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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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Beehive Fences Help Protect Farmers’ Crops
As human development continues to expand and encroach on wildlife, there has been an increase in human-wildlife interaction and conflict over the years, particularly in areas within Kenya where humans and animals directly share the local land and resources. This phenomenon is further magnified by climate change, which causes the wildlife to change their migratory patterns in search of food. One such area is Kileva, a small sub-area within the Taita-Taveta County, situated a few kilometers from Rukinga. Here, the dwellers are prone to conflicts with elephants, which frequently destroy farmers’ crops during the dry seasons. As many of these farmers rely on their crop yield to survive, this has…
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Getting to Know our Female Rangers: Constance
Last week, we introduced a series on getting to know our four female conservation rangers currently working in the Kasigau corridor, in celebration of Wildlife Works’ first-ever hiring of female rangers in the spring of 2011. We sat down and talked to each woman about her experience working in the project area over the past year, and gained some pretty interesting insight into daily life on the job, which we’d like to share with you. Constance Mwandaa, a 22 year-old native of Sagalla, begins her day at 5:30 am with a shower and some breakfast, and then heads out into the bush to begin her duties patrolling the protected area…
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Update on Ijema, Our Injured Ranger
Thank you to all who donated to the families of Ijema, our injured ranger, and Abdi, our ranger who suffered a fatal gunshot wound. We received an outpouring of heartfelt messages from all over the world as well as generous donations that totaled $6781, which has been passed on to both families on your behalf. Abdi’s family will also benefit from Wildlife Works hiring one of their family members, Ali Adoww, who is currently being trained as a ranger. Wildlife Works has put Ijema up in a comfortable home in town and is supporting him through his recovery, including the surgeries to repair his shoulder. The titanium shoulder was donated…
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Eco-Factory Expansion Progress
By JAMIE HENDRIKSEN-Carbon Operations Manager- 7th July 2011 The construction for our second eco-factory at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project has begun. All supporting pillars have been cast, ready to receive the roof trusses and verandah shades. Roof trusses have been fabricated and are ready to go up as soon as the floor slab is laid. Drainage, plumbing, steel ring beams and ventilation are all ongoing. The slab for the factory floor is being laid today. Reinforcing mesh and spacers have been laid. The entire slab has to be poured in one day to avoid cracking from temperature changes. Forty locally employed staff are working on site today to ensure…
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Indigenous Tree Seedling Purchase – November 2010 Report
By Silvester Mkamaganga, Forester at Wildlife Works Carbon 13 November 2010 TREE SEEDLINGS PURCHASE INTRODUCTION The Kasigau Corridor REDD project has now created an economic incentive for the landowners and communities within the corridor to protect their forest. Wildlife Works will be working with the landowners and local communities to implement forest management plans that exclude the destructive use of forest resources. In that local communities are encouraged to raise indigenous tree seedlings in their own home made nursery in different containers and will be purchased by Wildlife Works for nurturing them to the right size then they will be taken back to the communities to be planted to the…
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Rangers Recruitment Day 2, Marapou Borehole, Sagalla – 6th November 2010
By Lara Cowan – Office Manager – 6th November 2010. Wildlife Works Rangers Recruitment Day 2 at Marapu Borehole, 6 November 2010 The recruitment day at Marapu was to allow the communities of Sagalla Hill lower such as Zomngwani, Raghasi, Marapau Talio B, Teri B to participate in the recruitment process. These are new community areas from Phase II, and are not yet being employed by Wildlife Works Carbon. It was very important to involve them. Our Rangers and management at the Marapu Borehole completing registration. All applicants had to come with their IDS, Application letters, be between the age of 18 to 40 years old and for men be…
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Rangers Recruitment December 2010
By Rob Dodson – General Manager, 31 May 2010 To: ALL CHIEF CAMPS Re: RANGERS RECRUITMENT Wildlife Works would like to inform you that our recruitment was successful, and the total number who qualified and have been shortlisted, as Rangers was 30. We are still building/preparing the camps, and once we are done we will employ all the number of Rangers selected. The listed names below 14 men and 6 ladies are the shortlist and will be trained between January to March 2011. They represent 5 recruits from each of the 4 areas where the recruitments were held. 1. Jane Mwae from Bondeni 2. Constance Mwandaa from Talio 3. Grace…
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Rangers Recruitment Day 1 at Kajire, Sagalla Hill – 5 November 2010
By Lara Cowan – Office Manager – 5th November 2010 Wildlife Works Rangers Recruitment Day 1 at Kajire 5 November 2010 Total number of Community members participated 63. 22 of them were ladies! All participants completed the Race. The recruitment was held at Kajire to involve the communities of lower Sagalla: the people living in Ndara B and Kishamba B Community Ranches The start at Kajire town Our “First Lady” runner Mrs. Grace Vita Mwalumba – Congratulations to her! Below the WWC Rangers assisting in the placement of the Runners by the ACK church at Kajire town. The run took place through town past the Primary and Secondary schools.…
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Sagalla Hill Tree Planting Program December 2010
By Silvester Mkamaganga, Foresterer Wildlife Works Carbon- 5th December 2010 NAYIBINGI TREE PLANTING PROGRAM INTRODUCTION Nayibingi Sports Club is a registered self-help group. It is located in Sagalla Hill, Voi District in Kenya. It started as a football club for youth but has since then branched into in to other areas in order to meet the needs of the village youth such as education, environmental conservation, drama and theater and other issues affecting the community. Through Nayibingi leader Robert Mwangala, Wildlife Works Carbon managed to participate in a tree planting program in the Sagalla community for the purpose of environmental conservation. Objectives The main objective is of this program is…