Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust (MBRCT) has received a licence from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to import the endangered rhinos and bongos from the Florida Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in the United States of America.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 12th, during a site visit where the Bongos will be kept, Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza assured Kenyans the move is a milestone in conservation and that it will boost the county's tourism.
“I take this opportunity to thank all our partners, including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Ntimaka and Kamulu Community Forest Associations, Lewa Conservancy, and my board of trustees led by Chairman John Kinoti, for the great energy and outstanding steering of the project, which is moving at a great speed,” uttered Governor Mwangaza.
The governor added that Meru County Government is championing the new Bongo and Black Rhino sanctuary through an ongoing Public Private People Partnership (PPPP) which will be in a 250-acre parcel of forest land in the Marania and Muchiene state-owned forest covers within the Mt. Kenya Forest Reserve.
The endangered Bongos will be placed in spacious, specially built, fence-protected enclosures where they will be closely observed to ensure their acclimation.
“From Florida we are getting 25 of them [Bongos], 20 females and 5 males. They are arriving early January 2024 or late this year, December … Meru has now taken a step a forward in the securing of these endangered Bongos which are not very common across the other 47 counties."
John Kinoti, the chairman Meru county Bongo/ rhino conservation trust noted the community around the project will greatly benefit from the same with more tourists expected to stream into the area to witness the endangered species.
Important to remember is that the initiative will be carried out in stages, with Bongos introduced into the sanctuary during the first phase and Black rhinos introduced in the second stage.
It is common knowledge that human encroachment into forests is slowly eating up into the county’s forest ecosystem, much to the dismay of locals and other environmentalists.
The newly constructed sanctuary will enable Bongo groups to breed and thrive, providing future generations to be rewilded into Mt. Kenya’s forest ecosystem.
Governor Kawira Mwangaza will lead a delegation to Florida in the coming months to select the animals before the official opening ceremony of the completed sanctuary expected to happen in August this year. .
