eleblog

“Meeting under the auspices of the African Elephant Coalition, the group called upon the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) not to allow China to be a partner in limited ivory trade allowed by the UN body two years ago in The Hague.” - The East African

“African elephant range states meeting in Mombasa, Kenya, have raised exception with undue focus on ivory trade within the CITES framework, saying preference should instead be given to conservation of elephants and mitigating challenges such as human wildlife conflict, law enforcement, building management capacity for range states and establishing mechanisms for local and trans- boundary elephant translocations. ” - International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

“Modern technology may soon come to the aid of farmers living under the constant threat of elephants from Mount Kenya forest.” - allAfrica.com

“The building of a corridor meant to ease the movement of elephants around Mount Kenya is set to start by the end of the month.” - allAfrica.com

World-famous Kenyan conservationist Richard Leakey has given his cautious support to the resumption of elephant culling in South Africa, declaring it “necessary” and based on “animal welfare concerns”. - IOL

“Four elephants including two infants have been killed and 10 others wounded during a series of spear attacks close to a Kenyan game park.” - Telegraph

“In Chad, Janjaweed militia from Sudan killed 100 elephants in one afternoon; in Kenya, Somali warlords armed with rocket-propelled grenades killed four wildlife rangers during a bloody raid on herds in the Tana Delta; in Democratic Republic of Congo, a whole host of rebel groups have turned the country’s dwindling elephant population into a new cash crop.” - Independent.co.uk

“Residents of Kwale, Kenya, have called for the Kenya Wildlife Service to act after elephants crushed farmlands and attacked villagers in recent days.
” - UPI.com

“On January 24, six crop-raiding male elephants were de-tusked on Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The exercise was carried out by Ol Pejeta and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).” - African Path

“International bans on the ivory trade and efforts to control poaching have helped Kenya’s elephant population rebound, wildlife authorities say. In the Tsavo/Mkomazi area — a conservancy in the larger Tsavo area in southern Kenya — the elephant population grew from 10,397 in 2005 to 11,696 in 2008, according the Kenya Wildlife Service.” - E-Wire

“A shimmer of light over much of the gloom shadowing Kenya at the moment is the heart warming news that elephant population in the country has been on the rise in the last several years. Breaking the news early this week, the Kenya Wildlife Service said a four per cent growth of elephant population was an indication that the state of the country’s wildlife is healthy. This follows successful anti-poaching measures and internationally supported bans on ivory trade.” - Nationmedia.com

“One night in mid January and elephant calf fell into a 20 foot deep waste pit at Little Governors’ Camp on the edge of the Masai Mara. Wildlife Extra is surprised that somewhere such as Governors’ would have such a tempting but deadly pit.” - Wildlife Extra

“Residents of the larger Meru Central region, many of them farmers, live under fear of elephants.” - allAfrica.com

“At a Nairobi-based orphanage for baby elephants, the animals are seen as lovable beasts in desperate need of protection. But across Kenya, adult elephants are better known as overgrown garden pests that trample and terrified. As Nick Wadhams reports from Nairobi, the elephant is at the center of a bitter competition over land and resources.” - VOA News

“Kenya has begun a great migration of 2,000 animals to a popular game park devastated by crime and poaching, wildlife officials have announced.” - National Geographic News

“The second phase of elephant translocation from Shimba Hills National reserve that was suspended in October last year will resume next month.” - Kenya Broadcasting Corporation:

“Kenya’s elephant population at independence was 167,000 and by 1989, they had been reduced to a mere 16,000. The alarming decline attributed to poaching forced the Government to take drastic steps to address the issue.” - The Standard

“Kenyan wildlife authorities have warned beach hotels to keep watch for nine elephants which have strayed from their home and may wander onto Indian Ocean shores, an official said Friday. The family group meandered into a forested area some three kilometres from Kenya’s coast, but officials were not sure where exactly they had come from. ” - Earth Times