13 arrested in Kenya for poaching

July 2007. A suspected poacher has been remanded by a court in Kenya after he denied poaching related charges. The same court fined a Malindi councillor who had tried to prevent the suspected poacher’s arrest 5000 Kenyan shillings, or two months imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

The suspect, who was arrested near Malindi, was charged with illegally having four elephant tusks, a leopard skin, and dik dik meat. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) intelligence received information from the public that an elephant had been killed and the tusks removed. KWS rangers, with the help of game scouts, tracked down the suspect in Malindi but the councillor incited the public to prevent the rangers from arresting the suspects and the exhibits.

These latest arrests mean that 13 suspects were arrested over the weekend in a renewed crackdown on poaching and game meat trade.

Other arrests
KWS rangers arrested seven professional Tanzanian hunters and their Kenyan guide for illegally hunting around Tsavo West National Park. The KWS rangers who had laid an ambush at Koranze also recovered three powerful sporting firearms, 43 rounds, two powerful spotlights, a panga and a knife.

At the same time, three suspected game meat dealers and their driver are being held at the Athi River police station on the outskirts of Nairobi for illegal meat trade and poaching.

KWS special operations personnel have stepped up security along the international boundary having lost several elephants to poachers in the recent months.

Hunting in Tsavo West Ntional Park
The Tsavo West National Park incident is the second involving professional hunters straying across the border to shoot wildlife in Kenya. Several incidents where KWS rangers have exchanged fire with Tanzanian poaching gangs leading to the recovery of many weapons and the elimination of several gangs have been reported. The hunters cross over from Mkomazi Reserve in Tanzania where hunting is legal into Koranze area in Taita Taveta District. These incursions could be a result of a lack of wildlife in many parts of Tanzania caused by abused licensed hunting.

Lusaka Task Force
Kenya Wildlife Service and Tanzanian Wildlife Authority work closely on wildlife security through a cross border agreement facilitated by the Lusaka Task Force.