SWT Aerial Surveillance Unit Report November 2020

AERIAL SURVEILLANCE UNIT MONTHLY REPORT

NOVEMBER 2020

AERIAL STATISTICS

NOVEMBER 2020

145 HOURS FLOWN

19,956 KMS COVERED

AREAS PATROLLED

Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Chyulu Hills NP, Kasigau Ranch, Rukinga Ranch, KARI Ranch, Kimana Sanctuary, South Kitui National Reserve, Mutomo

NOVEMBER 2020

MONTHLY AERIAL PATROL MAP

MONTHLY AERIAL SUMMARY The long-anticipated rains arrived in November and although one fire was observed during an aerial patrol during the month, the critical areas where fires had caused a constant headache for the last 3 plus months were finally quenched.

There was also a drop in poaching activity due to the rains, as local community members returned to their farms to prepare their fields.

The only evidence of poaching observed in November during aerial patrols was a recent cooking fire seen during a helicopter patrol deep within the Park. No other human sign was present in the area.

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Livestock migrated in large numbers into certain areas of the Park, which had received rain first, including Huri Plains in Tsavo East and the Chyulu Hills. The Chyulu Hills had been almost completely burned during the fire season and because of the burn back it has since grown a beautiful flush of green grass shoots, which was too much to resist for Maasai cattle and sheep herders who brought their cattle in from the western side of the hills and quickly settled in temporary enclosures (bomas) along the bottom of the eastern slopes of the Hills. Some of these herders were likely responsible for the worst of the fires, so KWS and SWT were motivated not let them benefit from the resulting green grass. At their peak, 15 bomas were seen as well as thousands of head of livestock and dozens of herders. Several fixed wing and helicopter patrols were conducted to first locate bomas and then either land with ground teams or access them on foot to destroy them. By the end of the month only a small number of bomas remained, and ground teams were continuing to reach the most inaccessible areas to push the herders out of the Park.

KARI Ranch was also finally rid of camel incursions in November, having initially increased in number before the herders retreated to the north and out of the ranch as Government security pressure was increased. By the end of the month, only a small number of small herds were still being herded into the Ranch from the north, although none of these appeared to be overnighting. Once the livestock had left, ground teams were directed from the air to clean up old plastic sheets and water containers were strewn around. Towards the end of the month, an aerial seed bombing run was made, dispersing over 11,000 seed balls over the most degraded areas of the ranch, and especially those areas where excessive charcoal burning targeted specific species of trees.

Fortunately, only 1 charcoal kiln was observed on KARI Ranch in November. Apart from here, the only other charcoal burning observed in November was in South Kitui National Reserve, predominantly in the north near the Thua River.

A visible thinning of vegetation was observed here, where numerous charcoal sacks and charcoal kilns dotted the landscape. Unfortunately, the Trust does not have a presence on the ground here and KWS only has a small force of rangers to deal with a fairly monumental problem. There was also a single charcoal camp with several charcoal kilns sighted in the southeast corner of SKNR, however, heavy rains forced these charcoal burners to withdraw without any intervention from KWS. As the rains filled seasonal water pans and manmade dams outside of the Park, unfortunately cases of Human Wildlife Conflict increased during the month. A Trust helicopter was called out on 2 occasions to push elephants back into the Park from community farmland and on another occasion to help locate a lion that had been seen in the community to the north of Tsavo East. Although both elephants were successfully pushed back into the Park, the lion could not be located in the thick bush where its tracks were last seen on the ground. The helicopter was also called to assist in the darting and moving of a problem elephant on Rukinga Ranch that had been repeatedly charging and attacking vehicles over a 3 week period. The original translocation date was postponed so that KWS could fit a radio tracking collar on the bull and then conditions became unworkable due to heavy rain. The operation was called off until the roads could dry enough to allow access.

In a tragic incident near Kasigau, a team of Wildlife Works rangers encountered an angry female elephant that, unbeknownst to the rangers, was guarding an injured calf nearby with a snare. The rangers scattered and one of the rangers ran in the direction of the calf, which cost him his life. SWT was called to assist with a helicopter to push the mother away from the body so that the other rangers could safely retrieve him. The calf was found to be in a terribly weak condition and although a vet was called to try and assist it, by the time he arrived it was too late, and the calf had also died.

A helicopter was also used to dart an elephant with a spear wound found on Kimana Sanctuary, which was also most likely the victim of Human Wildlife Conflict, having strayed too close to a farm bordering the Kimana Corridor.

Fortunately, the treatment by KWS/SWT mobile vet was successful and the bull is expected to make a full recovery.

One other vet treatment was conducted with assistance from helicopter on Rukinga Ranch. This was in fact a retreatment of a bull that had a suspected arrow wound on his front leg. The treatment was completed without incident, however, at the time the elephant was given another guarded prognosis for recovery. At the time of writing this, we have been given the sad news that the elephant finally succumbed to his injuries, despite everyone’s best efforts, especially Keith Hellyer (Wildlife Works) who spent many hours locating “Tiny Tim� every single day and checking on his condition.

One elephant carcass was discovered, by helicopter, atop the Yatta Plateau, but is thought to have died of natural causes. Both tusks were recovered.

The highlight of November was undoubtedly the end of months of dust and smoke and the return of the seasonal, Tsavo jungle. The trade-off is that sightings of charismatic cats and dogs are much more difficult to achieve under the dense vegetation. Only 1 leopard and a pair of lions were seen in November, both on the same

Photographs copyright © 2020 The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust