LAIKIPIA, Kenya, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's wildlife authorities have begun the translocation of 21 critically endangered eastern black rhinos to the Segera Conservancy located in Laikipia County, about 250 km north of Nairobi, the country's capital.
The exercise, starting on May 24, is part of the bigger plan to establish one of the largest connected rhino landscapes in the world, protecting critically endangered species while delivering sustainable benefits to communities.
Rebecca Miano, cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, told journalists that the translocation process is expected to take about 18 days and will see rhinos moved from Ol Pejeta and Lewa conservancies and the Lake Nakuru National Park, which currently operate at over 100 percent of their carrying capacity.
"Segera Conservancy provides the much-needed space to decongest rhino sanctuaries being managed above their ecological carrying capacity," Miano said in Laikipia County during the translocation of the first two rhinos.
She described the exercise as a bold affirmation of Kenya's commitment to securing a future for one of the world's most iconic and critically endangered species.
The relocation will help boost the black rhino population, which has grown from 384 in 1989 to 1,059 by the end of 2024.
Erustus Kanga, director general of the state-owned Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), said the translocation exercise also seeks to reduce territorial fights that account for over 30 percent of rhino mortalities.
He said the relocation project, a collaborative effort between the KWS and the ZEITZ Foundation, is part of a broader vision to establish one of the largest rhino sanctuaries in the world by connecting Segera to other conservation areas in the region.
During the relocation, the rhinos will be kept under close observation by specialists to help them adapt to their new habitats, Kanga said. ■