Three incidents over four days in early July resulted in Kenya Wildlife Service arresting thirteen persons on wildlife and weapons violations along with the recovery of three firearms, 53 rounds ammunition, two powerful "jack light" spotlights, one Land Rover, more than 200 kilograms of contraband "bush meat," one cheetah skin and four elephant tusks.
In one incident, on 8th July, seven Tanzanian professional hunters, plus one Kenyan guide, were intercepted while hunting inside Tsavo West National Park. All eight pleaded guilty to both poaching and firearms charges, and were remanded until 14th August for sentencing. KWS notes that this is not the first incident during which professional hunters have crossed the border. Previous incidents have involved exchanges of gunfire and loss of life.
KWS thinks the hunters crossed into Kenya because wildlife populations on the Tanzania side of the border have been depleted. Lusaka Agreement Task Force and Tanzania National Parks cooperated in the operation.
In another incident, in the early hours of 7th July, three persons were arrested at a police roadblock near Nairobi in possessions of 213 kilograms of illegal wildebeest and zebra meat, believed poached from dispersal areas bordering Nairobi National Park.
Although the three confessed, the court subsequently acquitted them. KWS acknowledges has intensified its intelligence activities concerning illegal "bush meat" because poaching has a negative impact on wildlife populations, and also because public health is jeopardized when unexpected contraband meat is sold for human consumption.
Particular health risks involve both anthrax and Rift Valley fever.
Contraband bush meat sells for 65 Kenya shillings - about U.S. $1 per kilogram.
The third incident occurred on 5th July at Malindi, on the Kenya Coast.
Two persons were arrested. The first arrested was an accused poacher whom KWS had been tracking. The second arrested was a municipal councillor who was accused of inciting the public to prevent the arrest of the accused poacher and the seizure of evidence.
The accused poacher was remanded until 5th August, while the councillor has been convicted and sentenced to a 5,000 Kenya shilling fine (U.S. $70) or two months in prison.
KWS recovered antelope meat, a cheetah skin and four elephant tusks weighing a total of eight kilograms - the tusks had come from very young elephants believed to have been poached on a ranch adjacent to Tsavo East National Park.
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