Environment Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu speaking at a past event. [Photo/thebigissue.co.ke]
The ministry of environment has received a major boost in the fight against wildlife crime after the European Union donated Sh2 billion to strengthen regional policing and conservation.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu said the funds will improve surveillance against illegal poaching and transit of game trophies along the borders and at the ports of entry.
With the recent arrest of a giraffe poacher in Wajir County, Ms. Wakhungu said the Wildlife Management and Conservation Act provides the stiffest penalties for wildlife offenders in the world.
“The first law to be enacted after President Uhuru Kenyatta assumed office in 2013 was to deal with illegal poaching and associated crimes. Since then, poaching has gone down significantly from 400 elephants in 2013 to 40 elephants this year,” she said.
According to the CS, the 40 elephants lost this year were as a result of natural causes such as drought and not poaching.
Wajir County Commissioner John Chelimo had raised concern over the killing of giraffes, which is on the rise in the region.
Mr Chelimo said the animals could soon be among the most endangered species if the killings continue adding that most of the killings have been reported in parts of Wajir East and Wajir South sub-counties with the game meat being supplied to parts of Somalia.
Last week, one of the most wanted giraffe poachers in North Eastern was arrested in Elnur, Eldas Constituency, Wajir County, by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers.
The Suspected poacher Mr Yusuf Bulbale Ibrahim was found with a gun and 14 bullets, and some giraffe body parts.