LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM

West Laikipia Fence Project

Monthly Report
August & September 2009

An elephant breaking fence post at Mutara

Nyumba T O

LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM ROYAL NETHERLANDS EMBASSY LAIKIPIA ELEPAHNT PROJECT

1.0. Introduction
This report draws data and discussions from the month of July and August, 2009 and field
work for the month of September, 2009. Two community training and meetings were held at
Ex-Erok to discuss the community involvement in fence management and at Kinamba to raise
awareness on HEC and community participation.

ADC Mutara ranch still recorded the highest number of fence breakages of 58. Most of these
were concentrated between M5 and M25 (Figure 1). On Lombala Section, the influx of
elephants has resulted to increased breakages especially along L5 and L10 (Figure 1). In most
cases of fence breakages, elephants broke the posts and avoided the wires.

14 cases of attempts by elephants to either get near the fence or break the fence were attended
to by the rapid response team. 8 of the responses involved elephants moving towards the fence,
5 involved elephants attempting to break through the fence and only on two occasions were
elephants spotted away from the fence. Shooting was the major deterrent used during the
responses.

Phase Two of the fence construction is underway but has been slowed down by the drought.
1.0. Fence Sections

Figure 1: Map of the West Laikipia and the Olpejeta Conservancy Fence
 1.1. Fence breakages

Fence Breakages Along the West Laikipia Fence

Number of breakages
Fence Section Location of Breakage (s) Jul-09 Aug-09 Total for each section
Ngorare Ranch N0-N5 0 1 1
L5-L10 4 4
Lombala Ranch
Total 8
M0-M5 17 13
M10-M15 4 2
M15-M20 7 3
Mutara Ranch
M20-M25 5 5
M25-M30 1 1
Total 58
OP60-OP65 2
OP65-OP70 1
Olpejeta Conservancy OP85-OP90 1
OP120-OP0 1
Total 5
Table 1: Fence breakages by fence sections

Mutara fence section still recorded higher number of breakages. Most
of which were recorded at 5km, 20km and 25km intervals (Figure 1)
1.2. Matigari
The Matigari community have successfully demonstrated the need for
unity and crop defence. In September the community raised funds and
replaced a fence post that was brought down by a lone elephant near the
main gate. To date the community has reported only one breakage and
crops are flourishing.
1.3. Phase Two
Fence construction at Olmaisor is steadily on course. However, the
drought and subsequent death o livestock forced the ranch management
to divert labour to attend to the livestock hence an interruption. But it is
expected that this will improve soon. At Ngorare ranch, the proposed
fence line is being cleared. It is expected that the erection of posts
should begin soon.
2.0. Crop raids
3.0. Rapid Response to Problem elephants

Rapid Response activity for the Month of August 2009

Group No of
Date GPS X GPS Y Where Type Elephants Deterrent Used Elephant Response
05/08/2009 242970 5108 Moving towards the fence Bulls 2 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
06/08/2009 242103 6109 Attempting to Break the Fence Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
07/08/2009 242813 5114 Moving towards the fence Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
08/08/2009 241660 8153 Attempting to Break the Fence Bulls 2 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
08/08/2009 242198 7704 Attempting to Break the Fence Bulls 7 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
08/08/2009 242705 5286 Moving towards the fence Bulls 7 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
13/08/2009 245882 5283 Attempting to Break the Fence Mixed 12 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Moved a short distance
13/08/2009 245906 5805 Moving towards the fence Mixed 12 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Moved a short distance
13/08/2009 245537 5873 Moving towards the fence Mixed 12 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
14/08/2009 242916 4978 Moving towards the fence Bulls 7 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
15/08/2009 242421 5660 Attempting to Break the Fence Bulls 3 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
16/08/2009 245696 5496 Away from the Fence Mixed 10 Shouting Ran Away
17/08/2009 242975 4571 Away from the Fence Bulls 11 Vehicle, Shouting, Moved a short distance
17/08/2009 243140 4625 Moving towards the fence Bulls 11 Vehicle, Shouting, Shooting, Spotlight Ran Away
Table 2: Rapid Response

The rapid response team attended to 14 incidents. Most of these involved bulls. It is however, of concern that most elephants were deterred using shooting even
when elephants have shown little or no resistance.

4.0. Problem elephant identification and management

The process of problem elephant identification involves making precise observation of the elephants involved and positively identifying the fence breaker(s).
More often these are identified during a fence breaking event (Table 3: Problem elephants identified in July and August 2009
Figure 2). However, sometimes the research assistants have to track elephants using footprints, or any other spoors leading to a place of incident. The elephant(s)
found closer are thus assigned the responsibility for the incident.
 Problem Elephant Monitoring- 2009 Problem Elephant Monitoring- 2009
Number of Breakages Number of Breakages
Name July August Name July August
Abelincolin 2 Lukas 1
Anabell 7 Mack 1
Beny 2 Mbuthia 1
Brown 1 MJ 1
Cavalieri 1 Mouthia 1
Clint 2 Mutara 3 2
Dedan 4 Mweturia 2 2
Dossena 2 Nelson 2
Harry 1 Nicolas 4
Hurk 1 Noah 6
Ismael 1 Odongo 1
Jagwani 1 Rayn 3 2
Kangwano 1 Robinson 1 2
Kijana 5 Sirikwa 6
Kimani 2 Thesiger 3
Kiminta 1 Tyson 1 1
Lamek 1 Unidentified 15 1
Leiva 1 Zeus 3
Lele 3 2
Table 3: Problem elephants identified in July and August 2009 Figure 2: An elephant ‘Nelson” breaks a fence post at
Mutara.