By Nyang’au Araka
Twenty One (21) critically endangered black rhinos will be relocated to a new sanctuary at Segera Conservancy in Laikipia County, marking a major milestone in Kenya’s black rhino recovery efforts.
The exercise will kick off this weekend, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
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In a statement released Friday, KWS announced that the translocation aims to establish a new breeding population as part of the National Recovery and Action Plan for Black Rhinos in Kenya (2022–2026).
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano will flag off the exercise at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
The carefully planned operation will be carried out by KWS’s capture and veterinary teams, who will transport the animals to a newly established 90 km² sanctuary at Segera.
Kenya is currently home to an estimated 2,102 rhinos, including 1,059 black rhinos, 1,041 southern white rhinos, and the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos.
“This strategic move addresses two critical challenges,” said KWS Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga.
“First, it helps ease overcrowding in existing sanctuaries, where territorial conflicts have caused around 30% of rhino mortalities. Second, it establishes a new breeding nucleus that will contribute significantly to achieving the national goal of 2,000 black rhinos by 2037.”
The founder population of 21 rhinos—11 females and 10 males—has been carefully selected from Ol Pejeta, Lewa, and Nakuru reserves to ensure optimal genetic diversity.
Their new habitat at Segera will become Kenya’s 18th black rhino sanctuary, following extensive ecological assessments and enhanced security measures that meet both national and IUCN translocation standards.
The translocation will be executed over an 18-day period, with three rhinos moved at a time and scheduled breaks to allow the animals to acclimate before subsequent transfers.
“May’s cool, relatively dry weather minimizes stress during transport,” noted Dr. Isaac Lekolool, KWS Head of Veterinary and Capture Services.
“Each rhino will be continuously monitored by our veterinary team until safely released into its new home.”
The entire operation, including capture, transport, and monitoring equipment, is estimated to cost Ksh. 14 million. It is funded jointly by the government and Segera Conservancy.
All relocated rhinos will be fitted with specialized tracking devices to facilitate post-translocation monitoring and to support round-the-clock security surveillance.
The operation will employ advanced immobilization and translocation techniques, strictly adhering to IUCN guidelines and established protocols for black and white rhino conservation.
