Mwala, the 41-year-old Kenyan man, has been delivering water to thirsty wild animals like elephants, zebra and buffalo. He has been doing this since he saw the thirsty animals get thinner and thinner.
The pea farmer has been driving for 43 miles or 70 kilometers every day just to give water to the thirsty animals, Mail Online has reported. For six months, Mwala wakes up every day, eats his breakfast then goes to fill up the blue truck with water. Groups of elephant, buffalo and zebra were gathering near him and his truck every day. He has made a hole where he pours the water in. He has poured it directly into the soil before but the water was only sipped in by the soil.
Since November, there was no rain in southern Kenya where the sanctuaries for this wildlife are. Mwala began asking for donations to other people so he could provide water for the thirsty animals. After Mwala saw what happened to the 2009 drought, which killed 40 percent of t he wildlife in the neighboring Tsavo West National Park, he told himself that it should never happen in Taita Hills sanctuary. "It was so sad. I saw it myself and I felt very bad and I said this thing should never happen again," he said.
The animals always come running when they see the truck, they also know the timings. The animals even drink when the truck is emptying if they are super thirsty, said the lodge's assistant manager Alex Namunje. An American friend of Mwala has set up a GoFundMe page, it has raised over $200,000, most of which are only from the past two weeks. People are happy to help Mwala because he is doing a great thing. Mwala is also happy and he is planning to buy his own water truck and dig a borehole in the park.
However, this event can also challenge the water of the locals, Phys.org said. Elephants are one of the largest mammals and they can drink up to 190 liters (400 pints) of water in one sitting. These animals have been going to the locals' houses for water. Not only are the animals finding it hard to survive, but the people too. There have been reports of snakes going into people's water because they are thirsty and wants something to cool their warm bodies.
People need to start thinking of ways to stop the drought. Land rehabilitation should happen, said Jacob Kipongoso, head of the Tsavo Heritage Foundation.
