Kenya Wildlife Service is investigating some private game ranches for possible involvement in poaching. KWS deputy director of security Julius Kimani said they are concerned with the high number of animals being killed there.
“We don't have evidence of any private conservancy sponsoring poaching yet. But an investigation is still going to be done,” he said. Poaching has been higher in the conservancies compared to national parks, but Kimani did not name those under probe.
He said conservancies are important in conservation. “They are part of the key partners that we have,” he said at a KWS press conference earlier this week.
Out of the 18 rhinos poached in Kenya this year, 13 were killed in private conservancies, while 41 elephants have died in conservancies around Tsavo. Nationally, poachers have killed 51 elephants this year.
KWS acting director general William Kiprono said most conservancies are located in areas vulnerable to poaching. He named Tsavo, Isiolo and Narok as the country's poaching hot-spots and said more efforts will be directed there.
Kiprono asked Kenyans to give information to the anti-poaching task force that was unveiled early this year. “KWS has already provided information to this task force and we call on the public to volunteer more information,” he said.
KWS last year unveiled inter-agency anti-poaching unit comprising officers from specialised elements of the KWS, Administration Police and the General Service Unit.
The unit has however done little to deter poachers as poaching has shot up this year. The new efforts come after conservationist Dr Richard Leakey asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare poaching a national disaster.
Conservation groups have warned that rhino population can be decimated within a year if the trend continues. Most conservancies supplement KWS security with their own armed private rangers, who are also police reservists.
Environment PS Dr Richard Lesiyampe said their security set up will be reviewed after investigations showed poachers have been taking advantage of security lapses.
“We are fully aware that poaching is not a preserve of private conservancies, but we are also distressed at the rising cases in these facilities,” Lesiyampe said. Claims of collusion between KWS officers, poachers and conservancies have long been made.
At least 17 KWS officers have been dismissed from the force over these suspicions since 2009. Kiprono said 247 civilians have been arrested this year and charged with wildlife-related crimes.
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