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More black rhino sanctuaries to be created to curb fights for territory

Rhinos at the Nairobi National Park, May 10, 2023. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Dr Kanga said there was an urgent need to create more space to move the rhinos to avoid deaths resulting from territorial fights, a challenge worsened by the frequent and prolonged droughts, factors linked to climate change.

The creation of new sanctuaries is a move by the government to also boost its conservation targets beyond the successful conservation of the species over the past years.

While Kenya is one of the key global leaders in the conservation of rhinos, like all its fellow African rhino range states, Kenya continues to face a serious poaching threat.

Although rhino numbers have continued to increase, surpassing the targeted 5 per cent growth annually, the poaching threat remains. Between 2012 and 2016, 5,703 black and white rhinos were reported poached in sub-Saharan Africa, with Kenya losing 145 animals during the same period.

"Implementation of the past six editions of the action plan has enhanced the recovery of the black rhino populations to more than double from the population of fewer than 400 individuals by 1989 to an estimated population of 1,890 rhinos (966 black, 922 white and two northern white rhinos) by end of 2022," Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza said.

Black rhinos are classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, meaning they risk being extinct in the wild. Black rhinos are critically endangered also because they face immense challenges from poaching and the loss of their habitat.

The newly launched five-year recovery plan for black rhinos is set to address the challenges being experienced in rhino conservation, including poaching, overstocking in sanctuaries, habitat degradation and conversion, climate change, disease, predation, and potential inbreeding depression.

In the new Recovery and Action Plan for the Black Rhino in Kenya (2022-2026), the country is set to achieve a major milestone of 1,000 black rhinos.

In the Tsavo area, the plan seeks to operationalise some areas to support large populations of black rhinos, while in Laikipia, the plan is to merge the private and community sanctuaries that are near create black rhino sanctuaries.

Nature Conservancy Kenya Programme Director Munira Bashir said for Kenya's rhino population to thrive, they need space, and there is a need to build a population size of 2,000 individuals.

"Kenya is world-renowned for its conservation efforts. The remarkable turnaround in the conservation of rhinos has been driven by government coupled with local and international efforts," Bashir said.

Feasibility assessments carried out by KWS in Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia noted that the site is ideal for a rhino sanctuary. The government has also given conditional approval to relocate rhinos to Loisaba.

Loisaba Conservancy CEO Tom Silvester said that following an in-depth ecological assessment with the KWS, a 26,000-acre sanctuary has been created in Loisaba Conservancy.

"Loisaba welcomes this exciting announcement, which demonstrates the success of rhino conservation in Kenya over the last 40 years. We are so happy to be part of the journey. We have a fence and deploy necessary security technologies. Each rhino will be tracked," Silvester said.