Seven critically endangered black rhinos are dead following an attempt to move them from the Kenyan capital to a national park hundreds of miles away.

Wildlife officials officials cited “negligence” over the deaths.

Prominent Kenyan conservationist Paula Kahumbu, of WildlifeDirect, called the loss of the rhinos “a complete disaster”.

In moving the rhinos from Nairobi to Tsavo East National Park last month, the Kenya Wildlife Service said it hoped to boost the population there.

The organisation, which has conducted numerous successful moves in the past, has not said how the rhinos died.

Conservationists in Africa have been working hard to protect the black rhino from poachers targeting the animal for its horn.