- Loisaba has set aside 29,000 of its 58,000 acres for the rhinos.
- Eleven females and 10 males were carefully selected and translocated to establish a new, viable breeding population.
Image: FILE
Twenty-one black rhinos are now adjusting to their new home at the Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia county.
The Kenya Wildlife Service and partners celebrated on Tuesday the successful translocation of 21 eastern black rhinos to the conservancy, establishing a new viable breeding population in a country that now has 17 sanctuaries where the species has recovered since being on the brink of extinction decades ago.
Loisaba has received the 21 rhinos from Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta and Lewa conservancies in an 18-day exercise executed by highly trained capture and veterinary experts drawn from KWS and its partners.
The translocation is sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Space for Giants, Elewana Collection, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lewa Conservancy and the goodwill of communities that support conservation efforts.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua launched the translocation drive on January 16 at the Nairobi National Park.
The Nature Conservancy Kenya programme director Munira Bashir said she is thrilled to be part of this initiative aimed at creating a conducive environment for Kenya's rhinos to flourish.
“Our dedication remains unwavering in supporting the government and our partners in their endeavours to protect the long-term survival of these endangered species. Surpassing the milestone of 1,000 rhinos within four decades is a significant accomplishment. Now, we aim to accelerate our progress towards a black rhino population of 2,000 through collaborative efforts with other conservation organisations,” she said.
Bashir said their overarching goal is to achieve sustainability for these incredible animals, ensuring their well-being for generations to come.
“I am proud to have been part of this great and important contribution to Kenya’s goal of increasing space for rhinos to breed to achieve our target number of rhinos," she said.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance chief conservation and wildlife health officer Dr Nadine Lamberski said they are proud to support KWS and Loisaba in the designation of the conservancy as a sanctuary for the critically endangered eastern black rhino.
“San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance plays a multidimensional role in supporting this relocation and we are honoured to be a part of this transformative project that provides black rhinos with a protected area for them to thrive,” she said.
Space for Giants founder and CEO Dr Max Graham said black rhinos were once common in Loisaba.
“The last known individual here was killed by poachers in the 1970s, a pattern experienced across Kenya and indeed Africa as a consequence of the devastating and illegal trade in their horns," Graham said.
He said the return of black rhinos to the conservancy is not only a testament to the effective leadership and skills of KWS, but also a demonstration of how impactful partnerships between governments and conservation NGOs can be for restoring, managing and protecting our natural world.
"And, of course, the return of black rhinos here gives all of us one of the most precious commodities of all: hope,"he said.
Black rhinos, which stand 60–63 inches at the shoulder, weigh an average of 1,760–3,080 pounds, and are 10 to 12 feet long.
They are not really black but gray, like the white rhinos.
They are called ‘black’ rhinos to distinguish them from the ‘white’ (coming from the Afrikaans word for 'wideor white mouth).
Loisaba has set aside 29,000 of its 58,000 acres for the rhinos.
Eleven females and 10 males were carefully selected and translocated to establish a new, viable breeding population.
The translocation project helped raise enough funds to cover five years of the sanctuary’s establishment, translocation, training, management and operational costs.
Officials present during the launch were Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa, Wildlife PS Silvia Museiya, KWS director general Erustus Kanga and board chairman Walter Koipaton and Loisaba Conservancy CEO Tom Silvester.