On Thursday 31.7.08, the senior management carried out a transfer of all the staff and Wardens. This is a normal exercise which takes place every six months and affects all departments. All the sector heads were moved and this time round I've exited the Tourism and Anti-Animal Harassment Team to head the Anti-Poaching Patrol Team at Ngiro-are outpost. This means that I will now not be able to update this blog regularly because I am far from the main station, but I know that William is going to train more rangers so that they too can tell you about what they are doing in other parts of the Mara Triangle.

Assistant Warden John Sogirian is now the new Tourism warden after serving many years at the security operations. The last I was in security was the year 2004 and I was so pleased to join this department again, and this time as a Warden. Now I head a section of Rangers and our main objective is to combat poaching and ensure security to our animals.

On 1.8.08 early morning we went out to patrol along the escarpment to the cattle trail where a high concentration of wildebeests was sighted for the last five days but no poaching activities detected. We returned to the camp for breakfast and went out again along the border. At one point we came across many vultures feasting on a wildebeest carcass that had died in a wire snare. Around it were another three carcasses in snares. We rescued one alive and recovered six wire snares at that point.

The search continued and we found a topi dead in a snare and one set snare removed. We also went to lay an ambush in this area that night but unfortunately we didn't make any arrest. Many torches were seen, therefore more night patrols must be carried out.

On the 2.0.08, the patrol team left the base for a late patrol along the escarpment near Kenyangaga rangers post. A Standing OP was put in place at Kekomange Hill to observe any poachers` movements at the escarpment into the park. No movements were seen and the team decided to withdraw to the base. At 19:45 hrs on the way back, we incidentally came across a group of people believed to be poachers entering the park. Immediately they saw us and started running in different directions back to the escarpment. We pursued them and managed to arrest two young men from Masanga Village, Tarime District in the neighbouring Tanzania. They were eight poachers together and six had escaped arrest. They had ten wire snares and knives. We handed over them to TANAPA rangers at Kenyangaga post.

On 3.8.08 early morning we left the camp carry out a de-snaring patrol along the border at Mihingu Kubwa area,where we collected a total of 32 snares and rescued 3 wildebeests alive and found two heads hidden in an acacia bush -an indication that they were skinned by poachers around 4.00 am.

One of the rescued wildebeest was seriously injured and may not survive. Following the early patrol outcome, we decided to carry out a short late patrol in the evening along the escarpment .We left the base at 1830 hrs and headed towards the Masanga poachers route where we encountered a group of 15 men who had already entered into the park.

We charged and caught up with three of the men after a long and difficult chase. The others took the advantage of the thick acacias combined with long grass to escape arrest. On 4.8.08, a de-snaring patrol was carried out whereby 153 wire snares were collected and one wildebeest rescued alive. Another Late patrol was carried out in the same area between 1600 hrs to 2100 hrs. No arrests made.

It has been a good first few days at Ngiro-are and all the rangers are encouraged by a change in environment. Thank you everyone for your continued support.

Joseph Kimojino