Two poachers shot dead in Samburu, elephant tusks recovered

Wardens from Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service shows their anti-poaching skills after a two days training with the British Army Training Unit Kenya BATUK at Mt Kenya forest on December 5, 2013. Hardly a week later, KWS have shot dead two suspected poachers in Samburu East. One of them is believed to be a notorious poacher whom the officers have been pursuing for a while. PHOTO/JOSEPH KANYI

By  JAMES NGUNJIRI

What you need to know:

  • One of the dead is suspected to be a notorious poacher whom the officers have been pursuing.
  • Officers acting on a tip off from the members of the public laid ambush for the poachers who had hired a taxi to ferry the tusks to Isiolo town.
  • The senior warden said they had managed to kill one of the notorious poachers whom they believe is behind several killings of elephants and rhinos in the Northern Tourism Circuit.
  • The incident came a week after joint anti-poaching training sessions were held between the British Army and Kenya anti-poaching security agents.

Two suspected poachers have been killed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) wardens in Samburu East and five Elephant tusks recovered from them.

One of the dead is suspected to be a notorious poacher whom the officers have been pursuing.

KWS Senior Warden for Isiolo, Michael Gichure said two other suspected poachers escaped with gunshot wounds after a fierce shootout between the KWS wardens and the poachers at Kirish area in Samburu East.

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Mr Gichure said the officers acting on a tip off from the members of the public laid ambush for the poachers who had hired a taxi to ferry the tusks to Isiolo town.

REFUSED TO STOP

“The suspected poachers defied orders to stop after police erected a temporary road block.

Instead of stopping, the poachers started shooting at our officers who fired back and a fierce exchange of fire ensued,” said Mr Gichure.

After the battle, the wardens also recovered a 303 riffle, eight rounds of ammunition, jungle uniform and two mobile phones.

The senior warden said they had managed to kill one of the notorious poachers whom they believe is behind several killings of elephants and rhinos in the Northern Tourism Circuit.

Two weeks ago, another poacher was killed at the Lewa Conservancy and a rifle recovered in what KWS officers termed as a foiled poaching attempt.

Mr Gichure said they have intensified patrols and have up-scaled security surveillance within and outside the protected areas.

ANTI-POACHING TRAINING

Wednesday’s incident came a week after joint anti-poaching training sessions were held between the British Army and Kenya anti-poaching security agents.

During the training 50 wardens drawn from KWS and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) received intensive training from the British Army troops in Nanyuki aimed at tackling the rising incidents of poaching in the country.

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