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Kenyan man with a heart of Gold ferries 3000 litres of water everyday to drought stricken wild animals of Tsavo

Whenever he rumbles down the dusty road of Tsavo, in his ocean blue truck; elephants, buffalos, antelopes and zebras come running.

 

State House spokesperson, Manoah Esipisu said the state has secured USD 7 million of which it has spent USD 5 million in phase one of its responses.

In all these emergency budgetary allocations, the state is targeting starving Kenyans and their livestock, through a programme the government plans to buy emancipated cattle from the pastoralist’s communities  and then slaughters them and distribute the meat to the communities and public schools to ease hunger pangs.

However in all these plans one crucial part of the ecosystem has completely been neglected, despite playing a crucial role and contributing billions of shillings to the Kenyan economy. The government is yet to roll out any drought programme to cushion wild animals from the ongoing drought.

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Unlike humans beings who have technology and wits on their side to dig wells hundreds of miles below the earth surface, wild animals don’t have the same privilege and once a river dry’s up in the harsh environment found in most game reserves, the only option left for the poor animals is to trek thousands of miles away looking for the precious commodity, hundreds of animals however don’t make it and perished in the process.

One man is however determine to change the dire situation facing  the Kenyan wildlife at Tsavo West National park, Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua a pea farmer drives every day for hours on end  in a rented truck ferrying 3,000 gallons of fresh water to several locations in Tsavo West for the wild animals.

Patrick came with the noble idea Last year after witnessing firsthand the grim toll of the drought which saw tens of wild animals die from thirst in the cracked riverbeds.

"There is completely no water, so the animals are depending on humans, If we don't help them,they will die." Mwalua told a conservancy paper.

Whenever he rumbles down the dusty road of Tsavo, in his ocean blue truck; elephants, buffalos, antelopes and zebras come running. The animals are so used to the sound of his engine and everyday patiently wait for him.

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"Last night, I found 500 buffalo waiting at the water hole, when I arrived they could smell the water. The buffalo were so keen and coming close to us. ," he says.

Sometimes Patrick has to risk his own life to deliver the life giving commodity in the middle of the night, the animals come extremely close to the truck before he has even opened up the jet of fresh water.

"They started drinking water while I was standing there. They get so excited."

His humane gesture has not only been noticed by the wild animals but also conservationists as far as the United States.

Three women, who have never met him after learning about his story decided to help in keeping the taps flowing.

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They set up a GoFundMe page that has so far collected more than $18,000 from people around the world to fund Mwalua's water delivery service.

Between road trips, Mwalua runs a conservation project called Tsavo Volunteers,  which visits local schools to talk to children about wildlife conservation.

"I was born around here and grew up with wildlife and got a lot of passion about wildlife, I decided to bring awareness to this so when they grow up they can protect their wildlife." the man with passion for wildlife says.

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