Govt to help rehabilitate endangered animals, says skydiving Tourism CS Balala

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has said the government will support the rehabilitation of endangered species to strengthen the sector, which has received a Sh5.2 billion boost, especially meant for marketing.

Mr Balala said this Sunday at the Watamu Marine Park when he released rehabilitated turtles into the Indian Ocean in a spectacular event that saw him disembark from a plane and land with the help of a skydiver.

The event was attended by both local and international visitors.

Curious onlookers watched in awe as the parachute carrying Mr Balala weaved in the sky before landing at the beach in front of cheering spectators.

Immediately after landing, Mr Balala said he took part in the skydiving to promote the country’s tourism industry which has been blighted by years of terrorist attacks and negative travel advisories.

“It was fun. Definitely I was scared. To jump from 11,000 feet is not easy but I wanted to do something for Watamu and I took the risk. On New Year’s Eve, I said that I would do skydiving and here I am.

“This is an indication that Kenya has so much to offer than the beautiful beaches and safaris. We have other events like scuba diving and kite surfing that can also attract many visitors to Kenya,” he said.

CLIMB MT KENYA

Mr Balala said as part of his package in his campaigns to revive the tourism sector, he will in March 2016 lead a delegation in climbing Mt Kenya.

“Mt Kenya is my next stop. I don’t have any height or attitude problem and that is why I will be there,” he said.

He then proceeded to the Watamu Turtle Watch centre, where he named a tagged turtle "Kasa Balala" before it was taken to the Watamu Marine Park, where he released it to the ocean.

Immediately after it its release, the turtle speedily swam and disappeared into the deep waters as the spectators clapped.

Mr Balala said there was need for tourism stakeholders to have an eye on the marine eco-tourism as the next frontier in tourist attraction.

“I think marine eco-tourism is the next big thing in the tourism sector.

“We shall continue to work closely with the department of environment to see that the environment in the beaches is well preserved to attract more tourists sampling our Kenyan beaches,” said Mr Balala.

CONSERVATION OF BEACHES

He said the release of the turtle was an indication that conservation of the beaches and the sea works hand in hand with the beach development going on in Watamu.

“This turtle was found suffering and could not survive on its own. It was helped by a local NGO in Watamu and today we release it to the sea to confirm that conservation of the beaches and sea works well with the beach development currently going on in Watamu,” he said.

Watamu Turtle Watch general manager Casper Van De Geer said the centre has been in operation since 1997 and has rescued and released more than 13,000 turtles into the ocean.

“Through our NGO called Local Ocean Trust, we started this centre to rescue endangered turtles where we rehabilitate them and then release them to the ocean.

“This turtle the Cabinet secretary has just released to the ocean is estimated to be between five and six years old,” he said.