NAIROBI, (Xinhua) -- Kenya’s wildlife rangers have stepped up anti-poaching operations across the East African nation with the arrest of 37 more suspected poachers who are in police custody.

A statement from KWS issued in Nairobi on Wednesday said during the raid which was conducted across the country, 38 kg of ivory, two rifles and 77 rounds of ammunition including game meat weighing 472 kg were recovered in the past one week.

The agency said a gang of four suspects escaped with injuries following a gun-fight with KWS rangers in Meru National Park on Nov. 12.

“The rangers were in patrol when they encountered the gang, believed to be on a poaching mission in the park, when the shoot- out ensued,” KWS said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

“A rifle with 56 rounds of ammunition and three magazines of assorted rifles were recovered. The suspects are being pursued in the neighboring villages.”

Rampant poaching is continuing despite KWS introducing the Canine Unit with sniffer dogs on a 24-hour basis at the Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa to detect movements of illegal ivory.

The unit has since 2009 netted more than 10 tonnes of raw and worked ivory.

This, according to the wildlife agency, has effectively led to reduced smuggling of illegal trophies. Plans are at an advanced stage by KWS to also introduce sniffer dogs at the Eldoret International Airport as well as other exit and entry points.

Stiffer penalties related to wildlife crime have also been incorporated under the proposed wildlife law to deter poaching- related cases and incidents in Kenya.

According to KWS, four suspected trophy dealers were arrested with 12 pieces of animal skins at Kitale Township in northwest Kenya on Nov. 17 after being found in possession of six leopard and six python skins.

“Charges have been preferred against the suspected poachers and smugglers in various law courts,” it said.

The anti-poaching rangers also arrested a suspected poacher and recovered a rifle with 21 rounds of ammunitions recovered on Nov. 12 in a village in Nairobi.

“A suspect escaped arrest when he was intercepted transporting 280 kg of meat for sale, believed to be of a snared zebra in Naivasha Township the same day,” KWS said.

The agency said four suspects were arrested and 38 kg ivory recovered in two separate crime incidents in Narok County in southwest of Nairobi. The suspects were arrested in Narok Township and 20 kg of ivory recovered on Nov. 16.

“In the same County, members of Olposmoru community surrendered 18 kg of ivory to KWS officials on Nov. 13.The surrender was a result of an ongoing community outreach effort by KWS to help in anti-poaching activities in the area,” it said.

In Laikipia County of central Kenya, KWS said, three suspects were arrested and a fake rhino horn recovered on Nov. 13.

“Four suspects were arrested in Taita Taveta County in connection with the spate of poaching in the neighboring conservancies adjacent to Tsavo National Park. KWS has stepped up anti-poaching operations to rein in on the situation in the area,” it said.

KWS has listed elephants, lions, wild dogs, leopards, cheetah, hyenas, Sitatunga, Tana crested mangabey, and Tana red Columbus monkeys as some of the most endangered wildlife species in Kenya.

The number of wild animals in Kenya has reduced drastically, threatening the existence of one of the country’s major attraction to tourists, who bring most of foreign exchange, new data released by the KWS indicates.

One of the most affected wildlife species is the lion whose number has reduced by about 1,000 between 2002 and 2008 threatening to wipe off one of the country’s largest wild cats.

The country had 30,000 lions in the 1960s when it gained independence from Britain but poaching, drought and human-wildlife conflict have seen the population drop drastically.

Most of the lions in Kenya are found in Maasai Mara that host 825 of them followed by Tsavo National Park with 675 lions, 230 lions in Laikipia and 40 in Meru National Park with the rest distributed across the country.

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