The Loss of Vegetation is Pushing Wildlife Species to Extinction

The rapid growth of population is taking its toll on the vegetation which provide food and habitat for many of the wildlife that Africa has been so blessed with. The explosion in the population of East Africa means more demand for land for cultivation as well as housing. Wetlands and forest covers which provide homes for most of the wildlife are quickly dwindling. The influx of tourists to Africa is however beginning to highlight the importance of tourism and conservation of wildlife and vegetation some of which are endemic to certain regions. Take for instance the mountain gorillas which can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Before the Mau forestland rush, the dark- green rain forest was a showcase for the diversity of life. There was hardly a break in the canopy of giant trees, and virtually every acre was alive with all kinds of flora and fauna. Kenya safari information

Then, in the mid-1980s came a horde of settlers, both legal and illegal, slashing and burning huge swathes of the forest to create land for farms and infrastructure. They came to enjoy a promised land, full of milk and honey, but in essence produced a trail of devastation.
Sadly enough, their action is replicated in other parts of the country. Economists might not see a problem with the galloping population increase, but with an additional one million new mouths to feed every year, environmentalists have all the reason to be worried. Kenya wildlife safari
“The country is losing its biodiversity at an alarming rate due to destruction of the natural resources and we have started to pay the price,” says Dr David Western, a former Kenya Wildlife Service Director.
Due to degradation of natural habitats, as a result of population pressure and poor farming practices, the country has lost 50 per cent of its wildlife population in the last 34 years.
Initially, pressure on natural resources was concentrated on the high potential areas, but things have changed in the past decade, with attention turning the arid and semi-arid land (Asal), one of the most suitable habitats for wildlife.
Under threat is the country’s jewel, the tourism sector, the third largest foreign exchange earner, after horticulture and tea exports. Tourism is also cited as one of the critical sectors in Vision 2030, the economic blueprint, which aims to transform Kenya into a middle income country. Kenya safari
However, conservationists are concerned the country is killing the goose laying the golden egg and that the grand targets could turn into a pipe dream if habitat loss continues unabated.
“More and more Asal areas are being opened up for agriculture despite being unsuitable for farming, resulting in the loss of biodiversity,” says Dr Western the chairman of the African Conservation Centre.
Studies conducted by the organisation in Amboseli National Park and Maasai Mara Game Reserve, for example, reveal that settlement patterns around the protected areas, have changed from temporary to permanent, with most families opting to grow crops rather than practice pastoralism, suitable for such environment.
As a result, in the Amboseli National Park temperatures have risen by three to four degrees in the last 30 to 40 years, a fact that conservationists blame on loss of vegetation cover. “We have to be careful when preparing for climate change by ensuring we are not degrading our habitat,” adds Dr Western.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is also concerned about the loss of habitat. Patrick Omondi, head of species conservation and management at KWS concurs with Dr Western’s sentiments.
“Land degradation and change in land use coupled by lack of enforcement of land use policy are the country’s top reasons for biodiversity loss,” says Mr Omondi. Zoning as stipulated in the land use policy, for example, has never been enforced, and is the reason why unsuitable land use practices continue in Asal areas.
“Protected areas cannot survive without buffers and if allowed to continue our priceless wildlife will move to neighbouring Tanzania,” he adds. The East African country is one of Kenya’s leading competitors in tourism.
However, Kenya is considered the richest in biodiversity, in East Africa. According to KWS, the country has a total of 407 species of mammals, 1,103 birds, 261 reptiles, 63 amphibians and 314 birds and 6,506 known higher plants.
But these numbers might sharply decline as the country continues to pay little attention to the problem. In fact signs are already beginning to show. Some of the mammals that roamed the expansive Asal areas two decades ago, for example, have declined in numbers and are now confined to conservancies.
Dr Charles Musyoki, senior scientist in charge of species conservation at KWS, says the number of flora and fauna categorised internationally as critically endangered stands at 16. Those considered endangered are 34, while vulnerable ones are 55, bringing the total of threatened species to 107.
Habitat loss is now forcing closely-related mammals to interbreed, raising possibilities of some of the sub-species becoming extinct in the near future. However, there are species considered less endangered at the international level, but critically under threat of extinction in Kenya.
“There is a mismatch between the international list and the local one, which calls for concerted effort by government, organisations and individuals in conserving both,” says Dr Musyoki. Kenya safari
All these problems, can be traced back to habitat loss and land fragmentation due to population pressure and to some extent climate change. “The number one problem facing wildlife species is habitat loss, people moving from high potential areas to marginal areas, where 80 per cent of our wildlife reside,” adds Dr Musyoki.
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Our elephants are quite safe, KWS boss assures

Poaching of elephants is not on the increase, the Kenya Wildlife Service has said.

KWS director Julius Kipng’etich said the recent seizure of ivory in Nairobi was not a cause for alarm as the tusks were old and had originated from southern Africa.

“Kenya was just a transit point,” he said.

Speaking at the launch of the Wheelbarrow Race, an event organised to raise funds for conservation, at Hells Gate National Park in Naivasha on Thursday, Dr Kipng’etich said KWS officers were always on high alert.

He also said many of the parks had recovered from the effects of last year’s drought and that the number of wildlife was increasing. (KNA) - Kenya safari vacations
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Eco-warriors form shield for park protection

An eco-friendly brigade formed a human chain stretching over seven kilometres on Saturday in a campaign to protect the endangered Nairobi National Park.

The “Human Greenline” that was to stretch from Athi River’s Cheetah Gate to just beyond the Carnivore Restaurant was meant to draw attention to threats posed by humans to the park.

No grabbing

“The whole idea today is to tell the world we have had enough grabbing of land, and Kenyans want to conserve their heritage,” said Anoop Shah, who chairs the Nairobi Greenline Steering Committee that is behind the initiative. - Kenya safari packages

Initially, the target was to have the human chain cover the entire 30 km to mark the World Environment Day on Saturday, but the Kenya Wildlife Service said the estimated 5,000 people who turned up stretched out over seven kilometres.

The joint project between the KWS and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers aims to create a 30 km long by 50 m wide forest of indigenous trees to shield the park from the growing metropolis, Mr Shah said.

The Nairobi Greenline, a three-year programme, requires Sh40 million to cover the 30 km belt.

Cover cost

Approximately Sh35 million will go to cover the cost of digging trenches, soil preparation, fencing, sinking boreholes, piping, planting tree nurseries, irrigation, seedling transportation and labour.

The other Sh5 million will go to maintaining and patrolling the Greenline.

The organisers raised Sh16 million from Saturday’s event, Mr Shah said. Corporate organisations that donate Sh1 million will be given a kilometre to plant and maintain.
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Park owners demand permits

The Kenya Wildlife Service has been accused of frustrating the owners of game sanctuaries by denying them licences.

Proprietors of the parks said they had not benefited from their facilities as they had failed to get permits to operate.

“I have been a snake handler for more than 40 years and yet I have been denied a licence,” said Mr Jackson Iha, whose park is located at Mtwapa.

“We are conservationists and we love animals, that’s why we have invested a lot in these facilities, but without licences we cannot move forward,” said Mr Gerald Macharia ,who runs a snake park near Tsavo East National Park’s Bachuma gate.

They complained that they are not allowed to advertise or receive guests. Such visitors would enable them to meet the cost of running the sanctuaries.

According to Mr Macharia, his snake park would complement Tsavo Park because visitors don’t get to see reptiles during game drives, as well as provide jobs.

Tourism last year earned the exchequer Sh62.46 billion from 950,000 visitors while this year, more than a million visitors are expected. Earnings are expected to hit the Sh80 billion mark.

Frustrating

Mr Arthur Tuda, the KWS senior warden in charge of Coast region, denied that they were frustrating conservationists. Most of the unlicensed sanctuaries did not conform to set standards, he added. Kenya tours

“We wouldn’t want tourists to visit places that do not measure up to the industry,” he said.

However, he said KWS had received proposals they were considering and would soon license those that qualify.

Uganda’s tourism shines in London

The Ugandan stand at the World Tourism Market in London did not win any award, but one could not fail to notice the unusual organisation, zeal, and traffic at the double-deck stall designed with backcloths.

The eye-catcher were dancers dressed in gorilla costumes performing Runyege, Magunju, Kadodi, among other traditional dances.

The UK based traditional dance troupe entertained the over 5,000 visitors who flocked the double-deck stand designed from the backcloth, and according to Boniface Kitandara, of Lake Kitandara Tours and Travel, it was the best event he has attended because Uganda was able to beat its neighbours almost on all fronts and he signed clients for his company. Uganda safari packages

Mr Edwin Muzahura, the marketing manager of the Uganda Tourism Board said; “Uganda reclaimed its identity as the home of the gorillas, on top of giving visitors a glimpse of what to find in the country.”
“Our tour operators signed deals there and then while in the past some would return without signing anything.”

The visitors were able to befriend the gorillas’ online, taste Ugandan coffee, and drink Uganda Waragi at the stall.
Also DVDs showing life in Uganda, the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) conference, hotels and tourisM attractions in the country were given out.

Uganda is home to three-quarters of the world’s 720 gorillas but in the past, Rwanda has wooed most tourists interested in mountain gorillas because they had strategically positioned themselves.

This year, during the events celebrating the year of the gorillas, the Uganda government spearheaded a campaign of marketing the country as the preferred destination for gorilla tours, which was climaxed by the visiting of Hollywood film actors and actresses who became gorilla ambassadors in America.

The high morale at the Ugandan stall in London left the East African neighbours speechless, looking caught off guard as groups of tourism agents checked in and out of the stall that was graced by among others Tourism Minister Serapio Rukundo, UK High Commissioner Joan Rwabyomere and France Ambassador Ms Alice Napiok.

Staged annually in London, the World Travel Market is a vibrant four day business to business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and international travel professionals. It is an opportunity for the global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof.

Ms Lilly Ajarova of Ngamba Island was nominated best eco-friendly community based initiative. Ms Ajarova who was conspicuously missing at the global do is the director of Ngamba Island, a chimpanzee sanctuary, which involves the surrounding communities in conserving the animals. She missed the event because she failed to secure a visa to the UK in time.

This did not go down well with Ugandans whose several colleagues at the Uganda Wildlife Centre and Civil Aviation Authority were turned down by UK’s visa section in Nairobi.

Some members of the tourism fraternity have expressed their dissatisfaction to the Foreign Affairs Ministry at the manner in which Britain handles their visa issues and say the problem is costing them marketing opportunities.

“About 10 people failed to secure visas to the UK, partly because the visa office handling Ugandans is far away in Nairobi and one cannot explain to the officers there. By the time they get back to you, probably an opportunity is gone,” an irritated Mr Muzahura said. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should sort out the diplomatic hiccups as it is becoming a hindrance to marketing tourism.”
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