Martin Odino

Field Dates: 23/02/2009 to 05/03/2009

Sites: Muluwa, Munaka, Rwambwa Mudembi, Nahasyongo

This was a 2 week reconnaissance visit.

We witnessed poisoning at 3 sites. In a trial interview, everyone asked if they knew of Furadan poisoning and if they ate the poisoned birds. All gave a 'Yes' response; they knew of Furadan’s toxicity and that they used an efficiently safe method to prepare the meat for consumption.
Five poachers were seen baiting birds. We talked to two. Most use captive open-billed storks to enhance the baiting. We witnessed, 6 storks eat poisoned snails and die; 71 storks survived after we unintentionally startled them, then again got startled by grazing goats; my scout reported 16 storks had got poisoned and killed a day before; 5 more of an estimated 200 African mourning doves died from baiting. Many flew away after eating the poisonous bait. I hope to establish if the runaways die away from the site in the surveys to come.

Field Dates: 27/02/2009 to 05/03/2009

Sites: Munaka (Bunyala Rice Scheme main rice planting zone)

We began data collection. A total of 73 dead birds out of 236 were observed after getting intoxicated by Furadan or, upon getting disoriented, were battered, strangled or their limbs dislocated.
Questionnaire and interview from 35 respondents revealed no apparent illness from people eating poisoned birds.

My local assistant is almost perfect using his binoculars and has learnt to photograph using the camera; see attached a number of his trial photos. I also left him a copy of Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. The binoculars, camera and the bird guide were all purchased by funds from the Rufford Small Grants Foundation.

For more information please visit the up to date blog focusing on this study at http://www.stopwildlifepoisoning.wildlifedirect.org .

Field Dates: 25/04/2009 to 04/05/2009

Sites: Bunyala Rice Scheme, Muluwa

We surveyed the site for poisoning, counting a total of 236 dead birds out of 779 birds exposed to the poison baiting.

I administered 12 more questionnaires and secured several informal audiences with some poachers(trying to get their attention and trust having brought up the subject that bird poisoning is not only cutting down large populations of birds but that eating poisoned birds is harmful).

We collected 10 poisoned bird samples and extracted their guts which I took back to Nairobi for analysis of the presence of the pesticide poison, Furadan. On 8th May 2009, I submitted 10 samples to the Kenya Plants Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), the recommended analytical laboratory by the national pesticide control authority, the Pesticides Control Products Board. Unfortunately, KEPHIS stipulated unfavourable procedures and in 2 weeks the samples had not been tested. I therefore reverted to submitting the samples to the highest, locally recognized toxicological analysis lab, the Government Chemist on 26th May 2009 and will get the results when I return from the May-June survey.
On20th May 2009, I was invited to a bushmeat symposium, The Kenya Bushmeat Symposium, 2009, organized by the East African Wildlife Society, a forum that gave me the opportunity to present to other stakeholders the findings of this research hitherto.

I am also going to survey two more sites in June 2009: Ahero Rice Scheme and Mwea Rice Scheme where there is also bird poisoning. I wish to mention that the samples’ analysis and the extended surveys are a measure of my project’s sustainability and I am using funds raised on my weblog through blogging on the project findings of the Bunyala field work funded by RSG.

I continue to advocate for ending of wildlife poisoning on the weblog, http://stopwildlifepoisonijng.wildlifedirect.org, whose posts are predominantly on the Bunyala bird poisoning.

Field Dates: 02/06/2009 to 09/06/2009

Sites: Bunyala Rice Scheme, Muluwa, Muuri, Neboka, Bubasi, Munaka, Yala Swamp

Summary of field work progress
The above sites were surveyed other than the focus Bunyala Rice Scheme to establish extent of poisoning. We also continued collecting data on poisoned birds.
We educated and shared the idea of vegetable farming with some poachers in exchange for poaching birds through poisoning and agreed that when I am field in July they will let me know on what they had discussed and their proposal.
Some outcomes of this project so far:

• Two trained scouts whose skills continue to improve with every survey.

• Through documenting the findings of this project on the blog http://stopwildlifepoisoning.wildlifedirect.org/ and other advocacy work on bird poisoning with the pesticide Furadan, the manufacturer of the pesticide have withdrawn the supply of the pesticide to Kenya.

• Actual data on numbers of poisoned birds against the birds seen since February to June.

• We have some confidence with poachers and are able to exchange information with them about the dangers of the pesticide and get their side of the problem.

Field Dates: 25/07/2009 to 07/08/2009

Sites: Bunyala Rice Scheme, Muluwa, Muuri, Syamungu, Busagwa

Summary of field work progress

A questionnaire survey was issued at Bunyala Rice Scheme, Muluwa, Muuri, Syamungu, and Busagwa to evaluate the effect of education against bird poisoning and consuming of poisoned birds. Generally these showed that more people were aware of Furadan poisons but still convinced the way poisoned birds are prepared before being consumed detoxifies them of the carbofuran poison. A total of 188 questionnaires were administered.

Poisoned birds mortality counts at the transects in the Bunyala Irrigation Scheme revealed a downward trend since it was during low bird poisoning season with no rice planting hence birds were not flocking in the irrigation scheme; furthermore, Furadan had been shown to be in short supply partly due to our campaign for its stricter regulation/ban hence the manufacturer’s withdrawal.
The poachers whom I have been trying to liberate and sell to the idea of vegetable farming remained non-committal and did not get back to me as we had agreed.

I updated the stakeholders as far as bird pesticide poisoning is concerned, namely the Pesticide Control Products Board, Farm Machinery and Chemicals (FMC), the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Ornithology Section of the National Museums of Kenya.

Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final reports below.