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Three Elephant Rescues in One Day: the Product of Intensifying Tensions During a Period of Severe Drought
The reality of human-wildlife conflict is hitting home during the severe drought that most of Kenya is currently experiencing. The afternoon of 31st August 2022 was an intense day in the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project. While on their daily patrol, a team of rangers spotted RF1, one of the oldest and most distinctive female elephants within the project area. RF1 was spotted grazing with her 4 year-old calf with a large arrow stuck in her trunk, digging so deep that the arrow had split in half. The rangers immediately informed the Wildlife Works Head of Security, who alerted the aerial surveillance team, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Kenya Wildlife Service.…
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Wildlife Works Rangers Rescue Lion from Poacher’s Snare
By Jade Cizeau, Wildlife Works Intern Jade spent a day with Wildlife Works rangers and witnessed the rescuing of a lion from a poacher’s snare. This is her story. It all began as a ranger patrol day in Rukinga. Early in the morning, Wildlife Works’ Head Ranger Eric Sagwe drove down to camp to pick up the rangers who were on duty for the day. All ready in their uniforms, the rangers jumped at the back of the green Landcruiser ready for their patrol “Rangers daily patrols are crucial for conservation”, explained Eric. There are 103 rangers dispersed in various camps based in different locations within the project area. They…
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Baby Elephant Rescue
On November 2, 2016, our ground team received a call from a goat herdsman that a 5-year old elephant was roaming close to her farm alone for hours. Our Rangers immediately reported to the scene and called @dswt to arrange airlift transport to their Nairobi orphanage in a few hours time. Meanwhile, the rangers kept close eye on the baby girl elephant by keeping down wind and out of site as not to frighten her away. When it came time to prepare her for the transport, it took a team of 12 to secure her down as she struggled with fear of her capturers. After treating some minor wounds, we…
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Orphaned Baby Zebra Rescued
In the early morning hours of January 8, 2016, Maungu villagers found a six-week old zebra chasing traffic on Mombasa Road, as if it were its herd. They alerted Wildlife Works rangers, who collected the zebra and brought it to Wildlife Works Headquarters, where staff comforted her. Rob Dodson, Wildlife Works Vice-President, African Field Operations, and Joseph Safari, Wildlife Works Ranger, transported the zebra to the Kenya Wildlife Service/David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Voi Stockades for orphaned animals. The zebra was warmly greeted by the other curious stockade orphans, including an 18 month-old zebra, a young buffalo, and three elands. After her initial anxiety from the morning commotion wore off, the…
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The Rescue of Baby Elephant, Mackinnon
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust recently indicated that an orphaned elephant rescued from the Mackinnon region of our project area is thriving under their care. Mackinnon, as the young elephant has been nicknamed, had somehow become separated from his family and ventured out of the forest before coming upon the town of Mackinnon, which is known for hostility towards wildlife. Fortunately, that night the area chief came upon the stray elephant and immediately called our security department. Usually during such a scenario, plans are swiftly made in collaboration with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to airlift the elephant to an orphanage in Nairobi, but since night had fallen, the only…
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African Buffalo Rescue
African buffaloes, which are known to be among the most vicious and ruthless species in the animal kingdom, can be highly unpredictable. While few would risk their lives to get close to one of these beasts, the wildlife rangers at Rukinga Ranch were recently left with little choice when a female African Buffalo was discovered trapped in a water tank. Those who assisted in her rescue assume the unfortunate buffalo was accidently knocked off balance while its herd was drinking from the tank. With help from our team in the office, Wildlife Works rangers agreed that the most effective way to rescue the ill-fated buffalo was to fill the water…
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Orphan Elephant Rescued at Mgeno Ranch
While patrolling the sanctuary on September 24th, our rangers discovered an elephant calf lying helplessly near a watering hole. They approached it carefully, unsure of whether the animal was dead or alive. A closer observation revealed that the elephant was only about three weeks old, and possibly abandoned by its family. Hoping that the calf’s mother was out in search of food nearby and on her way back, the rangers decided to hide out and wait for her return. After about 30 minutes, with no sign of an adult elephant in the vicinity, the rangers determined that the calf had been abandoned. They alerted Eric, the head ranger, who advised…
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Rescued Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is an ancient species of forest antelope found in East Africa, the most primitive of all spiral-horned antelope. They live in dry thorn bush and forest, and are one of the many protected inhabitants of our Rukinga Sanctuary, Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project. Kudus, which range between 90 to 110 kg, are quite nimble; they can jump distances of more than 30 feet! Despite their agile nature, these beautiful creatures are on the decline due to illegal poaching, and have been marked as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). While patrolling the sanctuary on Sept 24th, a team of Wildlife…
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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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Missing 6-year-old Boy Found Alive by Wildlife Works Rangers
By Jane Okoth When 6-year-old Harisson Olui was sent to collect firewood, he never imagined the unthinkable would happen. When we visited his home, the young boy was shaken. This is because he had been missing for four days, lost in Rukinga sanctuary, stuck without food or clean water and certainly scared for his life. His discovery was a conclusion of a thorough rescue operation comprising of Wildlife Works rangers, the aerial surveillance team and his community members. Harrison comes from a pastoralist community in Msharinyi location, part of Wildlife Works’ project area. According to his mother Upendo Natengene, eight children including Harrison had gone to collect firewood in a…
