Nation Correspondents
28 March 2005
Nairobi — The Government has been told to come up with a clear policy on how to pay residents near national parks for losses incurred by wild animals.
Kenya Wildlife Working Group chairman Omara Kalasinga suggested that the residents should also be given part of the funds earned from the wildlife.
The official said he was opposed to the transfer of more than 400 elephants from the Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kwale to Tsavo East National Park.
"The elephants in the Shimba Hills National Reserve have caused havoc to Kwale people by trampling some of them to death and destroying acres of food crops over the years and it would be unfair to move them before paying the community," he said.
Mr Kalasinga said the Government should ensure that a special kitty was set aside to benefit local communities living near the reserve by ensuring that more than Sh 1 million was paid for every elephant being moved from the reserve.
The conservationist said the mismanagement of natural resources that included wildlife, minerals and tourism by the Government without putting into consideration the plight of the local communities was one of the major causes of runaway poverty in some parts of the country.
"For the Government to ensure that it is committed to poverty eradication in Kwale district it has to start by addressing the problem of human-wildlife conflict," he said.
Recently, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced that it was set to relocate 400 elephants away the Shimba Hills National Reserve in Kwale district to Tsavo East National Park.
The KWS communication officer, Mr Edward Indakwa, said the reserve was currently holding more than 600 elephants a number he said was too large for the park.
"Shimba Hills is a very small ecosystem. The park has 600 elephants and they have damaged the habitat," said he said.
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