By STANLEY MWAHANGA and RENSON MNYAMWEZI

Mombasa, Kenya: A rhino was killed on Saturday, hours after animal rights activists held a demonstration in Mombasa to press the Government to bolster surveillance to stop increased poaching.

The poachers sneaked into the 100-square kilometre Rhino sanctuary in Tsavo West National park on Saturday and killed the rhino before making away with the horns, according to Tsavo Conservation Area Assistant Director Robert Obrein.

“There was a shoot-out between Kenya Wildlife Service personnel and the poachers but the bandits however managed to escape in the bush at night,” said Mr Obrein.

He said despite KWS installing surveillance cameras in strategic places, poaching remained widespread in the area.

In the bloodiest poaching incidents in recent times, poachers crossed into Tsavo in January this year and killed 12 elephants in a day. KWS has also recorded a decline in elephant population in a just concluded Tsavo-Mkomazi ecosystem aerial census.

The Kenya United Against Poaching said this year alone 15 rhinos have been killed in the country saying the trend was an indicator that the current employed measures by the Government have not tamed the vice.



