Nairobi News

Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has ear-notched young rhinos in the Lake Nakuru National Park as a way of monitoring their movement to ensure their security.

The park, a breeding sanctuary for the white and black rhinos, has registered an increase in population of the endangered animal during the past few years.

Deputy Warden Maureen Musimbi said there was good progress in the rhino population at the park despite recent cases of poaching.

She said the monitoring team had been formed to ensure enough security for the rhinos and the other wildlife.
“The team has been trained to ensure security of the endangered species and keep records of all the new births within the park. We also have enough rangers in all corners of the park,” she said.

Ms Musimbi said the ear-notching exercise, carried out every two years was for better record-keeping and for easy identification of the rhinos.

PEAK TOURISM SEASON

KWS senior veterinary officer Isaac Lekolool said the gestation period of the rhino is 18 months, making it necessary to have the ear-notching every two years.

Dr Lekolool said the exercise would be carried out in all the other sanctuaries and conservancies across the country.

The exercise is being carried out ahead of the peak tourism season that begins in June.

During this season, the country receives a high number of tourists, who visit the national parks to view wildlife.

Lake Nakuru is one of the most visited parks in the country, both for the wild game and the millions of flamingoes it hosts.

Tourism accounts for nearly 25 per cent of the country’s revenue earnings every year.