The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on Monday announced a new sighting of a less than a week-old, new black rhino calf at Sera Community Rhino Sanctuary.
In a statement released by the wildlife service, the calf was spotted by the KWS Wamba Platoon team together with Sera rhino monitors.
''We are thrilled to share the news of a new black rhino calf born at Sera Community Rhino Sanctuary. The Kenya Wildlife Service Wamba Platoon team, together with Sera rhino monitors, sighted the proud mother and her healthy male calf a few days ago," KWS shared in a statement.
''Every birth is a victory for conservation — together, we are securing the future of this iconic species!''
Kenya's black rhino population stands at approximately 1,004 individuals, primarily of the eastern black rhino subspecies (Diceros bicornis michaeli). This is a recovery from the mid-1980s, when numbers had dwindled to fewer than 300 due to poaching and habitat loss.
The current population is attributed to the success of KWS's intensive conservation efforts, including habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, and translocation programmes.
Kenya's black rhinos are primarily distributed across national parks, conservancies, and private reserves. Notably, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is home to about 14 per cent of the country's black rhino population.
Additionally, the Maasai Mara National Reserve hosts a stable population of 25–30 black rhinos, which have been unaffected by translocation efforts.
The government has set an ambitious goal to increase the black rhino population to 2,000 individuals by 2037. To achieve this, KWS and other partners continue to implement strategies such as translocating rhinos to new habitats, enhancing security measures, and fostering community engagement in conservation initiatives, according to the KWS.
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, located 260 kilometers north of Nairobi, is a key partner in the KWS’s efforts to create wildlife corridors for conservation.
This nonprofit organisation has been acquiring additional land in recent years to link the Mount Kenya forest preserve with the rangelands of northern Kenya.
The initiative aims to provide safe passage for wildlife, including black rhinos, allowing them to move between critical habitats while reducing human-wildlife conflict. This project is part of a strategy to enhance conservation efforts and protect Kenya’s rich biodiversity.
