The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is planning to relocate hundreds of buffaloes from Lake Nakuru National Park.
KWS spokesman Paul Gathitu said the planned relocation will help reduce competition for fodder in the park.
Gathitu said the number of buffaloes in the park has increased over the past few years and KWS will move them to a neighbouring conservancy.
He said the park has more than 4,500 buffaloes currently which is way above the park’s capacity of 500 buffaloes, hence the need for translocation.
According to Gathitu, the high number of buffaloes will affect the environment negatively and translocating some of them to Soysambu Conservancy will ease pressure on the ecosystem.
“Their high number is a challenge as they are depleting the grazing land and this would lead to environmental degradation,” he said.
Last month, there was an outbreak of anthrax at Lake Nakuru National Park that killed 10 buffaloes.
KWS officers moved swiftly to avoid more deaths by ensuring proper disposal of carcasses and disinfecting the site to avoid contamination.
The white rhinos at the park were vaccinated as a precaution following the outbreak because they are in close contact with the buffaloes.