Black rhino numbers on the increase in Kenya
28 Aug 2006
Nairobi, Kenya - Following continuous and rigorous conservation efforts, black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) numbers are finally on the rise in Kenya.
The black rhino is one of the most critically endangered wild animal species in Kenya and indeed in Africa. It is also a major tourist attraction, being one of the must-see 'big five' game animals in Africa - the others being the elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard.
At the end of 2005, Kenya's black rhino population stood at 539 animals, as compared to 428 animals in 2003. This shows a healthy increase that surpassed the projected target of 500 according to the report Conservation and Management Strategy for the Black Rhino in Kenya (2001 - 2005). Considering the intense poaching pressure and the demand for rhino horn, this is no mean achievement.
At the end of 2005, there were 3,750 black rhinos found in the wild in Africa. Kenya is one of the big four important countries for black rhino conservation in Africa - the other three being Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The population growth is attributed to improved protection and active biological management. To maintain rapid, healthy population growth, and to minimise inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity, black rhinos are managed primarily through the adjustment of their population densities. Managing the population densities of other browsers, as well as habitat management, is also critical to the recovery of black rhinos.
Despite the success, there is no room for complacency. Black rhinos in Kenya and other parts of Africa are still under threat. To poachers, the animal's horn is a promising source of wealth. In some parts of Asia, there is still high demand for powdered rhino horn used as traditional medicine. In the Middle East, rhino horn is still fashioned into curved handles for ceremonial jambiyas (daggers).
WWFs principal partner in black rhino conservation in Kenya is the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The vision of the Kenyan black rhino conservation strategy is to have 2,000 animals by the year 2010. The challenge is to expand existing rhino sanctuaries or establish new protected areas that can accommodate this future population growth.
"With increased improvement in biological management and security monitoring, the black rhino population can continue to show a healthy growth rate for many years to come," said Dr Taye Teferi, Conservation Program Director of the WWF Eastern Africa Regional Program Office.
"There is need for all relevant stakeholders to provide continuous support to KWS so as not to lose momentum on this healthy trend," he said.
Find out more
Anne Mugo, Rhino Project Officer, WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme Office (EARPO)
Phone: +254 20 3877355
Email: amugo@wwfearpo.org
Kimunya Mugo, Communications Manager, WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme Office (EARPO)
Phone: +254 20 3877355
Email: kmugo@wwfearpo.org
Notes
- The international trade in black rhino horn has been banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) since 1977.
- The goal of WWF's black rhino project is to help Kenya increase its black rhino population in their natural habitats by at least 5% per year, in order to reach 500 by 2005, and 1,000 by 2020. In 2001, Kenya's rhino population was estimated to be 430 individuals.
- In Kenya, numbers of the Eastern sub species of black rhino (Diceros bicornis michaeli) dropped from an estimated 20,000 in 1970 to less than 500 animals in the early 1980s. This drastic decline was due to poaching which took place unabatedly inside and outside national parks and reserves. Kenya was at the forefront of efforts to offer rhinos concentrated and effective protection in sanctuaries, a strategy that has been a major factor in the increase in numbers in the wild.
- The Conservation and Management Strategy for the Black Rhino in Kenya (2001 - 2005) was developed through a strategic planning workshop in the year 2000 with financial assistance from WWF. The participants included staff of KWS, private landowners, donors and technical experts.
