Wajir celebrates International Giraffe Day as locals laud conservation efforts

Residents of El Adow village in Wajir South hosted the International Giraffe Day in the county due to their active conservancy role to protect the endangered reticulated giraffe.

The residents, however, said they were facing threats from armed poachers from the neighbouring Somalia and refugee camps, calling for the need for the government to either provide firearms to the local scouts or recruit police reservists.

Hassan Abdi, a community elder who spoke during the event, stated that armed poachers were posing a great threat towards their conservancy role, endangering both the lives of the community scouts and the wildlife.

"Recently, a giraffe was killed by armed poachers who came from the refugee camp. Our community scouts who rushed to the scene after a tip-off were almost killed by the armed poachers before Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers came from Wajir town to kill one of the poachers," he said.

He urged the government to either provide firearms to the local scouts or recruit police reservists to stave off the threat posed by the armed poachers.

Mohamed Ismail similarly expressed the need to recruit the Kenya Police Reservists or empower the community scouts, since there was no existing police post near the village.

Other community members expressed concern about the threats they were facing from the poachers suspected from the refugee camp and the neighbouring Somalia.

Sharmarke Abdi Bile, the area chief, appealed to the Kenya Wildlife Service to motivate the scouts who trek long distances for surveillance activities to protect the endangered giraffe.

"These scouts risk their lives, they provide very vital intelligence reports, they might be targeted by the armed poachers who are making a business from the game meat," he said.

Sharmarke Mohamed, the chairperson for the North Eastern Conservancy, lauded the residents of El Adow for their determination to conserve the endangered reticulated giraffe, commonly known as the Somali giraffe.

He encouraged them not to relent in their efforts despite the security threats they voiced.

He highlighted how poaching, drought, and increased human settlements were posing a challenge to the reticulated giraffe.

The Wajir KWS Senior Warden, Shariff Ahmed, also appreciated the exemplary conservancy role by the community.

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• Wajir County
• Somali Giraffe
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
• International Giraffe Day
• Wajir celebrates International Giraffe Day as locals laud conservation efforts
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"We have decided to mark the World Giraffe Day here in El Adow village to recognise and appreciate your conservation activities that need to be celebrated. The reticulated giraffes that are facing threats came here due to the safety they enjoy here, you have more giraffes compared to other settlements in Wajir," he said.

He emphasised the importance of conserving wildlife, especially the endangered species.

The KWS official cited how North Eastern was once a home for elephants but was wiped out by poachers from the neighbouring Somalia.

"This is a story that can only be told by those 50 years and above...that elephants used to roam everywhere in Wajir, and today they are no more.  It's history, let's not allow a situation where the reticulated giraffes are also wiped out," he said.

He encouraged the community to continue working closely with the KWS to report suspected poachers. Shariff warned that KWS officers will not hesitate to deal with the poachers who pose threats to wildlife and the community scouts.

The official said during the last wildlife census conducted in 2021, the number of the endangered reticulated giraffe in Wajir county stood at 1,120, noting that the ongoing census will either reveal an increase or decline in the population of the giraffe in Wajir county.