Kenya's wildlife protection is a step beyond the rest

The recent arrest of three men in Laikipia County who were trying to sell 50 kilograms of elephant tusks vindicates all Kenyans who are passionate about our wildlife and are strongly opposed to poaching.

The three suspects were transporting nine pieces of elephant tusks in a matatu, and were arrested by police and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) posing as potential buyers.

The 50 kilograms of tusks have an estimated street value of Sh 3.3 million. According to the KWS officers, the tusks did not appear fresh, indicating they came from past poaching activities.

CRIMINAL CHARGES

The three suspects will face criminal charges. In Kenya, poaching is prohibited since the Wildlife (Conservation and Management) Act was passed in 1976. In our country, as opposed to regulations in many southern African countries, there is zero tolerance to poaching.

As of 2017, there were 15,316 elephants in Kenya, an increase of about 1,000 from five years prior. Kenya is one of the countries whose elephant population is growing.

This is due in large part to the government’s pro-active conservationist policies. The global estimate from the same year stated that there were about 415,000 elephants worldwide.

 As for rhinos, with more than 1,200, Kenya has approximately one-fifth of the world’s rhino population of approximately 5,500.

In the 1980s there were only about 400 rhinos, and tripling that number has been a major feat of cooperation between the KWS and the national government, combined with hard work and dedication of park rangers.

ANTI-POACHING

As a Kenyan, I am proud to be part of a country that does so much to fight poaching. Law enforcement and other public servants tend to take cues from their leaders.

Back in 2015, in a surprising and somewhat unconventional move, President Uhuru Kenyatta personally set on fire 115 tonnes of elephant and rhino tusks that had been captured by rangers and authorities. The year before, poachers had killed approximately 20,000 elephants.

But by burning the tusks at Nairobi National Park, the government sent out a clear message to buyers that poaching of Kenyan and African wildlife will not be tolerated.

Most black market buyers come from Asia and the United States. They want to purchase ivory for aesthetic purposes and for use in ritual medicines.

At more than Sh200,000 per kilo, ivory costs more than gold. However, if demand is weakened, the price will drop - and so will poaching.

The more buyers see examples like the one set by the Kenya government, the less likely they are to continue going after it.

As patron of the Hands Off Our Elephants campaign, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta also shares the President’s passion for wildlife. Breaking off from traditional roles of African first ladies, she has tirelessly worked on conservationism for years.

GENERATES REVENUE

One of the best things that Kenya is known for globally are our amazing safaris and national parks.

If you ask any tourist visiting our country what they came here for, the answer will probably be safari. Not only does preservation and conservation of our national parks contribute to the global heritage of diverse ecological systems, but it also generates a lot of revenue for the tourism sector.

The money raised from tourism contribute to the preservation of national parks and the protection of animals.

The money also employs tens of thousands of waiters, hotel staff, drivers and other workers. Kenya is blessed with the diversity of ecosystems.

While the tourism industry has temporarily taken a hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government’s strict mitigation measures ensure that once the virus begins to subside, Kenya will be the first African country that people will visit.

Until then, the KWS is ensuring that no threat to any of our animals takes place. And while international travel is still halted, Kenyans can tour the country by embarking on extraordinary safaris.

Michael Cherambos is a social, political and economic commentator based in Nairobi. [email protected]