Giraffe poaching blamed on myth its meat boosts libido

Giraffes at Longicharo island in Lake Baringo. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The Somali giraffe has experienced 80 per cent population decline and is currently listed as “endangered” by the International Union Conservation of Nature.
  • In 2018, results from DNA analysis of meat being sold in butcheries, particularly in the coastal region, showed components of giraffe meat.

As the world marked Giraffe Day, the grim future of the animal was made stark with conservators blaming a false belief that its meat increases a man’s libido to a new wave of killings in Wajir and Garissa counties.

Giraffe meat has been finding its way onto Kenyan plates disguised as beef, with the animals suffering major reduction in population.

In 2018, results from DNA analysis of meat being sold in butcheries, particularly in the coastal region, showed components of giraffe meat.

“The samples were bought from butcheries in Voi, Sultan Hamud and Emali towns. We wanted to investigate whether butcheries that sell beef are selling game meat,” Mr Philip Muruthi, the African Wildlife Foundation’s vice-president for species conservation, said then.

SILENT EXTINCTION

The killings of the world’s tallest land mammal have now brought to the fore the need for more protection of the gentle giants, feared to be facing a “silent extinction”.

In March, poachers killed the only female white giraffe in Kenya and her calf at Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy in Ijara, Garissa County.

The giraffe, described as one of a kind and believed to be the only one in the world, dazzled the local community, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts globally.

On Sunday, the world marked the World Giraffe Day to celebrate the animal that is now in danger of going extinct.

According to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, Kenya is home to about 29,000 giraffes out of about 100,000 giraffes in the world. Out of four species, Kenya hosts three giraffe species — the reticulated, Rothschild’s, and Masai giraffes.

SOMALI GIRAFFE

Kenya’s North East is home to the reticulated giraffe also known as the Somali giraffe. This species is also found in neighbouring Somalia and Southern Ethiopia.

The Somali giraffe has experienced 80 per cent population decline and is currently listed as “endangered” by the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Just recently, four people were arrested while in possession of 150 kilos of giraffe meat in Ijara.

Their arrest followed a joint operation between the officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service, Northern Rangelands Trust and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

In a bid to conserve the giraffe population in Wajir, the county administration is encouraging the formation of conservation organisations such as Habaswein Wildlife and Tourism Organisation and Wajir Giraffe Centre, according to Wajir Deputy Governor Ahmed Ali Muktar

Mr Muktar said the organisations’ activities range from combating local poaching, ecosystem conservation, and managing wildlife habitat.

TOURISM

He stated that the second-generation County Integrated Development Plan (2018 -2022) highlights the county’s intention to conserve the giraffe population through the formation of community conservancies such as the Sabuli Community Conservancy and Haradhe Wildlife Conservancy in Wajir South and North respectively.

He added that during the 2018/2019, wildlife and tourism was allocated Sh10 million, adding that Sh5 million for the wildlife sub-sector was used towards supporting Sabuli Community Conservancy at Banane Ward.

Mr Muktar further said that he sector intends to establish another community wildlife conservancy in Wajir North and construct several watering points in selected areas in the county.