Alternatives to Bush Meat Trade
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Following several years of experience working with communities in wildlife regions in Kenya, Africa Network for Animal Welfare concluded that it was difficult to address the poaching issue without acceptable alternative initiatives that would put food on the table and generate income for the people.
” alt=”Brick Making” width=”300″ height=”225″ />Brick Making
As a result, the Sustainable Alternatives to Bush meat Trade project was rolled with several initiatives already being implemented. These projects are meant to provide the people with sustainable incomes from alternative activities that do not lead to further erosion of wildlife habitats and destruction of related resources but instead encourage their conservation.
In promoting sustainable alternative livelihoods to the bush meat trade amongst communities living in snaring hotspots, University of Denver through the Dean of the School of Social Work, Dr. James Herbert Williams, donated a brick making machine, a water tank and 10 bags of cement for the Watha community neighboring Tsavo east and west national parks in Kenya. Other ANAW partners- David and Kathy Gies, earlier on in 2007 donated a brick making machine and water pipes to the Kasigau Women.
Women With Brick Maker
ANAW is working with the communities to promote use of the brick making technology. Bricks made this way do not need to be kilned and thus local forest trees are conserved. The technology also saves the use of trees as building materials and is a good source of income for the community.
In the past years, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UON) and Western Kentucky University (WKU), a presence has been established in Kasigau region through community outreach programs. There are existent community projects aimed at providing alternatives to snaring of wildlife for bush meat trade and others targeted at avoiding environmental destruction through cutting of trees for charcoal, fuel and building materials.
Cultural Dancers
Other examples of such projects include weaving and basketry, building more eco-friendly housing, water harvesting and conservation, adoption of alternative energy sources– sun, biogas, as well as energy saving cooking stoves, Silk worm farming, and community cultural dances.
We also promote ecotourism as an income generating activity since it also enhances valuing and appreciation of wild animals that attract tourists. Amongst these ecotourism activities are: the Watha Cultural Dances and the Kasigau Women Group handmade baskets which tourists and or visitors see and purchase as they visit the area. Thus communities earn money through the sale of superior bricks, sale of their culture and sale of baskets.
Bush Meat Trade: The role of Politics, International law and economic hardship?
Bush meat trade coupled with poaching for game trophies are threatening wildlife conservation now more than ever before. In 8 de-snaring operations over a one year period, ANAW team lifted 1021 wire snares and arrested 13 bush meat poachers in various wildlife areas. The de-snaring team also found 56 carcasses 32 of which were fresh. During interactions with communities in wildlife regions, joblessness and harsh weather conditions top the list of excuses to justify the illegal actions. Indeed, weather conditions in most wildlife regions has made unviable any other economic activities like farming.
The collapse in tourism in 2008 as a result of the post election crisis in Kenya threatened to worsen the case. ANAW’s de-snaring team observed that more people turned to poaching to fend for their families evidenced by the number of wire snares recovered and poachers arrested during the year.
According to Mwakideu Kambi from Voi, many other people were expecting to turn to poaching for bush meat trade if they lost their jobs in the tourism sector. “My community benefits directly from tourism as gate revenues pay for the wildlife conflict compensation scheme,” explained Mwakideu.
Bush Meat Culprits Arrested
Other wildlife conservation experts also observed that there was an upsurge in poaching in many parts of Kenya especially for the elephant blaming it on the ivory trade in Southern Africa. An estimated 98 elephants were killed in 2008 compared to 48 that were lost in 2007 according to head of species management at the Kenya Wildlife Service, Patrick Omondi. The surge in poaching has been attributed to the lifting of the international ban in ivory trade by the CITES. The trade aspect is most daunting. Wildlife Authorities say criminals have enlisted the locals in the hunt for precious commodities like ivory, lion teeth, leopard skin, and sandalwood among others. Several foreigners have been arrested in Kenya while they attempted to smuggle out such game trophies.
Poaching is likely to continue, posing a challenge to all those involved in conservation and protection of wildlife. The current economic crunch further worsens the situation.What strategies therefore to combat this unprecedented trend?