Elephants might not fly: confusion over Carrie Johnson charity’s rewilding plan

Kenyan ministry of tourism and wildlife expresses concern about reports of scheme to transport herd from Kent

Confusion has erupted over plans to fly a herd of elephants from Kent to Kenya, after the Kenyan wildlife service said it had not been contacted or consulted about the operation.

On Monday, the Aspinall Foundation announced ambitious plans to transport 13 savanna elephants, born and bred in captivity, almost 4,500 miles from their home at Howletts Wild Animal Park to a site in the east African country, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The wildlife charity, where the prime minister's wife, Carrie Johnson, has a top corporate role in communications, said it would be a world-first operation to rewild" the mammals.