This archive report was first published on 7 July 2021.
On July 5, 2021, the Aspinall Foundation announced plans to transport 13 savanna elephants from Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent to a site in Kenya, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The charity claimed it would be a world-first operation to 'rewild' the mammals.
However, on July 7, 2021, Kenya's ministry of tourism and wildlife tweeted its concern about newspaper reports of the plan, stating that it had not been contacted or consulted on the matter.
The ministry's statement noted an article published in the Daily Mail, UK, stating that a herd of 13 elephants would be relocated from Kent Wildlife Park in the UK to Kenya in a 'world first rewilding project.'
"Neither the ministry nor the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have been contacted or consulted on this matter," the statement read.
Relocation and rehabilitation of an animal from a zoo is not easy and is an expensive affair," the ministry added.
The Aspinall Foundation has acknowledged that informal discussions did take place last year, but the decision to transport the elephants will require formal approval from the Kenyan government, which has not been given.
