Archive for May, 2008
I have just arrived in Moshi, a small Town in northern Tanzania where our college is located, on the slopes of kilimanjaro. I have returned for a four months final semester after which I will return to Kenya for 10 months of fieldwork on bushmeat. Everything here is excellent but not the internet services! Connections are slow, prohibitively expensive for mobile phones and unreliable. This means reguler posting will not be possible. Internet at the college is even worse and I have to travel to Moshi, 14km away to publish a post! On Monday I will attend the Sullivan summit in Arusha. I hope to do a post on the proceeding especailly discussions on environmental issues. Iregi Mwenja
Two weeks ago, I was in the wider Tsavo ecosystem participating in a desnaring exercise. I wanted to see for myself the extent of bushmeat poaching in this bushmeat hotspot in Kenya and get first hand experience on ongoing Anti-poaching efforts. The Senior Warden in charge of Tsavo East had these to say on bushmeat poaching in one of the local daily. Kenya: Bush Meat Poaching Hits Alarming Levels The Nation (Nairobi) 26 March 2008 Pascal Mwandambo Poaching for bush meat has reached unprecedented levels in the neighbourhood of Tsavo National Park, according to Tsavo East senior warden Julius Cheptei. Mr Cheptei said the menace, which has been on the rise in recent years, could spell doom for small game. The senior warden said yesterday that poaching for bush meat was a threat to local ranches. “While very little poaching is going on inside the park, outside, especially at community ranches, the menace has increased tenfold and we are now calling on the ranch owners to cooperate with us to save the small game from extinction,” said Mr Cheptei. The Kenya Wildlife Security officer said the poachers had become more sophisticated over the years and were using all sorts of tricks to outsmart the KWS security personnel. “We have now intensified operations around the ranches in order to arrest the culprits,” Mr Cheptei said, adding that they had solicited for the support of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Taita-Taveta Wildlife Forum in dealing with the problem. Iregi Mwenja USFWS MENTOR Fellow on Bushmeat
One of the regular commentator in my blog, Sheryl recently commented on one of my post; “The answer to your questions that no one wants to discuss is human overpopulation. There are simply too many human animals on this planet. If we don’t slow down human population growth, we’ll be the only living things left on this rock. But not for long …” That reminded me of something. Yes, no one want to discuss human overpopulation. Particularly the Editors of popular media. That is why my article below was never published three years ago despite being a regular contributor to a regional popular weekly Newspaper at the time. Here I get a chance to publish it for the first time without an Editor diluting the message!! With a population of 50 million in 2020, there will be no wildlife outside parks! By Iregi Mwenja Seldom are we reminded that human overpopulation in this planet is largely to blame for the current rapid deterioration of our environment and the depletion of our natural resource base. We lay the blame on global warming, Ozone layer depletion etc etc but shy away from pining down the root cause and the real culprit - homo sapiens. Unfortunately, Kenya’s economy (and that of many third world countries) is entirely dependent on our beleaguered natural resources, a fact we cannot run away from.
No one wants to point out that we have surpassed the “carrying capacity” of our environment and that is why desertification, drought, flooding, disease outbreaks and famine have become a permanent phenomenon in this country’s annual calendar.
The single greatest threat to the biological resources of this country is the current uncontrolled proliferation of the human species and the resulting poverty. In a natural resource based economy like ours, if the people are poor, environmental degradation will continue no matter what legislations we put in place.
Meanwhile, we will continue begging for foreign aid when the cheapest and surest way to save ourselves is to maintain human population at “carrying capacity” and live in harmony with our environment.
Our biological resources are of considerable economic and intrinsic values. Agriculture, fisheries and forests account for most subsistence survival, economic output, employment and export earnings. Tourism is Kenya’s largest foreign exchange earner and is largely based on the presence of wildlife and beautiful clean seashores
Agriculture and tourism are the backbone of our country economy yet the deterioration of the environment diminishes the agriculture and tourism potential of our economy as we continue to add more mouths to fed. Soon, the resilience of our environment that is currently overstretched will give in. It will not be able to sustainably provide for the large population - meaning that we could be multiplying our way to self-destruction! Kenya’s biological resources are considered to be internationally important as areas rich in biodiversity and endemism. Kenya has a network of 56 national parks and reserves stretching from the coast to the peak of Mt. Kenya encompassing 6.7% of Kenya. It is estimated that 10% of the wildlife live in parks, 15% in reserves and 75% in non-protected areas. However this figures are changing as wildlife outside protected areas rapidly lose their habitat and the majority fall prey to poaching. This is largely due to our protectionist policies on wildlife that limits wildlife use to tourism only. We have 20 million herds of livestock well managed by Kenyans. How comes the same Kenyans can’t manage (through husbandry) a few thousand zebras found in their private land?
It is not surprising Kenya is the only country in East and Southern Africa that still retains the old-fashioned conservation policies propagated 5 decades ago, the socio-economic changes that taken place in the last 45 years notwithstanding. Current conservation policies and laws do not take into considerations the realities of demography and that’s why they have failed. Sustainable consumptive use is still illegal despite its potential in securing the few remaining pristine wildlife habitat found on private land. We lack a comprehensive land use policy, have outdated Environment, Forest, Fisheries and Wildlife legislations (the amendment of the Act and the policy review were hijacked by a few NGOs) and unregulated urban development. Consequently, agriculture, industrial and urban development are poorly regulated thereby undermining the very ecosystems that generate Kenya’s economic base.
The population of Kenya will be 50 million in 2020. Currently 80% of Kenyans - 24 million people live in high potential land that covers 20% of the country land area. This is among the highest population densities in the world and the consequence on resource use is immense, forcing migration into forests and wildlife habitats. But our population growth remains among the highest in the world. By this time, the few animals remaining will only be found in protected areas which will be completely fenced off! How will I explain this to my kids?
By 2020, the population in high potential areas will be 40 million and the already over-exploited natural resources will not have expanded. We are still fighting ‘Shamba’ system responsible for re-establishment of forests and provision of food for the extra mouth and wildlife husbandry that would protect the 75% wildlife outside protected areas.
Consumptive and non-consumptive sustainable utilization of wildlife and forests products by communities living with wildlife and near forests is still not recognized in law when we are always reminded that the wildlife in non-protected areas holds the key to the future of wildlife in Kenya. These communities are sitting on a gold mine yet they are some of the poorest in Kenya, their poverty mostly resulting from human-wildlife conflict.
Incidentally, Kenya has many well-funded international conservation NGOs most of which are concerned more with the animal welfare and rights rather than the people who live with and protect those wildlife. Their contribution to the debate on wildlife utilization has always been one-sided as they always mobilize their resources to demonize utilization as the way forward for wildlife and forest management. Yet habitat for wildlife is not expanding but shrinking with expanding human population. Conservation areas are becoming isolated islands. The resulting compression of wildlife in conservation areas has severe ramifications on ecosystems, species composition and genetic diversity. The loss of species and habitat has reached alarming levels in Kenya. Only 1.7% of and area is forested while 15 mammalian species are in the Red list (IUCN) of threatened species. When conservation and development are not in harmony, the environment loses out. As long as our economy continue to relay directly on our natural resources and the population continues to skyrocket resulting in rising poverty levels; as long as most of us continue with our conspiracy of silence; our future and that of our children is the great country is doomed! Mr. Mwenja is currently a USFWS MENTOR Fellow studying illegal bushmeat exploitation in East Africa iregim@yahoo.com
Iregi Mwenja
No words can say it better than these photos
Iregi Mwenja Powered by Zoundry
Last week was my last weekend here in Kenya before I travel back to Mweka in Tanzania. As usual, my daughter had a list of places where I was supposed to take them. Among them was the Sheldrick orphanage where I took them a fortnight ago and they can’t stop demanding for more. But a curious one came from my son who I don’t know how he came to know about it. It is the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi. My family loves wildlife and I was surprised we have never thought of going there. The children sometimes know more than you do!
As we learnt at the Giraffe Centre, there are very many was to feed a giraffe and at the same time get a photo of a lifetime. On this list is the giraffe kiss where you give a giraffe a pellet using you lips! I tried it and it was really nice. You have to try it to understand what I mean. The keepers told us not to worry because they were all females! For the ladies,I am sure there are male giraffe as well!!! The giraffe saliva is sterile and there are no dangers of zoonosis.
Please visit the Giraffe centre and try this kiss of a lifetime as you support conservation of wildlife in Kenya. Bring your kids as well so that they can learn to love and care for wildlife at an early age. If we kissed them at an early age, we won’t be killing them for meat at the rate we doing today.
Iregi Mwenja Powered by Zoundry
I am very grateful to Tanya and Lucy of The African Environmental Film Foundation for donating twelve wildlife DVDs for use in my conservation education activities later this year. Tanya only saw my blog less than a week ago and today I have 12 DVDs in my possesion. They are;
The highly informative videos on East African wildlife are such a great treasure for me because I love wildlife videos but I could surely not afford to buy twevle DVDs at ago! I hope to share this with friends and colleagues at Mweka. Can we make such videos on bushmeat? ‘Asante Sana’ and keep up the good work Mwenja Powered by Zoundry
Since joining the MENTOR Fellowship program in early February this year, I made a vow that I will unrelentingly campaign against illegal and unsustainable exploitation of bushmeat in Eastern Africa. Indeed, the course sponsors, USFWS, CAWM and ABCG came together to start this program in order to “to train and build the capacities of emerging conservation leaders in order to build a network of eastern Africa wildlife professionals who can lead efforts to reduce illegal and unsustainable bushmeat exploitation at local and regional levels”. By joining the program, one automatically becomes an anti-bushmeat crusader and pro-sustainable use, in my view. And this is what I have been trying to do as I get the training to become a “top anti-bushmeat crusader in eastern Africa” It would not be surprising then if I told you that barely one month since my “conversion” I was “shouting from the roof top” against anyone who was involved in propagating illegal bushmeat trade. I didn’t care much on whose toes I was stepping on, as long as I was sure of what I was talking about. But the reality of the complexities of illegal bushmeat trade soon hit me. I came to learn that you have to “shout selectively and tread carefully!” These issue has tormented me so much for the last three months and I have decided to open up so that I can have some peace of mind. I leave it to you to judge me. At this point, I want to keep quite and stop talking. But I hope you - my listener, agrees with me that I am allowed to think aloud (at least in my blog since no where else can express my frustration without probably landing myself or someone else in trouble) ……… about three months ago, I ate something…… it was dark, fibrous and tough….this was suspect and worse, it was not even in the hunting season! …..I didn’t do it once or twice……. I did it many times. … Not because I liked it, but because I had no alternative… or else I would starve or explain why I am boycotting food.. I found myself between a rock and a hard place.. I agonised for many nights over how I could diplomatically raise this issue, at least to wash away the guilt feeling and keep my integrity…..please don’t rush to accuse me of being complacent. I made some little noise which was met with some backlashing…….. But somebody needed to explain to me what I was being fed on!. wasn’t that too little to ask? Luckily, someone else took over and the texture and colour of that m*** immediately changed!! I hope forever.
Yes my reader. This is the harsh reality! The illegal bushmeat trade is complex and run by highly powerful cartels that can be dangerous if one does not “shout selectively and tread carefully” The war against illegal bushmeat trade will not be an easy one. Just like all other illegal businesses like drugs etc, there are well connected people behind these deals. This was indeed baptism with fire! Now that I have made my confessions, I feel free and ready to continue with the struggle. This time wiser, aware of the magnitude of the problem and the many hurdles that I will find on my way! Or was it part of the practicals on bm id?! Iregi Mwenja Powered by Zoundry Powered by Zoundry
Three weeks ago, a van owned by one popular Tour company was stopped and searched by KWS Officers who had been tipped that the staff of this company were conducting illegal sport hunting to their “clients” and feeding the meat obtained to staff at their Tourist Camp probably to subsidise food costs and for sale in Mombasa. In Kenya any form of consumptive utilization of wildlife is illegal, unless and problem animal is killed by Kenya Wildlife Service - when communities are allowed to feast on the carcass. Therefore, everything he is doing is totally illegal. It is understood that this has been going on for a while. The man responsible - a senior staff in the Tourist Camp has been bringing his “clients” from Mombasa for Sport hunting, probably at a fee. However, the junior staff who are fed on this meat were not very happy on this illegal business and blown him up. He was arrested with six Impala and two pistols. Three more gun were recovered after Police searched his Camp. Some of the meat had already been transported to Mombasa. I have been reliably informed that the man was sacked by his employer the next day. The case is up for hearing tomorrow and I will you posted on this development. Mwenja
As I learnt during my the desnaring exercise in Sagala ranch, charcoal burning and bushmeat poaching go hand in hand. Charcoal burning which have almost wiped out certain tree species like acacia in the ranch is rampant in this region. Every day we found dozens of charcoal kilns and as the desnaring team have learnt, whenever the come across a kiln, they will find wire snares laid around that kiln. Charcoal burning is “illegal” in Kenya. Charcoal burners illegally cut down of indigenous trees species even in private ranches like Sagala and this continues unabated.
Is poverty the common denominator here? Is it lack of good laws or is it lack of political goodwill to enforce the existing laws that is to blame for this wanton plunder of our natural resources at highly unsustainable levels? Iregi Mwenja USFWS MENTOR Fellow Powered by Zoundry
Here is another article on poaching in Tanzania. Although the Kruger article surprised me, this one didn’t. And in Kenya, staff of a tour company who have been involved in bushmeat trade were recently arrested and arraigned in court. More of these articles in the next post. What is your opinion on these two articles? Are things this bad or has the media and politicians made the situation more worse than it is? Iregi Mwenja USFWS MENTOR Fellow +254 (0) 723713642 Tanzania: Hunting Deals ‘Cost Nation Dear’ The Citizen (Dar es Salaam) 25 April 2008 Posted to the web 25 April 2008 Damas Kanyabwoya, Dodoma And Levina Kato Dar es Salaam Suspect contracts for lease of professional hunting blocks, milk the country a staggering Sh100 billion (about $80 million) annually, Parliament was told yesterday. This paints a gloomy picture on war against grand graft in a country which with orrupt deals combine to cost the Government about $1 billion (Sh1.25 trillion) each year. Tabling a private motion in the House on hunting contracts, Kwela legislator Dr Chrissant Mzindakaya also criticized foreign domination of the multibillion shillings industry. He claimed that from professional and tourist hunting alone denies the Government about Sh76.8 billion about $60 million) from fees paid by hunting companies irrespective of the richness of biodiversity in the hunting blocks. ” Hunting companies that run the sub sector operate as a cartel with close involvement of Wildlife Division senior officials who benefit from the system,” asserted the MP. He said foreign domination of the sector denies the country huge income that could otherwise be accrued from broad-based participation of hunting firms. “These foreign hunting companies dictate terms and at times openly threaten honest government officials who stand on their way. He cited threats directed to the current Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism,” he said without elaborating on the threats. Mr Mzindakaya further accused foreign hunting companies of refusing to play by the rules and corrupting officials in the ministry to make excessive profits at the expense of Tanzania’s natural resources and biodiversity. He described the hunting firms as looters of the country’s natural resources. He said the Government is not getting the foreign currency from professional hunters as it should because the hunting companies remit all funds accrued to their foreign bank accounts. Mr Mzindakaya said 12 foreign companies own 57 prime hunting blocks with each one controlling about five compared to ten local companies that only own 16 hunting blocks in prime areas. He said inconsistent rules and regulations put by the Government at a disadvantage when dealing with the powerful hunting companies. He said all blocks are charged a fixed fee of $27,000 regardless of their biodiversity, location and infrastructure available. This is wrong because biodiversity based on number and variety of game species available in prime hunting blocks could be 10 or 20 times more valuable than open hunting blocks. The legislator proposed that blocks in prime hunting areas like in Selous Game Reserve should cost more in terms of fees and must be allocated through open tenders. “When that happens the market value of prime blocks will be higher. He suggested that fee for hunting blocks in Selous should be $400,000 per block annually or $2 million for five years. Mr Mzindakaya also charged that the hunting sector in Tanzaniais operated in big secrecy and totally lacks transparency as no information or data is made available to determine the scale and nature of the blocks and the industry as a whole. “Hunting companies and their managers shun publicity with many vital aspects of the industry shrouded in secrecy,” he said. He charged that the TanzaniaHunting Operators Association (Tahoa) is an exclusive club formed to protect vested interests of a minority segment in the hunting industry. “To a greater extent this association does not provide a forum for Tanzanians to participate fully in the hunting industry. In its reflection, Tanzanians are third class participants in the industry and are thus pushed to the receiving end,” he asserted. He advised the Government to enact a new Wildlife Act to replace the outdated Wildlife Conservation Act No.12 of 1974 that gives too much powers to the director of wildlife in all aspects of wildlife management. He added that the Wildlife Policy of 1988 is also outdated and lacks proper management plan. The MP recently, hunting companies refused to pay the $50,000 per hunting block as proposed by the Government and approved by Parliament last year because they are very powerful than the latter State institutions. He thus proposed in his motion that the Government revise the hunting fees according to biodiversity available in the blocks, open up the hunting sector by increasing the participation of local hunters and communities to reduce capital flight. Mr Mzindakaya also urged for the stop automatic renewal of hunting licenses and introduces international tendering for hunting blocks. He said prior to end of current contract in 2009, the Government should ensure that it uses the opportunity to revise the fees and put strict regulations to ensure fair competition in acquiring hunting blocks. Debating the motion the MPs expressed their disappointment on how the Government has failed to protect its sovereignty against powerful individuals in the wildlife sector. “Three years ago when I said Wildlife Division should be cleaned up for its failure to supervise What goes on in the hunting blocks, I was warned that I had touched interests of very powerful people at home and abroad and that this lead to aid cancellation to Tanzaniafrom France,” Mr Mgana Msindai (Iramba East-CCM) claimed. He said this shows that the Government is helpless in the face of some few rich and powerful people in the hunting industry. Ms Aziza Sleyum Ally (Special Seats-CCM), said after the Government proposed the $50,000 fee per block last year, some officials flew to the US where they published lower fees in a book that was had a Government seal. “I want to know how many Gvernments do we have in this country. We have one that proposes things with Parliament approval and another that invalidates those things and come up with new decisions. Is this how we run this country? Who ordered those officials to publish lower fees,” she queried. Powered by Zoundry |
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Iregi Mwenja is one of the 8 USFWS MENTOR Fellows from E. Africa studying a post-graduate course on Bushmeat in CAWM Mweka. He is a leading wildlife biologist with 8 years field experience in East Africa
