Ol Pejeta creates haven for black rhino

THE Ol Pejeta Conservancy, along with the Kenya Wildlife Service and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, has completed the largest rhino translocation in East Africa, initiated on February 3. Thirty-two black rhino were moved into the conservancy bringing the total population to 73. This will provide a safer environment to increase the breeding rates of the critically endangered black rhino. The conservancy is in the process of removing the western Sweetwater fence, making it the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. Due to poaching the number of rhino in Kenya dropped to below 300 in the 1980s but this number has increased to an estimated 539 since a number of conservation initiatives have been implemented. With projects such as the translocation by Ol Pejeta, the aim is to increase Kenya’s rhino population to 650 by 2010. Chana Viljoen (chanav@nowmedia.co.za)