Mysterious Rhino Death Toll Rises to Nine amid Investigations

By Virginia Mwangi

The current population of the endangered black rhinos continues to decrease with the death of one more rhino that was among 8 others during translocation to Tsavo East National Park.

This is, currently, the greatest loss in translocation of the Rhinos compared to the death of 8 out of 149 rhinos in 2005.

The rhinos died as a result of salt poisoning after taking the water of high levels of salinity on their arrival at Tsavo East National Park according to investigations conducted by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) teams.

CS Tourism Najib Balala said he would introduce a new team of lead investigators excluding KWS after the death of the 9th Rhino. The investigators will include a senior official from the CID, tourism ministry, University of Nairobi Veterinary department and ministry of Agriculture. 

The CS added that the investigators will look into other possibilities other than the salinity of water including the lucern, vets and the medication with the heat stroke also being considered.

This comes after 18 rhino horns were tracked in Voi and even though reasons as to why they were there have not been put out yet, CS Balala said the ministry had tracked the horns using chips and transmitters implanted in the Rhinos while they were alive. He further instructed the KWS to transport the horns to Nairobi for viewing.