Sh10m project to move wild animals
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The Standard News Paper - Kenya
By Antony Gitonga
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will spend Sh10 million to move more than 1,700 animals from Naivasha to Meru National Park.
Already, 37 zebras have been transferred from Marula farm to the recently branded park.
Dr Julius Kipng’etich, the KWS director, said 1,775 animals, including various types of antelopes, would be moved in the one-and-a-half month operation.
He said wildlife at Meru had decreased due to poaching in the 1980s.
The exercise nearly aborted after a KWS helicopter that was herding the animals for loading into lorries developed a mechanical hitch.
Move to boost tourism in the park
But after hours of waiting, a private chopper flew from Nairobi, and the zebras were loaded into three lorries to their new home.
Speaking before the operation kicked off, Kipng’etich said the exercise would decongest Naivasha ranches, whose population had increased sharply.
"The move is not only meant to restock the Meru National Park, but also distress ranches that are overstocked," he said.
According to KWS, the move would boost tourism in the park that bandits overrun in search of valuable animal products, including game meat.
Kipng’etich gave an assurance that this would not recur as KWS was in the process of building the biggest rangers’ camp in the park, among other security measures.
"We are constructing 129 houses for rangers in Murera gate to boost security and avoid a repeat of what happened in the 1980s," he said.
Potential in the sector not fully exploited
The director announced that KWS would be putting on offer four sites in the national park in a bid to boost tourism.
Kipng’etich admitted that the country’s potential in the sector had not been fully exploited, adding that Kenya could surpass South Africa and Egypt.
"Our parks can get the premium prices. We are targeting an annual income of Sh350 billion from tourism by 2012," he added.
Mr Robert Njue, the senior warden in charge of the Meru park, said the exercise would balance the predator population.
The translocation will also benefit the greater Meru Conservation Area — Meru and Kora national parks, and Mwingi and Bisanadi national reserves — which covers about 5,000 square kilometre.
