The Taita Taveta government is seeking partners to start its own 10,000 acre wildlife conservancy in Bachuma area, Voi constituency. Bachuma area borders the Tsavo East and West national parks and is an important elephant corridor, which the county aims to tap into tourism revenues.
Elephants from Tsavo East cross into Tsavo West National park through the Bachuma migration corridor. Speaking at the Sarova Taita Hills game lodge in Mwatate on Tuesday during the launch of the 2014 aerial elephant census at the Tsavo-Mkomanzi ecosystem, Governor John Mruttu said the land that was initially meant for livestock production will be converted into a conservancy.
“The land is currently not in use and has been invaded by illegal grazers who pose as herders but are poachers. The parcel of land will now be transformed to a livestock multiplication centre as well as a wildlife conservancy,” the governor said.
The county government is seeking both private and public partners to start the conservancy. Mruttu said plans to set up the conservancy shows his county government's commitment to wildlife conservation.
"As a government we are committed to conservation as this is our heritage and one of our major natural resources. The move will serve as an example to the ranchers who own land adjacent the Tsavo National park to tap into tourism business.”
Out of the 28 ranches in Taita Taveta county only a few actively practise wildlife conservation; they include: Ngutunyi ranch with 5000 acres, Taita hill sanctuary (28,000) , Mbulia (11,200) , Rukinga (67,000) and Lumo conservancy, which is a combination of Oza, Mramba and Lwalwenyi ranches with 100,000 acres.
