Recently, two poachers were caught killing small animals to sell as bush meat. The pair had slaughtered two dik diks and two hares using pangas (large, broad-bladed African knives used as tools or weapons) and confessed to killing the animals in order to sell the meat. One poacher said he was a quarry worker in Kuranze and had five children. The other said he was 28 with a wife and three children and worked as a carpenter.

Dik diks are small antelopes that live in the bush lands of Eastern and Southern Africa.

According to one of the Wildlife Works rangers, poaching is on the rise because the punishment for poaching small animals is not harsh enough to deter people.

The two poachers were taken to the nearby town of Voi’s police station and then to court in accordance with the law. Further steps have been taken to educate community members against buying wild animal meat.

One week later, ivory poachers struck Rukinga leaving five elephants dead.

Suspicious footprints had been found within the Wildlife Works Animal Sanctuary on Wednesday, March 20th. The rangers notified Kenya Wildlife Services, and when the teams had gathered, Head Ranger Eric spoke with the KWS Company Commander to organize the tracking strategies that both groups would use to catch the potential poachers before any animals could be harmed.

The rangers spent two full days covering an area of 15 km from the Rukinga Ranch down to Talu Ranch near Mount Kasigau.

At one spot in Kasigau, rangers tracked down a place with the telltale signs of a small campfire where the poachers may have pitched camp the night before.

By Friday, some of the search teams began to wonder if the footprints spotted on Wednesday had been a ruse. Tracks left by farmers and herders who graze their livestock on some of the ranches made it difficult for the rangers to distinguish and track the poachers’ footprints. Efforts were further complicated by rain that had erased many of the tracks.

On Saturday afternoon, the rangers heard a rifle shot ricochet in the depths of Dawida Ranch. The groups came together to focus their efforts on searching the ranch, only to discover that they had been tricked! The gunshot heard from Dawida Ranch was meant to divert the rangers away from the Washumbu Ranch where the poachers had killed three male and two female elephants and removed their tusks. The poachers used the diversion to make their getaway, leaving five carcasses behind.

Empty rifle shells found at the location of the elephant carcasses.

Rangers interviewed community members living around the Washumbu Ranch and learned that many residents had heard repeated gunshots Friday evening, but they had ignored the sounds and assumed the shots were coming from Wildlife officers engaging poachers in the park.

A KWS patrol aircraft was used to scan the Washumbu Ranch where the five carcasses were discovered almost huddled together. The poachers had clearly ambushed the elephants in a group.

Efforts to track down the poachers have been heightened and authorities have asked community members to report any information that could lead to the capture of the criminals.

This week, Wildlife Works rangers on patrol discovered an elephant carcass within the project area with its tusks intact.

Head Ranger Eric suspects that while trying to bring down the elephant using poisoned arrows, the poachers most likely spotted wildlife rangers on patrol and abandoned their efforts. Unfortunately the poor creature still died from wounds inflicted by the poachers.

After finding the carcass, the patrolling Wildlife Works rangers reported the incident to the closest station, removed the dead elephant’s tusks and brought them to the Kenya Wildlife Services office to be destroyed. The large tusks (weighing 60Kg) will be burned in government kilns to prevent them from being sold on the illegal ivory market.

Wildlife Works rangers dispose of the dead elephant’s tusks.

Photo of Kenyan government officials burning ivory, from Jason Straziuso’s article for Independent Newspaper.

Currently a somber mood hangs over the entire Wildlife Works family and the Kasigau Wildlife Corridor communities as each person mourns the loss of innocent wildlife. It is not only a Wildlife Works loss; it is a loss for the whole universe, for Mother Nature, and for you and I.

We cannot wish back the hands of time. We cannot wish for the group of five poached elephants to come back to life, nor the poisoned elephant that escaped with its tusks but not its life. We cannot sit back and watch helplessly as ruthless killers and merchants drive the African elephant to the brink of extinction.

Every one of us can do something to ensure that the killing stops and the demand for ivory ends. It all begins with you and I. Pledge to never purchase ornaments made from ivory. Say no to ivory by signing the petition at iworry.org. Sign the petition to stop the demand for ivory at change.org. Raise awareness on the plight of the African elephant. Support wildlife groups who work to protect animals and curb poaching. Help us spread our message.

The aim of this big day was for the directors of REDD+ projects and Wildlife Works employees to experience the beauty of rural Kenya, to learn about the community projects we have already accomplished, and to get to know the local residents and hear their needs for future community projects.

Everyone gathered at Camp Kenya, an eco-tourism site on our land, and divided into 6 teams with 6 or 7 people per team. The event was made up of multiple challenges including a treasure hunt, sightseeing, a community questionnaire and a scavenger hunt. Each team was equipped with a map of our project area in southeast Kenya, a GPS and a list of questions.

The teams visited 5 ranches, Rukinga, Taita, Mgeno, Kambanga and Maungu, located close to our project area.

For the treasure hunt, the teams were instructed to travel to certain GPS points and find a clue that would direct them to the location of the treasure. For example, at Mawe Mrefu, once the team reached the GPS location they discovered a riddle that read:

“Beneath the tree,
On top of the rock.
If you can’t find me,
A baboon’s knocked me off!”

The treasure was a cache of soapstone coasters in a variety of colors. The goal of the treasure hunt was for each group to collect a full set of matching coasters by the end of the day.

Each group’s starter kit included a community questionnaire that would help the teams discover what’s new in Kasigau, ask for the local peoples’ thoughts about our current REDD+ projects and find out what additional community projects they would like to see in the future.

The questionnaire led the teams to the Marungu Secondary School, the Makwasinyi water tank, the Buguta Disabled Group at Buguta Community Library, Ranger Post 6.0, the Amy Nicholls Memorial Centre in Bungule, Kasigau Chief Kizaka’s office, the Marungu Hill Conservancy Association, and the Jora Women’s Basket Group, where team members could take a break for lunch. The Women’s Basket Group welcomed each team with traditional dancing, and some of the directors and managers joined in!

Wildlife Works founder Mike joins in the dancing with the ladies from Jora!

For the scavenger hunt, teams had to purchase or find specific items throughout the day. The groups were given some money to buy a stuffed animal from the Buguta Disabled Group and a basket from the Jora Women’s Group. Team members also needed to find an herbivore tooth, a twig of Acacia Tortilis (also known as the Umbrella Thorn tree), some frankincense resin from a Boswellia tree, and some elephant dung.

Team members could collect points for spotting wildlife while on their journey, and many got to see African elephants, giraffes, buffalo, lions and various species of birds. The employees spent the day hiking on red sandy soil, climbing up hills to take photos and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

The finish line was at the Susana Bar in Maungu where the teams trickled in and relaxed over drinks and stories about the day. Wildlife Works’ Conservationist Manager Cara Braund, who organized the event, tallied up each groups’ total points and chose a winner. Landscape Manager Danny Woodley’s team won, though all teams were acknowledged for an element they performed well.

The winning team received a hand-stitched Panamanian decorative piece of fabric traditionally worn as a front panel on clothing, which will be on display at the Kenya office.

Lider Sucre, Regional Director for Latin America, said, “The sites we visited, the community people we spoke with, the amazing wildlife, and getting to know the Rukinga team really made a big difference for me in understanding the project and our impact. For instance, it was EXCELLENT that I was teamed up with Bernard, Lenjo, Muhammed and Brown for the treasure hunt. I got to know their personalities and their superb attitudes. Bernard really excelled at identifying wildlife and Lenjo was so gracious with greeting all the different community members. I got to see them in their element and appreciate their vocation and dedication.”

Jojoba shrubs are hardy and can survive in arid climates and rangelands. Plantations of jojoba have been established in a number of desert and semi-desert lands including Argentina, Australia, Israel and the Sonoran Desert covering large parts of Arizona, California and Mexico. The arid savannas of our Rukinga project area have the ideal conditions for jojoba plants to thrive.

Cosmas pruning seedlings

As part of our greenhouse program, Wildlife Works has devoted roughly one hectare to growing jojoba, making Wildlife Works the largest producer of the plant in Kenya!

Currently, oil from the jojoba plants we grow is used in our soap production and is sold to hotels in Kenya. We hope to begin exporting the handmade soaps to sell in the U.S. in the near future.

The supervisor of The Jojoba Plant Project, Cosmas, is a 56-year-old married man with four children (three girls ages 21, 19 and 16, and one 14-year-old boy) living in Maungu, an adjacent town to Wildlife Works. Since 2009 when Cosmas took on the role of supervisor for the plant project, the number of facilities and employees dedicated to the project has risen, and quality of jojoba shrubs has increased. He says the project team is putting in a lot of hard work, knowing that the community will benefit from their success.

Cosmas with the team

Cosmas has been working for Wildlife Works right from our company’s beginning. At first he worked as a casual laborer, then was assigned to the jojoba project. Cosmas was promoted to Jojoba Plant Project Supervisor 2009, after the success of the Kasigau REDD+ Project.

Cosmas is a role model for other workers who wish to grow within the company. Before coming to Wildlife Works he worked in Mbololo, a town 55km from his current home in Maungu, crushing stones and selling them as home construction materials to help support his parents. He completed secondary school levels and wanted to study medicine, but could not afford to pay the school fees. Cosmas used the small amount of money he had saved to pay for driving lessons in hopes of getting a job for one of the driving companies in Mombasa, but even after getting his license he had trouble finding work due to lack of experience. He visited Wildlife Works hoping to find a job as a company driver, but there were no positions available. At the time, our company had openings for casual laborers, so rather than continue searching for a position as a driver, Cosmas accepted the job and began work the very same day.

Cosmas spends his days pruning the jojoba seedlings, attaching tags to the plants in order to identify different growth rates and building micro-catchments around the shrubs. Micro-catchment is a practice to harvest rainwater in arid lands. The workers build up a mound of dirt surrounding the plants in order to trap rainwater close to the roots.

In addition to supervising the jojoba plant project, Cosmas’ responsibilities also include ensuring that all work equipment is well serviced and available for the other workers.

With a supervisor position at Wildlife Works, Cosmas’ life has really changed. He is now able to provide for his family’s needs including food, hospital bills and school fees for his three youngest children. Cosmas has been supporting his father who still lives in Mbololo since his mother passed away.

Micro-catchment

Micro-catchment

Cosmas hopes to see the jojoba plant become a global leader in producing oils and cosmetics.

Watering the seedlings

Cosmas has formed friendships and good relationships with his colleagues, and says he enjoys working at the safe environment provided by Wildlife Works. He has learned a lot about the importance of conserving the environment, including planting and protecting trees, and educating fellow community members on the importance of protecting wildlife. We are proud to have Cosmas leading our team!

WW Community Relation Officer Joseph Mwakima organized the program along with local teachers, the chairman of Location Carbon Committee (LCC) and the leaders of 5 villages in Kenya (Marungu, Mwatate, Mwachabo, Mwatate and Sagalla). The three-week-long program visited 13 different primary and secondary schools and traveled to 9 different communities.

Community members watching the films at night

Using the Amara Mobile Film Unit, the team was able to show three different conservation films from the African Environmental Film Foundation (AEFF). The first film, “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” showcases the current threats posed to both humans and animals by the illegal international ivory trade. “Wanted” also illustrates the financial benefits that rural communities can gain from sustainable, wildlife-based tourism.

Students watching the films

The second film, “Black Rhino on the Brink,” travels back thirty years to cover early attempts to save the Black Rhino from extinction. It contains footage from Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The film illustrates how people in different countries have worked together to save this seriously endangered animal. Although the number of Black Rhinos has plummeted to a fraction of their original numbers, they are slowly climbing back up due to the efforts of many people, some of whom have given their lives to protect these animals.

Students watching the films

The final film “Mizoga,” (which means carcasses in Swahili) was written by the Born Free Foundation and produced in 2004 in Kasigau by students from Kenyatta University of Nairobi, Kasigau community members and Wildlife Works rangers, including our Head Ranger Erick Sagwe. The film has not yet been added to the AEFF’s list of conservation films, but was chosen for this festival due to its emphasis on protecting the environment and its use of the Swahili national language, which many residents understand better than English.

7,565 people attended the festival, making it a huge success! The goal of this program was to sensitize the community towards REDD+ projects and large wildlife species, as well as to open discussions and highlight the important role of wildlife in the ecosystem.

Joseph Mwakima talking about REDD+ projects in Mwatate secondary school after the film.

After watching the films, many residents and teachers talked about starting environmental clubs within their community. We are thrilled with the success of this endeavor, and plan to schedule more events for the future!

Last month, Wildlife Works was honored to be part of Supply Change’s first annual Fashion Designers Without Borders’ sourcing safari that introduced participants to artisan groups and social enterprises located all over Kenya from Mombasa to the Rift Valley.

A group of 6 U.S.-based fashion industry professionals traveled halfway around the world to meet some of Kenya’s most passionate social entrepreneurs that represent what change could mean in the global supply chain.

The Wildlife Works team members who joined the group included our Design and Production Manager Yugala, our Kenya Office Manager Cara, our Kenya Production Supervisor Liesl and myself, the Creative Director.

Joyce, Yugala, Cara, Liesl

Here are some of our highlights:

FlipFlop Recycling Company (FFRC) collects flip flops from the Kenyan coast and makes them into all kinds of wonderful, whimsical accessories. Founder Julie Church is a marine biologist and one of the world’s experts on coral fish.

It’s a beautiful thing when science and social entrepreneurship collide! Julie employs a team of full-time Kenyans to clean, sort, sculpt and bead the flip flops into products that are sold in their store, Marula, located in the Karen district in Nairobi. FFRC also pays any flip flop collector by the kilo, which can help supplement the income of local coastal Kenyans.

Each year, FFRC recycles up to 70,000 flip flips that are washed up onto Kenyan shores from areas as far away as Indonesia. Their products get more and more innovative each year as they expand into more categories from jewelry to housewares.

* * *

Wildlife Works achieved so much in 2012, including solidifying partnership with PUMA, which allowed us to double our factory capacity, relaunching our own fashion collection, and opening our on-site children’s day care center. We were proud to share these successes with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to spreading Consumer Powered Conservation.

* * *

Our production partner Soko Kenya, who just moved their factory onto our project site, also presented to the group. We’re so proud of the work we do together, especially because some of the styles we’ve produced for ASOS have been worn by Michelle Obama!

* * *

Representatives from the Kasigau women’s basket-weaving groups came to Wildlife Works to show us how they make their baskets. There are many weaving groups in the area that provide a supplemental income to its members. Currently, their baskets are only sold in small quantities to visitors who come through the area. Wildlife Works is actively engaged with them for product development. Look for some basket products come Holiday 2013!

* * * 

CTC International (Comfort the Children) was founded ten years ago on the mission of creating a holistic solution to poverty, starting with creating an environment where all children can thrive. For CTC, this means developing programs for education, environment, economy (commerce), health and community. We were inspired to see an organization taking on the same holistic approach as Wildlife Works and succeeding at it.

What touched me the most was their dedication to special-needs children, who are seen as cursed by some Kenyan tribe cultures so many are ostracized by their communities. Caring for a special-needs child is a full-time job and most rural women in Kenya, who are many times the sole breadwinners in the family, can’t afford to do both. You can imagine the fate of many of these children.

CTC established the first special needs school in the area and staffed it with an education and occupational therapist in addition to daytime care takers, all this in a remote, poverty and disease-stricken area in Kenya – amazing.

You may have seen their Life Line coffee cup jackets and change purses at Whole Foods. Now you know where they come from and who they supporting!

* * * 

Bombolulu, which means “treasure” in Swahili, is located in the coastal city of Mombasa and employs local disabled adults, who are a severely marginalized group in Kenya. Esther Manyama, the program manager traveled to Wildlife Works to present the range of products and quality of work they produce in their factory.

They’ve come a long way to become a member of the World Fair Trade Organization and to be able to produce over 250,000 pieces per year, made by the hands of physically disabled craftsmen and women. Maybe there will be some job opportunities here for the children of CTC in the future!

* * *

Kila Siku, which means “every day” in Swahili, employs over 40 female embroiderers in the DRC and over 30 embroiderers in Rwanda. The quality of their hand-embroidery is incredible and good enough to land one of Belgian’s oldest luxury linen companies, Libeco, as a client.

Last February, our production partner Soko teamed up with Kila Siku for embroidery training. A few women from Kila Siku DRC, who have never traveled outside their area, flew to Kenya to train Soko’s women in embroidery. The women were sad to part after having spent nearly a month together. It was such a sweet intercontinental connection!

* * *

Banana Box has been working with Kenyan artists and craftsmen and women for almost twenty years. Their products are made from sustainable and recycled materials (like banana leaves that are made into boxes) and employ local artisans who they train to create some really unique products. I walked away with a hippo sculpted from soapstone that I use as a doorstop. I absolutely love it!

They also invite any freelance artisan from anywhere in Kenya to submit products for purchase. Hats off to the founder, Sarah, who has been at it for two decades.

* * * 

Uhunzi, which means metal work in Swahili, was created six years ago by the son of Banana Box’s founder. Uhunzi melts down scrap metal to create all kinds of custom household and jewelry items from frames, trophies, metal beads, wine openers to decorative sculptures. Every step of the process is done using recycled materials. It was impressive to see the craftsmen handling liquid metal wearing just plastic slippers – their precision is not to be overlooked!

The Wildlife Works team walked away from this trip inspired, connected and activated to further the voice and reach of the organizations and artisans we met on this trip. We experienced a lifetime’s worth of bonding with the rest of the U.S.-based group who are just as excited and inspired to apply what they learned into their work.

For more information on the next trip for Fashion Designers Without Borders, contact the founder of Supply Change, Chrissie Lam. I promise you, the journey and people you meet will make an everlasting impression.

The greenhouse at Wildlife Works

After the seedlings are purchased, they are kept at the Wildlife Works greenhouse, nourished and prepared for replanting. Once the seedlings are ready, the team distributes them for free to local schools, churches, environmental groups and individuals for planting.

On November 23, the greenhouse team hired a canter, which is a kind of cart used for hauling goods, to assist them in transporting the purchased plants. The team would need to buy at least 50,000 saplings in order to thoroughly distribute them to the community.

A young girl carrying seedlings to sell to the greenhouse

The first location the greenhouse team visited was Kasigau, where the staff visited the home of Mzee (meaning “elder”) Coller, a married man with three school-aged children. While his children attend boarding school, Coller and his wife live in a small, unfinished hut. Without a stable job providing them with money for upkeep or sustenance, the couple rely on growing seedlings for money which provides them with two meals per day and covers the school fees for their children.

Once the greenhouse team arrived on the farm, Coller directed them to where he kept his seedlings. The team members were surprised and thrilled to find over 2,000 tree seedlings at his greenhouse! Coller said he was very happy for what Wildlife Works does for the community, and with the money he earned Coller can finally finish building his house.

Mzee Coller at his small greenhouse

The team continued to travel to different local farms within Kasigau and purchased anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 seedlings from each.

Purchasing tree seedlings

Next the team traveled to the town of Marungu, where the greenhouse staff met a farmer named Gradon Mswahili who also relies on money from the seedling program for sustenance. Through the sale of tree seedlings, Mswahili said he can afford to educate his three children, who are currently in secondary school, up to a tertiary level. Mswahili sold 8,000 seedlings, the highest amount any farmer has sold to the greenhouse team, and says that he is overwhelmed by what Wildlife Works is doing.

Wildlife Works greenhouse team members packing seedlings onto a canter

The last location in the greenhouse teams travels was Sagalla, and after five long days of work the total number of seedlings collected was 57,500 with a 90% species diversity.

The money from the purchase of tree seedling will benefit community members who otherwise could not afford to pay their children’s school fees or provide sustenance for their families. The saplings themselves will go toward reforestation efforts in an attempt to reclaim the once vibrant ecosystem of rural Kenya. The greenhouse staff members are continuing to spread a little green around the community… in more way than one!

On November 7, Dr. Andrew from St. Joseph Shelter of Hope and the finance team from Kenya Commercial Bank visited the Wildlife Sanctuary in Rukinga to speak in front of employees. The KCB finance team taught employees about how banks can keep their money safe. They demonstrated how to open a bank account and answered audience members’ questions on money issues.

Dr. Andrew spoke about the causes, treatments and preventative measures for cancer, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. The doctor took time to focus on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, which is common among married women in Kenya because it is sexually transmitted. The audience was shocked to hear that men can carry HPV without showing any signs and put women at risk. The doctor also gave information on detecting early symptoms and advised women to get annual pap tests and cervical cancer screenings. While there is no cure for HPV, there are treatment options if one discovers cancerous cells in an early stage.

Dr. Andrew also discussed the symptoms of breast cancer. He demonstrated to the audience how to do self examinations by lying face up and using one’s hand to test for any unusual lumps or pain in the breast. If pain is detected, doctors can test for cancer while still in an early stage. The treatment for breast cancer is a mastectomy, where the breast is removed and one can use an artificial breast in its place. The doctor emphasized that removing a breast is far better than losing one’s life at a tender young age.

Dr. Andrew also accepted questions from the audience on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Rua from Wildlife Works thanked the two teams and all those who ensured that the day was a success. HR Manager Laurina Lenjo also expressed his gratitude to the speakers and audience members.

According to our in-the-field community reporter Rose, the seminar has been a great success! Staff members have opened bank accounts and are planning for the future. The workers are talking more openly about health issues and many of the women working at Wildlife Works’ Rukinga Sanctuary have gone in for cervical and breast cancer screenings. We wish everyone at Wildlife Works a healthy, prosperous new year!

As the new year kicks off, we take a look back at the challenges and accomplishments of 2012. We were proud to start the year by building a nursery for Wildlife Works’ employees’ families, and thrilled to be partners with PUMA for their Creative Factory project. We welcomed our first female Wildlife rangers and happily received validation and verification for the first REDD+ project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The greatest challenge we face going into 2013 is the growing threat to wildlife from the increasingly violent ivory trade, and we can’t emphasize enough how great the risks are to the animals and those who protect them.

Wildlife Works has been protecting endangered wildlife at our sanctuary in South East Kenya between Tsavo East and West National Parks since 1997. The 1989 global ban on the African ivory trade had helped deter gunned poachers from setting foot on our sanctuary, but over the past year, we have witnessed an exponential increase in violence. Most of the armed poachers come over the Kenyan border from Somalia. The violence they bring upon the animals and the surrounding communities threatens our work toward the goal of a sustainable future where communities can grow economically alongside thriving wildlife.

“We’ve been working in Kenya for the past 17 years… We lost 10 elephants to ivory poachers in the first 15 years, and 45 in the last 18 months, and this is despite being a relatively well-funded organization with extraordinary relationships with the local community members who benefit from wildlife,” says Wildlife Works founder and CEO Mike Korchinsky.

Within the past year, one of our rangers was killed, another injured, and six elephants were recently stripped of their tusks and left for dead. This type of violence on protected land is unprecedented, and is a direct result of East Asia’s increasing demand for ivory that threatens the endangered African elephant now more than ever.

The most recent incident happened on October 28, 2012. Gunshots were heard coming from our Rukinga Sanctuary in the late afternoon. The Kenya Wildlife Service were alerted and immediately sealed off the scene of the crime. The incident had taken place as the sun was going down, so unfortunately there was little the rangers could do at that time.

On the following day Rob Dodson, our VP of Africa Operations, flew over the crime scene with one other ranger. While airborne, they spotted three elephant corpses lying on the ground.

They drove to the GPS location to find two elephants dead with tusks removed and one badly wounded but with tusks still attached. The rangers also spotted the tracks of a fourth elephant, which they found 800 meters away at Ziwa-nyoka Dam with a gunshot wound to the leg. The two wounded elephants were badly hurt, and the best option was to put them down humanely and save them from a slow and painful death.

Kenya Wildlife Service and tracker dogs were commissioned to follow the poachers’ tracks. While on the hunt, rangers discovered two more fresh elephant carcasses with tusks removed. Despite their many kills, it is likely that the poachers had gathered a low harvest in terms of tusk weight for their bosses. Many of the elephants were young, not even adults yet, and their tusks were visibly immature. The poachers must have been desperate for ivory to attack such young creatures.

The death of six elephants is six too many but all is not lost. Wildlife Works is currently protecting almost 2,500 elephants in and around the Kasigau Corridor and will do everything in our power to keep them safe. We are thankful for the efforts of Wildlife Works and KWS rangers, even when it means putting themselves in the line of fire.

This is a desperate time for the African elephant, but there is still hope. By working together, we can make a difference and create an environment where these endangered animals can flourish. We can provide sustainable jobs that provide the community with economic alternatives to killing wildlife and destroying forests for basic survival needs. We can support a balanced ecosystem where animals are worth much more alive than dead.

Mike Korchinsky adds, ”In the end, as big a market as [the ivory trade] appears to be, it’s tiny in the context of international global markets and if the government wanted to stop it they could stop it, and stop the flow of money.”

You can help by not purchasing any items made with ivory, supporting other companies that are committed to protecting the biodiversity of our planet, signing the petition at iworry.org, and signing the petition at change.org launched by fellow elephant crusader Kuki Gallmann, who is boldly pleading for the end of producing items made from ivory.

The most effective thing you can do to help bring an end to the ivory trade is to write to your country’s representative at CITES (www.CITES.org). National contacts and information can be found by clicking on the name of the relevant country at www.cites.org/common/National_contacts.pdf.

Elephants are a world’s heritage.
Elephants belong to all humanity.
Elephants belong to you.
Do realize that: When the buying stops, so does the killing.
-Kuki Gallmann

This October, I was assigned to visit our REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) project in Kenya to document the essence of the project through imagery with world-renowned “cause-related” photographer, Lisa Kristine. Lisa’s work is focused on the vast diversity and hardships of humanity, resulting in photos that connect audiences to the dignity that exists in us all, regardless of the conditions.

Photographer Lisa Kristine, author Rachel O’Reilly, and driver Alfred and his family who has been an employee of Wildlife Works for 10 years.

The Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project is located between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks in Kenya. It acts as a vital wildlife corridor for a fantastic diversity of over 50 species of large mammals, more than 300 species of birds and important populations of IUCN Red List endangered and vulnerable species including Grevy’s zebra, cheetah, lion, African wild dog as well as over 2000 African elephants—a population that grows increasingly fragile due to the profitable crime of ivory poaching.

Landscape of the Kasigau Corridor

We embarked on a journey through REDD+ that would capture the essence of the community, the astonishing landscape and wildlife, and the overall impact our project has had. This journey was far more humbling and insightful than I had anticipated…

After a long flight with several stops from San Francisco and a couple hours on the Trans-African highway from Mombasa, I finally arrived at the Wildlife Works headquarters, deep in the Kenyan bush. The Wildlife Works office is a scene in complete contrast to its surroundings: a dozen people hunch over laptops at a desk, while others host a meeting outside under a tarp shade structure, and young interns from the surrounding areas work on the community newsletter which is distributed regularly in several languages to ensure everyone is informed of the project’s happenings.

Wildlife Works nursery employees tend to native seedlings

This is command central where Rob Dodson, our VP of African Operations, and his team are the epicenter of things happening for our Kasigau REDD+ project. Operations include monitoring and measuring the forest and wildlife; community outreach; and special initiative planning like agricultural intensification, sustainable charcoal, cash crops, reforestation, and water projects—ALL of this for an area of 500,000 acres and a community of about 100,000 people is happening here! I’m in awe of how incredible it is that a modest, single-level structure in the bush with a slow satellite internet connection houses the work of such bright and dedicated people from the local community and around the world.

The searing sun

To ensure maximum time in the bush to capture photos of the many incredible creatures that roam the area, we woke the next day at 4:30am for a dawn game drive with Alfred, our guide. The stillness of the earth at the break of day was met by the increasing chorus of African birds as dawn arose.

As we drove through the community on our way to more remote areas, we saw a few families up early, preparing food over open flames outside of their traditional homes made of mud, stick, and dung, while others were getting an early start fetching water before the blistering sun made it an even more laborious task.

Children from the community

Lack of water is the main underlying cause of deforestation and poverty in the region. Families who are unable to produce a small crop on one plot of land because of dry soil due to lack of water will cut down a neighboring area of forest in hopes that the next plot of land will provide a better harvest.

There is a major watershed with a pipeline that runs from a mountain spring close to the area, to the coastal city of Mombasa. It passes right by many of the people in the local community, but most of the people have no access to it because the pipes attached to this pipeline degraded years ago and no one, including the government, has been able to fund the restoration. Throughout our stay, Lisa and I bore constant witness to the thousands of people living with the burden of walking miles each day to the nearest water tank to meet their most basic need.

The communities have the right to construct a pipeline from the main pipe to supply the entire community with water. Financing is becoming available through proceeds received from the REDD+ project, so they have decided to use a large percentage of the REDD+ funds they receive to resolve this pressing issue.

Conservation battlefield

Continuing on our trek, Lisa, Alfred and I bumped along keenly peering into the bush for any movement. At last we came upon not one, but five giraffes! They were in a clearing, so we could see the full form of their beautiful geometric patterns from their skinny knee-knocking posture up to their graceful necks, long eyelashes, and reaching black tongues. Instead of being spooked and darting into the bush, this family had one member watch us while the others focused on eating breakfast.

Giraffes are a common sight and will not always run away when humans approach.

As the sun illuminated the savannah, we continued our search and sadly came upon two baby elephant carcasses near a watering hole. These elephants were victims of a lion attack a few days before. While we were somewhat reassured by the fact that this was a natural cause of death, Alfred noted that these babies were probably made vulnerable to the lion’s attack because their mothers had been some of the increasing number of elephant fatalities at the hands of ivory poachers.

Rust colored dust began to rise through the short gray branches around the watering hole and into view came the curly wide horns of the African buffalo. Dozens of the robust creatures sauntered towards the water while small yellow-billed oxpecker birds perched on the buffalo for a ride. Zebras followed and eventually a family of warthogs decided to join in the gathering by jumping into a wide muddy ditch made possible by a leak in the water trough.

African buffalo drinking with oxpeckers on board

Peace rangers

We continued our drive to meet with the Wildlife Works rangers stationed at one of the most remote posts at the base of Mt. Rukinga known as “6 zero.” Lisa photographed the rangers doing their usual routines and running through the bush as they do when tracking poachers. We had a special photo shoot for the female rangers that have joined the force in increasing numbers over the past year.

The Wildlife Works rangers

The rangers are proud of their land and their responsibility to protect it and the wildlife. I often refer to them as the “peace rangers” because they bravely patrol the 500,000 acres everyday unarmed. They are on the front lines of one of the most heated conservation battles, so intense that they’re the feature of an upcoming TV series on ivory poaching

We headed back towards the main office and made our way to the sustainable charcoal production area. Here, twigs and sticks no thicker than a finger are pruned from specific trees in certain areas, burned to char in barrels, and then compressed into bricks that burn more efficiently and at no cost to the nearby forests. This process addresses one of the root causes of deforestation in the area and creates a viable alternative through a small enterprise business opportunity.

Sustainable charcoal production

Sustainable production

In the days following, Lisa and I planned to see the rest of the project’s many elements, most of which provide sustainable employment for people of the community. We visited the local farms where agricultural intensification and reforestation initiatives are thriving, talked with locals doing community outreach, worked with the field team that monitors the trees and wildlife, and visited one of the most inspiring forms of job creation at the project, the Wildlife Works Eco-Factory. The factory is a source of great pride for the community, where dozens of locals make sustainable apparel items from organic and fair-trade cotton. These apparel items are sold directly to consumers or made for major companies like PUMA.

A woman from the community, Betty, sews t-shirts in the Wildlife Works eco-factory.

As big golden and orange rays of the sunset faded to dusk after our first day in the field, we made our way back to camp and were surprised by something precious along the way—a family of eight elephants at a Wildlife Works watering hole, displaying human-like tendencies as they used part of the structure to scratch their backs and bums! One of the smallest baby elephants I’d ever seen—no bigger than 4ft tall—clumsily swung his trunk around and tried to mimic his mother’s funny behavior.

The red elephants

It was a sweet moment to catch in the last light of day and one where I felt as if I were peering into the world of a family not that different from my own. We could only hope that this happy and healthy family would remain that as they were, free from the horrors of poaching that effect so many elephants.

Overall, Lisa and I had an incredible trip capturing the joy, progress, and meaningful changes happening throughout the 500,000 acres that comprises our REDD+ project in Kenya. When I talk to a company about purchasing carbon credits, it’s really so much more than a sale or a deal.

It’s proving to the world that with this long-term conservation model, rural communities can sustainably and organically grow, change, improve, and create the future they want while keeping the precious environment intact and living in harmony with the wildlife. I am hopeful and excited to participate and watch this incredible story unfold.

The author, Rachel O’Reilly, with local basket-weavers.

Students in rural areas do not enjoy the comforts and opportunities that the more privileged students in urban areas regularly experience. The schools surrounding Rukinga, including the Marungu Secondary School, are located almost two hours inland from Mombasa, deep in the Kenyan bush. Students at Marungu are boarded for four years, and many of them never get the opportunity to travel or visit the most picturesque parts of Kenya.

Last month, the Wildlife Works’ Human Resources Department organized a group of 30 Form Four students and two teachers from the Marungu Secondary School to travel to the Wildlife Works’ student camp for a wildlife conservation expedition! The event took place a few days after students had finished their national examinations and holiday break had already begun.

The participants traveled from their respective homes to their school compound at 4:00 p.m. where they were picked up by four Wildlife Works’ Land Cruisers and driven to their accommodations at “Camp Kenya.”

Wildlife Works’ Human Resources Manager Laurian Lenjo, Community Relation Officer Joseph Mwakima and Environmental Officer James Mwangongo welcomed the students to camp and filled everyone in on the adventures that lay ahead of them over the next two days.

After supper on the first night, the core organizers spoke to the students about carbon awareness and the importance of planting trees. Mr. Mwangongo encouraged students to take this new information home, plant trees in their neighborhoods and educate their community about conservation. Mr. Mwakima gave a motivational speech in which he encouraged students to wait for their exam results, with a promise that if they performed very well Wildlife Works would sponsor them on their next tertiary school level.

On the second day, students watched a film about the importance of conservation, then put their new knowledge to action and planted five trees. Finally, the group went for a game drive where they spotted beautiful wild animals including elephants, zebras, giraffes and lions.

Mr. Lenjo said, “[We came up] with this activity for the students who have been studying hard for four years, and are unable to [afford to go] on any trips. [We want them] to be exposed to the environment and what it offers in terms of flora and fauna. This also puts them in a position to make better career choices if they are confused about which field to venture into after [getting] their results. We are always happy to expose them to new things and give them something to ponder career-wise.”