Lewa conservancy banks on community conservation awareness to curb poaching of rhinos

Meru,

Sunday, September 24, 2023

KNA by Dickson Mwiti

Lewa conservancy is banking on community awareness on issues of conservation as a key strategy to curb poaching of rhinos which have been identified as an endangered species.

According to the conservancy’s head of general security Mr John Panieri, the strategy has proven to be working at the conservancy with the last case having been reported about five years ago.

 “Engaging the surrounding community as well as sensitising them on the need to conserve rhino is one of the greatest and effective strategies that we have been using here.”

 “The community has been the first defense line and if we don’t engage them, this would be dangerous as most of the animals are out of the park where communities live,” said Mr Panieri who was speaking during this year’s celebrations of the world Rhino Day.

 He said poaching is usually a long-organised chain involving people even from Asia but could be easily curbed by sensitizing the surrounding community who are mainly used to execute the poachers’ plans.

“Since we started engaging the community, there are indications that poaching has decreased with the increased street value for rhino horns which means they are not easily available,” said Mr Panieri.

 He added: “The poachers mainly buy few greedy community members and this is the reason we are focused on winning them by initiating various development projects that can have impacts in their lives.”

He said the conservancy which has a total of 262 rhinos (white rhinos 132 and black rhinos 130), the highest in the region, was working around the clock to improve on security measures for the animals as well as learning the emerging new techniques being used by poachers so as to enhance mitigation measures.

Head of conservation and wildlife at the conservancy Mr Dominic Maringa said they were doing everything possible to raise awareness on rhino conservation considering their dwindling numbers with only 960 black rhinos and 2000 white rhinos as per the last census, in the entire country.

 “We want to thank the community and other stakeholders who have been helping us in the anti-poaching campaigns and also happy that the awareness level even amongst the children from the neigbouring community is so far very high,” said Mr Maringa.

He said the conservancy has also put in place various conservation measures including conservation education to instill knowledge on conservation among the young children.

 “We have an opportunity to co-exist with these animals. We also need to be innovative and create space for them in the universe,” said Mr Maringa.

 He said co-existence was the only sure way to enhance the animal’s security and productivity which helps the community to reap big from creation of employment, as well as financing of children’s education through bursaries among other programs.

Mr Maringa said the rhino has been a target for poaching in the pretense that their horns are used for medicinal value especially in Asian countries.

Courtesy; KNA