Poachers shoot dead white rhino killed at Lake Nakuru National Park

By Patrick Kibet

Nakuru, Kenya: Barely hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta raised concern over runaway poaching in the country, two suspected poachers shot and killed a female rhino at the Lake Nakuru National Park.

According to Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the suspected poachers entered the heavily protected park and shot the three year-old female white rhino but were ambushed by KWS rangers who managed to fight off the poachers before they chopped off its horn.

On Thursday, the President during his State of the Nation address, issued a stern notice. The President said the Government will not tolerate individuals focused on killing animals to create wealth.

Environment Cabinet Secretary Prof Judy Wakhungu accompanied by acting KWS director William Kiprono and other senior officers visited the park hours after the shocking incident.

While speaking to the press, Prof Wakhungu expressed concern over rising cases of poaching in the country which now threatens tourism.

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“It’s unfortunate we lost a 3-year-old female white rhino at the park. This rhino was shot at 11pm on Thursday evening. Rangers responded and fought back the poachers before they could chop off the rhino horn,” she said.

The country has now lost 17 rhinos in a span of three months with six rhinos killed at the Lake Nakuru National Park.

The white rhino was shot by high caliber rifle only a few kilometres from the fence.

Increasing water levels from Lake Nakuru has pushed rhinos to the periphery of the park making them easy targets for marauding poachers.

“The increasing water level in the lake has confined the rhinos close to the fence making them easy targets for poachers,” Wakhungu noted.