10 dead black rhinos in Kenya.

CZSGOV

CZSGOV

Member
i have just returned from a 15 day safari in Kenya. While at the Nairobi National Park we were told they were moving a number of black rhinos to Tsavo East for their “safety”. We saw two transport trucks and a military helicopter in use locating the ones to move. It seemed a very strange thing to do but they were doing it. I was very sad to just see that first 8 then 9 and 10 had all died. The excuse was “salt poisoning”. Also saw one possible excuse of “heat related deaths”, however the high temps in Tsavo were 75 degrees when we were there so that does not seem possible. What are the thoughts of any rhino experts on the forum?
 
So where were the rhinos killed - at Nairobi or Tsavo. And as BigNate says, were the horns cut off (indicating poaching)?
 
There are lots of news articles about it, for example:

11 endangered rhinos were moved to start a new population. 10 died. - CNN

10 of 11 relocated rhinos die as Kenya conservation bid backfires

Preliminary investigations show the rhinos died from stress intensified by salt poisoning as the animals struggled to adjust to saltier water in their new home, Balala said.
"The animals were dehydrated, restless" and drinking more of the water only worsened the problem, said Peter Gathumbi, professor of veterinary pathology at the University of Nairobi.
 
It says that the deaths were due to negligence, as the botched transfer resulted from wildlife officials not reading the results of water quality assessments that were undertaken at the Tsavo site. Several of those officials have apparently been fired.
 
A 9thand 10th have died and the last one transferred was atttacked by lions and has just died( Horn intact) so all 11 are gone needlessly.
 
Arizona Docent said:
This article on the deaths of seven black rhinos after their transfer to Tsavo East (Kenya) is very damaging to the conservation groups behind the move. The blame is placed squarely on the alleged incompetence of Kenya Wildlife Services and World Wildlife Fund (Kenya).
Kenya’s Worst Rhino Massacre Was the Work of People Trying to Save the Species
Click to expand...
If you read it thoroughly, you would see it is the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife and the curiosity - a sign o willful neglect on the Govt. of Kenya itself and not the KWS staff - the operation was put in motion at the time when there was no Board of Directors at KWS to direct the organization and an outside conservation charity WWF-Kenya hellbent to implement the project without due diligence. The cited PWC report on past KWS Board is a farce and merely intended to overshadow an independent inquiry and lay blame on Reserve Warden and ranger force on the ground. It is implied the operation was quickly conducted and that the local staff did not even know the rhinos were coming in. It was known that the water sources at Tsavo East bona were too saline. No vet was involved in the translocation, which is also highly unusual. It also needs to be highlighted KWS is at the moment very underfunded and understaffed thanks also to current government policies. So, this is a complete shambles.
 
One more detail: 11 rhinos actually died in the operation. It could have been higher if not the last 3 were held back at base.

Whereas No. 11 was attacked by lions and eventually killed its condition was so sub prime from continuously drinking too saline water it could not properly defend itself against predators. Remember a lion even attacking a rhino is a very rare and very dangerous thing to do as healthy rhinos will defend themselves viciously and make the lions even a pack to a runner.
 
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