hills
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
CHYULU UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 KENZE TEAM PATROL AREA: Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities DAYS ON DUTY: 13
SECURITY & INCIDENTS CROP RAIDING ELEPHANT 25/12/15
The Kenze team helped push wild elephants back into the Kibwezi gate, who were causing problems in the community with help of the helicopter
ILLEGAL LOGGING 29/12/15
The team found logging and vegetation destruction in the Kenzili area
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
LIFTING SNARES 31/12/15
DECEMBER 2015
The Kenze team lifted a number of small wires snares from the Duwa area
KENZE UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015 BURRA TEAM PATROL AREA: Southern sector of Tsavo East NP & the Taita Ranches DAYS ON DUTY:31
SECURITY & INCIDENTS LIVESTOCK INTRUSION 11/12/15
The team found cattle illegally grazing in the park at Manga Hills Rhino Area
CHARCOAL BURNERS 17/12/15
Three charcoal burners were arrested at Mbulia Ranch
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015
LIFTING SNARES 20/12/15
The team found a snared duiker carcass at the Mwatate sisal farms amongst a number of other wire snares
CHARCOAL KILN 22/12/15
The team leader destroying a charcoal kiln at the Kajire area
POACHERS ARRESTED 22/12/15
Three poachers were caught and arrested at the Kajire area. They had made a camp and were setting snares
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
LIFTING SNARES 28/12/15
DECEMBER 2015
The team lifted snares at Ngulia in Tsavo West National park
BURRA UNIT MONTHLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND PATROL ROUTES
DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
DECEMBER 2015