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The Star 13th Sept 2012:POACHERS killed three elephants at Taita Ranch on Sunday in the latest incident of escalating poaching in the region. The three male elephants aged between 30 and 40 old were shot dead by the poachers who are said to have been armed with sophisticated guns. In July, poachers killed three elephants at the ranch which is adjacent to the Tsavo conservation area.

The Sunday killings bring to 13 the number of elephants slaughtered within the Tsavo conservation area this year. Witnesses said the poachers had plucked the tusks from one of the elephant, but dropped them some few metres from the scene on realising that the KWS rangers were pursuing them.

"Some herders who were near the scene heard gunshots and informed KWS rangers who rushed to the scene. On hearing a vehicle approaching the scene, the poachers fled," said a source. KWS assistant director in charge of the Tsavo conservation area Wilson Korir said herders in the ranch are suspected to behind increased poaching.