APRIL - JUNE 2014

The Voice of Conservation in East Africa

POACHERS! LONDON CALLING Conference promises crackdown

FROM TUG TO REEF Old vessel, new job on Kenya coast

TURTLES NEED YOUR HELP Coastal conservation in action The East African region is well known 1. Become a member Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and for the richness and beauty of its 2. Make a donation mail it to 38 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, biodiversity. It has been this that has 3. Leave a legacy in your will CA 94941 with EAWLS noted made the region a favourite destination on the memo line. Credit card for millions of visitors. But this precious 1. If you are interested in becoming a donations can be made by calling inheritance is under real pressure from member, then this can be done quite Lewa USA’s Executive Director, unplanned development, mismanagement, easily online by visiting our website: Ginger Thomson at 415.627.8187. corruption, population growth and a lack www.eawildlife.org; selecting the of understanding that good economic click here for more information • For UK, we have now registered growth depends on maintaining a healthy under the Subscribe or Renew East African Wild Life Society environment in all its attributes as the Membership title on the home (UK) as a UK Registered Charity platform for development. page, and following the procedures (Charity No. 1153041). Donations requested. would be entitled to tax relief. The East African Wild Life Society EAWLS (UK) has a dedicated is home grown. We are part of East 2. For a donation, we have now made it bank account and the details can African Society culture and future. possible for you to enjoy tax relief if be provided by contacting Nigel We care deeply, in line with Kenya’s you live in the USA or UK. Hunter at: Constitution, which states that everyone [email protected] has the right to a healthy environment • For USA, we have a formal if you are interested in making a now and for generations to come. partnership with Lewa USA, bank transfer. If you wish to use That future demands that we keep our who enjoy 501(c)(3) tax relief the cheque option, then these biodiversity intact. Therefore the Society entitlement for donations and should be made out to East has advocacy as a major instrument legacies. The donations have to be African Wild Life Society (UK) in addressing the threats we face and made out to Lewa USA but it is and sent to Mrs Emma Stewart, we don’t flinch in facing up to that easy to indicate that the donation Townend of Grange, Dunlop, responsibility. But the more support we is committed to EAWLS through Kilmarnock, KA3 4EG get, the stronger our voice becomes. the Lewa Wildlife programme. The donation can be made by 3. If considering a legacy, then please Please therefore help EAWLS by visiting www.lewa.org or if you contact Nigel Hunter, who can make supporting us. This can be done in three would like to make the donation useful information available to you. ways. by cheque, please make it out to

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FRONTLINES Letters SPOTLIGHT LIFE'S A BEACH 5 51 Chairman's Letter Nicky Parazzi tells the Turtle story of Watamu 15 Director's Letter with lessons for those living close to their habitat 16 up and down the African coastline. news Roundup 18 My Wildlife THE STORY OF TAI BUNDI 24 54 Joanna Hewitt-Stubbs with a fetching story about the rescue of an orphaned bird and its delivery to a CONSERVATION LONDON CONFERENCE MARKS 26 sanctuary for full recovery. TURNING POINT IN WILDLIFE

PROTECTION CONSERVATION CONVERSATIONS 56 Felix Patton monitors a glittering London WITH THE NEXT GENERATION conference called to muster action against Storm Stanley with the second part of her the surge in wildlife crime and poaching. conversations with the next generation of Kenyan

conservationists – how do they see the future in A RETIRED TUG TO THE RESCUE OF A 33 Kenya’s 50th year. KENYAN MARINE PARK

sander Den Haring has a touching tale of CHARLIE MAYHEW - FROM ADVENTURER 61 how an old tug at the end of her days is being TO ARDENT CONSERVATIONIST put to use again in the ocean to build a reef Felix Patton interviews one of the grand old men habitat for fish off the Mombasa coast. of conservation and finds him as committed to the

cause today as he has ever been. REWILDING- A NEW 37 CONSERVATION PARADIGM Felix Patton guides us through the science of BOOK REVIEW THE UN'S LONE RANGER “returning things to the way they were”. 65 By John Sellar and reviewed by

Nigel Hunter MOUNT KENYA - PROTECTING 42 THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST WATER TOWER PORTFOLIO tsaVO LEOPARD ENCOUNTERS 66 Peter Coleridge sees opportunities for VISITORS replicating the Rhino Ark Abderdare success Richard Hatfield lets us accompany him on a with a similar project on the slopes of Mount meeting with Leopards in the Tsavo. Kenya.

oBITUARY FOR DAVID LOVATT SMITH CONAKRY CONNECTION - LESSON 70 47 Paul Lovatt Smith and his family pay tribute to NOT LEARNED one of Kenya’s pioneer conservationists. Dan Stiles delivers the final part in his series about the murky link between Guinea and REAR WINDOW China and the trafficked wildlife that links The Dangers of Littering 72 them. in the Park - Tsavo Cheetah Cub Almost Dies Shazaad Kasmani shows us graphic proof of why litter in the park is not just unsightly, it’s downright dangerous.

2 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 Prince William addresses conservationists at the London conference

SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 3 APRIL - JUNE - VOLUME 38, NUMBER 2

The Impala is the symbol of the East African Wild Life Society. SWARA is the Swahili word for antelope.

Patrons The President of Ken­ya The President of Tanza­ nia­ The President of Uganda­

Chairman Fredrick Owino

Vice-Chairmen Tom Fernandes John Emily Otekat Editor Joseph Gilbert Kibe Andy Hill Treasurer Editorial Board Michael Kidula Mbaya Nigel Hunter Michael Gachanja Executive Director Michael Gachanja Esmond Martin William Pike Trustees Paolo Torchio Frederick IB Kayanja Patricia Kameri-Mbote Albert Mongi Adalja Mahendra Krishnalal Munir Virani William Ronkorua Ole Ntimama Lucy Waruingi George Kamau Muhoho Mohamed Jan Mohamed Design & Layout George Okello Members Of Council Hon. Wilbur Ottichilo Jagi Gakunju Circulation and Subscriptions Rose Chemweno Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Peter Waweru Esmond Martin Philip Coulson Advertising / Sales Gideon Bett Virginia Shaw

EAWLS Mission To advocate and collaborate on the safeguarding and Copyright © 2014 sustainable management of East Africa's natural resources SWARA is a quarterly magazine owned and published­ by the East African Wild Life So­ci­e­ty, a non-prof­it mak­ing or­gani­ ­ sa­tion formed in 1961. No part of this publication may be Swara Offices C/O EAWLS Head Office reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written P O BOX 20110 – 00200, Riara Road, Kilimani, Nairobi consent of the editor. Opin­ions ex­pressed by contrib­ ­u­tors Tel: 254-20-3874145 Fax: 254-20-3870335 are not neces­ ­sar­i­ly the official view of the Society. SWARA [email protected] ac­cepts the in­for­ma­tion given by con­trib­u­tors as correct.

Letters to the Editor: [email protected] African Journal of Ecology The African Journal of Ecology is Published by Wily – Blackwell in association with East African Wild Life Society. Purchase a copy of this Journal at Wiley Online Library: EAWLS WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/aje. Netherlands SWITZERLAND Stichting EAWLS Therese & Bernhard Sorgen Ridderhoflaan 37 Erlenweg 30 8302 Kloten 2396 C J Koudekerk A/D RIJN USA Grant & Barbara Winther USA 867 Taurnic Pl. NW Mr & Mrs Harry Ewell Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Financial Representatives FINLAND, sweden, norway 200 Lyell Avenue Spencerport Roseanna Avento NY 14559-1839 [email protected] SWARA appreciates the continued support it receives +358405355405 from Fauna & Flora International

4 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 or the reverse current trends. The London planning, policy and thinking becomes first time conference kicks off our coverage and part of building for the future. Fin several highlights the horror people feel from And what is the point of policy, years, news far away about the slaughter going on planning or thinking unless laws are and features across this continent. It is heartening implemented? It is not enough to have from Kenya, to see our own Ian Douglas-Hamilton them on the statute books. Wildlife our home and Paula Kahumbu get the recognition Direct’s admirable study of around 750 base, dominate they deserve for driving the issue up the cases in court shows us, shockingly, an issue of international agenda, where it belongs. that less than 4% of people who make SWARA. We’ve Heartening too is the fact that the money out of dead animals or animal deliberately issues are now firmly on the agenda of parts ever go to jail. Is this what Kenya tried to widen our geographical story the media at home and abroad. Thank at 50 is all about? How devastating base over the years to illustrate what you Her Excellency First lady Margaret for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS ) conservation challenges other countries Kenyatta for putting your name and face ranger who brought a suspect in only in Africa are facing, overcoming to these campaigns. We hope to have to learn that he or she has escaped with and succumbing to. But this issue is an article by her in the next issue (July, minimal inconvenience and is free to dominated by stories about Kenya, 2014-03). poach or traffick again. What sort of from the ocean to the rangelands, EAWLS exists to lobby for prudent message does that send to the organized because Kenya is synonymous in so use of our natural resources and all wildlife crime syndicates? Certainly not many people’s minds with wildlife and those who share it. Which makes Nicky the message that the London conference conservation, and all the problems that Parazzi’s article on turtles all the more wanted to transmit – that the world has entails in the 21st century. poignant. Did you know that up to had enough and is cracking down with Stories about poaching and wildlife 40% of the world’s population lives determination. We have legal teeth. crime make unhappy reading but are close to a shoreline? That’s the kind of Let’s use them. phenomena that we have to face up statistic that illustrates the potential for to if anything is going to be done to catastrophe at the coast unless proper Andy Hill, Editor

SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 5 letter's to the editor

Dear Editor,

Ringnet Fishing In reference to Steve Trott’s article on ringnet fishing in coral reef areas of Kenya (SWARA Jan.-Mar. 2014), I have noticed this for years in the supposed Diani Marine National Reserve in front of my home. I have never seen anyone from the Department of Fisheries or KWS come to stop them. As the photos show, they even use fine-mesh nets just off the beach inside of the reef and take their catch on shore where they sell fish to passers-by. In a few years there will be nothing left and the local fishing communities will be bereft of a living. It is past time when illegal gear is confiscated and sustainable fishing practices are instituted.

Dan Stiles Diani Beach

Dear Editor, interesting) article by Storm Stanley the many conservationists who cannot was actually about the ‘offspring claim the sort of lineages shared by I was excited and intrigued when I of the leading first generation of the individuals covered in this article? looked at the cover of SWARA (January- conservationists’. This was breathtaking Nobody can take away from any of the March 2014) and saw the feature “The but highly necessary reality check for great achievements and well-deserved next generation of conservationists the conservation sector in Kenya and accolades of both the generations talk”. I wondered who they are, whether Africa as a whole. It is (or should be!) covered in your articles, but the only I knew them personally (I hoped I did!) a rude awakening for conservation way to progress is to break out of this and most importantly, to read what scholars and practitioners that the mould. The biggest challenge facing they had to say. My reasoning was that feudal origins of wildlife consumption conservation in much of Africa currently the term ‘next generation’ referred to and (in this case) conservation practice is the fact that like hunting used to be in new perspectives, improved insights still exist in our thinking. I am of feudal societies, it is an unapologetically and abilities, sort of like ‘generations’ the opinion that if Mordecai Ogada elitist pursuit. in terms of mobile phones (pardon is called to as a conservationist, then the comparison) where you had 1G, those who refer to him as such are SWARA Reader 2G, 3G etc. I was however taken aback not doing so because of his parentage. to find that the (very thoughtful and Who will write about the thoughts of

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14 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 CHAIRMAN'S letter

Some Grounds for Optimism on Global Fight Against Wildlife Poaching and Extermination

requent readers of this magazine market countries. In this regard, I am Kingdom recently convened a high level are aware that I have written most encouraged by the progress that meeting attended by several developing Fseveral letters on the threats the EAWLS has made in linking up with and developed countries to address from poaching and illegal trade in conservation groups in China. I wish wildlife poaching. Tanzania has recently wildlife and wildlife products. In my to commend our Executive Director, mobilized country-wide security checks previous letters, I have emphasized that Michael Gachanja, for pioneering to control wildlife poaching. Kenya has this threat has a global dimension which working linkages with wildlife enacted a wildlife law which entails long calls for collective actions by countries conservation groups in China. imprisonment and/or heavy fines for affected by and/or benefiting from the But, I am more encouraged by the poachers. The president of Uganda has chain of poaching, trade and markets recent actions taken by countries just issued a “shoot-to-kill” order on for wildlife and wildlife products. around the world to address this wildlife poachers. For new readers, I have stated before threat to wildlife. Last November, the Other countries are taking even that: “By far, the most worrying driver United States of America’s Fish and more radical action to control wildlife of wildlife poaching and illegal trade are Wildlife Agency carried out its first poaching and illegal trade. For example, the external markets which have opened public burning of illegally collected recent reports highlight that Indonesia’s up in the last few years, particularly in wildlife products in its commitment top Islamic body (Ulema Council) has China and far east. Larger quantities to eradicate the vice. Shortly after this issued religious fatwa against illegal of illegal shipment of Elephant tusks event, China followed with action on hunting and trade in endangered and Rhino horns are illegally traded similar lines. The affirmative action animals in the country. as more countries in the sub-region by China was a turning point since the If the current global attention and engage in development partnership, country is the world’s largest market for actions on controlling wildlife poaching trade and tourism ventures with China. wildlife products. The action by China and illegal trade are sustained, there Of course, it would be naïve to argue offered grounds for optimism among is new hope for wildlife conservation. that our countries should refrain environmental and conservation groups However, for some wildlife species from development partnership with around the world. Indeed, as EAWLS, already threatened with extinction, this China. However, we have to face this we are now proud to be linking up with window of optimism may not apply. It new challenge of a huge market for conservation groups in China. may already be too late. wildlife products posing a threat to our Moreover, many countries are taking wildlife populations. The long term commendable actions to stem wildlife Fredrick Owino solution may lie in measures to reduce poaching and illegal trade. The United Chairman the market through recourse to use of alternative non wildlife products. This would entail effective public education in that large new market. However, if we wait for that to happen, we will have lost our wildlife populations in this part of Africa”. A few readers responded to my previous letters rather negatively, arguing that I was trying to shift the blame away from poor governance in the wildlife-rich developing countries such as Kenya to developed countries offering large markets like China. I found little reason to press my argument in that direction any further. Instead, I pressed for direct engagement between our Society and the conservation fraternity in major

SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 15 director's letter

Tourism and unplanned development threaten Maasai Mara Game Reserve

developments – some positioned Overgrazing: Because of a history in ecologically sensitive areas. We of the Narok Council failing to involve thus have no regard for the tourist communities living next to the reserve carrying capacity of the reserve and in terms of benefit sharing, reducing for the ecological sustainability of human- wildlife conflict, etc., there is a this landscape. There is also a lot of complete disregard for the importance development on small parcels of land of this National Reserve in terms of outside the reserve. This is different a biodiversity resource underpinning from development in the private Kenya’s economic well being. This has conservancies, and is aimed at the engendered strong local resentment and budget tourism market, by avoiding when the grazing outside the reserve is the costs attached with staying in a no longer adequate, large numbers of conservancy or within the reserve. domestic livestock are introduced into These establishments drive the cost per the reserve to take advantage of the bed night down across the board. They better grazing inside. also add to the overcrowding problem in Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Of Other issues: These four issues, the 200 cars at a wildebeest crossing, should not imply no other issues exist. perhaps more than half have come from There is the growing problem of an properties outside the reserve. invasive species known as Parthenium, which is predicted to have a serious Overcrowding: This stems from the detrimental impact on the grazing overdevelopment issue as the number of quality of the Reserve. Then there people and vehicles visiting the park are are external factors such as the recent he Maasai Mara National causing a complete lack of respect for desire of the Tanzanian Government Reserve is regarded by many minimising disturbance to the wildlife. to build a tarmac highway only some Tas the most popular wildlife For example it is not an exaggeration to 30kms south of the Mara Reserve, destination in Kenya, particularly have over 200 vehicles lined up to watch without any regard to the consequences during the months the Wildebeest and the Wildebeest cross the Mara River to this ecosystem. These issues are Zebra move into and spend time in the and as the animals begin their crossing contributing to the lowering of Mara Mara. As a consequence the Reserve is to have every car start its engine and as a high wildlife tourism destination Kenya’s most visited site. But all is not surge forward to the river bank – often and if not checked this downward trend well and unless some urgent action is causing the Wildebeest to stop their will continue and the golden egg will taken, the Mara will be lost to Kenya as crossing. disappear. one of the wonders of the world and its status as a World Heritage Site will be Misuse of revenues: Over several Time to address the issues meaningless. The problems and issues decades, the Narok Council has received An opportunity to address the problem the Mara faces can be summarised as millions of US dollars per year by through the new Wildlife Conservation follows: way of revenues. There is little or no and Management Act 2013 exists. evidence of any of those revenues being This Act introduces the following new Over-development: This has come invested in infrastructure maintenance elements: about because of a total lack of regard or improvement; invested in community to following the provisions of the development or invested in reducing • No development will be approved Environment Management and Co- the costs born by local communities in the absence of a gazetted ordination Act (EMCA), which require bordering the reserve, such as management plan. an (EIA), public input and a Nema improving night time bomas so that • The 5th Schedule articulates what Licence issued, for any drop within domestic livestock are at a lower risk a management plan must contain, a protected area. As a result there from lion predation. including reference to tourist are a considerable number of illegal carrying capacities. In addition

16 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 director's letter

the plan must detail the participation of neighbouring communities in the preparation of the plan. • In addition to the requirement to articulate the incentives and benefit sharing that will be applied and distributed, at least 5% of the benefits from the Reserve shall be allocated to neighbouring communities.

These elements will help us work towards solving the issues outlined above. For EAWLS to undertake a lead in this advocacy initiative, a partnership with the tourism sector to ensure that good and accurate information is available, is needed. Nothing undermines advocacy work more than bad information. We are also seeking a commitment from the tourism players to undertake the advocacy work in a joined up manner in to achieve success by using reason and persuasion. Getting financial support to ensure there are adequate funds to see the work through to completion is also required. I am therefore making an appeal to our members to support this advocacy initiative for the Mara and other tourist destinations in East Africa.

Michael Gachanja Executive Director

SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 17 NEWS ROUNDUP

SURVEY SHOWS WEAK LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST KENYAN WILDLIFE CRIME

Pressure for stricter implementation single verdict that highlighted this problem,“ suspects were exclusively foreign – of Kenya’s anti-poaching and game the report says. mainly nationals of Asian origin. All trafficking laws is bound to increase “The study clearly showed that wildlife pleaded guilty but only one defendant after a landmark report by Wildlife related crime in Kenya is treated as a received a jail sentence of six months Direct showing that only 4% of offenders misdemeanour or petty crime and is in June 2013. During the period of the convicted of wildlife crimes went to jail. ‘mismanaged’ within the Kenyan court study, criminals were consistently given systems. Of the 743 cases registered, 70% lenient sentences and fines well below The report, covering January 2008 of the case files were reported missing or the maximum of KES 40,000/= (approx to June 2013, examines a total of misplaced in the courts. Only 202 files were USD$ 460). 743 pending and closed cases in the available to the study team for perusal, and registries of courts in towns close to key these were of cases against 314 offenders “It is also apparent that poor file and conservation areas such as Ambosilei, that had been concluded. case management is hindering the Isiolo, Laikipia, Maasai Mara, Samburu prosecution of wildlife related crime and Tsavo, as well as major ports. “224 offenders (78%) were found guilty of and that the full might of the existing crimes ranging from illegal hunting, illegal law is not being bought to bear on “A major finding of the study was that possessions of weapons with intent to kill offenders. There is a huge financial in total, only 4% of offenders convicted animals, trespassing in protected areas, incentive for non-compliance that has of wildlife crimes went to jail. In cases illegal possession of wildlife trophies, led to a culture of impunity amongst the of offences against elephants and dealing/ trafficking in wildlife etc. No case criminal fraternity and even within the rhinos which can potentially attract jail file could be found for ivory or rhino horn government departments responsible for sentences of up to 10 years, only 7% of trafficking in Mombasa despite frequent protecting these national assets. offenders in this category were jailed. news reports of ivory seizures in the Port Though there were frequent news of Mombasa and allegations that Mombasa “If this impunity is not stopped, Kenya reports of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is one of the world’s most notorious ports may be viewed as a safe haven for local, officers being arrested for involvement for ivory trafficking. In Nairobi’s Makadara as well as organized international wildlife in these crimes, the study did not find a Court which deals with airport arrests, traffickers, poachers and dealers,” it said.

TANA RIVER DELTA JOINS RAMSAR SITE LIST Tana River delta has been added to conservation and wise use of wetlands and It will also lead to increased funding for the list of Ramsar sites in Kenya at their resources. research, management and tourism. a ceremony that brought together The public awareness of the site will conservation enthusiasts, wetlands This global recognition calls for the also highlight its importance and experts and local community on January conservation of the Tana delta wetlands aesthetic value, leading to an increase 30 in Garsen, Tana River County. resources for sustainable development. in tourism directly stimulating economic It joins the list of other five designated It aims at eliminating progressive development of the area. Ramsar sites in Kenya namely Lakes encroachment on and loss of wetlands Naivasha, Nakuru, Bogoria, Elementaita now and in the future. It acknowledges the At 163,600 hectares, the delta is and Baringo. fundamental ecological functions of wetlands designated as an Important Bird Area by and their economic, cultural, scientific, and Birdlife International (IBA) as it shelters The Tana River delta site was officially recreational value. globally threatened birds. About 5000 declared a Ramsar site, under the breeding water birds from 13 species Ramsar Convention, in October The designation of the Tana River delta as a use it as a breeding site. The delta is 2012. The Convention on Wetlands of Ramsar site will encourage partnerships that the second most important estuarine International Importance (named after focus on watershed conservation efforts. It and deltaic ecosystem in Eastern Africa. the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the aims at dealing with off-site development It comprises a variety of freshwater, Convention was signed in 1971) is an that could threaten the biodiversity and floodplain, estuarine and coastal habitats intergovernmental treaty that provides ecosystem services provided by the site with extensive and diverse mangrove the framework for national action consequently increasing the area for wildlife systems. and international cooperation for the conservation at national level.

18 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 NEWS ROUNDUP

TSAVO ELEPHANT SURVEY SEES SHARP DROP IN NUMBERS Tsavo elephant population is at its lowest level in more than a decade. A group of volunteers flying over Kenya's Tsavo National Park counting WE DEAL WITH elephants has found in preliminary results that SALES AND numbers are down from 12,500 three years ago, to about 11,000. The count is not done regularly enough to be definitive but it does RENTAL OF LAND, appear to be the smallest recorded population since 2002. The volunteers used their own planes to help quantify just how many elephants are in the wildlife conservation area. By some estimates COMMERCIAL more than 80 elephants die every day across Africa simply for their tusks, but that is not the only challenge the animals face. "We've AND RESIDENTIAL seen opening up of natural vegetation, we've seen development of infrastructure such as houses, roads, market places and so on," said PROPERTIES Charles Musyoki, head of species research at the Kenya Wildlife Service. "And that had the effect of reducing the space that is www.tanzaniarealestateagent.com available for elephants and other animals to disperse to," Musyoki +255 785 856969 said.

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SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 19 NEWS ROUNDUP

methods to assist national and multinational responses the report says. INTERPOL DETAILS IVORY SEIZURES, OFFERS GUIDANCE The majority of large-scale ivory seizures have occurred in maritime ports. The ivory is hidden in shipping containers, and it is usually concealed by other lawful goods. By these methods East African ivory originating primarily from Tanzania has been transported directly to Asian maritime transit hubs, as well as through Uganda and Kenya to Asian hubs and consuming nations, with fewer known shipments to the Middle East. Such large-scale ivory shipments provide considerable opportunities to law enforcement agencies since maritime transport hubs represent logistics bottlenecks where ivory can be detected.

Interpol’s key recommendations are: 1. East African elephant range countries, and countries through which ivory transits, should create National Environment Security Task Forces (NESTs) – multi- agency cooperatives formed from police, customs, environmental agencies, other specialised agencies, prosecutors, and where appropriate non-governmental organisations, and inter- governmental partners. 2. East African elephant range countries are encouraged to use the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytical Toolkit to assess their effectiveness in addressing wildlife A February 2014 report by the International crimes. Police organistion Interpol says that 3. East African elephant range countries increased seizures of ivory indicate should create (where this has not already increased poaching, and sets out a number occurred) intelligence analysis and of recommendations to crack down on the investigation units dedicated to tackling illegal trade. wildlife crime. 4. East African elephant range countries “Eighteen large-scale seizures (over 500 should request INTERPOL Investigative kilograms) accounted for 41.6 tonnes of Support Teams to provide assistance illicit ivory in 2013. These seizures represent in evidence collection and analysis increases over previous years, mirroring pertaining to elephant poaching and ivory heightened rates of elephant poaching seizures. East African elephant range throughout Africa. A significant portion syndicates source ivory from several countries should examine methods to of ivory reaching international markets, hundred elephants for each shipment, impose multiple count indictments for especially in Asia, is derived from elephant and they bear the primary responsibility ivory trafficking offenses, including other populations in Tanzania. Moreover, large- for the drastic decline of African elephant serious crime types such as the murder scale ivory shipments typically indicate populations. As such, INTERPOL focused of government officials such as police the participation of organised crime, with on enhancing law enforcement responses and wildlife rangers, or the commission trafficking syndicates operating in multiple to elephant poaching and large-scale ivory of financial crimes including fraud, tax countries simultaneously. These crime trafficking in East Africa in order to identify evasion, and money laundering.

20 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 21 NEWS ROUND-UP

Royal AfricaN KENYAN GOVERNMENT SETS Foundation Wildlife UP SECURITY TASK FORCE ON Conservation WILDLIFE SECURITY The Kenyan government has put together Research Scholarships Up to 2007, the Society used to a Task Force to study widllife security and support research grants to students management after the recent surge in poaching to gather scientific information ivory and rhino horn trafficing. In addition, the for advocacy. If Society is to Task Force is also required to study the threats continue being a leader in proactive to wildlife habitat from encroachment, illegal advocacy, capacity to generate grazing, overdevelopment in protected areas, factual information is important. The etc. Society has therefore established a partnership with the Royal The task force, which includes EAWLS head African Foundation to support of Development Nigel Hunter, has a broad student research at Masters level mandate to look at security, security services, in the following areas; social and intelligence and the strategy of the Kenya environmental effects of large scale Wildlife Service (KWS) as it relates to private water development, oil and gas, and public conservancies, dispersal and energy, tourism, infrastructure and migration areas, etc. irrigation projects. This partnership will encourage good environmental The 16-member Task Force is mandated to students to get attracted to working hold public meetings and to seek submissions in the conservation arena. More on all matters relating to the safety of wildlife its information about this opportunity can terms of reference and to submit a report with be obtained from: recommendations by end of April 2014. [email protected]

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UGANDA RELEASES CONFISCATED IVORY FOR SALE On the day when the Ugandan media Ugandan, Congolese and Kenyan, reflecting “We are very dismayed by the said was focussed on the signing of a the international nature of wildlife crimes judgment and the likely implications controversial anti-gay bill into law by in Africa today. However following the it has for Uganda as a contracting Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni, confiscation of the material, the traffickers party to CITES Convention [and] ... 2.9 tonnes of ivory were released by the sought a court order to compel the URA to most importantly the damage this has country for sale in China and the United release the ivory, which they claimed had on tourism development and wildlife Arab Enirates (UAE). been imported legally. conservation in Uganda. A team of lawyers of the Uganda Wildlife Authority The Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA) Despite the traffickers never putting an (UWA) and URA have already filed had seized the ivory being smuggled appearance in court, and there being no a notice of appeal to challenge the through Uganda from the DR Congo documentation confirming the ivory entering judgement. We shall decisively pursue on 17 October last year. Reportedly Uganda, high court judge Justice Musalu the criminal prosecution of suspects consisting of 832 individual pieces, the Musene ruled in their favour and ordered (owners of the confiscated ivory) until haul is gruesome evidence of the deaths the ivory to be released for onward export. they are brought to book. Security of many hundreds of elephants and Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Tourism, agencies continue to pursue these has a market value of several million Wildlife and Antiquities, has expressed her suspects who are at large.” dollars. According to the Ugandan shock at this ruling: authorities the culprits behind it are

SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 23 BACKYARD WILDLIFE My Wild Life frica has unique wildlife that harmony. From bees that pollinate extremely important for wildlife, not only occurs in varied habitats from flowers to geckos that eat harmful can they provide food and shelter for a Asnow-capped peaks to sandy mosquitoes, from sunbirds that enthral huge range of plants and animals, but they white beaches. Africa also has one of the us, to chameleons and frogs that fascinate can form a natural "bridge" between built highest human population growth rates, us. This is YOUR opportunity to show up and open areas which allow wildlife which threatens vital animal and plant case what is “Your Wild Life”. to move between them relatively easily. habitats. Photographic technology is also In each issue we will select a winner Gardens can also provide particular changing at an exponential rate and many who will receive a prize. Even if you do habitats that may be missing in your local budding photographers seem obsessed not have a big garden or own a concrete area such as ponds and suitable foraging with shots of charismatic mega-fauna and patio, you will be surprised at what or nesting sites. seem to forget about the thousands of shelters in the nooks and crannies. If you Send your images to: different and spectacular animals that live live in town one of the best ways to help [email protected] and within or just outside where we stay. wildlife is to garden for wildlife. don’t forget to insert a three- SWARA has created this special This does not mean giving up on four sentence caption on why section on “My Wild Life” to showcase your herbaceous borders and letting you took that picture and what all those forgotten animals that play the nettles grow, but just adapting what story it tells. significant roles in maintaining ecological you may already be doing. Gardens are

My garden in Diani is visited regularly by a band of Angolan black and white colobus. Every so often we get a new member, as here with this adorable baby in the arms of mum. Photo by: DAN STILES

24 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 BACKYARD WILDLIFE

This greater bushbaby and sun squirrel are regular visitors to the Shimba Hills Lodge and will jump for an opportunity for a piece of fruit left lying on the table. PhotoS by: STEVE TROTT

During the dry season in South Coast water is scarce. This Sykes monkey is sucking water, even though it’s a bit salty, from the tap in my yard. Photo by: DAN STILES

The tranquility of my garden in Diani is occasionally disturbed by the raucous calls of Silvery-cheeked hornbills. The silver Nairobi can be amazing for raptors. This African cheek is well seen here. Yellow-billed Kite frequently perches on a power pole Photo by: DAN STILES and swoops down onto the garden for a scarp or two. Photo by: MUNIR VIRANI

SWARASWARA APRILAPRIL -- JUNEJUNE 2014 25 CONSERVATION

MARKS TURNING POINT IN WILDLIFE PROTECTION

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FELIX PATTON is a rhino ecologist, who writes and broadcasts about the species from Africa and Europe. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology and a PhD based on research into individual rhino identification and social behaviour. He is a frequent contributor to SWARA.

ebruary 13th, 2014 will be remembered as a day that the Fworld made great strides towards protecting iconic endangered species including elephants, rhinos, tigers and pangolins. On this day, over 40 countries signed a declaration which recognised “the significant scale and detrimental economic, social and environmental consequences of the illegal trade in wildlife” and made a set of political commitments to bring the trade to an end. East Africa was well represented with Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda all supporting the Declaration. The ‘London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade’ came about after a group of African presidents – in particular the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba - approached Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, with a plea to help them with the escalating poaching crisis that they were facing. With the support of his son Prince William, the Prince mustered support for many initiatives that preceded the Heads of Top: President Ian Khama of Botswana at the London Conference on The Illegal Wildlife States conference, hosted by the United Trade, 13 February 2014. Kingdom government, which they both Left page: The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry work together to attended along with Prince Harry. highlight Illegal Wildlife Trade. So what changes should the Conference Declaration bring about? Perhaps the most significant on, undermining sustainable economic It has latterly been embraced by development is the recognition that the development. The criminal activity and transnational criminal networks and illegal wildlife trade is a “serious crime” corruption associated with trafficking terrorist organisations. As such, it can which has far reaching consequences. restricts the potential for sustainable only be effectively tackled with the As the Declaration puts it: “the investment and development which is involvement of ministries and agencies illegal wildlife trade robs states and needed in new economic activities and beyond the wildlife conservation sector communities of their natural capital and enterprises.” and not just on a national basis but also cultural heritage, with serious economic The illegal trade in wildlife and transnationally. and social consequences. It undermines wildlife products has become the fourth Governments will have to be fully the livelihoods of natural resource most important criminal activity after engaged for this very significant dependent communities. It damages the drugs, arms and human trafficking change to succeed but it is not really health of the ecosystems they depend valued at up to US$20 billion a year. that difficult to get started as there

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Development Bank; the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and regional Wildlife Enforcement Networks. So, the infrastructure largely exists but what actions now need to be put in place to prevent illegal trade in wildlife? There is generally a sense of realism within the conservation community that total eradication of illegal trade is an unrealistic objective and that a real achievement would be to firstly stop the current escalation of the killings – currently at some 22,000 elephants and over 1,000 rhinos per year – and then limit the killings to the lowest level possible. There are two sides to the killings/ Foreign Secretary William Hague answers questions from the media at the end of the London trade – on one hand there is the supply Conference on The Illegal Wildlife Trade, 13 February 2014. of the products while on the other there is the demand for the products. This creates a continuum from the poacher are already many bodies that support comprise the International Consortium to the end user. At each end there are governments in the other fields of on Combating Wildlife Crime); the UN large numbers of people involved (and international crime, in particular: the Commission on Crime Prevention and therefore more difficult to tackle in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Criminal Justice; the UN Convention short term) than in the middle where Crime; International Criminal Police against Transnational Organized the number of wholesalers and traders, Organization (INTERPOL); the World Crime and the UN Convention against often referred to as “kingpins” are Customs Organization; the World Bank; Corruption; the United Nations few (where strong action can lead to and the Convention on International Environment Programme; the United immediately effective results). Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Nations Development Programme; the Many countries have regarded illegal Fauna and Flora (which together African Development Bank; the Asian wildlife trade – from poaching to using

The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry with delegates in session at the London Conference.

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Top: HRH The Duke of Cambridge with actor Jackie Chan at the reception for the London Conference. Below: Prince Harry listens to speeches by foreign leaders at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference at Lancaster House on February 13, 2014 in London, England.

– as a minor crime and either have and prison sentences to perpetrators. for a successful prosecution and this weak penalties or judiciary that give The Declaration calls on other countries requires appropriate investigative tools minimal penalties for those prosecuted. to follow suit and adopt stringent and techniques including intelligence This is already changing with South deterrent sanctions implementing “the networks, traceability systems like Africa announcing some recent heavy UN Conventions against Transnational micro-chipping rhino horns, detector sentences to guilty persons and Kenya Organized Crime, and ensure that their dogs, ballistic analysis and the use adopting a new wildlife bill that enables domestic offences involving wildlife of existing forensic technology. The the judiciary to give significant fines trafficking fall within the definition newly opened Kenya Wildlife Service of “serious crime” in Article 2 of the (KWS) forensic laboratory in Nairobi, Convention”. for example, offers increasing capacity Prior to prosecution, there has to obtain evidence against poachers to be evidence. Many of the early and traders as will wider use of the prosecutions of poachers and traders International Consortium on Combating fell down for lack of, or incorrectly Wildlife Crime (ICCWC )Wildlife and collected, evidence. But first there needs Forest Crime Analytical Toolkit. to be more law enforcement officers at The Conference acknowledged the key sites who should be well equipped role that corruption and bribery was and well trained to catch the poachers playing in facilitating the illegal trade before, during or after an incident. The in wildlife at all levels in the chain and ability to link a poacher or a trader requested a zero tolerance policy. The to an individual killing is essential Declaration urges “all governments to

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HRH The Duke of Cambridge speaking at the London Conference on The Illegal Wildlife Trade at the Natural History Museum, 12 February 2014.

become parties to, and implement, the support is important to ensure lengthy delays in getting evidence that UN Convention against Corruption, that demand reduction efforts are all agree on. which can be a valuable tool to prevent implemented on the scale and in the What will clearly be to some a corruption and foster international time-frame needed to have a meaningful controversial action in the Declaration cooperation in corruption cases, impact. However it then states that is the encouragement of Governments including extradition, mutual legal “actions should be scientific and clearly “that have stockpiles of illegal products, assistance and asset recovery”. evidence based, building on research particularly of high value items such as If there was no, or at least a into users’ values and behaviour”. rhino horn or elephant ivory, to destroy much reduced, market for wildlife The two actions may be in conflict as them”. There are conservationists that products the killing would also stop. research results that are approved by believe that destroying stockpiles sends Key to demand reduction is raising the scientific/academic community can the wrong message to the illegal traders awareness and changing behaviour. The often be time consuming. Some short in so far as it reduces the (potential Declaration states that Government cuts may have to be taken to avoid legal) supply thereby possibly increasing

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the value of remaining stocks with a consequent increase in poaching. It seems illogical to suggest on one hand that demand eradication actions are evidence based and then, on the other, to encourage an action that has no evidence base. In addition, the clause goes on to “renounce, as part of any Government procurement or related activity, the use of products from species threatened with extinction, except for the purposes of bona fide scientific research, law enforcement, public education and other non-commercial purposes in line with national approaches and legislation”. This seems to stamp out any future requests for a legal trading system without any credible research being available to show evidence that such a system would cause potential harm. Foreign Secretary William Hague meeting President Ian Khama of Botswana at the London Conference on The Illegal Wildlife Trade, 13 February 2014. The countries most often implicated in the demand for illegal wildlife products - Vietnam, China and Laos – were represented at the Conference. Much of the resurgence in rhino threatened with extinction or products poaching, trafficking or demand so, as poaching has been found to be due to made from them. Status is often implied the Declaration states it is important to the horn being used as a status symbol from the perceived value of a good and “minimise speculation in endangered and gift to business partners and value may not simply be monetary. The wildlife products by opposing the use of officials. As a counter to such uses, the product might have health or other misleading, exaggerated or inaccurate Declaration calls on the private sector benefits. False claims as to the value of information”. to adopt zero tolerance policies on a wildlife product, (such as rhino horn In many wildlife areas, often adjacent corporate gifting or accepting of species is a cure for cancer), could stimulate to protected parks and reserves, there is no income generating opportunities for the surrounding communities. It is therefore vital for communities in these situations to be able to obtain a sustainable livelihood from the wildlife. If the wildlife disappears due to illegal trade, so does the livelihoods of the communities. Conserving wildlife through shared management responsibilities such as community conservancies, public-private partnerships, sustainable tourism and revenue-sharing agreements is seen in the Declaration as being essential to “increase capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities and eradicate poverty”. Governmental development policies and planning should also take account of measures to address illegal wildlife Southwater Infant Academy, Horsham present a cardboard elephant to Foreign Secretary William trade. Hague during the London Conference on The Illegal Wildlife Trade, 13 February 2014.

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Prince Harry, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales join other delegates for a family photo at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference at Lancaster House on February 13, 2014 in London, England.

So where do we go from here? lot more needs to be known - on the when there is to be another high-level It was recognised that many of the links between wildlife crime and other conference, this time in Botswana, real political commitments made in the organised crime and corruption, the progress is made in countering the Declaration would require substantial links to terrorism, the underlying causes illegal wildlife trade. funding. Donors were urged to “provide and implications of trade, including the The Conference also heard first-hand resources, support and technical effects on regional stability and security, from the Presidents of Botswana, Chad, assistance” to add to on-going financing the environment, socio-economic Gabon and Tanzania, and the Foreign such as the Global Environment Facility development, and on international Minister of Ethiopia, who announced (GEF). relations. the proposal of an Elephant Protection The United Nations General Assembly Time is of the essence for many Initiative to secure new funding from was to be asked to establish a Special endangered species. ‘Actions speak private and public sources for the Representative to the Secretary General louder than words’ and it is now implementation of the African Elephant to further the fight against illicit wildlife essential to see the actions agreed at Action Plan. trafficking. It has been suggested that the London Conference being rapidly such an office would be ideal to act as implemented so that come early 2015 a monitor of the progress being made by individual countries in living up to their commitments and reducing illegal The Declaration can be downloaded in full free on the web at: wildlife trade. https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/illegal-wildlife-trade-2014 Most important will be to base all decisions on good and accurate The Elephant Protection Initiative can be downloaded free on the web at: information – of the markets and https://www.gov.uk/government/news/decisive-action-agreed-on-illegal- dynamics of illegal wildlife trade wildlife-trade and the progress in combating it. A

32 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 CONSERVATION A RETIRED TUG TO THE RESCUE OF A KENYAN MARINE PARK

BY Sander den Haring he was a tugboat and oil industry commonly used method and the most is a conservation biologist and diving support vessel. profitable for the owner), or use the who has resided in Kenya She worked in the North Sea, vessel to create an artificial reef. since 2004 and since then has S spearheaded various marine Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Tanzania, The latter option has gained global conservation projects involving Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, momentum in the past two decades, local school children, recreational South Africa, Eritrea, UAE, Turkey, especially for decommissioned navy resource users (scuba divers and snorkelers) and residents along the Kenyan Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, vessels. Artificial reefs have been coastline. He has worked in East Africa, Latin Singapore and Indonesia. created out of an abundance of America, The Caribbean, The Middle East and Now 48 years old, it is time for the materials - ships, army tanks, subway Europe. His most recent undertaking has been MPV Fish Eagle to retire. But she cars, used car tyres, specially produced a PhD project in the Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve, Kenya, from James Cook University, will still be in service - creating an concrete structures, cars, airplanes, Australia. Currently Sander is a diving consultant artificial reef in the Mombasa Marine lighthouse ships, oil rigs, and sand bags. for Buccaneer Diving, an underwater photographer Park and Reserve, helping to create an They have been used for a variety and the project coordinator for the Fish Eagle environment in which coral and their of purposes - habitat enhancement Project. cousins can shelter. for sport divers, fishermen and When a vessel reaches the age and/or reefs, museums, memorial sites that state of retirement there is generally one offer a ‘green’ alternative to burial, of two possible options: decommission enhancement of surfing areas, coastal of the vessel for scrap metal (the most protection, port barriers and political

MPV Fish Eagle completing a fuel delivery to Kismayo in 1985. Insert: The MPV Fish Eagle at the Comarco base in 2013.

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The engine room of the MPV Fish Eagle undergoing cleaning and preparation. Note how holes have been cut in the ceiling to allow the twin 16 cylinder engines to be removed via crane. These openings also act as comfortable entry points for penetrating wreck divers.

statements. Currently the largest Intentionally creating artificial reefs Marine Contractors Ltd. has chosen a artificial reef is the USS Oriskany with a in Kenya started in 2002 with the similar fate for the decommissioned length of 276m and a width of 39m. sinking of two decommissioned vessels. vessel in a bid to return something to The MPV Fish Eagle is a multi The MV Alpha Fungua, a 44.5m fishing the Mombasa area. purpose vessel that was originally built vessel, was sunk in February 2002 off This conservation initiative aims in Germany by J.G. Hitzler Schiffswerft the coast of Diani by Diving the Crab to create a new reef in the Mombasa (Hitzler shipyard) in 1966. The MPV and Forest Dream Diving. The MV Marine by creating shelter and habitat Fish Eagle is 52.85m long and 11m wide. Dania was a 77m cattle carrier that was for fish, and by providing substrate She has four different deck levels: the sunk in October 2002 by Buccaneer for coral and other invertebrates to bridge, the officer’s deck, the crew deck Diving off the coast of Mombasa. Diving attach on to. The location will be on a and the engine room/bilge level. Her the Crab then sunk a 5-seater Piper flat sandy area about 250m off of the early days were spent as an oil field Apache 160 in 2004 whilst Buccaneer main fringing reef within the park off supply vessel in the North Sea. In the Diving teamed up with CORDIO- the Shanzu coast. This barren, sandy early 1980s a British company called East Africa, Lafarge Ecosystems and area currently offers no shelter or Eagle Tugs Ltd. bought her and changed KWS to create artificial reef modules substrate and therefore attracts little her name from the original Fangturm (ARM’s) that were deployed in the wildlife. Once the ship is sunk, it will to Fish Eagle. The company positioned lagoon of the Mombasa Marine Park not only attract huge schools of fish her in Mombasa to assist with the rising in 2007. These concrete structures and other diverse marine life, as have oil industry in Madagascar. MPV Fish were cast from a special type of cement the MV Dania and MV Alpha Fungua, Eagle was purchased by Kenya Marine produced by Lafarge that has a similar but also recreational scuba divers. The Contractors Ltd. in 1997 and has been pH to seawater thereby preventing local diving industry will be given a based in Mombasa ever since. MPV Fish the leaching of any cement toxins into great boost having a dive site such as Eagle performed her multi-facetted jobs the surrounding environment. The this to offer, and the wreck’s popularity with distinction; however, the time has MPV Fish Eagle will become the latest has already been guaranteed by local come to retire her. intentional artificial reef as Kenya support and interest.

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Top left: The 8 ton crane being prepared for removal. Interestingly, this is the same crane that was on the MV Dania prior to being sunk as an artificial reef in 2002.

Top right: The deck of the MPV Fish Eagle in November 2013. Most of the debris seen in this photo was removed from the engine room and bilge level of the MPV Fish Eagle.

Bottom: The bridge of the MPV Fish Eagle in December 2013. The bridge was completely cleaned of all wall panels, electrical cabling, insulation materials, windows and wood.

The cleaning and preparation of the vessel was completed in February and an environmental inspection was conducted that deemed the vessel safe and ready to be sunk. The Kenya Wildlife Service invited representatives of National Environment Management Kenya Marine Contractors Ltd. has an environmentally friendly manner. Authority (NEMA), Kenya Ports generously donated not only the vessel, Furthermore, all machinery, including Authority (KPA), Kenya Navy and but also the cleaning and preparation of the engines, electrical material and KMA to assist with the environmental the vessel. Before a vessel can be sunk wiring, wall paneling and insulation inspection. The vessel is scheduled to be as an artificial reef, it must be cleaned of material has been removed. The length sunk late March 2014. all materials toxic to the environment. of the removed electrical wires was There are two ways to sink a vessel This includes all lubricants, oil, estimated to be many kilometers. intentionally. One method uses diesel and other hydrocarbons, and After the vessel was cleaned, it was explosives to create holes in the hull refrigeration coolants. More than prepared for diver safety: doorways to allow water to begin flooding the 40,000 litres of contaminated liquids were widened, windows were removed, various bilge compartments of the have been removed from the vessel. access holes were cut throughout the vessel. These controlled explosions These fluids have been transported vessel and any areas deemed unsafe for would usually be paired with more to a facility that disposes of them in diver visits were permanently sealed. explosives to create holes throughout

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the vessel, allowing water to not only flood the vessel but also allowing air to escape. The placing of these explosives, and the amount of explosives, require very detailed methods to prevent the vessel from being reduced to a series of metal piles, or to stop the vessel from turning turtle, which could happen if the water flooding, and the air escaping the vessel do not occur in unison. A more controlled method to sink a vessel intentionally is to flood the vessel by either removing the seacocks of the vessel, or manually pumping water into the vessel. This is the method that will be used to bring the Fish Eagle into the depths. Holes have been strategically cut throughout the length of the vessel to allow the water flooding in to run evenly along the length and width axes Top: The Kenya Wildlife Service preparing moorings which will be attached to the vessel. These of the ship. This will enable her to sink moorings will be used to identify the site of the MPV Fish Eagle by dive operators enabling them to evenly and prevent her form turning send divers to dive the artificial reef. over as water billows into her hold. Below: Members of the inspection team during the inspection of the MPV Fish Eagle. On the morning of the sinking it is expected that MPV Fish Eagle will be towed out of the Kenya Marine Approximately 1.5 hours later she will future diving clientele. The KWS is also Contractors Ltd. base at 0600 hrs. She arrive at her final resting place at a actively supporting this project and will will arrive at her final destination by depth of 28m. work with the dive centers to raise the about 0800 hrs and it is expected to To raise awareness of this endeavor profile of the upcoming dive site. The take 1-2 hours to maneuver her into various events are planned to introduce entire process--cleaning preparation, the correct position for sinking. A residents and visiting tourists to this towing, sinking, first marine life--of the bow anchor will be dropped followed new dive site. The local dive centres MPV Fish Eagle project will be captured by a stern anchor to maintain this operating within the Mombasa Marine in a small documentary film. position and after the final checks have Park and Reserve have all embraced this Furthermore, video cameras will been conducted, the seacocks will be initiative and have already generated be mounted throughout the vessel to opened to allow the water to enter. enthusiasm with their current and capture the sinking from the vessel’s point of view. It is expected that stunning footage of the sinking will be captured. Various locations throughout the vessel have been identified that will be used to create a time-lapse film of those areas. This time-lapse technique has already captured how those areas have been cleaned and prepared and soon they will include the transformation of life underwater on those areas. The MPV Fish Eagle is expected to become a prime dive destination of the Kenyan Coast. For more information on the MPV Fish Eagle please contact any dive center in the Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve, or the Project Coordinator at: [email protected]. Alternatively please visit: www.divefisheagle.com.

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FELIX PATTON is a rhino ecologist, who writes and broadcasts about the species from Africa and Europe. He has an MSc in Conservation Biology and a PhD based on research into individual rhino identification and social behaviour. He is a frequent contributor to SWARA.

ew terminology is gradually entering the vocabulary of the Nmodern conservationist. At the top of the list is RE-WILDING. But, as with many other conservation terms, it is open to the widest of definitions to suit the individuals needs. In essence, rewildling is the restoration and protection of big wilderness areas together with wide ranging, large animals – particularly carnivores. So where did rewilding come from? A 1998 paper in the journal Wild Earth by Soule and Noss describes how conservationists realised that protecting species in relatively small, isolated areas, (effectively islands), From Top Left clockwise: Grizzly bear, Gray wolf, could result in demographic and American Black bear and Cougar genetic accidents, environmental Another North American rewilding fluctuations and catastrophe. The project proposes replacing the large answer was to also have bigness and and wolves or bears were no longer carnivores and herbivores that connectivity. The authors, concerned present.Michael Soule established the disappeared from North America principally with North America, said Wildlands Project which has since 13,000 years ago. Under the plan, called three essential features were needed to become the Wildlands Network with the Pleistocene "re-wilding," close cousins define rewildling – strictly protected vision of creating four Wildways, (large and counterparts of the lost beasts, core reserves, that were connected and corridors for wildlife) spanning North obtained mostly from Africa, would had carnivores. Carnivores are essential America’s coasts: The Eastern, Western, be released into large, protected tracts in order to control the population of Pacific and Boreal Wildways. The of land and allowed to roam freely. herbivores and small predators with the Wildways are constructed by protecting Ideally, such actions would not only authors using the example of the havoc core areas connected to one another give back to parts of North America that had been caused by deer that had by corridors or linkages. These are an approximation of their long-ago become out of control in the absence of essentially mosaics of connected public megafauna diversity, they would also cougars and wolves. It was also difficult and private lands that provide habitat help save animals such as the African to call a wilderness area truly “wild” and safe passageways for wildlife to cheetah from extinction. Pleistocene where top carnivores such as cougars travel freely from place to place. re-wilding is also justified on economic

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From Top Left clockwise: Anatolean leopard, Eurasian wolf and European lynx.

grounds, with "ecological history parks" in economically depressed regions of the Great Plains, creating management and tourism jobs for people living in the surrounding towns. The argument goes that as it was mostly human disturbance that led to species becoming extinct, it is right for humans to replace them as best as is currently possible. In Europe, the Anatolian Leopard Foundation was formed in 2009 to investigate the survival of the other than ‘saving’ far away places with sustainable development of a Anatolian leopard subspecies in the large roaming herbivore herds chased Romanian municipality”. In Romania, Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey. about by big predators. They say that the traditional way of life, largely a However, it is now thought that it Rewilding is about caring for landscape balanced system of livestock herding, is probably extinct so the focus has and biological diversity, no matter what agroforestry and wildlife, is threatened been broadened under the banner scale is involved. by rural abandonment, with new of the Rewildling Foundation. While A simple example of how rewildling generations seeking their fortune in committed to the fundamental of big can work in practice is their Project: the cities. The objective of the project wilderness areas, the Foundation “Conserving large mammals and their is to provide viable socio-economical states that there are opportunities habitat as incentive for ecological incentives for the ecologically sustainable development of Vama Buzaului, a county in Transylvania, Romania. The area is reported to have the potential to develop and integrate, green tourism, small business & industry, alternative living, energy production, agriculture and education. The Romanian Carpathians mountains are a mosaic of meadows, forests and gardens of great biodiversity. The village of Vama Buzaului is situated next to the protected EU Natura 2000 area of Ciucaş ,which has sizeable large carnivore populations of bear, wolf and lynx. The presence of the wolf, for example, has considerable revenue earning potential as an attractor for eco-tourists.

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From Top Left clockwise: European bisons, European beaver and Chamois.

A special opportunity for the Vama Buzaului community is the reintroduction of the European (lowland) bison in the region, including the Ciucaş Natura 2000 reserve. Fabian Roth, a village council member and manager of the Zimbri Park (Bison Park) next to the village, has developed a bison herd consisting of stock from Poland, Austria, Italy and France. The herd has experienced the birth of several calves and, if proved to be scientifically appropriate, it is planned for a group of at least 30 animals to be released in the surrounds of Vama Buzaului. The rare bison would be another attraction for eco-tourists. A more substantial rewilding project is also under development in Romania, in the southern Carpathian Mountains. Three existing protected areas, which together offer a wide variety of ecosystems and cover 225,000 hectares, are the starting point. Within this, a wilderness area of at least 100,000 hectares is planned with missing species such as the European bison and beaver being reintroduced. Deer and chamois would be allowed to flourish in the absence of hunting. Eco-tourism and other business opportunities would be developed within the surrounding communities to bring greater prosperity to the region.

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Kavango Zamabezi Map

The rewilding area is within the larger the largest contiguous population Black rhinos were to be moved into a South Western Carpathians Wilderness of elephants in Africa with around special part of the Sera Community Area project, run by WWF Romania 250,000 individuals and so is sure to Conservancy in the Samburu East and covering 11 Protected Areas, which become a major tourist destination District of Northern Kenya, thereby offers scope for further expansion over bringing economic prosperity to the adding to the rewilding of an area that time for the rewilding activities. region. would have historically supported free There are examples of forms of Near the end of 2013 in Kenya, the roaming black rhinos. rewilding in Africa. The developing Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of A more controversial form of Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier the Environment, Water and Natural rewilding being suggested in North Conservation Area is due to link Resources Professor Judi Wakhungu America is the introduction of currently 36 national parks, game reserves, was reported in the press as saying available species that are closely related community conservancies and game that idle land should be used to create to extinct species. The reasoning management areas covering parts of space for wildlife. It was suggested that goes that as little as 13,000 years Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia county governments, communities and ago elephants, lions, cheetahs and and Zimbabwe. By creating corridors individual land owners should sell or camels roamed across North America between conservancies, areas with an lease such land to the Kenya Wildlife so why shouldn’t their close cousins over abundance of elephants, as in Service (KWS) to host growing wildlife and counterparts be brought into Botswana, will obtain some relief as populations while KWS were directed specially protected areas, particularly dispersal of their populations to areas to intensify translocation of wildlife in the Great Plains region which where historic poaching has devastated from areas whose ecological systems is in desperate need for economic their numbers, such as in Zambia and were overstretched to free areas to rejuvenation. The lack of these key Angola - effectively a form of rewilding ensure vibrant growth of their numbers. species is reported to have led to a loss – occurs. KAZA will be able to boast In January, it was announced that 15 of biodiversity with species such as

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rats and dandelions among other pests and weeds gradually over-running the landscape. Founder stock would mainly come from African and Asian species currently held in captivity and the resultant populations would act as a buffer against the rapid decline of many species being experienced in Africa and Asia. It would, it is suggested, also offer a refuge from the effects of global climate change that could affect Africa in particular, or economic and political strife all of which could lead to the eventual extinction of the worlds remaining camels, elephants, cheetahs and lions. Europe offers many opportunities for this type of rewilding as many of its lost species still survive or have close wild or domestic relatives elsewhere in the world. The European bison, Musk ox and Fallow deer have already been re-established. Scientists are suggesting that the Asiatic lion, leopard, spotted hyena, dhole, (Asiatic wild dog), Asiatic elephant and Asiatic wild ass could be established in appropriate current or new protected areas throughout Europe. Humans have, and continue to be, largely been responsible for the loss of a huge number of species from North America and Europe and are increasingly threatening African and Asian wildlife. Rewilding is a way of reversing this trend. Perhaps a more controversial approach to rewilding is the use of the latest scientific and technological developments to save all-but-extinct species or re-introduce extinct species to their former habitats. This is termed “De-extinction” and is the subject for From Top clockwise: Asiatic wild ass, Asiatic lion and Dhole. the July-September edition of SWARA.

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hat do the Mau Complex, but also the discourse of government plant species absorbs and retains far Mount Elgon, Mount Kenya, officials. So we now have a Kenya Water more water than farmland or any other Wthe Cherangany Hills, and Tower Agency, under the Ministry form of vegetation. Water sinks into the the Aberdares have in common? They of Environment, Water and Natural soil under trees at 67 times the rate at all have forests, and are now classified Resources, charged with the protection which it sinks into the soil under grass as 'water towers'. Over the past decade of Kenya's highland forests. (according to a recent study on flood and a half there has been a quantum A mountain forest plays an prevention in the UK). The roots of the shift in attitudes and understanding in irreplaceable role in water catchment, trees provide channels down which Kenya about upland forests, their value, retention and release. The highland the water flows, deep into the ground. and how to protect them. The phrase itself causes clouds to form, which drop The soil there becomes a sponge, a 'water tower' has entered the vocabulary their moisture in the form of rain or reservoir that sucks up water and then of not only dedicated conservationists mist. A mountain forest with its myriad releases it slowly into the water table,

PETER COLERIDGE Born in Tanzania and a former resident in Kenya, Peter Coleridge is a writer and researcher on community development and environmental issues.

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streams and rivers, ensuring a steady flow throughout the year. Destroy the forest and rain water will pour off in flash floods, causing erosion, destroying the topsoil, triggering landslides, and playing havoc with agriculture, communities, and hydropower installations downstream. This is common knowledge; no rocket science here. But upland forests in Kenya have been under severe and sustained threat for years, losing some 5,000 hectares of tree cover a year. Now finally the penny has dropped that, unless drastic action is taken, what will be lost is not just trees, animals and biodiversity. Collectively highland forests cover about 2% of Kenya's land surface, but their value to the country's Top:The Mount Kenya Trust Elephant Corridor team maintain a full spec or 'total' fence. Middle: The fence, showing chain link being buried to prevent burrowing animals. environmental stability, economic Below: Two strand fence built by Mount Kenya Trust allowing access to humans and cattle. development and human well-being is, literally, priceless. In 1989 Rhino Ark was founded to build a 38 kilometre electric game- proof fence around the Salient of the

Aberdares. Initially the urgency of It was a momentous decision, the task was driven by the need to truly inspiring in its audacity, protect the fast disappearing Black commitment and vision. It put rhino, Bongo, Giant forest hog, and down a highly visible marker that other rare animals, but as the fence a water tower must be preserved at crept along the edge of the forest, a all costs. It ranks as one of Kenya's better understanding of the social most significant success stories in and environmental dynamics of conservation. water towers grew - a phrase first In 2011, two years after the last used in Kenya in 1999. It was realised post was driven in, Rhino Ark that the fence not only stopped commissioned a major independent humans getting into the forest to report by a team from the University poach, make charcoal, fell trees, and of Nairobi, endorsed by United farm illegally, but it also stopped Nations Environment Program animals, especially elephants, from (UNEP), Kenya Wildlife Service getting out and destroying crops on (KWS), and the Kenya Forests shambas along the forest edge. This Working Group (KFS). Entitled meant that farmers next to the forest The Environmental, Social and welcomed the fence, and saw it as Economic Assessment of the Fencing entirely in their interests to maintain of the Aberdare Conservation it. It was a win-win: the forest was Area, it lists the environmental preserved and consequently the benefits: a 20.6% increase in forest water tower, the animals were safe, cover between 2005 and 2010, and the farmers were happy. The a 54% decrease in open areas, a decision was taken to fence the entire measurable increase in numbers of 400 km perimeter of the Aberdares, wild animals, and remarkably, a 47 enclosing 2000 square kilometres. It % increase in exotic tree plantations took 20 years, cost over $12 million, outside the fenced area. Farmers are and was completed in 2009. increasingly seeing the importance

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From Top Left clockwise: Charcoal burning, Illegal logging, Carrying charcoal for sale and of trees grown on their own land for 646 million (US$ 6.9 million) annually. Shambas showing forest encroachment. fuel wood, building materials, and For Nairobi, where almost all the windbreaks. domestic water comes from above and The study also recorded socio- below ground sources in the Aberdares economic benefits: farmers on the forest and Mount Kenya, the value given is forest land for marijuana growing, and edge have seen increased household KES 1.46 billion (US$ 15.6 million) fires, as the most destructive practices. incomes and land values (as high as annually. It found that unless effective protection 300% in some cases) due to improved Upland forests in Kenya highlight measures were put in place, the farmland security, better crop yields, four crucial issues: conservation of integrity of the forest, already in great and safer living conditions. Crop wildlife, the human-wildlife conflict, jeopardy, could be decimated within a destruction by wildlife has been all but pressure on fertile land from an few decades. eliminated and children walking to exploding population, and the long- The 1999 aerial survey report school face fewer risks from animals. term economic value of water towers in produced an immediate and sustained Cattle rustling using the forest as an their own right. A well conceived and outcry, nationally and internationally. escape route has ceased and disease managed electric fence addresses all As a result, a country-wide ban was transmission between wildlife and four. imposed on the commercial exploitation livestock has greatly reduced. In 1999, while the Aberdares fence of all forest reserves in Kenya. The But the most important finding of was under construction, awareness of Mount Kenya National Reserve the study was the importance of the forest destruction on Mount Kenya was was gazetted to provide enhanced Aberdares as a water tower. The value given a massive jolt by a report based on conservation status of the entire forest of providing domestic water to central an aerial survey commissioned by KWS. belt on the mountain. Kenya, parts of the Rift Valley and the It identified illegal logging on a huge National legislation is one thing, but Tana River valley is estimated at KES scale, charcoal production, clearing ultimately, as Colin Church, the former

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Top: Mwanza-mweno women's self-help group tree nursery. The Mount Kenya Trust was burners, and illegal loggers. These Below Left: Mount Kenya Trust patrol with confiscated charcoal cart and Elephant snare. set up in 1999 with an immediate patrols operate jointly with (KWS) who Below Right: Mount Kenya Trust mounted understanding of this crucial point: its provide armed rangers. patrol. aim is to conserve the forest through In gathering material for this article, local community action. The Trust I spoke to many communities around encourages and supports community- the mountain. Without exception they run tree nurseries producing indigenous understood the importance of the forest seedlings; it raises awareness in schools and were, often passionately, committed chair of the Rhino Ark Management about the ecology and value of the to its preservation. They had their own Committee and a key driving force forest; it has installed a two-strand vigilante groups to alert patrols to the behind the Aberdares fence, says: electric fence to protect crops from presence of poachers or other illegal 'The community is the key. Forest elephants along most of the western activity. Statements like: 'We make sure conservation will only be effective National Reserve boundary; and it there are no charcoal burners in our if the community around the forest has three patrols (including one on area' were common. understands its importance and is horseback) on the mountain, whose job Joseph Gitonga, who farms four acres committed to it.' is to look for snares, poachers, charcoal on the forest edge above Nanyuki, told

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Top Left clockwise: Sykes monkey in the forest, Takazze sunbird and a Young waterbuck.

built in less than 10 years. This comes as good news indeed to Joseph Gitonga and the thousands of farmers like him on the mountain. The success of the fence in maintaining the integrity of the forest depends on how far it is valued by the communities around the mountain, and on the quality of those who manage it. Christian Lambrechts, the present CEO of Rhino Ark, referring to the Aberdares fence, says: 'The fence is a management tool. It is only as good as its management, in particular of the gates. Has crop destruction on farms around the forest edge stopped? Yes. Has poaching stopped? This depends largely on those who maintain the fence and man the gates.' Building the fence is a landmark step. Maintaining it in perpetuity, at a cost of $15,000 per kilometre, depends on a commitment by local communities and by government, which depends in turn on a sustained understanding of the importance of water towers. me. 'Before the Mount Kenya Trust per kilometre, far beyond the reach of Maurice Nyaligu of the Mount Kenya installed the two strand fence, we used local communities. A national water Trust says: 'Local communities must see to have to stay up all night to guard our tower needs a national response to the fence not as a barrier but as an asset maize crop from elephants. The fence protect it. The clear success of the they cannot do without.' has stopped the elephants, but we still Aberdares fence has persuaded the Evidence from the Aberdares suggests have problems with porcupines, wild government and large donors that an that this understanding has taken pig, baboons, bushbuck and buffalo, electric fence is the best solution to root at all levels. On Mount Kenya which can easily get underneath. We protect Kenya's water towers. In August the persistent and determined work need a big fence to stop all the animals. 2013 Rhino Ark planted the first post of done with communities by the Mount And we know that it will also protect the a fence on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya Trust over 15 years has built a forest, and the streams and rivers that Kenya. It will eventually run for 450 consensus which promises well for the flow out of it.' kilometres on the forest edge. Because future of the forest. On our beleaguered A comprehensive game-proof electric the government and big donors now planet this is very good news indeed. fence costs Ksh 2,500,000 ($31,250) understand its importance, it should be

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Part three by Dan Stiles

DAN STILES Began in anthropology with a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, Dan Stiles has studied natural resource management and wildlife trade from the level of hunter-gatherer up to senior government and international organization official. He has worked in academia, for the United Nations as staff and consultant and for various NGOs such as IUCN, TRAFFIC, Save the Elephants and many more. He has lived in Kenya almost continuously since 1977.

“I firmly believe the fact that a determined and criminal attempt to supply animals illegally taken from the wild was foiled sends a very clear message to those Ammann decries the fact that these supposed protectors of apes – Drori, Cress and Redmond – will who may wish to trade illicitly in not speak out to rescue the hundreds of great apes that have been illegally imported by China, and more are on the way. wildlife that CITES is determined that they will not succeed… I hope...that the gorillas…can … help graphically illustrate programme with Nigeria’s Ibadan Zoo, shipped from Guinea to China with C the risks posed to endangered and that the gorillas were captive-bred, Source codes – indicating they were species by illegal trade in even though the Ibadan Zoo’s only living bred in captivity – it would seem the wildlife... I believe that it has gorilla was an elderly female and the lesson was not learned. Over 10 years provided valuable lessons from last male had been stuffed after dying after the Taiping Four, gorillas and which everyone involved in CITES and was on public display. In reality, a other great apes are still being illegally must learn.” – wildlife dealer in Nigeria had trafficked trafficked out of Africa with fraudulent the wild gorillas from Cameroon and CITES C Source Codes. The major Willem Wijnstekers, former CITES Secretary-General, July 2003 reportedly received a combined price of difference between the Taiping Four USD 1.6 million for them. The gorillas case and the Conakry Connection is were transported under valid CITES that the recipient country, China, and ijnstekers made this permits with the C Source Code. After a the CITES Secretariat are obstructing statement in response to protracted effort, the four gorillas were repatriation of the trafficked apes back Wthe infamous ‘Taiping Four’ returned to Cameroon in December to Africa, insisting that China carried gorilla smuggling case. In January 2007 to take up residence at the Limbe out the imports in accordance with 2002, four infant Western Lowland Wildlife Center. CITES regulations. This is not the case, gorillas were shipped from Nigeria Given the Conakry Connection case as Karl Ammann and Swiss NGO Pax via South Africa to the Taiping Zoo in described in SWARA (Oct.-Dec. 2013 Animalis demonstrated in detail in a Malaysia. The Taiping Zoo claimed the and Jan.-Mar 2014) in which over 130 published report (http://www.pax- gorillas were part of an animal exchange wild chimpanzees and 10 gorillas were animalis.org/downloads).

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exported from Guinea to Armenia in 2011. The CITES Secretariat did not follow up on it, but Karl Ammann did. Working with Armenian investigative journalist Kristine Aghalaryan, they tracked down one of the bonobos to a private safari park called Jambo Park, located in Dzoragbyur. The large exotic animal complex, open for visitors, is owned by wealthy businessman Artyom Vardanyan. In a local television show guiding viewers through his collection he held a bonobo in his arms the entire time (http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Dn9LzUA5tas), boasting that he had paid a ‘large sum’ for the bonobo. When Aghalaryan interviewed Vardanyan for the local newspaper Hetq, he told her that the bonobo had been imported legally with CITES permits using the now notorious C Source Code. He produced a permit copy showing West Africa Zoo in Conakry, Guinea, as the exporter and Zoo Fauna Art as the importer. After checking, there is no West Africa Zoo registered in Guinea. Zoo Fauna Art is owned by Artur Khatchatryan, a wild animal trader who imports from A baby chimpanzee whose mother was killed for bushmeat seeks affection from a villager who will Africa and Asia, often using the UAE sell him into slavery when a buyer can be found. as a transit country, then distributes to Russia and elsewhere. Speaking in the third person, he told the journalist, ‘Mr. Khachatryan is After more than a year of trying to get William and Harry, all of the above- building the biggest zoo in all of Eastern the CITES Secretariat, the China CITES mentioned organizations were present, Europe.’ He is currently breeding office and UN-GRASP (Great Apes along with a Chinese delegation. Yet exotic animals there and he stores Survival Partnership) to take action nothing was mentioned concerning the imported animals for export later on. on those involved in the illegal ape trafficking of the Guinea great apes. Khachatryan boasted that he could trafficking and to repatriate the apes, The final Declaration lists a number get any animal he wanted with little the only thing that has been done is a of commitments to stop illegal wildlife difficulty. CITES suspension of trade for Guinea – trade, but apparently none apply to Through interviews and obtaining but no action against China. great apes. a list of animals imported to Armenia Karl Ammann is losing patience: ‘All Worse, further investigations of ape provided by the State Revenue of the organizations that are supposed trafficking from Guinea and elsewhere Committee, Aghalaryan established to be protecting great apes from in Africa have turned up additional that at least five Appendix I bonobos trafficking – CITES, GRASP, LAGA cases involving other networks and and seven chimpanzees were imported (Last Great Ape), JGI (Jane Goodall more species and countries, including in 2011 and 2012. None of these are Institute), Ape Alliance – none of them more chimps to China in 2013! reported in the CITES Trade Database. are speaking out! Why? Are they afraid Another major trafficking network Appendix I species cannot be traded of offending China?’ involving Guinea was discovered by the commercially. At the London Conference on the seemingly innocuous mention in the Since bonobos only live in the wild in Illegal Wildlife Trade in February, CITES Secretariat analysis of Guinea the Democratic Republic of Congo sponsored by the UK Government and export permits of two Appendix I (DRC), Ammann informed the CITES the British royals, Princes Charles, bonobos (aka pygmy chimpanzee) being office in Kinshasa about the illegal

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exports. The DRC CITES office then contacted the CITES Secretariat about it and a representative at the Secretariat replied that ‘… there are no bonobos in Armenia and third parties should stop sensationalizing this issue’. This statement seems inexplicable given that the Secretariat’s own analysis listed two bonobos in Guinea export permits they had collected themselves in Conakry in 2011 (see SWARA Jan-March 2014). Likewise, when the Armenia CITES office was contacted, the national head Siranush Muradyan replied, ‘You have incorrect information… CITES Armenia has never confirmed the import to Armenia of the species of primates included in Appendix I’. Although CITES officials do not seem interested in stopping this trafficking network, or even of acknowledging its existence, INTERPOL has become involved and they have connected Khatchatryan with traffickers of African animals using the UAE and Armenia as transit sites for distribution in Russia and elsewhere. The Armenian police have indicted Khatchatryan with criminal contraband charges. At the end of January this year three chimpanzees were rescued from the house of an animal trader near Kolkata, India. Papers indicated they came from Nigeria. The Times of India spoke with other wildlife traders who gave them information indicating that ape trafficking from Africa to India was more common than previously thought. Here is another smuggling network to investigate. Jane Goodall, known for her studies of wild chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, reacted by stating in a communication to TRAFFIC India, ‘Horrible story. There are so many animals stolen from their mothers and sent to far Sean Whyte of Nature Alert is campaigning to have the illegally trafficked apes repatriated away places. Imagine their fear… These from China to Africa. images keep me awake. And they keep me fighting. Thank goodness for the individuals and organisations that are working to rescue chimpanzees and other innocent animals get worse. Ammann interviewed familiar with the ape trafficking details caught up in the cruel trafficking of wildlife.’ Leonard Muamba-Kanda, head and who was involved. Muamba-Kanda Karl Ammann reacted to her statement of the DRC CITES office, and even named the trafficker who had with, ‘What individuals and organizations Cosma Wilungula, director of smuggled apes out of the DRC to Guinea, are rescuing chimpanzees? No one I know the DRC national parks and the and described the route all the way of except Sean (Whyte) and I have lifted CITES Scientific Authority, on to China. When asked why he didn’t a finger to rescue the apes trafficked to camera at the CITES conference arrest the man, both Muamba-Kanda China, including Jane Goodall.’ (Sean Whyte in Bangkok last year. In the course and Wilungula sang in unison that of Nature Alert is campaigning to shame of the interview the two senior they would lay a trap for him. The ape CITES and GRASP into taking action.) In wildlife protection officials showed shipment in question occurred four years fact, it looks like the situation for apes could themselves to be remarkably ago, and the trap has yet to be sprung.

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Also during the interview the two Congolese officials revealed that they had been to China to discuss ‘scientific exchanges’ of chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas with China. Apparently, a prominent zoo in southern China, that also has an amusement park featuring apes, has already arranged to exchange two white tigers for two gorillas from the DRC. Ammann sees this as a cover for shipping off apes to China under the guise of ‘scientific exchange’. Many more of all ape varieties could follow in their footprints. As Ammann puts it, ‘Replacing the C scam with the S scam.’ Chimpanzees are worth about US$ 20,000 each and gorillas considerably more, so it could be quite a lucrative deal for whomever is involved in supplying the apes. If the scheme goes ahead, it could make the Taiping Four look like child’s play. How about the Guangzhou Four Hundred? Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ol Pejeta Conservancy is ready to take 30 of the China CITES, where are you? chimpanzees, if they can be repatriated.

Local law enforcement

hat are great ape range voluntary basis. His drive and persistence destitute petty trader level ever go to States in Africa doing to won out in the end, as eventually did he prison. Wstop the illegal ape poaching not only find funding for LAGA, but several The only hope is at the demand end and trafficking? Unfortunately, almost clones grew up in Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, of the commodity chain. Those paying nothing. Local law enforcement – police Guinea and Togo. Today, they make up the money to import apes must be services, wildlife protection agencies, EAGLE (Eco Activism for Governance and driven out of the business. People such Customs officers – rarely arrest offenders Law Enforcement). as Artur Khatchatryan in Armenia and caught with ape bushmeat, trophies or EAGLE does not focus on great apes, they the Golden Land Animal Trade Company live specimens. It is more common for have a wide net, but certainly great ape live in China, the latter boasting they import agents of those services to take a bribe and product trafficking turn up fairly often in most of the wild animals into China. And to allow the offender to go on his/her their activity reports and press releases. the public have to be made aware that way, or to confiscate the specimens and Unfortunately, none of the traffickers paying money to watch a chimpanzee consume or resell them. And, as this that smuggle apes and other protected ride a bicycle dressed as a clown is series has demonstrated, national CITES species overseas have been arrested. A subsidising ape killing and kidnap in offices are more likely to facilitate rather well-publicized case of a trafficker that African forests. People should boycott than control illegal international trade. supplies apes to the international traffickers, live performances of great apes (and The Last Great Ape organization Ousmane Diallo in Guinea, has ended up other species caught in the wild) in (LAGA), based in Cameroon, started with Diallo out of prison even though he was amusement facilities. up a little over a decade ago under the convicted. It will not be an easy task, especially leadership of Ofir Drori, an ex-military The bottom line is that law enforcement in with the so-called protectors of apes and Israeli turned wildlife activist. His single- ape range States in Africa is not working, in other wildlife species more concerned minded goal was to fight corruption spite of efforts by outsiders to prod correct about the next conference presentation and put wildlife traffickers behind bars. action. EAGLE even pays ‘incentive bonuses’ or fundraiser event. But if our closest When I first met Ofir in a Yaoundé hotel to law enforcement personnel simply to biological relatives are to remain in in 2010, he was despairing of being able carry out their duties, competing against forests rather than cages we have to try. to continue his fight, as his funding had the traffickers’ bribes, but after an arrest is dried up. His staff were working on a made, rarely does any offender above the

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NICKY PARAZZI ranges from the open ocean to coastal which is believed to enable females to Nicky Parazzi is waters and the land. Anything that return to safe nesting beaches. a founder and present Trustee happens in these areas will more than When a turtle lays her eggs, mucous of the Local likely affect turtles and eventually is secreted into the nearly one meter Ocean Trust : humans. The key area to their very deep egg chamber as an anti-bacterial. Watamu Turtle Watch. The existence is the beach and riparian Scientists have considered that over Local Ocean zone directly behind it, as this is where thousands of years of nesting, females Trust (LOT) is turtles nest. have left pheromones or chemicals, a not for profit organisation. LOT's flagship programme Female turtles migrate enormous through mucous and eggshell remnants, Watamu Turtle Watch includes monitoring, data collection, by-catch release programmes and a Sea Turtle distances using the earth’s magnetic to indicate safe nesting beaches. In a Rehabilitation Centre. LOT's multifaceted Community field. Most females go back to their nesting season, females may lay up Outreach and Education programmes ensure close natal beach to nest. This is a feat in to four clutches of eggs, sometimes collaboration and involvement with local communities and Government agencies including KWS. LOT is supported itself, but to be able to find a specific more, roughly every two weeks before by AFEW, DWCF / FFI, Tusk Trust and public donations. beach, having travelled hundreds, if beginning their migration back to their not thousands of miles, is incredible. foraging grounds. These nests are likely There are many insights as to how they to be laid in close proximity to each might achieve this. One interesting other. The eggs take around 60 days to few decades ago conservationists theory is that they use olfactory clues. hatch. During this time the hatchlings warned of ‘species loss’. Now Rivers depositing fresh water into the are completely on their own and very Awe talk of ‘habitat loss’, which Ocean are thought to attract sea turtles vulnerable; however the strategy of makes more sense, but perhaps it also to certain nesting sites. ‘Sand smelling’ multiple nests has proved exceptionally indicates how dire the situation is. Sea as well, is a behavior where turtles dig successful for sea turtles, until now. Turtles are fascinating and one of a few their beaks into the sand as they crawl Indicators from the land are therefore species, completely reliant on specific up a nesting beach or while digging extremely important, if not totally areas of habitat for their survival. As their nests - as if to confirm they are in necessary, for turtles to be able to find one of the oldest reptile groups, they the correct spot. Hatchlings ‘sand smell’ pristine, safe nesting beaches, key to the have proved to be an excellent marine on their way to the sea after hatching, future survival of the species. As nesting indicator species. Their habitat uniquely part of the essential imprinting process beaches continue to be destroyed,

Leatherback turtle making it's way to the sea.

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From Top Left Clockwise: Green turtle hatchlings, Green turtle hatchling, Nesting green turtle and Unusual Leatherback nesting with sun beds being laid out behind.

best turtle nesting site, until the advent remaining safe rookeries increase in food source and millions have been of high impact, commercial prawn value. Nest site fidelity is not definite slaughtered. Then modern High-Tech trawling in the 1980s and 90s. This and nesting females may use other commercial fisheries started to impact seriously impacted the Bay’s benthic beaches, perhaps increasingly so if their turtle populations as an incidental environment and it’s sea turtle nesting natal nesting beach no longer exists. by-catch. As if this was not enough, populations. From Malindi to Diani, In January 2014 a Leatherback turtle nesting beaches, their best strategy high-density beach developments, nested on Watamu beach. This was for survival, are now being destroyed mostly tourism orientated, are springing highly unusual and the first leatherback at an alarming rate. Sea turtles are up with abandon and destroying nest to be documented on the Kenya seriously endangered. The protection riparian areas. Environmental coast. South Africa similarly recorded of turtle nesting beaches or specifically Management And Co-Ordination Act an unusual Green turtle nester, and the protection of turtle eggs, has been (EMCA), conservation and planning recently similar incidents were also recognized as being an indispensable laws, are failing. Watamu’s Marine noted in Tanzania and Mozambique. component of successful sea-turtle Protected Park beach is a well-known The near decimation of sea turtles conservation. Around the world turtle nesting site. There are several by man is a story to behold. Sea turtles nesting sites, including within Marine core rookery areas for namely Green, have managed up to now to survive Protected Areas, are impacted by coastal but also Hawksbill and Olive Ridley one of the worst attacks ever by any development and inshore fisheries. turtles. Historically most of the beach is single species on another. Threats Unfortunately Kenya is no exception. residential and the riparian areas have to sea turtles were initially just as a Ungwana Bay was said to be Kenya’s been respected. As a result most nesting

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Top: Sunbeds at turtle rookery plot 41 watamu marine park. Below: Turtle nest site amongst beach beds and kiosks.

absolutely necessary. The percentage of nests that have had to be relocated within the Watamu Marine Park alone, due to human activity, jumped from 6% in 2010 to 17% in 2013. Forty percent of the world’s population now lives within 100km of a coastline. Many have no affinity, understanding or respect for the ocean. Kenya’s once pristine beaches and riparian areas, both protected by Kenyan law, are being commandeered by commerce as extended operating areas - including within Marine Protected Areas. A lack sites there are still viable, apart from the site of the recent Leatherback nesting, of coastal management and the non- commercial areas. is one such area. Nesting turtles and implementation of protection laws all Recently, more high impact hotels hatchlings need an unimpeded access to acerbate the problem. The pleasure of have appeared within the Watamu and from pristine riparian area nesting having one of the world’s most amazing Marine Protected Area (MPA), sites, above the high water mark. Noise, animals in our ocean is a privilege and attracting high commercial beach lights, structures and barriers, such Kenya’s beautiful coastline is a benefit activity and high-density human traffic. as sea walls or sun beds, can prevent for all. We have no right to squander Over 1,500 beach operators alone were hatchlings reaching the sea, prevent this exceptional natural heritage. For counted operating within the Watamu nesting attempts or cause nests to be Sea turtles, however a beach is a matter MPAs in 2012. The Plot 41 rookery laid in an unviable area. The Local of their existence or not - quite literally on Watamu’s Marine Park beach, the Ocean Trust only relocates nests if Life is a Beach.

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Joanna Hewitt-Stubbs is an avid environmentalist & conservationist. She was educated in Kenya and the UK. With family roots in Africa. Since the early 1920's she has made the Kenya’s north coast her home for the last 38 years. She has experienced first hand the consequences of rapid urbanization in the loss of habitat for wildlife. Joanna now lives in Kilifi and is a keen photographer, artist and fitness fanatic.

bedraggled, silver-grey chick crouched at the foot of a Neem Atree one damp morning. I carefully inspect him for injury, suspecting that he is another crow- casualty; he seems to be intact. The air is filled with the raucous squawks of a persistent flock of crows harassing the parents of this little bird – they are Verreaux Eagle Owls and we have Top Left: Day 1 not quite 6 inches! observed this family from our home in Top Right: Taking care of Tai Bofa, north of Kilifi town, for the past Below Left: Tai playing with toy is doing. My nephew Francesco comes decade. Below Right: Tai making friends to stay and he and the owl become firm I carry the chick home, snuggle ‘him’ Bottom: Tai 3 weeks old friends. in a laundry basket nest and ring Sarah The days grow into weeks and we Higgins at ‘The Little Owl Sanctuary’ in must think of this little bird’s future; his Naivasha. We weigh and measure him, rehabilitation. Perhaps his family will and send her the results together with a Day-old chicks are reputedly ideal take him in again and give him the vital photograph. food for baby owls but until we can tuition so critical to his survival? Bofa is source these, slivers of chicken, mince becoming rather urban and there is very with a little fur – but whose? Our cats little dispersal area for large birds of unknowingly donate a little fluff and prey. The adult pair has reared several I steal some snips of dogs’ tail hair, chicks over the years and although on incorporating it with the meat. The little one occasion, we have seen five here owl wolfs down everything we offer him. together, the resident couple appears to He grows at a prodigious rate; quickly resume sole occupancy of this habitat settling into a routine of twice-daily when the chicks become independent. meals. The dogs are intrigued and the My daughter Lara coins the name ‘Tai cats disdainful. Bundi’ for ‘our’ owl and although it is Our little owl casts his first pellet – not the Kiswahili name for this species, an amazingly efficient aspect of owl it is a loose translation of ‘eagle owl’ and digestion. He scratches furiously at his suits him perfectly. stubbly feathers, scattering snow-flakes Tai thrives on a diet of chicken of paper-like down as his new plumage hatchlings however owls in Africa are appears; gradually his beaky little ‘face’ hounded with taboo and we feel that assumes better proportions. He takes communities here are likely to be more an active interest in what everybody else disposed toward this special creature if

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he does a bit of vermin control, or better still reduces the crow population! On occasions we have seen the discarded beak and feet of crows beneath Verreaux eagle owl roosts, which is encouraging. Meanwhile my sister Georgina (Francesco’s mum) traps a rat that has been dispatching the contents of her desk and getting away with it. She texts the good news and I swim across Kilifi creek one morning to collect it. She supplies a diver’s wet bag into which we put the rat. We have guests for dinner and Tai Bundi is the main attraction! Tai is baffled by a whole animal so my husband Tony is obliged to cut the Top: Tai stretching out his wings rodent up and without hesitation Tai Below: Tai growing up in Kilifi consumes every morsel! Tai has been with us over two months and he is starting to make short flights – actually, circuits, bumps and some different levels across the cage to access right wing is slightly out of alignment crashes on our verandah – not an ideal the perch. First mistake … he damages and subsequent inspection reveals a environment for a young bird with no his wing on the wire as he flaps up much more extensive injury. We return adult owls to show him how it’s done. on to his perch and to our horror the to Kilifi and they operate without delay. We remove as many obstacles as we can, following day he is unable to fly. He The joint is starting to calcify and he has including the blades from our ceiling crashes repeatedly and looks at us broken two metacarpals. The surgery is fans, and we drape the furniture with pathetically. We consult with Sarah and long and Tai emerges, bandaged in red sheets. other experts. Is there a broken bone? and a bit bewildered. He spends his days with us – perched The injury looks external and we cross Sarah has another rescued Verreaux on a shoulder as we walk around our fingers that it will heal with twice Eagle Owl – the magnificent Herculina. the garden, destroying a feather or daily applications of ‘betadine’. A week She is enormous, formidable and contemplating the cats … an insect or or so later, he resumes his efforts to it makes us realize how relatively plant on the verandah. At night we gain his Private Pilot's Licence! (PPL) diminutive the males of this species are. cage him for his safety in a large airy The wound is still raw and the feathers The plan is that they will eventually be a owl-house with a ‘nest’ and branches at on the leading edge hang a little captive breeding pair or, better still, be awkwardly which is worrying. However, released together back into the wild. he gradually progresses to longer flights Tai’s healing and hurdles continue. – across the swimming pool under He has since sustained a further break construction and up onto the rooftops. and a green-stick fracture in his wing We are like anxious parents; what if and as Sarah says, may well be calcium- he flies off the property? Clearly, this deficient. His chick dinners are now environment is going to be his downfall packed with extra calcium. We hear so we resolve to make plans to take him from Sarah that he is on the road to up to the Sanctuary at Naivasha. recovery – again making short flights There is a steady retinue of well- and ready to begin the vital lessons for wishers to say their good byes and we his future. set off from Kilifi with Tai contained in Three months spent in Tai Bundi’s a ‘pet carrier’. He behaves impeccably company was an immense privilege. and utters not one squeak the entire This experience has endorsed how very journey! Sarah meets us in Nairobi and vulnerable creatures like this are today; takes him on up to Naivasha. A couple what a challenge it is for adult owls to of days later, we visit him and already rear a chick and how restricted suitable he is growing accustomed to his new habitats are becoming for them. Our surroundings. resident pair has ‘wintered’ elsewhere Both Sarah and Simon Thomsett and has just returned to the Bofa area. notice immediately that Tai’s wounded Perhaps they are nesting again?

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The Kenyatta family consolidated its political power when Uhuru Kenyatta was elected head of state in Kenya’s recent presidential campaign. How has conservation changed since founding president and father of Uhuru, Jomo Kenyatta, set his environmental agenda and banned game hunting in 1977? In the second of a two-part story Calvin Cottar, Batian Craig and Teddy Kinjanjui relate their conservation perspectives and explain what is different from their parent’s time.

By STORM STANLEY How long have you been the early 90's as one of Dr Richard Storm Stanley has recently joined the interested in the natural world? Leakey's team to initiate 6 'district UN-REDD team as a Programme Officer to coordinate Knowledge How did you become involved in wildlife forums' as part of a first step Management. Before joining UNEP, conservation? to get landowners needs into the Storm drew both PES and REDD+ policy making process, which was principles into the conclusions of her recent MSc in Environmental CALVIN: I got interested from day clearly missing at the time, (and is still Decision-making, and since then has written numerous one; it was just our way of life. Four missing to this day). While at KWS articles on REDD+s dynamic narrative. generations of our family have been I also initiated the Problem Animal in the safari business, from big game- Management Unit. Since leaving KWS I hunting to photo tourism and operating returned to operating our camp (Cottars safari lodges. 1920’s) in the Mara and working locally CALVIN COTTAR a fourth generation white Kenyan, son of Glen to form wildlife conservancies. Cottar and great grandson of Charlie Cottar. TEDDY: As long as I can remember Between them the Cottars have a century of really. I was lucky enough to grow up TEDDY: My mother used to work for experience in the safari business from game hunting to operating luxurious safari camps. in Kenya. I was always busy with my Friends of Conservation and we often Calvin advocates devolving responsibility for the father, who involved us in making a went to visit her projects in the Mara. control of wildlife and distribution of wildlife revenues to local communities, and defends the compost and planting trees. I think it Also, while at St Andrew’s Turi we had a argument to reintroduce commercial hunting as just happened from growing up in a very good biology teacher who showed a conversation tool. beautiful country. us bugs and introduced us to nature. TEDDY KINJANJUI My life gravitated to the outdoors, but it is the son of the late Dr Max Kinyanjui, who BATIAN: Lewa Downs was my home was a natural progression. revolutionised the energy saving ‘jiko’ in the 1980’s. The now ubiquitous jiko was originally and I was born and brought up with introduced to Kenya from India in the 1930’s. and around wildlife. l have seen Lewa BATIAN: I never really wanted to Teddy continues to expand the family business go through an entire transition from step straight into someone else’s shoes by innovating ‘jiko’ designs and ‘kuni’ burners – with buyers from near and far – from NEMA cattle ranch to conservancy becoming - especially my father’s. Now I’m a in Nairobi to New Zealand. Additionally, Teddy completely transformed by the late consultant with my own company and exhorts the government to use aerial seeding to accomplish the task of large-scale reforestation of 1980’s. After doing a course at the Royal do wildlife management, training, IT, Kenya’s denuded primary forests. Agricultural College in UK, I returned to security - mainly at Ol Pejeta, and also Kenya and got involved in sports fishing Lewa. BATIAN CRAIG son of trail-blazing conservationist Ian Craig, and then joined Ol Pejeta in 2004. renowned for enhancing rhino protection and Can you remember a defining evolving community conservation in East Africa. Believing wholeheartedly that wildlife has no Has it been a natural progression moment in your childhood when future unless local communities participate in its for you to follow in your your mother/father inspired you? protection, Ian set up the Northern Rangelands parent’s footsteps, and become a Trust ,an NGO that facilitates the development of community-led conservation initiatives in conservationist? CALVIN: I feel my Dad, and forebears Northern Kenya. Batian took to deep-sea sports were wildlife visionaries. Not just fishing before gravitating back to the north of Kenya to manage the Ol Pejeta conservancy CALVIN: I grew up guiding in my hunters; they were explorers and working in the perilous arena of security. dads camps, did a 5 year stint hunting pioneers in the filming safari too, in Tanzania, then joined the KWS in guiding amongst others Martin and

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Above: Calvin Cottar discussing conservation issues with rangers at Sand River area of Maasai Mara. Below: Calvin Cottar at Olderikesi Conservancy with a herd of elephants.

Osa Johnson, Paul Hoeffler and George you could get hands-on experience. What is a normal working day for Eastman. I am proud of my parents Together with Ted Goss, Peter Jenkins, you? being the very first people to introduce (former wardens of Meru and Tsavo the concept of the permanent tented National Park) Dieter Rottcher CALVIN: I put a lot of energy into safari camp purely for tourism – a lodge (specialist wildlife vet), we spent the the human relations side of running style that has been copied thousands of whole two weeks of our school holidays conservancies. I spend up to six hours of times throughout Africa. just finding a rhino (in danger of being my day working with the communities – poached) and translocating it to Lewa. explaining concepts, trying to promote TEDDY: One day we came home from the conservancy model. I work in school to see a favourite tree of ours – an enormous Fig being chopped down, (we lived at Broomhill Estate, Kiambaa). The tree even had a name it was called Elmira. It was just awful to see the tree on its side and all the leaves crushed and branches piled up around it. I cried my eyes out. My parents’ day to day activities – made environmental work seem so exciting.

BATIAN: I suppose it is the whole rhino side of things: Rhino capture, translocation and research. We set up a black rhinoceros sanctuary on a corner of our property together with Anna Merz, after poachers were decimating rhino populations (1980’s). Lewa Conservancy was one of the few places

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accelerated consumerism. Inter- related, all these issues present a high cost to the environment. What will it take for local people to understand that the environment and biodiversity are an asset?

CALVIN: The value of wildlife is not readily understood by the average Kenyan. We should localize the ownership of wildlife and make it the primary resource base for land owners, so they really become proactive wildlife producers. It is about the forces of comparative financial return. If we don’t position wildlife into this framework, against a background of a rising population which requires more and more from the land, it can only go one way, and that is extinction.

TEDDY: Wildlife as an economic asset undeniably includes both consumptive and non-consumptive activities from safaris to hunting, sales of meat and hides, and promotion of live auction sale of species that are in 'conservation management' status. But if the government insists that this is not possible and that landowners can't be trusted, then the government shouldn’t blame anyone but themselves for the Teddy Kinyanjui showing me one of the muhogo tree seedlings (brachylaena hutchinsii), he has wildlife cataclysm that is currently planted to help with the reforestation of a valuable species particular popular for hardwood carvings. underway.

BATIAN: Development comes at a price, but there is also more awareness Olderikesi, Siana (Mara) and to a lesser BATIAN: When you get up in the of people’s heritage. There is a much extent Shompole group ranch, trying to morning you never know how the larger middle class than ever before and balance the needs of investors (whom day will unfold. I am involved in Kenyan society is starting to value the I mentor), as well as the communities management and whether you are environment in a different way. There where the camps and lodges are sitting in an office in New York or is complete ownership and buy-in to situated. Running a camp is an exercise sitting in northern Kenya - this really wildlife and protected areas that we in logistics and I end up fixing things a means people management. Many of didn’t see a few years ago. As Kenya lot too. I also like to spend time with the field officers are living away from develops and grows, and there is need my guests hosting and guiding! home; life can be tough for them. Due to grow, it makes the areas that do have to the poaching crisis a lot of my time wildlife whether it is conservancies or TEDDY: The best thing about having is spent fire fighting – consistent round national parks all the more important. this type of job is that each day is the clock security of protected areas, But it is inevitable that we are going to different, from running my shop selling liaison with KWS and the police. But lose areas, as the population grows. energy saving jikos and kuni burners realistically the ones on the ground are to updating our products on our Face doing the hard work. Obviously the conservation scene Book page. There is an amazing socio- has changed quite a lot since your economic spread in our cosmopolitan Land has become a big issue here father’s time – do you think that this society and interesting people pop into in Kenya, and we are experiencing is a change for the better? What are the shop every day. a development boom and the current conservation priorities?

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Batian Craig with darted Hirola (Antelope Beatragus) hunter, ready for translocation to safe area; Hirola are critically endangered current population is estimated at 1,500 animals only.

CALVIN: Absolutely not, it is definitely there was in my father’s day. of 10%. Forestry is such an important for the worst. The blanket ban on Also, I would advocate that the new sector of a country’s economics. My idea hunting is a preservation directive. revenue sources (e.g. from increased would be to implement aerial seeding, And this is fine when you need to get gate fees) go towards leasing of land for in Mongolia -180,000 ha have been a species back on track, like when the wildlife conservancies in the wildlife reforested in one year through this elephants were in trouble in the 1980s. dispersal areas where the money method. I wish people would value the Consider the Maasai Mara - the star of currently does not reach. This is a forests more – trees are too cheap. I the show, the prime wildlife viewing simple way to get the wealth spread have seen a Maasai headman sell a tree area of Kenya - and it is a victim of out to the poorest and most wildlife for 1,500/= (£10.70) when the charcoal having no proper management plan. affected people; the very people that we producer will be able to make 15 bags Take cattle for instance which is a conservationists need to encourage not of charcoal from a medium sized tree transitional issue, the Maasai don’t want to change to other land uses if wildlife is and sell each bag at 2,000/= (£14.30) to sell their cattle while they can graze to survive. in Nairobi. An estimated 800 tonnes inside the reserve… and like all wealth of charcoal is consumed every day in in the world, 80% of cattle are owned TEDDY: For Kenya’s forests, things are Nairobi, which translates to a lot of by 20% of the rich guys with political definitely worse than in my father’s day. trees. clout. Guess whose cows are in the I think there should be a paradigm shift reserve? So while the local and national where the emphasis is on reforestation, BATIAN: There have definitely been government continues to allow grazing, rather than deforestation. It would be changes for the better – and not just these cattle owners won't reduce their good to see the government and Kenya the community side of things. Over the cattle numbers and the wildlife in the Forestry Service get involved more last two years, there has been wide- Mara ecosystem will continue to lose. proactively so that we go back to the scale awareness and ownership by The national and county government figures we had 50 years ago – with close Kenyans of their environment through just needs to bring in strict livestock to 30% coverage or at least get back public forums. Looking at the current controls in the reserves and parks, as to the UN recommended minimum poaching crisis I feel that we are going

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BATIAN: Of course! I have a new found favourite place on the Tana River, Ishaqbini Conservancy one of the newest members to join the Northern Rangelands Trust, and the Boni Forest, remote areas near the Somali border. Also, lake Turkana, Watamu Marine Park, which has the advantage of being a tourist destination.

Do you have a message that you would like our newly elected President Uhuru Kenyatta - to hear?

CALVIN: I would advise the government that there is just no way that markets for wildlife products can be stopped by simple prohibition. 99.9% of wildlife that we have lost over the last 40 years has not gone to any other country, it has been killed and consumed right here in front of our noses. The government should resist the pressure from the large tourism industry players who advise that Kenya Batian Craig translocating a Hirola Antelope (Beatragus hunteri), to Ishaqbini Hirola Community would lose tourism numbers if we were Conservancy (IHCC). to allow consumptive utilisation.

TEDDY: Kenya’s 2030 Vision Statement which “aims to be a nation through seriously exciting times to and our wildlife! But do your research living in a clean, secure and sustainable bring it to an end – we will never stop - choose companies that are leasing environment by 2030”, is double vision! it completely – but things are changing. land for wildlife conservancies where I wonder if any one will be around if I feel that the Chinese public is at last possible. My favourite place is Cottars we continue doing what we have been becoming aware of the predicament 1920’s Camp in the Mara, of course. It doing. The government needs to accept of rhino. People are starting to realise is based here at Olderikesi Group Ranch the reality of where we are, and do that the human population is not on a pristine community conservancy, something about it, really think about going to decrease – and they recognize a beautiful hilly, diverse landscape, 15, 20, 30 year plans, involving as that wildlife and habitats are a finite different from anywhere else in the many stakeholders as possible to secure resource. The government is also Mara, with a lot of privacy. I feel a deep forests and biodiversity. taking the environment more seriously, sense of privilege being here. for instance, the new Wildlife Act is BATIAN: From the wildlife side elevating the penalties for poaching TEDDY: Yes, not only tourists, President Uhuru Kenyatta has started crimes. investors too – especially as we are incredibly, and there is a lot of currently in a 6% growth curve. I think awareness about the environment and With a peaceful election process, we have set a shining example among particularly poaching - now is the time concluded, would you encourage the neighbouring countries in the East to change things, when it is seen as a tourists to visit Kenya and Kenya’s African community. We have certainly global problem and not just a national protected areas? And if so do you had our challenges and trials and we problem. The environment (and have a favourite national park? have come through. My favourite place particularly wildlife crimes) is one of the is the Maasai Mara Ecosystem, I have ‘Nine Pillars’ of the new government’s CALVIN: Yes, I encourage tourists to been there so often since I was a kid agenda. To see the new bylaws come visit Kenya, we ask tourists to prioritize visiting my mothers’ projects and I through so quickly is massively Kenya because the tourist dollar makes worked there for a while too. encouraging. all the difference here for our people

60 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 Charlie Mayhew From avid adventurer to ardent conservationist

FELIX PATTON Australians. Now is a rhino ecologist, who he had to visit the writes and broadcasts about the species from Africa and Antipodes! Europe. He has an MSc in Charlie’s father Conservation Biology and a refused to fund a PhD based on research into ticket, so he worked individual rhino identification and social behaviour. He is a frequent his passage to contributor to SWARA. Australia and New Zealand as a deck hand on a tanker ship. To finance his harles Mayhew is the Chief stay he took small Executive of one of the jobs including being Cmost prominent, UK based, a roustabout with conservation charities Tusk Trust, a a sheep shearing name well known throughout East team. By the time & Southern Africa. An Englishman, he returned to the Charlie grew up with his two sisters UK all thoughts in the heart of Sussex enjoying a of University and traditional country life and a passion for engineering had motor racing. His introduction to Africa evaporated and he came through the visits of an uncle who opted to become a lived in Kenya and South Africa. “The marine insurance romantic tales of the wide open spaces broker at Lloyds of and big cities sparked my imagination” London with Willis says Charlie although he had planned to Faber & Dumas go to University to study engineering in whilst moonlighting order to follow his love of racing. as a DJ at private The opportunity to make the first parties! London city of many subsequent visits to the life gave Charlie a African continent came in 1979. One good income but the of his masters at Wellington College, thought of Africa where he was educated, had started an never faded. Charlie’s professionally expedition set off in 1985 in eight 4x4 organisation to enable students to take honed negotiating skills resulted in wheel drive vehicles taking 7 months to a year off before going from school to Willis Faber agreeing to sponsor him to cross the Sahara desert down through university now known as a GAP year. organise a major trans-Africa expedition Niger and Chad, the forests of the Congo Charlie went to South Africa to be a for 33 young people drawn from 7 on into Kenya. Here the team, led by travelling salesman with a stationery different European countries as part of Charlie, embarked on a series of projects company moving widely from city to the United Nations International Year one of which was to spend six weeks city. From there he went on to be a cook of Youth. completing a section of fence around for skiers in an Alpine restaurant in After 18 months of meticulous Lake Nakuru National Park which, in Switzerland where he met many young planning, the Young Europe Africa 1989, became home to a population of

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using drama to portray the horrors of the ivory trade. However advice came from Oscar-winning film producer David Puttnam, (Charlie had been the DJ at his daughter’s wedding party), and he suggested that such a film had to be made for the large screen. Their plan was to donate the profits to conservation, which Charlie readily admits was naïve! Their feature film, ‘Lost in Africa’, whilst being distributed across 30 countries, sadly never made money, but it did result in the formation, in 1990, of Tusk Trust, as a charity dedicated to the conservation of African wildlife and habitats. The first five years saw Charlie operate Tusk as a “hobby” while still continuing as a financial adviser. Initial funds were raised by holding parties and go-karting events. As the charity developed and major donors such as the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones rock band were recruited, it became clear that some dedicated staff would be needed and a Director was employed. Tusk established the inaugural Safaricom Marathon at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 2000. Charlie attends the event every year with his staff as it has become Tusk’s most profitable fundraising event and one of the top ten marathons in the world. By 2002, Charlie decided he needed to give up his ‘commercial’ career to focus on the charity. He stepped down as a trustee of Tusk and became its first Chief Executive, a role he maintains today. In his words, Charlie is “the chief fundraiser, deal clincher Charlie attends many Tusk fund raising events. and sponsorship negotiator seizing on the opportunities that arise from introductions that Tusk patrons, the endangered black rhino. During this Back in the UK Charlie formed a trustees, supporters and friends help time, Charlie became acquainted with financial services business and after a to make”. Skills honed from his time well known conservationists Maurice, few years of ‘going it alone’ he allied broking marine insurance and from his Count Coreth, founder of Rhino Rescue, it to the St James’s Place Wealth financial services business have stood and Jock Dawson. “It was from them Management Group. This business Charlie in good stead for persuading that I initially learned about the big provided him with a powerful network large organisations and major charitable conservation challenges of the time of high net-worth individuals. But trusts to contribute generously towards not the least of which was elephant how was he to satisfy his desire to do conservation. and rhino poaching” says Charlie. He something for conservation in Africa? The profile of Tusk was raised knew then that somehow he wished A long term friend was the actor considerably when Prince William chose to make a meaningful contribution to Timothy Ackroyd and between them to give it his royal patronage in 2005. conservation. they decided to produce a TV film Through Tusk, the Prince has been

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both vocal and visual in his support of conservation and this has led to the organisation, and Charlie in particular, becoming “a lightning rod for media comment be it TV, radio or the press”. It has also opened up new opportunities especially for Tusk in the US which registered Tusk USA Inc as a non-profit organisation based in New York in 2008. As its Chairman, Charlie now expects to visit the USA on fundraising trips up to four times a year. Charlie spends some two or three days a week in London maintaining current and developing new donor relationships. “It is not enough to persuade people to make one-off donations. Conservation is a long term game and many of the projects which Tusk support need to be sustained over many years. We need to ensure that donors appreciate how their money is being spent and that it is producing positive outcomes for the wildlife, the habitat and the communities involved so that they will carry on supporting us.”

Top: Charlie briefs Tusk Patron Duke of Cambridge on a regular basis. Below: The Duchess of Cambridge is introduced to Tusk grant recipient Tony Fitzjohn of Mkomazi National Park, Tanzania at the launch of the US Patrons Circle.

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and ensure the long term stability of the organisation and fundamental to this will be the appointment of an Executive Director. Charlie hopes that this new role will free him up from some of his day-to-day operational responsibilities so he can develop his network of contacts and respond to increased media interest in the charity’s work. As to the future Charlie says “The conservation challenges are greater than ever before but you have to be an optimist. I get my drive from the successes we get in the field. It is beyond me that we should be the generation that allows iconic species Top: One of the half dozen annual visits Charlie takes to a Tusk project to review progress first hand. such as the elephant, rhino, lion, gorilla Below: Visiting a school as part of a Tusk community support project. Top Right: Managing the daily operations of the Tusk team. and wild dog to disappear”. Charlie Mayhew is a conservationist who has quite simply put his passion into practice. He is a prime example With 57 projects in 18 African fact that Tusk has been “the financial of someone who has used skills honed countries, Charlie cannot hope to be incubator of some projects that would in the commercial world to make a ‘hands-on’ but makes a point of visiting otherwise have never seen the light of significant contribution to wildlife five or six himself during a year for 10 day”. conservation. It is to be hoped that days at a time. He says “whenever I get In the UK, Charlie communicates others, from all walks of life, will off the plane in Africa I get a real sense weekly with the Chairman of Trustees consider a similar course thereby of belonging, I love Africa”. and attends the quarterly board ensuring the conservation industry Vetting new projects is also an meetings reporting on general benefits from the widest variety of important role of the Chief Executive. operations, the impact of the project talents and expertise. Charlie says “With my team I try and grants and future strategy. The board In recognition of his services to seek out the best possible conservation is the ‘guardians of donor money’ with conservation in Africa, Charles Mayhew investments based around the track a grant making committee separate was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty record of individuals and then allow from governance, financial and legal the Queen in December 2005. them to do what they are good at with responsibilities. Tusk acting as a communication vehicle High on the current agenda is For more information on the Tusk for them”. Charlie is proud of the creating an infrastructure to develop Trust visit www.tusk.org

64 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 2014 BOOK REVIEW

this by introducing to you how he 25 years. I think the CITES Conference became part of the CITES Secretariat, of Parties (CoP) did get it wrong in and the relationship of the CITES allowing China to become a legal buyer convention and wildlife crime as and hindsight certainly shows it to have the context for his work. He then been a wrong decision, but this is John’s devotes the next seven chapters to story not mine. His reflections at the end painting the reality of wildlife crime of the chapter do raise the questions by expounding on the relationship that still need answers. Following ivory, between wildlife crime and organised the next two chapters deal with Tigers crime; how the crime is committed and Rhinos respectively. Again his story in terms of its structure and provides detailed insights into the issues sophistication; the manipulation that and challenges that the CITES parties goes on of local communities, the use and their Secretariat had to grapple with. of ‘mules’ and the protection provided John’s penultimate chapter uses because the big money involved can his experience in asking “what we pay for high level legal representation; might do better”. Careful thought and the immunity produced by corruption, analysis has gone into this chapter and threats and even killing; the fraud I do hope the issues he has raised involved, which is escalating thanks to are not just left to gather dust on the The UN’s Lone Ranger the internet; the increasing involvement bookshelf. The final chapter is more of By John M. Sellar. of ‘crime’ gangs; and the growing a philosophical envoi but some of his Whittle Publishing. 201 Pages. relationship between wildlife crime and messages have significant reflections and Retail Price US$24.95 terrorism, though the illegal ivory trade deserve careful consideration. Given has long been associated with financing the current escalation in elephant and nless you are involved in military strife. These chapters will rhino poaching, this book could not dealing with wildlife crime, certainly grab your attention and raise have come at a more appropriate time. Uthere is not really a good your eyebrows. By reading it, we should have a better appreciation of the extent of wildlife John then turns his attention to understanding about the scale of wildlife crime and the seriousness with which probably the four main targets of wildlife crime, its complexity and the desperate it needs to be addressed. It currently crime that would have dominated his need to bringing the illegal decimation ranks third in financial value after the attention during his 14 years. The first of the world’s wildlife to a halt. This drugs and arms trades. There is a is the illegal trade in caviar and the need is not based on emotion, but on convention known as the Convention heavy poaching of sturgeon. Whilst a recognition that wildlife extinction on International Trade in Endangered Elephants and Rhinos tend to capture has environmental, social, economic Species (CITES) which addresses the the headlines, his opening remark and cultural detrimental consequences, regulation of international trade in that there can be few species under which few of us have really faced up wildlife and their products. For 14 years, CITES regulation with such a history to and evaluated. I believe John’s book John Sellar, from Scottish police roots, of criminality is correct and the story contributes to that evaluation. served in the CITES Secretariat as the he tells is fascinating reading. He then lone enforcement officer, which gives rise moves onto a chapter on Elephants and Reviewed by Nigel Hunter to the title the UN Lone Ranger. I got to Ivory which has certainly dominated the Head of Development, EAWLS know John during my five years working CITES Conference of Parties for the last in the CITES Secretariat as the Director of the Monitoring of the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme. ALL BOOKS REVIEWED IN SWARA MAGAZINE ARE AVAILABLE AT: The first value of this book is therefore to bring a much greater SOUK BOOKSHOP, DAGORETTI ROAD understanding of just how seriously we BOOKSTOP, YAYA CENTRE should address wildlife crime. John does

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BY RICHARD HATFIELD over an hour observing him as he paraded with an almost embarrassed expression on Stratton Hatfield has a degree in down the road. He was never very shy, his face. natural resources and conservation management from the University always inquisitively staring at the car with his After ensuring that our vehicle was not of of Kentucky. He is a passionate wide eyes. As he became more and more interest he walked towards a small seasonal birdwatcher, amateur photographer comfortable with our presence he began to pool and laid down. We all thought that he and aspiring conservationist. He spends a lot of time in the bush delicately investigate our vehicle. First with would rest here for the day, but little did enjoying the spectacular wildlife that Africa has to offer. just a careful sniff and a lick, but then he we know that he had one more special began to methodically search the front of sighting for us. All of a sudden he got up and our car. He even placed both front paws on crouched. We spotted a Scrub hare bounding the bull bar staring at us intently through the cautiously through the grass. He made his windscreen. We all asked ourselves if we had move and disappeared into the brush. We n January of 2014 I went to Tsavo West worked recently with anything that might suspected that we had lost him when all National Park with my father and a family attract a cat near our vehicle, but we just of a sudden he burst from cover heading friend. While there we were fortunate I couldn’t figure out why he was so curious. straight for our car hot in pursuit of the hare. to have a very unique encounter with a During his vehicle inspections he would This time the hare won the race and he was young male leopard. We have all traveled periodically search for food in the roadside forced to give up. He was quite disgruntled extensively throughout Africa searching for vegetation. At one point he stalked a pair by his lack of success and slowly moved off wildlife, but never before have we had such of yellow-neck spurfowl, acrobatically into the surrounding bush. At this point we an exceptional sighting of this elusive species. leaping into the air as they flushed from proceeded down the road, leaving him to his We found him in the shade of a croton cover. Fortunately for the fowl his leap was own devices as he wandered the immense on the side of the road at 9:15am. We spent mistimed and he landed back on solid ground Tsavo landscape in search of his next victim.

66 SWARA APRIL - JUNE 2014 2014 PORTFOLIO

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SWARASWARA APRILAPRIL -- JUNEJUNE 2014 69 OBITUARY

28th March 1930 - 24th July 2013

BY Paul Lovatt-Smith the Warden, “Tabs” Taberer, on the magnificent game-filled Amboseli plains at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was a steep learning curve for such a novice, much of it concerned with dealing with the landowners, the Kisongo Maasai people. One evening while covering for the Warden who was on leave, two elders came to his door and demanded that he come and shoot a lion which had killed two of their cattle. As his job was to conserve, he decided there was nothing for it but to deliberately miss. After several cramped hours in the dark by the carcasses, with the lions roaring close by, a shape appeared but he could not see the gunsight and when he asked his Ranger to shine a torch, the shape turned out to be a hyena which ran off. The disappointed Maasai allowed him to go home at that point. He joined the Kenya Regiment in January 1953 and after training in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), saw action in “C” and “B” Companies patrolling Aged 30 at Ol Tukai, Amboseli in the Aberdare Forest of Kikuyuland. In August 1954, due to his knowledge of the Swahili and Kikuyu languages, he was appointed as one of several avid Lovatt Smith could have queue of applicants and that, anyway, Field Intelligence Officers (FIO’s). By had a little idea of the influence there was no money for more salaries, providing nothing more than reasoned Dthat Kenya would have on David on the spur of the moment argument and creature comforts the the rest of his life when in 1950 as a offered to work for free until he was FIO’s recruited captured gang members young man of 20 he arrived by ship in called up for National Service in a few and deserters into their unofficial Mombasa from England in order to months’ time. This quick-thinking “pseudo-gangs”. The pseudo-gangs work on a dairy farm at Limuru. and his enthusiasm and politeness would trek into the forest at night After 18 months, the job fell through impressed Cowie, who actually needed pretending to be a visiting gang and and he found himself looking for work help at Amboseli National Reserve. gain entrance peacefully to the real in Nairobi. Having a keen interest in Rather amazingly in a couple of weeks gangs’ hide-outs. The pseudo-gang wild life, he walked in to the Head Office David found himself employed as a would then reveal their identities and of Kenya National Parks and asked for Junior Assistant Warden and being try to persuade the real gang members a job. The Director, Mervyn Cowie, driven down to Amboseli by Cowie to give themselves up. This “hearts and happened to come out of his office just himself. minds” approach was successful and as his Secretary was preparing to give Due to an injury suffered in a car some say instrumental in the eventual David the brush-off. On being told by accident, his call-up was delayed and he disintegration of the forest gangs and Mr Cowie that he would have to join the spent the next 11 months working under the end of the conflict.

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famous rhinos. In 1988 a low point was reached when seven lions and their cubs were poisoned. Reasoning with the Parks and Government authorities came to nothing and he and other conservationists became convinced that wildlife conservation in Amboseli would only succeed if the Maasai received financial benefit directly from their own reserves and tourist businesses in the area around the National Park. Over the next few years, in collaboration with other conservationists, conservation bodies and tourist businesses, he spent a great deal of time with the Maasai, gradually winning the trust of the key people in the area - respected elders Surveying a community-owned conservancy, Amboseli and educated young men and women. In the process he gained a much deeper understanding of their culture, beliefs and system of land tenure. He In later years, he wrote and published water created an opportunity to organised several sponsored visits to two books about Mau Mau. “My Enemy, remove the cattle by creating a separate the UK for individuals in order that My Friend”, published in 2000 is a watering area. David was instrumental they could see UK conservation projects novel about a young Kikuyu man who in cutting a long canal over several in action. This dedication helped gets caught up in a gang. The character months which eventually achieved this convince them that they could carry is based on one of the members of his goal to the satisfaction of all parties and, out such projects. By 1994 new Group pseudo-gang. His second book, “Kenya, many said, saved Amboseli as a reserve. Ranch (land-owning cooperatives) Kikuyu and Mau Mau”, published in This story was the subject of his first Committees had been elected and work 2005, is a history of the conflict based book “Amboseli, Nothing Short of a on the ground started. Community- on his and others’ personal experience Miracle” which was published in 1986. owned Conservancies now exist at as well as extensive research. As David met and married Jean Kitirua (12,000 hectares), Kimana someone who did not excel at school he Whitestone in 1959. His final years (4,000 hectares), Eselenkei (7,000 was pleased that this history became with the Royal National Parks of Kenya hectares) and Satao Elerie (2,000 accepted as a key reference by academic were spent as Acting Warden in the hectares). All of these have lodges or Historians. Towards the end of his life Aberdares and Nairobi Parks. At campsites and are generating income he advised the UK Government during independence in 1962, with a young from wildlife tourism to the benefit of the 2012-13 High Court case concerning family and facing an uncertain future in both people and wildlife. This story and claims of torture and abuse of Mau Mau Kenya, he returned to farming in East his description of Maasai culture are detainees. Although he accepted that Sussex. But Kenya was in his blood documented in his final book published there had been some rare instances of and in 1987, as soon as the children in 2008: “Amboseli, A Miracle Too abuse, he and his former colleagues had left school, he took up work as a Far?”. were deeply disappointed by the UK safari guide in order to participate in the Dame Daphne Sheldrick, wife of Government’s refusal to mount any conservation of Amboseli again. his former Royal National Parks of defence. In 1974 the 39,000 hectare Ol Tukai Kenya colleague David Sheldrick and At the end of his military service in area of Amboseli had become a National a renowned Kenya conservationist, March 1955, he returned to Amboseli Park and was now generating significant described him as “an extremely and spent most of the next five years income from tourist revenues. The dedicated conservationist and a very there, apart from a 9 month secondment trouble was that the Maasai owners of dear friend who has been a role model to Tsavo West National Park in 1958. the surrounding land into which the in this respect”. He retired from active By this time, Amboseli had developed wildlife dispersed were not receiving the conservation work in Kenya in 2001 a bad reputation with visitors due to benefits which they had been promised and lived in East Sussex, becoming a the large herds of Maasai livestock when they relinquished the Park to the recognised expert in the construction competing for water with the wildlife. Government. In retaliation they were of riding surfaces. He is survived by his The sudden appearance of new spring killing wildlife including most of the wife, Jean and their son and daughter.

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The Dangers of Littering in the Park - Tsavo Cheetah Cub Almost Dies

Shazaad Kasmani Kenya Wildlife Service Honorary Game Warden & Wildlife Photographer

Top Left: After playing with it for a while, the bag got stuck in the Cubs teeth. Top Right: The Cheetah Cub picking up the canvas bag which was discarded in the park. Below Left: The Cub then took the bag to show mom who was visibly not too impressed. Below Right: The Cub tried to shake the bag to dislodge it from her teeth.

n a recent trip to Tsavo East, because "its only a bottle cap or just a managed to get loose from the bags what seemed like a perfectly plastic bag", this story is for you! deadly grip. Orewarding day photographing This Cheetah Cub found a discarded After Malkia and Binti walked away, a Cheetah and her Cub that I have been canvas bag hidden in the grass while I later went to collect the canvas bag to monitoring for 6 months now (Malkia walking with mom and curiously picked prevent further incidents. & Binti) almost turned into tragedy for it up. Excited with its new find, the bag Ladies and Gentlemen, because of this beautiful endangered animal. quickly became a play toy and after someones recklessness with rubbish, a Despite there being several notices having its share of fun for about ten mother would have lost a daughter, the at the park gates and regular articles minutes, when the time came to move world would have lost an endangered highlighting the dangers of throwing on and let go of the bag, the strings species and Kenya would have lost its rubbish in the park, some people still became caught in its teeth. heritage. Kindly Stop littering the Park. ignorantly throw out the trash without In a desperate attempt to shake the Carry a rubbish bag in your vehicle and realizing the deadly consequences it has bag loose, the canvas bag got tangled educate your friends and children on the to wildlife. around the cubs throat turning the risks of littering. So for those of you who are guilty of situation critical. After vigorously this behavior, thinking it is ok to do so shaking to free itself, the cub luckily

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