Ndere
Island Animal Translocation Report
Four different animal species were captured
from Naivasha area and translocated to Ndere Island between the 28/2/2014 and
7/2/2014. This was aimed at completing the western tourist circuit by
encouraging both local and foreign tourism.
The exercise was preceded by putting up
holding boma at Bao Camp site on 26/2/2014 where animals could be held
temporarily to rest after transit from Naivasha before being loaded onto wooden
boat for their journey on waters of Lake Victoria for their final destination
at Ndere Island. The boma consisted of opaque plastic sheeting forming an oval
structure with one narrow offloading entrance and another narrow exit loading
ramp near the jet.
Holding
boma
Wooden
boat
Speed
boat
Zebras
in holding boma
Targeted animal species included Zebras,
Waterbuck, Warthogs and Impalas. These were captured using different methods
and on different days.
Captured animals
Species
|
Capture Date
|
Capture Location
|
No. Captured
|
Date Released
|
No. Released
|
Mortality on Transit
|
Mortality on Boma
|
Mortality Post Release
|
||||
Common Zebra
|
28/2/2014
Day time
|
Sanctuary Farm
|
18
|
13 F
|
1/3/2014
|
17
|
12 F
|
1
|
Nil
|
3
|
||
5 M
|
5 M
|
|||||||||||
Defasa Waterbuck
|
3/3/2014
Day time
|
Sanctuary Farm
|
13
|
11 F
|
4/3/2014
|
17
|
12 F
|
1
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
||
2 M
|
||||||||||||
Marula Estate
|
5
|
4 F
|
5 M
|
|||||||||
1 M
|
||||||||||||
Warthog
|
6/3/2014
Day time
|
Marula Estate
|
13
|
9 F
|
7/3/2014
|
7
|
4 F
|
6
|
Nil
|
Nil
|
||
4 M
|
2 M
|
|||||||||||
Impala
|
6/3/2014
Night time
|
Marula Estate
|
24
|
18 F
|
7/3/2014
|
24
|
18 F
|
Nil
|
2 F
|
3
|
2 F
|
|
1 M
|
||||||||||||
6 M
|
6 M
|
Capture
Methods Employed.
Zebra
and Waterbucks; Chemical immobilisation method was
employed. 25 1.5cc darts for each species was made. 17 were for sub adults and
8 were for adults. For adults standard darts
were made consisting of a mixture of 6mgs Etorphine and 80mgs Azaperone while
for sub adults consisted of 5mgs and 60mgs respectively. To shorten knock down
time each dart was topped up by 500 I.U Hylase. On each dart was mounted 2.5mm
by 30mm long bulbed needle. Each dart was pressurised with 15ml air and
delivered remotely by use of Dan Inject compressed carbon dioxide gas powered
gun. Shooting range was between 15 and 30meters with waterbucks having the
highest shooting range. Knock down time was between 4 and 15 minutes with two
waterbucks needing redarting. Two darts
missed the target.
Candidates were darted in batches of fours
up to six at ago. Immediately after the candidates were knocked down by the
sedatives they were quickly recovered using canvas stretcher and loaded in the
transporting crate rear compartment mounted on the truck. They were arraigned
on sternal recumbence ready for revival which was effected by use of 18-24mgs
Diprenorphine into jugular vein and 40mgs Naltrexone intramuscular for each. Complete
revival time was between 2 and 4 minutes. Once all were fully revived they were
driven into front compartment to pave way for the next batch on the rear
compartment. This was continued until when each compartment had 9 candidates
which was comfortable to transport with amble space.
During zebra capture exercise one was
darted and collapsed immediately as a result of intravessel immobilisation.
Efforts to resuscitate were futile and it was disposed into carcass pit within
the Farm.
Captured
snared zebra
Sedated
waterbuck
Zebra
recovery
Loading
Waterbuck
Warthogs
and Impalas; These were captured during the day and
night respectively by use of line nets. Five nets were strategically placed
across two different sites of anticipated escape paths during the day for
warthogs and night for impalas. Nets were carefully concealed and helpers
positioned near the nets to restrain animals as soon as they are caught before
they escape or are strangled. Radios were employed during the day while at
night shining lights/torches and radios were incorporated in coordination of
the exercises to minimize the number of escapees. Vehicles were used to drive
the candidates into the net line and once entangled they were captured manually
by restrainers/helpers.
Warthogs were quickly secured into
individual carrying boxes with two pairs of sub adult sharing two single
compartments. The three big holding boxes were loaded into rear compartment of
transporting truck. Impalas were untangled and individually loaded into the
front compartment of the transporting crate. Three drives of each species were
carried out resulting to enough candidates.
Spreading
line net
Trapped
warthog
Securing
warthog in box
Release
into holding boma; All species except warthogs were
released temporarily into holding boma. The transporting lorry was reversed at
the boma entrance offloading ramp. The crate rear door was opened and animals
in rear compartment driven into the boma followed by the opening of the middle
door and animals in front compartment driven into boma. This was meant to rest
them post transit before embarking on journey from main land to Island on water.
Holding time was between seven and three hours with warthog and impalas having
the shortest time. In the holding boma they were supplied with fodder and water.
Warthogs were offloaded while inside holding boxes under tree shade awaiting
final transit. While in the holding boma two female zebras escaped from the
boma. They were darted each with 5mgs Etorphine and 60mgs Azaperone and taken
back to the boma where they were revived using 18mgs Diprenorphine
intravenously.
Off-loading
Zebras
Waterbucks
in boma
Two
escapee zebras recovery
Journey
from Main Land to Island; Almost all species were
transported in transport boxes aboard wooden boat. The five uniform boxes were
placed at the exit loading ramp one at a time except the warthog holding boxes.
Zebras and waterbucks were each loaded into a box by opening the door and
driving them manually from the holding boma. Impalas were loaded in twos or
threes according to their sizes into the same single crate. Three boxes were
carried in one trip at a time. Two zebras which jumped into the lake while
loading the boxes into the boat were captured manually by the help of standby
speed boat. Each was sedated using 5mgs Etorphine after which each was
separately wrapped in canvas stretcher and taken to the island aboard speed
boat each at a time. Both were released at King Fisher island offloading ramp
after being revived using 18mgs Diprenorphine. Also one waterbuck and two
impalas were taken to Island by use of speed boat and releases at Director’s
offloading ramp.
Boxes were loaded manually into the waiting
wooden community boat at the main land loading jet at Bao camping site and
secured using ropes on the floor rafts of the boat. The boat was powered by
petrol engine and also carried crew. The speed boat escorted the wooden boat
helping with carrying other crew involved in the exercise.
Loading
box onto boat
Boat
fully loaded
Zebra
on speed boat
Speed
boat escort
Releasing
animals on Island; Zebras and waterbucks were
released at the shore of the lake. They jumped out of the opened box after the
box was brought at the edge of the wooden boat. They immediately followed the
tracks leading to the open field on the island. Warthogs holding boxes were
taken down on the dry island from the wooden boat. Boxes were opened and they
rushed out into the open field. Waterbucks were individually handled from the
boxes which were inside the wooden boat. Each was fetched from the box and
handed over to crew outside the boat who took it to dry island and set each
free.
Boat
on Island dock
Speed
boat on Island dock
Zebra
release
Zebra
on Island soil
Waterbuck
release
Waterbuck
on Island
Impala
release on Island
Off-loading
warthog box
Warthog on Island soil
Post
release monitoring; This was done after the
warthogs and impalas release. The team went around the island and also walked
inside the island. Foot prints leading to lake shores from island were evidence
of animals watering. A herd of ten zebras and others in twos were spotted
grazing on the island. These had settled having been brought earlier during the
exercise. Other animals were expected to settle successfully.
Zebra and waterbuck post release
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