This video may have been filmed in 2002, but it’s timeless and continues to drive home the tragedy of poaching. Please click on the link for the video.
Please check out African Environmental Film Foundation’s site for additional information
The world’s wildlife need our support
There’s a reason why animals that are not traditional pets or farm animals are called wildlife. They are meant to stay wild. Not hoarded. Not bought for someone’s pleasure. Not stuffed in cages or paraded around in a circus. Not cooped up in zoos that are unable to provide for creatures needing immense acreage. Not dominated like inferior beings.
Leopard circa 1983 by Mary Purvis
Ohio’s scandalous shooting of way too many exotic animals gave us pause. It takes a tragedy such as this for state officials to realize that laws need to be in place in order to have dominion over humans who insist on acting out the wrong definition of dominion over wildlife.
Enactment of new laws will prevail, but it doesn’t solve the world’s wildlife crisis.
Africa’s poaching epidemic is now a catastrophe. Habitats around the world are disappearing for one reason or another. Human/wildlife conflicts are becoming common. The bushmeat trade is on the rise.
A group that has said enough to these issues and is gaining momentum is “Kenyans for Wildlife.” Originating in Nairobi, members are comprised of Kenyans and individuals from around the globe who care about Kenya’s wildlife heritage and are concerned about its precarious state.
Now that we’ve seen the occupation of Wall Street go global, perhaps it’s about time to start our own occupation – An international wildlife occupation.
The seed has been planted for an international wildlife movement. If we wait it’s too late.
There’s a reason why humans are collectively called mankind. We have an inherent kindness and capacity to care for the creatures we share this earth with, not eliminate them. They are counting on us.
To join Kenyans for Wildlife please go to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/kenyansforwildlife
Did the translocation of elephants into Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve backfire?
Translocation of elephants from Narok North into Maasai Mara was on the Kenya Wildlife Service’s (KWS) agenda during September. According to the KWS, as of a few days ago phase one is complete and a huge success.
But how does one define success when two of those elephants are now dead?
Near Mara Serena Lodge circa 1983
Increased human/wildlife conflict, which is an ongoing issue in Kenya, prompted the move. Information obtained from the KWS stated that 200 elephants had been cut off from the greater Mara ecosystem and were creating havoc in Narok North.
Over a ten year period a total of 9,299 human/wildlife conflict cases occurred in the area with 5,052 of those, or 54 percent, inflicted by elephants. So after continued monitoring by KWS researchers, the first 62 elephants were told to pack their bags.
The KWS loves to relocate wildlife – hippos from a Nairobi sewer treatment plant, hundreds of zebra and rhino into Meru National Park, a virtual revolving door of wildlife from one area to the next. Most of the time movements go as planned.
This time, over a two week period, a team of veterinarians, KWS officials and scientists tranquilized, then plucked the pachyderms by cranes placing them into moving vans.
Scientists are now monitoring the new transplants for any residual effects. Once they have decided the elephants are settling into their new home and the rains gone, phase two will begin.
But apparently, two elephants escaped the monitoring process, paid an unwelcome visit to their new neighbors in Kisii, west of Mara, and were promptly killed.
Is there no safe place for these creatures?
These days questions and controversy how to solve the poaching and human/wildlife conflicts are growing just as fast as the crises themselves. Solutions are few.
Backed by solid research, the KWS intentions are good, but are they just slapping a band aid on a multi-faceted problem that will never go away until stricter enforcement is in place on both sides?
I present these questions as this is a crisis. I would like to hear from you, what you think and feel about the state of wildlife in Kenya.
I have had to disable my comments box – too much spam – but you can find my contact information on the contact page as well as commenting on facebook.
This article was also posted on examiner.com
Posted in Kenya Wildlife Service
Tagged elephants, Kenya Wildlife Service, Maasai Mara
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This week something good happened for Kenya’s elephants
Kenya and six other African nations took an official stand against ivory poaching.
preparing ivory photo by Amos Rono
The Kenya Wildlife Service designated Monday as the first ever “African Elephant Law Enforcement Day” followed by an assortment of celebratory events that ended Wednesday with the torching of five tons of ivory in Tsavo West National Park.
As President Kibaki lit the cache of ivory, which included thousands upon thousands of hankos, he basically said that wildlife crimes of any kind will not be tolerated.
There is a correlation between the Chinese working on Kenya’s infrastructure and increased elephant poaching. Not that all Chinese are involved, but will Kenya care if their working relationship with China is in jeopardy as a result of their renewed warfare against wildlife crimes?
Or will politics get in the way?
Some experts have suggested stop the demand and ivory prices will plummet, then poachers are out of a job. Sounds great, but how does one stop the demand from Asian countries where the use of ivory has been imbedded in their culture for centuries and they’re not about to give up tradition?
For additional information regarding the ivory burn and Kibaki’s statement please check out my articles on examiner.com.
Links referenced in this article:
www.examiner.com/headlines-in-national/mary-purvis
Burning ivory photo by Paul Udoto KWS
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged elephants, ivory burn, Kenya Wildlife Service
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Elephant extermination
Once again, I hear about another massacre of elephants in Kenya. This time a family.
These poachers, these so-called humans cutting up elephants for ivory, destroying families, creating more orphans for Dame Daphne Sheldrick’s orphanage to take care of, should be caught and sent to the Middle East where justice is in-kind, harsh and final.
The reason why this pachyderm family was butchered was in retaliation for the arrest of these so-called humans’ “gang boss.”
elephant family circa 1982
So now these so-called humans are slaughtering wildlife in anger?
If this keeps up, whatever the Kenya Wildlife Service does will be in vain. Kenya needs tourism, but without wildlife the tourism industry will be gone. The country will sink into an abyss bigger than the Rift Valley.
Kenya needs to get a grip on what’s happening and soon. It already maybe too late.
I’ve written quite a few articles about this ongoing struggle in Kenya.
In my articles regarding East Africa, I’ve alluded to the fact that the Chinese have something to do with poaching. Then there’s the bushmeat trade, Kenyans and others out to make money. Most of the time, I’ve kept my opinion out of the article – the correct way to report – to write. I’ve conformed to “their” rules.
I’m done being nice and diplomatic. I’m fed up. I liken Kenya’s elephant extermination to the holocaust.
It’s deplorable.
The photo I have seen is too graphic to even post on this blog.
If you want to help and read more, please go to: the petitionsite.com and sign the petition.
The link referenced in this article: www.thepetitionsite.com/25/stop-the-cruelity
Posted in Wildlife
Tagged Kenya Wildlife Service, Meru National Park, poaching
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