The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has successfully contained an elephant that had strayed into community land near Tsavo East National Park, causing unrest among residents.
The jumbo was tracked and safely translocated in a joint operation involving conservancy teams, as part of ongoing efforts to address human-wildlife conflict and ensure the safety of both local communities and wildlife.
“The elephant has now been safely returned to Tsavo East National Park – its rightful home in collaboration with Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Kamungi Conservancy team”, said KWS on X.
It added, “ This joint operation is part of our continued efforts to address human-wildlife conflict, ensuring the safety of both communities and our wildlife. The elephant has now been safely returned to Tsavo East National Park – its rightful home”.
Elephant invasions in the area are a common occurrence, often resulting in the destruction of food crops.
Six days ago, aerial and ground surveillance was conducted in Kanziku and Ngiluni areas bordering the park, after three elephants strayed into nearby farmland.
“Through aerial surveillance and ground herding, the three elephants were successfully located and returned to safety,” the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said.
The government has intensified its efforts to address human-wildlife conflict (HWC) by disbursing Kshs 3.8 billion in compensation to affected victims from 2023 to date.
It has reiterated that HWC is no longer a conservation issue but a national priority, especially in biodiversity-rich regions where human settlements intersect with critical wildlife corridors.
