Category Archives: Wildlife

Update on Ijema Funan, Injured Ranger

Posted by wlwsWP on February 1, 2012 No comments

Ijema was discharged from the hospital last week and for the first time since the surgery is showing no signs of fever. This is fantastic news, as it means that the antibiotics are fighting off any infection.

In fact, Ijema actually felt strong enough to go and do a bit of shopping on his own in the local town of Voi to pick up some bits and bobs. He’s been surprised and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of visitors he has received, which have kept him pretty busy while trying to rest and recover. He is looking a lot better, and doctors seem pleased with the progress so far, but everyone knows it’s going to be a long healing process.

Wildlife Works continues to spare no expense to care for the health of Ijema and support both families through this tragedy; however, if you would like to make a donation to show support for and help these families continue to recover, you can do so at the following Webpage: Donations for the Family of Abdi Abdullahi Mohammed and for Ijema Funan.

All of us at Wildlife Works would like to thank you for your outreach and support during this terrible tragedy and throughout the healing process. Donations will be collected until Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2012. The donations and your messages will be delivered personally in March by the VP of African Operations, Rob Dodson, who has been overseeing Ijema and both families’ recovery.

Elephant Poachers Kill Wildlife Works Conservation Ranger and Critically Injure Another

Posted by wlwsWP on January 16, 2012 No comments

As vigilant as we are when it comes to protecting our community and the wildlife surrounding us, tragedy still finds us at times. On Friday, January 13th, elephant poachers opened fired on our unarmed conservation rangers who were patrolling the Kasigau Corridor project area in Kenya. One of our rangers, Abdullahi Mohammed, was fatally shot and another ranger, Ijema Funan, was injured by the gunfire.

At the time, our rangers, along with members of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), were tracking the poachers after discovering a wounded elephant in the protected project area. “This is the first time in 15 years that any of our rangers have been killed in the line of duty, and it reflects an escalation in violence caused by the increasing demand for ivory in the far eastern markets, especially China,” said Wildlife Works founder, Mike Korchinsky.

Wildlife Works Rangers

With each passing day, we hear good news following this senseless act of violence. Two of the gang of three elephant poachers were arrested in Makinnon Road on Sunday afternoon, January 15, and they are helping us with the ongoing investigation as well as providing us with essential information concerning the shooting.

One of the two arrested men led our rangers and the Kenyan Police to the place where the rifle and ammunition had been buried. The rifle was wrapped in a pair of trousers and buried under a bush on Taita Ranch, which must have been the route the poachers took to exit the sanctuary after the fatal contact. We believe this is the rifle that shot at our rangers two days ago because it was recently fired and kept in very good condition.

The rifle that was found buried under a bush on Taita Ranch

Although this is not the end of this chapter, we feel confident that justice will prevail, as we continue to work diligently to ensure that everyone is caught and security is restored within the Kasigau Corridor. As we continue our investigation, we are happy to report that Ijema, the injured Wildlife Works ranger, is comfortable, eating well, and seems to be on his way to a full recovery.

In the aftermath and as we move forward, our VP of African Operations, Rob Dodson, would like to thank all of the Wildlife Works staff in Kenya for the countless hours you are putting in to ensure that justice is being served and the community remains safe and secure. He would also like to thank Eric, who led the operation to find the buried weapon, along with his team – Elem, Moses, Eregai and the rest of the rangers who have barely slept over the last 72 hours.

Rob and the Wildlife Works Rangers with the rifle that was found

“This appalling and heart wrenching incident underscores the real threat to the community and wildlife of this region. As long as an illegal market for ivory remains, they are in grave danger, so we will continue to support brave Kenyans in their struggle to protect their local environment. We will never forget the sacrifice that Abdullahi Mohammed, Ijema Funan and their families made today in the name of wildlife conservation.” – Mike Korchinsky, founder and CEO of Wildlife Works

POACHERS-Caught on camera on Wildlife Works Rukinga Sanctuary

Posted by wlwsWP on October 17, 2011 1 comment

By: CARA BRAUND- Conservation Intern- 17th October 2011

As part of their efforts to track biodiversity levels on Rukinga and the rest of the project area, the Biodiversity Division have been testing out camera traps to photograph unsuspecting wildlife in their natural habitat.

The first six test cameras are on day and night and the first trials have been going well, with elephants, lesser kudu, giraffe, kongoni civets and even aardwolf being captured.

Wildlife Works camera captures a captivating image of an aardwolf.

The team got a bit of a surprise, however, when checking the recent results of their work. Mixed among the shots of buffalo and kudu was the image of several men walking through the bush several hours after dark, as well as a clear image of one man with a torch and a machete.

Whilst illegally travelling by foot on Rukinga, the group had inadvertently stepped past one of the traps, providing the Wildlife Works team with evidence of their likely attempts to poach wildlife on the sanctuary.

A poacher, unknowingly caught on camera, holding a machete.

The photographs will now be used to identify the man in one of the photographs, at which point he will receive a fine for trespassing. Due to the fact that poaching wildlife is only indicated, not proven in the picture, it’s likely he will only receive a stern warning about his activities rather than be arrested.

The hope is that due to his photographic capture and subsequent warning, the man in the photograph will make a bid to change his ways, especially when combined with ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in the community.

As a twist on similar situations, Wildlife Works has made the not-uncommon decision to hire poachers in the past as a way of combating the problem. As long as the person passes the test in terms of fitness and dedication, they can be excellent additions to the anti-poaching team by way of their skill-set in tracking and knowledge of the trade!

Elephants freely roaming in there natural habitat. Another great example of the images taken by Wildlife Works camera traps.

Needless to say the Biodiversity Division is fairly happy that their monitoring of wildlife in the area has lead to the tracking of poachers. At Wildlife Works we are particularly pleased to know that the use of technology in addition to rangers can be effective in reducing poaching. As well as producing hard evidence of the illegal activity for the authorities, it means that the rangers themselves will be in less physical danger in relation to fighting illegal activity in the area.

I wonder what we’ll see next time?

Wildlife Works Crew to the Rescue, One Baby Elephant at a Time

Posted by wlwsWP on October 6, 2011 1 comment

By: CARA BRAUND- Conservation Intern- 5th October 2011

Monday mornings aren’t always the most exciting in many offices, but this Monday at Wildlife Works proved to be a little different than usual! We received a phone call from one of our rangers saying that an elephant had become stuck in a muddy rock catchment on our neighbouring ranch. Apparently the creature was only around two years old, and had been stuck for over 24 hours.With none of her family members in sight, it was important we help her out of her predicament as soon as possible before she became too dehydrated.

The team raced to Kivuko rock and made their way up to the rock catchment, unsure of what to expect. Upon seeing the young elephant, some team members thought that she may have already died due to how far she had become stuck and her lack of movement. Thankfully she was still with us and so we set about setting her free!

The first stage was to free up around the elephant’s head and as many of her limbs as possible. This required most of the team to get stuck into the mixture of mud, poo and goodness-knows-what-else to dig with shovels and bare hands. Due to the elephant’s size and the relevant size of our team, there was no way manpower alone was going to be enough to get the poor creature out of her predicament.

As soon as we had the opportunity, we slipped a rope and strap underneath its chest and attached this to a car tow hitch. Having a large car on the side of a rock wasn’t an easy set-up, but with gentle teasing and pulling (thanks to our skilled operators!) in several different directions, the lucky elephant was gradually eased to the side of its muddy hole.

Understandably, the elephant was extremely exhausted and dehydrated but seemed to be fairly calm given the circumstances. The team gently washed the muddy mixture off her, especially from her mouth where it had accumulated over her time in the swamp.

She was then able to drink freely, and took her time to get as much water on board as she was still unable to get herself up. As we were unsure that the elephant would be okay by herself, we were glad when the team from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust arrived to lend their expertise to the situation. Both teams came together to coax the young elephant back to her feet, and although rather unsteady at first (not surprising given her ordeal during the previous 24 hours) she was back up and eating and drinking in no time at all!

The rangers in the area will be keeping an eye out on the animal in the hopes that her family will come back to her in the next few days. In the meantime, the team is making a plan to clean out the rock catchment to improve the quality of the rainwater and to stop any other unsuspecting elephants getting trapped!

Statement made in Kenya to Heighten Awareness on Elephant Poaching

Posted by wlwsWP on August 2, 2011 No comments

Article by Jason Straziuso, Independent Newspaper

Kenya has publicly burnt elephant ivory worth £10m – at Manyani, Tsavo National Park – in an attempt to focus attention on rising poaching deaths. President Mwai Kibaki personally wielded the torch to light the bonfire of 335 confiscated tusks and 41,000 ivory trinkets.

He told several hundred people gathered at a rural Kenya Wildlife Service training facility: ”Through the disposal of contraband ivory, we seek to formally demonstrate to the world our determination to eliminate all forms of illegal trade in ivory.”We must all appreciate the negative effects of illegal trade to our national economies. We cannot afford to sit back and allow criminal networks to destroy our common future.”

Elephant numbers are much healthier today than in the recent past, but conservationists say a second crisis is looming as poachers seek to satisfy China’s appetite for ivory.

Iain Douglas-Hamilton founder of Save the Elephants said he hoped people would see Kenya’s latest ivory destruction as further warning that elephants are again being hunted. The economic loss from the burning was part of the message. ”This is a clear signal that it’s worth a lot more money than you could get on the market. We have to stop the buying if we want to stop the killing,” he said. “I’m not totally pessimistic. I think the Chinese can be converted.”

A global ban on the ivory trade in 1989 briefly halted the elephants’ demise. But the ban’s initial success has been undermined by booming Asian economies and increasing demand for land. Africa had 1.3 million elephants in the 1970s but has only 500,000 today.

Injured Elephant Treated on Rukinga

Posted by laracowan on February 18, 2011 1 comment

BY ROB DODSON – VP – RUKINGA - 15th February 2011

Our Wildlife Works rangers came across a large male elephant that was having trouble walking and so we called in the Sheldrick Trust vet to dart him and have a look at the heavily swollen leg. Our rangers led the vet through the thick bush to where the elephant was leaning against a tree, showing obvious severe discomfort.

A dart was successfully shot into his flank and he went down after a few minutes and we were able to have a good look at him. We found that he had a small but deep and badly infected penetration wound on his shoulder, made by either a bullet, an arrow or a spear point. The vet cleaned the wound thoroughly and then tended the numerous other small sores he had on his body, which were probably caused by the infection. He was also given antibiotics and anti-inflamatories and then the reversal drug and he managed to stand up and totter off into the bush.

We will continue to monitor him over the next few days and I doubt he will move off very far whilst his leg is so painful.

Thank you to The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust vet and his assistant for a job well done.

Wildlife Works Rangers point out the location of the sick elephant to the vet.

Our staff assist the vet to move the elephants good leg off the injured one so that he can try and find wound that has caused the inflammation. Water is poured over his ears and neck area to cool him down whilst he is immobilised.

We think that the swelling on his leg was caused by the injury higher up on his shoulder.

The vet cleans the puncture wound to the elephants shoulder with hydrogen peroxide.

Wounds treated and reversal drug administered, we left the elephant to wake up quietly. It took about 3 minutes for him to come around and stand up again.

Tsavo Elephant Count

Posted by laracowan on February 18, 2011 1 comment

BY ROB DODSON – VP – Saturday 12th February 2011

The Tsavo Conservation Area 2011 elephant census found 12,572 elephants in Tsavo East, West, Chyulus, the ranches, Mkomazi and the adjoining dispersal areas.

This is up from 11,696 that were counted in the 2008 count, representing a 2.5% increase per year, which is significantly less than the 4.5% increase in numbers recorded between the 2005-2006 counts and the 2006-2008 counts.

Of significant interest is that the 2008 only found 30 carcasses, which is in line with natural deaths. This time over 500 were spotted, which is a huge increase and is likely to be attributed to the 2009 drought and the huge increase in poaching that we’ve seen over the last few months.

The Kenya Wildlife Service GIS team have promised to share all the flight transect and plot data with us once they’ve cleaned it up…

Four of the aircraft that were used by the counting teams to carry out the elephant census.

It took over 100 people a week to cover the 43,000 square kilometer Tsavo Conservation Area, which included Tsavo East and West National Parks, Galana Ranch, the Taita Ranches, the Chyulu Hills and Mkomazi National Reserve in Tanzania.

Elephant Poaching on Rukinga Sanctuary

Posted by laracowan on January 3, 2011 No comments

3 JANUARY 2011 – Eric Sagwe, Head Ranger

On Monday 3 January 2011 having checked into Rukinga Headquarters in the morning, I and my team of 8 Rangers, went out on an afternoon patrol through Rukinga Sanctuary. At 3.00pm we found some footprints of 3 people who we tracked off Rukinga and into a neighbouring ranch.

As we followed their tracks in the sand we came across their lunch break camp which was very recent, and showed evidence of bush-meat having been eaten – a small team of poachers. The tracks kept getting fresher and clearer until an hour and half later we knew we where very close. At that time and knowing that the poachers would be armed I ordered our Wildlife Works Rangers team to pull back and I alerted Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS).

A team of 3 tough and very skilled Somali bush-men had been elephant poaching heavily in the area since September last year and had managed to elude quite an intensive air and ground operations between KWS and Wildlife Works Rangers since then. We all hoped that we had found them again. KWS Armed response unit, headed by Corporal Jele, were based at 6.0, our new Rangers post and they immediately came to us. Previous response times had been up to 5 hours. I gave KWS our best tracker Mohammed Bakula to show them to where the poachers where resting.

Within 10 minutes KWS had found them, and opened fire immediately. The Bushmen fled without returning fire, leaving behind crucial evidence. We reunited with KWS and went to where the poachers had run from. They had left 6 elephant tusks – 4 big ones from old kills, and 2 non matching pairs from much younger elephants which where 3 or 4 days old. This confirmed our fears that there had been more elephants slaughtered very recently and very close to us. By now it was nightfall. We made a plan for the following day for KWS to continue pursuing the Poachers and that Wildlife Works Rangers would backtrack their footprints in the hope that it would lead us to the elephant carcasses.

At daybreak having spent the night at Makaramba we split up. Our 8 Rangers and I backtracked the poachers’ tracks, which where still very clear, to their camp in thick bush near a dam on Rukinga. It was evident from their tracks that they had spent considerable time there. Bones from animals, a discarded torch and many tracks around the dam where they had collected water confirmed that this was their base camp. They had used it for 3 to 4 days.

I decided to split the rangers up into three smaller teams, one going North, one going South and one going East from the Poachers Base Camp. This would I hoped find the elephant carcasses quickly. At 2.30 pm one team called in to say that they had come across a dead female elephant – we quickly came together and within 10 metres of the first carcass we found the other two butchered elephants.

One of the Slaughtered Elephants was not even 4 years old. The carcasses showed evidence of AK47 destruction: multiple bullet wounds to the heads.

12 Cartridges were found on the ground, confirming the type of weapon used in their slaughter.

The following day, KWS called into say that they had found another 4 freshly killed elephant tusks discarded on the poachers trail. This confirmed the 3 elephants killed, and gave us some conciliation to know that the poachers had not got away with any of the ivory. Their mission had not been successful.

Ivory poaching in the area has seen an incredible increase in the last six months. We will catch this team of poachers soon and put a stop to their slaughtering.

Rangers Recruitment December 2010

Posted by laracowan on December 20, 2010 No comments

By Rob Dodson – General Manager, 31 May 2010

To: ALL CHIEF CAMPS

Re: RANGERS RECRUITMENT

Wildlife Works would like to inform you that our recruitment was successful, and the total number who qualified and have been shortlisted, as Rangers was 30. We are still building/preparing the camps, and once we are done we will employ all the number of Rangers selected.

The listed names below 14 men and 6 ladies are the shortlist and will be trained between January to March 2011. They represent 5 recruits from each of the 4 areas where the recruitments were held.

1. Jane Mwae from Bondeni

2. Constance Mwandaa from Talio

3. Grace Manga from Rukanga

4. Florence M Ndoro from Mkamenyi

5. Fidlorah K Mwaighacho from Relinyi

6. Grace V Mwalumba from Kajire

7. Ramadahan A Galagola from Rukanga

8. Joseph Ningulo from Landi

9. Bernard M Mwatate from Marapu

10. Harrsion N Mwatibo from Kajire

11. Jonah K Juma from Bungule

12. Calvin K Elipinah from Marapu

13. Fernard Kidundu from Marapu

14. Japhet M Gomboshi from Marapu

15. Feisal Kizongona from Landi

16. Julius M Mwangala from Landi

17. Jermiah K Mnjala from Landi

18. Dafton M Kidedela from Jora

19. Isaack Mwandisha from Kajire

20. Wildfred Wamisi from Kishamba

The following 10 recruits will be employed at a later stage.

21. Fionah M Muthini from Makwasenyi

22. Mary M Mwachira from Landi

23. Javotah M Mwachai from Marapu

24. Joyce M Mwambingu from Landi

25 Daudi Ndawiro from Landi

26 Raphael Malandi from Kajire

27 Alfred Mwanjala from Kajire

28 Ian K Cheusi from Rukanga

29 Ali M Mwanyungu from Landi

30 David S Mwadime from Marapu

The listed names below had started since last May and June 2010:

1. Stephen Mswahili – Makwasinyi

2. Elemu Lokichari – Miasenyi

3. Simon Kiprop – X Ranger

4. Boniface Mnyambo – Wildlife Works

5. Nicholus Rono – X Ranger

6. Domnic Kivuva – Maungu

7. Peter Anelico – Mwambiti

8. Emmanuel Ndurya – Kale

9. Mohamed Abdalla – Maungu

10. Fedrick Kyalo – Mackinon road

11. Joshua Thuranira – Maungu

12. Daniel Ngazi Kombo – Itinyi

13. Jumaa Chiboya – Sasenyi

14. Chrispin Mazozo – Mwatate

15. Paul Msheshe – Sagalla

16. Evans Mwachoki – Maungu

17. Ayub Lalo – Mackinon road

18. Omari A Wanjala – Maungu

19. Stephen Mwalimo – Kibaoni

20. Jackson Ngiyo – Marungu

21. Peter Nyamoko – Lockichogio

22. Moses Lorewa – X Ranger

23. Lalo M Lalo – Mackinon road

24. Mohamed Rai – Sasenyi

25. Cassian Mwakio – Maungu

26. Hassan Lugwe – Sasenyi

27. Augustine Mjomba – Buguta

28. Michael Mulonzi – Itinyi

29. Davis Mwakuro – Rukanga

30. John Lopeyo – Samburu

There will be some other community projects, which will start very soon, and we will pick from the same people who did the recruitment but did not qualify as Rangers.

Cheetah Sighting

Posted by Joyce Hu Creative Director on November 30, 2010 2 comments

Our rangers see wild cheetahs at least twice a month. I will probably see them twice in my lifetime. I had my first pass while driving through the sanctuary with the models for the third day of our photoshoot.

As if they were waiting for the photographer, ready for their close up, they glided along the edge of the water tank silhouetting their sleek bodies against the morning skyline.

cheetahs at Rukinga. photo by www.peterzjones.com

Unfazed by our presence within their 15 feet radius, they went about their business of lounging in the dawn’s cool mist before the sun started baking the red Kenyan earth.

Magnificent creatures.

Wildlife Works Blog

Category Archives: Wildlife

Update on Ijema Funan, Injured Ranger

Elephant Poachers Kill Wildlife Works Conservation Ranger and Critically Injure Another

POACHERS-Caught on camera on Wildlife Works Rukinga Sanctuary

Wildlife Works Crew to the Rescue, One Baby Elephant at a Time

Statement made in Kenya to Heighten Awareness on Elephant Poaching

Injured Elephant Treated on Rukinga

Tsavo Elephant Count

Elephant Poaching on Rukinga Sanctuary

Rangers Recruitment December 2010

Cheetah Sighting

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