NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 18 – Over Sh1.9 million worth of goods have been donated to the Kenya Wildlife Service to support operations in the Tsavos.
The donation presented by the International Fund on Animal Welfare comprised of 86 Land Cruiser tyres and 16,640 litres of fuel.
Vice President, Azzedine Downes says that the donation was the final phase of a five-year IFAW/KWS partnership.
“IFAW recognises the importance of the Tsavo area in Kenya’s wildlife conservation and will continue supporting the efforts to protect the elephants,” he said.
KWS Director Julius Kipngetich commended IFAW for recognising the value of building synergies and partnerships in their conservation work.
He urged the various industry stakeholders to work together for greater impact.
“We need to work together for the future of conservation management in this country,” said Mr Kipng’etich.
“It is not a matter of how loud we shout about conservation issues but how much we do on the ground,” continued Mr. Kipng’etich, who also stressed the importance of investing in scientific research to inform future decisions
The IFAW Vice-President recognised the tough challenge KWS faced and said they were proud to continue with the partnership that would go a long way in conservation management in Kenya.
IFAW’s partnership with KWS in Tsavo is the second engagement. A five-year project in the Meru Conservation Area was completed a decade ago, a partnership that transformed the Meru National Park into a thriving tourist attraction site after years of poaching of its elephants.
Apart from being a victim of massive elephant poaching previously, the Tsavo Conservation Area hosts the largest single elephant population in the world.
It comprises the largest protected area covering over 52 percent and 3.9 percent of Kenya’s surface area.
The conservation challenges in Tsavo mostly emanate from its size, remoteness and close location to the Somali border, which has increased the risk of poaching and human-wildlife conflicts.
The IFAW funds are directed to the enhancement of park operations, law enforcement, research and education, human wildlife conflict resolution and community wildlife service.
The success of IFAW/KWS Tsavo Conservation Area Project will be used as a yardstick in various KWS projects.
International Fund for Animal Welfare is one of the largest animal welfare and conservation charities in the world.
Its mission is to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation and protecting wildlife habitats.
IFAW works to improve animal welfare, prevent animal cruelty and abuse, protect wildlife and provide animal rescue around the world.
From stopping the elephant ivory trade, to ending the Canadian seal hunt and saving the whales from extinction, IFAW works to create solutions that benefit both animals and people.
Between the years 2000 and 2005, the Kenya Wildlife Service assisted by IFAW, restored Meru National Park from near ruin to one of the most promising tourist destinations in Eastern Africa, solving the park’s poaching problem.
