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Kenyan Wildlife Law Enrages Activists
17 December 2004 Source: Rex Brown, Environmental Consulting Services Nairobi - A controversial new Kenyan law, passed this month to allow sport hunting and killing of wildlife straying onto private land, has triggered complaints from conservationists, activists and local communities. "Just a few words of legislation could spell doom to wildlife conservation, or at least cause a major setback in the country, where flora and fauna play a key role in attracting tourists," Maasai wildlife activist Godfrey ole Ndopaiya said by telephone. The Kenyan parliament on December 9 amended the 1977 Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, which banned poaching and reckless killing of wild animals, allowing sport hunting as well as private ranchers to kill wildlife that drift into their land. Infuriated wildlife activists were on Friday deeply suspicious of how the law could be changed to allow a free rein to people seeking trophies and fun. But several sources said the bill was "sneaked into parliament" by a lawmaker serving the interests of white ranchers when most members were absent and those present did not know anything about wildlife. "It was hidden in a score of parliamentary technical legislations when it was passed by the House rushing to wrap up business for December holidays," a reliable source said. Since 1999, Maasai tribesmen have killed around 50 lions in Nairobi National Park that had attacked their livestock and up to 10 elephants have also met their deaths after straying into private farmlands, a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) official said. |
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