• Three black rhinos were moved from Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta (six) and Lewa conservancies (12), making Loisaba Kenya’s 17th rhino sanctuary.
• Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua launched the translocation drive on January 16 at Nairobi National Park.
Image: FILE
The 21 black rhinos that were moved to Loisaba Conservancy earlier this year are doing well and have adapted to their new territory, Conservancy CEO Tom Silvester has said.
He told the Star some have been spotted honeymooning, an indication of being comfortable.
“Being territorial animals in nature, the rhinos have established territories and regularly, we have been able to see their markings and spots,” Silvester said.
Three black rhinos were moved from Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta (six) and Lewa conservancies (12), making Loisaba Kenya’s 17th rhino sanctuary.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua launched the translocation drive on January 16 at Nairobi National Park.
The translocation of rhinos was aimed at establishing a new viable breeding population in a country where the species has recovered since being on the brink of extinction decades ago.
Black rhinos suffered a catastrophic decline across Africa in the 1970s and 1980s, both in numbers and in the extent of their range.
Numbers plummeted from an estimated 65,000 in 1970 to fewer than 2,500 by 1992 due to poaching.
Silvester said prior to the translocation of rhinos, they had a team trained and dedicated to carrying out the field monitoring activities of the rhinos.
“They track at least 80 per cent of their time daily, achieving their physical sighting of each rhino individual,” he said.
The rhinos are roaming the entire habitation, Silvester said.
“The sanctuary is on an area of 104km2 that comprises around half of the conservancy’s 58,000 acres-with good security and low-profile fencing that allows free movement, including other wildlife species,” he said.
Silvester said the last rhino was seen in Loisaba in 1973.
Black rhinos are solitary animals and without enough room to disperse, they cannot be encouraged to breed.
The CEO said communities desired to have black rhinos back on the landscape.
"Monitoring is continuing by our research team, who provide daily updates and reports in the KWS Kifaru database for evaluation and continued support," Silvester said.
The 21 rhinos were translocated in an 18-day exercise executed by highly trained capture and veterinary experts from KWS and its partners.
Silvester said technology has been deployed to secure the species.
The cost of the translocation was about Sh10 million.
In black rhino sanctuaries, territorial fights are becoming a big challenge.
In the wild, rhinos, especially black ones, are extremely territorial.
Males fight other males in their territory, often inflicting injuries on each other. Fierce fights, in some cases, lead to death.
A report covering all the rhino areas for the period ending December 31, 2022, showed the black and white rhino population was 1,890. They included 966 black rhinos, 922 southern white rhinos and two northern white rhinos.
The report was consolidated by the Wildlife Research and Training Institute in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service.
It shows that Tsavo West National Park (Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary) has 134 black rhinos, while the maximum productivity carrying capacity is 45, leaving an estimated surplus of 89.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy has 166 black rhinos, while the maximum capacity is 90, leaving a surplus of 76.
Nairobi National Park has 98 black rhinos, against a maximum capacity of 44, leaving a surplus of 54.
Lake Nakuru National Park has a population of 89 black rhinos, against a maximum capacity of 50, leaving a surplus of 39.
Lewa (Borana Landscape) has a black rhino population of 133 against a maximum capacity of 92, leaving a surplus of 41.
Meru National Park has a black rhino population of 36 against a maximum capacity of 32, leaving a surplus of four.
Ruma National Park has a population of 22 black rhinos, against a maximum capacity of 62.
This means that Ruma needs 40 more rhinos.
Sera Community Conservancy in Samburu has a population of 21 against a maximum capacity of 40.
This means the conservancy needs 19 more rhinos.
The recovery and action plan for the black rhino in Kenya 2022-2026, which is the seventh phase, is being implemented.