肯亞高等法院日前裁決，撤銷肯亞總統齊貝吉(Mwai Kibaki)將安博塞利國家公園(Amboseli National Park)降等為狩獵保留區的命令。法院認定，總統「除名」安博塞利的舉動是非法的。
「我們堅信，肯亞的野生生物與願意跟他們分享土地的人們福禍相依。」環保組織「自然肯亞」宣傳部經理蒙茱第(Serah Munguti)歡迎高等法院這項決定。自然肯亞是國際鳥盟(BirdLife International )的合作夥伴。
安博塞利國家公園位於非洲最高峰吉利馬札羅山(Mount Kilimanjaro)的西北部，約在首都奈洛比南方140公里處，是肯亞最受歡迎的公園之一。
該公園橫跨肯亞和坦尚尼亞邊界，佔地8000平方公里，其核心生態系統則有392平方公里，並且被聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)於1991年宣布為「人與生物圈保留區」(Man and the Biosphere Reserve)。
世界各地的訪客來看這個公園裡的大象、斑馬、狒狒、河馬、水牛，斑點鬣狗、水羚(waterbuck)、馬賽長頸鹿、羚羊、黑斑瞪羚(impala)、獅子、豹和獵豹以及瀕危黑犀牛。
由於記錄到超過400種鳥類，安博塞利已被確定為重要鳥類保護區(Important Bird Area)。在公園裡，還出現超過40隻容易瀕危小型猛禽(Falco naumanni)，他們遷徙時會過境此地。
在1964年獨立時，該地區為馬賽安博塞利狩獵保留區，並由Olkejuado縣議會管理。
1974年總統肯雅塔(Jomo Kenyatta)公告安博塞利升級為國家公園並由國家管理，而在2005年宣布該園區降級為保護區，歸Okejiando縣議會管理，並更名為安博塞利國家自然保護區。
在2005年首次憲法全民公決之前，總統齊貝吉下令降級安博塞利國家公園。 總統的舉動被認為是企圖從馬賽社區尋求支持，以支持新憲法。
有20多個野生動物團體強烈要求總統齊貝吉改變他的決定。
此次高等法院的裁決意味著，安博塞利的管理權已經回到Olkejuado縣議會的肯亞野生動物服務部門和馬賽部落。
野生動物觀光旅遊業是肯亞外匯收入主要來源，每年從公園規費及相關旅遊活動，為安博塞利帶來約330萬美元的收入。這筆錢有助管理安博塞利以及在肯亞的其他國家公園。
The High Court of Kenya has reversed an order by President Mwai Kibaki to downgrade the Amboseli National Park to a game reserve. The High Court found the President's move to "de-gazette" Amboseli was illegal.
Serah Munguti, the advocacy manager of Nature Kenya, a BirdLife International partner organization, welcomed the decision, saying, "Nature Kenya firmly believes that the future of Kenya's wildlife lies with citizens and the local populations who share land with wildlife."
One of Kenya's most popular parks, Amboseli lies northwest of Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of the capital city Nairobi.
The park covers 392 square kilometers (151 square miles) at the core of an 8,000 square kilometer (3,100 sq mile) ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. It was declared a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve in 1991.
Visitors come from around the world to view the park's elephants, zebra, baboons, hippopotamus, buffalo, spotted hyena, waterbuck, Maasai giraffe, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, impala, lions, leopards and cheetahs as well as Endanagered black rhinos.
Amboseli has been identified as an Important Bird Area with over 400 bird species recorded. More than 40 birds of prey have been seen in the park, including Vulnerable lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni, which uses the site during its migration period.
At independence in 1964, the area was the Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve and was managed by the Olkejuado County Council.
Amboseli was gazetted as a national park by President Jomo Kenyatta in 1974, but in 2005 the park management reverted to Okejiando County Council, and the name changed to Amboseli National Reserve.
The downgrading of Amboseli National Park was ordered by President Kibaki ahead of Kenya's first Constitutional Referendum in 2005. The President's move was seen as an attempt to gain support from the Maasai community to support the new constitution.
More than 20 wildlife groups have urged President Kibaki to reverse his decision.
The High Court's ruling means that management of Amboseli now shifts back to the Kenya Wildlife Service from the Olkejuado County Council and the Maasai tribe.
Wildlife tourism is one of Kenya's main sources of foreign revenue, and Amboseli brings in about $3.3 million a year from park fees and related tourist activities. This money helps administer Amboseli and other national parks in Kenya.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
