Rare antelope driven to the edge

By Titus Too

Have you ever seen an antelope that lives in water? Chances are you have not and you are not alone.

One of the world’s most rare aquatic antelopes, Sitatunga, only emerge out of water late in the evening and early morning to graze at riverbanks.

Spotting them is rare. Visitors to either the Kingwal swamp in Nandi or Saiwa dam in Trans Nzoia often keep long vigil to catch a glimpse of the beautiful.

The Sitatunga are only found at Saiwa and Kingwal swamps.

So peculiar are the characteristics of the antelopes that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) stepped in to protect their population and their habitats, which have been turned into tourism destinations.

A lifeless Sitatunga at Kingwal swamp. Photos: Peter Ochieng/Standard

Although they are herbivorous, their hooves are long and distinct from those of its mammalian class.

This enables them to wade through water in search of food and protect itself as well.

Different sizes

Standing at about one and a half metre long, brown with white bellies and long horns, the Sitatunga at Kingwal, in Nandi, are relatively bigger in size and are more compared to those at Saiwa swamp in Trans Nzoia.

Those at the Kingwal swamp were discovered a decade ago since the area then was thick with papyrus reeds.

With rising demand for income, farmers encroached the swamps, thus exposing the antelopes to danger.

The latest threat to the antelopes is the outbreak of a disease that has also baffled the KWS. The disease, KWS officials say, killed seven antelopes at Kingwal swamp last week.

Nandi KWS Chief Warden Joel Kanda said they had launched investigations to prevent further deaths.

"We have already disposed off carcasses of nine antelopes. Yet we are still coming across more," he said.

A visit by The Standard on Saturday to the swamp established decomposing carcasses of the antelopes that were floating in the middle of the swamp near Toretmoi village.

Kanda said he had contacted vets from KWS headquarters to collect samples for analysis and ascertain the mysterious disease.

The antelopes’ population had steadily increased over the last six years and KWS officials say this is because they mostly give birth to twins.

Conservancy groups

Village youths have established a community-based conservancy group to protect the Sitatunga antelopes. The deaths have shocked residents.

"Since their population was increasing, we had expected a tourism boom but with the disease, human encroachment, and poachers, we may not achieve this," said Mr Michael Chumo.

Kanda said a census conducted when the antelopes were discovered put the population at 65 but the number had since risen to 300 before they started dwindling.

The antelope is not known to have value in terms of its body features but humans and dogs hunt it for its meat, believed to be medicinal, said David Sugut.

He said when the antelopes were discovered in 2000, a conflict between them and local farmers ensued since the antelopes used to come out of the swamp at night and feed on crops.

He said the use of dogs to hunt the antelopes turned man’s best friend into poachers as they continued hunting the antelopes right to their habitats.

Environmentalists now want measures stepped up to protect the antelopes, saying their presence would transform the area and enrich the western Kenya tourism circuit.

"It would be in addition to the now completed Koitalel Samoei mausoleum and the rich agro forestry in the undulating tea plantations in Nandi Hills," said Mr John Chumo.

KWS had stepped up efforts to protect the antelopes by killing stray dogs found hovering around the antelopes’ habitats.

Recently, eight dogs were shot dead by KWS rangers at Kingwal.

"The dogs move to the swamp and target the young antelopes. We have cautioned farmers to confine their dogs to protect the antelopes," said Kanda.

Kanda said KWS, provincial administration, Nandi County Council, Kapsabet municipality, Friends of Nandi Environment and local leaders had initiated efforts to protect the antelope habitats.

Awareness campaigns

The intervention by stakeholders and awareness campaigns have led to the formation of community based organisations involved in environment and wildlife conservation.

He said the groups, including Toretmoi environment and wildlife conservancy, have been liaising with KWS and the provincial administration to protect the antelopes.

Speeding vehicles along the Eldoret-Kapsabet road, which cuts across Kingwal, have also killed the antelopes at night.

An official of a local Toretmoi environmental conservancy, Mr Abraham Kiprotich, said his organisation had volunteered to help KWS turn the Sitatunga habitat into a tourist attraction.

Kiprotich said a road had been opened up to the shores of the swamp at Toretmoi village and tourists have started streaming into the area.

"Our youths have constructed a watchtower from which visitors can easily view deep into the swamp. The swamp also has a number of aquatic bird species," said Kiprotich.

The urge to populate has also been counter productive in some instances as some antelopes engage on vicious fights to form colonial controls of the swamp.

A male antelope was recently killed by a group of five others during a fight over a female antelope suspected to be from a different colony.

Some antelopes have also been reported to exist in neighbouring swamps, an indication that they could be migrating.

KWS officials said some of the antelopes have been found at Kesses, Kilibwoni and swamps at Sangalo in Kapsabet division.

"We are now working in collaboration with Moi University and the Eastern Africa University Baraton to conserve the antelopes," said Kanda.

He said they plan to introduce electronic tags for the antelopes, which would ease monitoring of their movement and population.

Kanda also warned local farmers against the use of fire in clearing their farms during the dry season since it destroyes the papyrus reeds in which the antelopes live.