We are delighted to report that the new vehicle for the rhino monitoring programme in Tsavo East National Park, paid for by Chester Zoo, is now in active service.
As readers of the last issue of The Horn might remember, the money was given to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in September 2004 to expedite purchase, in order to take advantage of the KWS’s duty-exempt status. Unfortunately, the vehicle purchase was caught up in red tape, and it took the combined efforts of Dr Kipng’etich, the new Director, and Martin Mulama, the Rhino Programme Coordinator, to chivvy the process along.
It was really cheering to receive the following email from Richard Kech and Linus Kariuki on 21 July:
“Please note that we received the new Toyota Landcruiser KAR 775L, which was bought by Save the Rhino International and Chester Zoo. We are very glad for the support you have always given the rhino programme especially the Tsavo East rhino unit. The vehicle arrived from KWS HQ on Tuesday night and it was officially presented to the rhino programme in Tsavo East by the Assistant Director today, Thursday 21 July 2005 at Voi Park HQ and proceeded with it to the field immediately. We promise to make good use of the vehicle and produce the intended results since we will not have any excuse. Once again we say thank you for your immense support to the unit. We feel highly indebted to you because you treat us as one of your ‘own’.”
Meanwhile, we are also paying for repairs to KAC 996G, which continues to provide useful back-up support, and for fuel for three vehicles, 775L, 996G and for the Friends of Conservation vehicle.
Cathy DeanDirector