They were able to arrest two suspects as a result of this bust. In the second operation, they discovered 17 donkeys transporting 49 sacks of charcoal out of the forest. During the first operation, they discovered logs that had been illegally chopped down to make charcoal and arrested two suspects alongside our government partners. On September 26, the MEP/SWT “Echo” ranger unit stationed in the Chepsir Forest in the Kericho area of the Mau destroyed a total of 56 bags of charcoal in two separate operations. The harmful snares continue to be removed by MEP rangers. The suspect was operating with five others and after some interrogation MEP found out they had set additional snares the previous evening, which informed MEP and KWS patrols the next day to retrieve them. Additionally, MEP’s “Alpha” ranger team stationed in the Nyakweri Forest arrested one suspect with over 60 snares and ½ kilogram of bushmeat in a joint operation with KWS, Mara North Conservancy and Olosukut Conservancy rangers. In September, the “Charlie” SWT Mau De-Snaring Unit was busy and in one week alone removed over 60 snares in their area of operation. MEP’s Mau Forest De-Snaring Unit sponsored by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust(SWT) continues to make an impact in protecting the critically important Mau Forest. In total, in September, one suspect was arrested for bushmeat poaching and 147 snares were removed. The suspects were intercepted north of Karatina near the Mt. On September 3, KWS arrested two suspects in possession of 95 kg of ivory based on our intelligence ( pictured left). MEP’s intelligence unit continues to have great success in 2020. Marc and Director of Research and Conservation Dr. Newly collared female elephant, Harriet, joins David who was collared last month. Not only that, but the elephants will also provide an early warning to conflict for MEP rangers stationed nearby. Previous data has shown elephant connectivity from the Mara to the Loita Forest through this area, but our goal with an additional candidate is to collect more movement data to use to help in landscape planning to maintain connectivity along this southern route. The river is also key for the surrounding communities who use it as a source of water and who farm tomatoes along its banks, which leads to conflict as the people and wildlife are competing for the same resource. In the south-eastern portion of the Mara ecosystem, the Sand River area that connects Loita to the Maasai Mara National Reserve is an important source of surface water for elephants and all wildlife and provides a critical corridor for them to move into the Loita Forest during times of drought. ![]() In addition to more boots on the ground in this area, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and MEP conducted a collaring operation in September to collect more data on elephant movements here. MEP CEO Marc Goss addressing everyone who came out for recruitment. These new rangers will be deployed in the Loita area, alongside a MEP team already operating in the Loita Forest to protect the communities from increasing conflict and deter illegal wildlife poaching and habitat destruction activities in the Loita Forest. In response, Mara Elephant Project held a ranger recruitment and selected 10 new recruits that are now participating in basic training on MEP’s campus. ![]() ![]() High levels of illegal habitat destruction activities and bushmeat poaching continue to threaten the Mara’s wildlife and habitat as communities struggle to find alternative livelihoods as the tourism industry recovers.
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