Black rhino population in Kenya surges to 1,000 as CS Mutua oversees translocation

The black rhino population in Kenya has grown from 384 to over 1000, securing the country's position as the third-largest globally after South Africa and Namibia.

The Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua reported this during the official launch of the translocation of 21 black rhinos from Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Loisaba in Laikipia.

The Cabinet Secretary stated that this increase marks the halfway point towards the 2037 goal of having 2,000 black rhinos in the country.

There are at least 6,487 black rhinos in the world, according to the latest research and data by the World Animal Foundation.

One of the lorries moved to move black rhinos as pictured at the Nairobi National Park on February 13, 2024. (Photo: KWS)

Mutua highlighted additional efforts directed at the Southern White Rhinos recovery project through BioRescue. The government's focus, according to the Cabinet Secretary, is on expanding the rhino range to alleviate population congestion and ensure sustainable growth.

The minister further announced successful gains in managing the poaching of endangered rhinos, while also calling for continuous efforts to safeguard them, especially in the wake of a resurgence of poaching in South Africa. Mutua affirmed the government's commitment through his ministry to provide resources for rhino conservation.

The CS called for a collective commitment aimed at saving the rhino species and promoting a lasting legacy for future generations. The Kenya Wildlife Service outlined the relocation exercise, targeting a total of 21 rhinos to be moved to Loisaba Conservancy as a founder population for the recently approved rhino sanctuary.

Acknowledging the impact of poaching on critically endangered rhinos in the past, the government and its partners are now dedicated to ensuring they are not completely extinct. In December 2023, Kenyan scientists and their global counterparts announced progress in saving the Northern white rhinos from extinction through in-vitro fertilization, with only two remaining at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia.