Kenya will move 200 elephants to the world-renowned Maasai Mara game reserve to protect them from escalating conflict with humans in a wheat-growing area of the vast Rift Valley.

Conflicts between humans and wildlife are rising in the east African nation, as increasing food needs and frequent droughts force humans to encroach on protected lands and animals to stray from their reserves in search of water and food.

Julius Kipngetich, director of the Kenya Wildlife Service, said it would cost 31 million Kenyan shillings (US$312,500) to transport the animals, which have been stranded in the Narok area for the last 20 years since their access to the Maasai Mara cut off.

“Narok is one of the top-ranked human-wildlife conflict zones and the move to relocate the elephants will ease the conflict,” said Kipngetich.

“For 20 years the elephants have been stranded in this region due to human resettlement and could not reach Mara and hence the decision to relocate them.”

Via: dailymail