Category: An Urgent Appeal, Snares | Date: Jul 09 2008 | By: William

Ngiro are Rangers with some of the collected snares

In the last two days, rangers from Ngiro-are and Serena patrol posts have collected 70 snares. Yesterday they found thirteen wildebeest caught in the snares - ten were already dead but they were able to free three.

We are still doing what we can to get the message out that the Mara needs the support of those from around the world. We have the Spanish newspaper El Mundo here at the moment and then later on this afternoon CNN are arriving and will be here until Friday.

We would also like to thank Bonnie who owns the Karen Blixen Coffee House in Nairobi who is going to put on a fundraiser in September for the Mara, as well as Gaurav who is organising a fundraising football match in Nairobi, and then later in the Masai Mara. I’ll put more news up on both events closer to the time.

Ngiro-are Rangers removing snare yesterday. 

We would also like to thank all those who have set up monthly donations to the Mara Triangle. As you know, we thought this crisis would be short term but it looks now like it’ll be several months until tourists return so we need to raise as much as we can.

Please, if you can, set up a monthly donation and ask your friends to do the same.

We need to keep up the fight.

Wildebeest dead in a snare.

Update: Rangers were out on night patrol last night and caught one poacher.

11 responses so far

Category: Poachers, Snares | Date: Jul 07 2008 | By: William

Kortom tells me that another poacher was caught yesterday by our rangers at Kokakuria in Serengeti. Rangers found two new snares, made the arrest, and then found a further five - collecting seven snares in total. The man was also carrying a sword and a spear.

Please consider making a monthly donation to the Conservancy so that our work can continue for the rest of the year.

3 responses so far

Category: Elephants, Snares | Date: Jul 06 2008 | By: Kimojino

Late Friday afternoon rangers from Ngiro-are outpost reported that they had seen a young, bull elephant with a snare caught around his right, hind leg. KWS were called on Saturday morning and were fortunately in the area and so were able to come to the Triangle immediately.

Dominic from KWS treats elephant.

It was also fortunate that the wire snare had not yet cut through to the bone, just the outside tissue.

Wire Snare caught around hind leg. 

The elephant was darted at 10:30 am and fell down at 10:34. The procedure was started at 10:35 and then by 10:40 the snare was removed. The elephant was given an injection to wake up and was standing by 10:45.

10:45. Elephant wakes after procedure.

A very impressive operation carried out by KWS, and we commend them for such an excellent job. Once the elephant woke he was even walking without a limp.

Ngiro-are rangers yesterday reported seeing the bull elephant at 4pm and said that his condition was good and he was still walking fine. They will continue to check on his progress.

11 responses so far

Category: Poachers, Snares | Date: Jun 21 2008 | By: Kimojino

Rangers leave this morning on patrol.

Last night GSU Personnel on the Narok side of the Mara, went down to the river to bathe and spotted two men a short distance away disappear into some bushes. Immediately they radioed our rangers who went over to meet with the GSU, but by now the sun had already set and so it was decided that we would send out a joint patrol early this morning to try and catch the poachers.

Rangers from Serena Station left at 5am to join with Mara Bridge rangers and also the GSU. Together they started the patrol, and found the footprints of the poachers. They followed these prints until they found the men further along.

The two poachers with snares and supplies. 

When we found them they had their food already cooked and were on their way to set up a more permanent camp. We learnt that when they were spotted yesterday they had just arrived, after travelling all day from Tanzania, and so we are pleased to say that no animals had been killed.

Rangers coming back from patrol. 

6 responses so far

Category: Poachers, Snares | Date: Jun 19 2008 | By: William

Rangers from Ngiro-are and poacher, with dried hippo meat.

Rangers from Ngiro-are outpost reported on the 19th that they had collected 35 snares in just one morning patrol at Kasarani. They found a topis caught in one of the snares, with the wire caught around it’s neck. That evening they laid an ambush at Endonyo Olpaek in the hope that poachers would come back to the area, which they did, and they managed to arrest one poacher, but nine managed to escape arrest. These poachers had succeeded in killing a hippo with spears. Yesterday rangers from Ngiro Are reported that they had collected a further 10 snares along the border.

Ranger Kosencha with wire snare.

With the migration coming we will see a rise in the number of snares being used and really need your support to help fund both day and night patrols. We cannot do this without you.

Please, make a donation, or help us by telling all those who you think may be interested in supporting us at this time.

Thank you.

3 responses so far