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Wildlife surveillance
Lewa
maintains an armed wildlife protection team to ensure the
safety of its wildlife, in particular rhinos.
The armed teams consist of 19 Kenya Police Reservists (KPR),
seconded from the Kenya Police to Lewa, who carry G3 automatic
weapons and have the legal status to follow up incidents of
insecurity. Two armed mobile teams patrol the Conservancy
and outposts outside the Conservancy (when called upon), and
are in the field for two months at a time.
They provide vital surveillance and firepower when necessary.
The third team is stationed at headquarters for any emergency
call-out 24 hours a day.
The armed rangers are involved in follow up on cattle rustling,
road banditry, poaching incidents and general robbery and
are regularly called upon by Kenya Wildlife Service, the Kenya
Police and Anti Stock Theft Units.
In
2002, they were called upon, for example, by KWS to act on
rhino poaching incidents elsewhere in the country.
Lewa also has a team of rangers armed with .303 rifles, whose
responsibilities include lion tracking and monitoring, as
well as armoury guards.
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