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Exit tourists, enter poachers
THE EAST AFRICAN
10. Feb. 2008
By PHILIP NGUNJIRI
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST extraordinary wildlife reserves, Kenya’s
Masai Mara, recently voted one of the Seven New Wonder of the
World, is under severe threat from widespread poaching following
the near collapse of tourism in the country’s post-election crisis.
However, top environmentalist Dr Richard Leakey believes he has a
solution that will insulate the Masai Mara and other reserves from
the relatively fickle tourism industry they now depend on.
“Africa’s parks cannot survive on tourism revenue alone,
especially during times of political instability,” he says.
According to Dr Leakey, online support is an ideal way of
guaranteeing the future of conservation across the continent.
“We have a responsibility to protect this extraordinary wilderness,
not just for Kenyans, but for the entire world. If we do nothing,
we are in danger of losing it forever,” he said.
Kenya’s post election crisis has triggered a 90 per cent collapse
in visitor numbers to parks and reserves. That has forced hotels
to close, leading to thousands of jobs lost. The crisis has had
countless other indirect impacts that are still being calculated.
The 1,500-square kilometre Masai Mara Triangle is managed by the
Mara Conservancy Trust, and completely financed by the entrance
fees from the 70,000 visitors who enter this unique ecosystem
every year. The reserve is the northern extension of the Serengeti
plains of Tanzania, and is the top attraction in Kenya’s $900
million tourist industry.
The damage to the local economy now means many people are expected
to turn to poaching wildlife for the bushmeat trade, causing
irreparable damage to the ecosystem. With its millions of animals,
the Masai Mara is especially vulnerable; over 900 poachers have
been arrested in recent years.
In 2007 alone, nearly 500 wire snares were collected, 15 animals
rescued and 46 animals were found either dead in snares or
recently butchered. The tourism crisis has led to reduced manpower
for surveillance, which will lead to an immediate rise in poaching.
“Wildlife security is going to be hit hard,” said Brian Heath,
Mara Conservancy Trust chief executive.
“We expect a sharp increase in poaching. The Mara’s wildlife not
only attracts thousands of tourists but poachers too, primarily
for bushmeat,” he added.
The local Maasai community is also suffering.
“My community benefits directly from tourism as gate revenues pay
for the wildlife conflict compensation scheme,” said Parmois
Siampei, a Maasai administrative officer for the Mara Conservancy
and local community member.
“Over the years, this has led to a strong relationship between the
Maasai and the Mara Conservancy Trust. We are uncertain how long
this goodwill can last given the collapse of this compensation
scheme.”
THE MARA CONSERVANCY Trust is a non-profit company, established in
January 2001 to manage and protect the wildlife of the Masai Mara
Triangle.
The Masai Mara is located west of the Rift Valley and is a natural
extension of the Serengeti plains of Tanzania. Between July and
October, more than one million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra
migrate into the Mara in search of pasture, along the way crossing
the crocodile-infested Mara River. In 2006, the Masai Mara was
named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World by ABC News.
Meanwhile, Lake Nakuru National Park says it is losing over Ksh2
million ($28,600) daily in revenue following the disputed
presidential election. The park’s daily gate collections have
dropped from Ksh2.8 million ($40,000) to a paltry Ksh200,000
($2,860) per day.
Lake Nakuru National Park is the second most popular tourist
attraction in Kenya after Maasai Mara.
Park management committee chairman Joseph Muya says Lake Nakuru
Lodge has sent home 80 employees on compulsory leave and retained
only three workers in each department.
According to Kenya Tourist Board managing director Dr Ong’ong’a
Achieng, the projected number of visitors had been expected to hit
250,000 for the first quarter of this year. This number will now
not be realised. He says an impact assessment study is being
carried out to establish the overall loss for the sector, which
depends heavily on perceptions.
DR ACHIENG BLASTED THE Western countries for what he termed as
unfair treatment of Kenya and asked the Western media to be fair
in their reportage of the crisis in the country — noting that the
political standoff in the country has been blown out of context.
But he is optimistic the sector will pick up in due course.
Kenya received more than one million visitors in 2007, the bulk of
them from the US, UK and Germany. Tourism contributed almost $1
billion to the economy, making it the biggest foreign currency
earner ahead of flowers and tea.
But images of machete-wielding youths and burning homes broadcast
around the world after the poll led to the mass cancellation of
visits planned during peak season in January and February.
Tanzania and South Africa have been the main beneficiaries of
Kenya’s troubles as they snap up safari tourists. Visitors set on
beach holidays, meanwhile, have been redirected to a variety of
locations around the world, according to tour operators.
Industry associations estimate that 120,000 of the 500,000 jobs in
tourism-related businesses will be lost by March.
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