KENYA: Authorities impound 2 tonnes of elephant and rhino trophies

Record ID: 181971

  • Title: KENYA: Authorities impound 2 tonnes of elephant and rhino trophies
  • Date: 24th August 2010
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 23, 2010) (REUTERS) TROPHIES LAID ON GROUND, KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE (KWS) PERSONNEL LOOKING ON AVOCADOS TOGETHER WITH TROPHIES ON GROUND MORE OF TROPHIES RHINO TUSK WITH TRANSMITTER GORGED OUT ELEPHANT TUSKS PAN FROM CRATE OF AVOCADOS TO KENYA WILDLIFE DIRECTOR, JULIUS KIPNG'ETICH INSPECTING THE CONSIGNMENT KWS PERSONNEL TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA WILDLIFE DIRECTOR, JULIUS KIPNG'ETICH, SAYING: "This happened on August 21, on Saturday at 9pm. Our Dog Unit at the airport were alerted about some suspicious cargo which you have seen here. They were being transported as avocados but that suspicion proved right and our Dog Unit was able to identify that this was contraband cargo of wildlife trophies and here we have nearly 2 tonnes of elephant tusks and 5 rhino horns." AVOCADOS AND WILDLIFE RANGER IN THE BACKGROUND MORE KWS PERSONNEL LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYA WILDLIFE DIRECTOR, JULIUS KIPNG'ETICH, SAYING: "As a result, we have arrested 2 people and they are already in police custody and further investigations are going on to find out exactly who was going to transport this cargo. This cargo was destined for Malaysia." CLOSE-UP OF RANGER'S BARREL, TROPHIES IN BACKGROUND ARMED RANGER GUARDING TROPHIES
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVA7ECWJNBEKCFPGGFVE2RD3L73T
  • Story Text: Kenyan authorities on Monday (August 23) displayed 317 pieces of elephant ivory and five rhino horns weighing two tonnes and estimated to fetch million of dollars in the black market; that were impounded on Saturday (Aug 23) night.
    The tusks which were meant to be transported on an Emirates' flight were intercepted at Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International and were thought to be destined for Malaysia via Dubai.
    "This happened on August 21, on Saturday at 9pm. Our Dog Unit at the airport were alerted about some suspicious cargo which you have seen here. They were being transported as avocados but that suspicion proved right and our Dog Unit was able to identify that this was contraband cargo of wildlife trophies and here we have nearly 2 tonnes of elephant tusks and 5 rhino horns," said Kenya Wildlife Service Director, Julius Kipnge'tich.
    The tusks were hidden in 12 wooden boxes which was falsely declared as fresh avocado fruits which raised a red flag due to its mode of package, weight and destination. The seizure is so far the largest elephant ivory recovery in Kenya in the recent past which has caused great concern to law enforcers and conservationists.
    "As a result, we have arrested 2 people and they are already in police custody and further investigations are going on to find out exactly who was going to transport this cargo. This cargo was destined for Malaysia," added Kipng'etich.
    Kenya lost over 85 per cent of its elephants in a 15 year period, going from 153,000 to 19,000 animals.
    The ivory trade has been banned since the early 1990's and in March this year, Kenya won the first round in Qatar during the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species (CITES) getting a rejection for a move by Tanzania and Zambia to downsize stockpiled ivory .
    Kenya relies heavily on tourism to earn foreign exchange and many visitors come to the country to visit its numerous game parks and see its animals, among them a 35,000-strong heavily protected elephant population.
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