1.2.20 Monitoring Of Illegal Activity

2.20 Monitoring of Illegal Activity
Recording of different classes of illegal activity and relating this to patrol. Effort makes it possible to assess which sectors or areas and which seasons are most affected by which type of illegal wildlife use (Jachmann, 1998). This enables the wildlife manger to direct law-enforcement efforts toward priority areas and to compare the effectiveness of different approaches. Although the amount of information collected on patrols should be limited, it should at least include relevant information on commercial poaching and subsistence poaching with firearms and wire snares, because removal rates can be very high and some information on the other less serious types of illegal activity (Jachmann, 1998).

2.21
patrols and investigations (Bell et al., 1992). Patrols are carried out in the conventional format by wildlife wardens, possibly accompanied by assistants or carriers (Bell, 1985a). A patrol usually consists of between 6 and 10 wardens and a variable number of assistants (Jachmann and Billiouw, 1997). Each patrol has a patrol leader who is higher in rank than the other wardens and a warden well trained in keeping records (Bell et al., 1992). Patrols can be divided into day patrols, night patrols and long patrols. The duration of long patrols is usually seven and eleven days, carried on foot with food and tent hauled by carriers if present (Jachmann et at., 1997). Modern methods of patrols like the use of radio communication equipment has greatly facilitated patrol work and most park systems today place heavy reliance on radios in patrolling operations (Kathy and John et al., 1986). For patrol purposes, the area should be divided into manageable patrol sectors. Patrol intensity in each sector is adjusted on a monthly basis by the warden in response to the importance of the area high densities of illegal activity produced by the type of analysis reported (Jachmann et al.,
The attempts also seek to improve the capacities of resource managers for patrolling and implementation of wildlife laws. It is argued that some of these efforts over the years have proved critical in adding to conservation efforts. Marcel (2007) in a study reported that the presence of patrol guards, local community groups and tourist guides in and around a wildlife protected area has the potential to reduce illegal wildlife activities within the area. However, the existence of crime against wildlife cannot be totally eliminated. Marcel (2007) observed that though park patrolling was effective in reducing the number of illegal activities in a protected area, offences such as the grazing of livestock within protected areas were not adequately addressed effectively. This Marcel (2007) attributed to the weakness in enforcement and breakdown in law and order which resulted in an increase in illegal logging and encroachment on protected area