Apr 29 2008
Ranger shot & badly injured when chasing cattle rustlers
Yesterday afternoon cattle rustlers entered Kenya and stole 24 cattle and 2 donkeys from the communities living up on the escarpment. Our rangers were alerted at around 3pm and joined Tanzanian rangers and the Kenyan Anti-Stock Theft Unit in pursuit of the rustlers.
A battle ensued for more than one hour, with sporadic gunfire between both sides. During one of these bursts of fire our Ranger Johnson Leyian was shot in both legs. He suffered heavy bleeding and was immediately taken to the main station here at Mara Serena. It was not possible to arrest the bleeding and surgery was also needed, so he was airlifted by African Air Rescue to the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi. On arrival he was given four pints of blood.
Ranger Johnson Leyian at Ngiro-are Outpost
It was extremely bold of the rustlers to attack in broad daylight. Normally these thefts are attempted at night, a week either side of the full moon. Before the financial crisis hit the Conservancy, we would often lay night ambushes for these rustlers but we no longer have the funds to put these in place.
Our reduced visibility in the area may have been an incentive for the rustlers with all our night patrols halted since January, along with a massive reduction in joint day patrols of the area with Tanzanian rangers.
Also, on March 3rd rustlers attacked at night and managed to escape with cattle from the local community. It was one of only a handful of successful thefts since the start of the Mara Conservancy in 2001, and occurred at a time when the electricity is off at the main station - due to cutbacks - this made it extremely difficult to coordinate the rangers and offer further assistance, as they were only able to use radio handsets which were out of range.
We believe that a combination of reduced visibility in the area, and the successful theft in the beginning of March, emboldened the rustlers and led to yesterday’s attack in broad daylight.
Rangers and Hippo poachers on 9th April; Ranger Leyian in the centre.
Today, Ranger Leyian’s condition is stable and he is expected to make a full recovery. Our insurance will cover the costs of medical treatment but not the costs of the emergency flight, which will be at around 420,000 Kenyan Shillings (roughly US $7,000).
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31 responses so far
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Good lord. Where is the Kenyan government? (possibly rhetorical question)
I’m glad Ranger Leyian is going to be OK, and I hope his recovery isn’t too long. Unreal. A gunfight over cattle - in broad daylight.
s.
This is just terrible news…will this violence ever end?
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Rnager Leyian.
What a relief that Ranger Leyian will make a full recovery. What a terrible event and the boldness of these rustlers is unnerving.
Shot not once, but twice…these thieves mean business. Hopefully Ranger Leyian will be able to walk ok, but it will be very painful, for quite some time. What a damm shame. Will KWS intercede on behalf of the Conservancy, this is a crisis! So very sorry Will and Joseph…will send what I can on Friday. And keep praying.
Thank you all for sharing the pain with us.It was so sad ok, but would not stop us in anyway from protecting life and property of our citizens.We will obviously do this along with the protection of our wildlife.I hope Leyian will probably be discharged in a weeks time or so.
I am also Paying for a speedy recovery of brave Ranger Leyian, and praise his efforts and all others who are putting their lives on the line for such an incredibly important cause.
Anti-poaching is truly a war in Africa.
Guys, you are just amazing people fighting on every frontline:
Try to find the money to carry on such a noble mission that does not look like a priority for the governement in Nairobi these days
Risk your life in chasing poachers and cattle rustlers for the safety of both wildlife and communities
The more I read about you and the Mara Triangle daily news, the more I think you are the heroes and I mean it.
We all stay alert with the news in Mara and wish Ranger Leyian a full recovery.
Vincent
Thank you everyone for your comments, I will pass them on to Leyian and the other rangers.
Last night the rangers from Ngio-are Outpost, where Leyian was stationed, managed to catch a further six poachers. We will let you know more soon.
I’m glad Ranger Leyian is expected to make a full recovery and shocked by the level of violence. I hope this doesn’t scare any tourist away from the Mara.
I’m very grateful for the important work that the rangers are doing.
i do hope this brave man makes a speedy recovery you all do a great job more than just jobs as you put your lives on the line i wish you all the best and will donate what i can my thoughts are with ranger leyians family
In total Ranger Leyian has needed six pints of blood, and the Aga Khan have decided that he should stay in for another week as one of the bullets went in very close to his bladder and they are worried about infection.
do you know any information about this subject in other languages?
what a bunch of brave warriors you rangers are! wish the government will lend more help.
[…] of social media for charities and non for profit organisations. The twitter account is linked to this blog written by the rangers in the Mara Triangle. It’s hosted by wildlife direct, an American […]
Thanks for this update Will, on Ranger Leyian. Our prayers are with him and his family.
Just a quick get well message for the injured ranger and have made two donations to help even a little bit. Please keep us posted.
Will, it’s Friday and as promised, today’s little ray of sunshine, is for Ranger Leyian.
I just read about Ranger Leyina and I’m very glad he will make a full recovery. I’m more and more grateful for the work you rangers are
doing to protect the Mara. I’ll send a donation for the emergency flight costs and all the best for Ranger Leyian.
Thank you so much to Pirjo, Theresa and Ursula for your donations, they are greatly appreciated at this time. And thank you to everyone else for your donations and your messages, I will pass them all on to Leyian.
Pirjo, Theresa and Ursula thank so much once again for your generous donations and prayers!!!
Thanks to the Mara Serena Medic for adminstering first aid to Leyian and sustaining him untill the transfer. Wishing Leyian a fast recovery
[…] me an update on how Ranger Leyian has been doing. For those of you who don’t know, Leyian was shot twice two weeks ago and has been in hospital since. Here is the bill that we are currently […]
[…] dangerous work than most bloggers are used to. In late April, Kimojino’s blog reported on an hourlong gun battle between cattle rustlers and park rangers. One ranger was shot twice during the raid and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Nairobi, where […]
[…] dangerous work than most bloggers are used to. In late April, Kimojino’s blog reported on an hourlong gun battle between cattle rustlers and park rangers. One ranger was shot twice during the raid and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Nairobi, where […]
do get well soon.
we will love an update on his healing progress. a picture of him recuperating will be comforting for us
I hope ranger Leyian is doing well. Our prayers are with him. I have been thinking and asking myself questions about these cattle rustlers and poachers who seem to be motivated only on the short term goal of making a quick buck by destroying and destabilizing valuable resource(s) for the local community and the world. What could be the solution to this problem? Can these pandits be rehabilitated and incorporated in some way or capacity to be good stewards and protectors of our environment and wildlife? I don’t think they realize the magnitude of their actions in harming the people, environment and our cherished wildlife, and if they do, they sure don’t care. I hope they have a change-of-heart and repent.
Daniel
Stillwater, Oklahoma USA
Hello Daniel
One of the obstacles we face in this situation is the political border between both sides, which makes it near impossible for the Mara Conservancy to work with local communities on the Tanzanian side. Instead we can only hope that the Tanzanian government will take responsibility or action.
William
[…] am pleased to be able to give you all an update on Ranger Leyian’s progress, who was shot when chasing rustlers. He came back from Nairobi on the 31st and immediately went to his home to recuperate. Doctors said […]
William,
Thank you for your reply. I would hope that the two governments work together through the East African partnership to address these cross-border issues affecting your conservancy. At the end of the day, it rests on the political will in both capitals to realize the need and urgency of this matter. I was wondering if you had a wildlife lobby or advocacy group in Kenya to pressure the government to come up with legislation that promotes better relations and partnership between the two countries regarding conservation strategies and cross-border law enforcement? But the problem is that our governments have been irresponsive to such matters for a long time. I think it’s about time that the key stakeholders in the tourism, wildlife and environmental conservation industries to take the lead and demand our governments to be more responsive and accountable. Our wildlife treasures are our lifelines that seperates us between poverty and prosperity. Even though we are generally poor, our countries have great potential to harness these resources in a more beneficial way to guarantee both conservation and economic development. However, what needs to happen is to have the political will within the leadership in the kenyan government to effect change that matters across the board.
Dear Daniel
We agree with you whole heartedly about the cooperation needed between the two governments. The Mara Conservancy have been working in tandem with the rangers from the Tanzanian side for many years now, and in a recent meeting to work on better cooperation between the two countries along the whole of the border we, the Serengeti and Mara Conservancy rangers, were held up as an example of how the two sides can work together.
It is true that the governments needs to take more responsibility, and we are pleased that we were able to start the process at a grass roots level. We hope that the governments will continue with their support.
[…] Leyian was shot twice at the end of April when chasing cattle rustlers who had stolen cattle from the local communities up on the escarpment. His injuries were very […]