Forest rangers, poachers die in encounter in Kenya
In the latest clash in a decade-old war between wildlife rangers and poachers in Kenya, around three wildlife rangers and four suspected poachers were killed in a shoot-out in Kenya's Tana River district on May 19. Seven Kenya Wildlife Service (kws) rangers were patrolling the Idsowe area when a gang of poachers en route to the Tsavo East National Park accosted them and opened fire.
Poachers kill big game like rhinos and elephants prized for their horns and tusks that fetches large sums of money in the illegal market. Since 1990, around 23 rangers of kws have died on duty.
Tsavo, the largest national park in Kenya, known for its elephant population, is an ideal destination for poachers."The event is a example of the rampant illegal international elephant ivory trade, responsible for the killing of an estimated 20,000 elephants annually,' said James Isiche, the East Africa regional director for the ngo International Fund for Animal Welfare.