• During the swoop last week, 15 suspects were arrested at Burma Market at an unlicensed business.
• Giraffe population dwindling, public warned against buying cheap uninspected meat at suspicious establishments.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Did you eat red meat for supper? Chances are that you might have enjoyed bushmeat, thinking it was beef.
This was disclosed by the Kenya Wildlife Service after it unearthed an intricate illegal bushmeat trade at the popular Burma Market in Nairobi’s Eastlands on Friday last week.
In total, 800kg of bushmeat that was being sold to unsuspecting customers as beef was impounded.
The impounded meat is almost two giraffes.
On Monday, KWS head, corporate communications and service spokesperson Ngugi Gecaga cited "human greed and demand" as factors fueling the trade.
"People would always want to eat meat and sometimes they do not have money. This means that they will buy cheap meat," Gecaga said.
He said bushmeat is half the price of properly bred and inspected beef.
Consumption of bushmeat is also a public health risk since the meat can spread zoonotic diseases.
Approximately 75 per cent of newly emerging diseases are zoonotic — hey can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. Most of them originate from wild animals.
Infectious diseases such as Ebola, SARS, anthrax and HIV-Aids are likely to have been transmitted to humans while processing and consuming bushmeat.
Identifying bushmeat is difficult when the carcass is chopped up.
Bushmeat is frequently transported after butchering because it is easier to handle and more difficult to identify the species.
Gecaga named Burma and Kikopey on the Naivasha-Nakuru highway as some of the hot spots.
He said Veterinary Services could be colluding with those selling bushmeat.
During the swoop last week, 15 suspects were arrested and arraigned in Kibera on charges of dealing in and being in possession of bushmeat and selling uninspected meat, among other charges.
The swoop followed collaboration between the KWS security team and other law enforcement agencies.
Buying and selling bushmeat is illegal and those convicted face a jail term of not less than three years without an option of a fine.
Kws says there is increased poaching and consumption of bushmeat.
The population of some wildlife, such as giraffes, is declining.
In only 30 years, giraffes' continental numbers of have plummeted by 40 per cent. Recent population and distribution assessments of some subspecies paint a grim picture.
Both Kordofan and Nubian giraffes were just upgraded to critically endangered status on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species — altogether, only approximately 4,650 mature giraffes survive.
The reticulated giraffe, one of Kenya’s signature wildlife species and tourist attractions in the North, has declined steadily and is now considered endangered.
Maasai and Rothschild giraffes have declined by as much as 67 per cent since the 1970s.
The arrest followed two poaching incidents that took place at Olturoto in Kajiado county and Portland Farm next to Game Ranch in Athi River, Machakos county, on June 26 when two zebras were poached.
KWS teams in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies pursued the suspects.
They carried out an operation at Burma Market and recovered the bushmeat on June 27.
A motor vehicle believed to have been used to ferry the recovered meat was also impounded.
During the operation, it emerged that the outlet selling bush meat operated without a permit or license, pointing to impunity in the market.
The operation established that the suspects involved in bushmeat poaching have also been involved in livestock theft in parts of Kajiado and Machakos counties.
This suggests that the poaching suspects are determined to get meat from whichever source.
Gecaga warned the public against buying meat from suspicious outlets operating without licenses.
KWS called for regular inspection of butcheries and meat, ensuring the outlets are licensed.
s upon relevant authorities to ensure meat outlets are regularly inspected and licensed based on existing laws and regulations.
The public was urged to report suspected poaching and sale of bushmeat to Kwe and other law enforcement agencies.
Edited by R.Wamochie)