Poaching War Escalates As Suspected Tanzanian Nationals Shot Dead In Kenya’s Tsavo National Park

The district police boss Herbert Khaemba, confirmed the Saturday night incident and said the poachers, suspected to be Tanzanian nationals, were shot dead at Kuranze area, Kasigahu location in Tsavo West National Park. The killings comes barely a week after KWS personnel arrested another poacher and recovered two rifles and three rounds of ammunition at Galana Ranch in the Southern part of Tsavo East National Park in the on-going onslaught on poaching activities in the area.

Khaemba said the rangers on patrol challenged the poachers to surrender but they started shooting at them (rangers) who, in turn, shot back killing three of the poachers.  The warden said by the time the poachers were killed, they had already felled three jumbos. “We had earlier discovered three elephant carcasses without ivory and we highly suspect the gang was behind the killing,” he added.

KWS Director Mr. Julius Kipngetich holding seized Ivory

Skin and Bones remain from poached Elephant in Tsavo

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What is the Bushmeat Trade?

The bushmeat trade is the illegal, over-hunting of wildlife for meat and income.

Already in West and Central Africa this trade has resulted in declines and local extinctions of many wildlife species and the economic, cultural and ecosystem services they provide. In addition, a number of human health threats have emerged from the trade in bushmeat including linkages to  HIV/AIDS, ebola and the threat of anthrax.

Bushmeat trade is not regulated or managed by any authority. Economic benefits from the trade go mainly to hunters and traders. If current trends continue, future generations of citizens in Africa will not have the opportunity to access benefits from wildlife. Using wildlife to meet protein and income demands cannot be supported in the long term.

The immediate threat of loss of economic opportunity, cultural and ecological services, and other values to a wider community must be addressed today.

(Taken From: www. bushmeatnetwork.org)

Here are some images from the Bushmeat Trade for you to get an idea of what we are talking about:

Smoked Gorilla Meat

Poachers kill 65 elephants, 30 rhinos in Zimbabwe

Due to recent shift on the African political landscape,  International crime syndicates take advantage of the situation and are threatening the survival of rare African wildlife species. A recent press release by AFP confirms this report.

Some images from gruesome aftermath:

The Issue

There is a war taking place on our planet for which there are no headlines, no demonstrations, no voice. It is a war against some of the most endangered species on earth, and it takes place in some of the most beautiful and majestic biospheres of Africa that are yet to be fully explored . Unseen and untouched by the Western world, it is the perfect place to hide the atrocious acts that are being committed.