DSWT Aerial Surveillance Unit Report March 2018

AERIAL SURVEILLANCE UNIT MONTHLY REPORT

MARCH 2018

AERIAL STATISTICS

HOURS FLOWN

KMS COVERED

AREAS PATROLLED

MARCH 2018

167.15

21,997.3

Tsavo East and West, Chyulus Hills, Amboseli

MARCH 2018

MONTHLY AERIAL PATROL MAP

MONTHLY AERIAL SUMMARY The rains broke over Tsavo in March and we have been blessed with rains that we have not experienced for decades; cyclones off the coast of Madagascar pulled precipitation away from the Congo Rainforest to East Africa, covering most of the country with sustained, unseasonal rain. Tsavo received rain in all corners, re-filling Aruba dam and thousands of smaller waterholes across the region. Animals have migrated in large numbers to new parts of the Park, giving vegetation in the hardest hit areas such as southern Tsavo East, and along the rivers and watercourses, a welcome reprieve to regenerate, and with such abundant rain the greening and rebirth has been remarkable; Tsavo has never looked more beautiful.

A combination of consistent effort by KWS and the availability of grass outside the Park have also resulted in a significant reduction in livestock in the Parks. Tsavo West and the Chyulu Hills, especially, have seen a dramatic decrease in numbers. Despite this improvement a DSWT fixed wing aircraft was still called upon to assist in the latter part of the month in pushing several thousand cattle out of the Park, including around 1000 directly to a KWS holding pen to be held until the owners came forward to claim them. The helicopter also aided KWS in raiding several illegal cattle enclosures in Tsavo East, resulting in the arrest of 3 herders. Several other enclosures were also visited, and herders were asked to leave. A subsequent follow-up by a fixed wing discovered that the operation was largely successful, however, a few enclosures were still found and dealt with by KWS ground teams.

With extensive patrols being carried out in the Chyulus by ground and air, an arrest of a poacher was made through the aerial sighting of a makeshift camp in the park. After the report was made from the air, KWS rangers were deployed and were quickly able to apprehend the bushmeat poacher who had been using the camp.

Although perfectly timed for the rains, this mother had to bear the pain of having a stillborn calf.

A significant finding in March was the presence of over 50 acres of marijuana being cultivated in the Chyulu Hills National Park. Several flights by both fixed wing and helicopter were undertaken to map out the extent of farms, which were mostly in small patches against thick forest along the edges of areas that had been cleared by burning. An operation headed by KWS with support from DSWT, Big Life Foundation and Tsavo Trust rangers was launched to uproot and burn the illegal plantations and is still underway. Meanwhile the DSWT is continuing to fund and build a 14 strand unshortable fence line along the entire eastern boundary of CHNP, which will make it exceedingly difficult for this kind of activity to take place in the future; the fence when completed will be 93 kms long.

In addition to assisting on multiple occasions with mapping out marijuana plantations and helping to coordinate uprooting activities on the ground, the helicopter was also involved in two human-wildlife conflict cases in the Chyulus, attempting to push problem elephants back into the Park. Unfortunately, the elephants could not be persuaded to cross through a gap in the fence and back into the Park, however, the helicopter did succeed in pushing them further away from the farms, and eventually they moved away and back into the Park on their own that night.

Marijuana plantation in the Chyulu Hills

Marijuana being destroyed by teams on the ground

The Aerial Unit was involved in the treatment of a large, well known bull elephant in Amboseli named Ulysses. The first time this bull was treated was when Dr. Poghon was transferred by a DSWT fixed wing to Amboseli to treat a spear wound on his rear leg and the second time the helicopter aided in darting the bull to retreat the same wound.

Improvement was seen, and Ulysses is expected to recover, however, due to the proximity of the wound to the joint, his prognosis remains guarded.

Only 2 elephant carcasses were discovered during the month in the Parks and both were very old and most likely a result of last year’s drought. Ivory was recovered from both.

Ulysses being treated by the Tsavo Vet Unit

Highlights of the month were the long-awaited heavy rains and one particularly stunning lion sighting on the Galana River. The rains also settled dust and gave us several days with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro in the mornings.

Overall, March was a very quiet month for illegal activity, owing to the fact that rains drew poachers back to their farms to cultivate crops as well as the fact that animals were able to spread out and away from harm in pursuit of abundant water sources.

Photographs copyright © 2018 The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust