Operated in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's Anti-Poaching Teams monitor for illegal activity and support all manner of field operations.
This report details all Anti-Poaching Unit activities for April 2026. During the month the Bura, Kichwa Tembo and Kulalu teams took annual leave whilst the Yatta, Mobile South, Kenze, Kwale, Mukururo and Tiva teams worked part of the month. The rest of the teams operated fulltime.
MONTH AT A GLANCE:
Kilometres covered on patrol:
32,674
53 Arrests made:
27,678
533 Bushmeat siezed kg:
1,018 Snares confiscated:
ANTI-POACHING PATROL ROUTES
e te ds to e u at o a a , c p o des sa ctua y to c t ca y e da ge ed b ac a d te os. e have expanded our anti-poaching presence to the Arabuko Sokoke Forest and the Shimba Hills two of the last remaining coastal strongholds for elephants as well as the Nakuru-Naivasha region, an important corridor in the Rift Valley.
Beyond our directly operated teams, we fund partner-operated units across a wider network of key ecosystems: the Mau Forest, Mount Kenya, the Mara ecosystem, Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, Nasaru Olosho Conservancy, and Amu Ranch. Together, these units protect threatened wildlife and habitats across Kenya.
While each team works within a designated region, many also work on a rotating, mobile basis, providing continuous coverage when other teams are on leave. This helps to ensure a constant level of vigilance in Kenya’s most vulnerable ecosystems
During the month, the teams also seized 533kg bushmeat including 1 large hippo carcass and other large mammals, destroyed 1 charcoal camp, 18 kilns , 25 livestock bomas along with 19kg of honey seized, 250 logged trees and destroyed 9 illegal hides/harbours/camps.
In April, the teams also discovered an elephant carcass and handed the ivory to the KWS for safekeeping They also supported human-wildlife conflict operations, pushing elephants out of community areas, along with veterinary cases and rescues. The teams in Tsavo has also been actively working with the new SWT/KWS drone teams, which are patrolling the skies over the greater Tsavo Conservation night and day
TOTAL SNARES COLLECTED
APRIL 2026
TOTAL ARRESTS MADE
APRIL 2026
INDIVIDUAL TEAM REPORTS
APRIL 2026
DAKADIMA ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
5/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The Dakadima team found a camp in the park with bushmeat and arrested a poacher
10/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The Dakadima team found another poaching camp with poaching tools
30 Days on duty: Galana Ranch and where needed most Patrol areas:
MOBILE NORTH ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
5/4/2026 HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT
The team worked with the Aerial Unit to push elephants out of community lands and back into the safety of the park
8/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted snares set by bushmeat poaching
23/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted more snares
MOBILE SOUTH ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
24/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The Mobile South team lifted wire snares from the park
26/4/2026
BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested poachers caught poaching a hippo in the park
18 Days on duty: Fully Mobile in Southern Tsavo Conservation Area Patrol areas:
LAKE JIPE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
2/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team evicted livestock and herders from the protected area
16/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team evicted more livestock
26/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team evicted livestock and herders from the protected area
30 Days on duty: Lake Jipe & where needed most Patrol areas:
YATTA ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
24/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The Yatta team lifted large snares set by bushmeat poachers in the park
Patrol areas:
Days on duty: KARI Ranch
18
CHYULU MOBILE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
13/4/2026 KUDU RESCUE
The team rescued a kudu trapped in a wire snare
23/4/2026 KWS CONSERVATION DAY
The team worked with the KWS in coordinating a meeting and parade in support of wildlife conservation
27/4/2026 CANNABIS PLANATION
The team found and destroyed a cannabis plantation in the park
30 Days on duty: Chyulu Hills National Park & KARI Ranch Patrol areas:
ZIWANI ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
Patrol areas:
Days on duty: Tsavo West
8/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team pushed livestock out of the park
18/4/2026 CHARCOAL BURNING
The team found and destroyed a charcoal kiln in the park
21/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested a bushmeat poaching in the park with fresh bushmeat
THABANGUNJI ANTI-POACHING TEAM
ARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
6/4/2026
MIRRA HARVESTING
The team caught a man harvesting miraa in the park
21/3/2026
ILLEGAL LOGGING
The team arrested a man caught logging in the park
30 Days on duty: Galana Conservancy & Thabangunji Patrol areas:
MUKURURO ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
6/4/2026 ILLEGAL LOGGING
The Mukururo team found signs of logging in the park
23/4/2026 TREE PLANTING
The Mukururo team joined KWS and other stakeholders in a tree planting day
Patrol areas:
Days on duty: Chyulu Hills
18
KENZE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
ARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
the incidents attended to by this team during the month
14/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The Kenze team lifted snares set by bushmeat poachers in the Chyulu Hills
22/4/2026
TREE PLANTING
The Kenze team joined with KWS and other teams on a tree planting mission
Days on duty: Kibwezi Forest Patrol areas:
18
SHOMPOLE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
3/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted snares from the conservation area
13/4/2026
CHARCOAL BURNING
The team found and destroyed a charcoal kiln in the park
21/4/2026
ZEBRA TREATMENT
The team treated an injured zebra with the SWT/KWS Vet Unit
30 Days on duty: Shompole & Mobile in Tsavo Patrol areas:
CHYULU ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026
SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
6/4/2026 BUFFALO TREATMENT
The team helped the SWT/KWS Vet Unit treat an injured buffalo
9/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested a poacher with snares and poaching tools
Patrol areas:
30 Days on duty: Chyulu Hills
13/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested a bushmeat poacher with a motorbike and a large consignment of bushmeat
KULALU II ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
7/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team found a camp with fresh bushmeat
15/4/2026 ZEBRA RESCUE
The team rescued a baby orphaned zebra
23/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted large snares set by poachers in the park
Days on duty: Greater Galana Conservation Area Patrol areas:
ITHUMBA ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
5/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team found and removed snares from the park
18/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team found more small snares set by bushmeat poachers in the park
26/4/2026
LIFTING TRAPS
The team removed spikes from traps set up by poachers in the park
30 Days on duty: Northern Area of Tsavo East Patrol areas:
KAJIADO ANTI-POACHING TEAM
MARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
w of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
5/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested a man found poaching in the park
16/4/2026 ILLEGAL LOGGING
The team found logging activities in the park
30 Days on duty: Kajiado & Arabuko Sokoke Patrol areas:
MERU ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
3/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted a number of large snares from the park
7/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted more snares set by bushmeat poachers
15/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted more snares set by bushmeat poachers
Days on duty: Meru National Park Patrol areas:
TIVA ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
28/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted snares set by bushmeat poachers from the conservation area
30/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team removed more small snares
Days on duty: Northern Area of Tsavo East Patrol areas:
18
KAPANGANI ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
10/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team ambushed a gang of poachers with a large consignment of bushmeat loaded onto motorbikes and poaching tools
12/4/2026 BUSHMEAT POACHING
The team arrested another poacher with fresh meat and snares
20/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team evicted livestock found grazing in the park
KWALE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
20/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team found small snares set by bushmeat poachers in the conservation area
21/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team found small snares set by bushmeat poachers in the conservation area
Days on duty: Shimba Hills National Reserve Patrol areas:
18
SOBO ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
4/4/2026 ELEPHANT CARCASS
The team found an old elephant carcass with tusks and removed the tusks to handover to KWS
18/4/2026 ZEBRA RESCUE
The team helped the SWT/KWS Vet Unit rescue a zebra calf stuck down a well
27/4/2026 LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted large snares set by bushmeat poachers in the park
30 Days on duty: Central Tsavo East Patrol areas:
UMBI ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
5/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted snares from the park
18/4/2026
LIFTING SNARES
The team lifted more small snares set by bushmeat poachers
27/4/2026 LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team found and pushed out livestock from the park
Patrol areas:
30 Days on duty: Ithumba, Umbi, Mukomwe & South Kitui
MTITO ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
6/4/2026
LIVESTOCK INTRUSION
The team pushed large herds of cattle and livestock out of the park
Days on duty: Tsavo East National Park Patrol areas:
30
TSAVO MOBILE ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
10/4/2026 POACHING
The Tsavo Mobile team arrested 5 poachers, found having poached a hippo
30 Days on duty:
Mobile in Tsavo East National Park and where needed most Patrol areas:
GALANA ANTI-POACHING TEAM
APRIL 2026 SUMMARY OF SECURITY INCIDENTS
The following cases are just a few of the incidents attended to by this team during the month
19/4/2026 ZEBRA RESCUE
The Galana Wildlife Conservancy team helped the SWT/KWS Vet Unit rescue and treat an injured orphan zebra
21/4/2026 ELEPHANT TREATMENT
The team helped the Vet Unit treat an inured elephant
SWT/KWS Anti-Poaching Teams, as with all Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's conservation projects, is a donor-funded initiative Thank you to our global supporters, who help us secure Kenya's habitats for the future and make an impact in the field, each and every day
