quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
Monday June 22, 2009
Local News

Poachers engulf rangers in Loliondo

Daily News

VALENTINE NKWAME in Arusha, 22nd June 2009 @ 01:25, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 109

POACHING cases are on the increase in Loliondo game controlled area in contrast to limited number of game rangers in the vicinity. The Ngorongoro District Wildlife Officer Betekire Rubunga said there are just four game rangers including him, to patrol the rather large game controlled area. At least ten rangers are needed.

"We also have only one vehicle, a single-cabin Land- Rover, which has just resumed operation last week after being grounded for repairs since December 2008," revealed Rubunga. Loliondo game controlled area measures 4000 square kilometres much of it being thicket jungle, Savannah bush land and hill ranges. These topography coupled with underdeveloped infrastructure in the area impede rapid movement in case of emergency and works in favour of better equipped poachers.

"The entire landscape is dotted with traps, snares and dug out pits. The problem with these traps is that they catch both the intended and unintended animal species," said the officer adding that poachers also use militarylike heavy guns. According to the Wildlife Officer, his department has been making arrests. "We have nabbed several offenders this year, and five cases have been taken to court", he said.

Between January and December last year a total of 15 illegal hunters were arrested, three of whom were sentenced up to 15 years in jail with other cases going on at the District Magistrate Court. "The nation incurred a loss of over Tsh 30 million from such practices in 2008," stated Mr Rubunga. According to the wildlife officer, figures of the previous year 2007 indicate total arrests of 12 poachers who were apprehended and taken to court with most of them now serving various jail sentences.

The Wildlife officer explained that most illegal game hunters come fromMara region and neighbouringcountry of Kenya. He also pointed out that there is an increase of Zebra killings in the Game controlled areas mainly for the animals skinswhich of late have been on high demand. Elephants are also loved by poachers. "We keep coming across carcasses of these large land mammals everywhere we go within the Game Controlled Area and so far we have recorded six recently killed Jumbos, threen in Njoloi Ward and other three in Arash village," he stated.


All the carcasses have been missing their tusks, providing clear motives of their planned deaths. Other than poaching, witchcraft beliefs are also said to be taking toll on wildlife killings. "We recently caught a suspect with teeth of recently killed lions," said Mr Rubunga, adding that upon further probing, it turned out that the teeth were ordered by a witch doctor.