20 elephants killed by poachers in Marsabit

MORE than 20 elephants have been killed in the vast Marsabit Forest in the Central division of Marsabit county in the last two months as Ethiopian poachers invade the forest. Marsabit Central DC Ruto Kipchumba said hundreds of poachers have found their way into the forest from Ethiopia and are causing havoc by killing elephants.

He said the poachers mutilate and remove the ears and private parts of the elephants before killing them and taking away the trophies. Kipchumba said the poachers collude with the locals and invade the vast Marsabit forest where they are also terrorise residents. The DC called upon the Kenya Wildlife Service to urgently intervene and support security officers in patrolling the vast Marsabit county and flush out the militias. He said efforts by the police to step up the fight against poaching in the area are being hampered by the vast and thick forest.

Hundreds of poarchers from Somalia and Ethiopia have invaded the region to indulge in poaching due to readily available market in other parts of the country. Kenya Wildlife Service has been asked to step up operations against the poarchers in the Northern frontier circuit which comprises Mt Marsabit and Kenya forest, Isiolo, Meru, Marsabit and Laikipia districts. Upper Eastern regional commissioner Isaih Nakoru said the government will not tolerate poaching in the region. Security officials in Marsabit said more than 25 elephants are suspected to have been killed by armed poachers along the elephant corridors in the region in the last one month.