Animal Welfare Updates - July 2021

Cruel Bushmeat Hunting Continues Unabated

The month of July saw ANAW in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and supported by Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) conduct a de-snaring exercise in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi capital, aimed at eliminating pain and cruelty of wildlife species normally caused by wire snares set up by poachers, to harvest bushmeat for both food and commercial purposes.

During the three-day exercise that covered Manera farm and Soysambu conservancy, which are hostpots for animal snaring, a total of 126 wire snares were lifted during the patrols. Data gathered by ANAW from de-snaring activity in such hotspots, depict increased number of animal snares in wildlife areas bordering human settlements where local communities capture wild animals for nutritional and economic reasons, especially following the covid-19 pandemic.

It was devastating to witness four animal-slaughter sites where fresh blood marks were spotted, and flattened bushes – indicating that some of the animals were painfully strangled to death before they were skinned and their carcasses taken away using motor-bikes.

The team was keen to meet with neighboring communities in an attempt to sensitize them on the need to report any encountered bushmeat activity to the authorities. Importantly, the communities were educated on the need to preserve the wildlife for future generations.

Kasighau Ranch Hosts World Rangers Day Celebrations

On 30th July 2021, Kasighau hosted national celebrations to commemorate this year’s World Rangers Day. All wildlife law enforcement agencies attended the event, in which Kasighau guardians were the organizers and spokesmen.

These celebrations happened in the wake of news of illegal bushmeat hunting and trading in the Tsavo ecosystem where Kenya Wildlife Rangers had arrested several suspected persons with over 250 carcasses of various species of small antelopes.

Farmers Asked to Switch from Battery Cage to Free Range System

The implementation of Open Wing Alliance supported project advocating for Cage-free chicken farming system in Kenya continued with field visits in five Kenyan counties - Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale to ascertain the status of chicken farming methods used by farmers and get their views on battery cage chicken farming. The team encountered two main farming styles used in all the counties visited - battery cages and deep litter systems at equal measure.

The team was keen to persuade the farmers who majority practised battery cage system, to switch to free range method which was more animal welfare friendly. 90% of the farmers spoken to, were willing to switch but only if it did not affect production. The field visits continue to the end of August.

Kenya's Ministry of Livestock Declines to Renew Licenses for Donkey Slaughter

Following ANAW’s efforts under the umbrella of Alliance for Donkey Welfare Organisations in Kenya (ADWOK) to mobilise donkey owning communities in Kajiado, Taita Taveta and Marsabit counties to petition the Kenyan government against renewing donkey abattoirs licenses for continuous slaughter of donkeys, the Kenya Directorate of Veterinary Services declined to renew the licenses for donkey abattoirs forthwith.

Making the announcement, Ministry of Livestock’s Principal Secretary (PS), Hillary Kimutai, said that donkey population in the country was still at its lowest and as such could not sustain commercial slaughter demands. The PS acknowledged the petitions from communities and donkey owners against donkey slaughter as having informed the ministry’s decision.

ANAW wishes to sincerely thank Welttierschutzgesellschaft e.V. (WTG) and Brooke East Africa for their generous support, that enabled the mobilization of donkey owning communities in the three counties (Marsabit, Kajiado and Taita Taveta) to petition the government against renewing the donkey slaughter licenses. This mobilization which saw 3,065 communities sign the petition, was instrumental to the landmark decision by National government.

ACEF Puts Smile on Five Students’ Faces as they Join Secondary Schools

With generous support of Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), ANAW actualized the recruitment process of bursary beneficiaries of the Africa Conservation Education Fund (ACEF) high school sponsorship initiative in the month of July. The learners who benefitted to join Form One were meticulously selected from the following regions: Taita Taveta County - Bungule Primary School; Kilifi County - Jira Primary School; Machakos County - Muthwani Primary school; Nakuru County - Munengi Primary School and Kiboko Primary School.

The ACEF program paid school fee ($350) for the selected students for one academic year as well as $100 to help do personal effects shopping. This, however, is barely enough and ANAW continues to make appeal for more donations towards the sponsorship program since it is only 5% of those who are in need in the above listed counties that had received help.

In Machakos County, Mercy Mwikali, a 15-year-old, and one of the beneficiaries, could not hold back her tears as she narrated how her mother had to go through so many challenges, to keep her and her siblings in school. “Sometimes there was no food, and we would all as a family miss school.” Mercy said as her wet eyes brightened up. “I remember how we would go to school in tattered clothes” she added as she tried on her new school uniform.

Research by ANAW has indicated that communities living near wildlife areas have long been excluded from quality education because of their schools’ remote and rural location. Many among their young people are out of school because of lack of school fees while many others lack gainful employment. This initiative, therefore, aims at enabling wildlife hosting communities to become conservation agents through provision of education scholarships and support of animal welfare clubs in selected schools. Similarly, the project is being implemented in wildlife areas such as conservancies in Soysambu and Naivasha in Nakuru County, Maanzoni ranch in Machakos County and around Tsavo East National Park in Taita-Taveta County.

Mercy and four others can now join other children pursuing secondary education, courtesy of ACEF. In the long term, it is projected that beneficiaries like her (Mercy), their families, and entire communities will show greater value for wildlife.

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