[PHOTOS] Kenya marks World Elephant Day at Amboseli as Uhuru adopts twin

Tourism CS Najib Balala led Kenya in marking World Elephant Day celebrations on Wednesday at Amboseli National Park in Kajiado.

World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants.

Balala witnessed an 11-year-old male elephant being darted and collared for monitoring purposes as the country seeks to tackle poaching.

The elephant was named in honour of Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku because of his father's efforts towards conservation.

"We are here celebrating World Elephant Day. It has been a long commitment," Balala said.

The CS also said one of twin elephants has been adopted by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Last month, a fugitive on the wanted list for poaching and narcotics trafficking in the US has been nabbed by International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) at Mombasa's Moi International Airport.

Abubakar Mohamed Sarur alais Mansur was nabbed by a multiagency team coordinated by Interpol.

KWS in December last year said Kenya has managed to reduce the poaching of iconic species following the introduction of tough wildlife laws.

The country has also put in place various strategies that have seen poaching of wildlife and rhinos decline sharply.

The number of elephants killed in 2018 was 38.

In 2012, 384 elephants were poached. The number reduced to 302 in 2013. The decline continued in 2014 to 164 and 96 in 2015.

Some 86 elephants were poached in 2016 and 80 in 2017.