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CHELTENHAM OSTEOPATH TREATS ELEPHANTS
Tony Nevin is used to making people more comfortable, but on a recent trip to Kenya he was given a jumbo task.
The Cheltenham osteopath has just returned from a ground-breaking mission to make the lives of Africa's big game more comfortable.
The 46-year-old, who runs practices in Cheltenham and Stroud, visited Kenya seven years ago and tried out his techniques on young elephants.
After a lot of planning, he returned with a group of six like-minded osteopaths and, in a world's first, they treated the effects of elephants becoming orphaned at a young age.
And not content with just the largest animal on the plains, this time he helped rhinos and giraffes too on his week-long trip.
A particularly poignant moment came after one of his former patients recognised him.
"For me, the best moment was meeting one of the elephants I treated seven years ago," he said.
"Wendy's now the matriarch of a group of orphans and when we saw her the keepers suggested that I call to her.
"She came plodding over and the keeper told me to take the tip of her trunk and blow gently into it, which I did, and she immediately started talking to me. That was the most magical experience for me.
"The last time I saw Wendy she was three weeks old, and things weren't looking good for her. We treated her for pneumonia and she was going to die. Now she's as tall as a door."
For a week, the group worked with staff from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, assessing and treating 56 elephants, three black rhinos and two giraffes at the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife breeding centre in Nairobi.
Time was also spent at the Nairobi elephant and rhino orphanage, then at the Trust's two pre-release sites in East Tsavo National Park.
"We treat a number of different problems, but often one of the issues is elephants being separated from their mothers," he said.
"The emotional aspect is a big part of it, but other than that they may have fallen into a watering hole or got stuck some- where.
"Initially, the treatment starts with a lot of observation, looking for any difference in movements.
"Then, after a while, you gently start touching them and feeling the quality of the soft tissue. Then you can gently rock even an adult elephant to find out if their movement is restricted.
"After that, you can start gently pressing the muscles or you can do things like gently turn the elephant's head, which creates an artificial slackness in the muscle. The results are great. They instantly start running around and wanting to play.
"Elephants are incredibly spiritual animals and we found that, after a while, they were picking which one of us they wanted to be treated by."
Tony lives above the practice in Allstone Croft in Cheltenham. He also has a practice at the Old Convent in Stroud and works at the Arvonia Animal Hospital in The Reddings.
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/Cheltenham-osteopath-treats-elephants/article-1422736-detail/article.html
ROW OVER ELEPHANT RELOCATION - BY CHRISPIN INAMBAO
WINDHOEK – A row has erupted between the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and Erindi Game Reserve over a request by the private game reserve for a permit to translocate 200 elephants.
The rationale behind Erindi’s application is to decongest the national parks whose jumbo-carrying capacity is stretched to the limit.
This has culminated in ele-phants straying from parks causing human suffering by devouring whole crop fields.
In some cases, stray elephants have trampled villagers while uprooting water infrastructure in their quest to find water.
If approved the purpose of the planned jumbo relocation could be two-fold: To promote tourism while the elephants’ appetite could help curtail bush encroachment.
Elephant populations have exploded because of restrictions on culling and the sale of elephant products imposed by CITES resulting in elephant numbers swelling to between 4 000 to 5 000 in Caprivi alone, while Etosha National Park has an estimated 2 000. These figures have resulted in the elephant-carrying capacity of the different habitats being overstretched. Consequently, this has worsened human/wildlife conflict.
Gert Joubert, co-owner and CEO of Erindi Private Game Reserve, says officials at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism seem nonchalant and have ignored a litany of applications to have elephants from either Caprivi or Etosha trans-located to the private game reserve to ease congestion in these parks.
Arguably, the largest privately-owned game reserve in Africa teeming with a staggering variety of game such as white and black rhino, giraffe, leopard, hippo and the rare brown hyena, Erindi says the reason it wants so many elephants is to boost tourism.
If the plan were to be given the greenlight, the elephants would not only lure tourists to the reserve but their massive appetite could help curtail bush encroachment prevalent at Erindi in Erongo.
If MET okays the plan appended with well-researched scientific documents, the 200 elephants could be trucked onto a piece of heavily vegetated land measuring 20 000 hectares that is enough to accommodate and feed 400 elephants.
But Joubert’s appeal to be granted a permit seems to have fallen on deaf ears despite the fact that a few years ago the same bureaucrats, upon inspection and being impressed by Erindi, readily okayed the translocation of various game including a small herd of elephants.
After a mountain of applications could not even induce letters of acknowledgment from MET, Erindi made an application to Sabi Sand Wildtuin in South Africa, which is a conglomeration of 35 game reserves that form one single entity of 55 000 hectares.
Interestingly, his application to have 200 elephants was accepted by Sabi Sand Wildtuin in the vicinity of the world-renowned Kruger National Park but MET has steadfastly thwarted this plan.
Gavin Hulett, representing Sabi Sand Wildtuin, had noted in his acceptance letter that since 1993, elephant numbers have risen from a meagre 60 to an excess of 1 400 during the last count in 2007.
“This puts the elephant density in SSW at nearly three times that of the Kruger National Park,” he said.
With this in mind, the Executive Committee of SSW undertook the decision to translocate approximately 500 elephants of which 200 would have been brought to Erindi had MET given the greenlight.
In late July, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, informed Erindi through its lawyers Van Der Westhuizen & Greef that Government Gazette No 4236 dated April 1, 2009 Notice No. 60 puts a moratorium on the issuing of permits for the import into Namibia of elephants.
Other animals listed are: Lion, leopard, cheetah, crocodile (captive bred), duiker, eland, giraffe, wild dog, hartebeest, kudu, oryx, springbok and steenbok.
“In view thereof, the ministry is therefore, not in a position to issue you with an import permit for the elephants,” Shangula had stated.
Yesterday, several efforts to get further clarification on this issue proved futile as both the PS and Ben Beytell, Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, as well as his deputy, Colgar Sikopo, were not immediately available for comment.
During a highly charged press conference Joubert said: “It’s time Swapo start kicking butt and kick-out dead wood in the civil service … Swapo will not lose an election on ideology, but they will lose by the counter-revolutionary actions and decisions of some of the bureaucrats and civil servants who are totally incompetent, and by bad service delivery which will sabotage the ruling party.”
His frustration stems from the fact that he has spent N$200 000 in legal fees coupled with numerous applications for permits and scientifically backed motivations with no end in sight to his predicament.
He also charged that MET officials are inaccessible.
Though New Era was unable to get official comment a senior MET official said the issue is so ‘sensitive’ that several meetings have already taken place between the Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and State House.
The source, who requested anonymity, said MET did not refuse Erindi’s proposal outright but had offered the reserve an offer to buy 200 elephants decleared “problem animals” at N$20 000 each.
These elephants would have come from Caprivi and from Mangetti Ranch where there were 60 such ‘problem animals’ but Erindi refused this offer saying such animals would bring it a problem.
In principle, MET bureaucracy have no qualms about Erindi’s proposal but it objects to plans to bring 200 elephants from South Africa when Namibia already has so many wild elephants.
The bone of contention is Erindi wants elephants from Etosha that tourist-friendly and not the wild bunch from areas where they are not accustomed to tourists and could instead imperil their lives.
http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=7470
Tony Nevin is used to making people more comfortable, but on a recent trip to Kenya he was given a jumbo task.
The Cheltenham osteopath has just returned from a ground-breaking mission to make the lives of Africa's big game more comfortable.
The 46-year-old, who runs practices in Cheltenham and Stroud, visited Kenya seven years ago and tried out his techniques on young elephants.
After a lot of planning, he returned with a group of six like-minded osteopaths and, in a world's first, they treated the effects of elephants becoming orphaned at a young age.
And not content with just the largest animal on the plains, this time he helped rhinos and giraffes too on his week-long trip.
A particularly poignant moment came after one of his former patients recognised him.
"For me, the best moment was meeting one of the elephants I treated seven years ago," he said.
"Wendy's now the matriarch of a group of orphans and when we saw her the keepers suggested that I call to her.
"She came plodding over and the keeper told me to take the tip of her trunk and blow gently into it, which I did, and she immediately started talking to me. That was the most magical experience for me.
"The last time I saw Wendy she was three weeks old, and things weren't looking good for her. We treated her for pneumonia and she was going to die. Now she's as tall as a door."
For a week, the group worked with staff from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, assessing and treating 56 elephants, three black rhinos and two giraffes at the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife breeding centre in Nairobi.
Time was also spent at the Nairobi elephant and rhino orphanage, then at the Trust's two pre-release sites in East Tsavo National Park.
"We treat a number of different problems, but often one of the issues is elephants being separated from their mothers," he said.
"The emotional aspect is a big part of it, but other than that they may have fallen into a watering hole or got stuck some- where.
"Initially, the treatment starts with a lot of observation, looking for any difference in movements.
"Then, after a while, you gently start touching them and feeling the quality of the soft tissue. Then you can gently rock even an adult elephant to find out if their movement is restricted.
"After that, you can start gently pressing the muscles or you can do things like gently turn the elephant's head, which creates an artificial slackness in the muscle. The results are great. They instantly start running around and wanting to play.
"Elephants are incredibly spiritual animals and we found that, after a while, they were picking which one of us they wanted to be treated by."
Tony lives above the practice in Allstone Croft in Cheltenham. He also has a practice at the Old Convent in Stroud and works at the Arvonia Animal Hospital in The Reddings.
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/Cheltenham-osteopath-treats-elephants/article-1422736-detail/article.html
ROW OVER ELEPHANT RELOCATION - BY CHRISPIN INAMBAO
WINDHOEK – A row has erupted between the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and Erindi Game Reserve over a request by the private game reserve for a permit to translocate 200 elephants.
The rationale behind Erindi’s application is to decongest the national parks whose jumbo-carrying capacity is stretched to the limit.
This has culminated in ele-phants straying from parks causing human suffering by devouring whole crop fields.
In some cases, stray elephants have trampled villagers while uprooting water infrastructure in their quest to find water.
If approved the purpose of the planned jumbo relocation could be two-fold: To promote tourism while the elephants’ appetite could help curtail bush encroachment.
Elephant populations have exploded because of restrictions on culling and the sale of elephant products imposed by CITES resulting in elephant numbers swelling to between 4 000 to 5 000 in Caprivi alone, while Etosha National Park has an estimated 2 000. These figures have resulted in the elephant-carrying capacity of the different habitats being overstretched. Consequently, this has worsened human/wildlife conflict.
Gert Joubert, co-owner and CEO of Erindi Private Game Reserve, says officials at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism seem nonchalant and have ignored a litany of applications to have elephants from either Caprivi or Etosha trans-located to the private game reserve to ease congestion in these parks.
Arguably, the largest privately-owned game reserve in Africa teeming with a staggering variety of game such as white and black rhino, giraffe, leopard, hippo and the rare brown hyena, Erindi says the reason it wants so many elephants is to boost tourism.
If the plan were to be given the greenlight, the elephants would not only lure tourists to the reserve but their massive appetite could help curtail bush encroachment prevalent at Erindi in Erongo.
If MET okays the plan appended with well-researched scientific documents, the 200 elephants could be trucked onto a piece of heavily vegetated land measuring 20 000 hectares that is enough to accommodate and feed 400 elephants.
But Joubert’s appeal to be granted a permit seems to have fallen on deaf ears despite the fact that a few years ago the same bureaucrats, upon inspection and being impressed by Erindi, readily okayed the translocation of various game including a small herd of elephants.
After a mountain of applications could not even induce letters of acknowledgment from MET, Erindi made an application to Sabi Sand Wildtuin in South Africa, which is a conglomeration of 35 game reserves that form one single entity of 55 000 hectares.
Interestingly, his application to have 200 elephants was accepted by Sabi Sand Wildtuin in the vicinity of the world-renowned Kruger National Park but MET has steadfastly thwarted this plan.
Gavin Hulett, representing Sabi Sand Wildtuin, had noted in his acceptance letter that since 1993, elephant numbers have risen from a meagre 60 to an excess of 1 400 during the last count in 2007.
“This puts the elephant density in SSW at nearly three times that of the Kruger National Park,” he said.
With this in mind, the Executive Committee of SSW undertook the decision to translocate approximately 500 elephants of which 200 would have been brought to Erindi had MET given the greenlight.
In late July, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, informed Erindi through its lawyers Van Der Westhuizen & Greef that Government Gazette No 4236 dated April 1, 2009 Notice No. 60 puts a moratorium on the issuing of permits for the import into Namibia of elephants.
Other animals listed are: Lion, leopard, cheetah, crocodile (captive bred), duiker, eland, giraffe, wild dog, hartebeest, kudu, oryx, springbok and steenbok.
“In view thereof, the ministry is therefore, not in a position to issue you with an import permit for the elephants,” Shangula had stated.
Yesterday, several efforts to get further clarification on this issue proved futile as both the PS and Ben Beytell, Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, as well as his deputy, Colgar Sikopo, were not immediately available for comment.
During a highly charged press conference Joubert said: “It’s time Swapo start kicking butt and kick-out dead wood in the civil service … Swapo will not lose an election on ideology, but they will lose by the counter-revolutionary actions and decisions of some of the bureaucrats and civil servants who are totally incompetent, and by bad service delivery which will sabotage the ruling party.”
His frustration stems from the fact that he has spent N$200 000 in legal fees coupled with numerous applications for permits and scientifically backed motivations with no end in sight to his predicament.
He also charged that MET officials are inaccessible.
Though New Era was unable to get official comment a senior MET official said the issue is so ‘sensitive’ that several meetings have already taken place between the Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and State House.
The source, who requested anonymity, said MET did not refuse Erindi’s proposal outright but had offered the reserve an offer to buy 200 elephants decleared “problem animals” at N$20 000 each.
These elephants would have come from Caprivi and from Mangetti Ranch where there were 60 such ‘problem animals’ but Erindi refused this offer saying such animals would bring it a problem.
In principle, MET bureaucracy have no qualms about Erindi’s proposal but it objects to plans to bring 200 elephants from South Africa when Namibia already has so many wild elephants.
The bone of contention is Erindi wants elephants from Etosha that tourist-friendly and not the wild bunch from areas where they are not accustomed to tourists and could instead imperil their lives.
http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=7470
ZIMBABWE: ZAMBIAN POACHER SHOT
Harare — A Zambian poacher was shot and killed while three others were arrested after a gun battle with National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers at Charara National Park near Sanyati Gorge on Monday evening.
Parks also recovered a motorised boat, an AK47 rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition and 365 kilogrammes of elephant meat from the poachers.
On Wednesday, Parks director-general Dr Morris Mutsambiwa said Billy Kanwell (30) of Kangelele Village, Siavonga in Zambia was killed at Sanyati Gorge by Parks rangers at around 7pm.
"Three of his accomplices, Amonga Daniel (35), Victor Sibangwe (32) and Robert Musonda Mwenda (24) all of Siavonga in Zambia were captured and arrested.
"Two Parks rangers, stationed at Charara Safari Area and Tashinga National Parks were on patrol when they came across an elephant carcass which was fairly fresh.
"They carried out general patrols around the vicinity of the carcass but they failed to locate the poachers. They then laid an ambush near the carcass and at about 7pm they heard a motorised boat approaching and four people disembarked from the boat and headed straight to the place where the elephant carcass was," said Dr Mutsambiwa. He said the unsuspecting poachers were ordered to surrender but refused and even fired at the rangers.
"One of the poachers was armed with an AK47 rifle. The rangers then challenged the poachers to surrender but when they resisted, they opened fire, killing Kanwell instantly. The other poachers then succumbed to pressure from the firepower and surrendered," he said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910090011.html
Harare — A Zambian poacher was shot and killed while three others were arrested after a gun battle with National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers at Charara National Park near Sanyati Gorge on Monday evening.
Parks also recovered a motorised boat, an AK47 rifle, 300 rounds of ammunition and 365 kilogrammes of elephant meat from the poachers.
On Wednesday, Parks director-general Dr Morris Mutsambiwa said Billy Kanwell (30) of Kangelele Village, Siavonga in Zambia was killed at Sanyati Gorge by Parks rangers at around 7pm.
"Three of his accomplices, Amonga Daniel (35), Victor Sibangwe (32) and Robert Musonda Mwenda (24) all of Siavonga in Zambia were captured and arrested.
"Two Parks rangers, stationed at Charara Safari Area and Tashinga National Parks were on patrol when they came across an elephant carcass which was fairly fresh.
"They carried out general patrols around the vicinity of the carcass but they failed to locate the poachers. They then laid an ambush near the carcass and at about 7pm they heard a motorised boat approaching and four people disembarked from the boat and headed straight to the place where the elephant carcass was," said Dr Mutsambiwa. He said the unsuspecting poachers were ordered to surrender but refused and even fired at the rangers.
"One of the poachers was armed with an AK47 rifle. The rangers then challenged the poachers to surrender but when they resisted, they opened fire, killing Kanwell instantly. The other poachers then succumbed to pressure from the firepower and surrendered," he said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910090011.html
ELEPHANT POACHER KILLED IN ZIMBABWE, 3 OTHERS ARRESTED
After a gun battle in Charara National park near Sanyati Gorge, park rangers shot and killed an elephant poacher, arrested three accomplices - and recovered an AK-47 rifle.
While out on patrol, two rangers stationed at Charara Safari Area and Tashinga National Parks came across the carcass of an elephant, who appeared to have been recently killed. As their regular rounds did not turn up any suspects, they decided to wait in ambush near the elephant’s carcass.
http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/elephant-poacher-killed-in-zimbabwe-3-others-arrested/
http://ecoworldly.com/2009/10/09/elephant-poacher-killed-in-zimbabwe-3-others-arrested/
NAMIBIA: STOLEN SOLAR PANELS AT WATER POINT FORCE ELEPHANTS INTO SETTLEMENTS
THEFT of solar panels from a water point for elephants in the Etosha National Park has forced a small herd to search for water among human settlements in the past few days and one of them killed a person near Ruacana on Wednesday night.
Joseph Hamukwaya, a resident of Oshifo near Ruacana, was apparently on his way home when he was killed by the elephant, Ruacana Councillor Lazarus Kornelius told The Namibian yesterday.
Kornelius said nature conservation officials killed the elephant.
In a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said: "I must point out however that circumstances forced the elephants to leave their area in search for water as five months ago solar panels at a water point for them were stolen.
"Our Ministry replaced the panels less than a month ago, but they were stolen again, forcing the elephants to search for water elsewhere.
"Another issue is that many people have not seen elephants before and are attracted by them. Our officials reported that a group of about 30 people surrounded the elephants looking at them. People must stay away from wild animals, especially elephants, and not disturb them and neither destroy the infrastructure set up for them," Ndaitwah appealed.
A group of seven elephants searched for water in the Onesi and Ruacana constituencies on Tuesday.
The regional councillor for the Onesi Constituency, Fillemon Jatileni, told Nampa news agency that "the elephants were not aggressive at the time they moved here, and we believe they are looking for drinking water in the area. Therefore, I am calling on community members not to provoke them".
According to Jatileni, three of the elephants arrived at the Etunda irrigation project near Ruacana, where they were seen eating pumpkins on Wednesday afternoon, Nampa reported.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910090492.html
THEFT of solar panels from a water point for elephants in the Etosha National Park has forced a small herd to search for water among human settlements in the past few days and one of them killed a person near Ruacana on Wednesday night.
Joseph Hamukwaya, a resident of Oshifo near Ruacana, was apparently on his way home when he was killed by the elephant, Ruacana Councillor Lazarus Kornelius told The Namibian yesterday.
Kornelius said nature conservation officials killed the elephant.
In a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said: "I must point out however that circumstances forced the elephants to leave their area in search for water as five months ago solar panels at a water point for them were stolen.
"Our Ministry replaced the panels less than a month ago, but they were stolen again, forcing the elephants to search for water elsewhere.
"Another issue is that many people have not seen elephants before and are attracted by them. Our officials reported that a group of about 30 people surrounded the elephants looking at them. People must stay away from wild animals, especially elephants, and not disturb them and neither destroy the infrastructure set up for them," Ndaitwah appealed.
A group of seven elephants searched for water in the Onesi and Ruacana constituencies on Tuesday.
The regional councillor for the Onesi Constituency, Fillemon Jatileni, told Nampa news agency that "the elephants were not aggressive at the time they moved here, and we believe they are looking for drinking water in the area. Therefore, I am calling on community members not to provoke them".
According to Jatileni, three of the elephants arrived at the Etunda irrigation project near Ruacana, where they were seen eating pumpkins on Wednesday afternoon, Nampa reported.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910090492.html
RAIN FOREST FRESH: ELEPHANT CAR WASH IS GIANT SUCCESS FOR PARK
By Peter Kenter, Canwest News Service
Looking to generate additional revenue, the Wildlife Safari park of Winston, Ore. uses a trio of African elephants to wash cars.
For US$20, the pachyderms use their trunks to blast vehicles with about 12 litres of water, followed by a dainty sponging and rinse. The elephant wash has proved so popular that the park has generated almost US$40,000 since the service was first offered in the spring.
The five-tonne toddlers like to be kept busy, says Dinah Wilson, elephant manager at the park, and they enjoy the positive reinforcement they get for their efforts.
``They've each developed their own washing styles,'' she says. ``One blows the water really hard, the other tends to fling it all on the roof, while George takes a big trunkful of water and throws it at the car with full force. The people inside the vehicle really enjoy it.''
Canwest News Service
http://www.canada.com/Rain+forest+fresh+Elephant+wash+giant+success+park/2082630/story.html
By Peter Kenter, Canwest News Service
Looking to generate additional revenue, the Wildlife Safari park of Winston, Ore. uses a trio of African elephants to wash cars.
For US$20, the pachyderms use their trunks to blast vehicles with about 12 litres of water, followed by a dainty sponging and rinse. The elephant wash has proved so popular that the park has generated almost US$40,000 since the service was first offered in the spring.
The five-tonne toddlers like to be kept busy, says Dinah Wilson, elephant manager at the park, and they enjoy the positive reinforcement they get for their efforts.
``They've each developed their own washing styles,'' she says. ``One blows the water really hard, the other tends to fling it all on the roof, while George takes a big trunkful of water and throws it at the car with full force. The people inside the vehicle really enjoy it.''
Canwest News Service
http://www.canada.com/Rain+forest+fresh+Elephant+wash+giant+success+park/2082630/story.html
ALARMS IN AFRICA FOR CYCLING PAIR
By Steffan Rhys, South Wales Echo
THEY have been chased by elephants in Botswana, terrified by bush fires in Zambia and mauled by tsetse flies in Tanzania.
But a doctor and his wife, who are cycling 7,500 miles from South Africa to Cardiff, have reached a major milestone in their epic journey.
Rob and Polly Summerhayes, both 28, set off from KwaZulu-Natal on June 15 and aim to finish in Cardiff – where they lived for eight years before getting jobs in South Africa two years ago – a year later.
Their mammoth trip is to raise funds to buy a 4x4 vehicle for a charity for which Polly works that supports vulnerable children – mainly Aids orphans – in remote areas of Zululand.
The rest of the money will go towards buying around 120 “hippo rollers”, which prevent women and children developing chronic back and neck problems from carrying 25-litre water drums on their head.
Now some 3,000 miles in – mainly covered on dirt and gravel roads – the couple have arrived in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, where they aim to work in a rural hospital for the next three months.
On the way, they have taken refuge from searing 42.5ºC heat in the crystal waters of the world’s longest lake, Tanganyika, and been stared at in wonderment by local children. But some locals have not been so friendly.
“We had an introduction to the infamous tsetse fly,” said Rob.
“Careering down a steep rocky track I felt a terrible sharp prick in my butt – then another and another. The flies are the size of an English horsefly but much quicker and more robust.
“They have no trouble biting through clothes. You’ll never be fast enough to swat one, which is a pointless exercise anyway as they are crush proof. The locals say the only way to kill them is to pull the head off the body.”
Meanwhile, one of their hairiest moments came on the Okavango in Botswana.
“I was in the lead when I heard Pol exclaim ‘Elephant’,” said Rob.
“I looked into the bush and there he was – a huge tusker two to three metres off the road 15-20 metres ahead. I screeched to a halt which startled him and he careered off into the bush.
“I swung the bike round and started pedalling when Pol screamed ‘Quick Rob, he’s coming for you.’ I looked over my shoulder and there he was – coming back onto the road, full speed, tail bolt upright and looking angry.
“We pedalled fast and he didn’t pursue us far.”
After the scare, the couple decided to hitch the last few miles to their breakfast stop.
“Standing by the road waiting for a lift, every rustle of leaves and movement out the corner of our eyes seemed like another elephant,” said Rob.
Eventually the couple were picked up in an empty school bus driven by a school principal.
“From the school bus we saw that the elephant we ran into was on the edge of a big family group with small babies, either side of the road. We definitely made the right decision to hitch,” added Rob.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/10/07/alarms-in-africa-for-cycling-pair-91466-24867639/#
MORE WOMEN SHOULD TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE’
By Harold Ayodo
A charging elephant almost ended her life barely a year after she was employed as a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) ranger over a decade ago.
Ms Grace Kariuki was deep inside Mt Kenya National Park on official duty when she encountered the animal, towering over her at over 11 feet and weighing about 62 tonnes.
She had just been enlisted as a ranger by the KWS and had to make a decision between killing the rogue elephant and letting it trample her.
"I trembled as I aimed my gun towards its head, but on second thought I remembered I was trained to protect it," Kariuki says.
The thought that at 23 she was the only female ranger on the assignment did not shake her.
"It was a scary experience, but the tactics I learnt on calming a charging elephant came in handy before my counterparts joined me," Kariuki says.
She overcame near similar experiences with rhinos, hippos and baboons during her seven years as a ranger at Mt Kenya National Park.
"Every experience made me more brave as I sort of developed a way to communicate with the wildlife," she says.
Kariuki, who has since risen through the ranks to be the KWS Tsavo East National Park Warden in Charge of Education, overcame insurmountable challenges on her way up. "My other tough assignments entailed tracking down armed poachers who endangered the African elephant in 1992," Kariuki says.
Dealing with poachers was difficult, as they had advanced their tactics, which included hunting the animals at night for their lucrative tusks.
"I was among the rangers who were on call to track down poachers late in the night and confiscate the tusks," she says.
Wildlife flagship
Elephant population reduced from 167,000 in 1973 to less than 16,000 in 1990 following massive poaching. However, latest figures from KWS show an upsurge in population over the last two years — from 47 in 2007 to 145 last year and 116 from January to July, this year.
"I feel happy when statistics of increased population of elephants are made public as I know what KWS went through to salvage the endangered animals," Kariuki says.
KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich recently said elephants remain the flagship of our wildlife and must be conserved at all costs.
Kariuki does not look at herself as a woman curving a niche in a profession believed to be a preserve of men.
"We underwent the same paramilitary training at Manyani Field Training School and I excelled before my first posting," she says.
Her bravery may be the reason her seniors preferred her on the frontline of challenging assignments, which she accomplished.
"I knew that I was on duty and my male counterparts never treated me as a lesser being, which encouraged me," Kariuki says.
She was promoted to assistant warden nine years ago in Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Malindi before she involved communities in a series of conservation education.
longer route
She says KWS Assistant Director, a Mr Njue, inspired her professionally by putting her in charge of organising patrols across the Indian Ocean.
Kariuki says her attitude changes immediately she dons her official uniform, arguing her oath is to protect wildlife.
"I wanted to be a teacher as a pupil at Sirimon Primary School and student at Ngenia Secondary before nature came calling," she says.
Domestic chores
Kariuki is, however, happy that her new job as warden in charge of education entails teaching students and the community on conservation of wildlife.
"I still became a teacher although I followed a longer and challenging route before reaching where I am today," she adds.
She lectures communities on the importance of nature and conservation and has even set up an education centre at Tsavo East National Park.
"Students can come to the centre and spend nights at affordable rates as we have the facilities," Kariuki says.
She says her aim is to bring students on board on issues of wildlife conservation to make them spread the word.
"The youth are important in conservation of flora and fauna. Our facilities are strictly for their education," Kariuki says.
And being in the wild does not exempt her from domestic chores faced by most modern women.
"I have to perform a balancing act between my job in the wild and duties and responsibilities at home as a mother," Kariuki says.
She also believes that experience alone without education is not enough for upward mobility in modern professions.
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144025832&cid=4#
By Steffan Rhys, South Wales Echo
THEY have been chased by elephants in Botswana, terrified by bush fires in Zambia and mauled by tsetse flies in Tanzania.
But a doctor and his wife, who are cycling 7,500 miles from South Africa to Cardiff, have reached a major milestone in their epic journey.
Rob and Polly Summerhayes, both 28, set off from KwaZulu-Natal on June 15 and aim to finish in Cardiff – where they lived for eight years before getting jobs in South Africa two years ago – a year later.
Their mammoth trip is to raise funds to buy a 4x4 vehicle for a charity for which Polly works that supports vulnerable children – mainly Aids orphans – in remote areas of Zululand.
The rest of the money will go towards buying around 120 “hippo rollers”, which prevent women and children developing chronic back and neck problems from carrying 25-litre water drums on their head.
Now some 3,000 miles in – mainly covered on dirt and gravel roads – the couple have arrived in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, where they aim to work in a rural hospital for the next three months.
On the way, they have taken refuge from searing 42.5ºC heat in the crystal waters of the world’s longest lake, Tanganyika, and been stared at in wonderment by local children. But some locals have not been so friendly.
“We had an introduction to the infamous tsetse fly,” said Rob.
“Careering down a steep rocky track I felt a terrible sharp prick in my butt – then another and another. The flies are the size of an English horsefly but much quicker and more robust.
“They have no trouble biting through clothes. You’ll never be fast enough to swat one, which is a pointless exercise anyway as they are crush proof. The locals say the only way to kill them is to pull the head off the body.”
Meanwhile, one of their hairiest moments came on the Okavango in Botswana.
“I was in the lead when I heard Pol exclaim ‘Elephant’,” said Rob.
“I looked into the bush and there he was – a huge tusker two to three metres off the road 15-20 metres ahead. I screeched to a halt which startled him and he careered off into the bush.
“I swung the bike round and started pedalling when Pol screamed ‘Quick Rob, he’s coming for you.’ I looked over my shoulder and there he was – coming back onto the road, full speed, tail bolt upright and looking angry.
“We pedalled fast and he didn’t pursue us far.”
After the scare, the couple decided to hitch the last few miles to their breakfast stop.
“Standing by the road waiting for a lift, every rustle of leaves and movement out the corner of our eyes seemed like another elephant,” said Rob.
Eventually the couple were picked up in an empty school bus driven by a school principal.
“From the school bus we saw that the elephant we ran into was on the edge of a big family group with small babies, either side of the road. We definitely made the right decision to hitch,” added Rob.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/10/07/alarms-in-africa-for-cycling-pair-91466-24867639/#
MORE WOMEN SHOULD TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE’
By Harold Ayodo
A charging elephant almost ended her life barely a year after she was employed as a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) ranger over a decade ago.
Ms Grace Kariuki was deep inside Mt Kenya National Park on official duty when she encountered the animal, towering over her at over 11 feet and weighing about 62 tonnes.
She had just been enlisted as a ranger by the KWS and had to make a decision between killing the rogue elephant and letting it trample her.
"I trembled as I aimed my gun towards its head, but on second thought I remembered I was trained to protect it," Kariuki says.
The thought that at 23 she was the only female ranger on the assignment did not shake her.
"It was a scary experience, but the tactics I learnt on calming a charging elephant came in handy before my counterparts joined me," Kariuki says.
She overcame near similar experiences with rhinos, hippos and baboons during her seven years as a ranger at Mt Kenya National Park.
"Every experience made me more brave as I sort of developed a way to communicate with the wildlife," she says.
Kariuki, who has since risen through the ranks to be the KWS Tsavo East National Park Warden in Charge of Education, overcame insurmountable challenges on her way up. "My other tough assignments entailed tracking down armed poachers who endangered the African elephant in 1992," Kariuki says.
Dealing with poachers was difficult, as they had advanced their tactics, which included hunting the animals at night for their lucrative tusks.
"I was among the rangers who were on call to track down poachers late in the night and confiscate the tusks," she says.
Wildlife flagship
Elephant population reduced from 167,000 in 1973 to less than 16,000 in 1990 following massive poaching. However, latest figures from KWS show an upsurge in population over the last two years — from 47 in 2007 to 145 last year and 116 from January to July, this year.
"I feel happy when statistics of increased population of elephants are made public as I know what KWS went through to salvage the endangered animals," Kariuki says.
KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich recently said elephants remain the flagship of our wildlife and must be conserved at all costs.
Kariuki does not look at herself as a woman curving a niche in a profession believed to be a preserve of men.
"We underwent the same paramilitary training at Manyani Field Training School and I excelled before my first posting," she says.
Her bravery may be the reason her seniors preferred her on the frontline of challenging assignments, which she accomplished.
"I knew that I was on duty and my male counterparts never treated me as a lesser being, which encouraged me," Kariuki says.
She was promoted to assistant warden nine years ago in Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Malindi before she involved communities in a series of conservation education.
longer route
She says KWS Assistant Director, a Mr Njue, inspired her professionally by putting her in charge of organising patrols across the Indian Ocean.
Kariuki says her attitude changes immediately she dons her official uniform, arguing her oath is to protect wildlife.
"I wanted to be a teacher as a pupil at Sirimon Primary School and student at Ngenia Secondary before nature came calling," she says.
Domestic chores
Kariuki is, however, happy that her new job as warden in charge of education entails teaching students and the community on conservation of wildlife.
"I still became a teacher although I followed a longer and challenging route before reaching where I am today," she adds.
She lectures communities on the importance of nature and conservation and has even set up an education centre at Tsavo East National Park.
"Students can come to the centre and spend nights at affordable rates as we have the facilities," Kariuki says.
She says her aim is to bring students on board on issues of wildlife conservation to make them spread the word.
"The youth are important in conservation of flora and fauna. Our facilities are strictly for their education," Kariuki says.
And being in the wild does not exempt her from domestic chores faced by most modern women.
"I have to perform a balancing act between my job in the wild and duties and responsibilities at home as a mother," Kariuki says.
She also believes that experience alone without education is not enough for upward mobility in modern professions.
http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144025832&cid=4#
ELEPHANT DIES OF OLD AGE
Cape Town - The elephant cow that provoked an outcry from an animal rights group when it was spotted, apparently distressed and in pain, on an Mpumalanga game reserve's live webcam a fortnight ago, has died.
"The elephant cow died yesterday [Sunday] afternoon of natural causes, i.e. old age," Djuma Private Game Reserve owner Jurie Moolman told Sapa in an e-mail on Monday.
The cow, which last week managed to rejoin its herd, had been at the end of its natural life, with her last set of teeth worn to the point of not being able to chew her food.
Looking out for her calf
"She kept up with the herd, and it is difficult not to think that she had one last thing to do before she died - ensuring that her calf was accepted into the herd. Her calf is with the herd and seems to be doing well.
"Hopefully this is a lesson to us all about interfering; we should not, unless humans caused the suffering," Moolman said.
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves that make up the 65 000 hectare Sabi Sand Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday last week, the group Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant.
According to the group, the elephant was suffering with what appeared to be birth complications.
The Sabi Sand Reserve has a "policy of non-intervention when it comes to animals in distress not caused by humans", but its ecological committee decided to take action in this case.
Could not chew food
When the animal was found by rangers, it was seen to be suffering from old age and constipation.
"It was determined that she is very old - so old that her teeth are too worn for her to masticate her food properly, and thus a bolus of unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal," Moolman said at the time.
At one point there were plans to euthanise the elephant, but it was granted a reprieve when it rejoined its herd. It was closely monitored over the past week.
The cow - which has a three-year-old calf - was estimated to be between 50 and 60 years of age, an advanced age for an elephant.
Moolman reported the calf was no longer suckling and should have no problems surviving without its mother.
African elephants, the world's largest land mammals, die more often of starvation than old age.
They go through five sets of teeth in their lives, but once these are gone - worn away by the up to 250kg of bark, leaves and twigs an adult elephant chews its way through in a day - they are no longer able to eat.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/5ea1e2eb7d144999ae49e025a9831866/05-10-2009-10-05/Elephant_dies_of_old_age#
Cape Town - The elephant cow that provoked an outcry from an animal rights group when it was spotted, apparently distressed and in pain, on an Mpumalanga game reserve's live webcam a fortnight ago, has died.
"The elephant cow died yesterday [Sunday] afternoon of natural causes, i.e. old age," Djuma Private Game Reserve owner Jurie Moolman told Sapa in an e-mail on Monday.
The cow, which last week managed to rejoin its herd, had been at the end of its natural life, with her last set of teeth worn to the point of not being able to chew her food.
Looking out for her calf
"She kept up with the herd, and it is difficult not to think that she had one last thing to do before she died - ensuring that her calf was accepted into the herd. Her calf is with the herd and seems to be doing well.
"Hopefully this is a lesson to us all about interfering; we should not, unless humans caused the suffering," Moolman said.
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves that make up the 65 000 hectare Sabi Sand Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday last week, the group Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant.
According to the group, the elephant was suffering with what appeared to be birth complications.
The Sabi Sand Reserve has a "policy of non-intervention when it comes to animals in distress not caused by humans", but its ecological committee decided to take action in this case.
Could not chew food
When the animal was found by rangers, it was seen to be suffering from old age and constipation.
"It was determined that she is very old - so old that her teeth are too worn for her to masticate her food properly, and thus a bolus of unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal," Moolman said at the time.
At one point there were plans to euthanise the elephant, but it was granted a reprieve when it rejoined its herd. It was closely monitored over the past week.
The cow - which has a three-year-old calf - was estimated to be between 50 and 60 years of age, an advanced age for an elephant.
Moolman reported the calf was no longer suckling and should have no problems surviving without its mother.
African elephants, the world's largest land mammals, die more often of starvation than old age.
They go through five sets of teeth in their lives, but once these are gone - worn away by the up to 250kg of bark, leaves and twigs an adult elephant chews its way through in a day - they are no longer able to eat.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/5ea1e2eb7d144999ae49e025a9831866/05-10-2009-10-05/Elephant_dies_of_old_age#
IVORY TRAFFICKERS 'HELD IN C.AFRICAN REPUBLIC'
(AFP)
LIBREVILLE — Police detained two major ivory traffickers in the Central African Republic as a part of a joint operation with animal rights activists, two groups announced Monday.
The arrests were the first of their kind in the African nation since it passed a wildlife protection law in the 1980s, said Ofir Drori, director of the Cameroon-based group The Last Great Ape which announced the arrests with the World Wildlife Fund.
One woman had 157 ivory objects weighing more than 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) in her home in Bangui, the groups said in a statement.
The other trafficker was detained in a Bangui hotel Friday as he was "trying to sell 14 ivory objects, hippopotamus teeth and a panther skin," said the statement.
The two could face up to a year in jail if found guilty.
"They had several decades of experience between them and were said to be at the centre of an international ivory trafficking network," the statement said.
Illegal poaching threatens the elephant with extinction, animal protection groups say, despite the ivory trade being banned by a 1989 international agreement.
Experts say some 38,000 African elephants are killed each year for their tusks.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g0Wuulc-NC1NTtKziWO3X1P-gZiQ
The arrests were the first of their kind in the African nation since it passed a wildlife protection law in the 1980s, said Ofir Drori, director of the Cameroon-based group The Last Great Ape which announced the arrests with the World Wildlife Fund.
One woman had 157 ivory objects weighing more than 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) in her home in Bangui, the groups said in a statement.
The other trafficker was detained in a Bangui hotel Friday as he was "trying to sell 14 ivory objects, hippopotamus teeth and a panther skin," said the statement.
The two could face up to a year in jail if found guilty.
"They had several decades of experience between them and were said to be at the centre of an international ivory trafficking network," the statement said.
Illegal poaching threatens the elephant with extinction, animal protection groups say, despite the ivory trade being banned by a 1989 international agreement.
Experts say some 38,000 African elephants are killed each year for their tusks.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g0Wuulc-NC1NTtKziWO3X1P-gZiQ
CAMEROON: INTENSIVE FIGHT AGAINST WILDLIFE CRIMINALITY IN DJA RESERVE
Vincent Gudmia Mfonfu
A wildlife trafficker has been arrested in Bissombo, Bengbis in the South Region. He was arrested in possession of a live chimpanzee, elephant parts and chimpanzee skulls, some of which were still fresh, implying that the animals had just been killed to obtain those parts for illegal trade.
The animals are suspected to have been captured or killed within the Dja Reserve which stretches from the South to the East Regions. Wildlife law enforcement authorities in that Region have established a case file against the trafficker who is now behind bars. The live chimpanzee was taken to the Mefou National Park in the Centre Region by the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF) management where it is receiving veterinary and feeding care.
Before this recent arrest a trafficker with a long history of illegal killing of elephants had been arrested around the Dja Reserve area in Somalomo, Messamena in the Upper Nyong Division of the East Region. The trafficker was found in possession of the trunk of a young elephant and other elephant parts.
The operations that led to the arrest of these traffickers were carried out by the East and South Regional Delegations of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Forces of Law and Order, the Upper Nyong Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife and the Judiciary. These operations are in consonant with the on-going nation-wide programme on wildlife law enforcement launched by government in 2003 with technical assistance from The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA) which aims at bringing violators of the 1994 wildlife law to justice amidst wide media coverage to create deterrence in wildlife crime which hitherto has been a missing ingredient in the conservation formula in Africa South of the Sahara.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry of Forestry and Wildlife is now in a renewed alert mode to track down and sanction, all those trafficking in wildlife species totally protected by the law of 1994 governing the wildlife sector in Cameroon. The law stipulates that anyone found in possession of part of dead or live protected wildlife species is liable to a prison term of up to 3 years and or payment of a fine of up to 10 million CFA francs. The effective enforcement of this law has made Cameroon to be seen by the international community as a world leader in wildlife conservation. "Cameroon is seen more and more by the international community as a land of wildlife conservation where the wildlife law and policy are good and well balanced", states Professor Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010512.html
Vincent Gudmia Mfonfu
A wildlife trafficker has been arrested in Bissombo, Bengbis in the South Region. He was arrested in possession of a live chimpanzee, elephant parts and chimpanzee skulls, some of which were still fresh, implying that the animals had just been killed to obtain those parts for illegal trade.
The animals are suspected to have been captured or killed within the Dja Reserve which stretches from the South to the East Regions. Wildlife law enforcement authorities in that Region have established a case file against the trafficker who is now behind bars. The live chimpanzee was taken to the Mefou National Park in the Centre Region by the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF) management where it is receiving veterinary and feeding care.
Before this recent arrest a trafficker with a long history of illegal killing of elephants had been arrested around the Dja Reserve area in Somalomo, Messamena in the Upper Nyong Division of the East Region. The trafficker was found in possession of the trunk of a young elephant and other elephant parts.
The operations that led to the arrest of these traffickers were carried out by the East and South Regional Delegations of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Forces of Law and Order, the Upper Nyong Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife and the Judiciary. These operations are in consonant with the on-going nation-wide programme on wildlife law enforcement launched by government in 2003 with technical assistance from The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA) which aims at bringing violators of the 1994 wildlife law to justice amidst wide media coverage to create deterrence in wildlife crime which hitherto has been a missing ingredient in the conservation formula in Africa South of the Sahara.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry of Forestry and Wildlife is now in a renewed alert mode to track down and sanction, all those trafficking in wildlife species totally protected by the law of 1994 governing the wildlife sector in Cameroon. The law stipulates that anyone found in possession of part of dead or live protected wildlife species is liable to a prison term of up to 3 years and or payment of a fine of up to 10 million CFA francs. The effective enforcement of this law has made Cameroon to be seen by the international community as a world leader in wildlife conservation. "Cameroon is seen more and more by the international community as a land of wildlife conservation where the wildlife law and policy are good and well balanced", states Professor Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010512.html
DISTRESSED ELEPHANT'S LIFE TO BE SPARED
The distressed elephant cow that provoked an outcry from an animal rights group when it was spotted on an Mpumalanga game reserve's live webcam last week has been granted a temporary reprieve.
" She is now keeping up with the herd and will not be euthanised unless she falls behind " Jacob Zuma
"She is now keeping up with the herd and will not be euthanised unless she falls behind," Djuma Private Game Reserve owner Jurie Moolman told Sapa by phone this morning.
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves that make up the 65,000 hectare Sabi Sand Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday this week, the group Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant.
According to the group, the elephant was suffering with what appeared to be birth complications.
However, when the animal was found by rangers late on Wednesday, it was seen to be suffering from old age and constipation.
"It was determined that she is very old - so old that her teeth are too worn for her to masticate her food properly, and thus a bolus of unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal.
"She is constipated, in pain and at the end of her natural life," Moolman said at the time.
The tracking group, which includes a veterinarian from the Kruger, had considered euthanising the elephant, but further monitoring showed it appeared to be improving, and was now managing to keep up with the herd.
"This is a good lesson in why one shouldn't interfere," Moolman said today.
The Sabi Sand Reserve has a "policy of non-intervention when it comes to animals in distress not caused by humans", but in the case of this elephant, its ecological committee decided to take action.
Moolman said the cow - which has a three-year-old calf - was estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old, an advanced age for an elephant.
"Its calf is no longer suckling, and is in fact eating grass and drinking water," he said.
Rangers would continue to monitor the mother.
"Nobody would want to euthanise right now," Moolman said.
African elephants, the world's largest land mammals, die more often of starvation than old age. They go through five sets of teeth in their lives, but once these are gone - worn away by the up to 250kg of bark, leaves and twigs an adult elephant chews its way through in a day - they are no longer able to eat.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article134233.ece#
"She is now keeping up with the herd and will not be euthanised unless she falls behind," Djuma Private Game Reserve owner Jurie Moolman told Sapa by phone this morning.
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves that make up the 65,000 hectare Sabi Sand Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday this week, the group Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant.
According to the group, the elephant was suffering with what appeared to be birth complications.
However, when the animal was found by rangers late on Wednesday, it was seen to be suffering from old age and constipation.
"It was determined that she is very old - so old that her teeth are too worn for her to masticate her food properly, and thus a bolus of unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal.
"She is constipated, in pain and at the end of her natural life," Moolman said at the time.
The tracking group, which includes a veterinarian from the Kruger, had considered euthanising the elephant, but further monitoring showed it appeared to be improving, and was now managing to keep up with the herd.
"This is a good lesson in why one shouldn't interfere," Moolman said today.
The Sabi Sand Reserve has a "policy of non-intervention when it comes to animals in distress not caused by humans", but in the case of this elephant, its ecological committee decided to take action.
Moolman said the cow - which has a three-year-old calf - was estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old, an advanced age for an elephant.
"Its calf is no longer suckling, and is in fact eating grass and drinking water," he said.
Rangers would continue to monitor the mother.
"Nobody would want to euthanise right now," Moolman said.
African elephants, the world's largest land mammals, die more often of starvation than old age. They go through five sets of teeth in their lives, but once these are gone - worn away by the up to 250kg of bark, leaves and twigs an adult elephant chews its way through in a day - they are no longer able to eat.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article134233.ece#
HUGE SEIZURES OF 1169 KGS OF ELEPHANT IVORY IN KENYA AND ETHIOPIA
More than 1 tonne of ivory seized in East Africa in days.
September 2009. The Kenya Wildlife Service has seized the largest haul of ivory in recent history at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
61 tusksThe interception of 61 whole tusks of raw ivory weighing about 532 kg at a Kenya Airways warehouse at 6pm followed joint efforts by the Kenya Wildlife Service Dog Unit, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Airport Police as well as the Nairobi-based regional wildlife organisation Lusaka Agreement Task Force.
The unaccompanied luggage was to be air-freighted to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the way to Bangkok, Thailand. The ivory had been falsely declared as "Polishing bench" on the Air Bill and was packed in four boxes.
Second seizure in Addis AbabaThis follows closely on the seizure of another consignment of 637 kg of ivory that was intercepted by Ethiopian authorities just two days earlier on Sunday (September 27, 2009) at Addis Ababa. This consignment had also originated from Nairobi and was destined for Bangkok via Addis Ababa by the same consignee. This consignment had been labelled as "Dye polishing bench". This makes a total of 1169 kg of ivory seized within two days in Addis Ababa and Nairobi, all suspected to be from Kenyan elephants.
In the past, illegally obtained ivory from Kenya usually transited out of the country through porous borders and Moyale has long been suspected to be a point of exit. From Ethiopia, the trophies would find their way to the lucrative black markets in South East Asia.
Intensified surveillanceKenyan laws allow confiscation and seizure of illegal goods while on transit. Kenya Wildlife Service has intensified surveillance at all the international airports in the country using sniffer and tracker dogs to enforce these provisions. 24-hour surveillance has been mounted at JKIA and will be extended to Mombasa and Eldoret, the other international airports in Kenya. KWS intend to ensure that it's almost impossible to leave Kenya with any ivory and other illegal trophies.
Poaching on the rise
Poaching for Elephant ivory has been on the rise across the continent since the partial lifting of international trade in ivory in 2007 to allow the one-off sale to China and Japan by four South African Countries: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
125 elephants killed in 2009 by poachers in KenyaThe recovered ivory is suspected to have been sourced locally and from the neighbouring countries. Kenya has this year lost 125 elephants through poaching but most of the poached ivory has been recovered by KWS through security operations. Kenya lost 47 elephants to illegal killings in 2007 and 98 last year. In absolute terms this is not alarming. However, the percentage increase in illegal killings within the last three years is worrying. The current prolonged drought has also taken its toll on the elephant population but has mainly affected the young and sub-adult elephants, about 70.
KWS is concerned that the CITES decision to allow the one-off sale of ivory was not well supervised and has led to the death of other species like rhinos, buffalos and antelopes. Investigations show that killers of elephants take everything in their wake.
Our message to the world is: "Please don't wear ivory. It belongs to elephants"
Investigations have been launched to ascertain the origin of the ivory and the culprits behind this illegal trade in wildlife.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kenya-ivory939.html#cr
September 2009. The Kenya Wildlife Service has seized the largest haul of ivory in recent history at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
61 tusksThe interception of 61 whole tusks of raw ivory weighing about 532 kg at a Kenya Airways warehouse at 6pm followed joint efforts by the Kenya Wildlife Service Dog Unit, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Airport Police as well as the Nairobi-based regional wildlife organisation Lusaka Agreement Task Force.
The unaccompanied luggage was to be air-freighted to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the way to Bangkok, Thailand. The ivory had been falsely declared as "Polishing bench" on the Air Bill and was packed in four boxes.
Second seizure in Addis AbabaThis follows closely on the seizure of another consignment of 637 kg of ivory that was intercepted by Ethiopian authorities just two days earlier on Sunday (September 27, 2009) at Addis Ababa. This consignment had also originated from Nairobi and was destined for Bangkok via Addis Ababa by the same consignee. This consignment had been labelled as "Dye polishing bench". This makes a total of 1169 kg of ivory seized within two days in Addis Ababa and Nairobi, all suspected to be from Kenyan elephants.
In the past, illegally obtained ivory from Kenya usually transited out of the country through porous borders and Moyale has long been suspected to be a point of exit. From Ethiopia, the trophies would find their way to the lucrative black markets in South East Asia.
Intensified surveillanceKenyan laws allow confiscation and seizure of illegal goods while on transit. Kenya Wildlife Service has intensified surveillance at all the international airports in the country using sniffer and tracker dogs to enforce these provisions. 24-hour surveillance has been mounted at JKIA and will be extended to Mombasa and Eldoret, the other international airports in Kenya. KWS intend to ensure that it's almost impossible to leave Kenya with any ivory and other illegal trophies.
Poaching on the rise
Poaching for Elephant ivory has been on the rise across the continent since the partial lifting of international trade in ivory in 2007 to allow the one-off sale to China and Japan by four South African Countries: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
125 elephants killed in 2009 by poachers in KenyaThe recovered ivory is suspected to have been sourced locally and from the neighbouring countries. Kenya has this year lost 125 elephants through poaching but most of the poached ivory has been recovered by KWS through security operations. Kenya lost 47 elephants to illegal killings in 2007 and 98 last year. In absolute terms this is not alarming. However, the percentage increase in illegal killings within the last three years is worrying. The current prolonged drought has also taken its toll on the elephant population but has mainly affected the young and sub-adult elephants, about 70.
KWS is concerned that the CITES decision to allow the one-off sale of ivory was not well supervised and has led to the death of other species like rhinos, buffalos and antelopes. Investigations show that killers of elephants take everything in their wake.
Our message to the world is: "Please don't wear ivory. It belongs to elephants"
Investigations have been launched to ascertain the origin of the ivory and the culprits behind this illegal trade in wildlife.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kenya-ivory939.html#cr
ELEPHANT CAR WASH PART OF OREGON WILDLIFE SAFARI
Winston, Oregon—It’s a car wash like you’ve never seen before. High pressure rinse? Check. Streak free detail? You got it!
The elephant car wash is one of several new exhibits and attractions at an Oregon wildlife safari. Park employees say it’s hose-free, but guaranteed not to get your car clean.
Dan Van Slyke, executive director: “I think a great deal of the success that happened at Wildlife Safari this year was attributed to these animals. People love to come out and have fun. What’s really cool with our elephants is what started this whole thing, and that’s that they love to play in water. They just love to have fun themselves.“
Van Slyke also says despite the economy, the park has seen their sales increase by 28 percent over this time last year.
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/entertainment/people/article/elephant_car_wash_part_of_oregon_wildlife_safari/27649/
The elephant car wash is one of several new exhibits and attractions at an Oregon wildlife safari. Park employees say it’s hose-free, but guaranteed not to get your car clean.
Dan Van Slyke, executive director: “I think a great deal of the success that happened at Wildlife Safari this year was attributed to these animals. People love to come out and have fun. What’s really cool with our elephants is what started this whole thing, and that’s that they love to play in water. They just love to have fun themselves.“
Van Slyke also says despite the economy, the park has seen their sales increase by 28 percent over this time last year.
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/entertainment/people/article/elephant_car_wash_part_of_oregon_wildlife_safari/27649/
DISTRESSED ELEPHANT BACK WITH HERD
The distressed elephant that provoked an outcry from an animal-rights group when she was spotted on an Mpumalanga game reserve's live webcam last week has been given a reprieve.
"She is keeping up with the herd and won't be euthanased unless she falls behind," said Djuma private game reserve owner Jurie Moolman.
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves making up the 65000ha Sabi Sands Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday, Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant, who appeared to be in difficulty while giving birth.
But when rangers found her late on Wednesday they established that her problems were simply old age and constipation.
"She is so old that her teeth are too worn to chew properly, and unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal," Moolman said.
The tracking group, which included a vet from the Kruger Park, considered euthanasing the elephant, estimated to be about 55, but decided against it when her condition improved and she started keeping up with her herd. She has a three-year-old calf.
The Djuma reserve has a policy of not "interfering" when an animal is in distress, unless the problem is caused by human action.
But the NSPCA stomped on that view: "Humane options must be considered. They cannot ignore an animal that is suffering."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article134739.ece
Djuma is one of more than a dozen lodges and reserves making up the 65000ha Sabi Sands Reserve, which shares an unfenced 50km border with the Kruger National Park.
On Monday, Animal Rights Africa demanded that the reserve's owners help the elephant, who appeared to be in difficulty while giving birth.
But when rangers found her late on Wednesday they established that her problems were simply old age and constipation.
"She is so old that her teeth are too worn to chew properly, and unchewed food is blocking her alimentary canal," Moolman said.
The tracking group, which included a vet from the Kruger Park, considered euthanasing the elephant, estimated to be about 55, but decided against it when her condition improved and she started keeping up with her herd. She has a three-year-old calf.
The Djuma reserve has a policy of not "interfering" when an animal is in distress, unless the problem is caused by human action.
But the NSPCA stomped on that view: "Humane options must be considered. They cannot ignore an animal that is suffering."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article134739.ece
KENYA, ETHIOPIA AUTHORITIES SEIZE IVORY STASH
By KATHARINE HOURELD (AP)
NAIROBI, Kenya — Authorities in Ethiopia and Kenya have seized more than 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of bloodstained ivory from about 100 illegally killed elephants at airports, the head of Kenya's Wildlife Service said Wednesday.
Julius Kipng'etich said trained dogs sniffed out a consignment of bloodstained tusks at Kenya's national airport late Tuesday. Another shipment of tusks sent by the same individual had been seized Monday at the airport in Ethiopia's capital.
Both shipments were sent as unaccompanied luggage to Bangkok. Police have launched an investigation and wildlife officials said they will continue to patrol the airport with dogs.
Elephants develop strong social bonds and can even identify family members by their bones, which individuals may return to several times over the years. Kipng'etich said he had seen groups of elephants standing around a dead family member and making a distinctive sound.
"It is as if they are crying: Please don't wear ivory. Please leave it to the elephants for heaven's sake," he said.
Ivory trade was banned internationally in 1989 because of its devastating effect on elephant populations. Before the ban was enacted, Kenya's elephant population plummeted from 120,000 elephants in 1963 to just 12,000 a few decades later.
But after authorities realized elephants' role in boosting tourism — one of Kenya's top foreign exchange earners — they clamped down on the poachers.
The ban and subsequent enforcement slowed poaching dramatically, but in recent years it has begun to creep up, from 47 elephants killed in 2007 to 98 in 2008. So far this year, 125 already have been killed.
Kipng'etich blames the decision by signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to allow the periodic sale of confiscated ivory stockpiles to raise money for conservation.
The most recent authorized sale was in 2007, when China and Japan were both allowed to buy the stockpiled ivory from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Although Kenya was not included in the auction, Kipng'etich said he believes it fueled demand for illegal ivory.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who heads the conservation group Save the Elephants, said the airport seizures were a "tremendous coup" for the Kenya Wildlife Service.
"If this proves to be native Kenyan ivory rather than ivory in transit, it's a serious confirmation of poaching on the rise in Kenya," he said.
Until the problem is stamped out, the Wildlife Service will continue to patrol the airports with dogs like Charles, the black-haired star of Tuesday night's bust. He's sniffed out more than 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of ivory during his nine-year career.
"This is the real hero," said Kipng'etich, giving Charles a pat.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ha4uKZ_wwJi0Sad9xBQ0uJrlBxpAD9B1OEI82
ZIMBABWE: U.S.$4,500 IVORY LANDS FIVE IN COURT
Harare — Five Harare men who were allegedly found in possession of 30,8 kilogrammes of ivory worth more than $4 500 yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court on charges of contravening provisions of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
One of the men, Tapiwa Mupindu (29), pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Ms Tendai Rusinahama, who remanded him out of custody on US$50 bail to tomorrow for sentence.
The other four Tarisai Mashonganyika (26), Obert Rusere (29), Angels Marozva (29) and Edmore Jaure (21) pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were all remanded out of custody on US$50 each to October 13 for trial. Ms Rusinahama ordered them to reside at their given addresses, not to interfere with State witnesses and to report once every week at Harare Central Police Station.
Prosecutor Miss Memory Mukapa alleged that on September 22 this year, a team of detectives from CID Minerals Unit in Harare received information that the gang was illegally dealing in ivory in Warren Park.
It is alleged that the detectives met Mashonganyika in town where one of them posed as a buyer. He got convinced with the deal and led the detectives to the Army Ordinance where Rusere works.
Rusere called Marozva who later led the detectives to Mupindu and Jaura's house in Warren Park were the ivory was kept, it is alleged.
The State further alleged that upon arrival, Mupindu and Jaura went into their bedrooms and brought out two pieces of elephant tusks each.
Upon seeing the tusks, Mupindu allegedly demanded the cash and was immediately arrested.
It is further alleged that Mupindu later led the detectives to Hurungwe's Chiundu area where a .303 rifle that was used to kill the elephants was recovered.
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200910010065.html
By KATHARINE HOURELD (AP)
NAIROBI, Kenya — Authorities in Ethiopia and Kenya have seized more than 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of bloodstained ivory from about 100 illegally killed elephants at airports, the head of Kenya's Wildlife Service said Wednesday.
Julius Kipng'etich said trained dogs sniffed out a consignment of bloodstained tusks at Kenya's national airport late Tuesday. Another shipment of tusks sent by the same individual had been seized Monday at the airport in Ethiopia's capital.
Both shipments were sent as unaccompanied luggage to Bangkok. Police have launched an investigation and wildlife officials said they will continue to patrol the airport with dogs.
Elephants develop strong social bonds and can even identify family members by their bones, which individuals may return to several times over the years. Kipng'etich said he had seen groups of elephants standing around a dead family member and making a distinctive sound.
"It is as if they are crying: Please don't wear ivory. Please leave it to the elephants for heaven's sake," he said.
Ivory trade was banned internationally in 1989 because of its devastating effect on elephant populations. Before the ban was enacted, Kenya's elephant population plummeted from 120,000 elephants in 1963 to just 12,000 a few decades later.
But after authorities realized elephants' role in boosting tourism — one of Kenya's top foreign exchange earners — they clamped down on the poachers.
The ban and subsequent enforcement slowed poaching dramatically, but in recent years it has begun to creep up, from 47 elephants killed in 2007 to 98 in 2008. So far this year, 125 already have been killed.
Kipng'etich blames the decision by signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to allow the periodic sale of confiscated ivory stockpiles to raise money for conservation.
The most recent authorized sale was in 2007, when China and Japan were both allowed to buy the stockpiled ivory from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Although Kenya was not included in the auction, Kipng'etich said he believes it fueled demand for illegal ivory.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who heads the conservation group Save the Elephants, said the airport seizures were a "tremendous coup" for the Kenya Wildlife Service.
"If this proves to be native Kenyan ivory rather than ivory in transit, it's a serious confirmation of poaching on the rise in Kenya," he said.
Until the problem is stamped out, the Wildlife Service will continue to patrol the airports with dogs like Charles, the black-haired star of Tuesday night's bust. He's sniffed out more than 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of ivory during his nine-year career.
"This is the real hero," said Kipng'etich, giving Charles a pat.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ha4uKZ_wwJi0Sad9xBQ0uJrlBxpAD9B1OEI82
ZIMBABWE: U.S.$4,500 IVORY LANDS FIVE IN COURT
Harare — Five Harare men who were allegedly found in possession of 30,8 kilogrammes of ivory worth more than $4 500 yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court on charges of contravening provisions of the Parks and Wildlife Act.
One of the men, Tapiwa Mupindu (29), pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before magistrate Ms Tendai Rusinahama, who remanded him out of custody on US$50 bail to tomorrow for sentence.
The other four Tarisai Mashonganyika (26), Obert Rusere (29), Angels Marozva (29) and Edmore Jaure (21) pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were all remanded out of custody on US$50 each to October 13 for trial. Ms Rusinahama ordered them to reside at their given addresses, not to interfere with State witnesses and to report once every week at Harare Central Police Station.
Prosecutor Miss Memory Mukapa alleged that on September 22 this year, a team of detectives from CID Minerals Unit in Harare received information that the gang was illegally dealing in ivory in Warren Park.
It is alleged that the detectives met Mashonganyika in town where one of them posed as a buyer. He got convinced with the deal and led the detectives to the Army Ordinance where Rusere works.
Rusere called Marozva who later led the detectives to Mupindu and Jaura's house in Warren Park were the ivory was kept, it is alleged.
The State further alleged that upon arrival, Mupindu and Jaura went into their bedrooms and brought out two pieces of elephant tusks each.
Upon seeing the tusks, Mupindu allegedly demanded the cash and was immediately arrested.
It is further alleged that Mupindu later led the detectives to Hurungwe's Chiundu area where a .303 rifle that was used to kill the elephants was recovered.
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200910010065.html
100 ELEPHANTS DIE AS DROUGHT HITS TSAVO
By Renson Mnyamwezi
More than 100 elephants have died due to effects of drought in the sprawling Tsavo National Park.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) disclosed that the elephants died of hunger and poacher attacks.
Tsavo Conservation Assistant Director Jonathan Kirui said the the elephants died between July and this month.
"We have so far lost 109 elephants in the past three months and the number is increasing every day due to drought and poaching activities," said Mr Kirui on the telephone.
He continued: "Drought related elephants and hippos deaths have been on the increase in the park as water and pasture continue to decline."
He added: "The animals’ body condition is also worsening especially for elephants, buffalos and hippos due to lack of pasture and water."
Poaching intensified
Speaking to The Standard yesterday, Kirui warned that if it did not rain soon wildlife would be wiped out affecting tourism in the world-famous park.
Kirui said KWS has started giving hippos hay to save them from death.
Elsewhere, the KWS personnel arrested four suspected poachers and impounded several ivory as a crackdown on poaching activities intensified in the park. Kirui said two of the suspects were arrested at Chakama in the Tsavo East with 63kg of ivory while the other suspects at Kishushe with eight kilogrammes of the trophies.
The Director said the prolonged drought has encouraged poaching and warned that anyone found would be dealt with according the law.
Separately, the Drought Management Officer Parkolwa Mustafa said scores of livestock have died in Kishushe, Maktau, Ghazi and Paranga in Taita and Kidong, Salaita and Mahandakini in Taveta because of the drought.
In his monthly brief on drought, the official said some herders had migrated to Msambweni and Kwale districts.
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=1144025219 &catid=159&a=1
By Renson Mnyamwezi
More than 100 elephants have died due to effects of drought in the sprawling Tsavo National Park.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) disclosed that the elephants died of hunger and poacher attacks.
Tsavo Conservation Assistant Director Jonathan Kirui said the the elephants died between July and this month.
"We have so far lost 109 elephants in the past three months and the number is increasing every day due to drought and poaching activities," said Mr Kirui on the telephone.
He continued: "Drought related elephants and hippos deaths have been on the increase in the park as water and pasture continue to decline."
He added: "The animals’ body condition is also worsening especially for elephants, buffalos and hippos due to lack of pasture and water."
Poaching intensified
Speaking to The Standard yesterday, Kirui warned that if it did not rain soon wildlife would be wiped out affecting tourism in the world-famous park.
Kirui said KWS has started giving hippos hay to save them from death.
Elsewhere, the KWS personnel arrested four suspected poachers and impounded several ivory as a crackdown on poaching activities intensified in the park. Kirui said two of the suspects were arrested at Chakama in the Tsavo East with 63kg of ivory while the other suspects at Kishushe with eight kilogrammes of the trophies.
The Director said the prolonged drought has encouraged poaching and warned that anyone found would be dealt with according the law.
Separately, the Drought Management Officer Parkolwa Mustafa said scores of livestock have died in Kishushe, Maktau, Ghazi and Paranga in Taita and Kidong, Salaita and Mahandakini in Taveta because of the drought.
In his monthly brief on drought, the official said some herders had migrated to Msambweni and Kwale districts.
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=1144025219 &catid=159&a=1
KENYA SEIZES MASSIVE IVORY HAUL
Kenyan authorities have seized almost 700kg of ivory worth millions of dollars in a night-time raid at the country's main airport.
The Kenya Wildlife Service says a similar amount was intercepted in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Both consignments - with a potential value of more than $1.5m (£938,000) - were reportedly headed for Thailand.
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says poaching is on the increase mostly owing to high demand for ivory in Asia.
Our reporter says it is not yet clear whether the ivory, recovered at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta Airport, had been trafficked from other parts of the continent or was from East Africa.
Twenty years ago the world's elephant population was plummeting and the trade in ivory was banned.
But over the past decade the ban has been periodically relaxed and occasional supervised ivory auctions have been allowed.
Chinese influence
Officials say the sales have fuelled demand for ivory in Asian countries, especially China, contributing to a sharp increase in elephant poaching.
So far this year poachers in Kenya have killed 128 elephants for their ivory; last year 98 were killed.
In July, Kenyan authorities intercepted 16 elephant tusks and two rhinoceros horns being illegally exported to Laos from Mozambique.
Some wildlife experts have attributed the increase in elephant poaching to the presence of Chinese workers in Africa.
With demand for ivory products increasing back home, some Chinese workers on low salaries in Kenya are reported to have become middlemen in the ivory trade.
And because of the high demand for ivory across Asia, the price of ivory has shot up and can fetch more than $1,000 a kilo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8283078.stm
Both consignments - with a potential value of more than $1.5m (£938,000) - were reportedly headed for Thailand.
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says poaching is on the increase mostly owing to high demand for ivory in Asia.
Our reporter says it is not yet clear whether the ivory, recovered at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta Airport, had been trafficked from other parts of the continent or was from East Africa.
Twenty years ago the world's elephant population was plummeting and the trade in ivory was banned.
But over the past decade the ban has been periodically relaxed and occasional supervised ivory auctions have been allowed.
Chinese influence
Officials say the sales have fuelled demand for ivory in Asian countries, especially China, contributing to a sharp increase in elephant poaching.
So far this year poachers in Kenya have killed 128 elephants for their ivory; last year 98 were killed.
In July, Kenyan authorities intercepted 16 elephant tusks and two rhinoceros horns being illegally exported to Laos from Mozambique.
Some wildlife experts have attributed the increase in elephant poaching to the presence of Chinese workers in Africa.
With demand for ivory products increasing back home, some Chinese workers on low salaries in Kenya are reported to have become middlemen in the ivory trade.
And because of the high demand for ivory across Asia, the price of ivory has shot up and can fetch more than $1,000 a kilo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8283078.stm
AFRICA: AFRICAN ELEPHANTS IN SERIOUS CRISIS
Vincent Gudmia Mfonfu
A wildlife trafficker with a long history of illegal killing of elephants around the Dja Reserve was arrested in Somalomo in the Upper-Nyong Division of the East Region in possession of the trunk of a young elephant. He claimed that the gun he used to gun down these elephants was given to him by a Gendarme.
The National Gendarmerie authorities are investigating the matter. In May of this year and still in the East Region an elephant trafficker were arrested in Abong-Mbang, Upper-Nyong Division trying to sell an elephant tusks. In March of this same year, two other traffickers were apprehended while also trying to sell elephant parts. One had a set of elephant teeth which he was offering for sale and the other had an elephant foot for sale.
On August 5, 2009, the Bonanjo Court of First Instance in Douala in the Littoral Region, sentenced to one year imprisonment term, three dealers who were arrested in Douala trading in sculpted ivory. They were furthered ordered to pay as fines about 300 thousands francs each and to collectively pay the sum of over 2.7 million francs as damages.
The operations that led to the arrest and prosecution of all these elephant traffickers is part of the implementation of the national programme on effective enforcement of the 1994 wildlife law launched by the government of Cameroon in 2003 with the technical assistance of The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA). The programme aims at bringing traffickers in protected wildlife species such as elephants to justice in a bid to save them from going instinct.
Illegal cross-border trade in trophies derived from elephants (ivory, tails, tooth, trunk, meat, etc) is said to be the main factor driving African elephants to extinction. The Science reporter of BBC news, Andrew Luck-Baker has stated that within the period of 1970s and 1980s referred to as the "Ivory holocaust", Africa's elephant population plunged from an estimated 1.3 million animals to 500. 000. Quoting a wildlife specialist, Luck-Baker, reveals that 38. 000 elephants in Africa are killed annually to feed the growing demand for carved ivory in Eastern Asia . He warns that at this rate, "the elephant would become extinct across most of sub-Saharan Africa in fifteen years". Experts at the World Resources Institute in Washington DC attribute the extinction of natural resources such wildlife and specifically the extinction of elephant to corruption.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909250440.html
Vincent Gudmia Mfonfu
A wildlife trafficker with a long history of illegal killing of elephants around the Dja Reserve was arrested in Somalomo in the Upper-Nyong Division of the East Region in possession of the trunk of a young elephant. He claimed that the gun he used to gun down these elephants was given to him by a Gendarme.
The National Gendarmerie authorities are investigating the matter. In May of this year and still in the East Region an elephant trafficker were arrested in Abong-Mbang, Upper-Nyong Division trying to sell an elephant tusks. In March of this same year, two other traffickers were apprehended while also trying to sell elephant parts. One had a set of elephant teeth which he was offering for sale and the other had an elephant foot for sale.
On August 5, 2009, the Bonanjo Court of First Instance in Douala in the Littoral Region, sentenced to one year imprisonment term, three dealers who were arrested in Douala trading in sculpted ivory. They were furthered ordered to pay as fines about 300 thousands francs each and to collectively pay the sum of over 2.7 million francs as damages.
The operations that led to the arrest and prosecution of all these elephant traffickers is part of the implementation of the national programme on effective enforcement of the 1994 wildlife law launched by the government of Cameroon in 2003 with the technical assistance of The Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA). The programme aims at bringing traffickers in protected wildlife species such as elephants to justice in a bid to save them from going instinct.
Illegal cross-border trade in trophies derived from elephants (ivory, tails, tooth, trunk, meat, etc) is said to be the main factor driving African elephants to extinction. The Science reporter of BBC news, Andrew Luck-Baker has stated that within the period of 1970s and 1980s referred to as the "Ivory holocaust", Africa's elephant population plunged from an estimated 1.3 million animals to 500. 000. Quoting a wildlife specialist, Luck-Baker, reveals that 38. 000 elephants in Africa are killed annually to feed the growing demand for carved ivory in Eastern Asia . He warns that at this rate, "the elephant would become extinct across most of sub-Saharan Africa in fifteen years". Experts at the World Resources Institute in Washington DC attribute the extinction of natural resources such wildlife and specifically the extinction of elephant to corruption.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909250440.html
POLICE IN KENYA SEIZE BANGKOK-BOUND IVORY
(AFP)
NAIROBI — Kenya police are looking for the people behind a shipment of 684 kilogrammes of ivory seized at Nairobi's main airport and destined to Bangkok, a police official said Wednesday.
The elephant tusks were discovered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday during a nighttime cargo inspection.
"The consignment was intercepted as it was about to be transported out of the country. No person has been arrested," said the official on condition of anonymity.
"We are now looking for the owners or people who were transporting it," he added. "We know it was headed for Bangkok, but we want to know the exact destination and the people who were going to receive it."
Kenya Wildlife Service spokeswoman Kentice Tikolo confirmed the seizure.
In July, authorities intercepted 16 elephant tusks and two rhino horns being illegally exported to Laos from Mozambique.
Kenya outlawed poaching and the reckless slaughter of wildlife in 1977, but allowed controlled culling and harvesting of game meat. In 2003 conservationists managed to have the activity banned completely.
But poaching for elephant and rhino tusks has been on the rise in Africa since the partial lifting in 2007 of an international trade ban to allow a one-off ivory sale to China and Japan by Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5imAKMFUpWrUUmDezqsGsYGIEFo4w
The elephant tusks were discovered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday during a nighttime cargo inspection.
"The consignment was intercepted as it was about to be transported out of the country. No person has been arrested," said the official on condition of anonymity.
"We are now looking for the owners or people who were transporting it," he added. "We know it was headed for Bangkok, but we want to know the exact destination and the people who were going to receive it."
Kenya Wildlife Service spokeswoman Kentice Tikolo confirmed the seizure.
In July, authorities intercepted 16 elephant tusks and two rhino horns being illegally exported to Laos from Mozambique.
Kenya outlawed poaching and the reckless slaughter of wildlife in 1977, but allowed controlled culling and harvesting of game meat. In 2003 conservationists managed to have the activity banned completely.
But poaching for elephant and rhino tusks has been on the rise in Africa since the partial lifting in 2007 of an international trade ban to allow a one-off ivory sale to China and Japan by Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5imAKMFUpWrUUmDezqsGsYGIEFo4w
AT LEAST 100 ELEPHANTS DIE AS DROUGHT HITS KENYA'S NATIONAL PARK
NAIROBI (Bernama) -- Kenya's wildlife authorities said more than 100 elephants have died due to a severe drought in the sprawling Tsavo National Park, China's Xinhua news agency reported.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Tsavo Conservation Assistant Director Jonathan Kirui told the Standard newspaper that the elephants died of hunger and poacher attacks between July and this month.
"We have so far lost 109 elephants in the past three months and the number is increasing every day due to drought and poaching activities," said Kirui. The east African nation has more than 200 elephants.
"Drought related elephants and hippos deaths have been on the increase in the park as water and pasture continue to decline," said Kirui.
Conservationists say elephants roam widely to get their daily ration of as much as 200 liters of water and about 300 kg of grass, leaves and twigs. But the water is disappearing and the grass is all but gone.
"The animals' body condition is also worsening especially for elephants, buffalos and hippos due to lack of pasture and water," Kirui said.
Kirui warned that if it did not rain soon wildlife would be wiped out affecting tourism in the world-famous park.
Kirui said KWS has started giving hippos hay to save them from death.
Meanwhile, KWS personnel arrested four suspected poachers and impounded several ivory as a crackdown on poaching activities intensified in the park.
Kirui said two of the suspects were arrested at Chakama in the Tsavo East with 63 kg of ivory while the other suspects at Kishushe with eight kg of the trophies.
The Director said the prolonged drought has encouraged poaching and warned that anyone found would be dealt with according the law.
More than 40 elephants have died in the past two months in Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu districts.
It was initially thought to be a disease outbreak but laboratory tests failed to detect disease.
The only probable reason the animals are dying is drought, Moses Litoloh, a senior scientist with the KWS said early this month.
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=443328
NAIROBI (Bernama) -- Kenya's wildlife authorities said more than 100 elephants have died due to a severe drought in the sprawling Tsavo National Park, China's Xinhua news agency reported.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Tsavo Conservation Assistant Director Jonathan Kirui told the Standard newspaper that the elephants died of hunger and poacher attacks between July and this month.
"We have so far lost 109 elephants in the past three months and the number is increasing every day due to drought and poaching activities," said Kirui. The east African nation has more than 200 elephants.
"Drought related elephants and hippos deaths have been on the increase in the park as water and pasture continue to decline," said Kirui.
Conservationists say elephants roam widely to get their daily ration of as much as 200 liters of water and about 300 kg of grass, leaves and twigs. But the water is disappearing and the grass is all but gone.
"The animals' body condition is also worsening especially for elephants, buffalos and hippos due to lack of pasture and water," Kirui said.
Kirui warned that if it did not rain soon wildlife would be wiped out affecting tourism in the world-famous park.
Kirui said KWS has started giving hippos hay to save them from death.
Meanwhile, KWS personnel arrested four suspected poachers and impounded several ivory as a crackdown on poaching activities intensified in the park.
Kirui said two of the suspects were arrested at Chakama in the Tsavo East with 63 kg of ivory while the other suspects at Kishushe with eight kg of the trophies.
The Director said the prolonged drought has encouraged poaching and warned that anyone found would be dealt with according the law.
More than 40 elephants have died in the past two months in Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu districts.
It was initially thought to be a disease outbreak but laboratory tests failed to detect disease.
The only probable reason the animals are dying is drought, Moses Litoloh, a senior scientist with the KWS said early this month.
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=443328
NKOMAZI GAME RESERVE RECEIVES A NEW HERD OF ELEPHANTS FROM SHAMWARI
By Muzi Mohale
A herd of elephants from sister reserve, internationally acclaimed Shamwari Game Reserve, near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape were released effortlessly after an epic journey of 1 400 kilometers into Nkomazi Game Reserve, near Badplaas, Mpumalanga during the month of September.
This herd is part of a single cohesive family group, and the selection was made after a month of careful monitoring by Mantis Group Ecologist, John O’ Brien.
This translocation was the first step towards the reintroduction of the full spectrum of mega fauna that once occurred in the Komati River Valley. The abundance of San rock art is a clear indication that this was once a wildlife paradise, prior to the arrival of pastoralists in the mid 1800’s.
Mantis Group Wildlife Director, Dr Johan Joubert adds, “It was a ‘near perfect release’ and the elephants have settled into their new home surprisingly quickly, having located abundant food and water in close proximity. It was also clear that the decision to source Shamwari elephants was the correct one, as they have shown no signs of distress or anxiety, having grown up on a private reserve, with regular exposure to game viewing vehicles and lodge infrastructure.”
The translocation was the culmination of several months of intensive planning, both at Shamwari and Nkomazi, with roads, gates and bomas upgraded to handle heavy transport vehicles and specialized elephant crates. Minor details were also considered; preparations to ensure that the heavy transport vehicles could fit under telephone wires, drive through gates, obtain ample turning space and roads reinforced, all to ensure that any undue stress or anxiety was thoroughly negated.
The herd will be closely monitored on an ongoing basis by the wildlife team based at Nkomazi.
http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2009/09/nkomazi-game-reserve-receives-a-new-herd-of-elephants-from-shamwari/
UPROAR OVER DISTRESSED ELEPHANT
Johannesburg - An elephant in distress at a well-known game reserve has caused an uproar with the group Animal Rights Africa (ARA) demanding on Monday that the reserve's owners help the animal.
According to the group, the elephant had suffered for more than two weeks with what appeared to be birth complications.
They said that on complaining that nothing was being done to help the elephant, they were told by Sabi Sands that their policy was not to intervene in natural processes.
ARA spokesperson Steve Smit said: "I spoke to Jurie Moolman of Sabie Sands who informed me of their reserve's non-intervention policy which precluded him from assisting the suffering elephant in any way."
Compelled not to intervene
The two disagreed but decided it would be discussed by the reserve's ecological management committee.
Moolman was not immediately available to comment, but Smit said Moolman had told him his "hands were tied" in terms of a management agreement with SA National Parks and the Kruger National Park whereby Sabie Sands is compelled not to intervene in such cases.
"I immediately phoned David Mabunda, CEO of SANParks who informed me that under no circumstances would SANParks support a management policy that permitted the prolonged suffering of any animal in the wild, irrespective of the cause of that suffering."
SANParks policy
SANParks general manager of media, Reynold Thakhuli said that the parks' policy was that if the animal was in pain and it could be helped, they would intervene.
This could not be done for example, if an animal fell off a cliff and would not be able to heal. In such cases they would dart the animal and then euthanise it.
He said Sabi Sands had not interpreted the policy "very well" and SANParks had arranged to have the elephant darted and examined.
Smit said ARA was heartened by the prompt response of SANParks which "showed that the welfare of individual animals and a duty to care is an important component of their management plan".
Sabi Sands said it would release a statement on the matter on Tuesday.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/2aac8b27df0a497e81a406170d65f6ad/28-09-2009-10-36/Uproar_over_distressed_elephant
ZIMBABWE: 'IMPOSE MANDATORY JAIL TERMS FOR WILDLIFE CRIME'
Tichaona Zindoga
Harare — Zimbabwe's Midlands Province is sometimes referred to as the "green lung" of the country, mainly for its geographical location, pulsating vistas of grasslands and vast swathes of tree dotted vleis.
But if there is one colour that can be used to describe the province at a glance this time of the year, it is certainly black and not green.
Raging veld fires have left behind a charred and wasted countryside, dotted with ashy caricatures of former trees that juxtapose themselves against the evil black.
The same can now be said of Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces, along much of the countryside, as vegetation has been left at the mess of fires that have raged uncontrollably over vast areas, sometimes for days on end.
Veld fires are one example of wildlife crime as it violates Zimbabwe's environmental management laws, yet to the mainly ruthless architects of the fires, it has never really appeared to be a crime despite much effort by authorities to stop the scourge.
"We have now engaged the judiciary to see what type of deterrent jail sentences can be imposed on offenders.
"We must get to a stage when we say enough is enough and fight to conserve our natural resources effectively.
"This is the only heritage we have and this is the only heritage we should protect from fires and from poaching and all sorts of abuses," said Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema.
Minister Nhema has in the past made passionate pleas for people to stop the fires.
Zimbabwe has over the years been highly regarded in international circles for its national conservation strategies. It involved a national tree planting day, gully reclamation and donga filling under the food-for-work programme but all the effort seem to be leading down the drain of history unless mandatory jail sentences are imposed on offenders.
The sentences must not only be mandatory but deterrent too.
"Fires have become a scourge in Zimbabwe and this is despite many efforts to stop it," said a police officer based in Matabeleland North, who said they had also engaged local leadership to assist in explaining the dangers of uncontrolled fires.
The fires have raged on notwithstanding, and have even led to death of people and loss of property in some cases.
Some reasons given for the starting of fires include land clearance and hunting of animals.
But the result of man's actions has been the destruction of natural animal habitats, possibility of the extinction of some animal and plant species, ecological imbalance and depleted genetic viability and a changed bio-diversity over time.
Granting for once the foregoing are "innocent" crimes, which they are not, however the escalation of the "serious" crimes such as rhino and elephant poaching over the years, which makes them appear as such, argue a strong case for the serious approach towards wildlife crime.
The frequency of the crimes has meant that the introduction of mandatory jail sentences for offenders must be considered as a matter of urgency, as a way of discouraging would be offenders.
In essence, the lack of stringent measures, and the escalation of poaching-related mortality of rhinos and elephants over the years means that Zimbabwe might face international scrutiny at forums such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species at best and the decimation of its wildlife resources, at worst.
The courts have often come under fire for their "leniency" to wildlife crime offenders some wildlife stakeholders have complained that they could not secure conviction for offenders.
But the judiciary itself says its "hands are tied" for lack of provision for stiffer penalties and the courts cannot sentence an offender to a period outside that provided by law or sentencing jurisdiction.
Currently, there are no mandatory jail sentences for wildlife offences, and some offenders have even got away with "small" fines, which are considered not enough.
As a matter of fact, the General Laws Amendment Act and the Wildlife Amendment Act Number 2001 altered provisions of earlier legislation that provided for mandatory sentence.
The Wildlife Conservation Act (Chapter 199) which was replaced by Parks and Wildlife Act of 1975 both provided for minimum mandatory sentences unless there were special circumstances.
The "special circumstances" were interpreted as "extraordinary factor arising out of the commission of the offence or which is peculiar to the offender".
According to The General Laws Amendment Act and the Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act Number 22 of 2001 provides for a penalty not exceeding level 14 ($5 000) or for a period not exceeding 20 years or both such fine and imprisonment when an offender is convicted of unlawful killing of a rhino or any specially protected animal or for the possession of or trading in ivory or any trophy of a rhinoceros or any other specially protected species.
The elephant is not classified as a specially protected species.
Other offences include, but not limited to, possession of the durable remains of specially protected species such as horns and hides, which are considered State property; hunting, removal of any animal or part thereof, which has been removed from a National Park, safari area or sanctuary.
The trapping of wild animals also attracts fines that depend on the species killed.
According to Statutory Instrument 93 of 2009 an offender might have to pay compensation of between $120 000 for killing a rhino, $20 000 for killing an elephant, $6 000 for buffalo, $500 for a warthog to $3 for the possession of a kilogramme of wet meat to the responsible authority.
However, the issue of custodial sentence, which is widely considered deterrent enough, is not the first option the judiciary as the courts cannot impose a custodial sentence where there is the option of a fine.
In a paper prepared for a discussion on wildlife crime at a workshop in Hwange recently, magistrates argued that the courts could not impose sentences in excess of those stipulated by law or impose a custodial sentences where there was a provision for option of a fine.
"Case law holds that where a statute provides for a penalty of a fine or imprisonment, consideration should be first be given to a fine and if only such a penalty is not appropriate would be warranted," Chivhu magistrate, Mr Rueben Mukavhi, who presented the paper said.
Imprisonment, the magistrates submitted, is only "reserved for a bad case".
How "bad" a case could get is certainly a matter of debate, as interest groups such as environmentalists are certainly declaring war on offenders while the law tries to balance between the offence and the penalty.
However, the danger that wildlife crime poses to the environment, and the economy -- as tourism mainly depends on it -- means that legislature might have to reconsider the issue of mandatory prison term for wildlife offences.
Tourism contributes about 6 percent of Zimbabwe's Gross Domestic Product and the destruction of Zimbabwe's vibrant flora and fauna should be taken for what it is -- economic sabotage.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909250647.html
DISPUTE HALTS ELEPHANT SALES IN MMADINARE
Onalenna Modikwa
Staff Writer
MMADINARE: Mmadinare Development Trust has not sold elephants in this year's hunting season due to misunderstandings with their counterparts in Lepokole. The hunting season ends in January.
Speaking during a Kgotla meeting that was addressed by the outgoing area MP, Ponatshego Kedikilwe and cabinet minister last week, the trust's chairman indicated that they had hoped to make a killing out of this year's sales as they expected to be given a licence for 30 elephants.
However, they were told that they are supposed to share the quota with another development trust in Lepokole hence they were left with only 15. The Mmadinare community had asked the trust to sell the animals at P30,000 each but there were delays because their counterparts in Lepokole were ignorant of what the transaction involves.
Hence, the Mmadinare trust was asked to sell all the 30 elephants and share the money equally with Lepokole trust. But this created serious misunderstandings between Mmadinare and Lepokole that took a long time to resolve until the customers dropped their buying prices to as low as P15,000 per elephant. Lepokole trust felt that Mmadinare wanted to cheat on them and that is part of the reason for the delay.
The selling of animals by the trust in Mmadinare area has paid huge dividends to the village. The trust recently earned P200,000 from the proceeds of elephant sales. The trust's subordinate economic empowerment organisations will each be given 10 percent of the amount.
The subordinate organisations are engaged in activities like fodder production to alleviate poverty. The fodder production project has received a P673,100 grant from African Development Fund.
Other organisations under Mmadinare Development Trust are engaged in poultry farming by local women, livestock production by the youth and horticultural farming. The trust has been allocated a plot and tendering for the construction of office building has been completed. Debswana mine has donated four computers to the trust.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=124&dir=2009/September/Monday28
By Muzi Mohale
A herd of elephants from sister reserve, internationally acclaimed Shamwari Game Reserve, near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape were released effortlessly after an epic journey of 1 400 kilometers into Nkomazi Game Reserve, near Badplaas, Mpumalanga during the month of September.
This herd is part of a single cohesive family group, and the selection was made after a month of careful monitoring by Mantis Group Ecologist, John O’ Brien.
This translocation was the first step towards the reintroduction of the full spectrum of mega fauna that once occurred in the Komati River Valley. The abundance of San rock art is a clear indication that this was once a wildlife paradise, prior to the arrival of pastoralists in the mid 1800’s.
Mantis Group Wildlife Director, Dr Johan Joubert adds, “It was a ‘near perfect release’ and the elephants have settled into their new home surprisingly quickly, having located abundant food and water in close proximity. It was also clear that the decision to source Shamwari elephants was the correct one, as they have shown no signs of distress or anxiety, having grown up on a private reserve, with regular exposure to game viewing vehicles and lodge infrastructure.”
The translocation was the culmination of several months of intensive planning, both at Shamwari and Nkomazi, with roads, gates and bomas upgraded to handle heavy transport vehicles and specialized elephant crates. Minor details were also considered; preparations to ensure that the heavy transport vehicles could fit under telephone wires, drive through gates, obtain ample turning space and roads reinforced, all to ensure that any undue stress or anxiety was thoroughly negated.
The herd will be closely monitored on an ongoing basis by the wildlife team based at Nkomazi.
http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2009/09/nkomazi-game-reserve-receives-a-new-herd-of-elephants-from-shamwari/
UPROAR OVER DISTRESSED ELEPHANT
Johannesburg - An elephant in distress at a well-known game reserve has caused an uproar with the group Animal Rights Africa (ARA) demanding on Monday that the reserve's owners help the animal.
According to the group, the elephant had suffered for more than two weeks with what appeared to be birth complications.
They said that on complaining that nothing was being done to help the elephant, they were told by Sabi Sands that their policy was not to intervene in natural processes.
ARA spokesperson Steve Smit said: "I spoke to Jurie Moolman of Sabie Sands who informed me of their reserve's non-intervention policy which precluded him from assisting the suffering elephant in any way."
Compelled not to intervene
The two disagreed but decided it would be discussed by the reserve's ecological management committee.
Moolman was not immediately available to comment, but Smit said Moolman had told him his "hands were tied" in terms of a management agreement with SA National Parks and the Kruger National Park whereby Sabie Sands is compelled not to intervene in such cases.
"I immediately phoned David Mabunda, CEO of SANParks who informed me that under no circumstances would SANParks support a management policy that permitted the prolonged suffering of any animal in the wild, irrespective of the cause of that suffering."
SANParks policy
SANParks general manager of media, Reynold Thakhuli said that the parks' policy was that if the animal was in pain and it could be helped, they would intervene.
This could not be done for example, if an animal fell off a cliff and would not be able to heal. In such cases they would dart the animal and then euthanise it.
He said Sabi Sands had not interpreted the policy "very well" and SANParks had arranged to have the elephant darted and examined.
Smit said ARA was heartened by the prompt response of SANParks which "showed that the welfare of individual animals and a duty to care is an important component of their management plan".
Sabi Sands said it would release a statement on the matter on Tuesday.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/2aac8b27df0a497e81a406170d65f6ad/28-09-2009-10-36/Uproar_over_distressed_elephant
ZIMBABWE: 'IMPOSE MANDATORY JAIL TERMS FOR WILDLIFE CRIME'
Tichaona Zindoga
Harare — Zimbabwe's Midlands Province is sometimes referred to as the "green lung" of the country, mainly for its geographical location, pulsating vistas of grasslands and vast swathes of tree dotted vleis.
But if there is one colour that can be used to describe the province at a glance this time of the year, it is certainly black and not green.
Raging veld fires have left behind a charred and wasted countryside, dotted with ashy caricatures of former trees that juxtapose themselves against the evil black.
The same can now be said of Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces, along much of the countryside, as vegetation has been left at the mess of fires that have raged uncontrollably over vast areas, sometimes for days on end.
Veld fires are one example of wildlife crime as it violates Zimbabwe's environmental management laws, yet to the mainly ruthless architects of the fires, it has never really appeared to be a crime despite much effort by authorities to stop the scourge.
"We have now engaged the judiciary to see what type of deterrent jail sentences can be imposed on offenders.
"We must get to a stage when we say enough is enough and fight to conserve our natural resources effectively.
"This is the only heritage we have and this is the only heritage we should protect from fires and from poaching and all sorts of abuses," said Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Francis Nhema.
Minister Nhema has in the past made passionate pleas for people to stop the fires.
Zimbabwe has over the years been highly regarded in international circles for its national conservation strategies. It involved a national tree planting day, gully reclamation and donga filling under the food-for-work programme but all the effort seem to be leading down the drain of history unless mandatory jail sentences are imposed on offenders.
The sentences must not only be mandatory but deterrent too.
"Fires have become a scourge in Zimbabwe and this is despite many efforts to stop it," said a police officer based in Matabeleland North, who said they had also engaged local leadership to assist in explaining the dangers of uncontrolled fires.
The fires have raged on notwithstanding, and have even led to death of people and loss of property in some cases.
Some reasons given for the starting of fires include land clearance and hunting of animals.
But the result of man's actions has been the destruction of natural animal habitats, possibility of the extinction of some animal and plant species, ecological imbalance and depleted genetic viability and a changed bio-diversity over time.
Granting for once the foregoing are "innocent" crimes, which they are not, however the escalation of the "serious" crimes such as rhino and elephant poaching over the years, which makes them appear as such, argue a strong case for the serious approach towards wildlife crime.
The frequency of the crimes has meant that the introduction of mandatory jail sentences for offenders must be considered as a matter of urgency, as a way of discouraging would be offenders.
In essence, the lack of stringent measures, and the escalation of poaching-related mortality of rhinos and elephants over the years means that Zimbabwe might face international scrutiny at forums such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species at best and the decimation of its wildlife resources, at worst.
The courts have often come under fire for their "leniency" to wildlife crime offenders some wildlife stakeholders have complained that they could not secure conviction for offenders.
But the judiciary itself says its "hands are tied" for lack of provision for stiffer penalties and the courts cannot sentence an offender to a period outside that provided by law or sentencing jurisdiction.
Currently, there are no mandatory jail sentences for wildlife offences, and some offenders have even got away with "small" fines, which are considered not enough.
As a matter of fact, the General Laws Amendment Act and the Wildlife Amendment Act Number 2001 altered provisions of earlier legislation that provided for mandatory sentence.
The Wildlife Conservation Act (Chapter 199) which was replaced by Parks and Wildlife Act of 1975 both provided for minimum mandatory sentences unless there were special circumstances.
The "special circumstances" were interpreted as "extraordinary factor arising out of the commission of the offence or which is peculiar to the offender".
According to The General Laws Amendment Act and the Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act Number 22 of 2001 provides for a penalty not exceeding level 14 ($5 000) or for a period not exceeding 20 years or both such fine and imprisonment when an offender is convicted of unlawful killing of a rhino or any specially protected animal or for the possession of or trading in ivory or any trophy of a rhinoceros or any other specially protected species.
The elephant is not classified as a specially protected species.
Other offences include, but not limited to, possession of the durable remains of specially protected species such as horns and hides, which are considered State property; hunting, removal of any animal or part thereof, which has been removed from a National Park, safari area or sanctuary.
The trapping of wild animals also attracts fines that depend on the species killed.
According to Statutory Instrument 93 of 2009 an offender might have to pay compensation of between $120 000 for killing a rhino, $20 000 for killing an elephant, $6 000 for buffalo, $500 for a warthog to $3 for the possession of a kilogramme of wet meat to the responsible authority.
However, the issue of custodial sentence, which is widely considered deterrent enough, is not the first option the judiciary as the courts cannot impose a custodial sentence where there is the option of a fine.
In a paper prepared for a discussion on wildlife crime at a workshop in Hwange recently, magistrates argued that the courts could not impose sentences in excess of those stipulated by law or impose a custodial sentences where there was a provision for option of a fine.
"Case law holds that where a statute provides for a penalty of a fine or imprisonment, consideration should be first be given to a fine and if only such a penalty is not appropriate would be warranted," Chivhu magistrate, Mr Rueben Mukavhi, who presented the paper said.
Imprisonment, the magistrates submitted, is only "reserved for a bad case".
How "bad" a case could get is certainly a matter of debate, as interest groups such as environmentalists are certainly declaring war on offenders while the law tries to balance between the offence and the penalty.
However, the danger that wildlife crime poses to the environment, and the economy -- as tourism mainly depends on it -- means that legislature might have to reconsider the issue of mandatory prison term for wildlife offences.
Tourism contributes about 6 percent of Zimbabwe's Gross Domestic Product and the destruction of Zimbabwe's vibrant flora and fauna should be taken for what it is -- economic sabotage.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909250647.html
DISPUTE HALTS ELEPHANT SALES IN MMADINARE
Onalenna Modikwa
Staff Writer
MMADINARE: Mmadinare Development Trust has not sold elephants in this year's hunting season due to misunderstandings with their counterparts in Lepokole. The hunting season ends in January.
Speaking during a Kgotla meeting that was addressed by the outgoing area MP, Ponatshego Kedikilwe and cabinet minister last week, the trust's chairman indicated that they had hoped to make a killing out of this year's sales as they expected to be given a licence for 30 elephants.
However, they were told that they are supposed to share the quota with another development trust in Lepokole hence they were left with only 15. The Mmadinare community had asked the trust to sell the animals at P30,000 each but there were delays because their counterparts in Lepokole were ignorant of what the transaction involves.
Hence, the Mmadinare trust was asked to sell all the 30 elephants and share the money equally with Lepokole trust. But this created serious misunderstandings between Mmadinare and Lepokole that took a long time to resolve until the customers dropped their buying prices to as low as P15,000 per elephant. Lepokole trust felt that Mmadinare wanted to cheat on them and that is part of the reason for the delay.
The selling of animals by the trust in Mmadinare area has paid huge dividends to the village. The trust recently earned P200,000 from the proceeds of elephant sales. The trust's subordinate economic empowerment organisations will each be given 10 percent of the amount.
The subordinate organisations are engaged in activities like fodder production to alleviate poverty. The fodder production project has received a P673,100 grant from African Development Fund.
Other organisations under Mmadinare Development Trust are engaged in poultry farming by local women, livestock production by the youth and horticultural farming. The trust has been allocated a plot and tendering for the construction of office building has been completed. Debswana mine has donated four computers to the trust.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=124&dir=2009/September/Monday28
MIRACLE ESCAPE FOR BRIT THAT PLAYED DEAD AS HE WAS TRAMPLED BY AN ELEPHANT AND GORED BY TUSKS
By Lucy Thornton
A British holidaymaker has told how he survived a terrifying elephant attack by pretending he was dead as the giant beast gored him with its tusks.
Jonathan, who was camping in the bush during a five week trip to Kenya, was forced to run for his life when the elephant came charging out of the undergrowth.
He said: “It was going at full speed and making a loud trumpeting noise. “I turned and ran but I could hear his feet thumping behind me, it was a thundering sound.”
Jonathan, 24, tried to give the elephant the slip by zig-zagging through a large clump of thorn bushes – but it smashed him on the back with its trunk, sending him flying.
He said: “That’s when I decided to curl up in a ball and play dead.
“I could hear it breathing at this point and it started pushing me along with its feet like a football for about 15 metres.
“It did put its feet on me but it didn’t stamp on me with its whole weight. It was like it was prodding me to see if I was still alive.
“It then gored the ground near me and that’s when I think it caught the back of my calf, ripping the muscle in half. It really used some force.
“Then it flipped me over with its tusks before trumpeting one more time and heading off. I think it could smell blood and thought I was dead.
“As it walked away it looked back one more time then vanished into the bush.”
Jonathan, who was with a party of eight and two guides, was airlifted to hospital.
He lost five pints of blood and needed about 80 stitches in his leg, which was slashed from knee to ankle.
Doctors told him the tusk had missed a major artery by 5mm.
Jonathan is now back home recovering in Cleckheaton, West Yorks.
He is on crutches but is expected to make a full recovery.
He had been in Kenya building a school before taking a break in the bush.
They had gone with their guide to watch the elephant and stopped a safe distance away.
When the animal disappeared into trees they thought it had trundled off – until it suddenly came bursting out a few yards away from the terrified party.
Jonathan said his lucky escape has not put him off elephants.
He added: “He was just doing what comes naturally and defending himself from a potential threat. You can’t really blame an animal for doing that.
“I still like elephants I just won’t get that close in the future.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-world/2009/09/28/miracle-escape-for-brit-that-played-dead-as-he-was-trampled-by-an-elephant-and-gored-by-tusks-exclusive-and-pics-115875-21705425/
Jonathan, who was camping in the bush during a five week trip to Kenya, was forced to run for his life when the elephant came charging out of the undergrowth.
He said: “It was going at full speed and making a loud trumpeting noise. “I turned and ran but I could hear his feet thumping behind me, it was a thundering sound.”
Jonathan, 24, tried to give the elephant the slip by zig-zagging through a large clump of thorn bushes – but it smashed him on the back with its trunk, sending him flying.
He said: “That’s when I decided to curl up in a ball and play dead.
“I could hear it breathing at this point and it started pushing me along with its feet like a football for about 15 metres.
“It did put its feet on me but it didn’t stamp on me with its whole weight. It was like it was prodding me to see if I was still alive.
“It then gored the ground near me and that’s when I think it caught the back of my calf, ripping the muscle in half. It really used some force.
“Then it flipped me over with its tusks before trumpeting one more time and heading off. I think it could smell blood and thought I was dead.
“As it walked away it looked back one more time then vanished into the bush.”
Jonathan, who was with a party of eight and two guides, was airlifted to hospital.
He lost five pints of blood and needed about 80 stitches in his leg, which was slashed from knee to ankle.
Doctors told him the tusk had missed a major artery by 5mm.
Jonathan is now back home recovering in Cleckheaton, West Yorks.
He is on crutches but is expected to make a full recovery.
He had been in Kenya building a school before taking a break in the bush.
They had gone with their guide to watch the elephant and stopped a safe distance away.
When the animal disappeared into trees they thought it had trundled off – until it suddenly came bursting out a few yards away from the terrified party.
Jonathan said his lucky escape has not put him off elephants.
He added: “He was just doing what comes naturally and defending himself from a potential threat. You can’t really blame an animal for doing that.
“I still like elephants I just won’t get that close in the future.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-world/2009/09/28/miracle-escape-for-brit-that-played-dead-as-he-was-trampled-by-an-elephant-and-gored-by-tusks-exclusive-and-pics-115875-21705425/
KCO SEIZES 16 UNDECLARED IVORY PRODUCTS
The China Post news staff
KEELUNG, Taiwan -- Keelung Customs Office (KCO) yesterday ferreted out 16 undeclared ivory products from an unaccompanied baggage shipped in from the Netherlands.
The KCO pointed out that the unregistered items from the Holland baggage included 16 ivory-made carvings, which are classified as protected wildlife products and should be declared and require a permit from Council of Agriculture.
Under the regulation of Wildlife Conservation Act, live animals and protected species cannot be imported or exported without permission by the government.
Anyone who violates the rules will be punished with six months' to 5 years' imprisonment with over NT$300,000 to 150,000 fine; also, all animal-made products will be confiscated, said the KCO.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2009/09/24/225936/KCO-seizes.htm
The KCO pointed out that the unregistered items from the Holland baggage included 16 ivory-made carvings, which are classified as protected wildlife products and should be declared and require a permit from Council of Agriculture.
Under the regulation of Wildlife Conservation Act, live animals and protected species cannot be imported or exported without permission by the government.
Anyone who violates the rules will be punished with six months' to 5 years' imprisonment with over NT$300,000 to 150,000 fine; also, all animal-made products will be confiscated, said the KCO.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2009/09/24/225936/KCO-seizes.htm
CIRCUS ELEPHANTS ARE 'NOT ILL-TREATED'
ELEPHANTS will perform at a Chelmsford circus for the first time in a decade.
The controversial Great British Circus rolled into town this week, causing outrage among animal rights sympathisers.
Shocking undercover video footage of the outfit's three elephants being abused was released last month and animal rights groups have called for the public to boycott it.
But circus directors insist the elephants are treated well, and the culprit was sacked long before the video, which shows the elephants being punched and hit with weapons, was made public.
At a press briefing on Tuesday the Chronicle was invited to see the circus's four-legged stars, also including tigers, camels, lions and horses, ahead of their 18 performances over a 13-day stint in the 600-seater circus tent at Essex Regiment Way.
Chris Barltrop, who spoke on behalf of circus director Martin Lacey who does not talk to the media, said tickets were selling fast.
"There is a lot of interest, in spite of recent alarm.
"This circus has been coming here for a number of years and people who like to see it have confidence in our standards of animal welfare so will continue to support us.
"The circus is inspected wherever it goes, by the local authority and by DEFRA (Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs) vets."
He said the "dreadful" footage of a groom hitting the elephants, released on YouTube was exceptional for a circus which prides itself on high standards.
The trio, Indian elephants Delhi, 39, and Wanamana, 40, and a 35-year-old African elephant called Sonia, joined the circus in February.
During the show they sit on pedestals, join trunks, stand up on their back legs and an acrobat handstands on their tusks.
Owner and trainer Lars Holcsher said they enjoyed the daily training and shows.
"We only do things with the animals that they do in the wild, they don't stand up on one leg or roll over, everything they do is natural," he added.
Overlooking the Chelmsford skyline, during the day the animals have the run of a 3,000 square metre patch of field ringed by an electric fence. At night they are chained up in their tent.
Craig Redmond, campaigns director for the Captive Animals' Protection Society has called on the public to boycott the event.
He said: "The Great British Circus shows just why we need to end this practice.
"We urge the public to avoid this circus and wait for one of the all-human shows to visit town."
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/Circus-elephants-ill-treated/article-1365706-detail/article.html
ELEPHANTS will perform at a Chelmsford circus for the first time in a decade.
The controversial Great British Circus rolled into town this week, causing outrage among animal rights sympathisers.
Shocking undercover video footage of the outfit's three elephants being abused was released last month and animal rights groups have called for the public to boycott it.
But circus directors insist the elephants are treated well, and the culprit was sacked long before the video, which shows the elephants being punched and hit with weapons, was made public.
At a press briefing on Tuesday the Chronicle was invited to see the circus's four-legged stars, also including tigers, camels, lions and horses, ahead of their 18 performances over a 13-day stint in the 600-seater circus tent at Essex Regiment Way.
Chris Barltrop, who spoke on behalf of circus director Martin Lacey who does not talk to the media, said tickets were selling fast.
"There is a lot of interest, in spite of recent alarm.
"This circus has been coming here for a number of years and people who like to see it have confidence in our standards of animal welfare so will continue to support us.
"The circus is inspected wherever it goes, by the local authority and by DEFRA (Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs) vets."
He said the "dreadful" footage of a groom hitting the elephants, released on YouTube was exceptional for a circus which prides itself on high standards.
The trio, Indian elephants Delhi, 39, and Wanamana, 40, and a 35-year-old African elephant called Sonia, joined the circus in February.
During the show they sit on pedestals, join trunks, stand up on their back legs and an acrobat handstands on their tusks.
Owner and trainer Lars Holcsher said they enjoyed the daily training and shows.
"We only do things with the animals that they do in the wild, they don't stand up on one leg or roll over, everything they do is natural," he added.
Overlooking the Chelmsford skyline, during the day the animals have the run of a 3,000 square metre patch of field ringed by an electric fence. At night they are chained up in their tent.
Craig Redmond, campaigns director for the Captive Animals' Protection Society has called on the public to boycott the event.
He said: "The Great British Circus shows just why we need to end this practice.
"We urge the public to avoid this circus and wait for one of the all-human shows to visit town."
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/Circus-elephants-ill-treated/article-1365706-detail/article.html
ELEPHANTS FEEL THE HEAT
Kenyans see spike in elephant deaths
More than 100 elephants have died in Kenya in the past year, according to National Geographic.
The deaths likely are to due to a severe drought that may have been caused, in part, by climate change. The drought reportedly is the worst the country has seen in 12 years.
The high number of elephant deaths may also be due to poachers, who illegally trade and sell the animals’ ivory. Other than humans, elephants have no predators.
Kenya’s wildlife attracts millions of tourists per year, and as the drought continues, conservationists will keep an eye on other native species. High temperatures have caused grasslands and rivers that once provided the country’s wildlife with food and water to dry up.
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1267551
The deaths likely are to due to a severe drought that may have been caused, in part, by climate change. The drought reportedly is the worst the country has seen in 12 years.
The high number of elephant deaths may also be due to poachers, who illegally trade and sell the animals’ ivory. Other than humans, elephants have no predators.
Kenya’s wildlife attracts millions of tourists per year, and as the drought continues, conservationists will keep an eye on other native species. High temperatures have caused grasslands and rivers that once provided the country’s wildlife with food and water to dry up.
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1267551
IVORY DEALER LOSES APPEAL
Bloemfontein - A Northern Cape man's appeal against a conviction of being an accomplice in the unlawful dealing of two ivory tusks was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Tuesday.
The court gave judgment in the appeal by Herman Zurich against a finding of the Upington Regional Court of being an accomplice to the unlawful dealing in two ivory pieces.
Zurich, an attorney at the time of the offence, was convicted on the basis of evidence of an undercover police agent, Jaco Oberholzer, in a covert operation called Rhino.
During the appeal, the admissibility of Oberholzer's evidence was challenged.
Bogus arrest
Zurich submitted that evidence against him was tainted by an abuse of the legal process when the police, in order to make Oberholzer appear credible, staged a bogus arrest of him.
The undercover agent then appeared in the Upington Magistrate's Court on false charges of unlawful dealing in diamonds.
This afforded Oberholzer the opportunity to seek legal representation from Zurich, who then introduced the police agent to the seller of the two ivory pieces.
Methods not unlawful
On Tuesday, the SCA held that although the investigative methods used by the police were unacceptable, it was not unlawful as far as Zurich was concerned and did not render the trial against him unfair.
The SCA upheld the conviction on one count of being an accomplice to the unlawful dealing in two ivory pieces.
Earlier, the Northern Cape High Court sentenced Zurich to a fine of R5 000 or imprisonment for nine months with a further imprisonment for nine months conditionally suspended for three years on the conviction.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/7ba5e5494d41463da130a2b61b72dda0/22-09-2009-06-37/Ivory_dealer_loses_appeal
Bloemfontein - A Northern Cape man's appeal against a conviction of being an accomplice in the unlawful dealing of two ivory tusks was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Tuesday.
The court gave judgment in the appeal by Herman Zurich against a finding of the Upington Regional Court of being an accomplice to the unlawful dealing in two ivory pieces.
Zurich, an attorney at the time of the offence, was convicted on the basis of evidence of an undercover police agent, Jaco Oberholzer, in a covert operation called Rhino.
During the appeal, the admissibility of Oberholzer's evidence was challenged.
Bogus arrest
Zurich submitted that evidence against him was tainted by an abuse of the legal process when the police, in order to make Oberholzer appear credible, staged a bogus arrest of him.
The undercover agent then appeared in the Upington Magistrate's Court on false charges of unlawful dealing in diamonds.
This afforded Oberholzer the opportunity to seek legal representation from Zurich, who then introduced the police agent to the seller of the two ivory pieces.
Methods not unlawful
On Tuesday, the SCA held that although the investigative methods used by the police were unacceptable, it was not unlawful as far as Zurich was concerned and did not render the trial against him unfair.
The SCA upheld the conviction on one count of being an accomplice to the unlawful dealing in two ivory pieces.
Earlier, the Northern Cape High Court sentenced Zurich to a fine of R5 000 or imprisonment for nine months with a further imprisonment for nine months conditionally suspended for three years on the conviction.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/7ba5e5494d41463da130a2b61b72dda0/22-09-2009-06-37/Ivory_dealer_loses_appeal
KENYA HIT BY KILLER DROUGHT
By Peter Greste
BBC News, Samburu National Park, Kenya
It was not hard to find the dead elephant.
The stench of the rotting carcass made it easy to track down in the sparse bush. A young male - barely four years old and still an infant by elephant standards - lay on its side in the sand by a river.
Around its feet, the sand had been cleared in small arcs - signs of the animal's thrashing as it struggled to stand and survive.
But there was nothing to eat. Nothing. On the ground, not a blade of grass existed, every green shoot had been stripped from the trees.
For Iain Douglas Hamilton, from the conservation organisation Save The Elephants, it was a heartbreaking sight.
"In all my 12 years here, I've never seen anything as bad as this," he said.
"The last long rains [in April] failed completely, and we haven't had a proper wet season for at least three years. If the rains fail in October and November, we'll go into total crisis. I can't even begin to imagine how awful that would be."
Left rotting
In all, Mr Hamilton's organisation has counted at least 24 elephants that have died over the past two months across Samburu alone.
And like most droughts, it is the old and the young that go first.
That is a worrying trend for the conservationists.
The losses on their own would not have much of an impact on the region's elephant populations, but when the old matriarchs die it is potentially devastating.
"If you get a large-scale mortality, and you get a lot of old matriarchs going, you lose the memory banks. That's the lessons the matriarchs have learned from their own mothers about things like where to go for water," Mr Hamilton said.
"If a matriarch dies before those lessons have been handed down, and the new head of the family makes a mistake in a drought like this, its potentially very serious for the entire group."
This drought, of course, is not just about elephants. But they are an indicator species.
What happens to them points to trouble right across the spectrum.
Other less drought-resistant animals like buffalo, warthog, hippopotami and certain species of antelope have been hit hard.
Crocodiles have been forced to migrate sometimes many kilometres in search of water.
Only the predators and scavengers are doing well. In good times, any dead animal would be surrounded by hungry lions, hyenas and vultures. Now most are simply left to rot in the sun. The scavengers simply cannot consume all the meat littering the bush.
Ominous warning
A few kilometres from the first elephant carcass, David Daballen, a researcher with Save the Elephants, found another dead male. This one was the victim of poaching.
The carcass lay on its chest, its legs spread like a spatchcocked chicken - clear evidence, according to Mr Daballen, that it had been shot.
"It was probably killed with a couple of bullets in its head. It would have collapsed where it stood," he said.
The ivory had been hacked out of the 10-year-old male, but more disturbingly, each of its feet and its trunk had been removed - clear signs that it had been butchered for meat.
"Normally you only find poaching much further from where it is now, and it looks like people are desperate and going for anything, including the meat. This is not quite normal for people to hunt for elephant meat," Mr Daballen said.
The clash between elephants and humans also now extends more broadly than it might otherwise have done in better times.
The Ewasa Nyiro river runs along the Samburu National Park boundary.
The park rangers say it is only ever dry for a few weeks or perhaps a month out of every year. Now, it is a sea of bleached sand, and it has been that way for most of the past six months.
Each day, the elephants listlessly amble their way to a series of waterholes on a bend in the river.
Local herders dug the wells - perhaps two metres deep - for themselves and their livestock. But as long as the elephants are there, the herders have to wait their turn.
An old lady is philosophical: "We have to live with the elephants out here. When they come, they destroy the wells and fill them with sand, but what can we do? We all share this place."
But she also gave an ominous warning.
"If the rains fail, we are all in trouble. It's not just going to be the animals dying. We'll die too, and it's not going to take long."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8267165.stm
By Peter Greste
BBC News, Samburu National Park, Kenya
It was not hard to find the dead elephant.
The stench of the rotting carcass made it easy to track down in the sparse bush. A young male - barely four years old and still an infant by elephant standards - lay on its side in the sand by a river.
Around its feet, the sand had been cleared in small arcs - signs of the animal's thrashing as it struggled to stand and survive.
But there was nothing to eat. Nothing. On the ground, not a blade of grass existed, every green shoot had been stripped from the trees.
For Iain Douglas Hamilton, from the conservation organisation Save The Elephants, it was a heartbreaking sight.
"In all my 12 years here, I've never seen anything as bad as this," he said.
"The last long rains [in April] failed completely, and we haven't had a proper wet season for at least three years. If the rains fail in October and November, we'll go into total crisis. I can't even begin to imagine how awful that would be."
Left rotting
In all, Mr Hamilton's organisation has counted at least 24 elephants that have died over the past two months across Samburu alone.
And like most droughts, it is the old and the young that go first.
That is a worrying trend for the conservationists.
The losses on their own would not have much of an impact on the region's elephant populations, but when the old matriarchs die it is potentially devastating.
"If you get a large-scale mortality, and you get a lot of old matriarchs going, you lose the memory banks. That's the lessons the matriarchs have learned from their own mothers about things like where to go for water," Mr Hamilton said.
"If a matriarch dies before those lessons have been handed down, and the new head of the family makes a mistake in a drought like this, its potentially very serious for the entire group."
This drought, of course, is not just about elephants. But they are an indicator species.
What happens to them points to trouble right across the spectrum.
Other less drought-resistant animals like buffalo, warthog, hippopotami and certain species of antelope have been hit hard.
Crocodiles have been forced to migrate sometimes many kilometres in search of water.
Only the predators and scavengers are doing well. In good times, any dead animal would be surrounded by hungry lions, hyenas and vultures. Now most are simply left to rot in the sun. The scavengers simply cannot consume all the meat littering the bush.
Ominous warning
A few kilometres from the first elephant carcass, David Daballen, a researcher with Save the Elephants, found another dead male. This one was the victim of poaching.
The carcass lay on its chest, its legs spread like a spatchcocked chicken - clear evidence, according to Mr Daballen, that it had been shot.
"It was probably killed with a couple of bullets in its head. It would have collapsed where it stood," he said.
The ivory had been hacked out of the 10-year-old male, but more disturbingly, each of its feet and its trunk had been removed - clear signs that it had been butchered for meat.
"Normally you only find poaching much further from where it is now, and it looks like people are desperate and going for anything, including the meat. This is not quite normal for people to hunt for elephant meat," Mr Daballen said.
The clash between elephants and humans also now extends more broadly than it might otherwise have done in better times.
The Ewasa Nyiro river runs along the Samburu National Park boundary.
The park rangers say it is only ever dry for a few weeks or perhaps a month out of every year. Now, it is a sea of bleached sand, and it has been that way for most of the past six months.
Each day, the elephants listlessly amble their way to a series of waterholes on a bend in the river.
Local herders dug the wells - perhaps two metres deep - for themselves and their livestock. But as long as the elephants are there, the herders have to wait their turn.
An old lady is philosophical: "We have to live with the elephants out here. When they come, they destroy the wells and fill them with sand, but what can we do? We all share this place."
But she also gave an ominous warning.
"If the rains fail, we are all in trouble. It's not just going to be the animals dying. We'll die too, and it's not going to take long."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8267165.stm
TAKING A WASH ON THE WILD SIDE... ELEPHANTS EMPLOYED TO CLEAN CARS WITH THEIR TRUNKS TO HELP WILDLIFE PARK THROUGH CREDIT CRUNCH
By Mail Foreign Service
Having your car washed can be dull and time-consuming.
But at this American wildlife park you would be too terrified to get bored - as they have employed a pair of massive elephants to do the job.
The park is hiring out African Elephants Alice and Tiki to blast mucky motors with water from their trunks and finish the job with sponges.
The novelty car wash means amazed visitors at the Wildlife Animal Park in southern Oregon can get a priceless up-close view from inside their cars watching the massive beasts as they set to work.
The bizarre idea is a ploy by the park to help them through the economic crisis with the owners picking up £12 per wash, bringing in much needed funds during the credit crunch.
Trainers at the park, who assist the gentle giants, hope to promote conservation through education while giving the 39-year-old elephants a fun task.
Both animals have been at the park since they were two and the park organisers say they enjoy their new work.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1215039/Taking-WASH-wild--Elephants-employed-clean-cars-trunks-help-wildlife-park-credit-crunch.html
But at this American wildlife park you would be too terrified to get bored - as they have employed a pair of massive elephants to do the job.
The park is hiring out African Elephants Alice and Tiki to blast mucky motors with water from their trunks and finish the job with sponges.
The novelty car wash means amazed visitors at the Wildlife Animal Park in southern Oregon can get a priceless up-close view from inside their cars watching the massive beasts as they set to work.
The bizarre idea is a ploy by the park to help them through the economic crisis with the owners picking up £12 per wash, bringing in much needed funds during the credit crunch.
Trainers at the park, who assist the gentle giants, hope to promote conservation through education while giving the 39-year-old elephants a fun task.
Both animals have been at the park since they were two and the park organisers say they enjoy their new work.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1215039/Taking-WASH-wild--Elephants-employed-clean-cars-trunks-help-wildlife-park-credit-crunch.html
ELEPHANTS, OTHER ICONIC ANIMALS DYING IN KENYA DROUGHT
Nick Wadhams in Nairobi for National Geographic News
More than sixty African elephants and hundreds of other animals have died so far in Kenya amid the worst drought to hit the country in over a decade, conservationists announced.
So-called "long rains" that usually fall in March and April failed this year, and some areas have now been in drought conditions for almost three years. No one knows why the drought has been so bad. Many attribute it to global warming, but others say it is simply part of the long-term weather cycle in East Africa.
Since January at least 38 dead elephants have been found in the area around the Laikipia highlands and Samburu National Reserve, officials said. (See pictures of Samburu's elephants.)
In addition 30 baby elephants have been reported dead so far this year in Amboseli National Park, farther south
Some of the animals died of thirst, while others starved due to lack of vegetation or succumbed to diseases or infections due to weakened immune systems, according to wildlife officials
Many of Kenya's other iconic species—including lions, crocodiles, zebra, and wildebeests—are also suffering in drought conditions and could start dying at worrisome rates, wildlife officials say.
"The elephants are very smart animals," said Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of the Nairobi-based nonprofit Save The Elephants. "But I think they are going to die in large numbers, and that goes for the other grazers and browsers, too."
Helping Hands
Conservation officials have been working to protect some animals from the effects of the drought by feeding or relocating them.
At Mzima Springs in Tsavo West National Park, rangers have been laying out hay for hippopotamuses to eat.
The Kenya Wildlife Service has moved ten white rhinoceroses from Lake Nakuru to Nairobi National Park, in part because the parched land can't support the large animals.
And the Nairobi-based David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust reports that recently it has been bringing an average of seven baby elephants a month to its orphanage. Normally the facility receives seven elephants in a year.
Crops and Cattle
The drought has exacerbated a long-standing conflict between wildlife and the people who live near Kenya's protected lands.
Crop harvests were already expected to be low, because post-election violence in early 2008 prevented many farmers from planting in time.
The United Nations recently estimated that a million people in Kenya are under threat of famine.
Meanwhile, cattle herders have been illegally driving their animals deep into Kenya's parks and reserves in search of water and grazing land.
From the air, massive cattle tracks can be seen leading deep into the Masai Mara National Reserve, and the Kenya Wildlife Service reported that rangers recently pushed ten thousand cattle out of Tsavo West.
"We have been negotiating with the communities to allow wildlife to have a bit of peace in the parks where there is a little water, but there aren't hard and fast measures we can take," wildlife service spokesperson Paul Udoto said.
"It's really been a body blow to our animals."
Wildlife Attacks
Some conservationists fear that cattle herders might even start killing wildlife if they continue to be denied access to water and grazing land inside national parks.
"People are asking why should they not be allowed to go into the park in case of unusual circumstances like now?" said Dickson Kaelo, a program officer at BaseCamp Foundation, a community conservation group outside Masai Mara.
"If they aren't allowed to, why should they allow wildlife to come into their land just for the benefit of the tourism industry?"
Any wildlife attacks would be more bad news for species that have already seen drastic declines.
One recent study, for example, found that wildlife numbers both inside and outside Kenya's parks have fallen by 40 percent since the 1970s.
People in Kenya are now waiting for October, when the shorter rainy season normally begins. But some experts worry that Kenya's water woes aren't likely to end anytime soon.
"I think it's probably the worst drought we've seen for quite a long time," Douglas-Hamilton said. "And it's not over, not by a long chalk."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090921-kenya-animals-drought-water.html
So-called "long rains" that usually fall in March and April failed this year, and some areas have now been in drought conditions for almost three years. No one knows why the drought has been so bad. Many attribute it to global warming, but others say it is simply part of the long-term weather cycle in East Africa.
Since January at least 38 dead elephants have been found in the area around the Laikipia highlands and Samburu National Reserve, officials said. (See pictures of Samburu's elephants.)
In addition 30 baby elephants have been reported dead so far this year in Amboseli National Park, farther south
Some of the animals died of thirst, while others starved due to lack of vegetation or succumbed to diseases or infections due to weakened immune systems, according to wildlife officials
Many of Kenya's other iconic species—including lions, crocodiles, zebra, and wildebeests—are also suffering in drought conditions and could start dying at worrisome rates, wildlife officials say.
"The elephants are very smart animals," said Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of the Nairobi-based nonprofit Save The Elephants. "But I think they are going to die in large numbers, and that goes for the other grazers and browsers, too."
Helping Hands
Conservation officials have been working to protect some animals from the effects of the drought by feeding or relocating them.
At Mzima Springs in Tsavo West National Park, rangers have been laying out hay for hippopotamuses to eat.
The Kenya Wildlife Service has moved ten white rhinoceroses from Lake Nakuru to Nairobi National Park, in part because the parched land can't support the large animals.
And the Nairobi-based David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust reports that recently it has been bringing an average of seven baby elephants a month to its orphanage. Normally the facility receives seven elephants in a year.
Crops and Cattle
The drought has exacerbated a long-standing conflict between wildlife and the people who live near Kenya's protected lands.
Crop harvests were already expected to be low, because post-election violence in early 2008 prevented many farmers from planting in time.
The United Nations recently estimated that a million people in Kenya are under threat of famine.
Meanwhile, cattle herders have been illegally driving their animals deep into Kenya's parks and reserves in search of water and grazing land.
From the air, massive cattle tracks can be seen leading deep into the Masai Mara National Reserve, and the Kenya Wildlife Service reported that rangers recently pushed ten thousand cattle out of Tsavo West.
"We have been negotiating with the communities to allow wildlife to have a bit of peace in the parks where there is a little water, but there aren't hard and fast measures we can take," wildlife service spokesperson Paul Udoto said.
"It's really been a body blow to our animals."
Wildlife Attacks
Some conservationists fear that cattle herders might even start killing wildlife if they continue to be denied access to water and grazing land inside national parks.
"People are asking why should they not be allowed to go into the park in case of unusual circumstances like now?" said Dickson Kaelo, a program officer at BaseCamp Foundation, a community conservation group outside Masai Mara.
"If they aren't allowed to, why should they allow wildlife to come into their land just for the benefit of the tourism industry?"
Any wildlife attacks would be more bad news for species that have already seen drastic declines.
One recent study, for example, found that wildlife numbers both inside and outside Kenya's parks have fallen by 40 percent since the 1970s.
People in Kenya are now waiting for October, when the shorter rainy season normally begins. But some experts worry that Kenya's water woes aren't likely to end anytime soon.
"I think it's probably the worst drought we've seen for quite a long time," Douglas-Hamilton said. "And it's not over, not by a long chalk."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090921-kenya-animals-drought-water.html
SAPO FOREST NOW ELEPHANT MEAT?
By ajohnson
The Sapo Forest in Sinoe has turned into a giant piece of elephant meat; and people in the area, including foreigners and ‘Big Shots’ in the county, are feasting on their children’s inheritance, caring less about tomorrow.
This is the sad and alarming news coming out of an area rich in wildlife. To preserve it as the pride of the nation’s forestry reserve, the Liberian government made it a National Park. Now it is reportedly inundated by locusts. What a shame!
But what are the county officials doing about this? After three years, what is the government waiting for to lay down the law in Sinoe? Or should we be left with the deduction that this is why all this opposition against Milton Teahjay’s appointment is drawing heat? We are urgently calling upon the government to put a stop to the flagrant and blatant misuse of the nation’s natural resources in that area.
It is also shameful to find that accusing fingers are being pointed at some of the officials in Sinoe and other adjoining counties, who have reportedly taken part in a conspiracy to rape their forestry resources. They have allegedly engaged themselves in league with Ghanaians, Guineans, Malians, Nigerians and God knows who else, tearing the forest apart for diamonds, gold and bush meat; and when they are finished with that, they cut down the trees and ship them out by night through the Greenville Port as timber.
Those engaged in this rampant misuse should be made to understand that although these criminal activities were condoned during the war years, this is a new day where respect for the rule of law and accountability must prevail; and those who persist in unjust enrichment at the expense of the state are to be held accountable. To continue to do nothing could be seen as a sign of weakness, tolerance or indifference; to wait any longer may affect the nation’s security. Therefore, the government must show its hand and take a stand now.
In the long march of history, people have conspired to sell their birthrights for a mess of porridge. Judas did it for 30 pieces of silver. But you cannot be trustee of the state and thief man too.
In every forest, there is a tiger. Pretty soon, the tiger shall emerge out of the Sapo Forest, trampling many in its wake. Wait and see!
http://www.liberianobserver.com/node/1650
By ajohnson
The Sapo Forest in Sinoe has turned into a giant piece of elephant meat; and people in the area, including foreigners and ‘Big Shots’ in the county, are feasting on their children’s inheritance, caring less about tomorrow.
This is the sad and alarming news coming out of an area rich in wildlife. To preserve it as the pride of the nation’s forestry reserve, the Liberian government made it a National Park. Now it is reportedly inundated by locusts. What a shame!
But what are the county officials doing about this? After three years, what is the government waiting for to lay down the law in Sinoe? Or should we be left with the deduction that this is why all this opposition against Milton Teahjay’s appointment is drawing heat? We are urgently calling upon the government to put a stop to the flagrant and blatant misuse of the nation’s natural resources in that area.
It is also shameful to find that accusing fingers are being pointed at some of the officials in Sinoe and other adjoining counties, who have reportedly taken part in a conspiracy to rape their forestry resources. They have allegedly engaged themselves in league with Ghanaians, Guineans, Malians, Nigerians and God knows who else, tearing the forest apart for diamonds, gold and bush meat; and when they are finished with that, they cut down the trees and ship them out by night through the Greenville Port as timber.
Those engaged in this rampant misuse should be made to understand that although these criminal activities were condoned during the war years, this is a new day where respect for the rule of law and accountability must prevail; and those who persist in unjust enrichment at the expense of the state are to be held accountable. To continue to do nothing could be seen as a sign of weakness, tolerance or indifference; to wait any longer may affect the nation’s security. Therefore, the government must show its hand and take a stand now.
In the long march of history, people have conspired to sell their birthrights for a mess of porridge. Judas did it for 30 pieces of silver. But you cannot be trustee of the state and thief man too.
In every forest, there is a tiger. Pretty soon, the tiger shall emerge out of the Sapo Forest, trampling many in its wake. Wait and see!
http://www.liberianobserver.com/node/1650
WOUNDED ELEPHANT KILLS MAN IN LIVINGSTONE
Written by Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
LIVINSGTONE resident of Simonga village was on Wednesday morning trampled to death by a wounded elephant.
In an interview, Mosi-O-Tunya National Park area warden Stephen Malungo said the elephant, which had since been gunned down by Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officials, had seven to eight bullet wounds on its back.
“I can confirm that a 33-year-old Chrispin Matali, Simonga resident, was yesterday (Wednesday) killed around 07:30 hours by an elephant as he was heading home from his work place, a farm in Simonga,” he said.
Malungo added that the son of the deceased who watched as his father was being trampled upon by the beast ran to the village to alert the other villagers of his father’s fate.
“When this happened the deceased was in the company of his son who managed to escape and run to the village and alerted the others of his father’s fate. The area where Matali was killed is a known corridor for elephants between Chundunkwa Lodge turn off and Simonga village. After I got the report, I informed the district administrator Mr Francis Chika and together we went to the scene were upon arrival we managed to spot the elephant,” he said.
Malungo added that after the officer gunned down the elephant, it was discovered with bullet wounds on its back.
“I insisted that we inspect the elephant and we discovered that it had about seven to eight bullet wounds on its buttocks. As much as we know that elephants are good towards people, the attack by this animal on Matali was instigated by its wounds,” said Malungo. “I would further like to appeal to the public not to try and injure or wound wildlife as the consequences are bad. This warning is meant for the people of Mandia area who seem to be in the habit of these acts.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/13729/50/
GAMBIA: THIRTEEN WILD ANIMAL SPECIES EXTINCT -MINISTER CHAM
Hatab Fadera
Banjul — Momodou Kotu Cham, the minister of Forestry and the Environment, last Thursday, informed members of the National Assembly that 13 species of wild animals have extinct. Among them, he said, include elephant, giraffe and lion.
Minister Cham was responding to a question posed to him by the National Assembly member for Banjul South, Honourable Baboucarr S Nyang, who wanted to know the reason behind the extinction of wild animals in the country, especially in regions such as the Central and Upper River Region, which he said, were in the past endowed with lots of animals.
The Forestry and Environment minister said as in all other natural processes, extinction could be both natural and human driven. For most of the wild animals of The Gambia, he said, the major cause of extinction has been loss of habitat by basically human beings. "To a large extent, our human population has been responsible for the extinction of a large number of wild animals because as the population increases, so is its demand on land to settle, to cultivate, and indeed to conduct all other human development needs," he said.
He then went on to inform the members that species like the elephant and lion need hundreds of kilometres of land as their home range. But as their habitat gets destroyed as a result of human activities, he said, these wild animals that require large home ranges are forced to migrate, or get killed, and eventually go extinct.
Reintroduction of some species
Also responding to a related question from the same NAM, on whether there are plans or programmes geared towards re-populating some of the designated national parks with animals such as leopard, antelopes, bucks, and cheetah amongst others, the Forestry and Environment minister told deputies about plans to re-introduce certain species of these animals into some of the nature reserves and parks. "But it must be noted that reintroduction has both technical and financial implications. Game reserves for viewing, and nature tourism including safaris could become an additional high class tourism product for the country, and at the same time enhance and increase the value of wild species," stated Minister Cham.
This, he told members is the reason why the government has invited the private sector, both Gambian and foreign to invest in the parks since the private sector could provide both technical and financial requirements. "As I speak, we are studying several requests from some investors who have expressed interest," concluded the Forestry and Environment minister.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909150468.html
Written by Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
LIVINSGTONE resident of Simonga village was on Wednesday morning trampled to death by a wounded elephant.
In an interview, Mosi-O-Tunya National Park area warden Stephen Malungo said the elephant, which had since been gunned down by Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officials, had seven to eight bullet wounds on its back.
“I can confirm that a 33-year-old Chrispin Matali, Simonga resident, was yesterday (Wednesday) killed around 07:30 hours by an elephant as he was heading home from his work place, a farm in Simonga,” he said.
Malungo added that the son of the deceased who watched as his father was being trampled upon by the beast ran to the village to alert the other villagers of his father’s fate.
“When this happened the deceased was in the company of his son who managed to escape and run to the village and alerted the others of his father’s fate. The area where Matali was killed is a known corridor for elephants between Chundunkwa Lodge turn off and Simonga village. After I got the report, I informed the district administrator Mr Francis Chika and together we went to the scene were upon arrival we managed to spot the elephant,” he said.
Malungo added that after the officer gunned down the elephant, it was discovered with bullet wounds on its back.
“I insisted that we inspect the elephant and we discovered that it had about seven to eight bullet wounds on its buttocks. As much as we know that elephants are good towards people, the attack by this animal on Matali was instigated by its wounds,” said Malungo. “I would further like to appeal to the public not to try and injure or wound wildlife as the consequences are bad. This warning is meant for the people of Mandia area who seem to be in the habit of these acts.
http://www.postzambia.com/content/view/13729/50/
GAMBIA: THIRTEEN WILD ANIMAL SPECIES EXTINCT -MINISTER CHAM
Hatab Fadera
Banjul — Momodou Kotu Cham, the minister of Forestry and the Environment, last Thursday, informed members of the National Assembly that 13 species of wild animals have extinct. Among them, he said, include elephant, giraffe and lion.
Minister Cham was responding to a question posed to him by the National Assembly member for Banjul South, Honourable Baboucarr S Nyang, who wanted to know the reason behind the extinction of wild animals in the country, especially in regions such as the Central and Upper River Region, which he said, were in the past endowed with lots of animals.
The Forestry and Environment minister said as in all other natural processes, extinction could be both natural and human driven. For most of the wild animals of The Gambia, he said, the major cause of extinction has been loss of habitat by basically human beings. "To a large extent, our human population has been responsible for the extinction of a large number of wild animals because as the population increases, so is its demand on land to settle, to cultivate, and indeed to conduct all other human development needs," he said.
He then went on to inform the members that species like the elephant and lion need hundreds of kilometres of land as their home range. But as their habitat gets destroyed as a result of human activities, he said, these wild animals that require large home ranges are forced to migrate, or get killed, and eventually go extinct.
Reintroduction of some species
Also responding to a related question from the same NAM, on whether there are plans or programmes geared towards re-populating some of the designated national parks with animals such as leopard, antelopes, bucks, and cheetah amongst others, the Forestry and Environment minister told deputies about plans to re-introduce certain species of these animals into some of the nature reserves and parks. "But it must be noted that reintroduction has both technical and financial implications. Game reserves for viewing, and nature tourism including safaris could become an additional high class tourism product for the country, and at the same time enhance and increase the value of wild species," stated Minister Cham.
This, he told members is the reason why the government has invited the private sector, both Gambian and foreign to invest in the parks since the private sector could provide both technical and financial requirements. "As I speak, we are studying several requests from some investors who have expressed interest," concluded the Forestry and Environment minister.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200909150468.html
ELEPHANTS PLAY HARMONICA AT WEST MIDLANDS SAFARI PARK
A PAIR of creative elephants have become a hit serenading West Midlands Safari Park staff with music.
Latabe, aged 16, and Five, aged 17, have both lived at the safari park since they were five-year-old orphans and have developed an extraordinary talent – for playing the harmonica.
Safari park staff say they both enjoy rock music and were surprised when the mammals took to playing the instrument with their trunks, which are strong enough to pluck branches from trees.
The duo never cease to amaze as they also proved nifty with a paintbrush to paint colourful works of art and showed themselves to be talented football players.
To see video footage of Latabe and Five playing the harmonica, visit the park’s website www.wmsp.co.uk/harmonica
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/2009/09/16/elephants-play-harmonica-at-west-midlands-safari-park-92746-24703600/
PITTSBURGH ZOO'S ELEPHANTS WILL HAVE THEIR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO
By Kellie B. Gormly
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on Sunday is hosting a party of "ginormous" proportions, with a celebration of the zoo's largest residents.
Macy's Elephant Day, featuring several activities in and around the Highland Park zoo's elephant barn, celebrates the zoo's entire African elephant herd of seven pachyderms. The event started several years ago, though, specifically to celebrate the September births of Callee, now 9, and Victoria, now 10. Both elephants were born at the zoo. Since then, Angeline and Zuri were born in July last year, and the calves aren't yet fully grown.
"We do a lot of significant work here with elephants," says Gabriele Boldizar, special-events manager for the zoo. "Our elephant herd is really important to us, and it's important that we showcase it to all our visitors here at the zoo. We want to reach (visitors), to learn about how they can help (elephants), in the wild as well as in captivity."
Macy's Elephant Day activities include live musical entertainment by Radio Disney, which also will do games and giveaways. Kids can enjoy face-painting, and crafts such as making elephant sun visors, with Macy's volunteers. Guests can visit tables full of bio-facts about elephants, talk with docents about the animals, and examine an elephant tusk.
Visitors can enjoy eating birthday cake, and sing happy birthday to Callee and Victoria.
The highlight of the elephant activities is watching the pachyderms each get their own individual birthday cakes, Boldizar says. They really do get cakes — banana or carrot cakes — and gobble them up, she says.
"It usually doesn't last too long," Boldizar says. "They pick them up with one swoop of the trunk, and it's gone."
Kids especially enjoy watching the elephants dig into their cakes with their trunks, she says.
"Kids love to get their cake too, but it's always fun to see an elephant eat a birthday cake," Boldizar says. "It's not something you see every day. It can get a little messy, but that's part of the fun of birthday cake."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/more/s_643474.html
A PAIR of creative elephants have become a hit serenading West Midlands Safari Park staff with music.
Latabe, aged 16, and Five, aged 17, have both lived at the safari park since they were five-year-old orphans and have developed an extraordinary talent – for playing the harmonica.
Safari park staff say they both enjoy rock music and were surprised when the mammals took to playing the instrument with their trunks, which are strong enough to pluck branches from trees.
The duo never cease to amaze as they also proved nifty with a paintbrush to paint colourful works of art and showed themselves to be talented football players.
To see video footage of Latabe and Five playing the harmonica, visit the park’s website www.wmsp.co.uk/harmonica
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/2009/09/16/elephants-play-harmonica-at-west-midlands-safari-park-92746-24703600/
PITTSBURGH ZOO'S ELEPHANTS WILL HAVE THEIR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO
By Kellie B. Gormly
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on Sunday is hosting a party of "ginormous" proportions, with a celebration of the zoo's largest residents.
Macy's Elephant Day, featuring several activities in and around the Highland Park zoo's elephant barn, celebrates the zoo's entire African elephant herd of seven pachyderms. The event started several years ago, though, specifically to celebrate the September births of Callee, now 9, and Victoria, now 10. Both elephants were born at the zoo. Since then, Angeline and Zuri were born in July last year, and the calves aren't yet fully grown.
"We do a lot of significant work here with elephants," says Gabriele Boldizar, special-events manager for the zoo. "Our elephant herd is really important to us, and it's important that we showcase it to all our visitors here at the zoo. We want to reach (visitors), to learn about how they can help (elephants), in the wild as well as in captivity."
Macy's Elephant Day activities include live musical entertainment by Radio Disney, which also will do games and giveaways. Kids can enjoy face-painting, and crafts such as making elephant sun visors, with Macy's volunteers. Guests can visit tables full of bio-facts about elephants, talk with docents about the animals, and examine an elephant tusk.
Visitors can enjoy eating birthday cake, and sing happy birthday to Callee and Victoria.
The highlight of the elephant activities is watching the pachyderms each get their own individual birthday cakes, Boldizar says. They really do get cakes — banana or carrot cakes — and gobble them up, she says.
"It usually doesn't last too long," Boldizar says. "They pick them up with one swoop of the trunk, and it's gone."
Kids especially enjoy watching the elephants dig into their cakes with their trunks, she says.
"Kids love to get their cake too, but it's always fun to see an elephant eat a birthday cake," Boldizar says. "It's not something you see every day. It can get a little messy, but that's part of the fun of birthday cake."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/more/s_643474.html
DOUG CLARK: ZOO COULD ADD TO ELEPHANTS' TERRITORY
By Doug Clark
Staff Writer
The N.C. Zoo features hundreds of magnificent animals, but its biggest attractions are its seven elephants.
The zoo last year completed an $8.5 million expansion project, officially opening its Watani Grasslands Reserve. The enhanced exhibit affords marvelous elephant viewing opportunities for delighted adults and children.
I enjoy watching these amazing giants every time I visit. But, what meets the eye doesn't tell the whole story.
You got a sense of that if you read the articles in our Ideas section Sunday and looked at the related video on our Web site.
There's a vigorous nationwide debate about captive elephants, which has led some zoos to give up their elephant exhibits and others to improve theirs.
The N.C. Zoo took the latter course. It believes it can educate the public about elephant conservation and become a leader in captive elephant breeding.
Nevertheless, some observers contend that these massive, intelligent, highly socialized creatures simply don't fit into any zoo setting.
I remain a fan of the N.C. Zoo, although I've developed some doubts about its exhibits and breeding program.
Saying the zoo has expanded its elephant habitat is true with an asterisk. It had one exhibit area of 3.5 acres. Now it has two. They join to form a seven-acre site, but the connection so far has been closed, denying the elephants the extra space. Why? They don't all get along.
The two males, C'sar and Artie, probably never will share the same enclosure. Artie, acquired nearly two years ago, still has not been placed with the females, either. Nekhanda, on loan to the N.C. Zoo since 2007, took well over a year before she was sufficiently "socialized" to be placed with the other cows.
Elephants are complex animals that in the wild live in family groups. Mixing unrelated adults in a confined zoo environment is difficult. It's easier for the zoo to keep the two outdoor habitats separate for now, but doing so limits each animal's space to 3.5 acres, not seven -- and that's when they're out. They spend more time in their barn.
I'd like to see the zoo put at least some of the elephants in its 37-acre "African Plains" area, as it has its rhinos. Assuming the socialization problems eventually are overcome, two obstacles remain.
One, stated by Curator of Mammals Guy Lichty, is the expense of "elephant-proofing" the 37-acre plains enclosure. Fences that contain antelopes or rhinos won't necessarily hold elephants.
Second, expressed by zoo Director David Jones, gets to the heart of the matter. Visitors can't get a close look at elephants foraging at the far end of a 37-acre habitat. Poor viewing diminishes the visitors' experience, which ultimately could hurt attendance and revenue.
The zoo really hopes for an elephant calf someday, which could be worth an extra 100,000 visitors, Jones said.
The zoo has never produced a calf. C'sar, who's about 35, has been a dud as a stud. Artie, about 30, is much more promising. But two of the adult females are over 30 and one is 28 -- getting up there in terms of elephant fertility. Nekhanda is 21 but seems to have other issues. The best hope in the long run is Batir, but at age 7 she's still a few years too young.
Elephant reproduction is lower in captivity than in the wild, and infant mortality is higher. Maybe, through good management, the N.C. Zoo will achieve success.
On the subject of breeding, however, don't think the purpose is to help replenish depleted wild herds in Africa. That's not going to happen, Jones said. The goal instead is to maintain a healthy captive population in the United States. Even that is uncertain.
When the zoo acquired C'sar, its first elephant, back in 1978, it was out of its depth. It didn't even have a veterinarian but would call in local vets when the animals needed care. During one such treatment, C'sar sustained an accidental injury that cost him most of an ear.
Now the level of veterinary care is exceptional. I've read some of the medical reports and am impressed by the amount of attention the elephants receive. And the staff has been very patient in working with Nekhanda, who arrived with apparent psychological distress from past experiences. It's very expensive to keep these animals healthy. Handling them behind the scenes is challenging and potentially dangerous -- which is why the new, $2.5 million barn is built like a maximum-security prison for giants.
I appreciate the zoo's natural-looking habitats for its seven largest residents. I applaud its conservation work in Africa. I'd cheer more if the zoo would use its plentiful space to really expand its elephant territory. Doing that could make them healthier, happier and maybe even more productive.
A little elephant would be the biggest attraction of all.
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/09/15/article/doug_clark_zoo_could_add_to_elephants_territory
By Doug Clark
Staff Writer
The N.C. Zoo features hundreds of magnificent animals, but its biggest attractions are its seven elephants.
The zoo last year completed an $8.5 million expansion project, officially opening its Watani Grasslands Reserve. The enhanced exhibit affords marvelous elephant viewing opportunities for delighted adults and children.
I enjoy watching these amazing giants every time I visit. But, what meets the eye doesn't tell the whole story.
You got a sense of that if you read the articles in our Ideas section Sunday and looked at the related video on our Web site.
There's a vigorous nationwide debate about captive elephants, which has led some zoos to give up their elephant exhibits and others to improve theirs.
The N.C. Zoo took the latter course. It believes it can educate the public about elephant conservation and become a leader in captive elephant breeding.
Nevertheless, some observers contend that these massive, intelligent, highly socialized creatures simply don't fit into any zoo setting.
I remain a fan of the N.C. Zoo, although I've developed some doubts about its exhibits and breeding program.
Saying the zoo has expanded its elephant habitat is true with an asterisk. It had one exhibit area of 3.5 acres. Now it has two. They join to form a seven-acre site, but the connection so far has been closed, denying the elephants the extra space. Why? They don't all get along.
The two males, C'sar and Artie, probably never will share the same enclosure. Artie, acquired nearly two years ago, still has not been placed with the females, either. Nekhanda, on loan to the N.C. Zoo since 2007, took well over a year before she was sufficiently "socialized" to be placed with the other cows.
Elephants are complex animals that in the wild live in family groups. Mixing unrelated adults in a confined zoo environment is difficult. It's easier for the zoo to keep the two outdoor habitats separate for now, but doing so limits each animal's space to 3.5 acres, not seven -- and that's when they're out. They spend more time in their barn.
I'd like to see the zoo put at least some of the elephants in its 37-acre "African Plains" area, as it has its rhinos. Assuming the socialization problems eventually are overcome, two obstacles remain.
One, stated by Curator of Mammals Guy Lichty, is the expense of "elephant-proofing" the 37-acre plains enclosure. Fences that contain antelopes or rhinos won't necessarily hold elephants.
Second, expressed by zoo Director David Jones, gets to the heart of the matter. Visitors can't get a close look at elephants foraging at the far end of a 37-acre habitat. Poor viewing diminishes the visitors' experience, which ultimately could hurt attendance and revenue.
The zoo really hopes for an elephant calf someday, which could be worth an extra 100,000 visitors, Jones said.
The zoo has never produced a calf. C'sar, who's about 35, has been a dud as a stud. Artie, about 30, is much more promising. But two of the adult females are over 30 and one is 28 -- getting up there in terms of elephant fertility. Nekhanda is 21 but seems to have other issues. The best hope in the long run is Batir, but at age 7 she's still a few years too young.
Elephant reproduction is lower in captivity than in the wild, and infant mortality is higher. Maybe, through good management, the N.C. Zoo will achieve success.
On the subject of breeding, however, don't think the purpose is to help replenish depleted wild herds in Africa. That's not going to happen, Jones said. The goal instead is to maintain a healthy captive population in the United States. Even that is uncertain.
When the zoo acquired C'sar, its first elephant, back in 1978, it was out of its depth. It didn't even have a veterinarian but would call in local vets when the animals needed care. During one such treatment, C'sar sustained an accidental injury that cost him most of an ear.
Now the level of veterinary care is exceptional. I've read some of the medical reports and am impressed by the amount of attention the elephants receive. And the staff has been very patient in working with Nekhanda, who arrived with apparent psychological distress from past experiences. It's very expensive to keep these animals healthy. Handling them behind the scenes is challenging and potentially dangerous -- which is why the new, $2.5 million barn is built like a maximum-security prison for giants.
I appreciate the zoo's natural-looking habitats for its seven largest residents. I applaud its conservation work in Africa. I'd cheer more if the zoo would use its plentiful space to really expand its elephant territory. Doing that could make them healthier, happier and maybe even more productive.
A little elephant would be the biggest attraction of all.
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/09/15/article/doug_clark_zoo_could_add_to_elephants_territory
