Kenya to move two female black rhinos to Tanzania

Kenya is set to move two female black rhinos to Tanzania.

This was revealed on Thursday by Tourism CS Najib Balala during commemorations to mark 75 years since Nairobi National Park was established.

Nairobi National Park was protected as the country’s natural habitat through proclamation No. 48 of December 16, 1946, covering 117km per square.

It was set aside to conserve and protect the wildlife that was under great threat from traders, prospectors and pioneer settlers, then the British colony.

"We have identified these rhinos, they are in Ngulia, very close to Kilimanjaro and anytime they are ready, we are ready to transport them to Tanzania,” Balala said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the commemoration of Nairobi National Park’s birthday in a colourful event that was also attended by Wildlife PS Prof Fred Segor and KWS Director-General John Waweru.

During the event, the president unveiled a lion monument that was sponsored by the Dawoodi Bohra community of Nairobi.

The community also sponsored the exhibition photo gallery detailing the journey of the Nairobi park and has been planting trees at the park.

The Dawoodi Bohra community has also donated wheelchairs to be used by persons living with a disability while accessing parts of the park.

The community also funded a documentary about the history of the Nairobi National Park.

Balala said his ministry is committed to working with Tanzania by giving them the two female black rhinos immediately and that the export permit was going to be ready.

Kenya has the 3rd largest population of rhinos in Africa after South Africa and Namibia having a total rhino population of 1,605 (853 black rhinos, 750 southern white rhinos and 2 northern white rhinos) as at end of 2020.

This is according to the recently released first-ever national wildlife census conducted this year.

Kenya is home to the world’s third-largest black rhino population after South Africa and Namibia.

The CS said the Kenyan government is ready to receive 20 Roan Antelopes that will be coming from Tanzania any time soon.

“And any time they are ready, the 20 Roan antelopes that we have asked from Tanzania will be brought because Kenya has only 15 in Ruma National Park," he said.

The Roan antelope is a rare species, restricted to the savannah woodlands of Africa.

It was once widely distributed through 34 eastern, central, southern and West African counties but during the last 40 years, it has declined rapidly, presumably as a result of poaching and conversion of natural land into agriculture.

Currently, the species possibly remains only in 30 countries.

Studies indicate that two-thirds of populations throughout Africa show a decrease, while only one third is either stable or increasing, predominantly in private reserves in South Africa.

The species has been extirpated from Burundi, Eritrea, Gambia and Swaziland, whereas there are an estimated 76,000 roan antelopes globally.

One-third of this is concentrated in four countries: Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Zambia; and Tanzania.

The deal to move the two rhinos to Tanzania and 20 Roan Antelopes to Kenya is said to have been stricken when President Uhuru Kenyatta was in Tanzania on December 9.

The President had joined his host - Tanzania President Samia Suluhu - at a celebration to mark 60 years of mainland Tanzania's independence at Uhuru Gardens in the country's commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Kenyatta lauded those tasked with managing Kenya’s flora and fauna saying they have done a commendable job.

He however challenged them to think out of the box and find solutions to challenges facing the country's iconic species.

"With a projected population of almost one hundred million people by 2063, we really need to think out of the box to know how we will be able with such a growing population take care of this magnificent beauty that has been inherited from our forefathers," he said.

Uhuru challenged wildlife managers, scientists and conservationists to think about how to secure Kenya’s flora and fauna amid increasing threats.

"We need to really think imaginatively how we to do it and ensure that future generations are able to live side by side with nature and our wildlife as we have done," he said.

Kenya's population according to government statistics is 47.6 million.

Edited by CM