By Lenah Bosibori
Nairobi, Kenya: A team of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is currently in Tsavo East National Park undertaking a black rhino ear notching exercise.
This is fitting of horn transmitters and microchips as part of the implementation of the Black Rhino Recovery Action Plan.
“The ear notching exercise involves cutting off a combination of a small section(s) of the ear in a V shape to give an individual rhino a unique identification feature to enhance rhino monitoring and provide accurate population estimates,” said KWS on Thursday.
This comes at a time when the country has made significant steps in managing rhino poaching with no case reported in 2020 a fete last achieved over 2 decades ago.
In 2012-2016 a total number of 5,703 black and white rhinos were poached in Africa according to KWS.
However, since the development of the sixth edition of the Kenya Black Rhino Action Plan (2017-2021) poaching has declined in Kenya, which is the result of a commendable effort by the Government of Kenya in partnership with its local and international stakeholders.
IUCN Species Survival Commission African Rhino Specialist Group rhino monitoring protocol requires a unique identification feature to enhance monitoring.
“The activity is being undertaken with aircraft support from National Air Services Department (NASD) and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT). With a population of over 130 black rhinos,” said KWS on Thursday.
According to KWS statistics, Kenya is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. Hosting slightly above 800 individuals managed as a meta-population.
Black rhinos are smaller than white rhinos, and there is actually no color difference between them at all, Ol Pejeta reports.
“Increased risk of detection has led to change in the way the criminals operate, so we continually need to build capacity, equip law enforcement units and enhance intelligence gathering.
Concerted efforts at local, regional, and international levels will be required to sustain the gains and successes achieved,” says KWS.
Kenya’s wildlife is the major tourist attraction that generates an annual income of more than US $1bn to the national economy. The rhino is one of the ‘big five’ that constitute the core of the tourism industry.
