Kenya arrests suspected poacher, recovers elephant tusk in southeast area

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 29 – Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said on Wednesday evening that it has arrested a suspected poacher in possession of an elephant tusk at Elerai area in Tsavo West National Park in southeastern part of the country.

The KWS said its officers, backed by multi-agency personnel, and cross-border teams including officials from Tanzania, mounted intense investigation into the matter after receiving reliable intelligence.

“These efforts culminated in the arrest of one Kenyan, Papayo Ole Kesoi, who had in his possession a single elephant tusk. The other tusk could not be traced and is suspected to be in the hands of the poachers who had crossed over to Tanzania,” KWS said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

The KWS said the tusk is suspected to be one of the two extracted from an elephant which was killed at Losoito area in Tsavo West National Park, close to a month ago.

The KWS is working with stakeholders to put in place mechanisms including enhanced community education and interagency collaboration to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, particularly poaching.

The agency said these efforts had led to zero rhino poaching in Kenya in 2020, the first time in about two decades.

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