Two men were on Tuesday arrested while trafficking 36 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 77 kilogrammes valued at Sh12 million in Maralal, Samburu county. In July 2023, two herders accused of illegally possessing elephant tusks were given stringent bond terms of Sh1 million each after being charged. They were accused of dealing in ivory and allegedly found with Sh2 million worth of elephant tusks by KWS detectives. 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. This translates to 55 elephants killed daily or one elephant killed every 26 minutes with a population of 35,000 elephants.

Source: The Star November 15, 2023 19:04 UTC