Experts outraged by Wajackoya's hyena testicles, snakes trade

 

The proposal by Roots Party that the country should farm snakes and trade in hyena testicles has received a round of loud condemnation.

On Thursday, Roots Party presidential hopeful Prof George Wajackoyah proposed in his manifesto to keep snakes and trade in hyena testicles to plug the country's budget deficit.

But professionals in the wildlife sector have termed the proposals as "impractical, unimplementable, and may jeopardise the existence of our wildlife".

The Union of Veterinary Practitioners -Kenya warned the move would be a recipe for disaster.

Secretary general Miheso Mulembani said trading in wildlife will see a spike in zoonotic diseases owing to the spill of viruses, bacteria, and parasites from hyenas and snakes from the wild into human beings.

"As you are aware, Covid-19 originated in the Wuhan market in China as a result of trade in wildlife products. Kenya should be prepared for a surge in zoonotic diseases such as rabies, brucellosis, and leptospirosis among others should trade in hyena products be legalised under Wajackoyah's government," he said.

Mulembani said Kenya is a treaty member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife (CITES), which covers export, re-export, import, and landing from high seas of live and dead animals, their parts, and derivatives.

“Trade in hyenas and snakes is disallowed and a threat to the existence of the wild species,” he said.

Mulembani urged Wajackoyah to consult closely with veterinary professionals before making such proposals.

Zoonotic diseases are transmitted between animals and humans.

Scientists say 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases have come from wildlife.

And while the science is not yet conclusive as to the origin, it seems likely that Covid-19 originated from human-wildlife transmission and has since spread to nearly all countries globally.

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) was transmitted from camels to humans in 2012, and viruses ranging from Avian Flu to Ebola all have their sources in wildlife to human transmission.

UNEP says that more cases of zoonotic diseases are expected to occur as more and more people encroach and shrink remaining natural areas, and as the process of urbanisation moves us ever closer to wildlife.

Dr Tuqa Jirmo, a carnivore researcher currently working with a leading conservation NGO, said hyenas in the country have a critical role to play in the ecosystem and should not be used as a campaign tool.

Jirmo told the Star that Wajackoyah’s pledges will deal a major blow to the hyena population.

“There is no proven scientific medicinal value in any part of hyena's body,” Jirmo said in a phone interview on Sunday.

Jirmo said Kenyans might start poisoning and trafficking hyenas, a move that will deal a major blow to their population.

“We are cautioning because hyenas might become threatened like rhinos because of myths,” Jirmo said.

Rhino horn in China is mixed with other concoctions and used to treat fever or relieve the symptoms of arthritis and gout.

It is also used to treat headaches, hallucinations, high blood pressure, typhoid, snakebite, food poisoning, and even possession by spirits.

Pangolins are also used in China as traditional medicine.

China has however omitted the use of pangolin scales in its 2020 list of approved traditional medicine, a reprieve to the most trafficked animal.

Jirmo said every wildlife has a critical role to play in the ecosystem.

Hyenas have very powerful jaws and consume animals of various types and sizes, carrion, bones, vegetable matter, and other animal droppings.

Jirmo said even though hyenas clean the environment, they are faced with challenges such as human-wildlife conflict and encroachment of their habitat.

Wajackoya said he will export hyena meat to China in a bid to boost the country's revenue streams if elected.

"It is said that a thousand hyenas have got about 2,000 testicles and that a testicle is used for medicinal purpose in China, and its value is about Sh6 million which is much more than ganja, therefore, we will export the testicles," he said.

He said snake raring will see the development of shoe making industry rise in Kenya.     BY THE STAR