Animal-proofing Kenya’s Conservancy Sites

Three rare giraffes have died after being electrocuted by low-hanging power lines in Soysambu conservancy in Nakuru, Kenya. The Rothschild’s giraffe is one of the most endangered types of giraffe, with conservationists estimating there are fewer than 1,600 in the wild. Kenya has about 600 Rothschild’s. Kenya Power has confirmed that it will replace electricity poles in the area so that they are tall enough for giraffes to safely pass under. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said it had sent representatives to investigate the area and found the height of the poles was insufficient. In another tweet, Ms Kahumbu added that these deaths were not the first, and that they could have been prevented if expert advice had been followed. “These power lines have been killing giraffes, vultures and flamingos. Advice from experts was ignored. RIAs [Risk Impact Assessments] are notoriously poor on many development projects. Sad that it takes these kinds of deaths to wake some people up!” she tweeted.

SOURCE: BBC