The Government has stepped up efforts to conserve rhinos in Ruma National Park, with communities living near the park urged to help combat poaching and prevent bushfires that threaten wildlife and their habitats.
Secretary of Administration in the State Department for Wildlife Tobiko Naiyoma said poaching remained one of the biggest threats to efforts to protect rhinos and other wildlife in national parks across the country.
He said the illegal trade in wildlife trophies, particularly rhino horns, had undermined conservation efforts and contributed to the decline of rhino populations.
Tobiko said the rhino had become an endangered species because of the high value attached to its horn, noting that Kenya’s rhino population had at one point declined from about 20,000 to 300 due to poaching and illegal trade in rhino horns.
He said an integrated approach involving communities living near national parks and the government was necessary to strengthen wildlife conservation.
“The future of parks is inseparable from the well-being of the community surrounding them. Communities must be recognized as partners and custodians of conservation,” Naiyoma said.
Speaking during this year’s World Rhino Day celebrations in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, the administrator said the government had introduced various measures to protect rhinos and ensure their population continued to grow.
He said modern conservation should be guided by science, technology, and reliable data to improve monitoring and management of wildlife populations.
Tobiko said Kenya’s rhino population would benefit from suitable habitats, maintenance of ecological integrity, and preservation of genetic diversity.
“Keen monitoring, veterinary surveillance, and ecological research are essential for understanding the rhino population. They will also help in mastering their reproduction and the threats they face,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of community engagement and sensitization in enhancing rhino conservation and protecting wildlife habitats.
According to a report by the Ministry, Ruma National Park currently hosts 22 white rhinos and 28 black rhinos.
Ndhiwa West Sub-County Commissioner Lucy Ndemo said the administration was working closely with local communities to protect wildlife in Ruma National Park.
Ndemo cautioned residents against setting fires in the park, particularly during the dry season, saying fires threatened wildlife and disrupted the ecological balance.
“Fire threatens and disrupts the ecological balance of wild animals. We are also warning poachers that we will smoke them out and take legal action against them,” Ndemo said.
Directorate of Partnerships and Wildlife Co-existence representative Florence Kanana said the Government had a compensation programme for people who suffered losses on their farms or sustained injuries from wildlife attacks.
She said Homa Bay County currently had 39 compensation cases arising from wildlife attacks, adding that the compensation exercise was scheduled for October 14.
“Compensation is about empathising with those who were injured. The compensation exercise is scheduled for October 14,” Kanana said.
Sub-County Administrator Fredrick Ochieng said authorities were working with the national Government to create a conducive environment for tourists visiting Ruma National Park.
He said the Homa Bay County Government also supported domestic tourism and had partnered with other stakeholders to promote the park.
“Our collaboration has seen Ruma National Park host the Roan Antelope Half Marathon. We must protect the park because it is also our heritage,” Ochieng said.
The officials also planted trees and awarded teams that participated in a football tournament held in Ndhiwa as part of activities marking World Rhino Day.
By Davis Langat
