Extreme weather events claim wildlife, livestock in Taita Taveta

 

A senior warden at the Sarova Taita Hills sanctuary Donart Mwakio (lef in uniform) with a colleague examining a Zebra carcass in the private sanctuary [Renson Mnyamwezi, Standard]

Taita Taveta County has experienced two contrasting weather events that have caused loss and damage. In one part of the county, hundreds of wild animals have died from drought, while in another part, more than 3,000 goats and sheep have been killed in floods.

The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) recently said 3,000 goats and sheep have been killed and 4,000 people displaced following heavy rains in Taveta sub-County.

KRCS County Coordinator Jorum Oranga said Njoro, Mata, Abori, Lambo, Mshekeshenyi and Marodo villages in Taveta Sub-county were the worst hit following heavy rains.

“We have also issued an alert in Kimondia and Mwarusa villages,” said Mr Oranga, adding that KRC supported 780 affected persons with no food items. He expressed fear that heavy rains in Mt Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania could cause cross-border flooding.

In a clear sign of the effects of climate change in the country, in Taita Sub-county, drought has also seen hundreds of wild animals die.

Reports from conservationists show that different wildlife species are dying in large numbers in private and public sanctuaries, affecting conservation and tourism activities in the region that harbours the big five wild animals.

Adversely affected are Tsavo National Park, Sarova Game and Lumo Community sanctuaries, where dozens of wildlife species have died due to lack of pasture and water.

Stakeholders said despite rains being experienced in some parts of the county, sick and weak wildlife species still died at an alarming rate.

At the over 28,000-acre Sarova Taita Hills wildlife sanctuary situated on Mwatate-Taveta road, carcasses of buffalos, zebras, antelopes can be spotted.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has remained mum over reported deaths of wildlife in parks. The KWS Assistant Director in charge of Tsavo Conservation Area Kennedy Ochieng’ was not reachable for comment, as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.

Willis Njue, a senior KWS warden in Tsavo, said he was still on leave and could not give accurate information about the wildlife deaths.

But Taita Hills Safari Resort and Spa, Bura general manager Willy Mwadilo, and a senior warden at the sanctuary Dornart Mwakio said dozens of wildlife had starved and died.

“Drought has taken a heavy toll on wildlife... Five animals have been dying every day. Those badly affected include buffalos, zebras and antelopes. Some wildlife species have grown weak and are sick. They die on the way to search for the depleted water and pasture,” said Mwakio.

Mr Mwadilo, who is also the chairperson of Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers in Tsavo and Amboseli, said at the sanctuary yesterday that the huge loss of wildlife occasioned by prolonged dry spell had badly affected tourism, as tourists constantly complained of seeing more carcasses than live wildlife. “Tourists have been discouraged because they have not been seeing value for their money,” said Mwadilo.

He said persistent water shortage had been a major challenge, adding that wildlife had to walk long distances to Kasigau location for water.

At the same time, Mwakio said drought had escalated subsistence poaching in areas adjacent to wildlife protected areas. He disclosed that poachers had been using motorbikes to chase and slaughter weak wildlife. “We have been experiencing sporadic subsistence poaching where poachers slaughter game for food and commercial purposes with impunity,” noted Mwakio.

Taita Taveta County executive member Ms Esther Mwanyumba said the drought had caused persistent human-wildlife conflict in the region.

She noted marauding elephants had frequently been raiding settlement areas in search of food and pasture and in the process destroying water tanks among other properties.

“The effects of climate change have had devastating effects in the area,” she said.

Conservationists noted frequent fires in the parks and illegal grazing has been depleting pasture and water meant for the wildlife.