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The
Mt. Kenya ecosystem is a world
heritage site and would not be
complete without the abundance of
bongos that it used to hold. The
success of this Bongo Awareness
Program, funded by the WHWF, depends
on the support and commitment of the
people of Kenya to ensure security
and protection of the bongos, of
other wildlife and of the habitat.
The
mountain bongo is an extremely
valuable animal to the local
community. If their numbers can be
built up, this would create
investment in tourism facilities and
employment for many Kenyans. It most
certainly would be a big boost for
Kenya tourism, both local and
foreign. The release of the mountain
bongo to the Mt. Kenya forest will
provide an opportunity to impress
upon the communities, the importance
and value of Mt. Kenya as a water
catchment, its biodiversity,
tourism, employment and river
preservation as a world heritage
site.
The
Bongo Awareness Program is designed
to take the bongo conservation
message to the communities that live
in the bongo dispersal areas of the
Mt. Kenya forest. It is aimed at
covering the districts where the
bongo will first settle. The target
is the communities and schools
neighboring the Mt. Kenya forest.
The
project is hoped to promote the
biodiversity of the Mt. Kenya
Ecosystem. Other animal species will
benefit from the special
conservation messages put into place
as a direct result of the bongo
protection. Conservation of the
bongo as an umbrella species and the
education of the local communities
on the important of conserving Mt.
Kenya as a world heritage site will
help to conserve other natural
resources. The entire work is aimed
at uniting all conservation
stakeholders by a common goal: to
take the responsibility for
protecting the biodiversity of their
land.
The
Bongo Awareness Program was
successfully carried out between
Sept. 29 and Nov. 17, 2009 in three
of the districts where the bongos
are expected to settle and establish
their new homes. Extensive visits
were made in the newly created Buuri
District, Laikipia East District,
and the newly created Kieni East
District. Schools, self-help groups,
community and youth groups and
various government offices were
visited. At all sites, a talk was
given on the importance of forest
conservation for the benfit of the
bongs, as well as a brief
explanation of the Bongo
Repatriation Project, and bongo
posters and booklets were
distributed. |
