Rescue of giraffe marks milestone

KENYA Wildlife Service (KWS), in conjunction with conservation partners, has successfully rescued two endangered female Rothschild giraffe that were marooned at Lake Baringo’s Longicharo Island amid rising water levels.

The two-day rescue mission this past week, that was conducted by KWS, Northern Rangeland Trust, Save Giraffes Now and Ruko Community Wildlife Conservation, marked a milestone in the conservation of the iconic land mammals.

The relocaion of adult and juvenile female Rothschild giraffe called Asiwa and Pasaka from the sinking Longicharo Island to the mainland of Ruko Community Conservancy is expected to boost their capacity to breed devoid of interruptions.

The KWS approved relocation of the two mammals from the fast-disappearing island, where they risked starvation, attack by predators and disrupted breeding, to a custom-made sanctuary on the mainland.

“The survival of these giraffe is critical to our ongoing efforts to implement the National Giraffe Recovery Strategy covering 2020 to 2025,” said Patrick Omondi, KWS director of Biodiversity Research and Planning, said yesterday.

The species, also known as Baringo giraffe, came to epitomise the sustainability of a community-based wildlife conservation model spearheaded by formerly warring Pokot and Ilchamus nomadic communities in north-western Kenya.