SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST
SEPTEMBER 2020
SEPTEMBER 2020
MONTHLY SUMMARY: ALL UNITS
39
Bushfires
9
Arrests
4
Elephant Tusks
3069 Snares Lifted
160kg
Bushmeat Recovered
Fires continued to plague the Tsavo Conservation Area during September with nearly all teams spending many days fighting blazing fires and creating firebreaks to stop their spread, with support from the KWS, other NGOs and community teams. In total 39 fires were fought this month, including some huge blazes close to community lands, which took several days to get under control and significant manpower on the ground and in the air. Subsistence poaching has been on the increase since the Covid19 outbreak as community members turn to bushmeat poaching during these hard times. The number of snares collected this month was the highest in years with over 3000 snares lifted and over 160kgs of bushmeat confiscated. 9 bushmeat poachers were also arrested. The SWT has set up a community feeding program to help reduce these activities in Tsavo. 3 old elephant carcasses were also found during the month with 2 pairs of tusks successfully retrieved and handed over to KWS. This month the Kenze team took annual leave whilst the Mobile South, Sobo, Burra and Mukururo teams took some much deserved time off now that procedures and protocols are in place, ensuring that the virus isn’t spread. The rest of the teams were operating fulltime.