This article has been updated, see note below.*

Wildlife poachers in Kenya will face the death penalty, the country’s tourism and wildlife minister has reportedly announced.

Najib Balala warned the tough new measure would be fast-tracked into law.

Existing deterrents against killing wild animals in the east African nation are insufficient, Mr Balala said, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

So in an effort to conserve Kenya’s wildlife populations, poachers will reportedly face capital punishment once the new law is passed.

Kenya is home to a wide variety of treasured species in national parks and reserves, including lions, black rhinos, ostriches, hippos, buffalos, giraffe and zebra.

Last year in the country 69 elephants – out of a population of 34,000 - and nine rhinos – from a population of under 1,000 - were killed.

“We have in place the Wildlife Conservation Act that was enacted in 2013 and which fetches offenders a life sentence or a fine of US$200,000,” Mr Balala reportedly said. “However, this has not been deterrence enough to curb poaching, hence the proposed stiffer sentence."

The move could put Kenya in conflict with the UN, which opposes the death penalty for all crimes worldwide.

UN General Assembly resolutions have called for a phasing-out of capital punishment, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights advocates its universal abolition.

Kenya’s tourism chiefs say poaching has been on a downward trend largely thanks to enhanced wildlife law-enforcement efforts and investment in conservation.

“These efforts led to an 85 per cent reduction in rhino poaching and a 78 per cent reduction in elephant poaching, respectively, in 2017 compared to when poaching was at its peak in 2013 and 2012 respectively,” the ministry said.

Nevertheless, earlier this month two black rhinos and a calf were poached at Meru national park.

Western Black Rhino declared extinct Show all 12 1 /12 Western Black Rhino declared extinct Western Black Rhino declared extinct 113809428.jpg The International Union for Conservation of Nature says the Western Black Rhino (pictured) is extinct and two other species of rhino are "possibly" extinct. Getty Images Western Black Rhino declared extinct Southern White Rhino subspecies _Ceratotherium simum simum_Dr Richard Emslie (2).JPG The Southern White Rhino of central Africa is now "possibly extinct" in the wild and firmly placed on the Red List of Threatened Species. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Summers Poison Frog_Ranitomeya summers_Jason Brown.jpg The Blessed Poison Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) is currently listed as Vulnerable and the Summers' Poison Frog (pictured) (Ranitomeya summersi) is Endangered. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Tarzans Chameleon_ Calumma tarzan_Jörn Köhler.jpg The current Red List reveals that an alarming 40% of Madagascar’s terrestrial reptiles are threatened. The 22 Madagascan species currently identified as Critically Endangered, which include chameleons, geckoes, skinks and snakes, are now a conservation challenge. Encouragingly, there are new conservation areas being designated in Madagascar that will help conserve a significant proportion of Critically Endangered species, such as Tarzan’s Chameleon (Calumma tarzan) (pictured), the Bizarre-nosed Chameleon (Calumma hafahafa) and the Limbless Skink (Paracontias fasika). Western Black Rhino declared extinct Paroedura masobe_Franco Andreone.jpg The Paroedura masobe gecko is classed as "endangered" by the IUCN. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Giant Manta Ray_Manta birostris_Andrea Marshall.jpg Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris), the largest species of rays, is also on the conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species and classed as "vulnerable". Western Black Rhino declared extinct Reef Manta Ray_Manta alfredi_Andrea Marshall.JPG The Reef Manta Ray is also on the conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Coco der Mer_Lodoicea maldivica_Jean-Christophe Vie (2).JPG The majority of endemic flowering plants in the granitic Seychelles islands have been assessed and current studies show that of the 79 endemic species, 77% are at risk of extinction. Most of these are new assessments but one species, the infamous Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica) has been uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered. Known for its supposed aphrodisiac properties, the Coco de Mer faces threats from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Chinese Water Fir_Glyptostrobus pensilis_Philip Thomas.jpg The Chinese Water Fir (Glyptostrobus pensilis), which was formerly widespread throughout China and Viet Nam, has been upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Begonia seychellensis_Justin Gerlach.JPG The Begonia seychellensis is one of the many tropical plant species at risk. Western Black Rhino declared extinct The Blessed Poison Frog_Ranitomeya benedicta_Jason Brown (1).jpg The Blessed Poison Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) is currently listed as Vulnerable. Western Black Rhino declared extinct Przewalski's Horse_ Equus ferus_Patricia D Moehlman.jpg The Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus) is another success story, improving its status from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

And the losses are still extremely high, virtually cancelling out the overall population’s growth rate, according to the Save the Rhino organisation. The charity points out many other African nations also suffer high rates of poaching.

The report of plans for capital punishment prompted sharply diverging reactions, with some social-media users applauding Kenya and calling it “fantastic news”, and others insisting it should never happen.

Some said authorities should go after kingpin traffickers rather than the “smallest animals in the criminal food chain”.

For years, many people angry at high levels of poaching, linked with lucrative organised crime, have called for the death sentence as a deterrent.

Gangs sell elephant tusks for ivory in the far East, where it is turned into trinkets; rhino horn is believed by some wealthy buyers there to serve as a medicine – even though it is made of keratin, the same substance as human fingernails, so has no health-giving properties.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, reposted the Xinhua report, saying “#SeriousAboutWildlifeCrime”.

The Independent has contacted the Kenya Wildlife Service to confirm Mr Balala’s plans and is awaiting a response.

Richard Vigne, head of Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy that was home to Sudan, the world’s last male northern rhino which was put down in March, said the animal would be remembered for ever as a signal to the world. While Kenya was a global leader in conservation, there are still many species across the planet that faced a similar plight, he said.