Amara Conservation News - 2005 - Antipoaching Efforts

Antipoaching Work
Amara Focuses on the
Greater Tsavo Ecosystem
From the March 2005 Newsletter

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The commercial bushmeat trade is probably one of the greatest threats to wild animals both within and outside of protected areas in East Africa. In addition, the recent change in CITES regulations has resulted in a resurgence of ivory poaching and the opportunistic taking of rhino. In the last couple of years more than 10 elephants and 6 rhino have been killed in Tsavo East National Park’s Northern Area, which contains Kenya’s largest populations of elephants and free roaming black rhino. This increase in poaching activities can be stopped as Tsavo Park currently has well trained security forces and a very competent Senior Warden, Daniel Woodley. We currently work closely with Mr. Woodley and other organizations and in 2001 provided a vehicle for use in this work by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

These teams work in conjunction with park rangers and specifically address the bushmeat problem around the park borders by combing the bush to remove wire snares and traps and serve as both community liaisons, and an early warning system for detecting poachers entering communities and the Park. We need to work to gain funding to help them provide additional teams to expand their area of coverage. From recent discussions with Daniel Woodley we have learned that a remote northern ranger base is urgently needed to help provide permanent coverage in this area. This would be a small base consisting of two barracks, a mess, radio room and small workshop. He has discussed building costs with a builder and they have agreed on a figure of approximately $38,000 to build this remote ranger base. The expense for running an antipoaching team for one year is $21,800. We need your help to achieve these goals.