Ravaged by drought, Lamu wildlife now depend on supplied water to survive

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is supplying water to wild animals in Lamu County to keep them alive from the ravaging drought.

On Wednesday, the organisation started a massive water-trucking operation to rescue thousands of wild animals.

The KWS team also started rescue operations for hundreds of hippos and buffaloes stuck in mud in lakes, dams and rivers that are drying up as a result of the drought.

It is estimated that more than 30 hippos and hundreds of buffaloes, antelopes and gazelles have already died in Lamu as the various water sources dry up.

More than 100 hippos and buffaloes are stuck in the mud at various water points including Lake Kenyatta in Mpeketoni, Mkunumbi Dam and Lake Chomo in Hindi Division.

Lamu County KWS Senior Warden Jacob Orale said they were working round the clock to ensure animals stuck in mud are rescued alive.

He said the many water sources that have dried up and turned muddy have become dangerous to wildlife.

At Lake Kenyatta in Mpeketoni, which is almost drying up, at least 60 hippos are stuck in muddy puddles.

Some 50 other hippos are also stuck at the Mkunumbi Dam just 10 kilometres from Lake Kenyatta.

READ: KWS raises alarm on wildlife deaths as drought bites

Migration

The hippos are said to have migrated to Mkunumbi Dam from Lake Kenyatta in search of water after the Mpeketoni lake dried up.

The situation is the same at Lake Chomo in Hindi Division, where at least 23 hippos and their young ones are stuck in the mud, with an unknown number having already perished.

“We have already begun an exercise to remove wildlife stuck in mud across the county to reduce further deaths.

"We are also carrying out intense water trucking which simply means spraying and filling up water points in the various areas including lakes and dams where the hippos are stuck to keep them hydrated.

"We believe the water trucking will also loosen the consistency of the mud to enable the animals walk freely out of the mud. We want to save the animals from perishing due to the drought,” said Mr Orale.

He said due to the drought, many of the wildlife had fled their habitats and moved closer to human residences in search of food and water.

“We have to save at least some of these animals because at the end of the day, if their numbers dwindle, it’s also risky to the balance of the ecosystem and will definitely not do our tourism industry any good,” said Mr Orale.

He said the water-trucking will also reduce or cut short trips made by wildlife to human habitats in search of water and harming people.

Last week, Lamu KWS officials expressed fears of massive wildlife deaths as the animals were forced to resort to drinking highly concentrated saline ocean water wafter all fresh water points dried up.

“We believe the water trucking exercise will reduce encounters between humans and wildlife to some extent and will also reduce resultant deaths and injuries.

"But majorly we are doing this to keep the wildlife alive hopefully until the drought ends,” said Mr Orale.