DSWT Anti-Poaching Unit Report February 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

ANTI-POACHING UNITS MONTHLY REPORT

FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 MONTHLY SUMMARY: ALL UNITS TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED: TOTAL ARRESTS MADE: TOTAL WEAPON/EQUIPMENT CONFISCATIONS: TOTAL ILLEGAL STRUCTURES DESTROYED:

261 30 52 21

February was marked by heavy rain during a time that is normally very dry, which hampered operations for several days, but the rains also appeared to have an effect on the level of illegal activity in the Park as there was a decline in illegal activities seen and arrests made during the month, in part due to the weather, but also due to harsher penalties recently introduced in the new Wildlife Act. There were still large amounts of charcoal burning taking place in the Park and it is worth noting that there were several instances of charcoal burners also participating in bush meat poaching, evidenced by paraphernalia discovered in their camps or on their person such as snares. Several arrests of poachers were made including three notorious ivory poachers, which is considered a major victory for the DSWT team. It is hoped that these poachers will be punished to the full extent of the new Wildlife Act. In addition to anti-poaching efforts, the DSWT teams also participated in the darting and treatment of 3 elephants with various poaching-related injuries that would have been fatal without intervention.

MAP OF ALL UNIT’S PATROL ROUTES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

DAILY SITUATION REPORT MONTHLY SUMMARY – FEBRUARY 2014 Ndovu (Ithumba) Small Medium Snares recovered Large during patrol Cable Rope Rope with pit Small Medium Snares confiscated Large from poachers Cable Rope Bushmeat poacher Livestock Livestock minors (instances) Trespassing Ivory poacher Arrests Fishing Charcoal Honey Harvesting Logging Woodcarving Growing/harvesting Mirraa Bushmeat poacher Livestock Livestock minors (instances) Trespassing Ivory poacher Escapes/Releases Fishing Charcoal Logging Woodcarving Harvesting Mirraa Panga Bow Poison arrow Confiscations Knife weapons Sack of poison Arrow Catapult Spear Jembe Spades Torch Lamp Hand cart Saw Bird trap Confiscations Axe tools/equipment Fish Trap Rope Wire Carvings Charcoal sacks Bicycle Adze Confiscations - Cooking Cooking utensils (instances) items Food Bushmeat (kg) Dik Dik Carcass Kudu Spotted Hyena Carcass Buffalo Carcass Elephant Carcass Animal DNA waterbuck carcass Ivory (# tusks) Elephant tail Rhino Leopard skin Yellow-necked spurfowl Guinea fowl Shooting blind Manyatta Destroyed Charcoal kiln Shooting platform Poacher's hideout Footprints Logging Bicycle tracks Wood carving Human sign Charcoal kiln Mining Activity Campfire Livestock with no herders (# instances) Miraa harvesting Dikdik Kudu Impala Rescues Elephant Rhino Buffalo

Duma (Chyulu)

45 1

Peregrine

Chui (Mtito)

Faru (Burra)

12

17

2

Mamba (Kenze)

Nyati (Tiva)

Simba (Ziwani)

Subtotal

1

8 11

62 20 9

146 33 9

2

2 54 7 10

54 7 10

1

Total

190

71

1 5

5 1 3

1 3

7

17

30 9

1 2

2

1

1 1

1 1

1

2

3

3 2

3 2

15

15

2 1 1

2 1 1

16 2 1

16 2 1

29

29

2 2

2 2 3

1

1

1

1 3

9

1

1 6

3 1 1

2

2

10

1

3 1

2

2

3 2 1 1

14 2 3 10 4

6 1

1 17 1 3

2

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TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED - February 2014 - All Teams

TOTAL ARRESTS MADE - February 2014 - All Teams

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FEBRUARY 2014

INDIVIDUAL TEAM REPORTS FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014 BURA TEAM PATROL AREA: Southern sector of Tsavo East NP & the Taita Ranches

MAP OF MONTHLY PATROL ROUTES

FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS BUFFALO RESCUES 02/02/2014

The team helped rescue three buffalo calves who had gotten stuck in mud. The calves were successfully rescued and returned to their herd

AERIAL COUNT 08/02/14

The Faru (Burra) team helped refuel planes during the extensive KWS Aerial census carried out over the Tsavo Mkomazi area

CATTLE INTRUSION 10/02/14

The Faru (Burra) team patrolled the Maungu area and removed illegal cattle

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

ELEPHANT CARCASS 11/02/14

Signs of poaching were found in the Bachuma-Dakota area as well as an old elephant carcass with the tusks already removed

ZEBRA CARCASS 12/02/14

A zebra carcass was found in the Maungu area. The cause of death was most probably from a predator

HERDER ARRESTED 13/02/14

A herder was found illegally grazing his livestock within the Park and was arrested by the team and escorted to the police station

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

LOGGER ARRESTED 13/02/14

FEBRUARY 2014

A logger was found illegally extracting wood and felling trees in the Mwatate area and was arrested by the team

BURA UNIT MONTHLY DATA MAP

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FEBRUARY 2014 CHYULU TEAM PATROL AREA: Chyulu National Park, Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities

MAP OF MONTHLY PATROL ROUTES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS CHARCOAL BURNER 18/02/2014

Two charcoal burners were arrested by the team for illegally cutting and burning trees within the Chyulu Hills NP

LIVESTOCK INTRUSION 20/02/14

Livestock found illegally grazing within the Park boundaries were forced out of the Park by the team.

LOGGING & CHARCOAL 20/02/14

The Duma (Chyulu) team patrolled chyulu hills area and found people illegally logging trees and making charcoal. They made several arrests

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

CHARCOAL BURNING 25/02/14

FEBRUARY 2014

The Duma (Chyulu) team found a wood carving hideout which had been recently used. They destroyed the hide

CHYULU UNIT MONTHLY DATA MAP

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FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014 KENZE TEAM PATROL AREA: Kibwezi Forest and surrounding communities

MAP OF MONTHLY PATROL ROUTES

FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS BUSH FIRES 2/02/2014

Bush fires have continued to plague the Kibwezi Forest area towards the Chyulu Hills and the Kenze team have been active in fighting them

BUSH FIRES 5/02/14

Another fire was ablaze within Kibwezi along the lava flow. The team carried water to the site to stop it from spreading further

SOLAR PANEL FRAME 08/02/14

A solar panel frame was found abandoned in the bush of Kibwezi Forest.

A solar panel was stolen from the DSWT’s unit a month previously

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FEBRUARY 2014

SNARED HYENA 10/02/2014

A spotted hyena carcass was discovered in the forest snared to a tree.

The team removed the snare wire for confiscation

LIFTING SNARES 25/02/14

More wire snares were discovered within the Kithasyo area and were confiscated by the team before any animals were caught

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DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

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FEBRUARY 2014 TIVA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP with a focus along the Tiva River

MAP OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS ELEPHANT TREATMENT 3/02/2014

The Nyati (Tiva) team helped Dr Poghon in the location, darting and treatment of a wild elephant called ‘Mshale’ who is known by the Ithumba keepers. The treatment went well

CHARCOAL BURNERS 13/02/14

The Nyati (Tiva) team patrolled Athi river towards Gazi area and uncovered logging activities and destroyed a charcoal kiln

POACHER’S HIDE 14/02/14

A poacher’s hide was found and destroyed in the Gazi area by the team.

The poacher’s has been recently using it but were not found

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

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POACHERS ARRESTED 19/02/2014

The Nyati (Tiva) team arrested three poachers in northern Tsavo who were poaching elephants with bows and arrows and cable snares

CHARCOAL BURNER 22/02/14

The team arrested a charcoal burner in the Gazi area, they destroyed the kilns and drowned the charcoal

CHARCOAL BURNING 23/02/14

A charcoal pit was found and destroyed in the Gazi area by the team.

The charcoal burners were not found

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

POACHER’S HIDE 26/02/2014

The Nyati (Tiva) team uncovered a poacher’s hide in the Sheldrick Blind area, which had been recently used. They destroyed the hide

POACHER’S HIDE 26/02/14

The team uncovered another fresh poacher’s hide. They destroyed the hide and all apparatus and belongings left behind

SHOOTING BLIND 28/02/14

A poacher’s blind was found and destroyed near a waterhole. The blind was constructed to shoot at elephants with bows and arrows

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 ZIWANI TEAM PATROL AREA: Central sector of Tsavo West NP south of the Tsavo River

MAP OF MONTHLY PATROL ROUTES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS SNARES LIFTED 3/02/2014

The Simba (Ziwani) team patrolled the Kishushe area and uncovered and confiscated several snares and found several snared dik-diks

CHARCOAL BURNING 11/02/14

The team found a new charcoal kiln ready to be lit, but the charcoal burners had fled the site. They destroyed the kiln.

REMOVED SNARES 13/02/14

The team noted poaching activities in the Kichwa Tembo area having uncovered an old camp

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FEBRUARY 2014

POACHER’S HIDEOUT 13/02/2014

A fresh poacher’s hideout was found within the Park boundaries. The poachers had recently fled the site and left belongings

SHOOTING PLATFORM 13/02/14

The team found a shooting platform in a tree within the Kichwa Tembo area. The platform was destroyed

REMOVED SNARES 13/02/14

The team picked up several snares throughout the Kichwa Tembo area, confiscating everything they found

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FEBRUARY 2014

RHINO TRACKS 16/02/2014

The Simba (Ziwani) team saw fresh rhino prints, the location of which have been withheld for security reasons

ILLEGAL STRUCTURES 17/02/14

The team uncovered illegal wooden structures within the Park and destroyed them

SHOOTING BLIND 18/02/14

A fresh shooting blind was found and destroyed in the Mbu area by the team.

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FEBRUARY 2014

SNARES LIFTED 19/02/2014

The Simba (Ziwani) team found and destroyed yet another poaching platform in a tree aimed at targeting elephants

LIFTING SNARES 20/02/14

Snares were found and confiscated in the Maktau area and a predated snared hartebeest was found

SHOOTING BLIND 25/02/14

The DSWT’s aerial surveillance unit spotted a poacher’s hide from the air on a daily patrol. The team with GPS coordinates destroyed the hide

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

ZIWANI UNIT MONTHLY DATA MAP

FEBRUARY 2014

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FEBRUARY 2014

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FEBRUARY 2014

JANUARY 2014 MTITO TEAM PATROL AREA: Tsavo Triangle, northern sector of Tsavo West NP & surrounding communities

MAP OF MONTHLY PATROL ROUTES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS ILLEGAL LOGGING 18/02/2014

The Chui (Mtito) found extensive logging within the Park boundaries but the perpetrators had fled

CHARCOAL BURNING 21/02/14

The team found and destroyed an illegal charcoal kiln within the Park, the charcoal burners had fled the scene

ILLEGAL LIVESTOCK 24/02/14

The Chui (Mtito) team removed illegal livestock from the Park, driving the cows back outside the Park boundary

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

ILLEGAL LOGGING 25/02/14

FEBRUARY 2014

Loggers were found illegally chopping down trees within the Park boundaries and were arrested

MTITO UNIT MONTHLY DATA MAP

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 ITHUMBA TEAM PATROL AREA: Northern sector of Tsavo East NP, northern boundary & Gazi

MAP OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014

SECURITY & INCIDENTS SNARES LIFTED 19/02/2014

The team lifted several snares from the Kimweli area of northern Tsavo East

ELEPHANT TREATMENT 20/02/14

The Ndovu (Ithumba) unit supported the Tsavo Vet unit and aerial unit in locating and darting an injured elephant. Treatment was successful

LIFTED SNARES 21/02/14

Team members lifted many snares during a patrol through the Mathae area.

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

SHOOTING BLIND 27/02/14

FEBRUARY 2014

The Ndovu (Ithumba) team uncovered a fresh shooting blind in the Tundani area and destroyed it

DAVID SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST

FEBRUARY 2014