Target: Erustus Kanga, Director General, Kenya Wildlife Service
Goal: Investigate the suspected poaching behind 1,430 recovered wire snares and pursue meaningful penalties for those proved responsible for unlawful trapping and wildlife killing.
A wire snare can turn an animal’s ordinary movement into a struggle against tightening metal. Joint wildlife patrols removed 1,430 snares during one month. Each recovered trap represents an opportunity to investigate suspected unlawful hunting and prevent an animal from encountering that danger.
The September patrol summary also records 105 bushmeat carcasses and 401 kilograms of meat seized in suspected wildlife offenses. Five elephant carcasses and 85.9 kilograms of recovered ivory were recorded separately. The elephants’ causes of death were not specified.
Wildlife protection requires care with both living animals and evidence. Rangers need support to detect traps, document suspected offenses, and pursue credible leads beyond a discovery site. Demand thorough investigation, prosecution of supported charges, and penalties proportionate to any unlawful trapping, killing, or trafficking proved.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director General Kanga,
Please ensure that the work behind the recovery of 1,430 wildlife snares leads to sustained efforts to establish criminal responsibility. The volume of snares and suspected bushmeat seizures warrants focused investigation of locations, patterns, and any links supported by evidence. We ask you to make animal protection and case preparation complementary priorities throughout patrol operations.
Document recovered traps and carcasses, obtain veterinary assessments where useful, and preserve the records needed to connect evidence to particular conduct. Trace suspected sellers, buyers, or financiers when reliable information supports those inquiries. Assess the elephant remains separately rather than presuming poaching from their discovery alone. Accurate findings can strengthen enforcement and guide resources.
Work with prosecutors to pursue meaningful penalties for proven wildlife offenses and any authorized forfeiture justified by the evidence. Continue supporting snare removal and veterinary help for animals found injured, alongside investigation of those responsible for unlawful activity. Please ensure that success is measured not only by equipment removed but also by reliable cases, appropriate convictions, and reduced danger to wildlife. Every trap taken out of the landscape creates a chance to prevent suffering; thorough follow-through can help stop its replacement.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Diego Delso
