Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on Wednesday received equipment from international conservation organizations to help combat wildlife trafficking in the Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA).
The donated equipment includes 16 laptops and four printers used for office administration, 180 assorted pairs of boots for rangers, and four tents for use by wildlife rangers when out on patrol, four motorbikes, and a vehicle.
Officials said the items purchased by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) with support from TUI Care Foundation and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) will boost KWS operations to prevent poaching.
“To eliminate illegal wildlife trade, law enforcement including the government and other actors must collaborate strategically, anticipating and responding to the actions of the criminals. Wildlife must play a significant role in the sustainable development of Kenya and Africa at large,” Philip Muruthi, AWF vice-president for conservation science and planning said in a joint statement issued in Nairobi.
Alexander Panczuk, executive director, TUI Care Foundation said it was important that conservation work continues in order to build back better and more sustainably.
According to Panczuk, in addition to protecting the natural environment, conservation projects support the livelihoods of people living in and around the area by creating jobs, strengthening community engagement and in this case mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
“Now more than ever, with a sharp decline in tourism, we need to continue supporting IFAW and KWS with the right equipment in order to react to the effects of the pandemic, mainly the decline in revenue and the resulting reduced operations capacity,” he added.
