Chinese to get ‘poaching alerts’

Chinese visitors to Kenya will now receive SMS alerts against engaging in ivory trade, their Nairobi embassy has said.

The move, according to embassy counsellor Cao Xiaolin, was aimed at sprucing up the image of his country, which has been accused of providing ready market for contraband ivory.

Mr Cao denied claims that China had been fuelling elephant and rhino slaughter, saying they were committed to helping Kenya increase its tourism revenue by supporting conservation.

He accused Western and African media of tarnishing his country’s name and warned that such reports were harming relations between the two countries.

Mr Cao, who was addressing a joint press conference with Narok Governor Samuel Tunai in Maasai Mara at the weekend, urged Kenyans to expose the real forces behind elephant slaughter.

“There are stringent penalties on wildlife crime introduced by various countries aimed at stopping carnage within elephant and rhino sanctuaries.

Perpetrators of ivory trade and its products get up to life imprisonment.”

The counsellor was part of a powerful delegation that paid Mr Tunai a courtesy call.

The delegation included a member of the ruling Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Mr Sun Zhengcai.

The visitors handed over advanced anti-poaching equipment to the governor, among them two motor vehicles, 20 outdoor GPRS systems, 20 binoculars, 50 flashlights, and 20 cameras.

Kenya’s conservation efforts have received backing from the UK, the Netherlands, the US, Chile and now China as the country prepares for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) meeting next month.

Kenya will be pushing for five amendments to global wildlife conservation treaties in the wake of increased poaching.

Mr Tunai thanked Mr Zhengcai for his visit and appealed for more help to stop poachers.