CITES & LIVELIHOODS CASE STUDY 2019 Harvest and trade of Nile in Kenya

SPECIES, USE AND TRADE NILE Kenya has a large Nile River, and ranching CROCODILE Crocodile population, was established to help reduce Crocodylus but there are concerns conflict and generate benefits niloticus about habitat destruction, for both people and crocodiles. poisoning, and human wildlife conflict. In the Tana Wild-harvested eggs are I/II (KENYA River County, in the Kenyan collected by community POPULATION coastal region, a crocodile members, and sold to several IN II) ‘ranching” programme crocodile ranches who has been established. hatch and rear them. Other community members are The human population in the employed in crocodile ranches. LEAST County is increasing, with over Crocodile are then sold CONCERN half under 15 years of age. for processing overseas into Only a third of inhabitants goods (see Table 1). have a secondary education or above, and unemployment Egg collection is carried is very high. The main means out in consultation with of community livelihoods traditional community are pastoralism and farming. leaders, and egg collectors Crocodiles bring fear, havoc are selected based on their and death to communities while local knowledge of crocodiles they access water for livestock and Tana River ecology. It or personal use along Tana is a highly skilled task.

CROCODILE ITEMS (NO. OF PIECES) EXPORTED FROM KENYA 2017-2018

7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2017 2018

Italy Korea Singapore LIVELIHOOD BENEFITS

Trade in crocodile products contributes to the income, skills, community services and infrastructure of Tana River County inhabitants. There are few other employment options in the region. 100 egg collectors are employed (part-time), and in 2018 around USD 9,162 in total was generated by harvesters (approx. Int$ 450,000). Additional income is gained through selling meat to crocodile ranches for food.

Ranching companies have provided important community benefits (without payment), including a maternity clinic, solar lights, basic sanitation (toilets), water pumps and provision of safe water (away from the river’s edge to avoid crocodile attacks), connection of electricity, iron sheets for roofing, donated crocodile meat for school lunches, husbandry infrastructure and supplies (e.g. cattle dip, cattle crush, abattoir), and the provision of boats during flooding. The maternity clinic now safely delivers 10-15 babies per month and has greatly decreased maternal mortality.

Communities have gained skills in egg collection, animal husbandry, business management, and customer service. There are few viable alternatives to replace these important livelihood benefits. There is little tourism in this politically insecure area.

CONSERVATION LESSONS LEARNT IMPACTS AND DIRECTIONS

Before the ranching programme, communities Local livelihood benefits from trade government has not fully recognized gained no benefits from crocodiles – only can be key to conserving CITES- the importance of crocodiles to danger and harm. Poisoning and retaliatory listed species, particularly when the local economy, and crocodile killing of crocodiles were therefore well these species impose heavy costs harvesting and management known. The limited and regulated egg harvest on local communities, such as Nile have not been integrated into has incentivized people to tolerate and crocodiles. The CITES listing of Nile local planning processes. support crocodile populations rather than crocodile has been beneficial through killing them in retaliation for human-wildlife inter alia supporting stronger controls Key priorities to improve livelihood conflict. There is now little or no poisoning and transparency, and enabling benefits are capacity building, of crocodiles in this area. Egg collection data a dialogue with import states. education, awareness raising of has improved understanding of crocodile the broader local community and populations: there is typically no monitoring of Key success factors include local government, so that they unharvested populations due to lack of funds. trust-building between Kenya understand the benefits that Wildlife Service and the rural community members are gaining To ensure sustainable harvest, 4% of communities, close consultation with from crocodiles and the potential hatched crocodiles are released back to community and local government of this trade for the local economy, the Tana River ecosystem (the survival leadership, and sound best- and incentives and funding support rate of wild hatchlings is < 2%). Eggs are practice training in egg collection. for additional community groups collected seasonally based on quotas set seeking to become involved. according to previous population estimates. The greatest weakness of the The rest of the year is a closed season. ranching programme is that the local

Case study prepared by F Dermillah Obare. Edited R Cooney. Photos: Fridah Dermillah Obare

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