What poachers do not do, unsustainable progress does.
Three Rotschild giraffes were electrocuted by power lines that were too low for them in the Soysambu reserve in Nakuru, Kenya.
The national electricity company, Kenya Power & Lightning, was dismayed by the incident and announced immediate work to modify the high voltage lines within the conservancy.
According to local conservationists, eleven giraffes have already been killed by electricity.
"We regret this incident because we recognise that wildlife is an integral part of our natural and cultural psyche and we appreciate all stakeholders who have shared considerations on this issue," said the company's General Manager Bernard Ngugi. "Ensuring that we adhere to the highest forms of safety in all our undertakings is a prerequisite for us. So we take any electricity related incident seriously and will use the lessons learnt to prevent a recurrence."
Kenya Power has assured that in all other reserves and wildlife parks in the country, infrastructure and lines will be checked and that the company will work in concert with the Kenya Wildlife Service and other concerned entities to ensure that electricity does not become a problem.
According to reports from a conservation group, two giraffes were electrocuted on Friday and a third on Saturday while moving along a local low-voltage power transmission line within the vast reserve. According to local conservationists, the issue of dangerous power lines within Soysambu had been raised in the past and warnings had been issued, but no action had been taken. The reserve, which is 130 kilometres from Nairobi, is currently inhabited by 124 giraffes.