Save Amboseli - update 10th November
Dear Friends,
There are just a few days to go before the
High Court in Nairobi considers the future of Amboseli National
Park.
Since this matter is now before the High Court
I am being particularly careful not to offer up anything that
might be regarded, by some, as prejudicial to a fair hearing
of the case.
As far as I am aware, everything posted on the
site is either a statement of fact or would be regarded as 'fair
comment'.
For now, we must trust that Kenyan justice is
able to determine the legality or not of the situation and to
find a way forward.
Once more I would like to thank each and every
person who has written to the site - including the few who have
been in favour of degazetting but have offered constructive
thoughts rather than the even smaller number who have simply
offered abuse.
I know that there is a great deal of goodwill
out there. People who recognise that the future of the National
Park is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of the people who
live around it. That goodwill could be the basis for a better
future but right now we can do little except wait for the Court
process to proceed.
I'd like to thank you all for your patience, your
concern, your support.
I will, of course, post anything new and relevant
that comes in so please do look at http://saveamboseli.net
regularly for the latest.
Good wishes
Will
P.S. Regarding the plan to capture and ship hundreds
of wild Kenyan animals to a zoo in Thailand, it is reported
in the East African Standard today (10th November) that the
President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, and the Prime Minister of Thailand,
Mr Thaksin Shinatwatra, have signed an agreement which will
see Kenya export 175 wild animals to the Chiang Mai Night Safari
Park in Thailand.
The full story is available at http://www.eastandard.net
Dr Richard Leakey, former Director of the Kenya
Wildife Service, is quoted as describing the action as "completely
deplorable". He went on to say that he was ashamed that
Kenya could sell its image for such a small figure, touted to
be US$500,000.
Kenya's Foreign Minister, Ali Chirau Mwakwere,
dismissed the animal welfare concerns and other fears of conservationists
and animal protectionists saying "This is not a dangerous
affair at all. The total number of animals to be relocated over
a period of time will be 175 from 25 different species. We have
done it before although it was a discreet process. It is not
harmful, neither will it interfere or kill our tourism."
He added, "There are zoos in America and Dubai. Where do
you think the wildlife came from?"
The list of 13 (out of 25) species confirmed by
the Minister includes buffalo, giraffe, zebras, warthogs, flamingos,
impala, jackals, hyenas but mysteriously does not mention the
lions, rhino, leopard and cheetah that were present on the original
list published earlier in the year. Another spokesman for the
Kenya Government has stated that no animals protected under
CITES (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species)
would be shipped. This seems at odds with the remarks made by
Mr Plodprasop Suraswadi, a Thai government official, who, when
asked whether rare balck rhino would be among the animals, said
"We're betting they will be" (Bangkok Post Monday
7th November).
My apologies for bringing this to your attention
when it is not directly related to the Amboseli situation. However,
in as much as it would seem that decisions about the future
of Kenya's wildlife are being taken which have international
significance and which appear to contradict the hard-won international
reputation of Kenya as a haven for wildlife and a champion of
non-consumptive use, I thought it best to include this issue
in the current Save Amboseli update.
P.P.S. A Press Release (issued by the Born Free
Foundation) yesterday, before all the details of the transaction
were made available can be found on http://www.bornfree.org.uk/051109kenya.shtml
Thanks for everything you do.
Will Travers
CEO Born Free Foundation