KWS celebrates first successful translocation of sedated hippos

Coastweek -- A hippo after being darted assumed a dog sitting position and star gazing under
the effect of sedation.  TO reducE human wildlife conflict IN Ruai Sewer Treatment Plant AREA

Coastweek
BY PAUL UDOTO
October 30, 2009

Kenya Wildlife Service is celebrating the first successful translocation of sedated hippos.

Four hippos were sedated and translocated from sewage ponds on the outskirts of the city to wetlands in the Nairobi National Park, 50 km away.

The four were part of 18 hippos relocated from the Ruai Sewer Treatment Plant to reduce human wildlife conflict.

This followed incidents of hippos attacking people and destroying crops.

The exercise is still going on until all of the hippos in the area are moved out.

The wild hippos were captured through the boma system, where they are herded into a confined area similar to a cattle crush, and then driven into the transportation truck.

However, due to a heavy downpour on one of the nights, three hippos had to be sedated in the boma, and carried to the truck that could not be driven to the boma for fear of it getting stuck in the muddy black cotton soil.

Chemical sedation of hippos in the wild is usually avoided for fear that they could rush into water and drown.

This challenge of chemical sedation is because of the animals’ aggressive behaviour, amphibious nature (stays on land and water) and thick fat skin.

Chemical sedation was also used to re-capture another hippo that had strayed out of the park after release. All the animals were sedated using etorphine.

These two occasions mark the first time hippos have been successfully sedated in Kenya.
 
The animals were monitored after being released into the park and they have settled down in the new home of park wetlands.

KWS has had successful translocations of various species including antelopes, giraffes, rhinos and elephants.

Last month, 10 white rhinos were moved from Lake Nakuru National Park to Nairobi National Park to ease pressure on carrying capacity in Nakuru as well as to enhance visitor experience for tourists in Nairobi.

In the year 2007,  some 2,000 wild animals were relocated to Meru National Park from areas of the country with larger populations as part of a drive by the government to revive and rebrand the park as "complete wilderness."

Species such as the endangered Grevy's zebra, common zebra, impala, hartebeest and Beisa oryx are were moved in what the Kenya Wildlife Service called, "the greatest African ungulate translocation."

The animals were taken from overstocked wildlife areas in Naivasha, Nakuru and Laikipia in the month-long exercise.

Article and photos at:  http://www.coastweek.com/3244-26.htm