BIG GAME IN EAST FRICA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 841, 13 June 1910, Page 10

BIG GAME IN EAST FRICA.

THREE HUNDRED LIONS KILLED. Iu liis report on the East Africa Protectorate tor 100S-9 Sir Percy Girouard, tlio Governor, states that,' although therewas a considerable falling olf iu the number of sportsmen who visited the Protectorate I'turing the .year, yet, owing to the country being better. .known, the bags of game were larger and more varied. The report continues:---"Three hundred lions were killed during the year, a considerable increase on the numbers in previous vonrs, and it would appear that they are still numerous, though the increase is possibly due in some measure to the larger area of country now open to sportsmen. There has been a notable reduction in the number of bull elephants, though the number of cows and calves seems to have been maintained. Giraffe, buffalo, and eland are all increasing, and it is satisfactory to note a distinct increase also in the number of greater kudu, wliich for somo years had remained stationary. Hyaenas, hunting dogs, and jackal do -not appeur to have recovered lrom the outbreak of distemper reported last year, and there was a fresh outbreak on the Uasin Gifsku plateau during the year. "On the Athi Plains game continues to be numerous, but, owing to the drought, somewhat local. Comparatively little shooting has been done in this district on account of the enormous quantities of ticks. On the Tana River and east of Mount Kenya game is very plentiful, but is .little shot, being iu a fly-infested and feverish district. Owing to the amount of settlement .which has taken place in the Rift Valley, this is not now such a popular resort for sportsmen as formerly, though many fine trophies are obtainable, especially in the liarhigo district. A considerable amount of preservation has taken place on privately-owned land, and the value of game as an asset has been more generally recognised. New game regulations will shortly be brought into force, which will allow ,a landowner to invito a license-holder to shoot on his laud, the game thus shot not counting on tho license. This provision should lead to a more careful preservation of game."