African buffaloes, which are known to be among the most vicious and ruthless species in the animal kingdom, can be highly unpredictable. While few would risk their lives to get close to one of these beasts, the wildlife rangers at Rukinga Ranch were recently left with little choice when a female African Buffalo was discovered trapped in a water tank. Those who assisted in her rescue assume the unfortunate buffalo was accidently knocked off balance while its herd was drinking from the tank.
The buffalo growing tired after the tank is filled
With help from our team in the office, Wildlife Works rangers agreed that the most effective way to rescue the ill-fated buffalo was to fill the water tank to the brim until the buffalo floated to a position where its massive body could be pulled or lifted to safety.
When the water tank finally began to overflow, our very own Conservation Landscape Manager, Fraser Smith, made the bold decision to pull the massive buffalo from the water tank. In order to do so, Fraser and the team fastened a rope around the exhausted buffalo and covered its eyes with a cloth.
Wildlife Works crew fastening the rope to pull the buffalo to safety
After the first two attempts, during which it inadvertently came loose, the rope was then strapped to the buffalo’s horns. After more than nine exhausting hours, the buffalo was momentarily stunned when it found itself outside the tank, but quickly returned to its vicious nature. Once it regained energy the buffalo immediately began to charge its rescuers, denting a vehicle and piercing a tire with its sharp horns, then disappeared into the bushes before the David Sheldrick Trust Team were able to sedate it and uncoil the rope from around its horns.
The rescue mission, not unlike another mission to rescue a baby elephant that had been stuck in the mud at Mgeno Ranch, represents the delicate interplay between humans and wildlife.
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Wildlife Works is the world’s leading REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), project development and management company with an effective approach to applying innovative market based solutions to the conservation of biodiversity. REDD+ was originated by the United Nations (UN) to help stop the destruction of the world’s forests.
Over a 15 year history Wildlife Works established a successful model that uses the emerging marketplace for REDD+ Carbon Offsets to protect threatened forests, wildlife, and communities.
The company helps local landowners in the developing world monetize their forest and biodiversity assets whether they are governments, communities, ownership groups, or private individuals.
