Seven dead in Kenya park gunfight
Three wildlife rangers and four suspected poachers have been killed in a gun battle in Kenya.

A spokesman for Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said seven rangers patrolling the Tana River District were attacked by an unknown number of armed men.

The area is home to three national parks where poaching is common.

KWS spokesman Paul Udoto said two AK47 assault rifles and two axes were recovered and rangers were pursuing several suspected poachers.

Mr Udoto said another ranger was seriously wounded in the gunfight that took place at 0200 (2300 GMT).

Kenya has been hailed for its efforts in combating the trade in elephant tusks and other animal parts that is a big business for poachers in East Africa.

Wildlife tourism is an important source of revenue for Kenya.

The trade in ivory is banned under international treaty and Kenya has been opposed to calls for a partial lifting of the ban.

Last year the KWS said it broke up an international syndicate dealing in ivory and other illegal animal products.

Very frustrating to read that KWS rangers have to loose their lives for protecting wildlife.

Perhaps we could do something positive!

The men killed will have family! How about a small help for the families from us?, the Bushdrummers.
hey lost their lives protecting our interests, wild life!

Just a thought.

A simple way to get a small help to Kenya would be a food package or a supermarket voucher sent to them. Bushdrums cooperates with Biashara.biz. We can select a value of our choice and once we provide them with name and address, they deliver it.

However there are 2 small issues with this:
1. we need to find out who the relatives are and where they live. (Delivery in the bush is nearly impossible).

2. who should receive such help? Every ranger family that will loose a family member or only this specific case? Unfortunately we don't hear about every case so how could we make it fair?

Alternatively we could try to find out if KWS is willing to help us to pass it on.

Let's hear some more bushdrummer´s voices and I will see what we can arrange with KWS.

Please signalize if you are willing to participate and if you have any better idea.

Kipper:

I think this is a marvelous gesture. I wrote KWS several years ago about the same type of thing but was told in so many words that they took care of their own. I can't remember who was Director at the time. However, I think it would be great if people outside of KWS also had the opportunity of showing their sympathy and concern. There certainly aren't that many rangers killed every year trying to protect wildlife thank goodness.

If you like, I'd be glad to write to KWS again and let Kipngetich (another Kip) know that other people are asking to help, and if we got something together would he be able to pass it along to the ranger's families.

How about a small insert as well on our site Carsten, dedicated to those who have lost their lives for the cause of wildlife - across the board.
I have not seen this ever on any webiste. Perhaps their name, what they did and why they lost their lives?
This can be for all involved from KWS, free lance NGO's, reporters and wildlife specialist to Prof. Hunters who help eco systems and wildlife.
Just a thought - perhaps we can put it under wildlife?
Comments?