Elephants Helping Elephants

November 25, 2014 Jen

I watch as her old arthritic fingers fight with the small silver needle and sun burnt thread on its epic journey of stitching up the elephant cushion. She takes a deep breath. My eyes never leave her face as her corn blue eyes, weathered with the passing of time twinkle and her cheeks glow like ripe strawberries as a huge satisifed sigh escapes her. ‘All done.’ She murmurs. It has taken a little time to do these two cushions as at 85, she always informs me that she can no longer run a marathon. My mum is a delightful and amazing old lady and I love and admire that she wants to help me raise funds for Chengeta Wildlife. I took photos of her beautiful cushions and put them on face book last night. What a fantastic response…and I now have to go and tell her that her work is not done. I have closed the cushion shop as she has orders for 10 more and I know what she will say.

‘I better do them as quick as I can because time is what I have…but how much time..I don’t know.’ And she will laugh at the horrified look on my face and we will work together to get these cushions done. So this coming week, I will snatch moments of time, oil the sewing machine and we will get busy on ‘elephant cushions.’ Stacked up next to me on the table, are beautiful calendars and numerous elephant key rings/chains for sale…all proceeds will go towards Chengeta Wildlife and the amazing work that Rory Young is doing in training rangers.

These are precious moments that are set in my memory like snap shots as I watch my family..the oldest being 85 down to the youngest who is comming up 4. My heart swells with pride when I hear them all talking about Chengeta Wildlife, Rangers and the poaching of elephants and rhinos and what we can do to help fight this scourge. We sit around the ancient dining room table making key chains, cushions or deciding what image would be best for the calendars.

Kayleigh (my oldest grandie) has definite ideas too.

I love the erth. It is the most specolest planet ever. Love Kayleigh. I liv in the UK. KBJ loves elees.

This money for the elees. To save the world.

(Took a few repeats from the author and rolling of eyes towards the ceiling when I took too long to decipher her note)

As a family, we work as a team. While I am now the matriarch of my family, I value what my mum has taught me. She plays a huge part in the family circle. Sadly her links with family members are stretched tight as they span over vast distances as we are now scattered all over the world. She shares her precious memories with her great grandchildren which offer breath taking glimpses into her past where the pulse of Africa throbbed beneath her feet and the cerulean sky drifted into infinity. She pines for her children, grand children and great grand children living in distant lands, and enjoys the ones who are close by. Elephants are no different from us.

Elephant families will also split but their reunions are incredible. Making contact through a swirl of dust, these mighty creatures embrace: ears flapping, tusks clicking, leaning into and rubbing each other: all the while urinating and defecating. Spinning in circles, they encompass the world with their joy and a cacophony of trumpeting screams and rumbles shred the air. Happy and joyful is their reunion.

While we are desperately trying to help Rory Young train rangers to fight the scourge of poaching, many thousands of miles away from where we sit around the dining room table, the sunset, in an explosion of gold is bidding the African day goodnight. While wisps of cloud flutter past the African half moon lying serenely on ber back, the magnificent martriarch wearing her robe of wrinkles and two well worn tusks trumpets in rage as bullets thump into the smallest member of her herd and she hears the bone crack. Trees explode as bullets ricochet and chaos reigns as this elephant herd is lost in a world of ugly greed, violence and blackness. With dawns slow promise of a golden day… a mighty stillness settles. Help us to help them.

These magnificent animals ask only for the space to roam free under the cerulean sky without fear, surrounded by their families and doing what elephants always do: living in the moment. As the superior beings, we do have one thing that no other living creature does: we have the ability to change the way things are. We hold the destiny of every living creature in our hands, and yet so few of us hear their silent cries of agony and their helpless pleas. The greed for ‘white gold’ has become the elephants downfall as the horn of the rhino has become their fate and their numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate. Elephants show all the best attributes of mankind with few of them displaying our darker sides.

Rory meeting with the chief and elders of Sidakoro, Parc National de Haut Niger

‘Meeting with the chief and elders of Sidakoro, Parc National de Haut Niger.
A critical part of the training and ops is how and why to approach community leaders and to sensitize and educate them, preferably developing in the process a positive flow of information from the community. With them on sides half the battle is won. Sometimes it is tedious work, lacking the excitement and adrenaline of pursuit and apprehension ops. That does not make it any less important.
In this case, far from complaining that the park and rangers are a nuisance the complaint from the elders and community is that poaching in protected areas has caused dramatic reduction in wildlife in traditional hunting areas. The majority of that poaching is by outside commercial poachers travelling to the park and then transporting the meat and other products to far away cities. In such situations the community can be and are a natural and important ally.’

While Rory Young gives of his time to train rangers throughout Africa, I am asking all of you…look at our chengetawildlife.org page. Help us to train and equip these men on the ground. Change will come….but we cannot afford to drift in the stream of the world….we need to act now. Africa’s wildlife needs us all to take an active role so that we can lead them out of the dark.

Consumers of ivory and rhino horn..hear their screams and let the heavy silence of loss flank you. Behind every piece of ivory and rhino horn is a story…a barbaric and bloody story. Your desire for ivory trinkets and rhino horn is decimating Africa’s elephants and rhinos. Those ivory bracelets, chopsticks and figurines are the cause of elephants being slaughtered. How can you desire something that is so significant of violence and death.

A call for help in desperate times of poaching by Rory Young. Please watch and share this short clip.

Magical Moments

November 17, 2014 Jen

With a chubby little finger pointing at the computer screen my youngest little angel asks with a lisp in her voice what I am doing. I explain that I am putting a calendar together to sell to make some money for Chengeta Wildlife to enable Rory Young to train the rangers and save the elephants. She nods vigorously as I take a deep breath, waiting for the next question but a comfortable silence ensues and she goes back to her drawing, which is of course an elephant…all be it a rather strange looking one.

Our little wildlife warriors

The following day, they both burst through our front door desperate to get to me first shouting, ‘Hold out your hand Gog, and close your eyes.’ I am always a little suspicious as I don’t want any unwelcome visitors plopping into my palm. However this time, I look down and I have a shiny 50p coin and 4 copper 1p’s sitting snugly in the creases of my palm. ‘That is for Chengeta Wildlife, so Rory can save the elephants, and if you need more we will find you some.’ They sound like to two excited chipmunks and I am immensely proud of them.

I bring up an image of an elephant that our daughter (their Mum) Mikaela drew many years ago and show it to them both.

‘Wow’ their mouths form perfect 0’s, ‘when did mummy draw this?’

I look down at the beautiful pencil drawing and a storm of memories flood in. I have not thought about this particular trip for years. It is a gentle reminder on why I am so passionate about being involved with Chengeta Wildlife.

Mikaela’s drawing of the elephant we watched on that magical afternoon many years ago

The huge tattered ears fan out and even from a distance we can see that this is not an elephant enjoying the tranquility of a perfect summer’s moment. Her trumpet of rage bounces off the low hanging clouds as she skids to a halt, a golden cloud of dust haloing around her vast wrinkled body. Her large noble head is lowered in an aggresive stance and her scythe like tusks protrude, battle scarred and menacing. The fresh sweet smell of urine and elephant dung carries on the breeze and I turn to Gary, Mikaela and Ben. ‘She is magnificent’, I mutter quietly, my heart hammering against my ribs. Behind her the acacia trees adorned in leafy splendour tremble as she marches, kicking through the shallow waters edge, an explosion of silver droplets showering down. She is a shimmering gauzy cloud of energy. She claims the bank as her own, her large powerful trunk with it’s deep fissures whipping from side to side and I am sure I can see the fire burning in her eyes.

We sit silently, watching spellbound from the safety of our boat. We have no idea what has upset her. The stillness returns, broken by the gentle gurgle of the river as it caresses the side of the boat. A fish eagle cleaves through the air and the low cloud parts allowing a shaft of sunlight to glint off the white tail feathers as the majestic bird swoops down, large talons outstretched skimming the gleaming surface and plucking out an unsuspecting fish, leaving only a gentle ripple as her powerful wings give her flight. I turn my attention back to the elephant on the bank and to my astonishment, the herd is spilling out from the elongated shadows and ambling down to the snaking river. We watch as they lower their trunks into the river sucking up deep drafts of life giving water, quenching their thirst before throwing warm Zambezi sand over their backs. Small calves rough and tumble, their wrinkled trunks entwined and their shrill calls carry across the undulating river. A swirl of water alerts us to the presence of a large croc: a medevil serpent as it closes in on the shallows, it’s long tail licking the surface laviciously. I pull my gaze away from the menacing croc, shuddering at the thought of those iron jaws. Searching the bank, I am amazed to find that the small herd of elephants have vanished, melting into the deep shadows of the clammy afternoon. Deep rumbles vibrate through the air and although I can no longer see them, I can feel their presence.

In this open air amphitheater, zebra bend in stripey unison, ears pricked and wary eyes watchful as they take a drink in the long shadows of late afternoon. Buffalo swagger with exaggerated arrogance, snorting and formidable in their numbers. Their imposing horns spread outward and downwards from their large heads before curling up and around. Their powerful and muscled bodies are bejeweled with tick birds, their personal ‘bug cleaning service’. Like souls open wide to the breeze, we cherish what the afternoon has offered…a special place where one can lose touch with the material world. The cloud has given way to a clear evening sky and as the horizon is being stitched with a golden thread, we sadly reel in the fishing lines. I fight with the knot that holds the boat to the dry tree stump, pushing away as Gary fires up the engine. Dodging the grunting hippos we race like the wind back to camp where we will welcome a night full of crickets and other wonderful African bush melodies.

A few days later, we heard that a couple of elephants had been poached. The bearer of this bad news, a wizened African man with his iron grey tight curls and toothless grin was pointing towards our fishing spot and we wondered if this could have explained the female elephant’s agitation. We had heard of poachers crossing the mighty Zambezi river from Zambia in their dug out canoes. Maybe our presence had not been welcome to this herd who unbeknownst to us might have been grieving.

This storm of memory has made me feel a little heart sore and homesick for this magical place where the air smells cleaner and sky appears to be as high as it is wide. I remember the gut wrenching feeling of helpless anger at the thought of two of these giants lying bloated and rotting in the African bush. I find it difficult to describe the deep yearning that I have for the African bush and the magical wildlife that we shared our fishing trips with….however, I do know that I have to try and help to preserve it…for the animals.

When we talk about the poaching of elephants and rhinos…it always comes back to the same point. Corruption and greed..... and more corruption and greed.

CONSUMERS OF IVORY….THIS IS THE TRUE COST OF IVORY TRINKETS

China has 37 licensed carving factories and calls to shut down these factories are studiously ignored. Zhao Shucong is the man who approves the licensing of these state sanctioned factories…all in the name of ivory trinkets.

I am not there to enjoy it but I am determined that Chengeta Wildlife, with a little help from me…can preserve these magical places that used to be abundant with elephants and other wildlife.

YOU CAN SUPPORT CHENGETA WILDLIFE TOO

The Unsung Heroes Of The Bush

November 11, 2014November 11, 2014 Jen

These brave wildlife rangers are targets too

The poachers’ have an almost inexhaustible supply of money. Because rhino horn fetches $65,000 on the black market and a kilo of ivory is worth over $1 800, the smugglers and tradesman have very little problem funding these poachers and poaching operations.

The burning embers fizz and crackle as the elderly man squats on his haunches, his tired bones creaking their resistance. The flames from the cheerful fire throws deep shadows onto his cheeks which are wrinkled and corroded by time. He stills his thoughts seeking renewal of his restless spirit. A symphony of night life brings him back into the web of existence and he absently throws another long onto the fire, pulling away as a myriad of embers explode showering down in a spectacular display. With a stomach turning weightlessness he allows his thoughts to crawl through the cracks of his mind. Dead elephants and a fallen comrade. He sees the desperate look in the eyes of the young man’s mother on hearing the news of her son’s death. He sees the bloodied and broken face of the young man who had only begun to taste life, and he shudders, his shoulders sinking into his sides. A sadness comes upon him all silent and menacing as it flanks him, and he tries to close out the images of the mutilated elephants as they lie sprawled into the parched earth…mothers, babies and a couple of pregnant cows. He looks stricken, shrunken and immensely old as he stares with weary bloodshot eyes into the forbidding shadows of the dark African bush.

Rangers are exposed to deeply disturbing scenes, with each poached carcass a frustrating and grisly reminder of failure, and they operate in the bush under harsh physical conditions, often with inadequate equipment, pay, and support.

Wildlife rangers endure similar ordeals to soldiers in combat. They routinely face death, injury, or torture from poachers, and the wild animals they protect can kill them too. In the DRC, which has been driven by almost two decades of civil war and political instability, about 150 rangers have been killed in Virunga alone since 2004.

Nightmares set like reels of grisly film in his mind will again sneak up on him under the dark cloak of midnight, claustrophobic and warm. It is a life changing experience for these rangers who are witness to the ‘desolation’ long after the poached animal has unburdened its enormous wrinkled body into a spiritual updraft of lightness. Sadly for these animals death does not always come in a single violent stroke.

With dawn’s slow promise of a golden day, he will once again disappear into the early shadows of the African bush to join his fellow rangers. With the fundamental energy of the human spirit, they will leave behind a night full of restless ghosts, hovering moths and a galaxy of mosquitoes to concentrate on the day ahead. The nightmares will once again wait for the sun to say good night before pouncing on his restless mind once again.

WHAT CAN WE ALL DO TO HELP IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST POACHING (PLEASE WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO CLIP…CHENGETA WILDLIFE)

I often think back to the day when I was told that there was absolutely nothing that I as an individual could do to help in this continual fight against the evils of poaching. All to often we close our minds to the blood red streaks that mar our African landscape. While the world watches, the images of butchered animals, bodies bloated and legs suspended up in the air leap out of the computer or television, eyes staring unseeingly: pleading for somebody to take notice. This is not a violent storm that has bullied its way into the African bush. This is a dark menacing chaos of greed, corruption and destruction. These ruthless killers are turning the African bush into a wild sweltering inferno, flames devouring any animal with tusks or horns.

Rangers need all the help they can get in the fight against poachers.

Rory Young

Rory Young is a passionate and committed activist who has been fighting the evils of poaching all his life. He is a dedicated man who has decided to make it his life’s mission to ensure that the rangers fighting in this war against poaching have the best possible training. Rory has been in the field for well over 20 years now and has honed his skills in the bush as a pro-safari guide and a top class tracking consultant.

Rory Says

‘These animals are not dying of natural causes. We are not saving them from nature. They would not be on the verge of extinction it it wasn’t for us’

‘They are being killed for greed. This is a human offense, a human crime against these creatures and humans must make amends.’

‘I found that the very people who had knocked back the poaching in the 90’s are now old, or have been replaced with younger, less experienced people who had grown up after the liberation wars and counter insurgency operations of my generation and who had had no training or experience in the very skills needed to win. Very few could track properly and almost none knew how to follow-up poacher spoor as an effective team. Furthermore, the will to win was gone and there was no money because there was also no publicity about what was happening.’

Young said that by the end of 2014 he will have trained more than 150 team members on anti-poaching procedures. “Both the African elephant and the more endangered Forest elephant can both be saved and their numbers increased again, but only if we move immediately and decisively,” he said.

‘This war against poachers can be won. To win it it needs both a will to succeed and funding. We are losing elephants every single day. With your financial support we can put a stop to this senseless loss.’

Across Africa the scourge that is poaching is removing natural resources at an unprecedented rate. The southern African nation of Malawi is no exception to the hugely negative impacts of poaching on biodiversity and the natural ecosystem processes that sustain both people and wildlife.

CHINA STOP THE DEMAND

AND

CLOSE THE CARVING FACTORIES

“The ivory trade must be disrupted at all levels of criminality, the entire prosecution chain needs to be systemically restructured, corruption rooted out and all stakeholders, including communities exploited by the criminal syndicates and those on the front lines of enforcement, given unequivocal support.”

SAY NO TO IVORY

CHENGETA WILDLIFE

Survivors

October 27, 2014 Jen

DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE ELEPHANTS

THAT HAVE BEEN CALLOUSLY SLAUGHTERED FOR THEIR IVORY

As the morning sun lays a gentle hand across the valley, the young elephant cow remains hidden deep within the shadows of the thick bush. She is desperate to rinse off the uneasiness by bathing in the golden sunshine… but she is being pursued by heart wrenching echos and unsure of how to proceed. Lifting her muscular trunk, she inhales the sweet damp odour of rain on the breeze. Her coat of wrinkles hangs and there is a sadness in her eye as she fans her Africa shaped ears slowly. Her world seems crypt-quiet and motionless. She is 19 years old and the matriarchal duties that have been thrust onto her shoulders is a heavy burden for this young and inexperienced female to carry. It is essential that she is responsible enough to make some tough decisions in life for she must always consider, first and foremost, the well-being and safety of her family over and above the needs of any one individual that happens to fall on hard times. The small agitated herd are waiting impatiently…disturbed by the spirits of the dead as they are all moving into new realms of the unknown. A ravaging thirst has her leading them down to the fast flowing river where they take their fill washing down the choking and suffocating dust before disappearing back into the deep shadows of relative safety. The spell of the homeless winds whistles mournfully through the trees and the young matriarch in a moment of total self trust moves forward. Full of weighty concerns they ghost quietly through the bush, instinct urging her on ….she needs to weave a future for them all from this violent and tangled past.

CONSUMERS OF IVORY….LISTEN IN ON THEIR WORLD

A storm of memory has her temporal glands flowing and her heavy heart pounding violently against her rib cage as the currents of evil pulsate in the air. They slip through the shadows touching and caressing family members whose remains lie torn and bleeding into the dry earth. Squadrons of flies, excited by the smell of rotting flesh swarm hungrily over the carcasses. The young matriarch, a trumpet of rage piercing the thick air chases a cackle of hyenas that cavort and whoop loudly, long tendrils of spittle hanging from their ravenous mouths….but she is fighting a losing battle and the small desolate herd move on, vanishing across the twilight. The slow moving mist rises above the valley like an eerie phantom veil.

Entombed….. the ivory tusks which have been cut into pieces are suffocating under dozens of kilograms of cashew nuts…and on route to China. Each piece of stolen ivory tusk carries with it…an air of sadness and a tale of suffering and death. The unlucky hosts of these pieces of ivory lie spreadeagled and rotting deep within the sun burnt African bush.

This Is The True Cost Of Ivory Trinkets

It is estimated that a seizure rate of 10% in a developed country is considered “good” for general goods contraband – which includes ivory. This suggests that so far this year, an estimated 177,993kg (178 tonnes) of ivory has been illegally trafficked representing 19,400 elephants killed.

As the golden sunset casts out the remainder of a day, a young girl of 19, her raven black hair shimmering as it swings back and forth on her petite shoulders walks at a steady pace down the busy street, her high heels clipping the pavement with a delicate sound. Her slender arm is stretched out in front of her and she stares down, her dark brown eyes admiring the jewelry on her pale wrist. Creamy and intricately carved bangles jingle as she walks and a small smile of satisfaction sits happily upon her lips. IF IVORY COULD TALK….she would be able to picture the scene of mutilated and bloated carcasses rotting in the African bush. She would hear the terrified screams as bullets tear into flesh and the stench of their blood would fill her nostrils. Her heart would hammer painfully as the young matriarch whose older sisters and mother have been mown down to fulfill China’s demand for ivory is caught up in the evil web of human greed and deceit and unsure of how to lead her herd and keep them safe. She would look down on the ivory bangles encircling her wrist and feel their pain and sorrow searing into her flesh…..she would, I hope…..SAY NO TO IVORY and become a voice for the voiceless.

Human Tragedies

Some of Africa’s most notorious armed groups, including the Lord’s Resistance Army, the Shabab and Darfur’s janjaweed, are hunting down elephants and using the tusks to buy weapons and sustain their mayhem. Organized crime syndicates are linking up with them to move the ivory around the world, exploiting turbulent states, porous borders and corrupt officials from sub-Saharan Africa to China, law enforcement officials say.

PLEASE DO NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY

THE RANGERS AND THE WILDLIFE NEED OUR SUPPORT

Chengeta Wildlife

The Tashinga Initiative

MAPP

Keep On Marching

October 6, 2014 Jen

Nine months ago I was told that there was nothing that I could personally do to stop the slaughter of these animals. Well maybe not…but I was not going to become a silent witness to this rampant destruction. I was not going to watch from the sidelines as elephants and rhinos evaporate into the mist…lost in translation and crushed under the heels of supposed civilization.

Disturbing images of mutilated and bloated elephant carcasses jump off the page as a person’s mind closes down and they are unable to look and so I decided that I would raise awareness on the plight of these animals through the pent up emotion that pounds through my veins. I am a white African with a deep passion for this harsh and timeless land..that is the African bush and the wildlife. My passion for elephants began many years ago and as I have grown so has my love and respect for them. These ambassadors of the wild have shared with us their intelligence, love and compassion and I feel that we owe it them to stop the destruction. There is a magic that surrounds elephants and I aspire to be a part of the force that ensure that they continue to spread their harmony over the sun drenched bush.

I always wanted to be one of the herd

All one needs is the passion to to go out there and do what you have to do. My passion spurs me on. There is always something that each person can do to assist in this ‘poaching war.’ I have built my blog from 6 hits to 15 000 hits and my main aim was to appeal to the Chinese people that buying something so symbolic of suffering and death is morally wrong. 9 months later..the most traffic onto my blog is from China. As the weeks passed like fading shadows, I felt like I was still drifting in the stream of the world and this was not good enough. I would be delighted if my blog was earning money..but it does not and the fire in my belly is always to do more and through a series of events I came across Chengeta Wildlife.

Rory Young is a professional tracker with 25 years of experience and he is also the co-author of ‘A Field Manual For Anti-Poaching Activities.’ and he has embarked on an honorable journey of sharing his knowledge and skills.

‘This book is the first of its kind, showing clearly how poaching processes work and explaining the strategies, skills and techniques necessary to disrupt those processes. It stresses the need for deterrence and how to stop the problem before it starts. The goal is to provide a free printed copy to all anti-poaching units.’

A manual well worth reading..and full of information. This manual provides intense and detailed evaluation of how to decipher even the smallest and at times what might appear to be unimportant detail and encompass it all into the strategy. In the preface they talk about the fact that our existence clings to the fragile towers that are made up of innumerable life forms that we share this beautiful world with. When individual species are destroyed, we change their impact on the ecosystems and eventually the towers will begin to crumble and fall…causing a domino effect. We have to be incredibly egotistical to believe that we can survive without these ecosystems.

Chengeta Wildlife is a force for good, offering a comprehensive solution to help combat the evils of poaching and I was inspired and determined to help in raising some funds for them.

I have now been asked and have accepted with great honour and delight a position on Chengeta Wildlife’s Board of Directors.

‘Rangers and scouts are brave men who risk their lives to protect wildlife. They may face heavily armed poachers, sometimes ex-guerrilla fighters hired by ivory smuggling syndicates. These rangers need to have the best training and anti-poaching strategy possible and that is what Chengeta Wildlife provide.’

‘The programme is already proving successful as anti-poaching operations undertaken as part of the training uncovered several poaching syndicates operating in the area, some with links to neighboring Mozambique and as far away as China, highlighting the global scale of the poaching problem. Arrests were made and the culprits handed over to the appropriate authorities.‘

I am helping to ensure that these giants along with rhinos, lions and other wildlife will continue to feel the warmth of the sun on their backs.

What else can I do? Never in my wildest dreams did I see my African self marching in defense of elephants and rhinos in LONDON. What an amazing atmosphere there was on Saturday 4th October. Despite the rain which was reluctant to lift and let the sun break free from the grey clouds, the little girls were bubbling with excitment even though their view of the crowd did not get above hip height. They wore their home painted ‘Chengeta Wildlife’ tee shirts with pride, happy to show their backs to anyone who would look. The noise amplified into an overpowering hum, echoing off the large buildings towering high in this concrete jungle..a far cry from the tangled bush and cerulean sky..home of the African Elephants and Rhinos. Inhaling the sweet damp scent of rain we marched with our Zimbabwean flag held high becoming one with the noisy teeming mass of humanity as we marched, chatted, laughed and shouted. As I marched I could feel soft whispers from the African bush and the hair on the nape of my neck prickled and a lump the size of a green apple was lodged firmly in my throat. My memories, sweet with the wonder of seeing these majestic giants in the wild and compels me to do anything in my power to help to ensure that these memories do not become just faded photographs in my memoirs: crumpled pages of inadequate words.

Our little girls – dressed and ready to march for Elephants and Rhinos and showing their support for Chengeta Wildlife

Thousands of people had taken to the streets in 130 cities around the world lifting their voices to raise awareness of the plight faced by these critically endangered animals.

‘The Global March for Elephants and Rhinos will aim to achieve a full worldwide ban on the trade of ivory and rhino horn, the implementation of tougher penalties for wildlife crime, and the strengthening of law enforcement in consumer countries and range states. In addition, they will also make the demand that ivory and rhino shops and carving factories are shut down immediately.’

China..as I have said many times…’Hear the mournful ballad of the grey dove as death: a foul miasmic presence reaches out over the sun kissed bush of Africa. This is a scene that should be grotesque and offensive to eyes, ears and nostrils..and to those people who buy ivory. Sadly money talks..and money only talks when there is a demand. STOP THE DEMAND AND CLOSE THE CARVING FACTORIES.

CHINA..THIS IS THE TRUE COST OF IVORY TRINKETS

The mutilated bodies of elephants are left behind in the bush but their personal treasures or blood ivory leaves a trail of blood that stretches from Africa by air, sea and highway into Chinese carving factories. China has 37 licensed carving factories and calls to shut down these factories are studiously ignored. Mr. Zhao Shucong holds the destiny of Africa’s magnificent giants in his hands. China and Mr. Zhao Shucong needs to take responsibility for the fact that they are fueling the trade that is decimating African elephants. Here is a petition demanding that China bans all ivory.

Elephants are a source of great peace and wisdom that us humans should take note off. Humans, as the ‘rational thinking animals’ have the ability to alter their destructive tendencies. The thought of a world without these sentient giants is unthinkable. We have already caused such disharmony in their lives..but there is time to change..but we have to do it now. The challenge now..is to reshape some outdated perceptions and we all need to play a role.

Poaching is illegal. The consequences of being caught must out weigh the rewards.

Please have a look at our amazing website: chengetawildlife.org

”The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke

GO OUT AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP SAVE ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS

Marching for Giants

September 29, 2014 Jen

DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE GENTLE GIANTS WHO END OF UP IN CHINESE CARVING FACTORIES..

AND THIS IS WHY I AM MARCHING FOR ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS

People of China..please join the march on 4th October. March for Elephants and rhinos

A smartly dressed middle class Chinese woman leans over the counter, her manicured blood red nails stark against her pale hands as she taps the immaculate glass counter with her fingers. As she nods the light reflects off the thick shiny wave of hair, her open smile showing small even pearly white teeth and a darting pink tongue. Behind the trader endless displays of ivory tusks and numerous creamy trinkets lie entombed in glass cabinets. A temple to modern Chinese artisans/craftsmen and a tragic resting place for what remains of these magnificent and sentient animals. The warm and heavy evening breathes slowly as the trader, desperate for a sale appeases her impatience by removing innumerable trinkets and tusks from behind sleek glass for her to caress. Behind her, a noisy crowd like a slow destructive tidal wave surge forward in their lust for ivory. Her dark eyes run the length of an enormous tusk. She is only seeing a work of art which has taken a year of endless carving and patience. She is not seeing the elephant whose rhythm of life has been broken…suddenly and without warning.

With a friendly wave and warm smile she inches her way through the crowd, delighted with her purchase. With one last glance and dreaming of a return she steps out into the smog filled air leaving the cloying warmth and mighty stillness of the ‘elephant graveyard’ behind her. Her head is full of admiration for the carver who has turned this elephant into such an extraordinary piece of artwork. It will sit in pride of place on the lounge window sill enshrouded by delicate lace curtains splashed with swirls of red..a perfect backdrop for this blood ivory. With a warmth spreading like sunshine over her soul she has no idea that she is playing a part in the demise of the African elephants. The emptiness of these hateful crimes….unbeknown to her…. match the sad lumbering of an old bull elephant whose noble head was once the proud owner of the perfect scythe like tusk that she has paid an absolute fortune for and now owns.

The clean smooth remains from this noble creature lie along with the remains of hundreds of other elephants in the stillness of the African bush under a blistering sun in the Niassa Reserve, Northern Mozambique. If only she could see what is left of this trundling bull. If only she and millions of other Chinese buyers of ivory and rhino horn could read the headline..

ELEPHANT POACHING.. ‘A NATIONAL DISASTER’.

If only they could hear the raging screams of elephants under attack as ‘beasts of war swoop down from above in their modern machines’and the pungent smell of death chokes the untamed bush. Africa’s sunrise which should offer a fiery promise to each new day is revealing bloody and violent ‘killing fields’. If only she could hear the distressed screams from small calves as they try to rouse their mother’s from a permanent sleep, their small muscular trunks rusty red and caked with blood and a glazed expression in their eyes. Without the protection of their herd, they too will become sad statistics in this harsh and timeless land. The scavengers are excited by the stench of blood and torn flesh and the survivors of this massacre know instinctively that their time is coming..the flame of life flickers dimly. Late evening shadows, always obedient to the lowering sun cannot obscure this godless scene unfolding while the world watches..for the most part silent.

China…this is the tortured scene of desolation and loss..the true cost of ivory trinkets. Lives are being destroyed by the unquenchable lust for ivory. China..close down the ivory carving factories. These are licensed by one man.. Mr. Zhao Shucong.

CHINA..THE TRUE COST OF IVORY TRINKETS

An aerial survey of the Quirimbas Park in 2013 found 854 live elephants, and 811 carcasses of elephants slaughtered by poachers. In other words, 48.7 per cent of the elephants spotted in the park were dead. A similar survey in the Niassa Reserve in 2011 found 12,029 live elephants and 2,627 carcasses.

And it is the Niassa and Quirimbas elephant herds that are now being targeted by organised criminal gangs, in what Pereira said “can be described, with no exaggeration, as a national disaster”.

‘Pemba, in Mozambique, is famous for exporting timber. It is also one of the areas where the smuggling is the most serious. Here there are a large number of Chinese timber merchants. According to an Environmental Investigation Agency report in 2012, there are a large number of Chinese timber companies that have engaged in illegal exploitation and smuggling. One official, from the Mozambique Tourism Bureau, told the Southern Weekend reporter that some timber dealers, by virtue of well-established timber transport routes, transport ivory hidden in large vans to other countries. “Some government officials are also involved, but I can’t comment on that. ” –

Authorities look the other way as raw ivory in the shape of elephant tusks can be found on sale in Maputo.

I WILL BE MARCHING FOR ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS ON 4TH OCTOBER 2014…

WILL YOU?

CHINA CLOSE DOWN YOUR IVORY CARVING FACTORIES….PLEASE

(Please read and sign this petition)

Trail Of Blood

September 15, 2014 Jen

My jaw drops open and I stand gulping like a guppy. I cannot believe what I am hearing from my Chinese colleague. Here we are in the 21st centuary and this incredibly beautiful minute woman with her porclain face and raven coloured hair is telling me in her quaint lilting voice that ivory is a status symbol in every good chinese home. I gasp and the air feels hot in my lungs as she informs me she has never given much thought as to how and where the tusks find their way to China. I shake my head and I can feel a frown pulling my eyebrows together.

‘White Gold’ is maybe what you call it Kim.’ My voice is low and intense, ‘but I call it blood ivory.’ The expression in her dark eyes as they rise to meet my blue stare is blank. I feel soft whispers from the bush and the hair on the nape of my neck prickles. My memories, sweet with the wonder of seeing these majestic giants in the wild wash over me and I find myself staring deep within this Chinese girl’s soul. She is genuinely ignorant about blood ivory. ‘Come, lets go and buy a cup of coffee.’ I hook my arm through hers and we wend our way through numerous tables covered in bright coloured clothes to a corner in the courtyard..quiet and private. I am going to inform her of the human footprints leaving an ugly scar on the land. Footprints that are small in size pointing to the fact that China is driving the demand for ivory which in turn is fuelling the trade that has African elephants poised on the edge of ‘extinction’.

‘Love for ivory is in our blood. It is etched deeply into the Chinese identity.’ Her eyes are downcast and her voice is low. I nod and say nothing. I am confident that by the time we have drunk our coffee this will be one Chinese girl who most definitely will not every want to own any ivory..no matter how deeply etched it is in her identity.

‘Kim, you need to listen in on their world and hear their desperate cries. 100 of these sentient animals are slaughtered per day to feed the ivory demand. Get caught in the mist that floats, reluctant to lift as muffled screams slice through the air. Allow the stench of gun powder and torn flesh to fill your nostrils. Feel the weight of the trees as they bow down, silent witnesses to the carnage. Cry as the large full term pregnant cow in labour, her full belly encumbering her desperate escape collapses in a heap, her symetrical tusks carving a deep ridge in the ground that is pooling with her blood. With one last convulsive shudder, she finishes off what she had started before the first bullet tore into her face. With her death she expells the miracle of new life which she has nurtured inside for the past 22 months. A small perfectly formed baby elephant lies immobile and defenceless..surrounded by the carcasses of what would have been her family..a family where deep bonds would have been forged over the next 40 years. A feast for those scavengers that will be attracted by the tortured screams and stench of blood carried on the wind.

This is only the beginning of the journey for your ‘white gold’. An elephants tusks are deeply embedded into the skull. You need to stare deep into the unseeing eyes of a slaughtered elephant..eyes that have been blurred by tears and fear. In some cases eyes that have glazed over with agony when the first thud of the axe falls before the heart stops beating. Hear the mournful ballad of the grey dove as death: a foul miasmic presence reaches out over the sun kissed bush of Africa. This is a scene that should be grotesque and offensive to eyes, ears and nostrils..and to those people who buy ivory. Sadly money talks..and money only talks when there is a demand.

The mutilated bodies of elephants are left behind in the bush but their personal treasures or blood ivory leaves a trail of blood that stretches from Africa by air, sea and highway into Chinese carving factories. China has 37 licensed carving factories and calls to shut down these factories are studiously ignored. Zhao Shucong is the man who approves the licensing of these state sanctioned factories.

Inside these factories Chinese carvers, with masks covering their noses and mouths sit hunched over their desks. Under bright artificial strip lights, the ivory tusk lies lifeless. A carver gently runs his hand down the length of ‘dentine’ that is all that remains from a magnificent giant that had proudly ambled under a cerulean sky for close on 45 years, her enormous trunk swinging freely as she communicated with her family members through a series of low frequency sounds that is undetected by the human ear..before being callously slaughtered. Lifting up a tool, he starts to whittle away at the polished tusk and she will be turned into a fancy carved ornament for somebody to pay a kings ransom for.

Today’s modern power-driven rotary saws and dental-like drills have revolutionized the art of ivory carving! Using carving skills perfected over 40 years, the carvers will painstakingly transform these pieces of dead ivory into sculptures. This could take months or even up to a year depending on the size of the tusks.

‘Going back to what you said about the Chinese peoples love for ivory being in their blood and the fact that it is etched deeply into the Chinese identity, Kim. Sadly.. the Chinese lust for ivory is causing a blood bath.’ I insist quietly, my heart hammering unevenly. ‘Have you every heard of Mr. Zhao Shucong? We need him to acknowledge that when the buying stops..so will the killing.’

Her dark smoldering eyes dart away. ‘I have heard of Mr. Zhao Shucong. He is the head of the State Forestry Admin. He is a powerful man.’

‘Kim, he is a very powerful man. Mr. Zhao Shucong not only approves licenses for the carving factories but also for the bear bile farms, tiger bone wine and much much more. Mr. Zhao Shucong holds the destiny of Africa’s gentle giants in his hands. China and Mr. Zhao Shucong needs to take responsibility for the fact that they are fueling the trade that is decimating African elephants. Here is a petition demanding that China bans all ivory.‘ I whip out my phone and find the page to show her..’I will tag you in it and then you can sign?’

Q&A: To Stem Africa’s Illegal Ivory Trade to Asia, Focus on Key Shipping Ports

‘There are three main ports in Africa being used to traffic ivory: Mombasa, in Kenya, and Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, in Tanzania.These are the people who essentially grease the machine that enables illicit ivory to get from Africa to Asia.

The report notes that port activity in West Africa surged in the past year. Do you think this trend will continue?

I do, but I think it will be short-lived. Southern Africa is where the trend will go. Elephants are disappearing in West Africa, and the trade is moving east, which is why you see Mombasa and Dar es Salaam as big points of export.

Eventually the real profit will be hitting southern African elephants, which have historically been the most robust populations but will become targets as the trend sees localized extinctions in other parts of Africa.

To see more on these questions and answers …see more‘

Kim is shaking her head. ‘I honestly did not know that such huge numbers of elephants were being killed for their ivory. I am ashamed to say that I have never thought about it. Are there people trying to protect these animals in Africa?’ There are no tears. She is far too controlled for that, but I have worked with her for long enough to know that she is upset, and embarrassed at her ignorance.

‘Yes, Kim there are. In Zimbabwe, the country that I come from there are a few different wildlife groups involved and many rangers are murdered through out Africa..frozen in time for ever, just like the wildlife they are trying to protect. Kim, it is sad because these rangers are trying to stop the elephants and other wildlife from being killed so that people can buy ivory and other animal parts. It is not only elephants that suffering, Kim. The rhinos are also being slaughtered for their horn. It has been scientifically proven that the rhino horn holds no magic cures for man. This ivory that your people lust for is shrouded in blood and flames.’

Chengeta Wildlife

The Tashinga Initiative

MAPP

‘My chosen cause is Chengeta Wildlife and the following infographic has been designed for Chengeta Wildlife with thanks to Joe Chernov, Robin Richards and Leslie Bradshaw. Please share it by any means that you can.’

Rangers and scouts are brave men who risk their lives to protect wildlife. They may face heavily armed poachers, sometimes ex-guerrilla fighters hired by ivory smuggling syndicates. These rangers need to have the best training and anti-poaching strategy possible and that is what Chengeta Wildlife provide.

Elephants, said Young, are the “most magnificent creatures.”

“They can empathize. They’re self-aware,” he went on to say. “When I see an elephant lying dead on the ground, it’s like seeing a friend getting shot.”

But if elephants went extinct, we wouldn’t just be losing an extraordinary animal, we’d also have an environmental calamity on our hands.

“Elephants are a keystone species,” said Young. “They have a profound effect on the ecosystem. If you protect an elephant, you protect the environment and all the animals around them.” To read More……

SAY NO TO IVORY

Mt. Kili Madness, Cricket and Elephants

July 21, 2014July 21, 2014 Jen

More people have been into space, or sailed single-handed around the world without stopping than have managed to play a competitive game of cricket above 5,100 m.

The warm friendly wash of early morning will offer a bright promise of a brand new day. The day, 20th September 2014 is a day that the cricketing world will never forget. A day that the world will remember as two teams of intrepid ‘cricketers’ will start their seven day hike up Mount Kilimanjaro where they will take ‘cricket to new heights.’

Mount Kilimanjaro is not only the highest peak on the African Continent, it is the tallest free standing mountain in the world. In isolation it rises up and beyond the clouds. This breath taking mountain towers over the savannah below. Reaching a commanding height of 5 895 m, it is a paradise empty of modern trappings.

These cricketers, over seven days will ascend through a virtual climatic world tour as they leave the warmth of the tropics, climbing heaven wards and into arctic conditions. They will climb through five vegetation zones on their ‘Kili Madness quest.’

At the start of their journey, they will pass through the cultivated zone (800- 1000m). Here the liquid murmur of rivers echos as merging streams are formed from the glacier run off on the mountains. Coffee is grown on the foothills of Mount Kilimajaro.

From 1800 – 2800 m they will meander through the deepening glades of forest where they will enjoy the pulpy damp: a smell that reeks of age. Surrounded by huge wooden giants, their knotted arms reaching skywards towards the light as they battle for survival, the two teams will wend their way along a well kept trail. Blue monkeys, colobus monkey, olive baboons, civets, leopards, honey badger, porcupines,and other small furry animals remain elusive and are seldom seen, but their presence will be felt as small urgent footfalls scamper out of sight into the deep undergrowth. Their cricket bats could come in handy when defending themselves against the honey badger!!! This critter is not as sweet as it’s name implies and has a reputation, like these cricketers for being the most fearless on the block. Folks beware, make sure the cricket balls are safely out of sight !!! Use the cricket box for protection as these animals are renowned for their habit of going for the balls.

The striking black and white colobus monkeys will feel your presence as you walk below. They live in the tree tops in small groups and because they eat mainly leaves, they seldom leave the safety of their skyscraper branches. If the cricketers are lucky, they might be privy to a spectacular gymnastic display as these monkeys leap from tree to tree, their white capes and tails streaming. Mystical vines, hidden eyes and the braying call of a silvery cheeked horn bill or cheerful chatter of the mouse birds will stay with them as they climb through the lush rustling foliage and past the magnificent watchful sentinels of the forest: the trees. They will also be lucky enough to remember the guttural purring roar that echoes through the green forest, a distinct territorial call of these magnificent animals and a reminder that the black and white colobus monkeys, although not seen were there.

From 2 800 – 4000m will take these adventures into a different world. A world where heather, wild grasses and a rocky trail will replace the pulpy softness of the forest. The many grasses that grow here are as beautiful as they are useful in protecting the soil and conserving the moisture.

The two teams may see two types of buzzards cruising the empty air pockets overhead. The Angur Buzzard is a large hawk with curved wings reddish tail, and an underside that is either predominately white or black. The Mountain buzzard is similar in appearance to the Angur buzzard in shape and size but it is brown. They might also be privileged enough to experience the aerobatic display by the Lammergeyer. The Lammergeyer is a rare vulture with long wings and a wedge tail. The Lammergeyer has a habit of soaring to a great height and dropping a bone onto the rocks below to break them.

At this height delicate clouds will drift past at eye level. At the upper end of this zone, the dark night will be hung with a myriad of spectacular twinkling stars turning this world into a surreal and peaceful place.

Zone 4 (4000m – 5000m) will lead them through a strange and quiet place. This Alpine desert region receives little rain and plants find it difficult to survive. A dry and desolate landscape where they will be buffeted by strong winds and steaming day temperatures. They will be surrounded by signs of volcanic activity as they fight their way through small volcanic rocks and huge boulders for as far as the eye can see. They will now be close enough to see the vast glaciers that cling with tenacity to the deep barren gorges on the slopes and the breaches in the crater rim. This visual is a reminder of where molten lava once bullied its way through during ancient volcanic eruptions. Here woolly caps, mittens and arctic sleeping bags will be needed as night time is ushered in with plummeting temperatures.

As morning ghosts into view, the intrepid climbers will ascend to the summit (5000 – 5895 m). Which ever route is taken, they will feel a sense of awe being in that spectacular space between earth and heaven. Glaciers will greet this team of adventures who have a reason for being on the highest mountain in Africa.

They will descend into the crater which is 360 m across and 120m deep. Here ‘Mt Kili Madness’ will take place. In the crater’s lunar like landscape a Flicx pitch donated by Richard Bhegin from FlicxUK ltd will be rolled out. Stumps set up and the T20/20 match will begin.

To qualify for World Record status, the two teams must play a game of T20. Both teams will have to do so after a challenging seven-day climb, risking altitude sickness – a feat which 30% of climbers fail.

Organiser David Harper added: “Playing at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro will bring a world record to Africa, raise significant sponsorship for three very worthwhile charities, and help raise awareness of the harm that poaching is doing to wildlife across the continent…as well as allowing me to indulge my fantasy of playing against some high quality international cricketers.”

What has this got to do with Elephants? I can hear the questions. Well today’s blog is about celebrating the human spirit. These two teams of cricketers have set themselves a huge task… an ask that will take cricket to new heights: all in aid of raising funds and awareness for three amazing charities. They will also be breaking a world record.

Tusk: a dynamic organisation with over twenty years of experience initiating and funding conservation, community development and environmental education programmes across Africa. 100 elephants are being killed a day in Africa, and time is of the essence. Rhino are also being slaughtered at an alarming rate and now is the time to act. Please have a look at their Just Giving Page to raise funds.

Cancer Research: A cause that should be close to all our hearts.

Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation (RCSF)
Building a future for cricket in Rwanda, fundraising on a not-for-profit basis, the first dedicated international cricket ground in Rwanda on the outskirts of the capital, Kigali. This year is the 20th commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide. It is hoped that the ground will look towards Rwanda’s future, providing a venue to help build bridges between individuals and across communities, in a country that still bears the scars of this most tragic and divisive period in its history. Cricket is the fastest growing sport in Rwanda, all teams, all ages, all backgrounds.

Virgin Money Giving is dedicated to raising funds for all three charities

Please like their face book page Mt. Kili Madness and help them to raise the awareness on this massive undertaking. Follow the lead up to this event and help to celebrate in the human spirit by sharing the links with friends.

Currently the world record for the highest recorded game of cricket stands at 5,100 m which took place at Base Camp 2 of Everest. We plan to play at 5,785 m which will be a huge physical achievement and will undoubtedly raise much interest, coverage and support. The expedition will set off on Saturday 20th September for a 7 day hike to reach our chosen pitch. The wicket will be laid, the stumps will be set up and the cucumber sandwiches will be cut in preparation for a game of 20/20 in the crater of one of the most magnificent mountains in the world – Mount Kilimanjaro.

The victors of this match will be crowned the ‘King of the Mountain’ and the losers….after pulling their hair out, will hang their heads in shame before been made to carry all the kit down!! The Flicx pitch will then be donated to a Tanzanian school or club to help further this amazing sport in this country. Please like their face book page and help them to spread the awareness on this massive undertaking. Follow the lead up to this event and help to celebrate in the human spirit by sharing the links with friends.

ZIMBABWEAN ELEPHANTS

April 21, 2014 Jen

What will be the fate of the Presidential Herd of Zimbabwe?. This is a question that burns and tightens the knot in my stomach to breaking point. The cyanide poisoning of the Hwange elephants last year, was for me a dramatic turning point. Although I live far from the country in which I was born, I can no longer pretend that all is well in the animal kingdom. All is far from well. The bush, ‘the womb of the universe’ is fast on the tracks to becoming ‘The big empty.’

When I started my inner journey, a friend asked me at question ‘This passion you have for elephants, it comes straight from your heart. How the hell do you put in all into words?’

I did not hesitate in my reply. ‘I know and feel the fear from these animals. I also know what it is like to own something that others want. The only difference was that to take what we owned was done by intimidation and yes…violence, but we survived. These animals do not survive. They are killed for their ‘personal treasure’ which is then butchered from their faces. It does my head in.’

In 1990 President Robert Mugabe decreed that the plus minus 450 herd of elephants that roamed on the the state land bordering Hwange should never be culled or hunted. In essence, he gave them ‘safe passage’. This was done to symbolize Zimbabwe’s commitment to ‘responsible’ wildlife management. However, this short lived promise was soon to be whipped away and scattered amongst the leaves. The ‘master of illusion’, or ‘delusion’ had been weaving his wicked magic. By 1997, his promise to this special herd was null in void as Zimbabwe lobbied CITES to sell off a stock pile of ivory to China, claiming that Zimbabwe’s elephants now had to ‘pay for their rent’. Licences were then dished out and suddenly Mugabe’s lips were stitched tight on the subject, and this herd’s protection was short lived.

Sharon Pincott, an Australian wildlife enthusiast arrived on the scene on 5th March 2001. Like an angel of mercy, she took this special herd of elephants under her wing. She has spent 13 years with these elephants…dedicating her time and love while monitoring and protecting them. Sharon founded and has run the ‘Presidential Elephant Conservation Project’ since 2001…a long uphill battle all the way. Shadows of corruption and the stench of greed have soured the air, but she had the courage to take a stance…often standing alone as she fought on the side of these elephants. These raw and violent battlefields are now including land claims that have resurfaced in early 2014. Despite a directive being issued in December 2013 by Zimbabwe’s Cabinet that offer letters be withdrawn,the claimont Elisabeth Pasalk / Freeman has totally disregarded these orders and gone ahead to build a safari lodge. She has changed the name of the Kanondo area to ‘Gwango Elephant Lodge.’ She is understood to be an American resident, and the sister of a well known safari operator.

Sharon Pincott has sadly been stunk out. After 13 years of dedication and love to these animals, she has now written her last post ‘Who destroyed the Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe?’ I read this last post with my heart pounding like a 10 pound hammer against my ribs cage. As a Zimbabwean who is passionate about my country, I again feel fear as it menaces up and against me. What will become of these ambling giants who wear their huge hearts on their sleeve. I can see and smell the bush that echoes with their rumbles and pulsates with their personalities. These intelligent and sentient creatures will have to wonder why ‘their beloved friend’ has had to leave. I feel fear for them as their ‘echoes of harmony are lost in the storm of political currents.’ What an uncertain future lies ahead for them? Like all living creatures in Zimbabwe, they face the threat of falling through the ever widening cracks into chaos. To Sharon Pincott, I wish her well and can only say thank you….You truly have been an inspiration to us all. God Speed.

‘Who will watch over the Presidential Elephants?’ ( My poem…dedicated to the elephants and their human friend.) Thank you to all those incredible men and women out there on the ground…the thin line between our wildlife and ‘the big empty.’ We salute all of you.

When will us humans learn that these elephants, rhino and other wildlife need our protection. We need to ‘Chengeta Wildlife’ . Now more than ever, our rangers need help to fight the fight because ‘when the earth beings grow greedy, the animals will slowly disappear’.

Rory Young is not only a wildlife tracker and activist who has been fighting against the dark and hungry shadows of poaching all his life, he is also a prolific and exceptional writer. Born in Zambia and brought up in different parts of Africa, he learnt to treat the earth well, reading the signs and stories left by different animals and humans in the bush. He managed to blend in with the natural surroundings that had become his playground and feasting on the wonders of nature. The songs and calls of the bush speak to him. The passion for the bush never left him and he decided to make it his life’s work to combat the poaching problem.

Let’s spread the word.

Facebook: Facebook.com/chengetavalley
Twitter: Twitter.com/ChengetaTusk
Thunderclap: Let’s kick some poacher *ss
Crowdfunding: Terrorists Are Targeting Africa’s Elephants

DISTANT MEMORIES

April 14, 2014 Jen

Many memories have been stored away from our numerous trips floating down the magnificent and rather forbidding Zambezi river. I have been embraced by the warm sultry breeze and lain under the African half moon hanging suspended in the endless sky. They say,’ once you have been bitten by the mosquito, you cannot get Africa out of your blood.’ Well I can certainly vouch for that. There is nothing more awe inspiring than the seductive lapping of water against the boat and the melancholy call of the fish eagle as he spreads his wings cruising the empty air pockets. BUT: nothing will ever beat watching an elderly elephant bull, his large ivory tusks weighing down his massive head as he romances the river line. A river line that has been shaped over time by the rough caresses of fast flowing waters. These images leave an everlasting imprint on the mind. To view these magnificent animals in their natural surrounds is truly like balm on the soul.

These imprints on my mind are now over eight years old and they do not fade. However that is what they are : only imprints and distant memories. This leads to questions that leave a lump the size of a large green apple lodged in my throat. If we don’t stop this rampant poaching…what does the future hold? I have seen these animals in the wild and am so scared that they will become just that…and imprint and distant memory. Portraits of a ravaged land by Nick Brandt says it all.

The fate of Africa’s elephants along with other wildlife hangs by a thread. It is on this thread that we as custodians of the earth need to concentrate and secure. There are many selfless and dedicated people out there who have been involved in conservation, and without them these magnificent animals would surely have been lost to the world. Each and every person dedicating some of their time to saving the elephants and other wildlife are needed and appreciated. Each and every one of them brings something different to the table. The Tashinga Initiative in Zimbabwe is a cause close to my heart and guys we salute you all. You are doing an amazing job under difficult circumstances.

While habitat loss is a real threat to these animals, nature has always had ways of keeping their numbers under control. Severe droughts would ravage the land and a large percentage of elephants throughout the entire elephant populations in the region would be lost. During these harsh and stressful times, elephant cows do not conceive, and with the losses from the drought the pressure on the land is relieved. These natural disasters, though cruel are efficient in keeping down the numbers. However mother nature and her hot dry winds are not where the biggest problem lies.

Corruption and greed are decimating Africa’s elephants. The men on the ground need our support. They cannot fight this war on their own. African Governments also need to take action and to be a part of the solution. Those with clout need to stop the demand so that poaching makes no economical sense at all. But while all these cogs are turning, we need to ‘CHENGETA WILDLIFE‘ (look after the wildlife) before it is too late.

Now more than ever, these ambling giants are so vulnerable. Their social structures have been pulled apart by the cruel efficiency of the gun. Every piece of ivory, whether carved or in it’s original form is an evocative memory of a once proud and regal elephant, who has suffered unjust cruelty in the most unspeakable way. This has all been in the name of ‘a piece of dentine’ or ‘teeth’ for humans to own trinkets or jewelry.

HOW, I ask can any human want to own something that is so symbolic of suffering and death?

SAY NO TO IVORY

RESPECT THE IVORY BAN

TUSKS BELONG TO ELEPHANTS

THEY DON’T BELONG TO MAN

Ask yourselves a question. ‘What does it say about us as humans when an elephant is worth more dead than alive?’ Let’s celebrate their life.