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First albino buffalo spotted in Kenyan park
Naivasha, Kenya (AFP) April 24, 2009 Rangers in Kenya's Hellsgate National Park have spotted an albino buffalo, the first of its kind ever recorded in the wildlife rich country, park officials said Friday. "This is the first time that an albino buffalo has been found in our parks and it's a great day for nature and animals lovers," said Nelly Palmeris, senior warden at Hellsgate. The three-month-old calf, spotted within a large herd, has a very light brown coat, and is easily distinguished from other buffalos. Its lighter colour will make it a more noticeable target for predators, park officials said. The cultural stigma against albinos, both animal and human, among the Maasai pastoralists that live near the park could also create a threat. "The African community and especially Maasais associate albinos with bad omens," Palmeris said. "We are just coming from a bad drought and the Maasai might associate the famine with this buffalo and kill it." She added that rangers have enhanced security around the herd to ensure the Maasai do not attack the unique mammal. The calf was not spotted for months after its birth because its herd was largely confined to obscure, shaded areas to mitigate against recent drought conditions. While the rare sighting is a first for Kenya, albino buffaloes have been spotted in several other countries. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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New Study Shows Widespread And Substantial Declines In Wildlife In Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya (SPX) Apr 24, 2009Populations of major wild grazing animals that are the heart and soul of Kenya's cherished and heavily visited Masai Mara National Reserve-including giraffes, hartebeest, impala, and warthogs-have "decreased substantially" in only 15 years as they compete for survival with a growing concentration of human settlements in the region, according to a new study published in the May 2009 issue of the British Journal of Zoology. |
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