• The park is increasingly littered with road kills from hit-and-run incidents
Image: GARETH JONES
Some time ago, I drove through the park after a long, tiring day. I was still feeling good after a pleasant drive though the park. Then suddenly, my phone rang.
“Someone has hit a female bushbuck at the tar road between No2 & No3 junction.” Some time later, I arrived after the poor bushbuck had crawled off the road in sheer agony. What was left was patches of thick vital blood on the tar road.
It was obviously killed by a speeding vehicle. However, the guilty driver just did a “hit and run”, as nobody saw the actual deed happen.
Immediately, my mood went from mellow to angry. Who could have done this? And why? Without real proof, it cannot be said who killed this female bushbuck.
However, there is a disturbing trend emerging, from a pregnant suni recently killed in the forest, and someone also reported a female bushbuck killed in the forest. Numerous shrub hares have been killed, plus many birds and other “road kills”.
Over many years, with a growing city, more people enter the park, and speeding has definitely increased dramatically. This speeding practice is very selfish and shows no consideration for those persons who keep to the rules and drive slowly.
It is only a matter of time before a large animal like a black rhino, buffalo or giraffe is hit by a speeding vehicle, if there is no action to stop speedsters.
The current reality is that speeding continues to be an issue in the park. KWS now need to take more drastic action to control speeding (above 30km/hr) in the park. Please consider other control measures, such as increased ranger and traffic patrols, speed control bumps and banning offenders. Whatever the solution, serious action is needed.
For more information on the park, you can link to the following website: www.kws.go.ke