Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has started translocation of elephants from Mwea National Reserve in Embu County to Aberdares National Park.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary (CS) Rebecca Miano said they target to relocate 50 elephants from the reserve in three weeks’ time to decongest the reserve.

Speaking while commissioning the exercise on Thursday, CS Miano said the population of the jumbos had grown to 156 that was beyond the capacity of the reserve which is about 50.

Miano said the overpopulation of the animals had overstretched the reserve leading to some of them straying in the neighboring farms in search of pasture.

"The move has been necessitated by the need to decongest the reserve to tame the rising cases of human-wildlife conflict in this area," she said.

Area residents turned out in numbers to witness the rare spectacle of daring the elephants from a helicopter to movement to "wakeup box" and final transportation towards the new home.

She at the same time reported that plans are underway to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict.

"We are currently collecting data from victims to facilitate compensation the soonest possible," CS Miano said.

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire lauded the move, saying area residents have suffered for long in terms of crop destruction and fear of impending attacks.

Mbarire called on the Ministry to assist them to revive the sanctuary that has been lying dominant for decades’ despite being home to other wild animals including giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and antelopes.

"We would want the reserve to be placed under management of KWS to assist us revive and market it as a tourists’ destination of choice,” she said.