Grevy’s zebra, lions, elephants and many more are stressed due to lack of food and water as a result of extreme drought in Kenya. The zebra are receiving supplemental feeding on all their ranges ( see Bernard in photo above ). A small group of WWW Adventurers were in Kenya in Sept 2017 visiting our projects and even then there was a drought. We were so fortunate to have been able to help Bernard feed the Grevy’s.
Today the situation is desperate.
In The Guardian newspaper on Sept. 15, 2021, "National disaster declared in Kenya as crops fail after poor rains and locusts, while ethnic conflicts add to crisis... President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the drought in Kenya a national disaster."
Climate change is everywhere causing havoc.
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save The Elephants in Kenya has expressed our deepest feelings eloquently:
In a world full of uncertainty
You gave protection, hope and new life.
To reach out over thousands of miles
Across the globe to save a species,
And support co-existence with human beings
Is one of the most idealistic
And altruistic actions you can take.
"Through aerial patrols, we've noticed some interesting elephant behavior occurring. Changes in rainfall distribution has resulted in elephants expanding into previously unknown territory, such as north of the Chalbi Desert, nearing the Somali & Ethiopian borders. Elephants were largely wiped out from these areas by the ivory trade, and the people that live there are no longer used to having them around. So it is good news that they're going back into a range that they last occupied in the middle of the 19th Century! But we do need to shepherd them with aerial support and community engagement in these new areas." Save The Elephants
Save the Elephants is the only organization who routinely track the elephants by air that far north, guiding ground teams and collecting the data that will protect their migration routes into the future.
"We are relying on our two Cessna aircrafts to cover a lot of ground. They are an integral part of the work we do - from surveys and monitoring, to track and rescue when needed, and we need to ensure we can keep them operational at all times.” Save The Elephants
I spoke to Shivani at Ewaso Lions in Kenya this morning and she said it was absolutely heartbreaking with reminders of the 2009 drought. This is bringing back memories when so many animals died, domestic and wild.
Lion at parched Ewaso River - photo © Singer Rankin WWW
Ewaso Lions is starting a drought response program as conditions are only going to get worse with very low rainfall predicted.
Again words can not express my thanks and gratitude for all that you do!
Never forget we are in this together.
With gratitude and hope,
Singer