Kenya plans to allocate 15 mln USD to boost anti-poaching efforts

Kenya plans to allocate an additional 15 million U.S. dollars to boost anti-poaching efforts, an official said on Friday.

Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Judi Wakhungu, said in Nairobi that the funds will be used by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to enhance the protection of wildlife species.

"The KWS currently receives only eight million dollars from the government and it is not sufficient given its national responsibility," Wakhungu said.

The KWS supplements government income with fees charged to users of game parks.

She made the remarks during the celebration of Conservation Heroes. The day is celebrated annually to commemorate game rangers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

In 2016, Kenya lost three KWS game warders to poachers, bringing the number of rangers killed since early 1990s to 66.

Wakhungu however said that elephant poaching has decreased by over 80 percent since 2012. "The key reason for the decline is the multi agency collaboration especially among all national security bodies to combat poaching."

Wakhungu said that most of the losses of wildlife in Kenya this year was due to human-wildlife conflict.

"We are having a challenge of finding space for our wildlife due to expanding human activities," she added. Endit