Is KWS aware of wildlife debate?


Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) launched a strategic plan 2005-2010 as reported on the KTN news bulletin on April 7.

The launch cake was in the shape of an elephant. The climax of the launch was the cutting of the cake by the Minister for Tourism and Wildlife.

What struck me and made me curious was that the minister sliced the "elephant" cake to the applause of dignitaries and audience. Thereafter the ushers served slices of the cake to all the invited guests.

Now, I am informed that part of the strategic plan is review and formation of the wildlife legislation and policy in which sustainable utilisation is a component.

The slicing and eating of the elephant was perhaps a demonstration of the paradigm shift from a non-consumptive use of wildlife.

However, the minister and all those responsible should be aware of the animal welfare groups in the country who will do anything to stop introduction of any forms of consumptive use of wildlife.

Was KWS and those who prepared the cake aware of the implication of that cake to the raging debate between consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife utilisation including the issue of sport hunting?

Dalu wa Tayari

Those of you who have been to Kenya recently, I have heard a quite a few reports that said Kenya has been very badly poached out. How bad or good is it over there? Has it really been as shot out as some say?

The Kenyan parliament approved a bill to allow hunting in 2004 but the president vetoed it because of pre$$ure from anti-hunting groups. There apparently are influential Kenyan landowners who want to capture some of the dollars hunters are now leaving in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia and Botswana. I'd heard that SCI sent a group of Kenyan politicians on a "show-me" trip to several southern African countries that year to investigate the hunting industry. There also have been newspaper editorials in Nairobi calling for the reopening of hunting.

Population pressure has certainly taken its toll on wildlife range, poaching is rampant and government officials are usually associated with most infractions, at all levels, in Kenya. However, I wouldn't call it "all poached out" yet. There are many private reserves of significant size and coupled with the National Parks, which are fairly well guarded, it is not inconceivable that good management couldn't bring back huntable numbers for a lot of species.

I was with the house speaker Francis Ole Kaparo in both Reno and Dallas and he is leading the push to make wildlife pay for itself. Unftly there are some bunny huggers who are trying to fight it, which would only lead to the continued wildlife destruction they claim to want to stop.

Francis Ole Kaparo is a very good man. Very good. About the best mind in parliament, and way above the ministers both in terms of education and integrity.

Anybody who wants to learn about the wildlife situation and the issue of hunting in Kenya, should read the many "Daily Nation" articles by Wycliffe Muga. Last one is here:
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry....y_id=25&newsid=71042

Carcano