Anti-poaching lessons introduced in schools

Kenya: The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the management of Tanzania National Park (Tanapa) have introduced anti-poaching lessons in 10 secondary schools bordering Maasai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park.

The lessons that will later be included in the teaching curriculums to sensitise communities neighbouring the two wildlife sanctuaries on the importance of conserving the wildlife.

Officials said the students will in return reach out to their communities and educate them on issues of wildlife conservation to curb poaching and expose those behind the menace.

“We decided to introduce lessons on wildlife conservation to these schools to sensitise communities that neighbour Mara and Serengeti parks on the need to end poaching. The students will visit villages to educate locals on the dangers posed by the menace,” said Nick Murero, the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem Coordinator. Students from Moi Naikara, Olchekut Supat, Aitong, Siria Boys and Siria Girls on the Kenya side and Machochwe, Kisangura, Ikoma, Natta and Nagusi in Tanzania will benefit from the exchange programme.

Mr Murero said KWS personnel would visit all the schools on the Kenya side to teach conservation lessons while officials from Tanapa will do so in their jurisdiction, adding that the lessons have already started in Siria Boys and Siria Girls.

“The lessons that will cover all aspects of conservation will take five months. The two countries decided to start this on realisation that poaching has the potential of killing the multibillion tourism industry that is a major foreign exchange earner for the two countries,” he said.