EAZA Campaign Project 2: Rhino security and intelligence claim scheme for Private Land Sanctuaries in Kenya

 
Location: Kenya
Species: Black (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and White (Ceratotherium simum simum)
Coordinator: Geoffrey Chege, Association of Private Land Rhino Sanctuaries (APLRS)
Type: Anti-poaching and monitoring
Amount awarded: 15,000 euros

Abstract
The Association of Private Land Rhino Sanctuaries (APLRS) is a registered association in Kenya that brings together private land owners that stock either the eastern sub-species of Black (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and southern sub-species of White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) or both. The association works in close collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the sole custodian of wildlife in Kenya. One of the main objectives of APLRS is to make a significant contribution towards the conservation of rhinos in Kenya and achieve a growth rate of at least 5% in the population of black rhinos as stipulated in the “Conservation and Management Strategy Plan for the Black rhino in Kenya (2001-2005)” through meta-population management. This project will enhance and increase the surveillance, monitoring and security of black and white rhinos by reinforcing the information and intelligence gathering mechanisms on private rhino sanctuaries to counter poaching threats.

The Association of Private Land Rhino Sanctuaries (APLRS) was formed in 1988 as a result, with a mandate by KWS to represent the interest of the private sector involved in the conservation of rhinos on private land. Currently, the APLRS has 10 members and it acts in an advisory capacity to the KWS Rhino Executive Committee.

Members of the APLRS, who meet on a quarterly basis at the KWS headquarters in Nairobi, are also involved in providing maximum security to both black and white rhinos by employing their own security force and fencers, gathering intelligence information on poaching and other insecurity threats and gathering biological data on rhinos, which is all sent to KWS to produce Standard Annual Status reports.

Support
Funding from the EAZA Rhino Campaign will be used to pay for a compensation and incentive scheme for the security personnel that arrest poachers and recover firearms that might be used to poach rhinos. This incentive scheme is meant to boost and enhance the morale and motivation of security personnel. The security personnel, through their employer, can claim up to Kenya Shillings (Kshs) 10,000 (euros 111) for every poacher arrested or recovery of a firearm from a fund that is maintained by the APLRS committee. With the increasing number of ammunition and rising levels of insecurity, poaching will always remain a threat and will put a strain on the fund. With the rising membership to the APLRS, there will be more and more claims from the fund and hence more strain.