DSWT Aerial Surveillance Unit Report October 2018

AERIAL SURVEILLANCE UNIT MONTHLY REPORT

OCTOBER 2018

AERIAL STATISTICS

HOURS FLOWN

KMS COVERED

AREAS PATROLLED

OCTOBER 2018

132

16,856

Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Chyulus, Amboseli, Kishushe Ranch, Mbulia Ranch, Taita Ranches.

OCTOBER 2018

MONTHLY AERIAL PATROL MAP

MONTHLY AERIAL SUMMARY Despite signs that the rains might appear early, it wasn’t until the end of the month that the first heavy showers appeared. This of course meant that poaching levels continued from the previous months, culminating in a 5-day operation following an armed gang of poachers in the Northern area of Tsavo East. Although the DSWT/KWS ground teams and KWS Rapid Response Unit were heavily involved, the DSWT helicopter was called on multiple occasions to deploy rangers and dogs. In the end, the gang was discovered in a harbour but sadly escaped and exited the Park before their tracks could be caught up with aided by nightfall. They left behind several rounds of ammunition as well as a bow and poisoned arrows, so even though it was not the result that was hoped for, at least the poachers’ efforts were thwarted.

Charcoal burning activities were only noted on a handful of occasions and on a small scale, with the majority of flights to previous hotspots coming up empty. This is hugely encouraging and is a testament to the sustained effort of our ground teams and KWS, as well as the effectiveness of the new fence being constructed by DSWT along the Eastern boundary of Chyulu Hills NP. In fact, towards the end of the month several patrols were undertaken in the Chyulus without a single sighting of any illegal activity, including livestock incursions.

Livestock incursions elsewhere in Tsavo East were also historically low for this time of year, and it is only in Tsavo West where pressure has proven too high for the KWS to deal with. In these cases, the fixed wing aircraft have been instrumental in sighting illegal livestock enclosures in the Park so that KWS can more efficiently deal with them, as well as physically pushing herds of cattle with the aircraft towards KWS rangers who are then able to impound them.

In October, 3 separate fires were fought successfully by the helicopter with the help of the Trust’s 800 litre Bambi bucket and coordinated efforts on the ground through the DSWT’s Fire Mitigation Plan and ground fire fighting teams.

This significantly reduced the amount of forest cover that was lost this year due to fires, marking a positive shift from previous years where hundreds, if not thousands of acres were destroyed in annual fires.

Helicopter patrols elsewhere in the Park turned up several old harbours, including one that had obviously been left in a hurry at one point as it contained 26 wire snares as well as a bag and water container among other personal effects.

On a positive note, only one old elephant carcass was found in October, with 2 tusks intact. A DSWT ground team recovered the tusks, but the cause of death was impossible to determine; however, due to the presence of the tusks it is likely that it died of natural causes. In addition to the carcass, only one injured elephant was found with what appeared to be an arrow wound on its rump. In the absence of Tsavo’s Mobile Vet, a fixed wing aircraft was used to collect the Amboseli Vet and then with the help of the DSWT’s helicopter, the elephant was successfully darted, treated and given an excellent prognosis for recovery.

Highlights for the month included leopard and cheetah sightings as well as a record sighting of 13 rhino in Tsavo East and a near record sighting of 61 rhinos Tsavo West including 1 new-born.

Photographs copyright © 2018 The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust