PREPARED 006/Escape Foundation/Mara Elephant Project

Transcription

1 PREPARED 006/Escape Foundation/Mara Elephant Project Milestone E: Final Technical Report Table of Contents Milestone E: Final Technical Report... 1 Introduction:... 2 Executive Summary:... 2 Synthesis and analysis of data:... 4 Recommendations for influencing/engaging policy makers: Conclusion: Next Steps: Activities supported by PREPARED: Financial Report: Final Density MAP: Screenshots: Activities Report: Activity Description: Training Report: Patrols and Security: Use of WILD: Use of GPS and Map Reading Helicopter SOPs: Medic Training: HWC SOPs Weapons Training Recommendations: Planned activities: C D

2 Introduction: In recent years African elephant populations have been decimated by an increase in poaching across the continent. Levels this high for African elephant poaching have not been recorded since the 1970 s prompting governments and NGOs to refer to the situation as the Second Ivory Crisis. In early 2008 a spike in poaching was recorded in the Mara/Serengeti ecosystem of Western Kenya and Northern Tanzania. A combination of the increased demand for ivory coupled with poverty, unemployment, increasing human populations, poor wildlife law enforcement in the area, and light penalties for wildlife crimes, has exacerbated the poaching crisis. To address some of these challenges, the ESCAPE Foundation and several key stakeholders in Kenya initiated the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) in late 2011 with the following key strategic goals: 1. To increase understanding of regional elephant movements and range through research and tracking. 2. To mitigate human-elephant conflict (HEC) in partnership with local communities. 3. To reduce incidences of elephant poaching by increasing security for elephants in the region. In February 2015, the Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research and Economic Development (PREPARED) Project provided a Fixed Obligation Grant in the amount of $99,395 to MEP to provide support for their ongoing programmatic activities. Specifically the PREPARED grant provided funding to monitoring of the daily movements of collared elephants, deployment of rapid response teams to prevent HEC, and analyzing quantitative data from elephant collars that can be useful to policy makers working in transboundary elephant conservation. Executive Summary: MEP and the PREPARED project has been working together in the Maasai Mara to decrease elephant poaching, lower conflict between farmers and elephants, and better understand the rangeland extent of elephants and how that is changing. We not only use the elephant collars as a scientific tool but also a conservation tool to include immobility reporting and Geofence reporting. This report details all activities completed under the PREPARED006 grant to ESCAPE Foundation/Mara Elephant Project (MEP). The Technical report includes 1) synthesis and analysis of all data and findings for influencing/engaging policy makers; 2) Final density maps in hard and soft copy; 3) Final Financial Report completed in accordance with guidance and templates. MEP is pleased to report that during the 15 months of implementation all of the planned grant activities have been completed successfully. A brief overview is provided below: 1. Secure the regional elephant population and mitigate HEC.

3 MEP has defined the extent of the elephant rangeland in the northern and eastern extent of the ecosystem. To better understand and define this boundary MEP used elephant collar data satellite imagery (including the data from the 4 collars provided by PREPARED), partner spatial data and ground truthing excursions. During this exercise we thought it was not only important to try and define the boundary where elephants are not safe once they crossed them but also pockets within the rangeland, which were unsafe for elephants. These areas are primarily fenced areas and settled areas. We then went through the process of geofencing the unsafe areas allowing us to create an alert system when elephants crossed into these areas. MEP deployed multiple Rapid Response Teams (RRT) when a geo-fence was broken to help deter or stop crop-raiding incidences. 2. Assimilate, monitor and analyze quantitative data from elephant collars and ground teams MEP has reviewed collared elephant s movements and generated quarterly maps displaying their movement. In addition, MEP wrote monthly reports that catalogued all poaching and HEC incidents including their outcome. We also adopted an application developed by Save the Elephants and Vulcan, which enables Apple IOS mobile device users to track the collared elephants in real time. MEP uses this system to deploy the ground teams on a daily basis. 3. Produced materials that can be used by policymakers and stakeholders to aid development of regional and trans-boundary elephant conservation. MEP and Partners Elephant Voices and Save the Elephants (STE) produced and presented a spatial recommendation report based on the collar data collected by the 3 organizations. PREPARED supported the printing of 100 copies of the report and presentation to members of the Narok County Assembly on Naibosho Conservancy. Elephant Voices, Save the Elephants and MEP hosted a workshop for Members of the Narok County Assembly at Base Camp Foundation Eagle View on the 6 th and 7 th of February to present the Mara Ecosystem Connectivity report the 3 organizations developed. The report details elephant numbers, corridors, elephant density, poaching hotspots, land use, HEC hotspots and drivers, proposed priority actions and recommendations. The report was well received (See in Annex 1) and led to further developments with WWF and Narok County Government to hold the first spatial planning meeting on the 27 th and 28 th of July The single most useful tool to define the elephant range was MEP, STE and PREPARED s elephant collar data and support. 4. Streamline systems and apply appropriate technology to improve effectiveness. A selection of rangers were also trained on data collection using a smartphone-based application called WILD (Wildlife Information Landscape Database), which enables rangers to transmit incident data simply and accurately from the field in real time. The rangers are collecting data using the WILD smartphone-based application and in doing so to collect data

4 accurately and quickly. The rangers were trained on basic monitoring protocols and introduced to smartphone data collection via WILD. MEP s partner Save the Elephants plan to connect WILD data to the Domain Awareness System (DAS) to include the key data sets MEP wants analyzed. Synthesis and analysis of data: Elephant Tracking: Support from PREPARED enabled MEP to collar and track 5 elephants. MEP has been using the collars and collar data as a conservation tool as much as a research tool. The collar data has been very valuable in defining the extent of the ecosystem and there are a number of questions to ask the collar data to answer but we have not examined this in detail to date. We have however been using the collar data to monitor the daily movements of the elephants to keep them safe. This is both from poachers but also HEC. None of the PREPARED collars have failed and they are all working, as they should. Dr. Jake Wall has developed a new reporting tool called the Standard Analytical Reporting Framework (SARF) tool for analyzing collar data using software, which he developed. In the past these sorts of reports would take a large amount of manpower to analyze but now Jake s software does this in a matter of hours. At MEP we also take pride in visiting our elephants on a regular basis and visit our collared elephants in the high-risk areas on a daily basis. Although this is time consuming and expensive we believe that this is one of the main reasons these elephants are kept safe. Geofences: With PREPARED support MEP has mapped geofences defining the western extent of the Mara Ecosystem. MEP has been digitally mapping fenced areas, which are unsafe for elephants. We have also been mapping areas around major settlements, which are unsafe for elephants. We have programed over 100 geofences into our current collar software and the Geofence warnings are sent to key MEP personnel so we can respond effectively. A major challenge with geofences is that satellite imagery is always several months behind real-time. This required the MEP rangers to ground-truth the geofences by visiting farms on the ground and work with the Google Earth team to continue to update their imagery. HEC mitigation and training support from PREPARED MEP has responded to 63 HEC incidents from June 2015 to July 2016 in an area covering 3,700Km 2. We saw the trend increase of conflict sites toward the end of the reporting period. Although conflict has most likely increased year on year we have also been able to respond to increased conflict reports when we became fully operational with the helicopter. PREPARED has supported the helicopter, a vehicle, and rangers to respond to HEC and improve elephant

5 security. Furthermore PREPARED has supported several training sessions on mitigating HEC using a number of tools. Chili Fences: MEP hosed 5 chili fence trainings with communities in Transmara and the Narok and built X chili fences in HEC hotspots with PREPARED support. The X kms of chili fences erected stopped elephants right before the harvest season. We found that the chili fences were inexpensive, easy to erect, and effective at stopping elephants from going into farms. The challenge we experienced was maintaining them. During the wet season the chili mixture had to be replaced on a regular basis to maintain potency, we also had livestock break the fences on a number of occasions. We found that they were a good short term solution and that we need to work more on having the community maintain the fences themselves. Drones: since 2012 MEP has been experimenting with using drones to herd elephants out of farms. As the technology improved we saw that more advanced drones had the ability to move elephants over long distances out of danger effectively. In January 2016 MEP conducted a training exercise for TANAPA, WD and TAWIRI rangers in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania with support from PREPARED. The training was a great success and all the rangers picked up the use of the tool easily and effectively. We ran several demos and had a real life operation, which showed the effectiveness of the drones. The challenges we experienced were maintaining the drones after numerous crashes and keeping them in the air. The challenge in Kenya has been approval from the proper authorities. Ranger Training: Part of the asset training which the Pardamat rangers received though support from PREPARED was actions on HEC and mitigating HEC using different assets (HEC toolkit), and reporting conflict though WILD. The training was a success and we can report that the rangers left in high spirits. The largest challenge has been effective deployment of the rangers after the training. Rangers need monitoring and guidance to be effective in the field. Pardamat needs to improve the management of their rangers. Defining the rangeland: Part of developing an understanding of the larger areas elephants use in Narok county PREPARED supported MEP to attempt to define the ecosystem. This exercise relied heavily on collar data MEP and PREPARED have been collecting. The additional Collars MEP deployed with PREPARED support greatly assisted us in collecting data where we previously had little movement data. Specifically elephant Lucy single trunkidly defined the extent of the Western boundary with her large herd in the Nyekweri forest. The method we used for defining the boundaries of the ecosystem included the extent of our collar movements, satellite imagery of farming land, and HEC incidents. We have seen farms encroaching into the Western boundary and developed the boundaries using geofences. The geofences are shape files, which are programed into the collars. We drew the geofences around areas where we believe elephants will be unsafe.

6 The Eastern boundary has been an interesting exercize to map. There is clearly connection between Tanzania and Kenya in the Ngurumani/Magadi areas. What is not clear is if elephants can still use the Mau Mosiro corridor and if they use all the areas around Suswa or just the Southern end of the mountain. What changed our understanding of the extent of the Eastern portion of the ecosystem was a single collar on elephant, Santiyan who has been 40km West of Nairobi. This is certainly much farther East than we previously imagined elephants would move to. This mapping exercise was made possible by PREPARED and is crucial for the spatial planners to see and include when deciding areas for wildlife and areas for people.

7 HEC June 2015 to July

8 Other 5% HEC Settlement 28% Maize 67% HEC Mitigation Firecracker s Only 17% Car Only 19% Helicopter 48% Car+Firecr acker 16% Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE): Our data shows that although the total number of elephant carcasses has decreased, the proportion of illegal deaths as a result of Human Wildlife Conflict has increased.

9 Mike & Pike % 74% 76% 73% 58% % H/E Conmlict Natural PAC Poached Unknown Grand Total PIKE 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Ranger data: During this reporting period we have developed GPS tracking of all ranger patrols movement s in the field. The current process for the tracking includes returning to the HQ each week and downloading the GPS tracks. The attributes collected from the patrols have been inputted manually in the form of a daily planner. MEP has been supported by PREPARED to pilot application WILD to track rangers and add patrol data using a smartphone. We have been populating WILD on a daily basis and we plan to continue to use WILD to collect patrol data. Although we use WILD we also have a dedicated GPS device which tracks ranger movements and are then downloaded when they return to base. These developments are enabling MEP to both better monitor the movement of patrols and plan patrols. Arrest data: MEP has been collecting and compiling arrest data from all of our arrests. With PREPARED support of 8 rangers MEP was able to make these arrests. We are seeing a general decline in arrests as a result of less poachers, dealers and middlemen, operating in Narok county. One interesting observation from the analysis of the arrest data is that second, after ivory recoveries, were leopard skins. We believe that poaching in Narok County is on the decline as a result of keen antipoaching work, investigative work and stiff penalties as a result of judicial change. While MEP does not take full credit for the decline, we have been instrumental in catching the majority of ivory poachers and dealers in Narok County.

10 Speci9ic Arrest Sites Olpejeta 2% Bomet 2% Naroosura 4% Lemek 4% Ololulunga 4% Mararianda 4% Rukinga Voi 2% Kericho 2% Migori 2% Transmara 26% Mulot 7% Nyahururu 9% Kisii 13% Narok 19% Firearms 4% Stock Theft 2% Spear and Arrows 7% Recoveries Lion parts 2% Bushmeat 15% Leopard skins 17% Ivory 53%

11 Recommendations for influencing/engaging policy makers: Conclusion: During the 5-year collaring period we have collected movement data from between 10 and 15 elephants including important corridors, dispersal areas and density patterns. In this same period, certain areas, which were important for elephants, have been modified by humans and are no longer safe for elephants. MEP recommends that all data collected from our collared elephants, and other species, be considered by the Narok County Government when designing the spatial plan. We also recommend that the Narok County Government enforce the plan once it has been completed. In 2016 MEP and partners plan to publish the first elephant rangeland paper for the Mara ecosystem led by Dr. Jake Wall. At the moment the MEP scientific committee are compiling the important data sets for analysis. This report will provide informative substance for the Narok County spatial plan spearheaded by WWF and partners. Continued security of elephants in poaching hotspots is vital to stop poaching from spreading, responding to poaching reports. The newly trained and deployed county rangers should deploy over the elephant rangeland and not only in the MMNR and Mau Forest. The county needs to build the capacity to deploy their rangers. Rangers need to be monitored and properly managed. Policing of elephants must continue on a daily basis. HEC mitigation and solutions: MEP has had some success with mitigating conflict on a daily basis and rangers in the KWS, conservancies and NCG should also be mobilized to mitigate conflict across the rangeland in a timely and effective manner. The toolkit should be updated to include drones and chili bombs. Longer-term solutions should include ways to keep elephants and humans separate as much as possible. Projects should include fencing, protecting corridors and building support and advocacy for wildlife conservation. The conservancies should lessen livestock to protect resources so that elephants do not have to go into dangerous areas to look for food. MEP has been working with Mara North Conservancy to support better mechanisms for habitat conservation within the conservancy. This includes projects around cattle, settlement, and transparency. Although MNC only covers a really small portion of the elephant rangeland it is an important grass bank during the dry times. As a result, we hope that elephants will stay for longer inside the conservancies where they are safe when the area dries up instead of moving into conflict areas further into community land. All conservation partners should be collecting and sharing data with each other using WILD and other data analysis tools to better understand the ecosystem dynamics and trends. KWS and NCG should start using WILD. Next Steps:

12 Expanding data collection: Collect and analyze key data sets with partners, collect data using WILD, and integrate the database with DAS. Promote partners to collect datasets. Continue to define elephant s ecosystem nationally by use of collars and mapping the entire national rangeland. Policing elephants: MEP will deploy an additional 12 county rangers and a new vehicle county rangers in January HEC mitigation and longer-term solutions: Deploy rangers to mitigate conflict. Supporting and updating KWS and NCG with the suite of conflict tools and good practice training on how to deploy the tools. Work with Partners on spatial plan and gain support to implement the plan. Habitat conservation: Develop livestock plan with MNC and replicate elsewhere. Spatial Strategy: Continue to work with WWF and NCG and supply them with analyzed datasets to inform the county spatial plan. Activities supported by PREPARED: Drone Training: 27 th to 29 th January 2016: See activity report HEC Chili Fence Training: 5 trainings: See activity reports Presentation of Movement Report: 5 th and 6 th February Asset Training for Rangers: 23 rd to 28 th May: See below Financial Report: Year to date MEP has received 84,788USD from ESCAPE Foundation to the Seiya MEP account in Kenya as we met pre-negotiated milestones. MEP expects a final amount of 14,963USD upon submission of this report. Budget: MEP has recorded a -1% variance from the original budget. Or in real terms a deficit of 609USD. Procurement: We were not able to procure night vision goggles in Kenya as they are import restricted. Future Procurement and Expenditure: We plan to purchase digital radios for the amount 2,480USD. We plan to purchase 1 iridium satellite collar with savings from collars purchased. We plan to spend 6,000USD on monitoring our collared elephants by air and completing the STE aerial monitoring forms.

13 Interest: MEP has not earned any interest on the funds provided by PREPARED.

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16 n Final ² Density MAP: M a s S a i M a r a e N R r e g e t Kilometers i Community Conservancies National Reserves National Parks ETDMax <VALUE>

17 Screenshots: Current Screenshot (30th August 2016) of all MEP and WWF collared elephants in the Mara region.

18 Lucy steaks out of Nyekweri forest to near Kirindon August 2016

19 Naibosho avoids a manyatta in the Talek area but continues to live close to it. August 2016.

20 Chelsea and Limo still part of the Mega herd in Olkinyei. Activities Report: MEP has reported on the activities undertaken with support from PREPARED in the midterm report until June 2016 with successes, challenges mitigating strategies and recommendations. MEP has undertaken 1 major additional activity since then: Pardamat Asset Training. Activity Description: Training Report: From the 23rd to the 28th May 2016 MEP rangers conducted asset training for 21 Pardamat and Olkineyi rangers. They had just finished their 3-month Manyani training with KWS. The training was a success and WWF and MMWCA who have sponsored them can be proud of the group of young men who will protect their conservancies. The communities will also have improved security and medic services. The training focused on using specific assets, which the rangers will be both exposed to when working alongside MEP but also while on regular deployment. The trainers were selected from current MEP staff including: 1 Patrol Medic, the CEO, MEP Intel Warden, and MEP Tracking Manager. The training included the below packages: a) Patrols & security

21 b) Use of GPS and Map Reading c) Use of Wild d) Helicopter S.O.Ps e) Human Wildlife Conflict SOPs f) Patrol Medic Package g) Weapons Training h) Test: Confirmatory Exercise Patrols and Security: Each Patrol under command of a nominated Patrol commander was tested in an Ambush, Patrols were given set areas to recce, return and brief their relevant section to their plan Patrol commanders briefings were very good with detailed planning. All sketches were accurate to the Ambush areas and orientated Deployment and conduct of these Ambushes were very good, with good command and control from all the nominated Patrol commanders Scene of crime training was given post incident, all rangers now understand the importance of evidence gathering, detailed notes taken at the scene with good imagery and GPS coordinates for evidence to be given for a report and/or to the Police for later prosecution All teams conducted various patrols and all understand the rendezvous (RV) procedures for day and night patrols, all understand the security need of daily clearance patrols when deployed in the field with the use of an emergency rendezvous (ERV) The relevant commanders of all deployments conducted daily Briefs and Debriefs Use of WILD: All rangers were trained to use the WILD mobile app and were given 4 smart phones by WWF. Rangers were introduced to WILD wildlife information & landscape data. The first step was to register the new organization and the rangers from the back end. The training package included: 1. How to record a patrol 2. Record incident, poaching, animal mortality, human wildlife conflict, human activity, community services, HWC advance and animal treatment. 3. Record wildlife 4. Informers 5. Panic button and register specific people to receive panic button alert 6. Sync data 7. Log in and Log out of the application

22 After training rangers were given time to go to the field and record Data, rangers were presented from the MEP office on how they recorded Data and specifically to correct errors from the groups. Use of GPS and Map Reading All Rangers are competent in map reading, orientating themselves on the ground and have the ability to provide distance and direction to other teams and aircraft. All were trained on the Garmin 401 wrist mounted GPS, all are competent in marking a waypoint and navigating to a waypoint. All rangers passed an individual map reading test, all had to plot and identify 5 locations on a map giving distance from Observation posts and plotting a waypoint on a GPS, including the conversion from MGRS/UTM to Lat and Long when dealing with aerial assets. Several members of the team are illiterate and unable to write down the Grid references but all were able to locate these on the map and show the relevant positions by pointing at the area on the map, and all are competent with the GPS. Helicopter SOPs: The team are all competent in the safe handling of the helicopter, marking a restricted Helicopter Land Site (HLS), understanding the wind and the safe marking / security of the nominated HLS.

23 All are aware of the safe approach to a helicopter and the emplane/deplane drills when operating with a helicopter. All are aware of walking-on techniques for guiding aircraft to operational sites. Area search tactics were explained for the use of fixed wing aircraft. All were taken for a demo flight following the above procedures. Medic Training: All Rangers were trained in Basic Medical field care. All are competent in the use of a Tourniquet, Blood bandages and Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Each Ranger passed an individual test on the above skills and those included below: Correct use of Bandages CPR Correct use of a Tourniquet Moving a casualty Recovery position Fracture control HWC SOPs All teams were introduced to recording HWC incidents with WILD and KWS, preserving incident sites, reporting incidents, and community management. Teams were also introduced to mitigating HWC non-lethally using firecrackers, vehicles and drones. Although we were not able to train the rangers to fly drones we introduced them to the concept.

24 Weapons Training All Rangers were introduced to the Remington 7mm mag weapon system and all associated safety requirements. The correct handling use of the weapon when deployed on foot, safe carriage when in a vehicle and aerial assets. A live firing practice was undertaken and all rangers were able to fire live rounds from the weapon system on a 100m ange conducted on the MNC firing range. With the limited training and handling there are some very good natural shots within the team. Successes: All the teams picked up all the packages quickly and easily. The training brought MEP and the Pardamat rangers closer together and will enable us to deploy alongside effectively and safely. Challenges: The training was far too short to cover what we wanted to cover. This meant that we had to rush though a number of the packages. Many of the rangers stated they wanted more assets to work with in the field. Recommendations: Existing Patrol outposts should be looked at and possibly a review of the current deployments and intelligence gained from these outposts. Rangers should be rotated more often and be more

25 mobile. The rangers need more equipment to make them more mobile, specifically backpacks, cold weather gear, and a dedicated vehicle. Leadership and development plan for rangers: Rangers need better leadership in the field and ongoing in-house training and encouragement to furnish patrols, conduct investigations and generally operate effectively on a daily basis. All rangers need feedback from leadership, fed active intel, given adaptive tasks, and show a keen interest on a regular basis. With no fixed location these teams would patrol a larger area and have more impact on communities and gathering of ground truth / knowledge whilst mobile. The current information database held should be enhanced and managed in correlation with all key stakeholders (Mara Conservancy/Naibosho/Mara North etc.). Existing Intel is being held by a number of staff across the conservancies. This should happen though WILD. All existing intelligence already filed and ongoing intelligence from framework patrols is to be processed into an analytical database. This would allow detailed analysis from ongoing intelligence investigations, which would then lead to the tasking of patrol commanders to known areas of concern to conduct detention operations against known individuals, highlighted from the held database. The construction of a Pardamat HQ Operations room (or integrated into MEP ops room), with the current communications equipment should be enhanced through a digital communications system (MOTOTRBO DP 3400). This will allow live 24/7 tracking and monitoring of deployed patrols with all patrol routes, patrol location and voice data being stored for future reference. Nominated commanders need commanders training. Selected training packages also to be offered to increase IT skills. (Please see attached Training evaluation forms and attendance sheet attached) Planned activities: Host Drone Training for KWS with PREPARED Host WILD launch at MEP HQ