Nairobi — Kenya might not donate 300 wild animals to Thailand, after all.

Reports in a Thai newspaper, Bangkok Post, says that senators will petition their government to abandon the plan that has met stiff opposition from animal welfare organisations.

The reports published on the newspaper's website www.bangkokpost.com /News/ last week, say the senators want to petition Thai's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to scrap the plan.

Thai's Senate environment committee led by Mr Kaewsan Atipho, is reported to have criticised the Government's plan to import the animals, some of which are endangered species.

Wild animals roaming the savanna wilderness, they said, should not be captured and put into cages, especially those that are forbidden under the Cites treaty.

The committee is further reported to have expressed concern about Thailand's move to offer Kenya Sh79 million for a resolving conservation fund in exchange for the imported animals.

The report comes amid confirmation by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Ms Rebecca Nabutola, that a final decision on whether Kenya would donate its wildlife to a Zoo in Thailand was yet to be made.

The PS confirmed in a letter to one of the animal welfare organisations opposed to the donation of the national heritage of the Kenyan people that consultations over the issue were still going on.

In what she terms as putting in the right perspective the position of the Kenya government on the issue, Ms Nabutola said it was important that new ideas be welcomed in the management of wildlife and biodiversity.

The Government would at the same time consider all the international conventions on animal welfare to which it was a signatory before making the donation, she said.

"The Government is still studying the request by the Thai government. Rest assured that all the sentiments and concerns will be considered before a final decision is reached," said the PS in the signed letter dated May 23, 2005.

The animal welfare organisations had written to President Kibaki asking him to cancel the deal as it was not in the interest of Kenya.

The request for the 300 animals was made during President Kibaki's visit to Thailand last October.

The plan to export the white rhinos, cheetahs, lions and other types to Thailand's Chian Mai Night Safari Zoo has been opposed by Kenyans, with questions being asked as to whether it was a donation or a sale.

Animal welfare organisations opposed to the deal said it was unfair and would tarnish Kenya's image as a tourist destination. It had no economic benefit and was cruel to the animals, they added.

As part of the deal, the Thai government offered Kenya Sh79 million to set up a revolving conservation fund in exchange for the animals.

Kenya has an estimated 28,000 elephants and 458 rhinos, which needed protection, according to the welfare groups.

When they met Kenyan wildlife protection groups to discuss the issue, the Senators informed the NGOs that the decision to seek the importation was meant to improve relations between the two countries, and not to boost tourism in Thailand.

Since there was no memorandum of understanding on the issue, the Senators were of the opinion that the issue could not be hurried up.

They further divulged that no money has been transferred to Kenya as promised.

The Bangkok Post report says the deal might have been revised to leave out rhinos and other endangered species that are protected under the Cites treaty.

However, Senator Niboon Shamshoum who visited Kenya on a fact-finding mission is quoted as saying some endangered species were still on Thailand's wish list.

The project, the report adds, has faced stiff opposition from local people who rely on groundwater for consumption.

They also fear the zoo would take too much of their water, or contaminate it with animal droppings.