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Three Elephants Killed in Taita Ranch as Asia’s Thirst for Ivory Grows
We’re saddened to report that three elephants were killed this past Sunday in Taita Ranch, at the far end of our project area. The poachers, four armed Somalis, were discovered by Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Works rangers as they were removing the tusks from the dead elephants. They immediately fled the scene, with a brief exchange of gunfire aimed at a Kenya Wildlife Service vehicle. The poachers were pursued following the attacks but have yet to be caught. The incident reflects a growing demand for ivory in East Asia, and China in particular, where the material is considered a symbol of affluence and prestige. Despite the efforts of Wildlife Works and…
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Elephant Poachers Kill Wildlife Works Conservation Ranger and Critically Injure Another
As vigilant as we are when it comes to protecting our community and the wildlife surrounding us, tragedy still finds us at times. On Friday, January 13th, elephant poachers opened fired on our unarmed conservation rangers who were patrolling the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project area in Kenya. One of our rangers, Abdullahi Mohammed, was fatally shot and another ranger, Ijema Funan, was injured by the gunfire. At the time, our rangers, along with members of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), were tracking the poachers after discovering a wounded elephant in the protected project area. “This is the first time in 15 years that any of our rangers have been killed…
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Wildlife Works Crew to the Rescue, One Baby Elephant at a Time
By: CARA BRAUND- Conservation Intern- 5th October 2011 Monday mornings aren’t always the most exciting in many offices, but this Monday at Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project proved to be a little different than usual! We received a phone call from one of our rangers saying that an elephant had become stuck in a muddy rock catchment on our neighbouring ranch. Apparently the creature was only around two years old, and had been stuck for over 24 hours.With none of her family members in sight, it was important we help her out of her predicament as soon as possible before she became too dehydrated. The team raced to Kivuko rock…
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Statement made in Kenya to Heighten Awareness on Elephant Poaching
Article by Jason Straziuso, Independent Newspaper Kenya has publicly burnt elephant ivory worth £10m – at Manyani, Tsavo National Park – in an attempt to focus attention on rising poaching deaths. President Mwai Kibaki personally wielded the torch to light the bonfire of 335 confiscated tusks and 41,000 ivory trinkets. He told several hundred people gathered at a rural Kenya Wildlife Service training facility: “Through the disposal of contraband ivory, we seek to formally demonstrate to the world our determination to eliminate all forms of illegal trade in ivory.”We must all appreciate the negative effects of illegal trade to our national economies. We cannot afford to sit back and allow…
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Injured Elephant Treated on Rukinga
BY ROB DODSON – VP – RUKINGA – 15th February 2011 Our Wildlife Works rangers at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project came across a large male elephant that was having trouble walking and so we called in the Sheldrick Trust vet to dart him and have a look at the heavily swollen leg. Our rangers led the vet through the thick bush to where the elephant was leaning against a tree, showing obvious severe discomfort. A dart was successfully shot into his flank and he went down after a few minutes and we were able to have a good look at him. We found that he had a small but…
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Tsavo Elephant Count
BY ROB DODSON – VP – Saturday 12th February 2011 The Tsavo Conservation Area 2011 elephant census found 12,572 elephants in Tsavo East, West, Chyulus, the ranches, Mkomazi and the adjoining dispersal areas. This is up from 11,696 that were counted in the 2008 count, representing a 2.5% increase per year, which is significantly less than the 4.5% increase in numbers recorded between the 2005-2006 counts and the 2006-2008 counts. Of significant interest is that the 2008 only found 30 carcasses, which is in line with natural deaths. This time over 500 were spotted, which is a huge increase and is likely to be attributed to the 2009 drought and…
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Elephant Poaching on Rukinga Sanctuary
3 JANUARY 2011 – Eric Sagwe, Head Ranger On Monday 3 January 2011 having checked into Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project headquarters in the morning, I and my team of eight Rangers, went out on an afternoon patrol through Rukinga Sanctuary. At 3.00pm we found some footprints of three people who we tracked off Rukinga and into a neighboring ranch. As we followed their tracks in the sand we came across their lunch break camp which was very recent, and showed evidence of bush-meat having been eaten – a small team of poachers. The tracks kept getting fresher and clearer until an hour and half later we knew we where very…
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De la Forêt: Meet Mathieu Bolaa, Wildlife Works Head of Biodiversity for the DRC
At the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Wildlife Works Biodiversity Team works to protect wildlife.
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Family Planning Workshops for Both Men and Women
In the southeastern part of Kenya lies Marungu, a village surrounded by highlands. Once a week, community members converge in a hall to discuss social matters, usually in the presence of an area chief and other local representatives. But this time a different kind of discussion emerged: one designed to bring men together to discuss community health and family planning topics. In the presence of the area chief, a community health assistant, nurse, and the Wildlife Works team, the dialogue focused on health services available, in aim to improve attitudes towards family planning services and the different methods of contraceptives. “Why are you against our wives having children and what…
- Adventures in REDD+, Agriculture, Climate Change, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Forest Communities
Enhancing Food Security in the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project Through Agronomy Training
By Jane Okoth Millions of people around the world still face the challenges of food security and malnutrition. One of the main targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 of Zero Hunger is to ensure sustainable food production and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity. On the west side of Lake Mai Ndombe is an indigenous forest community that is part of the Wildlife Works Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project. The area protects over 740,000 acres of rainforest, which is home to chimpanzees, bonobos and forest elephants, and includes some of the most important wetlands in the world. Despite the rich biodiversity of the region, the community still…