Following several cases of rhino poaching on a neighbouring rhino sanctuary in the district in the last two years, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) was approached to assist the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in anti-poaching activities on the ranch.

On the 13th April 2004, a four man armed team of LWC Kenya Police Reserve Rangers was deployed into the ranch, with the intention of systematically patrolling and searching for poachers and also to confirm rhino carcasses and snares. The LWC team was to operate as a low key team within the sanctuary and have close liaison with the KWS team in the area, should any eventuality or crisis arise, for example the implementation of an ambush at a poachers camp or snare site.

On the 17th April, a 5-6 year old black rhino was found still alive in a cable snare, thought to have been caught the day before. The rhino was darted and the snare removed with the assistance of KWS Vet Mr. Isaac Lekolol and Richard Moller of LWC. The animal was very exhausted but we believe that it will survive.

Since the cable snare had been freshly set, the KWS and LWC teams set an ambush at the snare site, all night and into the next day.

At 7.30am on the 18th April, three poachers were seen approaching the snare. They climbed trees to check on it and on seeing the snare was not there, they became suspicious and ran away. After a short chase, all three poachers were caught.

After lengthy interrogation, the poachers showed the LWC and KWS teams to their camp as well as two other cable snares already set. The snares are very heavy duty cable, freshly set and all close to rhino middens, clearly showing their intentions.

The teams are still flat out patrolling and have found other carcasses of rhino, some old and others fresher. Although the situation is far from resolved, this recent breakthrough in capturing the three poachers and all the information gathering from interrogations takes us far down the road in stopping this poaching. The Lewa security team did an outstanding job and demonstrated their high standards of fieldcraft and discipline.