President William Ruto has launched the newly expanded Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary in Ngulia, Taita Taveta County, marking a major milestone in Kenya’s wildlife conservation efforts.
From its humble beginnings 40 years ago on just three square kilometres of land and with only three rhinos, the sanctuary has now grown into a sprawling 3,200-square-kilometre ecosystem — the largest rhino sanctuary in the world.
According to President Ruto, the expansion elevates Tsavo into a globally admired conservation model and creates a safer habitat for Kenya’s growing rhino population.
He noted that the sanctuary now hosts more than 200 rhinos, a number expected to rise as protection efforts intensify.
“Its expansion to 3,200 square kilometres positions this ecosystem as not only a conservation hub, but also a secure space for our rhinos that will attract more tourists to Kenya,” President Ruto said.
The Head of State also pledged continuous investment in security measures to protect endangered species, emphasizing the use of both ground and aerial surveillance.
“We will keep deploying more protectors on the ground, and wider and longer-range eyes in our skies to monitor and protect our endangered species,” he added.
The launch reaffirms Kenya’s commitment to wildlife protection amid rising global concerns over poaching, habitat loss, and climate-related threats to endangered species.
