The Yatta Team operates in the northern eastern sector of Tsavo East National Park, in the Gazi area between the Yatta plateau and the Athi River. The Yatta plateau is the world’s longest lava flow and is extremely rugged and rocky terrain, covered in densely vegetated scrub. Several springs seep out at the base of the plateau, providing much needed water for wildlife during the harsh dry seasons. Poachers have historically used the Yatta as a route into Tsavo East National Park. Illegal activities encountered here include snaring for the bushmeat trade, ivory poaching, livestock encroachment and the cutting of trees for timber and to November 2023, with a more detailed description of the Yatta Team’s operational activities in the period.
