Thursday 24 April 2014

FEBRUARY 2014: Ndere Island Animal Translocation Report

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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