A police officer and a civilian were Sunday arrested while trafficking elephant tusks valued at Sh2.9 million in Naivasha, Nakuru County. Elephant tusks fetch a fortune in the black market as a surge in demand for ivory in the East continues to fuel the illicit trade in elephant tusks, especially from Africa. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and stakeholders have put in place mechanisms to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, particularly poaching. This translates to 55 elephants killed daily or one elephant killed every 26 minutes with a population of 35,000 elephants. On April 30, 2016, Kenya set ablaze 105 tonnes of elephant ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn.

Source: The Star July 02, 2024 05:41 UTC