Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua
They started drinking water while I was standing there. They get so excited.
Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua works as a pea farmer in a local Kenyan village during the day, but four evenings a week he drives for hours to provide water for thirsty buffalo, elephants, zebras and antelope.
The 41 year old delivers 3,000 gallons of water in his special water truck four evenings a week, at his own personal cost, to Tsavo West National Park, which has been struck by a severe drought. The animals have become so used to the routine that they are often found waiting beside the empty concrete bowls, where he unloads the precious liquid cargo.
“We aren’t really receiving rain the way we used to. Last year, from June, there was no rain completely. So I started giving animals water because I thought, ‘If I don’t do that, they will die.'”
For months now, he has rented the truck in the evening and stopped off at various empty concrete holes across the park to nourish the animals, who pose a real risk to his life once night has fallen. Keen for a drink, the animals often crowd around the truck in anticipation of the water.
Patrick said: “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. “They started drinking water while I was standing there. They get so excited.”
He said: “We are not expecting any rain until November and this has got us all very worried of losing many animals from antelopes to elephants.
Some years back we lost many animals including elephants due to a prolonged drought. Elephants are becoming endangered from poaching and we need to save the ones we have left by providing water for them until the drought peril is over.
We have many elephants concentrating in very few water holes fighting to drink water and this has made the smaller elephants lack water. They become very thirsty and they end up spending a lot of time and energy walking very far distances with young ones searching for water.
Inspired by Patrick’s hard work and dedication, a group of American women have set up a GoFundMe page to help with his work.
It has raised more than £133,000 towards the running of the project, which includes paying for the rent of the van and the petrol. They hope to one day be able to save enough money to buy Patrick his own water truck.
