The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has translocated a 47-year-old elephant from Kivaa Location in Masinga Sub-county of Machakos to Tsavo West National Park in Taita Taveta County.
The elephant is part of a herd of three marauding elephants that migrated from Mwea National Reserve in Embu to Masinga and which have been wreaking havoc by destroying crops and terrorising residents of Kivaa location in Masinga.
A translocation team comprising rangers from Machakos and Embu and a Capture Unit from Nairobi moved the jumbo following a public outcry from farmers after the marauding mammals invaded their farms in the Kivaa location.
Machakos County KWS Warden David Leneitaman, while speaking to KNA, said they have managed to find one elephant and are on course to track the other two in a measure to reduce the human-wildlife conflict in Masinga Sub county.
“We have managed to capture one elephant in Kivaa Masinga in Machakos and it is enroute to Tsavo West National Reserve in Taita Taveta County and we are confident the other two remaining will be found,” said Leneitaman.
A farmer from Kivaa, Patrick Kithembe, said the elephants had caused major damage to their farms, hindered them from cultivating their farms and prevented the children from going to school as well.
He urged the government to ensure the other two remaining elephants have been captured to restore peace and calm in their homes.
By Anne Kangero