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Havoc wreckin Jumbos return

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jan 26 2008 | By: admin

garissa-elephats.jpg
North eastern, the third largest province in Kenya, is mainly characterized by arid climatic conditions with an erratic rainfall of less than 250mm a year. The area is mainly inhabited by Somalis, who rear livestock as their main economic activity.
Garissa district, the headquarters of the region represents one of the most degraded ecosystems threatened by desertification, biodiversity loss, deforestation and fuel wood shortages. the reasons include the prolonged shifta wars, livestock- wildlife conflict and the influxes of refugees and their livestock from the neighboring Somalia.
However, the vast district is historically home for large mammals including elephants, the endangered rhinos, buffaloes and finally the big cats. Older people still vividly remember how they had some rough time with these animals. Other than the big cats (Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs) most of these animals have disappeared, thanks to the illigal trade in trophies (tusks and horns) in the 70s. However, due to recent improvement in security in the province,elephants have reportedly returned to garissa which used to be a migratory corridor connecting the Tsavo and Kora ecosystems to the grater Somalia ecosystem.
Specific sightings have been reported in Bura division of Garissa district in past two years. According to the area Kenya Wildlife Service Honorary Warden Mr. Hassan Sheikh Ali, who recently encountered a breeding herd of 14, with their calves in Jambele area, south of Garissa, the elephants have invaded farms in the area and destroyed mango trees.
The animals have also been seen in Modika, Balambala, Balich and Bananey, in north of the district.The big question is how will these elephants be accommodated by the local pastoralists/ farmers who have not had to deal with any since late 70s, when elephant poaching was at its peak?
Historical corridors and water access points have been blocked in the recent past, and this could be a source of new battle between the destructive beast and the people. Too many people in Garissa view the return of elephants as a disaster in the making and they may not be supportive of the government conservations goals.
Ali A Hussein

10 Responses to “Havoc wreckin Jumbos return”

Wanda, Atlanta, GA, on 26 Jan 2008

This does not sound good for the elephants - I guess they won’t ever be able to come home — how sad and how it makes me feel for them that cannot come back because they will surely be killed by farmers or poachers.

sheryl, washington dc, on 26 Jan 2008

There it is in one post - too many people on the planet means no room for the non-human animals. We are insane.

s.

F. J. PECHIR, on 28 Jan 2008

I hope that this problem can be solved without killing that elephants!

THERESA SISKIND, on 28 Jan 2008

Elephants need these corridors to survive…I hate feeling so useless. Water is and will be the number one threat to the survival of species along with habitat loss. Earth simply can’t provide for the alarming increase of its inhabitants. Instead of mining, all coastal African governments should invest in desalination water plants and figure out a system of delivery to the land locked countries. Yes, we are talking big bucks, but more land is lost to desertification each year, meaning more habitat loss. Sorry for going on so, but Sheryl is right!

James, on 29 Jan 2008

fantastic news. i think this is wonderful and many congratulations to all at the sanctuary. without your diligence we would never know about elephants visiting garissa nor would we have a giraffe population thriving in a location where game has not done so well through the years. your work is so valuable and you all should be very proud of your work. thanks, james
Karisia Safaris

F. J. PECHIR, on 29 Jan 2008

Thank you Abdul for your kind email! I will help you in this problem by contacting the pertinent government authorities in an effort to explain them the extreme need to protect these elephants, and make to them clear that international observers and institutions are actually following their decisions and actions in the management of wildlife. I will contact them as the ACWP, member of the Lake Natron Consultative Group, based in Kenya. Also I will try that others conservation institutions of this group get in touch with the authorities to prevent an elephant´s slaughter. There are always options to save wildlife and a number of solutions can be studied. I´m contacting now my friend Ken Mwathe, Permanent Secretary and Head of the LNCG in Kenya to know what us, as a group, can do to help in this matter, there is no time to be wasted!

F. J. PECHIR, on 30 Jan 2008

Abdul, thanks for your today answer. Just a few minutes ago my friend Ken Mwathe answer mi petition about the problem with the elephants in Garissa. He is researching elephants in Kenya and is very interested in help us in this matter.Yesterday he had contacted some authorities in the Kenya Wildlife Service including Mr. Moses Litoroh Head of the Elephant Program, Mr. Elphas Chief Program Officer, and Patrick Omondi Head of Species Conservation Department, and now, we have also the support from the Lake Natron Consultative Group as a conservation organization. I really hope that this could help. I´m sending you some information at your email address about this matter. Please be in contact by this blog or at my mail. Thanks.

F. J. PECHIR, on 30 Jan 2008

Abdul, i have more good news to you! 5 minutes ago Ken Mwathe send me a message about the elephants in trouble in Garissa. The Kenya wildlife Service has (until now) no knowledge about this issue but an investigation about it will be initiated as soon as possible “looking to avoid any letal actions against that elephant herd”. These are great news, beacause in less than 48 hours that I know about this problem by your blog we have a response from the K.W.S. and the support from my ACWP and the Lake Natron Consultative Group that will be following the results in this matter!! Wow, that´s really fast!! Please contact me for any news by this blog or at my mail address!

THERESA SISKIND, on 30 Jan 2008

Good work F.J.! I only wish I had been able to help the elephants slated for slaughter in Zimbabwe. Both Sheryl and I tried with their embassy in Washinton and were treated very badly…

F. J. PECHIR, on 30 Jan 2008

Dear Theresa,- How´s that?
Please feel free to contact me at my mail address fpechir@hotmail.com.
My name is Frank, but you will see the translation of my name to spanish because I opened this count while doing research on black bears and kit foxes for some time in Mexico years ago. In that momment it seems to me funny to translated my name in the count since in that time I was living in Latin America in order to do my reaserch work, but since then I don´t know how to change it (help wanted)! If you tell me about your problem in Zimbabwe maybe we can do something about it!

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