Latest news with #KenyaWildlifeServices
IOL News
03-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
How to move a rhino
Kenya Wildlife Services veterinarians and rangers rush to aid a sedated female black Rhinoceros that has been selected for translocation to the Segera Rhino Sanctuary from the Lake Nakuru National Park. Kenya announced the translocation of 21 critically endangered eastern black rhinos from the congested conservation areas to the Segera sanctuary where black Rhinoceros were once endemic but died out due to human encroachment and poaching. Image: Tony KARUMBA / AFP Barely feeling the tranquiliser shot, the panic-stricken female rhinoceros ran to take shelter in a wooded area, eluding the low-flying helicopter trying to prevent her escape. The rhino was supposed to be transferred to another park in Kenya, but outsmarted the humans. A few minutes later, rangers in 4x4 vehicles searched through thickets too dense for the crane truck that was meant to carry her away. A decision was quickly made to administer the antidote to the tranquiliser to prevent her from collapsing. If she fell the wrong way, she could suffocate. The young female will therefore remain where she was born. "The rhino is the worst one to translocate," said Taru Sheldrick, who was piloting the helicopter in Nakuru National Park in northwest Kenya, an oasis of greenery surrounding a deep blue lake. "When you dart them, if you don't have long enough, they're running straight for thick bush, which is their security," he said. "Whenever you're darting a rhino, you have a little bit of fear. Because it's a species in danger. Every animal is just so important." Rhinos, which can weigh up to two tonnes, were once abundant in sub-Saharan Africa. But hunting by European colonisers and later large-scale poaching pushed them to the brink of extinction. The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) says there are about 28 000 left in the world, nearly 24 000 in Africa. Kenya is home to more than 2 000 of them. Rhinos reproduce less efficiently if too many of its kin live in the same location, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which manages the country's parks. Moving them is therefore important, but rhinos are vulnerable to tranquilisers that slow their breathing, increase their body temperature and affect their heart rate, said Dominic Mijele from KWS. So it is a race against time as soon as a veterinarian, aboard a helicopter, administers the drug using a dart gun. Five to seven minutes after injection, the rhino begins to feel groggy. Then it collapses, as AFP observed on a recent trip: after the first female retreated into the bush, three other black rhinos were anaesthetised within the span of a few hours in Nakuru. A rescue team arrived on-site within two minutes of each shot, moving like a well-oiled machine. About a dozen caregivers surrounded the animals, spraying them with water to cool their body temperature, rolling them onto their sides to ensure their respiration was not obstructed, administering oxygen and monitoring their vital signs. Simultaneously, several other rangers secured the animals with straps threaded through the transport cage and attached to the front bumper of a jeep. Fifteen minutes after the rescue team's arrival, the antidote was administered. The animal then jolted to its feet and was promptly guided into a cage, which a crane loaded onto the flatbed of a truck. Mijele boasted of Kenya's unmatched expertise. "We are number one in the world. We have done so many rhino translocations successfully," he said. Jochen Zeitz, the owner of the private Segera Reserve, where about 20 rhinos have been relocated in the past two weeks, could not hide his relief after the latest operation. On his 200 square kilometres of land, elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and more roam freely, said the former Puma CEO and current Harley-Davidson executive. But the reserve lacked "this iconic species" which were present up until 60 years ago in Segera, but have since disappeared. Welcoming rhinos back is "completing the conservation work that we've done as a foundation over the last 22 years" since acquiring the land, he told AFP. Due to the high risk of poaching for their horns, security measures had to be significantly enhanced with 100-150 new security staff, Zeitz said. Later in the day, a small group witnessed the release of the three rhinos from Nakuru, who had arrived in Segera after a six-hour drive. In the dense night darkness, they listened as the metal bars of the transport cages were removed, doors creaked open, and heavy stomping accompanied by guttural growls rang out. The rhinos had finally arrived at their new home. | AFP
IOL News
12-05-2025
- IOL News
Rare-ant smugglers sentenced in African state
Two Belgians, a Vietnamese, and a Kenyan have pleaded guilty to wildlife trafficking and await sentencing on April 23 in Kenya Image: Kenya Wildlife Services A Kenyan court has sentenced four individuals to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 each for attempting to illegally export thousands of live ants, including a rare species, the BBC reported. The convicted individuals, two Belgian nationals, one Vietnamese, and a Kenyan, were apprehended last month in Naivasha, a town in western Kenya, where they were found in possession of approximately 5,000 queen ants. Among the species collected was Messor cephalotes, a rare variety also referred to as the Giant African Harvester Ant. During the court proceedings, the accused pleaded guilty and claimed they were unaware that collecting the ants for hobbyist purposes was a criminal offense. However, the presiding judge noted in Wednesday's ruling that the quantity and type of ants involved indicated a deliberate effort to exploit valuable wildlife, adding that the offenders were not simply in possession of a few specimens. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the seized ants were reportedly intended for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. The smuggled ants, according to dealers in the UK, can be worth as much as £170 ($220) apiece. Commenting on the insects' popularity, Pat Stanchev, the general manager of the insect-trading website Best Ants UK, told the BBC that their appeal lies in their distinctive and beautiful appearance. KWS revealed that the suspects had prepared test tubes capable of sustaining the ants for up to two months, specifically to bypass airport screening procedures. The organization described the operation as 'premeditated' and called it a landmark in trafficking trends that shift from traditional poaching of large mammals toward lesser-known species. One of the Belgian nationals, David Lornoy, told Reuters that the group had not intended to violate any laws. 'We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,' he said, appealing for leniency. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕
