Threats

A number of direct threats face Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek, in particular illegal logging, poaching, over-fishing and pressures for land-clearance.

Most illegal logging is driven by the wood carving industry for tourists in Kenya and export to Europe and the USA. Brachylaena huillensis (Muhuhu) which was once abundant in the red soil, Cynometra forest zone, is one of the most targeted species. It is thought that the rare Sokoke Scops Owl and Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew may use its naturally hollowed trunk as a nesting site. Muhuhu is now critically threatened due to illegal extraction. Sadly, local people are exploited in this trade, being hired to remove the logs at minimal rates, whilst outsiders from Malindi and up-country make the profit.

Although threats such as excisions (the lifting of legal protection so that land can be sold off for development) and titanium mining face the forest, subsistence use by local people is probably the single greatest threat. Some poorer households may attempt to earn a living from fuel collection from the forest and harvesting poles, which are sold locally. A recent study showed that pole poachers have depleted the forest of mature, seed- producing trees and now resort to cutting younger trees, with serious consequences for the forest.

Hunting for food is a direct threat to several of the endangered forest mammals, including Ader's Duiker and the Golden- rumped Elephant Shrew. In 1991 hundreds of thousands of small mammals were trapped. This has since decreased and is thought to be an indication of the scarcity of small mammals, rather than a reduction in illegal hunting.

Mida Creek is threatened by over-fishing and mangrove cutting. In their attempts to earn an income and as a result of previous over-fishing, people are increasingly using nets with illegally small mesh. This is having a drastic effect on the fish population, with fish down to half the their size from just ten years ago and few mature fish present to contribute to future generations.

Turtles are often caught incidentally as a result of fishing. In the past these turtles would have been sold for their meat and shell, but attitudes are starting to change thanks to the work of Watamu Turtle Watch.

Much of the population around Mida Creek depends directly on the mangrove forest for timber and wood fuel. Quite extensive areas of mangrove have been degraded by cutting.

The root causes of these local threats are largely poverty and a lack of education about the importance of the natural habitats. ASSETS directly addresses both of these issues.