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Kenya is celebrating World Rhino Day with a rare victory in wildlife conservation — growing rhino populations, five consecutive years without a poaching incident, and renewed global recognition of the country’s role as a leader in protecting the iconic species.

The milestone comes after years of determined effort by rangers, scientists, communities and conservation partners working together to save black and white rhinos from the brink of extinction.

At the launch of Kenya’s 7th Rhino Recovery and Action Plan in Narok, the Principal Secretary for Wildlife, Silvia Museiya, praised the joint approach that has delivered results.

“We have not wavered in our commitment to protect and preserve these remarkable creatures,” she said. “The numbers are proof that when government, communities and partners work as one, conservation.

According to the Kenya Economic Survey 2025, the rhino population increased by 497 individuals between 2020 and 2024 — a 31 per cent rise in just four years. 

Black rhinos grew from 853 to 1,059, while southern white rhinos increased from 750 to 1,041.

Kenya is home to the world’s only two remaining northern white rhinos — Najin and Fatu — both living under armed guard at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia.

“This growth reflects resilience and determination in the face of enormous odds,” said Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General, Prof. Erustus Kanga. “We are proving that rhinos have a future in Kenya.”

Rhino poaching once devastated Kenya’s herds. In the 1970s and 1980s, the country lost more than 90 per cent of its rhino population to armed gangs hunting for horn.

But strict enforcement of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, has changed the story. Offenders now face fines of up to KSh 20 million or life imprisonment.

“The law has acted as a strong deterrent,” Prof. Kanga said. “Combined with technology-driven monitoring, well-trained anti-poaching units and stronger partnerships, we have recorded five years with zero rhino poaching.”

Conservationists credit local communities living near parks and conservancies for their central role.

 Beyond providing intelligence to rangers, they have benefited from jobs, tourism revenue and community projects tied to wildlife protection.

“It is the women and men in villages neighbouring our rhino sanctuaries who first raise the alarm if something is wrong,” PS Museiya said. “Their vigilance is priceless.”

Despite progress, Kenya faces emerging threats to rhino survival. 

Climate change has led to prolonged droughts that reduce grazing and water sources, increasing stress on wildlife.

 Limited land for expanding rhino sanctuaries also poses a risk as populations grow.

KWS says it is working with county governments and private conservancies to secure new habitat and expand protected areas.

This year’s World Rhino Day is not only a celebration of conservation heroes but also a reminder of what is at stake.

 Kenya’s journey — from near decimation to recovery — is now studied across Africa as a model of what works against poaching and habitat loss.

 “World Rhino Day is a prompt to reflect on what we have achieved and what still lies ahead,” Prof. Kanga said. 

“The fight is not over, but Kenya has shown that determination delivers results.”