In the past two months some of the Lewa KPR Security team has been on two
anti-poaching missions to the Masaai Mara following an
invitation by the Mara Conservancy.

Mara Conservancy rangers have visited Lewa in the past and it was
now Lewa's turn to visit the Mara recently. This could have not
been better timed as it coincided with the annual spectacular
wildebeest migration. The Lewa team worked closely with the Warden in
charge Mara Conservancy, Mr. Edward Nkoitoi and also the
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) game rangers working in Serengeti
National Park. This joint effort between the Mara Conservancy
rangers, TANAPA rangers and Lewa rangers grouped at an outpost
close to the Tanzania border to patrol the park boundary between
the Masaai Mara and the Serengeti on two separate operations. As
back up for these anti-poaching patrols there were four vehicles,
one land cruiser from Lewa, two from the Mara and one Land Rover
from TANAPA .

During the two 4 day exercises, they took part in de-snaring
activities and lay ambushes on the poachers' routes to and from
snare sites at night. During the first operation, three poachers
were arrested with poisoned arrows and illegally poached game meat
(wildebeest) and also two live wildebeest were released from snares as
well as recovery of 118 snares. During the second operation,
another 3 poachers were arrested with illegal game meat and
poisoned arrows and a further 119 snares recovered.

In the course of the whole operation 6 poachers were arrested and
taken to Tanzania prisons, where sentences for "bush meat" poaching are
far more stringent than in Kenya. Total number of snares
recovered was 237.

We commend the efforts of the Lewa Security teams involved and
thank the Mara Conservancy for their very warm hospitality. We
anticipate that this will be a long relationship of exchange and
collaboration between Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the Mara
Conservancy.

Finally the team also managed to witness first hand the 8th wonder of the
world, the spectacular migration!


Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, P.O. Box 10607, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya

http://www.lewa.org/