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Kenya eyes new anti-poaching methods, including drones

Mark Lowen Feb 18, 2014
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Kenya eyes new anti-poaching methods, including drones

Mark Lowen Feb 18, 2014
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The illegal poaching of animal parts like ivory tusks has soared in recent years in Africa, largely because of the demand from Asia. Kenya has been one of the biggest victims of poaching.

Thirty years ago, there used to be 167,000 elephants in Kenya.  Now, just over 30,000 remain. Meanwhile, an annual trade worth $19 billion continues: an elephant is killed in Africa an average of every 15 minutes. 

In this day and age, it’s an indictment on mankind. And the key to it all is not here – it lies in China,” says Daphne Sheldrick, an elephant conservationist and expert who runs an animal orphanage in Nairobi National Park.  “As long as there’s a demand for ivory, then elephants are going to be killed in Africa.”

Kenya is trying to fight back with new fines for poachers, and new anti-poaching technology like drones.

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