Hotel staff arrested with giraffe meat
A giraffe browsing at the Maasai Mara National Reserve. PHOTO/SULEIMAN MBATIAH
What you need to know:
- two carcasses of giraffes were found near the Oloolaimutia gate
- we believe they were behind the killing of the two giraffes
Kenya Wildlife Service rangers and police have arrested two employees of a tourist lodge at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve with giraffe meat.
Maasai Mara Chief Warden James ole Sindiyio said they launched investigations after two giraffe carcasses were found near the Oloolaimutia gate.
Speaking on phone Mr Sindiyio said the rangers called for reinforcement from a nearby Administration Police post and raided a nearby hotel after being tipped by a resident.
“We found the suspects with the meat and we believe they were behind the killing of the two giraffes,” said Mr Sindiyio.
The incident comes hardly two days after the Kenya Wildlife Service and Narok County Government rangers found 4 hyenas, two black-back jackals and 20 vultures dead after feeding on a poisoned elephant carcass in Talek area.
The elephant is suspected to have been killed by poachers with poisoned arrows.
“A KWS veterinary officer visited the scene and taken samples from the dead animals for further analysis to identify the kind of poison that killed them,’ said Mr Sindiyio.
51 elephants and 11 rhinos have been killed this year with a notable increase in rhino poaching reported at Lake Nakuru National park.
