A HEAVILY PREGNANT ELEPHANT KILLED IN AMBOSELI

It takes 24 months to have a baby elephant, and just one day for a retard poacher to take its life and that of its mother… a heavily pregnant elephant killed in Amboseli yesterday. 

Via Amboseli Trust for Elephants: " A sad day in Amboseli- Yesterday we received report of an elephant spearing just outside the National Park, our team went out to ID the elephant and found that it was a member of the TD Family called Tanwira. She was only a young 14 year old female and heavily pregnant (see picture Tanwira lay at a far and the calf close), carrying her first calf who was only days away from being born. We found the calf and mother a short distance from one another, as hyenas had dragged the calf away from her womb. She died from a spear wound to the heart. The team from Big Life are working hard to capture those who carried out this vicious attack." Source: https://www.facebook.com/AmboseliElephant

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE STATEMENT ON STATUS OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

" March 18, 2014 - A suspected poacher was this morning (Monday March 18, 2014) at 1.45 am shot dead in Lake Nakuru National Park while two of his accomplices escaped. The body was taken to the mortuary in Nakuru and assorted weapons, including a bow, four poisoned arrows, spear and food, taken by police. 

Kenya Wildlife Service acting Director General Mr William Kiprono flew to the scene of crime in Lake Nakuru National Park where he addressed journalists and KWS staff. He was accompanied by Mr Francis Kirathe, County AP Commander, Mr Mohammed Birik the County Commissioner and Mr Mbogo County CID boss.

Mr Kiprono noted that Lake Nakuru was one of the most hit by poaching of rhinos, having lost four since the beginning of the year.  Vigilant KWS rangers responded swiftly and recovered horns from three of them while poachers took away one horn. 

At national level, 16 rhinos have been lost, with 13 killed by poachers and three due to natural causes. Last year, Kenya lost a total of 59 rhinos. Thirty elephants have been poached since January this year compared 302 elephants in the whole of last year (2013). These statistics point to an emerging appetite of rhinos horns for an estimated population of 1,036 in the country. However, there is a decline of elephant poaching numbers from 384 in 2012 to 302 elephants in 2013. 

KWS has laid out strategies to counter the runaway poaching for these species and general protection of all wildlife landscapes. KWS has created and equipped a Rapid Deployment Unit to provide support to ranger teams in areas thought to be highly vulnerable including conservancies that host endangered species. This team will join the inter-agency anti-poaching crack unit that was deployed in Narok, Tsavo and Isiolo. 

WILDLIFE POACHING IN KENYA 2014

This is Kenya; the alarming rate at which we are losing our heritage leaves a lot to be desired. As we speak, 2014 this year of our Lord has seen the loss of about 16rhinos and 10 elephants to poaching.

Friday 14th March 2014, in the evening, gun shots were heard, after their silence later the the following morning the worst was confirmed …Sheria, another male black rhino dead at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The incident has left me with more questions than answers. Anyone who has followed Ol Pejeta’s anti-poaching mechanisms will tell you that it’s one of the best if not best protected rhino sanctuaries in the world whose security is characterized by SAS-trained armed rangers, sniffer and attack dogs, military vehicles, helicopter and aircraft support. So, I’m not sure if this is a case of poachers getting smart in 2014 or that was an internal-cum-inside job by whoever God knows, but all I guess and assume is that rhinos are no longer safe in sanctuaries. Three suspected poachers were arrested.

New Wildlife Conservation and Management act:  To be frank, the new anti-poaching law doesn’t seem to be doing us any good if the most recent events in poaching circles in Kenya are to go by. Actually the only strength in that law is just a stiffer penalty of a 20 million Kenya Shilling fine ad a life jail term of a convicted offender. The penalties haven’t yet seen the light of day even after some deserving fellas were arrested in the previous recent past.

I don’t know whether its Kenya I’ll cry for as an estimated 120rhinos are expected to be lost this year if tables are not turned on poachers or it’s the people of Mzansi Im gonna weep for. South Africa is now on record having lost more than 100rhinos so far in the the year 2014.

The Silly Reality about Poaching in Kenya

• Like Drama, a fella the other day claimed to know exactly who the lead poaching cartels in Kenya are only referring to them as a ‘Governor’ form Rift Valley,  an ‘MP’ from Central Kenya and two ‘businesspeople.’ Nothing much has been heard of the same as I speak; only Buddha knows.
• Poaching has destroyed Elephant communities in Amboseli, Tsavo and other national parks.
• Poaching has reached a level where by it should be declared a national disaster but no one is willing to. 
• Poachers in Kenya have become so brave that they have mastered the art of striking in broad day light: - a case of Lake Nakuru National park whose story I have no time to tell at the moment.
• There is a new anti-poaching law whose stiff penalties include a life time jail term, and or a 20 Ksh. Million fine for a convicted offender. No culprit has tasted the full wrath of these penalties the one who came close to this was Tang Yong Jian, who pleaded guilty to being in possession of raw ivory valued at $6,000 after being arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport mid January. As of the time I was sober he was serving seven years after being unable to pay a $230,000 fine, I pray and hope he still is.  
• Thanks to poaching, there is a 100% likelihood that your children’s children will never get to see an elephant or rhino unless on picture in the next 15years to come.

ANOTHER ELEPHANT SHOT LAST NIGHT

Bonsai a 30 year-old-female Elephant was Saturday night (8th June,2013) shot by poachers at Buffalo Springs National Reserve. 

Save the Elephants posted "We're in shock at Save the Elephants at the loss of Bonsai. She was already from a shattered family whose matriarch, Ebony, was shot by poachers two years ago. Although she was still young Bonsai had taken over leadership of her group along with her sister Rosewood. The sisters had no other option. 

Bonsai leaves a three year-old (who was by her side when she was killed) and three more calves in the family. We think she was pregnant...Things have been moving in such a positive direction, but this new killing reminds us how there is to go. Please share widely - we need to keep up the momentum for change."

RiP Bonsai

 

IMRE LOEFLER LECTURE || BATTLE FOR THE ELEPHANTS BY DR PAULA KAHUMBU

Organised By The East African Wild Life Society & Karen Country Club || Wednesday 12th June 2013. Paula Kahumbu, the CEO of WildlifeDirect, heading the campaign to end the slaughter of Elephants across Africa by creating awareness, will first introduce the film. This hour-long film Battle for the Elephants explores the brutal slaughter of African elephants for their tusks, fueled largely by China’s demand for ivory. This groundbreaking National Geographic special goes undercover to expose the criminal network behind ivory's supply and demand.

It also demonstrates how the elephant, with its highly evolved society, keen intelligence, ability to communicate across vast distances and to love, remember and even mourn, is far more complex than ever imagined.

 

Time

6.30pm –Welcome glass of Wine

7.00pm – Lecture Start

8.30pm – Dinner

Charges

Lecture and Dinner – Kes.2200

Lecture – Kes. 1000

For more information contact:

EAWLS Rose Tel: 3874145 / 0722 202473

Email: rose.events@eawildlife.org

Karen Country Club Stephen Kifuso Tel: 38828012/2 or 0733 606950

Email: kifuso@karen.or.ke

 

A PREGNANT ELEPHANT LOSES LIFE TO POACHING

Another Elephant was killed by Poachers Saturday evening in Laikipia. The Pregnant elephant's unborn calf also died. Information posted by Space for Giants stated that, "We are very sorry to post this picture of one of Laikipia's precious young cow elephants who was was found yesterday, having succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during an attempted poaching incident last Saturday evening. Tragically she was heavily pregnant and her unborn calf who was due to be born any day now, also died. The Laikipia community policing initiative rapid response team & sniffer dogs arrived on the scene to track up the suspects at first light on Sunday morning but were unable to pick up any fresh scents. 

Picture by Anne Powys

The poachers and their backers remain at large.....While we are doing our very best to try and keep elephants secure in this part of the world, we need some help from those who could close the illegal markets in Asia, particulalry in China. In the meantime we will continue to work with the Kenya Wildlife Service, the police and our partners, Ol Pejeta, to bolster security for wildlife here. Sorry for sharing such shocking images but we feel Kenyans and the rest of world should know what is happening to our natural heritage to supply nonsensical trinkets to unsuspecting or poorly informed consumers in Asia." 

STOP THE TRADE!President of Kenya: Please Declare Poaching a National Disaster. Sign pettion here

ANOTHER BLACK RHINO LOSES LIFE TO POACHING

(Nanyuki, Kenya). As the triennial Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) drew to a close last week in Bangkok, and after conservationists all around the world sounded the alarm on rhino poaching, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy lost a female black rhino to poachers.

22year old  Upendo killed by poachers 13th March

On March 13^th, 2013, at approximately 6:20pm, gunshots were heard on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Our armed teams responded right away. During their deployment, they came face to face with four of the poachers, exchanged gunfire and it is believed that some of the poachers were wounded. However, in the end, the poachers got away. Our security team is currently working with the Kenya Police and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) anti-poaching unit to follow any possible leads to apprehend the culprits. READ MORE >>>