On Tuesday May 13th, I joined David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Bura Desnaring team at Tsavo East to get hands on knowledge on illegal bushmeat exploitation and the mitigation activities on the ground. I was warmly welcomed to the team Leader Nicodemus Kivindyo. We then headed straight to Sagala Ranch where the our desnaring activities were to be based. The group was composed of the six desnaring scouts from Sheldricks’ and two KWS Ranger who help Law enforcement i.e. arrests. The ranch Manager and his scouts also accompanied us to help in spoting snares and navigation in the dense bush thicket.

The team final briefing before embarking on the desnaring at Bomani in Sagala Ranch

Life in the bush is not new to me, but desnaring was certainly a new experience for me. After being dropped at the targeted desnaring spot, the team would split into two groups, each with a local guide and a KWS Ranger. We combed through the area looking for snares, bushmeat poachers and any other illegal activity in the Ranch. We started off at around 07:00 am in the morning and walked through the dense bush thicket full of “wait-a-bit acacias and commiphora that made working a real hassle. After walking for four gruelling hours, the teams would converge at the drop of point and head back to the camp for lunch. At this time, the sun is too hot to continue walking in this semi-arid bushland. In the early afternoon, we headed back to the bush to a different area that was usually jointly identified by the ranch Manager and the team leader.

In the bush there were many little surprises that I am really not comfortable with. However they are colourful and harmless and I always took a picture to add to my wildlife library. I would like to share some of them with you;

Iregi Mwenja

MENTOR Fellow

USFWS MENTOR Fellowship program

+254 (0) 723713642

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