Over the last couple of weeks, misleading statements have been made on the various aspects of wildlife conservation, especially the recent translocation of a white rhino to Kisumu Impala Sanctuary as well as the extent of poaching.
Contrary to these unfounded statements, Kenya has had a steady recovery of key endangered species, especially elephants, rhinos and the big cats.
Sound conservation strategies
Kenya Wildlife Service and partners have developed and are implementing management and conservation strategies for key species especially elephants, lions, hyaenas, cheetahs, wild dogs, Grevy’s zebras, hirolas and sea turtles.
We are also completing conservation strategies for giraffes, bongos and roan. These efforts are bearing fruit and we are ready to share this information with interested individuals and groups.
We take pride in the fact that despite pressure on land by growing human population and competing land uses, we have secured at least one million acres of land for wildlife through community conservancies and private ranches across the country.
Challenges of conservation
At the outset, we recognise that conservation is facing challenges including poaching, loss of habitat, adverse effects of climate, wild fires and livestock incursions into protected areas. Indeed, we are experiencing worrying trends in wildlife crime though this must be understood in its global context. We keep our Government and other partners informed about these trends, formulate appropriate strategies and seek the necessary support to implement them.
Therefore, it’s not true that poaching is worse than it was at the peak of poaching in the late 1980s.
National and international obligations
As a institution conscious of its national and international obligations, KWS provides scientifically sound and accurate statistics on elephant poaching and other wildlife to the public, the media, government and other interested local and international organisations.
Indeed, we take pride that as an institution overseeing a critical public resource; our decisions are based on sound science and are verified by stakeholders. Kenya is internationally acknowledged for its robust wildlife data collection and recording systems.
Regular wildlife censuses
The information we provide is collected and shared in consultation with stakeholders, both local and international.
We conduct regular censuses for various key species of wild animals and share results with the public and stakeholders. The presence of independent stakeholders and the media to verify the census process and results is a testament to our transparency.
Therefore, poaching can’t be worse than it was in 1989 given that Kenya’s elephant population has been growing at a healthy rate of 4 per cent per annum as evidenced by our census results.
When KWS was formed poaching was at its peak with the elephant population estimated at barely 16,000 from a high of 167,000 in the 1960s. Kenya’s population has steadily recovered to the current 37,000 individuals, thanks to the efforts of KWS and stakeholders.
It is important that the public appreciates that frequent seizures of ivory on transit at Kenya’s main airports does not necessarily originate from local illegal killing of elephants. We have tightened controls at all our airports and regularly report trophy seizures.
Our records indicate that Kenya lost 278 elephants to illegal killings last year. This is factual. KWS will continue offering accurate and timely information on wildlife population dynamics to the public. Kenya has also registered remarkable success in its rhino programme despite incredible demand for rhino horns in some Asian countries.
Kenya’s rhino, both black and white, has doubled since early 1990s from an estimated 500 to the current slightly over 1,000. In the last five years, Kenya has recorded average of 4.5 per cent growth.
Unfounded allegations
As an institution, we have robust systems of sharing information on conservation activities and developments with the public.
In particular, we widely shared the reasons for the white rhino translocation on our website www.kws.go.ke. We also issued a media release on the same matter. We are ready to provide further clarification on the translocation.
Translocation any species of wildlife is informed by clearly spelt out internationally and nationally accepted protocols, criteria and guidelines.
So far, no conservationist has approached us to dispute the logic behind the action nor offered an alternative. Any criminal activities, within or without KWS, are swiftly dealt with as provided for by the law. This should be reported to KWS and other law enforcement agencies.
White rhino translocation
The background which necessitated the translocation of the white rhino to Kisumu and has been widely shared is as follows:
The white rhino released recently in Kisumu Impala Sanctuary was raised at Ol Jogi Ranch in Laikipia and was then relocated to Mugie Ranch in Laikipia. However, because he had been hand raised he proved a security risk as he constantly sought human company. As such, KWS was compelled to transfer the rhino to Nairobi National Park.
Here again, in search of people he took to frequently leaving the park to residential areas of Kitengela and Ongata Rongai where he caused unnecessary panic, despite the efforts of the rangers to keep him in the park.
There was a very high likelihood that he would be poached as he was frequently near the fence-line. Besides, the likelihood of the rhino injuring or killing people could not be ruled out. Significant security resources were thus being diverted to protect a single animal.
Options Considered
KWS considered various options including placing him in the Safari Walk but there is already a rhino there.
Moving him to a fenced area such as Lake Nakuru National Park would have almost certainly led to him fighting with other dominant white rhino bulls or to him walking the fence-line once more (which would have meant that a number of KWS rangers would have had to walk with him, thereby being diverted from their wider duties).
Intense Rhino Poaching
The decision to send him to Kisumu Impala Sanctuary was guided by Kenya’s policy concerning the protection of white rhino, which is: to manage the species for community conservation, education and tourism and as a conservation resource for restocking white rhino ranges outside of Kenya.
KWS has a duty and a fundamental commitment to protecting and conserving Kenya’s wildlife heritage. However, inevitably there are certain individual wild animals that cannot be successfully returned to the wild, especially when they have been hand-reared, rescued or injured. KWS has genuinely evaluated the available options for this particular rhino but his previous history has made a wild life simply far too risky, particularly during these challenging
times when rhino poaching is so intense.
Welcome public participation
We appreciate the concerns for the rhino’s welfare that have been expressed and believe his relocation to Kisumu is in his best interests. Kisumu Impala is a welfare facility dedicated to the care of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.
As a responsive public institution, we welcome stakeholders and the general public to raise whatever concerns they have on wildlife conservation with us.
Our doors are open for consultation as we discharge our mandate as provided by the law.
PAUL UDOTO
Corporate Communications Manager
Kenya Wildlife Service
communications@kws.go.ke
+254 20 2379407-15/ 0771 058006
Contrary to these unfounded statements, Kenya has had a steady recovery of key endangered species, especially elephants, rhinos and the big cats.
Sound conservation strategies
Kenya Wildlife Service and partners have developed and are implementing management and conservation strategies for key species especially elephants, lions, hyaenas, cheetahs, wild dogs, Grevy’s zebras, hirolas and sea turtles.
We are also completing conservation strategies for giraffes, bongos and roan. These efforts are bearing fruit and we are ready to share this information with interested individuals and groups.
We take pride in the fact that despite pressure on land by growing human population and competing land uses, we have secured at least one million acres of land for wildlife through community conservancies and private ranches across the country.
Challenges of conservation
At the outset, we recognise that conservation is facing challenges including poaching, loss of habitat, adverse effects of climate, wild fires and livestock incursions into protected areas. Indeed, we are experiencing worrying trends in wildlife crime though this must be understood in its global context. We keep our Government and other partners informed about these trends, formulate appropriate strategies and seek the necessary support to implement them.
Therefore, it’s not true that poaching is worse than it was at the peak of poaching in the late 1980s.
National and international obligations
As a institution conscious of its national and international obligations, KWS provides scientifically sound and accurate statistics on elephant poaching and other wildlife to the public, the media, government and other interested local and international organisations.
Indeed, we take pride that as an institution overseeing a critical public resource; our decisions are based on sound science and are verified by stakeholders. Kenya is internationally acknowledged for its robust wildlife data collection and recording systems.
Regular wildlife censuses
The information we provide is collected and shared in consultation with stakeholders, both local and international.
We conduct regular censuses for various key species of wild animals and share results with the public and stakeholders. The presence of independent stakeholders and the media to verify the census process and results is a testament to our transparency.
Therefore, poaching can’t be worse than it was in 1989 given that Kenya’s elephant population has been growing at a healthy rate of 4 per cent per annum as evidenced by our census results.
When KWS was formed poaching was at its peak with the elephant population estimated at barely 16,000 from a high of 167,000 in the 1960s. Kenya’s population has steadily recovered to the current 37,000 individuals, thanks to the efforts of KWS and stakeholders.
It is important that the public appreciates that frequent seizures of ivory on transit at Kenya’s main airports does not necessarily originate from local illegal killing of elephants. We have tightened controls at all our airports and regularly report trophy seizures.
Our records indicate that Kenya lost 278 elephants to illegal killings last year. This is factual. KWS will continue offering accurate and timely information on wildlife population dynamics to the public. Kenya has also registered remarkable success in its rhino programme despite incredible demand for rhino horns in some Asian countries.
Kenya’s rhino, both black and white, has doubled since early 1990s from an estimated 500 to the current slightly over 1,000. In the last five years, Kenya has recorded average of 4.5 per cent growth.
Unfounded allegations
As an institution, we have robust systems of sharing information on conservation activities and developments with the public.
In particular, we widely shared the reasons for the white rhino translocation on our website www.kws.go.ke. We also issued a media release on the same matter. We are ready to provide further clarification on the translocation.
Translocation any species of wildlife is informed by clearly spelt out internationally and nationally accepted protocols, criteria and guidelines.
So far, no conservationist has approached us to dispute the logic behind the action nor offered an alternative. Any criminal activities, within or without KWS, are swiftly dealt with as provided for by the law. This should be reported to KWS and other law enforcement agencies.
White rhino translocation
The background which necessitated the translocation of the white rhino to Kisumu and has been widely shared is as follows:
The white rhino released recently in Kisumu Impala Sanctuary was raised at Ol Jogi Ranch in Laikipia and was then relocated to Mugie Ranch in Laikipia. However, because he had been hand raised he proved a security risk as he constantly sought human company. As such, KWS was compelled to transfer the rhino to Nairobi National Park.
Here again, in search of people he took to frequently leaving the park to residential areas of Kitengela and Ongata Rongai where he caused unnecessary panic, despite the efforts of the rangers to keep him in the park.
There was a very high likelihood that he would be poached as he was frequently near the fence-line. Besides, the likelihood of the rhino injuring or killing people could not be ruled out. Significant security resources were thus being diverted to protect a single animal.
Options Considered
KWS considered various options including placing him in the Safari Walk but there is already a rhino there.
Moving him to a fenced area such as Lake Nakuru National Park would have almost certainly led to him fighting with other dominant white rhino bulls or to him walking the fence-line once more (which would have meant that a number of KWS rangers would have had to walk with him, thereby being diverted from their wider duties).
Intense Rhino Poaching
The decision to send him to Kisumu Impala Sanctuary was guided by Kenya’s policy concerning the protection of white rhino, which is: to manage the species for community conservation, education and tourism and as a conservation resource for restocking white rhino ranges outside of Kenya.
KWS has a duty and a fundamental commitment to protecting and conserving Kenya’s wildlife heritage. However, inevitably there are certain individual wild animals that cannot be successfully returned to the wild, especially when they have been hand-reared, rescued or injured. KWS has genuinely evaluated the available options for this particular rhino but his previous history has made a wild life simply far too risky, particularly during these challenging
times when rhino poaching is so intense.
Welcome public participation
We appreciate the concerns for the rhino’s welfare that have been expressed and believe his relocation to Kisumu is in his best interests. Kisumu Impala is a welfare facility dedicated to the care of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.
As a responsive public institution, we welcome stakeholders and the general public to raise whatever concerns they have on wildlife conservation with us.
Our doors are open for consultation as we discharge our mandate as provided by the law.
PAUL UDOTO
Corporate Communications Manager
Kenya Wildlife Service
communications@kws.go.ke
+254 20 2379407-15/ 0771 058006
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