Kenya decries killing of rhinos, elephants
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E-mail Xinhua, December 17, 2012
The Kenyan government has condemned unprecedented killing of rhinos and elephants in the rising poaching incidents in the East African nation.
Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Noah Wekesa said the government has formed an inter-agency committee to address the root problems of escalating poaching in the country.
"This problem is not restricted to Kenya; it's global. The scope and brutality of the illegal trade in ivory has been discussed in the U.S. and Britain," Wekesa said late on Sunday when the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) honored six rangers who have been killed by poachers since December 2011.
Their names were unveiled on the Conservation Heroes Monument in Nairobi on Sunday at a solemn occasion.
"The minister noted that the illegal ivory trade had been linked to bigger global issues of terrorism, illegal firearm, drug peddling and human trafficking," Wekesa said.
He called on other agencies at points of exit and entry into Kenya, including Customs, Police and Airlines to support KWS efforts in stamping out illegal trade in wildlife.
Rampant poaching is continuing despite KWS introducing the Canine Unit with sniffer dogs on a 24-hour basis at the Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa to detect movements of illegal ivory.
The unit has since 2009 netted more than 10 tonnes of raw and worked ivory. This, according to the wildlife agency, has effectively led to reduced smuggling of illegal trophies.
Plans are at an advanced stage by KWS to also introduce sniffer dogs at the Eldoret International Airport as well as other exit and entry points.
Stiffer penalties related to wildlife crime have also been incorporated under the proposed wildlife law to deter poaching- related cases and incidents in Kenya.
KWS Director William Kiprono said a female ranger was killed for the first time in the history of the organization and pledged to do all he could to prevent a repeat of such.
He also noted that ranger Moses Lesambeki who was recently injured by poachers at Mbale Ranch in Taita Taveta County is still in hospital but was out of danger and would soon be discharged to resume service.
Kiprono said the conservation challenge will never diminish, noting that with the increase in human population, high pricing of wildlife trophies such as the rhino horn and elephant tusks in the black market, pressure on land use, diminishing space for wildlife, climate change, encroachment by invasive species, the destruction of wildlife habitats, and the challenges were expected to increase tremendously.
He said to tackle these challenges effectively called for additional funding and collaboration with other agencies.
Kiprono said additional rangers had been recruited to beef up security while staff efficiency had been improved through purchase of appropriate tools such as aircraft, vehicles and firearms.
He issued a stern warning to poachers, adding that there would be no let up in the war on poaching. The KWS Director clarified reports on alleged dramatic declines found in the recent elephant census in the expansive Laikipia-Samburu ecosystem.
He said the census conducted on Nov. 25 to 30 found a population of 6,365 elephants. Compared to the 2008 census which found 7,415 elephants, this was a decline of 1,050 elephants, representing a 14 per cent drop in.
Kiprono said the decline had been caused by various factors, and not just illegal killings as was reported. Out of 1,050 elephants lost in the Laikipia-Samburu ecosystem, 458 elephants were illegally killed by poachers.
The rest were lost through natural deaths from the prolonged drought of 2009, human wildlife conflict and control measures.
"We must admit that the threat of poaching is real across the country given that we have lost 458 elephants to poachers in four years in that region alone. As a country, every single elephant we lose is painful because wildlife is a key pillar to our tourism sector and the national economy. This situation is not out of hand; it is manageable," Kiprono said.
To address the problems, he said, KWS was seeking support from all corners including other security agencies, the local communities and non governmental organizations.
He called upon NGOs and activists to exercise restraint and be honest when disseminating information on elephant populations to avoid misleading statements.
Kiprono said KWS looked back at the ending year with pride, listing a number of achievements.
"We have secured more land for conservation, our troops are better equipped, more communities are coming on board, better collaboration in fighting poaching and numbers of endangered species are growing," he said.
However, he added, KWS needed more funding to tackle emerging challenges of poaching and human wildlife conflict.
KWS Board of Trustees chairman, David Mwiraria, said the forensic and genetic laboratory under construction in Nairobi would provide credible evidence to aid the prosecution of wildlife offenders.
Forestry and Wildlife Permanent Secretary Lawrence Mwadime announced that the Ministry had given KWS 35 million U.S. dollars to support anti-poaching operations. He called on private conservancies and community ranches to play their part in protecting wildlife. Endi
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