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| The nationwide operation, launched in Soysambu | | | | "Some herders lost as high as 80 per cent of their |
| conservancy by the Kenya Wildlife Service, is due to | | | | stock due to the drought and the few that were |
| last until the end of the month in what will go down | | | | remaining were attacked by hyenas and lions and |
| as one of the continent's largest animal translocations | | | | that angered the local community," KWS spokesman |
| yet. Shortly after daybreak, rangers in helicopters | | | | Paul Udoto said. |
| yesterday rounded up startled zebras into a large | | | | "One of the quick remedies is to restock the park. It |
| V-shaped canvass enclosure.The animals at the | | | | is one way of restoring the balance between |
| narrow end of the enclosure were allowed through | | | | carnivores and herbivores in the park," he said. |
| into an adjoining pen and from there they were | | | | Charles Musyoki, a scientist with KWS, explained that |
| loaded on to trucks, each carrying some two dozen | | | | Amboseli Park is a "dry season feeding refuge for |
| zebras. | | | | herbivores" where animals jostle around water holes |
| KWS aims to move some 7,000 animals in all — | | | | and patches of pasture then leave when rainfall |
| 4,000 zebras and 3,000 wildebeests. At least 88 | | | | resumes in the regions they migrated from. |
| zebras had been captured yesterday, hours into the | | | | But last year the animals did not move out of the |
| operation. Around 1,000 animals will come from | | | | park because of the prolonged dry spell, and many |
| Soysambu, near Nakuru, a private conservancy | | | | died. "We lost significant numbers of wildebeests and |
| owned by Delamere Estates. The remainder will be | | | | zebras," Mr Musyoki said. As a result the predators |
| taken from several other reserves. The operation, | | | | turned to preying on domestic animals. Wildlife is one |
| costing Sh103 million, will be carried out in four phases | | | | ofKenya's main tourist attractions. |
| and run to February 28, KWS officials said. <!-- | | | | |