Covid-hit tourism suffers drought, poaching blows (Kenya)
Covid-hit tourism suffers drought, poaching blows (Kenya)
Nancy Agutu, The Star
October 1, 2021
See link
https://www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/lifestyle/2021-10-01-covid-hit-tourism-suffers-drought-poaching-blows/
for photos.
During a visit to Tsavo East National Park in June, a standout feature was
a pool of water at Mudanda rock, where hippos came to quench their thirst.
Upon return in September, there was no sign of life, only dry and cracked
soil.
This was a snapshot of the industry's problems. Reeling from travel
restrictions that kept tourists at bay, it now barely has the wildlife
tourists come to see. Many have migrated in search of water, and those
still around are under threat from bushmeat poaching.
As the world celebrates Tourism Day this week under the theme 'Tourism for
inclusive growth', it was a chance to reflect on how the space for wildlife
to roam freely and safely with food and water aplenty is shrinking.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last month declared drought a national disaster
and instructed the National Treasury and the Interior ministry to spearhead
efforts to assist affected households.
But who will look after the wildlife that has been affected by the drought?
On a tour inside the Tsavo East National Park with fellow journalists, a
game drive leaves our faces, eyes and hair all stained with red-brown soil,
the colour painted in the bodies of elephants trekking in groups across the
wild.
Kenya Wildlife Service senior warden Wilson Njue says drought has hit the
tourism sector hard. “This is a major concern. When you come as a tourist,
it is good to see the wild animals, the scenic beauty among others. But
lack of rains has affected every activity at the Tsavo park,” he says.
Njue says circuit areas, where he used to take visitors to see wild
animals, have shifted greatly. Circuit areas are strategic points where
tourists can spot wild animals.
“Animals have migrated in most of the places. You go to a well-known point
as a tour guide with the tourists only to get disappointed,” he says.
“They are looking for water. Initially, key areas like rivers were the
circuit points because you were sure you could spot at least some of the
animals. In Tsavo East, the circuits have decreased from eight to only
about four.”
Sight for Sore Eyes
The gloomy perspective does little to dampen the spirits of tourists. A
tour van arrives with some from abroad, eager to take pictures.
Two tourists, Magda and Michael, who had come to the Voi Safari lodge say
they like the weather in Kenya.
“The weather here is so nice,” Magda says. “In Poland, it's 5 degrees and
we don’t have safaris. When we came here on Monday, we saw a lot of
elephants, giraffes, zebras, and dik diks.”
She says she has always wanted to visit Africa since she was little. “I
always felt that Kenya is the core of Africa. I have come here for one
week. And I like everything from food, the people and even the beaches. The
last time I came here I did not know people can speak English so well,” she
adds.
Michael says this is his first time visiting Kenya. “Kenya offers the
possibility to relax on the beach and go on safaris to see wild animals,
something we do not have in Poland. I like the food a lot and the spices.
They have some influences from India,” he says.
A lioness is spotted in one of the circuit areas lying low, as if it has
feasted of one of the antelopes that had been hoping in the nearby bush.
Our tour guide Brian Were speaks to colleagues on the phone, telling them
to come to that spot. “Bring the tourists on this side of the park, there
is a lioness lying low on the ground. If you take the left turn, you will
also see some cubs, about three in a tree shade about one kilometre from
here,” he says.
Similarly, whenever the tour vans come across each other on the main road,
the guides stop to give each other info on where they have seen animals.
These exchanges are the only way to be sure of seeing the wild animals in
this drought. And for the hippopotamus, the drought made it hard for them
to survive.
We traverse valleys white with blossoms, where the air is laced heavily
with scent, until we arrive at Mudanda rock. This is a huge, orangish stone
that rises unexpectedly out of the bush, with a flight of steps cut into
its huge flank.
“Mudanda means the place of dried meat,” Were says. It draws underwhelmed
expressions, which change to surprise and excitement upon climbing the huge
flank stairs.
Running for 1.5km, the rock is like a vast runway, a landing strip in the
wild.
“Tsavo is the theatre of the world. Wildlife is abundant. Look at the
plateau, look at the scenic features from up here!” Njue says proudly as
the tourists get a glimpse of the beauty.
On the far side of the rock, there is a dried-up river surrounded by some
bushes and scrubs. Gone are the attractions of my last visit. The hippos
that used to rise, chortle and blow their little ears are nowhere to be
seen.
“The hippos must have gone to look for other water sources in Galana river
at the far corner of the park,” Were says, sitting down.
Kenya Safari Lodges and Hotels general manager Joseph Ndunda says the
animals have a way of knowing where to get water. “Even here at Voi Safari
Lodge, if they don’t get water in their pool, they start digging into the
tunnel, where they feel and sense that water is emanating from,” he says.
“The elephants are clever, they can sniff and dig with their legs and
tusks. They think like human beings.”
Voi Safari Lodge is strategically located in Tsavo East National Park. It
stands high above the town of Voi, overlooking a vast expanse of the
African bush.
The tunnel within the hotel leads to a waterhole, where you get close and
personal to the wildlife, which includes elephants, buffaloes, zebras,
waterbucks and sometimes lions.
“For us to avoid [a lack of animal presence], we make sure their pool has
water consistently. With the drought, most animals look for areas. And as
they come here, this now becomes a source of attraction for lodge
visitors,” Ndunda says.
The current drought has only exacerbated the situation: killing animals
through lack of water and food, and causing increasingly complex
human-wildlife conflicts. The situation is so dire that the government
needs to act.
Bushmeat Poaching
It’s not just the drought that is devastating wildlife. Covid-19 is having
its own undesired effect. Bushmeat poaching is on the rise, with antelopes,
dik-dik, guinea fowl and giraffes targeted.
The KWS led a crackdown on bushmeat poaching in 2019, leading to a spike in
seizures. But the pandemic has only made things worse.
"People are desperate to feed their families. Poaching of big animals has
reduced but poaching of small animals has gone high up in the Voi area.
They poach them and take it as food for their families,” senior warden Njue
says.
“They want to put food on the table. But we have a multi-agency team in
place, trying to bring it down. Some decent-paying job opportunities were
lost during the pandemic, which has caused all this.”
But Njue says KWS has beefed up security in the Tsavo parks.
“We have also increased rapport with the community around the parks. The
community can help identify bad apples within them. Our work has been
positive and poaching has been reduced,” he said.
Tsavo conservation area assistant director Kenneth Ochieng says they have
educated the community on conservation awareness to stop bushmeat poaching.
“Our awareness officers are strategically positioned in communities as they
walk door to door to sensitise the community. KWS also uses local FM radio
stations for education,” he said.
Through conservation partners, they are working on creating jobs for the
community, such as bee-keeping and sunflower and aloe vera farming, to act
as an alternative source of income.
“We are working with the government to reach out to these fellows. When
they are educated, they are made aware of the consequences. We also work
with local leaders in Barazas and youth programmes,” he says.
Community Involvement
With the world celebrating tourism this week, the industry plays a huge
role in persuading local people that there is a future in community-led
conservation.
Ochieng says sensitisation now makes the communities realise that when an
elephant is killed, they are losing an asset.
“Local communities are on the lookout and will challenge their brothers. If
welfare, education and employment are being jeopardised by the outside
killing of an animal, they won't let it happen,” he says.
Ndunda says before the pandemic, the hotels, which include Ngulia, Mombasa
Beach Hotel and Voi Safari Lodge, were receiving many visitors.
“The pandemic was unprecedented when it came; we thought it would take only
three months. When they said it will spread up to 2022, we thought they
were prophets of doom,” the KSLH boss says.
"But looking at the economic aspects, it has been affected so much."
He is optimistic, however, that things are improving with the
administration of vaccines across the country. “The removal of Kenya from
the red list will also play a big role in increasing tourism not only in
Tsavo or even other parks. Tourism has contributed to global, social,
economic and cultural aspects in achieving sustainable development goals,”
he said.
Noting that the effects of Covid-19 cannot erode what Kenya has achieved so
far, Ndunda said hoteliers have been forced to cut their prices to entice
tourists.
“Here at Voi, we have offered them a 10 per cent discount. We are expecting
more than 70 guests this week. Most of them come in doubles and they are
from different countries, including Europe,” he says.
This means that if a double room is Sh14,000, the visitors will only pay
Sh12,600, and if it is single, it will go for Sh7,650 instead of Sh8,500.
Ochieng is optimistic that KWS's efforts will cut down on bushmeat poaching
and increase tourism. The conservationist is focused on shutting down the
markets selling bushmeat. His rangers are also out patrolling and
de-snaring poaching hotspots. "It doesn't solve the root of the problem. We
must educate them on why they should stop poaching. We must talk to elders
to help us with this,” he says.