KWS moves four rhinos from park to beat poachers

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has removed four rhinos from Lake Nakuru National Park in order to protect them from poachers who have been targeting them for their horn.

The move was done on Sunday as KWS officials moved two rhinos from the park to Sera Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu East bringing the number to four rhinos moved in the past one week.

Speaking to the Press, Park Deputy Warden Maureen Musimba admitted that the exercise is being carried out to protect the animals by placing them at a safer sanctuary.

Not safe

“Rhinos are the most endangered wild animals in Kenya and we are today translocating two rhinos, a female (Julia) who is three years old and a male (Cedrick) who is 8.3 years old,” she said.

Ms Musimba said there are plans to translocate more rhinos, in order to avoid inbreeding, and buffaloes to Tsavo National Park but said they are facing funding challenges.

“This is an expensive exercise which requires a lot of funds. We do it when we have donors to facilitate the helicopter for locating the rhinos and also rangers and veterinary officers involved in the identification exercise,” she said.

Explaining the identification process, KWS Chief Veterinary Officer, Dominic Mijele, said once a rhino is captured they take blood samples which they then use to genetically identify it.

“Blood samples are taken from the rhino and the ears are notched for identification.

After that, a micro chip is inserted in the horn so that in can be monitored by officers in the new ecosystem until it settles down in the new territory,” he said.