Kenya gov't to oversee wildlife authority operations to stop poaching of elephants and rhino

NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya's central government says it will oversee the running of the country's wildlife authority for the next three months in a bid to stop the poaching of the country's elephants and rhinos.

Richard Lesiyampe of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources said Friday that six senior Kenya Wildlife Officials have been placed on leave to pave the way for investigations into the wildlife service's operations. Lesiyampe outlined a raft of changes the organization will undergo in the coming days

Last month, Richard Leakey a famed scientist and founding head of Kenya Wildlife Service, alleged that the service had been infiltrated by people enriching themselves from poaching. He urged the government to overhaul management at the wildlife service.

Poachers have killed 18 rhinos and 51 elephants so far this year.