Two poachers arrested in Tsavo National Park

Police in Voi, Taita Taveta are holding two suspected poachers over the killing of five elephants in Tsavo West National Park as Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) launches a major operation to track the rest of the poachers.

The joint operation, involving police and Tanzanian wildlife authorities, began after reports that gunshots were heard at about 6PM Monday.

KWS rangers were dispatched on a search mission and found five carcasses of freshly poached elephants comprising a female adult and four sub-adults with tusks missing.

The carcasses were traced at about 11AM on Tuesday at Losoita area of Tsavo West National Park near a Manyatta from where the suspected poachers were tracked.

The hot pursuit led to the arrest of two suspects at Ndoomani area of Loitoktok sub-county adjacent to Tsavo West National Park in Taita Taveta County.

It is alleged that the assailants comprise of four Tanzanians who operate across the Tanzania-Kenya border assisted by some Kenyans from the local area. They are purported to have used motorbikes to escape with the tusks.

Fresh blood stained axe and axe handle, ‘Akala’ shoes and a hack-saw were found in one of the houses in the Manyatta.

Police officers have visited the scene of the crime as part of on-going investigations into the matter.

In June, poachers killed Satao, Kenya’s biggest elephant in Tsavo East National park, a behemoth animal with tusks so large they touched the ground. He was 45 years-old.