We have all the horns of 10 dead rhinos, says KWS

The Kenya Wildlife Service has allayed fears that the horns of 10 dead rhinos in Tsavo National Park have disappeared this month.

communications Paul Udoto said the horns, 20 in number, were safe in Nairobi and Tsavo Park. He stated that the identity of the rhinos from which each pair had been extracted had been documented, adding that a microchip implanted in each rhinoceros had facilitated the pairing of horns.

Microchips have been implanted in most endangered species in Kenya. in 2013 to fight against poaching.

"The rhinoceros identities, their ages and their general profiles are known, we have all their horns, the issue we are now dealing with is the cause of death, we already have a team that is conducting investigations," he said. Mr. Udoto.

He added that when the rhinos died, their horns were extracted and 10 of them moved to Nairobi. The exercise was tracked by GPS because of the chips. Two horns of a dead rhino later must still be transported from Tsavo, he said. Samples from rhinoceros carcbades were extracted for toxicological badysis. The carcbades were then left in the wild, he added.

"There is so much speculation about the fate of the horns, we showed horns last week to the Secretary of the Cabinet of Tourism and the media, and then we kept them in. They are under high security with 39, other trophies from other dead animals and those that were confiscated from poachers Secretary of the Tourism Cabinet, Najib Balala, has already set up a multi-agency team to investigate the death of the 10 rhinos after the relocation of Nakuru to Tsavo National Park two weeks later, the KWS is the sole guardian of these trophies.The team includes Professor Peter Gathumbi, an experienced veterinary pathologist from the University of Nairobi, Dr. Markus Hoffmeyer, a veterinarian specializing in rhinoceroses and translocation from South Africa, as well as experts from the Ministry of Livestock, Tourism and the Environment. Criminal quests also help in investigations.

million. Balala demoted KWS chief executive Julius Kimani after the death and suspended six senior officials.

Sunday, Tourism Ministry refutes claims of former KWS Chairman of the Board, Richard Leakey, said the directors objected to the translocation of 14 black rhinoceros