The Mountain Region Mobile veterinary Clinic - A KWS/Lewa initiative

Introduction

The veterinary section has not contributed much to the wildlife direct for the last few weeks. This does not mean that it has not contributed to conservation. In fact the Mountain veterinary clinic has been so busy in her efforts to positive contribution to conservation.

Just to mention a few, these are some of the activities that the veterinary clinic has been involved in for the last few weeks:

1) Mass capture and Translocation of wildlife into Meru National Park (MNP)

MNP had experienced heavy poaching during the 1980s and early 1990. As a result, the population of most wildlife species was drastically reduced. In 2000, efforts to start restocking the park were initiated with translocation of about 10 elephants. During the preceding years, other species were translocated into Meru National Park (MNP).

During this year, between August and September, 1,016 Impalas and 771 Plain Zebras were captured by use of funnel system and translocated into MNP. It is hoped that the following will be achieved:

1. Viable population of target species is established

2. Genetic variability and viability of target species is ensured

3. Number of species for tourists to view is increased

Kenya Wildlife Service, veterinary / capture and species departments, led in the planning and execution of the exercise. Being a member of the veterinary and capture department (KWS) I was called in to lend a hand.

The exercise can be termed successful but this will be proved by the research scientists doing the post-translocation monitoring of the species translocated.

2) Elephant Collaring

The Laikipia Elephant Project (LEP) in collaboration with the University of Cambridge has developed a project in building capacity to alleviate Human-Elephant conflict in Northern Kenya.

LEP works in collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Save The Elephants (STE) and other local organisations to achieve her goals.

KWS approved the exercise and the veterinary section played an instrumental role in immobilisation and fitting of the collars.

The collaring operations were carried out to fit a new generation of GSM/AWT collars on crop-raiding elephants, with a view to trying the E-fence system, a potential human-elephant conflict early warning system based on mobile phone technology.

Three male elephants were successfully immobilised and fitted with collars. Foot darting was a challenge due to the risks involved, but after a hard work we succeeded.

Data derived from this exercise will help in devising ways in building capacity to alleviate Human-Elephant conflict in Northern Kenya.

Lots of planned activities in the next quarter, stay tuned.

(There were some photos to go with this post but due to some technical problems they will not appear)

Thank you.

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