Three giraffes are fatally electrocuted by low-hanging electricity cables at Kenyan wildlife park
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Two giraffes died on Friday and another on Sunday after walking into live wires
- The incidents happened at the Soysambu Conservancy in Nakuru County
- The power company has said it will move the lines, which have reportedly caused the deaths of other giraffes
Three giraffes have died after walking into low-hanging electricity cables at a Kenyan wildlife park.
One was killed after coming into contact with a live wire on Sunday, while the two others were electrocuted in a similar incident on Friday.
All three were Rothschild’s giraffes, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICU).
The deaths occurred at the Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya’s Nakuru County and prompted outrage on social media, particularly towards the electricity company that maintains the line.
‘This is sad and uncalled for negligence of the highest order,’ one Twitter user wrote.
‘The Kenya Power Company must be responsible for the two electrocuted giraffes at Soysambu Conservancy. This is a big loss to our country,’ another added.
Three giraffes have died after walking into low-hanging electricity cables at a Kenyan wildlife park. One was killed after coming into contact with a live wire on Sunday, while the two others were electrocuted in a similar incident on Friday
On Monday, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company said it will move the power lines, Nairobi News reported.
‘We have commenced the process of enhancing the clearance of the electricity distribution infrastructure at Soysambu so as to forestall a recurrence of the unfortunate incident,’ the company said in a statement.
‘We regret this incident because we recognize that wildlife forms an integral part of our natural and cultural psyche and, we appreciate the feedback shared by various stakeholders on this matter,’ said Bernard Ngugi, the company’s managing director and CEO.
All three of the giraffes killed at the weekend were Rothschild’s giraffes, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICU)
A preliminary report by the Kenya Wildlife Service, which is investigating the electrocutions, found that the cables were below the height of giraffes in the conservancy.
Local environmental groups said this is not the first time giraffes at the conservancy have been killed by electricity cables.
Climate Change Kenya claimed in a tweet that at least 11 giraffes have been killed.
The Soysambu Conservancy is home to some 124 giraffes, including 50 males, 41 females and 33 calves as of August 2018.
Its aim is to boost the population of Rothschild’s giraffes, which are native to Kenya.