Cartel in Kenya fueling rhino, poaching deaths, former director says; urges emergency status

NAIROBI, Kenya – A famed scientist and founding former chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service is urging Kenya's president to invoke emergency measures to protect the country's elephants and rhinos.

Richard Leakey said Wednesday that the Kenyan Wildlife Service has been infiltrated by people enriching themselves off poaching. He said the poaching ring leaders are known, but that the government has taken no action. He did not name names.

The Kenya Wildlife Service says 13 rhinos have been killed by poachers this year, compared with 59 last year. Thirty elephants have been poached this year versus 302 last year.

The group Wildlife Direct released a new study Wednesday that found that only 4 percent of offenders convicted of wildlife crime went to jail between 2008 and 2013.