By Pauline Kairu
Police and the Kenya Wildlife Service are pursuing suspects involved in a poaching incident that left two male southern white rhinos dead and their horns clipped.
The attack at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Meru County is believed to have taken place at around 11 pm on Friday, as it rained heavily.
“Our rangers heard gunshots but it was raining heavily … the terrain are impossible to patrol during such times,” said Joseph Kabiru, an employee at the conservancy.
“The poachers had already disappeared by the time our rangers got to the scene. Usually, poachers take advantage of the heavy rains which make most of the conservancy difficult to access. Police and KWS officers have taken the lead on the matter.”
“Scourge”
Dr Tuqa Jirmo, Lewa’s Chief Operations Officer, termed the loss devastating, “after six years of successfully keeping all rhinos in the conservancy safe and recording high birth rates’.
