Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Annual Newsletter 2018

Sheldrick

WILDLIFE TRUST

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Newsletter - 2018

Table of Contents Overview by Angela Sheldrick

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Tribute to Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick by Angela Sheldrick

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Orphans’ Project

Nursery 12 -17

2018 New Arrivals & their Rescue Stories 18 - 21

Voi Unit 22 - 27

Ithumba Unit 28 - 33

Umani Unit 34 - 38

The Orphaned Rhinos & Other Orphans 39 - 41

Mobile Veterinary Units & Sky Vets 42 - 45 Veterinary Notes from the Field by Dr. Campaign Limo 46 - 47 De-Snaring Teams 48 - 55 Aerial Surveillance 56 - 60 Field Notes by SWT Pilot Captain Andy Payne

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Saving Habitats 62 - 68 Support of our KWS partners 69 - 71 Meru National Park Rhino Sanctuary

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Communities & Education 73 - 75 Eco Lodges & Tourism 76 - 81 Elephants & Ivory Trade 82 - 83 Special Thanks 84 - 85

" Daphne would have been humbled indeed by how far her conservation message has travelled and by just how many people she profoundly touched through her passion for the natural world. "

Angela’s Overview for 2018 After the sad loss of my remarkable Mum we have been deeply comforted by the many beautiful messages shared, not only from those close to home, but from people living across the globe. Daphne would have been humbled indeed by how far her conservation message has travelled and by just how many people she profoundly touched through her passion for the natural world. For the family, and the SWT team as a whole, coming to terms with life after Daphne has been challenging. We are however surrounded by the fruits of her life’s labors, and she leaves behind an extremely precious and lasting legacy, on which each of us feels only more driven and motivated to build upon.

We are so deeply grateful of her pioneering work, not only in the orphaned elephants and rhinos she saved, but all the different animal species that came into her care, and in the extraordinary organization she founded, unparalleled in its daily impact at a field level.

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It was indeed this achievement of which Daphne herself was most proud; the very real and tangible results in the field, where the rubber meets the road and boots hit the ground. Alleviating animal suffering, preventing poaching, saving the lives of wild orphans, and sharing in the joy of the next generation born to those raised from infancy. The lifesaving efforts of our pioneering Mobile Veterinary Units, operating throughout the country in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, treating victims of poaching and human-wildlife conflict amongst other reasons. The far reaching impact of Anti-Poaching initiatives, where our brave rangers act as a front line deterrent to those that would seek to profit off the country’s wildlife, and in so doing keep wild-living orphans and wild animal herds safe, no longer just within Tsavo but across Kenya. They are supported in their efforts by our dynamic and extremely effective Air Wing and Canine Units, ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

Engaging and educating communities as to the wonder and vital importance of their natural heritage, and empowering them to act upon that knowledge, while extending our reach through strong partnerships, not only with the Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service, but with other proven conservation organizations too - every action focused on the greater protection of wildlife. Not forgetting the critical long-term importance of our Saving Habitats program, as we engage communities and government agencies to both save and secure wild tracts of land for the future, while they still exist, the importance of which cannot be underestimated – animals need space to roam.

Daphne left this world comforted in the knowledge she was leaving the Trust in the hands of an extraordinary body of people, all wholly committed to her ideals and vision for the future. While she also found perhaps the greatest solace in knowing that the Trust has wonderfully committed and loyal supporters throughout the world who have enabled all this impressive work over the past four decades and who she felt certain would be there for decades to come. I personally have been deeply touched by the support we have received, and I have really felt the allegiance of so many committed to ensuring that Daphne’s memory never dims. Just as she kept my father David Sheldrick’ s memory and conservation vision alive long after his passing, so will we do right by Daphne’s extraordinary life, achievements, and wishes for the future. Thank you all for your unwavering support through the good times and the bad.

We were hard hit this year by serious flooding throughout Kenya, bringing a number of orphaned flood victims into our care, but also acting to end the devastating drought that had gripped Tsavo for a number of years. Kenya, and particularly Tsavo, had unprecedented rains in early 2018, and while extremely destructive in parts, they were certainly healing for the Tsavo Conservation Area, as we watched the land transformed once more into a paradise. The elephant herds and other wildlife that had struggled so much through the dry conditions were finally blessed with abundant food and water, and the whole region became more beautiful than I can ever remember. It was not lost on me that the heavens wept with Daphne’s passing but at the same time healed the land she held so dear to her heart, Tsavo. Daphne was 28 when she raised her first orphan elephant, and she passed away aged 83.

Looking to the future, as we always must, we remain with many orphans still Keeper and milk dependent between our units, 93 in total, many of them females growing increasingly independent, and it will not be long before we see more of them having their first babies. This year alone we have been blessed with two wild born elephant babies, first little Solar born early in the year to our hand-raised Seraa, herself rescued as an infant from a conservancy carrying that name, and towards the end of the year Lualeni had her first baby, a little girl we named Lulu. Lulu’s birth brought the tally of babies born into the wild by orphans raised by the Trust to 30, a number set to accelerate with so many of our now wild living orphan females nearing breeding age.

We are forever mindful however that none of what we have achieved and hope to achieve in the future would be possible without your generous support. Family is everything in the world of elephants, and this is true for us too, and we very much consider our supporters to be part of our SWT family. So I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all of us here in Kenya to wish you the joy of family, the gift of friends and the best of health.

Angela Sheldrick 5

A Tribute to Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE

By Angela Sheldrick

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To millions around the world she was the mother of elephants. To me and my sister Jill, she was our most beloved mum.

Daphne passed away on the evening of 12th April 2018, after her battle with breast cancer, at the age of 83.

Born Daphne Jenkins on 4th June 1934, to Bryan and Marjorie (nee Webb), she grew up on the family farm in Gilgil, to the north west of Nairobi. From the very beginning, animals and nature captivated Daphne, when aged just three her first wild friend was a young bushbuck and, while latterly world-renowned for her pioneering work with elephants, Daphne’s deep love of antelopes was ever apparent to all who knew her. The closest of whom was Bunty, an orphaned impala who Daphne raised during her years in Tsavo. Bunty would over some eight years spend her days on the lawn of our Voi home, and join the local wild ram and his harem of impala females at night. In that time she had nine babies, choosing to give birth each time in the bush just below the garden with Daphne by her side.

Having been schooled first in Nakuru and then at the Kenya Girls High School in Nairobi, Daphne turned down a scholarship to study medicine, instead wishing to remain in Kenya to marry Bill Woodley. In 1953, at the age of 19, Daphne married Bill, before going on to join him in Tsavo National Park, where he was posted as the assistant to David Sheldrick, the founder warden of Tsavo East National Park and my father. Daphne and Bill had a daughter, Jill, who like myself, would grow up immersed in a world of wild animals. Over the next few years they supported David’s shaping of Tsavo, as he created a National Park out of this untamed land. In the process, Bill and Daphne became more like brother and sister, and separated amicably, remaining incredibly close throughout their lives. In 1960, Daphne and David were married.

Over the next 17 years, Daphne was at David’s side as he and his men tackled the many challenges thrown their way throughout their Tsavo years together, not least the poisoned arrow ivory and rhino horn poachers, and as they laid the foundations for what is today one of the greatest wildlife havens in all of Africa. During this time, David would bring orphaned animals back to their home in Voi, which Daphne would care for. From dik-diks to zebra, impala to elephants, these animals needed help and Daphne was there to provide it.

I grew up surrounded by these many wonderful and varied characters, having been born into a Tsavo life in 1963. Our home was a sanctuary and a sight to behold for any visitor, who might be greeted by a trunk before a handshake!

Daphne had always had a love of animals, though it was her many years in Tsavo that provided her a place amongst them and her affinity with animals of all species only grew. She saw them as no different to people, with unique characters and behaviour, individual personalities that she would observe day in and day out. Compassion guided Daphne’s every decision, while her strength and perseverance stood her in good stead, as there was much heartbreak.

Orphaned animal infants would arrive fragile, sick and injured; many would not make it, while others would require round-the-clock care and Daphne would be there to provide it, for both her human and animal family.

In 1976, Daphne and David left Tsavo when David was called to Nairobi to head the newly formed Planning Unit for Kenya’s Parks. Six months later David died of a heart attack. It was an impossible time for Daphne and years later she would share that it was from elephants that she found a means to cope with her loss, learning from them the need to mourn yet garner the strength to move on and turn the page in order to survive. Daphne did more than that; in 1977 she founded The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in David’s memory, taking the lessons she’d learned in Tsavo and from his conservation vision and directing it into the protection of Kenya’s wildlife and wild spaces.

With permission from the Government, Daphne built a small home in Nairobi National Park, which Daphne would live in for the rest of her life and around which has grown the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant and rhino orphanage, the first of its kind in Africa. While David and Daphne had raised many elephants together in Tsavo it was the neonate babies that had proved extremely challenging. It was in Nairobi that Daphne ultimately fine-tuned the milk formula and husbandry needed to successfully hand-raise infant baby elephants, knowledge that has gone on to save the lives of quite literally hundreds of elephants, not only in Kenya, but across Africa and into India, Myanmar and beyond. The same is true of her work in the rescue and hand-rearing of orphaned black rhinos.

Daphne was twice recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for her conservation achievements, first with an MBE in 1989, and later being appointed a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2006, the first knighthood for Kenya since

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" Daphne left us knowing that she will continue to make a difference each and every day upon a land that she held so dear to her heart through the work of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. " the country’s independence in 1963. Daphne received many other accolades over the years; she was recognised in UNEP’s elite Global 500 Roll of Honor in 1992 and in 2000 was awarded an honorary doctorate in veterinary medicine and surgery from Glasgow University. In 1993, Kenya’s President Moi celebrated her work in protecting the country’s wildlife by awarding Daphne a Moran of the Burning Spear.

Daphne’s family, friends and supporters were perhaps more proud of these awards than Daphne herself, and that is testament to the character of my mother. Daphne was incredibly humbled by such accolades, not least as for her, she did what she did because how could she not, it was that simple. Daphne could not, and would not, turn away an animal in need, or expect others to care for those four footed friends that had lost their families. She was fierce in the protection of elephants when she needed to be, playing an important role in driving through the 1989 ivory ban and advocating for greater protection for the species until her last breath. Daphne stayed true to herself throughout her lifetime, and in her own words ‘what a life I have led; to have found love, been immersed in nature, had a family of all shapes and sizes, and witnessed my daughters find their own happiness and be able to enjoy my four grandchildren and witness them all grown up’. Family was everything to Daphne and as the founder of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the importance of family has been woven into the very fabric of the charity. It is demonstrated through Daphne’s success in raising the elephants, with more than 30 calves having been born to orphaned elephants rescued and raised by Daphne and her team, now living back in the wild and forming families of their own. That would not have been possible were it not for Daphne and her knowledge which has been shared widely to help others and shaped the elephant conservation landscape globally.

Daphne was a national treasure and a conservation icon, bringing the wondrous ways of elephants and the natural world to the attention of people around the globe through her books and the many television programs and big screen films focused on her work. Scientists proudly reveal today new findings about elephant behaviour that Daphne witnessed and shared long ago, she and David were so way ahead of their time in their understanding of elephants and the pivotal role they play in shaping the ecosystem so vital for the whole. She helped people better understand these giants and their incredible capacity for love and forgiveness, qualities that she believed we could all learn from to better ourselves and she ever stressed the importance of our recognising that we are not separate from nature, in fact we need the natural world far more than it needs us. Daphne was a teacher to us all and her legacy is immeasurable, and the difference she has made for conservation in Kenya, and the conservation of the African elephant, is unparalleled. I am so incredibly proud of how Daphne chose to live her life, hers was a life that truly counted, she left the world a much better place for having graced it, and is sorely missed, but never forgotten, and this is what Daphne drew the most comfort from in her final weeks; knowing that her memory and work would continue with the tiny steps of baby elephants for generations to come and that the work that she pioneered has been able to achieve so much for wildlife and wild places throughout Kenya.

Daphne died knowing that she will continue to make a difference each and every day upon a land that she held so dear to her heart through the work of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, thanks to a dedicated team she leaves behind. Daphne was fortunate to live long enough to preside over mud baths at Ithumba, in Tsavo East National Park, with well over 100 orphans, wild-living orphans and wild friends frolicking, and be able to say to herself, ‘but for I’. What a gift she leaves us all with, as she really is a shining example of the finest of humanity.

For those wishing to know more about who Daphne was, I would encourage the reading of her autobiography; An African Love Story, which affords the most wonderful window into her life as seen through her own ethereal blue eyes.

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The Orphans’ Project NAIROBI NURSERY - ESTABLISHED 1977 244 elephants successfully raised 156 orphans living wild 30 wild born babies 2018 was in stark contrast to the previous year which had seen numerous orphaned calves come into our care as a result of the drought which ravaged much of the country, but particularly parts of southern Tsavo East. Thankfully unprecedented rains in 2018 healed the lands and very few orphans came into our care as a result, and some of the ones that did were found bogged in muddy pools or washed down a flooded river, with a few separated due to human-wildlife conflict.

The drought victims that we managed to save in 2017 are all faring well. Maisha and Emoli, who were found in a collapsed and emaciated state, are today unrecognizable, hugely fat with a love of food that knows no bounds!

They remain the best of friends, bonded by their common fate. Being a boy Emoli is enjoying throwing his weight around, now that he has some muscle behind him, and is interested in playing with other young bulls like Maktao, Sattao and Musiara the favored pushing games that all young bulls relish. It is endearing to see Maisha become jealous if Emoli pays too much attention to others, and she is not beyond breaking up the fun and games. Mapia, another drought victim found collapsed and quite literally breathing his last breath in unforgiving heat on the Yatta Plateau in Tsavo, is going to grow into a magnificent bull.

It was hard to even imagine that, when we were first confronted with the bag of bones that arrived. He took time to settle as some of the older girls like Kuishi, Ndiwa, Malkia and Sagala pushed Mapia around a bit; we wonder whether this is because he is quite a big elephant for his age, and that they were trying to ensure that he knew his place in the Nursery hierarchy from the outset! Our little girl Kiasa is very vivacious, full of energy, incredibly greedy and one of the cheeky orphans who ensures the Keepers are on their toes at all times. They refer to her as ‘kichwa ngumu’ meaning ‘strong headed’ in Kiswahili.

The plentiful rains that defined 2018 did mean that we could look to move some of the bigger babies out of the Nairobi Nursery to our Reintegration Units in Tsavo.

Finally it was time for our long-standing matriarch Mbegu to move to the Voi Stockades along with her friends Godoma, Ndotto, Ngilai, Lasayen and Murit. These six

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made the move on the 21st May when Voi was looking its most beautiful and soon settled into their lush new environment, leaving Tagwa behind to fill Mbegu’s shoes as matriarch of the Nursery. Despite being the eldest, Sana Sana and Malkia did sometimes offer their support in looking after the youngsters, but it was Tamiyoi who ensured Tagwa did not perform her duties alone; in Tamiyoi Tagwa finds an ever-dutiful side-kick generous in her love and affection towards the other youngsters in the Nursery.

Without the quiet disciplinary presence of Mbegu in the Nursery, Esampu’s bad behavior reached new heights and it became evident that she was fast becoming a corrupting influence, with many other orphans morphing into mini Esampus’, particularly Mundusi and Mteto. They were shipped off to Tsavo early in order to ensure that we didn’t end up with a Nursery full of rascals, and safe in the knowledge that at Ithumba bad behavior would not be tolerated by the big elephants around them. Much to our surprise, and bewilderment given all the forwarning and hype about the naughty trio they have been as good as gold from the outset. Obviously instinctively knowing bad behavior would not be tolerated! They have thrived in their new environment and savor every day, energetically embracing all that Ithumba offers.

On Saturday 16th June, after six months spent convalescing in the Nursery, our sickly Shukuru made the journey to our Umani Springs Reintegration Unit, where she joined our herd of eleven orphans. In December 2017, we made the decision to bring Shukuru back to the Nairobi Nursery from Ithumba, as she had developed health problems and we wanted to ensure she could be closely monitored. After six months Shukuru seemed a lot better, but somewhat bored in the Nursery without the stimulation and company of older elephants around.

She used to take herself off on long walks into the nearby forest, and we knew she was in need of similar age-mates if she were ever going to ever fully recover. We knew that Umani with its plentiful and varied vegetation would be the best place for our sickly little girl, and she has improved in leaps and bounds since her arrival there, and

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is at last starting to look like the nine-year-old elephant that she is. Back in the Nursery the rhythm continued as usual as the orphans went about their routine. Ndiwa and Sagala felt Shukuru’s loss the most as she would take them on long walks with her. Ndiwa, Sagala and Kuishi are not as nurturing as some of the other females in the herd and prefer to spend their days walking off deeper into the forest to browse.

After the moves in May and June, Jotto and Ambo became the oldest boys in the Nursery, aside from our little injured boy Luggard. Jotto is such a good-natured little chap, and he takes good care of the youngsters as well. He loves to play and with the absence of other older bulls in the herd he turned to older females like Sana Sana and Malkia to practice his pushing games, although some were more accommodating than others. He is always very gentle when playing with Luggard, who has the heart and spirit and desire to play wrestling and pushing games, but he is still hindered by his broken back leg, caused by a bullet wound that shattered his knee. Luggard’s leg continues to improve as he grows older, and he is starting to put more weight on it, we can only see how the leg will heal in the fullness of time.

Luggard’s best friend is still Musiara, and at times he waits for him outside his stable door, although since their arrival he likes to spend his days with the youngsters in the herd, Dololo and Mukkoka, who walk at the same pace as him and browse quietly. The second youngest in the Nursery, Kiasa and Maktao, are not quite as quiet and docile!

Kiasa is giving naughty girl Esampu a run for her money in the ‘naughtiness’ department and takes to biting the tails of her friends when she doesn’t get what she wants.

We did notice a slight change in her character when the little babies arrived, showing a more motherly and tender side suddenly. Maktao remains very possessive of the Keepers, chasing his age-mates away if he is enjoying their company. It was this habit that alerted the Keepers to the fact that he had been left behind in the stockades one day too. Maktao had snuck off to eat some lucerne pellets as the others made their way out to the forest. It was only when the Keepers settled down to have their breakfast tea that they realized he was missing, as he usually hangs around literally on top of them! One of the Keepers back at the compound soon located him however, hiding and feasting on his favored pellets, and escorted him out to the forest to join the rest of his friends.

The rainy seasons this year did not disappoint, and the elephant orphans loved rolling around in the natural water puddles formed by the rain showers. One day Tamiyoi, Kiasa, Emoli and Enkesha were so reluctant to leave one of their new-found mud wallows they did

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not even want to go for their milk bottles. Enkesha has always been a fan of mud baths, as the mud has always had a soothing effect on her trunk wound caused by a wire snare. This injury, which almost severed her trunk off, has healed remarkably well and she almost has full functionality again, with only a small hole left which she can close by contracting her trunk. The fact that she has use of her two trunk tips, an elephant’s fingers, is a wonderful and much desired outcome, because without those an elephant is severely compromised when feeding which is why we worked so hard to save her trunk rather than amputate from the point of injury.

Malima is a very playful, mischievous elephant as well, and she likes to initiate games and does not limit this just to the elephants. Often in the morning she will start games with Maxwell, the rhino, by pulling his gate to catch his attention, and a pushing or running game ensues on either side of his fence posts. Sometimes these games act as a distraction for her friends like Ambo, Maisha and Tamiyoi to come and grab some of Maxwell’s delicious Lucerne pellets which have spilled through his gate! Malima and Tamiyoi’s friendship has blossomed over the past year, and although the mini-matriarch Tamiyoi likes to spend most of her time with the little ones, she also spares some time to play and browse with her friend Malima. This is having a positive influence on Malima who is learning how to be more ‘motherly’ as a result, and one day we observed her helping to pull branches down for little Musiara that were too high for him to reach.

The good short rains in November down in Tsavo meant the decision was made to move the older Sana Sana, Ndiwa and Malkia to the Ithumba Stockades in early December, to join up with their old friends Esampu, Mteto and Mundusi among others. In the run up to their departure, the three big girls rehearsed entering the lorry, like all the others before them, to ensure they didn’t panic on the day of the move. Their arrival was intensely celebrated by their old friends Esampu, Mundusi and Mteto with much trumpeting and rumbling of excitement; needless to say, their transition was a swift and smooth one as a result. Their departure was felt in the Nursery for a little while, but Tagwa and her side-kick Tamiyoi, now two of the eldest in the Nursery, stepped up to enthusiastically embrace their role as matriarchs. Sagala, who was close to Ndiwa and Sana Sana, spent her days browsing close to Tagwa and Kuishi as she missed her friends, but she too soon settled down into a new routine, choosing to browse closer to the others than she used to. Jotto and Mapia, who used to be bullied a bit by Malkia, Sana Sana and Ndiwa, were slightly happier with the new arrangement, and enjoying interacting with lovely Tagwa and Kuishi.

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The flood conditions which rather caught us all by surprise in April and May saw huge storms fall in Nairobi and for many months we were a sodden quagmire. This meant when some tiny neonate baby elephants, just days old, came into our care we were forced to raise them down at the Trust headquarters in Tsavo. This move proved successful and by the end of the year we had six infants navigating their precarious teething process. The decision to raise these babies at Kaluku was forced by circumstances, as it was both warmer and drier at the time. Nairobi was experiencing wetter conditions than ever before, with weeks of three to five inches of rain falling in one storm. Baby elephants when just days and weeks old are extremely fragile, and when they begin the teething process, anywhere from four to six weeks old, it becomes a fraught and challenging time as they are increasingly susceptible to ailments due to a compromised immune system. The teething time with baby elephants can take anywhere from four to six months.

Given how spontaneous our decision was, forced upon us by circumstances, we at first had to work with make-shift conditions; converting a store at the Kaluku offices and antelope stables to house the Keepers and two calves. Then custom stables were built, but soon after that there were floods and the Athi river came down in spate washing away numerous tented lodges along the river’s edge in the process. Our stable building flooded too and the babies had to live in emergency conditions once more, Daphne’s bedroom at Kaluku the first night and an aircraft hanger for two weeks after that until the water subsided. In the past recorded 100 years this same river has never flooded like this before; we were in unchartered territory! We had to deal with a huge clean up exercise given the devastation all around the river’s edge, yet despite how many big riverine trees were ravaged, the flood waters went a long way in fertilizing the flooded areas, and we later saw a truly positive transformation of the area.

The orphans at Kaluku are not open to the visiting public and as a result are not on the fostering program.

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2018 NURSERY ARRIVALS AND THEIR RESCUE STORIES

Lemeki | Female | 20th March, 2018 Reason for rescue: Flood Victim This little calf was saved from the raging Mara River by the Mara Elephant Project scouts, having been swept away from her herd by flood waters. Kenya was experiencing unprecedented flooding at the time. How far she travelled downstream before being saved remains unknown. She was just a couple of weeks old on arrival, so we had to be very conscious of lung complications due to her fraught beginnings, giving her a prolonged course of prophylactic antibiotics just in case water was ingested into her lungs.

Kindani | Female |3rd April, 2018 Reason for rescue: Human-Wildlife Conflict Kindani was rescued by KWS in Meru National Park, found alone and very thin. The reason for her being abandoned remains a mystery because a dead mother was never found.

It is assumed she was a victim of human-wildlife conflict.

She was collected from those responsible for saving her in Meru by our Keepers, and flown to Nairobi landing late afternoon, and later the next day she was moved to Kaluku due to torrential rain and the flooded conditions at the time. She was just a couple of weeks old when rescued.

Kinyei | Female | 1st July, 2018 Reason for rescue: Human-Wildlife Conflict This little calf was orphaned when her mother died in the Mara from a spear wound. We suspect the cause to be human-wildlife conflict. This tiny calf left her dead mother and later followed some big bulls seeking both company and protection before she was finally rescued by a KWS Vet and the Mara Elephant Project, and flown directly to our Nairobi Nursery before being transferred to Kaluku. She was estimated to be a week old on arrival.

Dololo | Male |9th September, 2018 Reason for rescue: Human-Wildlife Conflict Dololo was found completely submerged in a dam with his head and eyes covered and only his little trunk sticking out to breathe. When community members came to water their livestock early one morning they found him. He was rescued

by KWS rangers who were later joined by the SWT/KWS funded Tsavo Mobile Veterinary Unit and Dr. Poghon. The calf was in an emaciated state so it is assumed he was an orphan before running into trouble in the treacherous mud of a drying waterhole. Healing Dololo was a labor of love and took a good long time.

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Mukkoka | Female | 20th September, 2018 Reason for rescue: Unknown On a routine aerial patrol, the SWT fixed wing pilot and Tiva Team Leader, spotted the tracks of what appeared to be a lone elephant calf wandering down the Tiva River. Despite the hundreds of other elephant tracks around, they were able to identify a small set of tracks that were slightly fresher than the others and moving down the river without a herd. Unable to spot the calf after an extensive search, the SWT ground teams in the area followed up the next day, picking up from where the tracks were lost. He was finally found two days later in the riverbed all alone and predictably very thin.

Thamana | Male | 21st November, 2018 Reason for rescue: Stuck in the mud This little elephant was rescued by a KWS ranger patrol when found abandoned and stuck fast in a manmade hole near Ndololo Campsite, in Tsavo East National Park. Over a period of two years, elephants had dug deeper trying to find water, making the sides too steep for this little elephant to get out. No herds remained in the area at the time so the team rescued him and delivered him in the back of their land cruiser to the Trust’s Voi stockades. He was about two weeks old on arrival.

Mayan | Male |5th December, 2018 Reason for rescue: Stuck in the mud This baby had a ghastly ordeal when he fell into the septic tank of Manyani prison and found himself totally submerged. He was rescued by a SWT De-Snaring Team after KWS Vet Dr. Poghon was alerted to the calf’s plight by the Manyani Prison staff. The SWT Sobo team rushed to the site and extracted the calf, cleaned him thoroughly before driving him to the Voi stockade where he was later airlifted to Kaluku.

He was approximately one or two weeks old when this happened.

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THE RESCUE OF MAARIFA

On the 1st November a routine security patrol by KWS within Meru National Park Rhino Sanctuary, happened upon a female white rhino struggling to extract her tiny newborn calf from a muddy pool. The calf appeared completely stuck in the mud and the mother was doing all that she could to extract her baby. Despite her wellmeaning efforts, the mother was in fact making matters worse. After observing from a distance for some time, hoping that the mother would eventually be successful, the team finally decided that it was necessary to intervene before the baby died. As they moved in closer the mother trotted away towards another female white rhino in the company of a big male. The Rangers laid down their weapons, removed their boots, rolled up their trousers and clambered into the swamp area to extract the baby and carry it to safety. She was a tiny little thing who the rangers described as ‘jovial’ from the outset. The moment she was free, despite still being caked in mud, she huffed and puffed and began spinning in circles playfully following the men and trotting behind them.

This now presented a problem for her rescuers, as they tried to hide so that the mother would come back to her calf. Efforts to reunite mum and calf continued for

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the rest of the day; the rangers retreated to a good safe distance and at times disappeared altogether hoping that the mother would return and retrieve her confused baby, who was by now crying out. The big male did come ambling towards the baby at one point, but then walked right past her, ignoring her altogether which was most odd. As the day progressed the rhinos moved further away from the calf and the rangers became increasingly desperate to see her reunited with her mother, mindful that they were working against the clock. Eventually they called in the KWS helicopter to come to Meru to try and guide the mother closer to her baby, because by now she was moving in the opposite direction, still in the company of the other female and male and was now out of sight.

Using the helicopter bore no positive results, and sadly the terrain was such that efforts by vehicle were extremely limited. Eventually, all attempts had to cease as night fell and the little baby was carried to the vehicle and taken to Bravo18 ranger base still within the Sanctuary. She was placed in a room with a mattress and was kept company throughout the night. The SWT/KWS Meru Mobile Veterinary Unit Vet, Dr. Rono, made sure to give her rehydration salts in water at 7.00pm, once again during the night, and then again in the morning.

Next morning the team awoke early, with their little precious bundle obediently following them, to begin the exercise all over again. The mother is a well-known wild female called Makosi, so she is easily recognizable to the men charged with the protection of the rhinos within the Sanctuary. While the Rhino Sanctuary was initially built in the early 2000’s it was just last year that the Sanctuary was expanded, increasing the size from 48 square km to 83.5 square km, extending the electric fenceline by a further 25.6km along with developing another two security bases for KWS personnel. The expansion and upgrade of the Meru Rhino Sanctuary and its ongoing fence maintenance was a project funded and undertaken by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, with the rhino population within the sanctuary standing at 60 white rhinos and 25 black rhinos. Importantly 20 strategically located wildlife corridors allow for free movement of elephants and all other wildlife, with the exception of rhinos, who cannot pass through the short posts erected between the specially designed fence corridors.

On the morning of the 2nd November, the KWS helicopter located the mother Makosi again and the team went out to attempt to reunite her with her baby once more. Again, despite everyone’s best efforts, she failed to respond to her baby’s calls or scent. Having had no luck by 3.00pm and given the extreme temperature at the time and the fact that the calf was by now becoming visibly weaker, a decision was made by KWS to rescue the baby before it was too late. For those on the ground it was clear that the mother, for whatever perplexing reason, was no longer interested in her baby, and with the hour late the team did not want the calf to have another twelve-hour night without nourishment. One of the capture unit rangers, Wambugu, who works with the Meru Mobile Unit, was given the task of holding the little baby in the helicopter with the Vet Dr. Rono alongside. Remarkably, she remained calm throughout the one-hour flight and was delivered directly to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nursery.

Raising the baby here, given that Nairobi Park is also a very successful rhino Sanctuary, with a healthy population of both white rhinos and black rhinos, seemed like a good solution for a disappointing situation. Maarifa has since dominated her surroundings, with every elephant Keeper firmly under her spell! Her enchanting playful ways are so endearing as she barrels around with huffs and puffs, little skips and twirls, and she certainly keeps the men and the unsuspecting warthogs on their toes! She has a great love of her milk bottle and spends her days out in the Park with two Keepers in attendance, and then nights in a comfy stockade with orphaned elephant Maktao as a neighbour.

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THE VOI UNIT - ESTABLISHED IN 1948 SOUTHERN AREA TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK 26 milk dependant elephants 62 orphans living wild

2018 quite literally washed away the memories of such a devastating drought the previous year, as Voi and the southern area of the Park was blessed with better rains than they have known for years, and very soon looked more beautiful than any of us can remember. For our orphans in this area, and the ex-orphans and their wild friends, this transformation was a welcome change from the dry years they have recently been subjected to and seemed the perfect time to move some of our Nursery orphans down here.

Although delighted by the impending ‘baby boom’ with the number of partially dependent and dependent females at the Voi Unit, we decided to address this imbalance of males at the stockades in May when, after a bountiful rainy season, we moved Ndotto, Lasayen, Murit and Ngilai, along with the long-standing Nairobi matriarch Mbegu, and her friend Godoma from the Nairobi Nursery.

It was high time for these long-term Nursery babies to

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make the move, and with abundant vegetation, it seemed the perfect time to move the latest graduates to their new home in Tsavo, their first stepping stone to a life back in the wild. They joined the twenty dependent orphans already at Voi and within the first month, all six had wholly embraced their new surroundings. It was satisfying to see our little sickly boy Murit, who was slow to leave the Nursery due to his diminutive size and poor health over many years, now thrive in his new home. He was very ready for the move as it turned out, and he really enjoys the stimulation and interaction with the older dependent orphans, some ex-orphans, and the wild herds too, and the vegetation is suiting him as he has doubled his size! Despite integrating well, best friends Lasayen and Ndotto remain close, with Ngilai still hooked on his Keepers, and as mischievous as ever.

It is always a conflicting time when we have to say goodbye to special orphans who have shared our daily lives at

the Nursery for three years or more as they embark on their reintegration journey; a journey that is designed to prepare them for a wild life. Despite this process taking many years, it is still a significant step and the beginnings of a growing independence for them. One is left filled with a sense of pride having got this far in raising them through infancy and pulling them through, more often than not, challenging beginnings. In Ndotto’s case this was miraculous given that he never had his mother’s colostrum, his mother having fled after the birth when she first heard the sound of human voices. There is always a small part that cannot help but selfishly wish they would remain little and dependent forever, but a full and complete life in the wild is what they deserve, and what we ultimately strive so hard to provide.

One thing that most certainly stayed the same was Mbegu’s overarching control over what she deemed to be ‘her’ herd from the Nursery. Mbegu has been unwilling to relinquish any of this control and likes to maintain her little matriarchal duties, having performed this role most willingly and for so long in the Nairobi Nursery. Ishaq-B has persistently tried to win the little herd over and have them become ‘her’ group of babies, but she knows that Mbegu will only allow this if she behaves herself and is not too domineering. Mbegu has also fought Lentili for the role of leading the dependent herd around from one place to the next, and it is interesting, and sometimes amusing, to watch them jostle for this position. One morning Lentili even forewent her lucerne cube supplements in order to walk out to the bush first, so that effectively everyone would follow behind her and she would be the leader for the day. Over time however, both Lentili and Mbegu seemed to give up the fight and settled instead for leading together on occasion.

With so many new arrivals and youngsters around, sixyear-old bull Tundani chooses to spend most of the time browsing quietly by himself, but always re-joins the group later on. He has been especially enjoying the company of older bulls, no doubt eager to learn all he can from them.

He succeeded in convincing the herd to join a wild bull one day, much to the awe of all six Nursery babies. They were quite overwhelmed with the sight of such a large elephant, so many of them having no living memory of such a thing, and it took Ndii, Mashariki, and Panda quite some time to calm them down! One ex-orphan helped the new arrivals become acclimatized to such elephantine proportions, and that was Laikipia. After a long hiatus of six months away, the 19-year-old ex-orphan joined the Voi dependent orphans on the 7th of June and stayed to socialize with them throughout the month. Mbegu especially was incredibly curious of this older bull, who

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seemed so affectionate and friendly towards the orphans, letting them greet and pat him with their trunks. She chose to follow him for some time after his first arrival to get to know him some more. Laikipia is a lovely gentle elephant, and he chose to stay close to home that month to spend time with the dependent orphans.

With the arrival of the six new babies, we witnessed a slight change in Ndoria’s personality as well. Having been slightly devoid of close friends for some time due to her tail-biting antics, she seemed like a new elephant and happily browsed amongst the new babies, although the other older orphans kept a keen trained eye on her, so she didn’t start any of her funny business. Prior to the Nursery babies’ arrival in May, Ajali and Mbirikani chose to join up with a wild herd and stay with them out in the bush, bidding farewell to the other orphans and their human family. At 7 and 8 years old now Ajali and Mbirikani are big elephants and perfectly capable of handling themselves in the wild, especially with a wild herd that have been willing to accept them. Both were rescued at a slightly older age and were taken straight to the Voi stockades to recover from their wounds, so traveling with a wild elephant herd now would not be too strange to them. That Ajali could be afforded this second chance of a family after his miraculous recovery from life-threatening injuries having been hit by a vehicle, is uplifting, and so very rewarding.

This was only due to the fact that our dependent orphans at Voi were also willing to accept him as part of their own family as well. This is the same for Mbirikani who was rescued at a slightly older age, around 4 years old, having suffered from the effects of a horrendous cable-wire snare caught around her foot which meant she was in terrible pain and could not keep up with her mother and herd. We are so delighted that she recovered and flourished at the Voi Unit surrounded by a loving family, and now has been given a second chance at a life in the wild with a new elephant family. Joseph Sauni our Head Keeper at the Voi Stockades has been on the lookout for them since they left, tracking wild herds all the way to Mudanda Rock.

Early in 2019 Mbirikani returned, which caused great excitement, and she has chosen so far to remain with her dependent family.

Kenia and Ndii take on the Matriachal duties of the Voi dependent orphans, and with input from Naipoki, Kihari and Ishaq-B they fuss around the little ones but take swift evasive action when they see big ex-orphans looming large, by trying to coax their herd in the opposite direction just in case the big ones are tempted by any kidnapping! Kenia is very possessive of her herd and doesn’t much like it when they become overly enamored by the bigger independent ex-orphans, sensing that some

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could be tempted to follow them instead! Our older exorphans Lesanju, Lolokwe, Thoma, baby Thor, Ndara, baby Neptune, Tassia, Sinya and Siria visited at the beginning of the year, and the rest of the herd including Emily, Sweet Sally, Icholta, their wild babies and the other nannies followed suit. They have certainly already proven that they are capable of riding out any extraordinary dry seasons and can look after one another even in such a challenging year as 2017, when so many elephants died from the dry conditions.

After Emily’s herd visited, we were gifted with wonderful news on the 9th of March, when ex-orphan Seraa came down the hill to the favourite midday mud bath area with a tiny little calf at her feet. The Keepers were overjoyed to meet their newest elephant grandchild, our 29th wild born baby at the time, before Lualeni’s little girl Lulu at Ithumba made 30. Seraa had a little baby bull who we called Solar, given that the whole time he was being formed in Seraa’s womb there was a brutal two-year drought in the southern area of Tsavo East.

The pair were accompanied by very attentive nannies Lesanju, Lempaute, Layoni, Dabassa, Sinya, Wasessa, and Ndara with her own little wild born bull Neptune, who turned one year old the same month. Although it happens time and again, we are always extremely grateful and honoured every time the ex-orphan mothers choose to share their wild born babies with their human family, as this is such a privilege and sign of trust and love. There is no greater reward for the Keepers and the Sheldrick Trust team who work so tirelessly to fight for every little life that passes through our doors. It is moments like these that are the ones we celebrate the most; nothing emphasizes the success of our 40-year project more than the birth of

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a wild born baby, born to an orphaned elephant raised from infancy through our Nairobi Nursery. Apart from that momentous moment when Seraa gave birth, Layoni and Dabassa seem to be separate from this main band of ex-orphans and roam together as a duo, as we did not see Ndara’s herd, including Seraa and her new baby, for the rest of the year from March until December! However, these nine-year-old bulls linger around the stockade area all year round and are spotted almost every month.

Even despite such exceptional rains falling in Voi and throughout Tsavo, these two big boys chose to visit the orphans almost every day in certain months from morning until evening, seemingly babysitting the juniors. Kenia, Kihari and Ndii put up with their presence because they do not feel these older boys threaten their matriarchal status in the dependent herd, and unlike the ex-orphan females, they are not partial to kidnapping any of the younger babies. Layoni and Dabassa do try to woo some members of the herd to follow them on some occasions, and they particularly focus on Panda, who resists all their attempts as she remains devoted to the dependent orphan herd. They turned their attentions to Nelion and finally to Tundani, who chose once to leave and browse with them for a day, only to return to the stockades just before five in the afternoon.

After a long absence our ex-orphans and their babies returned in December close to home, visiting the stockades often and remained enjoying the beautiful wet season and bountiful food. It was lovely to see the babies growing up fast and thriving, and little Solar doing so well ten months on. Mweya returned showing the visible signs of being heavily pregnant so hopefully we will welcome another wild born baby into the fold shortly.

THE ITHUMBA UNIT - ESTABLISHED IN 2004 NORTHERN AREA TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK 24 milk dependant elephants 67 orphans living wild By far the most poignant and joyful event at the Ithumba Stockades this year was the birth of Lualeni’s first wild born calf, baby girl Lulu. With attentive nannies Chyulu, Lenana, Galana and her baby Gawa in tow, on the 27th September Lualeni came to proudly present her new baby to her human family at the Ithumba stockades.

After Lualeni’s most traumatic beginning, we take great comfort in her having a little girl, our 30th wild born baby, and it is heartening to know that she will never take another step alone for the rest of her life. She came into our care fourteen years ago, a broken grief-stricken little calf, psychologically crippled and with little will to live, and now has the start of a beautiful family to call her own.

Our other ex-orphans and their own wild born babies are also faring well and despite the good rains this year we have seen quite a lot of them, especially during the dry period when they stayed close to the stockade area and the supplement food provided by the Keepers, as well as the ever-present source of water. Yatta, accompanied by her wild born babies Yetu and Yoyo, is still the matriarch of one ex-orphan herd comprised of ever faithful Mulika and her seven year old baby Mwende, as well as Nasalot and Nusu, Kinna and her baby Kama, Wendi and Wiva, Sunyei and Siku and Galana and Gawa, who are all present with Yatta at one time or another, and sometimes peel off to form their own little groups. Lualeni, Chyulu, Lenana, Kenze, Meibai, Ithumbah and Sidai also form the ever-dutiful band of friends and nannies comprising the rest of the herd at any one time.

We saw ex-orphan bulls at varying times throughout the year, again especially during the dry season, like Tomboi, Rapsu, Ololoo, Zurura and Taita. Poor Tomboi arrived at the stockades in January with Yatta’s herd with an arrow wound but it was swiftly treated thanks to the quick actions of the Keepers and he healed in no time. In September we were very excited to see Buchuma, now a 15-year-old ex-orphan bull, who we had not seen for close to a year. He stayed in the area for the rest of the month and was looking in fine condition.

In December of 2017 Kauro, Sapalan and Namalok, swiftly followed by Maramoja, Rapa and Pare, were moved from the Nairobi Nursery to the Ithumba stockades. This

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band of boys accompanied by Maramoja successfully settled into their new environment and became integral members of the herd. Kauro still does his best to avoid the mud bath at all costs, even in the hottest weather, and we are sure this is because he was rescued from a well. He is very much unlike his friend Naseku, who was also rescued from a well, but she appears to have overcome her trauma and she very much enjoys mud baths. Namalok continues to this day to drink his milk only from a bucket, much to the amusement of the Ithumba Keepers who had never witnessed such a thing, and upon arriving at Ithumba, Sapalan weaned himself entirely, never to touch a milk bottle again. It was as if with his arrival at Ithumba he had graduated from being a baby, although he was rescued at the more mature age of 3 years old, so it was an easy transition for him. He has remained the most aloof member of the Ithumba dependent herd, sometimes choosing to browse on his own and experiencing a slight health set back towards the end of the year. After receiving treatment, he recovered well, and has found a new-found friend in little Enkikwe.

At the beginning of the year, six-year-old Laragai decided that it was high time she and some of her friends become independent of the Ithumba stockades, and she set about becoming a master of escape, undoing the stockade gate at night and letting herself and Kithaka, Lemoyian, Garzi, and Barsilinga out for the night. The Keepers began to refer to the group as the ‘rebels’, as although they would choose to browse with the dependent orphans during the day, they would refuse to accompany them back at night, or sometimes they would show up around midnight at the stockade compound and wait for the orphans in the morning.

It was not long until Boromoko, Sirimon, Sokotei, Enkikwe, Siangiki and Olsekki wanted to join this new partially independent group, especially with the arrival of the six orphans in December, but unfortunately this is when disaster struck. On the 26th April we found Sokotei’s carcass having been killed by a small but unnaturally ferocious pride of lions, who continued to wreak havoc amongst our orphans for the rest of the year, maiming Enkikwe and attacking Turkwel, who subsequently had to have her tail amputated, as well as attempted attacks

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on Chemi Chemi Siangiki and Lemoyian too. Having invested so much in the orphans and nurtured them up to maturity and an age where they can begin a new life in the wild, it has been a challenging time to say the least. We understand that these lions were translocated from Oljogi, proving to be problem lions there, and sadly we are now suffering the consequences of the translocation. In all our long history spanning some sixty years of raising orphans in Tsavo we have never seen serial elephant killers like this pride. We worry about the fate of Boromoko and Sirimon too, but we have no conclusive evidence that they have come to harm, just an ominous long period of time without seeing them return which seems strange to us. Out of desperation we put the rebel herd of elephants back on milk in the hope that they will be coaxed to return into the confines of their stockades at night until they are much older, this has worked with them all except for Laragai who simply refused. These problem lions are exceptionally cunning and illusive, seldom seen, only heard. Thankfully they leave the area for long periods of time following the buffalo herds.

Enkikwe’s injury to the knee was a particularly nasty one and Dr. Poghon said it would take around 18 months to heal, but that he would be left with a permanent limp due to the ligaments and tendons being compromised.

He will certainly be able to live a normal wild life, and it has been heart-warming to see the concern and attention he has received from all his friends since Nursery days, Siangiki, Laragai, Olsekki, Garzi, Lemoyian, Barsilinga and Kithaka, who have been vigilantly supporting him throughout his ordeal and recovery. Within this little band of friends, Olsekki and Siangiki remain particularly close to him and have been almost inseparable since they were moved together from the Nairobi Nursery in 2016.

Narok’s ex-orphan herd, who became more independent at the end of 2017, comprising of Orwa, Bomani and Vuria sometimes stick together and at other times they drift apart. After Turkwel had her tail amputated in August, Kainuk also joined this little herd as she knew they would stick closer to the stockade than Mutara’s, and her dear friend Turkwel was at the time convalescing with the dependent orphans after her operation, and she could not bear to be separated from her.

In June after receiving ample rain in March and April, the decision was made in Nairobi to move the naughtiest members of the young herd to Ithumba, to benefit from the presence of older and more disciplinary elephants.

In order to grow up with the manners required by wild herds, mischievous Esampu, her partner in crime Mteto and young bull Mundusi made the journey to Ithumba on the 1st June. They were immediately welcomed by old

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Nursery friends Maramoja, Pare and Rapa and before long had met the entire Ithumba herd, including some of the ex-orphans who had apparently heard about the little trio’s arrival through the intricate means of communication that elephants have. The ex-orphans in Mutara and Olare’s herd (namely Mutara, Suguta, Kainuk and Sities, and Olare, Kandecha, Kibo, Kalama, Chemi Chemi, Melia, Murka, Naisula, Tumaren, Kitirua) were quite obviously delighted by the arrival of new babies from the Nursery, and chose to stay close to ‘home’ for the rest of the month of June, having only appeared sporadically throughout the year so far. They visited the stockades in the morning and attended the noon mud bath as well. Some of the other ex-orphans got wind of the new arrivals as well, and visited throughout the month, like Chaimu, Kasigau, Kilaguni and Kanjoro. They chose to visit the water hole at the same time as the dependent orphans and we are sure not out of coincidence, but merely through the desire to see and check on the younger dependent orphans, especially any new arrivals!

It is fun to watch the relationship unfolding between the young dependent orphans and our ex-orphans’ wild born babies. They have had such different beginnings to life, and as some of them are around the same age, it is interesting and sometimes amusing, to watch their interactions. Nasalot’s baby Nusu is a little rascal and he often tries his luck pushing the dependent orphans around as he knows they cannot retaliate in the presence of his mother and watchful nannies. One orphan he should not have come up against however was Esampu. This little girl doesn’t tolerate any nonsense and when Nusu tried to push her away from a pile of lucerne, he got the fright of his life when Esampu knocked him down! Pare and Rapa were overjoyed as they were tired of being pushed around by the little scoundrel.

Siku has learnt her lesson in days gone by and is much more respectful to the dependent orphans, carefully approaching and respectfully asking to share their lucerne ‘breakfast’ in the morning.

One morning in mid-December, Challa who had gone missing for a whole year, gave us a surprise when he and another wild bull showed up at the stockade compound. Challa who looked fit and in good condition, waited patiently for all the stockade orphans to leave the compound before looking to see if there were any tasty treats left for him to share with them. Challa’s wild elephant friend suddenly saw the human Keepers approaching with the orphans and became nervous, standing at a distance and watching carefully to see what was going on between the humans and elephants.

Challa of course was very comfortable and briefly shared some lucerne pellets with the orphan herd before Namalok and Wanjala came up close to him with their trunks stretched out curiously and in greeting. After a little while, Challa left with his wild friend and Wanjala and Namalok could be seen clearly boasting to the others that they got so close to big bull Challa and his friend. As much as it makes the orphans proud to call the ex-orphans’ part of their family, it is equally gratifying for the Keepers who rejoice every time a family member returns just to say hello.

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THE UMANI UNIT - ESTABLISHED IN 2014 KIBWEZI FOREST 12 milk dependant elephants Since the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust began managing the Kibwezi Forest in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service(KFS) in 2010, we have watched it rejuvenate and flourish. Fencing the forest into the Chyulu National Park, and securing the vulnerable boundary of the Chyulu Park which abuts community land has gone a long way in helping eradicate human-wildlife conflict across the ecosystem. Wildlife numbers have increased dramatically and the regeneration of the vegetation is incredible. The rainfall year on year has increased and this means that the 12 orphans who call Umani Springs home are benefitting from not only plentiful food but numerous meetings and interactions with wild elephant herds.

We always knew that this habitat would provide everything our more compromised orphans would ever need, abundant food and water throughout the year ensures they do not have to travel huge distances in search of food, but can remain within this beautiful ecosystem throughout the dry and wet seasons with no shortage of either. That said there is nothing stopping them in the fullness of time heading far afield into the Chyulu National Park, or Tsavo West National Park, as the whole of the Tsavo Conservation Area is available to them. Shukuru was the only orphan brought to Umani in 2018 and she has since thrived in this environment.

Shukuru has a way to go before she is back to optimum health but she is certainly looking increasingly better month on month, and if any place can heal her totally from her chronic ailments it will be here.

The Kibwezi Forest remained a lush oasis throughout 2018 with wild herds choosing to have their babies within the forest comforted by the protection and the gentle environment. During the hot months, the shade this forest provides is important for our two half-brothers Faraja and Jasiri with their fair skin, as these two half albino elephants instinctively know that they need to shelter from the brutal midday sun. It is on the hot days that our Keepers and elephant orphans rejoice in the fact that the Umani Springs stockades have been built under a shady canopy of trees, keeping it cool even in the hottest time of year. On these hot days all the orphans rejoice in the mud bath after their midday milk bottles savoring the time they can wallow. There is no shortage of water in the forest with springs, waterholes and mudwallows, and there is no shortage of terrapins and baby crocodiles in

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these waterholes either. The reptiles have learnt however that when the elephants choose to bathe it is time for them to vacate and you often see them scurrying over the tall grass hurriedly getting a safe distance away from the action. One day Sonje and Ziwa were so hot they could not wait for the others to make their way to the mud bath, so they walked to a water hole near Umani Springs; Ziwa had fully submerged himself in the water so that at first the Keepers did not even know he was there with Sonje, who was more delicately applying mud to her chest and behind her ears with her trunk.

When the rains come to this part of the world Kibwezi truly bursts into life! One can hardly walk along the paths as the vegetation becomes so thick with fresh shoots, flourishing bushes and creepers draping down from the trees. Wild lilies burst in abundance everywhere and you can see the elephants with lilies literally spilling from their mouths as they enjoy this delicacy. At this time the butterflies concentrate on the small ponds of water, collected in old elephant footprints, and when the orphans walk along paths to browse, they send a flurry of butterflies up into the air. There is a profusion of colour and scent to the air with the abundance of wild flowers everywhere. Although this is a wonderful time for our orphans with regards to the variety of soft, fresh food to be found, it does come with the drawback of more insects to bother and bite them, as well as the dispersal of their wild elephant friends who in the wet seasons wander further afield. Poor Alamaya is at the disadvantage of not having his tail to swipe away the insects bothering him from behind. Sonje, Murera and Mwashoti also find it difficult to navigate along the wet and slippery paths, as falling for them is more detrimental considering their bad legs and the difficulty they would have getting up.

The Keepers can help Mwashoti up if he falls, but they are always concerned about the two older girls as they would have much more difficulty assisting their bigger frames! Murera and Mwashoti find it most difficult to walk uphill when the paths are wet and slippery, and the other greedy orphans like Lima Lima don’t seem to take this into consideration. Sometimes the Keepers call the other orphans down to take a different route, when they can see that Murera and the other two might struggle.

All this is manageable and the Keepers are there to ensure no risks are taken. Murera and Sonje remain an integral

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part of the Umani herd and dote upon the youngsters Mwashoti and Alamaya. Sonje has become increasingly attracted to the wild bulls in the area and has grown into quite the flirt, and there is one bull in particular that she likes. They are still devoted to the babies so remain very much a part of the dependent herd.

Without any ex-orphan herds to learn from, it is the important interactions with the wild herds that will encourage the transition into the wild for our Umani babies. Throughout these meetings the Keepers try to stand back and allow the orphans to socialize with the wild elephants on their own, conscious of the fact their scent could frighten the elephants away. From these encounters it is obvious that Ziwa perhaps still needs to work on his ‘elephant etiquette’ as on several occasions he was pushed around a bit.

Lima Lima and Zongoloni can also get over excited when they meet wild elephant herds with young babies, trying to approach the babies alarming the mothers and sisters in the process, which results in the whole herd moving away.

Murera and Sonje do remain guarded and very protective over the youngsters Mwashoti and Alamaya, afraid that the wild herds might try to steal ‘their’ little babies.

Some other wild bulls who were hanging around during the months of July and August were particularly interested in our big girls Sonje and Murera. One of the wild elephants, Sonje’s suitor who the Keepers have called Osama, is always met apprehensively by everyone as he can be very unpredictable with his moods. Sometimes he is very gentle with all the orphans, and on these occasions, he is a pleasure to be around, but other times he can be in a foul mood and can make everybody’s lives difficult. Because Zongoloni and Quanza are still tiny in comparison to these huge elephants they usually leave the scene in a hurry, daunted by these wild bull encounters.

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THE ORPHANED RHINOS & OTHER ORPHANS The orphan elephants were not the only ones to enjoy the bountiful rains this year as our beloved Maxwell, who is our resident blind black rhino at the Nairobi Nursery, was in heaven most days rolling and frolicking around in the mud and fresh rainwater puddles. Maxwell’s heightened sense of smell means he can anticipate the rain before it arrives, as he runs up and down his stockade, spinning in excited circles and tumbling around his boma.

He is still happy to put himself back into his stable at night, something that would be impossible to do if he wasn’t inclined to do it, whilst he loves to hang his neck over into Luggard’s room to munch on greens, leaving his own for later. Next year in 2019 we will look to move Kiko to the best sanctuary for his future, somewhere with other reticulated giraffes and hopefully he can begin to wean himself off baby elephants!

Towards the end of the year his stockade was extended once more; increasing the size of his bedroom area as well as the right side of his stockade providing him with more of the surrounding forest and a larger shaded area, having knocked down all the other trees in his enclosure by rubbing his horn on them so much. This time we have fenced the shade so he cannot damage it further. Changes to his stockade are always somewhat daunting, as he must mentally recreate the map he has traced so expertly in his head.

On the 2nd November, we received a tiny little bundle in the form of Maarifa, the first white rhino to come into our care, having raised 17 endangered black rhinos over the years. Having fallen victim to a muddy pool in Meru Rhino Sanctuary, and with her mother subsequently rejecting her once she was rescued by KWS, she arrived at our Nairobi Nursery 48 hours later hungry but still with energy. She immediately stole our hearts, and the Keepers are practically jostling for the daily assignment of looking after her.

Maxwell has many friends and these daily encounters thrill him. He has the hand raised Sacred Ibis bird called Shabby who spend hours perched beside him enjoying his company – the warthogs he tolerates and is happy to share his food with, and he is entertained daily too by the orphaned baby elephants who are eager to reach in and steal some tidbits, or charge up the fence line exciting him.

At night time Maxwell is visited by Solio, another hand raised orphan rhino now living wild, and wild rhinos who inspect him through the bars, and then there are days he has to share his stockade with Kiko our tame giraffe when we fear lions are in the area and want to keep him close to home, and safe from the predators.

At our Tsavo headquarters positioned on Trust owned land on the boundary of Tsavo National Park, which provides a wonderful buffer with two river boundaries, Kaluku is home to another little orphan herd. This includes two kudus Sala and Sabasa as well as two waterbucks Zinga and Baraka, who all get along with each other perfectly, clearly comforted by each other’s company, learning and playing and all the while gaining the skills they need to one day live a wild life. There is plenty of their wild kind in the area, and they are able to fraternize with them almost on a daily basis.

Kiko the reticulated giraffe is certainly the biggest handful.

He loves the elephants and wants to spend most of his time with them, but the feeling is not always mutual.

Musiara in particular takes great delight in charging at him and sending him away from the herd. He doesn’t like to be left out and if the Keepers try to persuade him to do something he doesn’t want to, he can kick up quite the fuss, sometimes picking off their hats and dropping them atop the nearest acacia tree! We have Kiko barriers to deter him from getting into every nook and cranny around the compound and to prevent him from ruining the gardens that we look to keep tended and colourful close to home. He can be very premeditated however in trying to out-maneuver the Keepers and get to the out of bound places.

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At our Voi Unit the Keepers are also raising and caring for several of the bigger herbivore orphans on top of their duties with their elephant family. These include Kore and Tawi the eland and Oltukai the buffalo and Ngulia the zebra. 2018 saw Tawi, Oltukai and Ngulia take a step towards a wild life with them spending extended periods away from home with the wild herds.

Even down in Lamu on Kenya’s remote north coast, the SWT’s teams there on Amu Ranch also dedicate their time to caring for any orphaned animals that come into their care. The team on Amu Ranch continue to have their hands full with Mukugunya the zebra, Konambaya and Pangani their two buffalos as well as Ngwazile the duiker and Wido the oribi. As always, we hope that each of these orphans will one day make the transition to a wild life.

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Mobile Veterinary Units 5 Mobile Veterinary Units 1 Sky Vet Unit 5 different ecosystems 601 animals attended to in 2018 5,873 animals attended overall 77% success rate For 16 years the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has been funding and operating Mobile Veterinary Units headed

by KWS wildlife veterinarians. These units, which include a driver assistant and two KWS capture rangers, are deployed to key conservation areas most in need of dedicated veterinary support. Operating from a central headquarters, these teams travel huge distances within their areas of operations to attend to sick and injured wild animals. Reports of wildlife needing emergency veterinary assistance come in from far and wide at all times of the day and night, reported by KWS personnel, or local NGO’s, lodges and camp staff, driver guides and tourists or by communities themselves. This united surveillance of wildlife makes these veterinary teams even more effective, ensuring rapid deployment and higher success rates post treatment, which has allowed for the lives of many hundreds of wild animals, including threatened and endangered species, to be saved.

Since its first mobile veterinary team was established in Tsavo in 2003 the Trust together with KWS have since deployed 5 units as well as the hugely successful Sky Vets program: • Tsavo Conservation Area - Started in November 2003 - headed by Dr. Poghon • Masai Mara & Central Rift - Started in March 2007 headed by Dr. Limo • Meru Ecosystem North Kenya - Started in February 2013 - headed by Dr. Rono • Amboseli & Southern Conservation Area - Started May 2014 - headed by Dr. Kariuki • Mount Kenya, Aberdares & Southern Laikipia Started September 2017 - headed by Dr. Mjele

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In 2018 these life-saving teams attended to 601 sick or injured wild animals. Of these animals, 258 elephants were treated for a variety of wounds and ailments as well as 66 rhinos, 82 lions, and a host of other species. 145 of these animals were treated due to poaching activities with snaring being the most common form of poaching used followed by spearing, the use of poisoned arrows and lastly by gunshot. Sky Vets were deployed by aircraft throughout Kenya to attend to some 65 wild animals, of which 34 of the cases were directly related to poaching, yet 82% of these cases received a very positive prognosis from the KWS vets with only 8% being given a poor prognosis, showing just how important rapid response is to any reports from the field of injured animals.

Sadly, beyond poaching, an increasing threat to wildlife is human-wildlife conflict (HWC), and the veterinary teams were called to numerous cases caused by conflict with communities bordering the parks and protected area involving 96 injured wild animals. Just like poaching, HWC is high on the Trust’s priorities and conflict mitigation programs both on the ground and in the air are already in place with new teams and procedures being deployed in 2019 to further alleviate conflict for both Kenya’s wildlife and local communities.

Throughout 2018 the SWT-funded Mobile Veterinary Units attended to some dangerous, difficult and remarkable cases, some with tragic ends but many more becoming successful triumphs - all in a day’s work for these dedicated teams. The successes the Vet teams achieve day in and day out humbles us, as one shudders to think what the landscape would look like without such timely response to these desperate situations. As it is the Vet stories are filled with second chances and very many happy endings.

The Rescue of Iconic Elephant Bull “Tim” On the morning of Monday 3rd December 2018, the Tsavo Veterinary Unit staff woke up to another bright morning and headed to the office, and as routine we waited for any reports of injured or distressed wildlife across the vast Tsavo and coastal ecosystem. The week before had been busy for the unit with many reports that required veterinary assistance streaming in. A call soon came in from Craig Miller, the security manager of Big Life Foundation concerning an elephant in Amboseli National Park which was stuck in a muddy swamp downstream from Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary.

A second call also came in from the director of Big Life, Richard Bonham, confirming the report and further indicating that the elephant bull was the iconic ‘Tim’. More calls for help were also received from the tourism warden at Amboseli National Park. Tim is a well-known massive elephant bull with huge tusks that rival any on the continent, continuing to survive the Amboseli ecosystem challenges caused by habitat loss from human settlement and crop farming.

The Tsavo Veterinary Unit quickly assembled its drugs and equipment and loaded them into the Vet Landcruiser.

Several inquiries revealed that the area where Tim was stuck was swampy and that vehicles could only get to about 300 metres from the bull, meaning we needed long and tough ropes to get Tim out. The second challenge was that a powerful machine was required to pull out the 6-7 tonnes of Tim’s weight; many vehicles cannot achieve this including the veterinary vehicle, so assistance was sought from the Amboseli National Park HQ where a tractor was deployed to the area. We left Voi at 9.30am for the 250km road trip to Amboseli where we passed through Tsavo West National Park.

We arrived at Kimana trading centre 3 hours later and were led by a Kenya Wildlife Service vehicle to the location. On arrival we were received by the Big Life team led by Richard Bonham, KWS rangers and a multitude of more than 500 local community members who had come to witness the event. We received a brief that the bull was seen with other bulls in the area before he got stuck. We surveyed the area which is surrounded by cultivated farmlands and found a small area about 200 metres away to the south of where Tim was stuck and where the KWS tractor was driven to. The area was covered with loose upper soil and underneath was spring water, so Tim’s every attempt to lift himself up was in vain, as the loose upper soil gave way underneath him into the water. Tim had dug a 50-meter-long trench into the swamp as he struggled to free himself.

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First attempted rescue The SWT airwing were also on site to assist in the rescue, bringing the strongest ropes possible to aid in the operation. These ropes were tied onto a tractor and a loop was thrown over the elephant’s ears. The first attempt to pull Tim out failed as the rope tightened over his neck and there was fear of strangulation. The tractor was then moved to another position and several attempts were made to pull Tim out again, but the tractor tires dug into the wet and unstable ground and briefly got stuck. Another decision was made to move vehicles to an area behind Tim, but it was 300 metres away. An assessment of the ropes indicated they were long enough for the distance, so the tractor was moved to the new site and was supported by the Tsavo Vet and Amboseli Vet unit Landcruisers. A rain storm was fast approaching, and everyone knew that any more rainfall would make the whole area completely inaccessible, but luckily the storm veered off a few kilometres from where we were.

Second attempted rescue The second attempt was to pull Tim back along the canal he created while he was struggling to free himself.

This had two benefits, firstly the rope would go around Tim’s chest and not his neck and secondly less power would be needed to pull him along the already created canal now filled with water. The tractor was tied to two Landcruisers in series, and the rope looped around the nearly submerged elephant bull. Communication radios provided by Big Life were used for coordination between the vehicle team and the team with the bull.

First, second, third attempts at pulling were promising as the bull moved a few meters, before the rope snapped and had to be fixed. Hundreds of community members who milled around the site made the operation difficult and risky, however KWS and Big Life rangers were instructed to push the community members back. The fourth attempt at pulling saw the rope break once more and had to be tied back. On the fifth attempt Tim was pulled out of the trench but fell back again as he struggled to stand up. Everyone was now getting worried that we might not save him as after 4 hours of struggle, sunset was fast approaching, and the rope had proved not to be strong enough so far. Another attempt was made and the tractor and the two Landcruisers revved their engines hard, as the rope was looped around Tim’s

chest. A final signal was given for a pull and at last the elephant was pulled back along the canal 40...30...20...10... meters and finally out!! What a relief to everyone!! Tim was out but he couldn’t stand up. He was free of his muddy grave, but his strength was depleted, and the unstable ground shook on his every attempt to stand up, whilst the ground was muddy and slippery making it even harder for him to get his footing. There was a fear he could fall back into the muddy trap once more and as darkness was fast approaching something more had to be done. The rope was then hooked onto his upper tusk carefully, as he was now obviously extremely agitated, and he was pulled slowly into a kneeling position, giving him the best chance to finally get to his feet. Tim then used his huge tusk to gain support from a concrete water canal nearby and carefully stood up – finally he was free. He looked around without showing any aggression as if to say thank you and slowly walked along the concrete canal avoiding any swampy areas towards where his 4 brothers were waiting about a kilometre away.

The team from the Tsavo Vet Unit, Big Life, the Kenya Wildlife Service and community members congratulated each other for the success of saving Tim. The Tsavo Vet Unit began their 4-hour journey back to Voi at 7 PM glad that Tim was safe and that his great elephant genes will once more walk in the Amboseli ecosystem. The following day’s report from Big Life indicated that Tim was doing well with his all male group of 5 elephant bulls. This is an example of the Tsavo Vet Unit’s activities in the vast conservation lands in Kenya.

By Tsavo Mobile Unit Veterinary Officer Dr Jeremiah Poghon

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Veterinary Notes From The Field The year is fast coming to a close, and from the field as a KWS Wildlife Veterinarian partnering with SWT, I can look back and say it has been a largely successful year for my team and I, who are deeply dedicated to conservation.

We attended to numerous wildlife species, big and small, all of which received the very best assistance we could give them. Some required rescue and relocation for further care at specialised facilities like the SWT’s Nairobi Nursery, while others were treated and relieved from conditions from natural challenges like infections and parasitic infestations to human caused problems such as snares, spears, bullets or arrow wounds. Successfully treating these wild species gives us all great satisfaction. The Masai Mara is home to a diversity of wildlife species with almost all animals recorded to be present in the region including the big five which are regularly seen. It is a privilege to be able to practice my wildlife veterinary medicine in this part of the country because it gives me wide-ranging experiences with diverse species I attend, whilst understanding the challenges of each species and its unique way of handling.Working in the field of conservation requires passion, courage and understanding with good support.

These are the virtues held by the Mobile Veterinary Unit with great support from SWT who operate and fund the team. The unit is adequately facilitated to handle challenges in dealing with all wildlife situations from equipment to medications. This has made activities within the conservation area run seamlessly with the team responding to cases in record short time. There has not been any lack of support in the conservation area especially since SWT’s Sky Vet program is always on standby to fill the gap when the team takes a short break. This special arrangement has made sure no deserving case is left unattended within the ecosystem.

For the better part of the year, the Mara ecosystem, like most parts of the country, received above normal rainfall.

This was a great blessing to the wildlife as there was plenty of resources to utilise. This translates to a successful food chain with the predators also benefitting from healthy prey. Attending to wildlife cases however posed some challenges during these periods of increased precipitation. This increased rainfall also added to the challenges encountered including the crossing of swamps and rivers and contending with difficult terrain but thanks to a dedicated team full of resolve with a serviceable all-weather vehicle, we were able to respond to all reported cases despite the challenges. As has been the trend, elephants topped the cases handled, sadly mainly due to human activities. These ranged from snaring to gunshot wounds as well as spear or arrow inflicted injuries. Understandably, there is need to educate people near conservation areas on the importance of protecting the environment and the wildlife because humans in the long run stand to benefit from humble co-existence with nature.

One sad scenario during the year which emphasizes this need for further community outreach was a near fatal shooting with arrows of a small herd of elephants who innocently strayed outside Mara North Conservancy. The attack was totally unjustified given that this area formed part of the original dispersal area for elephants before human settlement whilst it was also off season for crops at the time. Community members ganged up and attacked the herd preventing them from escaping whilst shooting them with arrows from all angles, evidently for sport. In the process, a young female elephant of about 8 years old sustained multiple arrow wound injuries with twenty arrowheads being retrieved on veterinary intervention, some still harboring the arrow shafts. In total twenty-three arrow wounds were treated, luckily the arrows were not poisoned. This elephant was lucky to get rapid veterinary treatment from the unit and she had a very good prognosis after treatment to great joy of those who helped. With great determination witnessed from her, she is expected to make full recovery and currently reported to be doing well. During this incident, two other elephants in the herd were also injured, a matriarch nursing a one-year old calf and a young bull. The matriarch had two arrowhead wounds, which were retrieved before treatment was done.

She was then re-united with her calf. The young bull also had an arrowhead which was retrieved as well as a gaping spear wound. Both were reported to have made a complete recovery after treatment.

This was a moving experience given that this was an innocent herd who suffered under human hands. The suffering of these elephants especially the young calf touched everyone, but all were delighted when everything ended well.

It is worth noting that each day in the field of a wildlife veterinarian is a new experience providing new challenges which requires great dedication whilst at the end of each day you are filled with satisfaction when you help save an innocent soul.

By Mara Mobile Unit Veterinary Officer Dr Campaign Limo 46

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De-Snaring Teams ANTI-POACHING SUPPORT 12 De-Snaring Teams in the TCA 1 Mau Forest Team 1 Meru National Park Team 60 Scouts in Lamu 84 SWT Rangers 1 Canine Unit 344 arrests made and 3,050 snares removed from the TCA in 2018 150 elephants moved from community areas and guided back to safety SWT De-Snaring Units and year of establishment: • Chui – Mtito, Tsavo East National Park (1999) • Peregrine – Trust land, Tsavo East (2001) • Faru – Burra, Tsavo East (2002) • Ndovu – Ithumba, Northern Area T.E (2002) • Nyati – Tiva, Northern Area Tsavo East (2004) • Simba – Ziwani, Tsavo West (2004) • Duma – Chyulu, Chyulu Hills (2006) • Mamba – Kenze, Kibwezi Forest (2011) • Meru– Meru National Park (2014) • Yatta – Yatta Plateau, Tsavo East (2016) • Mobile North –Fully Mobile in north TCA (2016) • Sobo – Central Tsavo East (2018) • Mobile South - Fully Mobile in South TCA (2018) • Mau Forest - Fully Mobile managed by MEP (2018) The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in conjunction with the KWS operates 14 SWT/KWS De-Snaring Units to deter poaching and illegal activities in wildlife conservation areas, this includes the new Anti-Poaching/ Rapid Response Team in the Mau Forest. In addition to the 14 teams listed the Trust also funds 60 scouts in Lamu.

During 2018 the Trust formed 2 new Tsavo-based teams; the Sobo team which is based between Thabagunji and Tsavo East Rhino Base covering the lower Yatta and Rhino IPZ; and a new mobile team called Mobile South which will offer additional anti-poaching and surveillance support south of the Tsavo and Galana Rivers or wherever they are needed the most.

Each of these De-Snaring teams consists of 6 men, including a team leader, 3 rangers, a driver and a cook.

The team is also joined by 2-3 armed KWS rangers who provide security whilst acting as official arresting officers.

Each team has a custom fitted vehicle and trailer for moving around their area of operation and camping out.

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Vehicles are equipped with VHF radios to communicate between the Kaluku operations room as well as with all teams out on patrol. Mobile solar systems provide the means for the teams to charge their VHF radios, batteries and cameras whilst in the field, especially as they are required to record their daily patrols, activities and findings on a GPS and camera. Daily patrol reports are filled in and sent off to the GIS & Data Coordinator in Nairobi, where this information is recorded into our database, helping to recognize trends in poaching and illegal activities amongst many other data evaluations in order to make informed management decisions.

The Sheldrick Trust’s anti-poaching and de-snaring taskforce in partnership with KWS rangers made 344 arrests in 2018. These arrests included 12 ivory poachers, 1 rhino poacher, 73 bushmeat poachers, 70 charcoal burners, 95 livestock herders and 33 illegal loggers amongst other arrests for illegal activities committed in the parks and protected areas. These dedicated teams patrolled nearly 332,000 kms by vehicle and 32,280 kms by foot during the year, ensuring widespread surveillance of the greater Tsavo ecosystem whilst sustaining a solid security presence acting as a strong deterrent to any would be poachers.

The teams combined removed or confiscated over 4,100 snares, either set by poachers or recovered from arrested poachers; ultimately saving the lives of thousands of wild animals. Similarly, 190 weapons, including bows and poisoned arrows, as well as 448 tools were recovered along with 232 kgs of bushmeat and 21 whole animal carcasses; the majority of which included dikdiks, followed by buffalo, impala, warthog and kudu – all prevalent in the illegal bushmeat trade. All the ground and air teams working within the Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA) and further afield report their geographical patrols and findings daily to the ops room at Kaluku to ensure safe and

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coordinated movements in the field as well as efficient recording and analysis of all data. George Muthui runs this busy operations room and does an excellent job of recording and following up on each piece of information passing through the numerous radios and phones. A big part of George’s daily routine is liaising with various KWS bases and officers to coordinate aerial patrol requests, ground team movements, vet treatments, human-wildlife conflict callouts, as well as Canine Unit rapid response callouts and emergencies, just to name a few. George also coordinates the data collection from the field before it is sent to Nairobi for inputting into the database. Safety of the teams and pilots is also paramount for the Trust, so each vehicle and aircraft is tracked by satellite and radio, then displayed real-time on monitors in the ops rooms and securely online so that in the event of an emergency, management and teams can react swiftly to the accident or incident site.

Early 2018 was much wetter than normal making it difficult for the teams to move around their areas of operation, especially as all the rivers, big and small, had flooded washing away many banks and making some access tracks impassable. A positive note to this spectacular late rainy season was that it brought an end to a 2-year drought and gave wildlife much needed freedom to roam the Parks, spreading further afield and finding plenty of fresh water and grazing along the way, which in turn made it harder for poachers to target prey.

This past year the teams put a lot of effort into upgrading security procedures along the many kilometers of manned fencelines that the Sheldrick Trust maintains. The dedicated fence crews, which patrol the fences daily, now work hand in hand with the respective De-Snaring Teams in their areas to rapidly report any breaches so that immediate action can be taken. This has resulted in more arrests and confiscations than have been previously

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experienced. Similarly, the De-Snaring Team Leaders have been actively engaging select community members to report poachers’ movements so that the teams can stay one step ahead of them. The information passed on to our teams has made them far more pro-active in security patrols and their results reflect this. Excellent results have been achieved this year when intelligence has been received from informers, with several notorious elephant poachers being arrested by KWS both in the Park and at their homesteads in community land. There has also been strong and healthy competition and comradery amongst the teams, each trying to achieve the best monthly results in the field to put them in contention for the coveted Sheldrick De-Snaring Team of the Year award.

The Sheldrick Trust continues to invest in training and skills enhancement for the teams whilst working to educate all members further on subjects in wildlife management and protection. During the year a 2-day Wildlife Crime Prosecution course was held between Voi, Komboyo and Ithumba so that all the teams could attend. This training reviewed and further explained Kenya’s Wildlife Conservation and evidence gathering at a crime scene, which is a vital tool for each team to ensure a successful prosecution. Other trainings in 2018 included a 3-day course in basic wildland firefighting conducted by KWS Manyani and Danny Woodley, whilst 2 of the Sheldrick Trust’s Team Leaders attended a 12-day Air to Ground communications course. The aim of this training was to provide clear structured communications between ground teams and pilots. A second course on Trauma and Bleeding Control was also attended by team leaders, which was divided into theoretical and practical sections. The medical and anatomy terminology proved challenging, but they worked hard and passed with top marks again and will use their training as Skills Coaches to present this course to their fellow team members.

NEW MAU FOREST DE-SNARING TEAM In January 2018, the Trust and the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) partnered with local communities, Narok County Government (NCG), the KWS and KFS to set up a dedicated anti-poaching and rapid response team in the Mau Forest based at Emitik Forest Post. Keen community members were identified to form this new team who are all bush savvy individuals, having spent their lives on the edge of the forest. This new team was established in the Mau Forest, as poaching and other illegal activities including logging, was taking its toll on the flora and fauna in this critical area.

The Mau Forest, which sits in the Rift Valley, is both the largest indigenous montane forest in East Africa and the largest drainage basin in Kenya, receiving some of the country’s highest rainfall rates. It is a priceless water catchment area for Kenya and the source of numerous rivers, including the Mara, Sondu and Njoro Rivers.

The Trust has provided a Landcruiser and all the field equipment and patrolling paraphernalia required by the team, as well as meeting all on-going running costs for its operation. This enables the MEP to undertake the daily operational management of the team, including the recruitment of team rangers who are subsequently employed by the SWT. The Mau Team’s primary purpose is to monitor and safeguard the local elephant population from poaching, which numbers approximately 650 elephants, whilst actively working to mitigate human-elephant conflict. With the additional support of KWS Rangers assigned to the unit, the team has already made a big impact on the ground, with numerous successes including gathering intelligence that led to the arrest of three suspected ivory poachers, the seizure of 37kg of ivory, the arrest of bushmeat poachers, and the removal of countless snares.

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" Well trained dogs provide enormous support by complementing field teams tackling illegal activities within protected areas."

THE CANINE UNIT The SWT’s Canine Unit was established in July 2016 having amalgamated with the KWS K9 Unit in late 2017. The team, headed by KWS Corporal Christopher Rono, is made up of 4 KWS handlers and 2 SWT handlers along with 4 canine members; Naiko, Max, Tanja and Parker.

During 2018 Invictus K9, a US based consultancy in K9 units in Anti-Poaching, were contracted to visit quarterly and provide the training and support necessary to elevate the dogs and handlers to an advanced operational level. A new weekly routine was established to ensure the dogs were regularly working on fitness, tracking and obedience, which are the fundamental skills of a good tracker dog. The record keeping system was overhauled, focusing on health and training records so that monthly trends could be noted whilst allowing for Invictus K9 to monitor each dogs’ condition remotely if needed. All this training is required between patrols and callouts to keep the dogs focused, fit and stimulated as the Belgian Malinois is an intense and intelligent working dog. Ultimately when a callout comes for the Dog Unit to assist in following up poachers in the field, it’s this high-level training which will ensure that the Canine team possesses

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the skills and fitness required to follow the scent until the end point. The team responded to numerous callouts this past year, both inside and outside the National Parks. A ‘normal’ callout is in response to a SWT or KWS patrol which has followed poachers’ tracks in Tsavo’s challenging terrain and can no longer track visually, requiring the dogs and handlers to follow the scent. The Canine Team are typically deployed by the Trust’s helicopter and dropped off close to the ground team, which puts the team on the scent without losing too much time. Time is everything on a callout and we are extremely proud of our response times, from the time a callout comes in to the Kaluku control room, we can be airborne in 15 minutes! That only comes with regular training!

A new development in the deployment of the Canine Unit has been to assist the De-Snaring teams in following up leads in community areas outside of the National Parks. The dogs have been used to sweep buildings suspected of harboring bushmeat, snares, ivory and other illegal activities. Successes include recovering equipment stolen from within the Parks as well as bushmeat and the motorcycles used to transport the bushmeat. To this end we have engaged Invictus K9 to further train the dogs in detection work; the first imprinting course took place in December 2018. The dogs responded well to the new skills introduced and appear to enjoy the challenges of searching vehicles, buildings and public places for objects like ivory, weapons, ammunition and bushmeat. As our De-Snaring teams and the Canine Unit are working closer with community leaders and informers in community areas adjoining the TCA, we expect to deploy canine teams more often in detection work during 2019.

All dogs who ‘work’ cannot carry on operations endlessly, so each dog is monitored closely to ensure that they are taken out of work at the right stage in their life and given a good comfortable ‘retirement’ home. For this reason, Max is being given a new home, especially after his operation to remove a tumor between his legs, whilst it is likely Tanja will be retired too during 2019. Invictus K9 has therefore been contracted to choose 2 new tracker dogs in the US and train them up during the first half of 2019 before being transported to Kenya where the Invictus K9 team will work with the new dogs and the SWT/KWS Canine Unit members to ensure the new dogs settle in well as part of the team.

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Aerial Surveillance SUPPORTING THE TSAVO CONSERVATION AREA 5 Fixed Wing Aircraft 2 Helicopters 4 SWT Pilots 1,852 hours flown in 2018 234,458 kms flown in 2018 The SWT’s Aerial Unit is today operating 7 aircrafts and during 2018 flew 1,852 hours and 234,458 kms in support of Tsavo’s wildlife and wild places • TopCub (5Y-DTP) • SuperCub (5Y-STP), • Supercub 4-seater (5Y TRA) • Cessna 185 (5Y-DHS) • Cessna 206 (57 CFZ) • Eurocopter A350 (5Y-CXP) • Eurocopter EC120 • MD500 helicopter (Being sold)

Because of the incredible rains in Tsavo in 2018 the Park became greener than it had been in years with overflowing waterholes and seasonal rivers. Following this deluge, there was a significant drop in poaching activities as potential poachers and wildlife offenders had more reason to tend to their crops and less of a need to revert to illegal activities in the parks as a source of income and food.

While the rains brought a great deal of positive change, they also brought with them widespread flooding which sadly affected hundreds of people throughout the country. Both the Athi and Tiva Rivers burst their banks,

" Eyes in the sky provide the crucial oversight necessary to help keep the Protected Areas safe."

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destroying homes, farms as well as camps inside the Park.

During this period, the SWT helicopter helped with damage assessment as well as the transportation of water and supplies to people stuck on the eastern side of the river where there is no infrastructure.

As the Trust’s Aerial Unit continues to evolve to meet the demands of the Tsavo Conservation Area, Robert and Angela’s eldest son Taru, who already pilots fixed wing aircrafts for the Trust, went to the UK this year to complete his helicopter pilots license. He is now working on getting his new license ratings done back in Kenya meaning he will soon be helping out with helicopter patrols and operations too. Taru’s younger brother Roan, who has recently finished secondary school, has also this year completed his fixed wing license and will support the Aerial Unit in the future. Given the size of the area covered by the SWT airwing, the addition of Roan to the team will help tremendously, whilst in April, Angus Melesi joined the crew as a second fixed wing pilot to help increase the Trust’s coverage of the parks.

With the fleet growing, the Kaluku airfield has also received some upgrades. A new hangar was built during the year which is dedicated for the helicopters, complete with a store for all the equipment that goes with them.

All the hangars have also been fitted with a solar lighting system.

Daily fixed wing patrols are conducted with a member of the Kenya Wildlife Service or one of the SWT Team Leaders, who look out for any illegal activities such as charcoal burning, logging and livestock grazing – to name a few. On these patrols, pilots are also keeping a keen eye out for any injured animals or carcasses, as well as signs of poachers’ harbours and blinds. These patrols also act as general surveillance and security operations over the TCA, where the pilots collect data of wildlife numbers and especially elephants and large mammals, including their movements and concentrations.

The helicopters are often used in Canine Unit patrols and callouts, allowing quick deployment anywhere they may be needed. The helicopters are vital in this role as they can transport the dogs and their handlers to areas otherwise inaccessible by vehicle which, more often than not, is where they are needed the most.

The Airwing has dealt with countless cases of humanelephant conflict this year, pushing over 150 elephants out of community land and back into the safety of the Parks. The most common areas which experience heightened conflict include Kibwezi and Kansiku, north of Ithumba. These operations are normally a joint effort

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between the SWT fixed wings, helicopter and ground units. Upon receipt of a report of elephants in community land, a fixed wing aircraft will head out to verify the report and ascertain exactly where the elephants are. With this information, the ground units can then lower the most suitable stretch of fence to allow easier movements of the elephants back into parklands, before the helicopter can then push the herd or individual out of the community area and back into the Park. Elephants in community land can pose a huge threat to the lives of both the people in the area and the elephants, as the retribution that a crop raiding elephant may face can be extreme. For this reason, any reports of human-wildlife conflict are taken very seriously by the SWT Airwing.

A total of 32 veterinary treatments, which were directly attended to by the SWT’s Aerial Unit, took place during 2018. Of these 32 aerial veterinary cases 29 were elephants as well as 1 case of a leopard, 1 rhino and 1 zebra. The majority of these cases required the emergency services of the helicopter. Some cases required both a fixed wing and a helicopter for support, with cases mostly taking place within the TCA whist a few occurred further afield in Amboseli and the Mara. Typically, when any injured elephant is reported, a fixed wing aircraft will first attempt to locate it and once it has been found the helicopter is then used as a platform to dart it from, whilst the patient is then monitored from the air as the sedative takes effect.

Ground teams are then on hand with sufficient manpower and the necessary equipment to carry out the treatment with one of the SWT-funded Veterinary Units. Most of these cases were the result of poisoned arrow wounds and occasionally gunshot or snare wounds.

The Airwing was also committed to wild animal rescues during the year with 6 young elephants rescued by the helicopter and quickly taken to one of the Trust’s stockades for immediate care. The use of the helicopter for this means that the already stressed and frightened calf has only to endure one loading and offloading whilst avoiding busy roads or airports during its journey. The fixed wing aircraft have also been involved in the rescue of some smaller animals in need of care throughout the year too. The SWT Airwing’s assistance isn’t just limited to the rescue of wild animals; during 2018 the helicopter carried out three medivacs, with its fully equipped first aid setup and specialized stretcher, the helicopter can and has proved a great asset for getting critically ill or injured personnel out of the bush and into a hospital quickly.

During the first half of 2018, SWT pilots assisted KWS in a substantial, coordinated operation to deal with the widespread marijuana plantations in the southern Chyulu Hills National Park area. Fixed wing aircraft flew numerous

patrols in an attempt to locate the different plots where the illegal plant was being grown. Helicopter patrols in the area made it possible to land at specific sites and get a better idea of the scale of the operation. These plots of marijuana were then burnt by KWS ground teams over two operations, the first taking as long as a month and the second follow up operation taking roughly two weeks.

Since these operations were carried out, routine patrols in the area have been conducted to spot any regrowth and preempt the problem from becoming as widespread as before. The Chyulu Hill National Park is home to some of the most beautiful forests in the country and cultivation of marijuana in such areas leads to large swathes of forest being cut down to clear space.

Andy Payne the SWT’s helicopter pilot underwent training in Australia last year for firefighting and sling load operation, which enables him to use a cargo swing system with the Airbus B3 helicopter (5Y-CXP). Since this new operation was put in place, the helicopter’s new Bambi bucket has been an invaluable addition during the fire season. This fast and efficient system has since been used to extinguish over 10 bushfires in the TCA, the majority in the Chyulu Hills National Park; without immediate response these fires would have destroyed huge swathes of precious habitat. In the past, firefighting could only be done by ground teams on foot due to most areas being inaccessible to vehicles, whilst now the Trust’s helicopter can stop a fire from the air before it becomes unmanageable. In order to make response times even quicker in the Chyulu area, a 200,000 litre tank has also been built near Kenze which will be used to quickly refuel the Bambi bucket during missions, as during the dry season when fires are most common, finding a water reservoir big enough can prove very difficult.

Perhaps the most exciting news during the year was the delivery of an almost new EC120B helicopter in November; it is a light and modern 5-seater machine which is the smaller brother to the Trust’s more powerful AS350B3. By standardizing the fleet with two airbus helicopters, the team expects to reduce maintenance, downtime and operating costs, with plans in place to sell the MD500 helicopter once the new one is operational.

This new helicopter has been reassembled and tested in Kenya since it was imported from Mexico and is expected to be in the air and on patrol over the TCA in early January 2019. During September 2018 Andy travelled to Switzerland for training on this new Eurocopter, which was a 4-day type rating course at Swiss Helicopters at their Gruyeres base. This training is a requirement of KCAA so that it can be endorsed on his Kenyan license.

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Aerial unit field notes 2018 was an exciting year for the SWT airwing, full of new developments in our equipment, pilot training and capabilities. Looking back on another successful and safe year of aerial operations in the Tsavo Conservation Area and other protected areas across Kenya, there have been many highlights as well as challenges which stand out.

Thankfully 2018 saw a decrease in elephant deaths, which is most likely attributed to the spectacular rains Tsavo experienced earlier in the year, as well as our increased de-snaring and aerial patrol presence. As the coordinator of helicopter operations, I’m particularly proud of the enormous impact helicopters continue to play in cracking down on illegal activities and mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the TCA. Our routine patrols focus on landing at known hideouts, paths and water holes used by poachers, so that the rangers onboard can sweep the area and immediately respond to any signs or tracks seen. These regular heli-patrols, often with the Canine Unit, which put boots on the ground in remote places that are hard to access by vehicle, continue to be a significant deterrent to poachers.

Our helicopter operations were significantly enhanced by the arrival of several key pieces of equipment, which has enabled us to fly a new range of services. Aerial firefighting by water bombing with a Bambi bucket has been highly effective in quickly getting grass and forest fires under control, so that the ground crews can tackle whatever fire remains. This new fire bucket was used several times in the Chyulu Hills and prevented large tracts of habitat from unnecessarily being destroyed.

A custom-fitted stretcher for the AS350B3 allows us to medivac seriously injured personnel in the field and fly them directly to the nearest hospital. The passenger seats are easily removed in the helicopter and the stretcher is quick to lock in and out of place. This past year I medivaced 4 KWS rangers from the TCA, who had all suffered broken bones and severe injuries when dealing with elephant and rhino in extraordinary situations.

Slinging of external loads such as communication tower sections or rescued animals with a long line and a cargo net in and out of hard-to-access areas, has also saved a lot of time and effort in completing these challenging jobs.

Reflecting on the wide variety of helicopter missions flown this year, one of the most memorable jobs took place along the Kilenyeti River in the northern area of the Chyulu Hills NP. A large bull elephant had been found stuck in the mud of a dried-up water hole and was unable to free itself. KWS, BigLife and the SWT all arrived with the necessary manpower, equipment, a vet team and several heavy vehicles to attempt to free the bull, however the surrounding terrain was so muddy, and the vehicles were limited to where they could get firm purchase. During the challenging task of getting the straps through the elephant’s legs and attached to the train of vehicles, a KWS ranger was knocked by the elephant’s trunk which resulted in a painfully broken lower leg. The call came to our Kaluku HQ operations room requesting for a medivac to fly the injured ranger to hospital in Nairobi. We immediately set about removing the seats from the helicopter and fitting the stretcher. The ranger was collected on site after basic first aid was administered and then flown to the KWS airwing in Nairobi, where an ambulance was waiting to take the casualty to hospital. Arriving back at the scene of the rescue to assist and coordinate efforts, it took us another 2 full days of maneuvering vehicles in place and slowly moving the elephant into position for the last big pull to get him on to relatively dry land. Seeing him finally get to his feet and warily walk away from that desperate scene was an enormous relief to all of us involved.

It’s a real privilege to play a part in SWT’s ever-expanding conservation projects in the TCA, knowing that our efforts to secure habitats gives wildlife the wilderness they need.

By Captain Andy Payne - Helicopter Pilot

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Saving Habitats KIBWEZI FOREST During 2018 the SWT continued its ambitious project to electrically fence the entire eastern side of the Chyulu Hills National Park (CHNP). What began as a fence around just the Kibwezi Forest, now extends along the CHNP boundary to Mukururo in the north and most recently to the corner of CHNP and Tsavo West National Park (TWNP) in the south. This extensive project has had a profound impact on illegal activities inside of the shared ecosystem between CHNP and the Kibwezi Forest whilst elephant sightings in the Forest continue to increase as well as the presence of black rhino.

In areas where charcoal burning and woodcarving was previously rampant, these activities have been nearly eliminated. There is still a small amount of poaching being observed, but the SWT/KWS De-Snaring Teams, no longer burdened with the time-consuming task of rooting out charcoal burners, are now free to focus more of their efforts and time on catching bushmeat poachers.

It should be noted that illegal activities within Kibwezi Forest have already been reduced to near zero. In fact, in 2018, only 1 incident of illegal activity was recorded in the Forest outside of the SWT electric fence. This is allowing the teams to extend their reach further and further every year, with the goal of protecting not only the wildlife that happens to be inside the Forest’s boundaries on any given day, but indeed all the wildlife that might eventually use the Forest as a dispersal area. As Umani Springs is one of the few, permanent water sources in the Chyulus, it is expected that a large amount of wildlife move in and out of the Forest on a regular basis. Additionally, our de-snaring and anti-poaching efforts naturally extend to the water catchment, which feeds into Umani Springs.

As an added layer of protection, the SWT employed fenceline attendants have been incentivised to also act as informants of illegal entry into the Forest and CHNP, which has already led to arrests of several poachers that would have otherwise gone undetected.

Another benefit of the fenceline extending south from Kibwezi up to the corner of TWNP and CHNP is the eliminated risk of human-elephant conflict along this sensitive boundary. This is a huge contribution to the community as every year prior there has been countless loss of crops and even several injuries and fatalities resulting from contact with elephants. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been an increased rate of planting as a result of the fence, including of fruit trees

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such as mangoes and guavas. The significant investment in the fence has therefore been incredibly worthwhile.

The SWT continues to maintain all roads and official firebreaks within and around Kibwezi Forest in the event that a bushfire ever approached from the Chyulu Hills.

Other measures undertaken this year to help fight active fires included the training of over a dozen rangers in correct and safe firefighting techniques at KWS Manyani Training College. In addition to this the purchase of a Bambi Bucket operated by the SWT helicopter and the construction of a water tank at Kenze within the Forest from which the helicopter can collect water to fight fires, further enhances the Trust’s operational capabilities.

The newly trained firefighting rangers were put to the test a week after their training when they had to fight a series of fires that had started along the boundary of the Chyulus to the south of the Kibwezi Forest. The helicopter, carrying the newly acquired Bambi Bucket was able to greatly reduce the effort required on the ground in fighting the fires, with each fire being put out safely within less than 24 hours, averting possible disaster. The Kenze borehole project is ready for solar installation which will pump water up to the top of Kenze Hill where the special reinforced concrete holding tank has been built, which will hold and then gravity feed water to the Forest for wildlife. This tank as mentioned will also be accessible by the helicopter for fighting bushfires.

Rehabilitation efforts during the year have been focused mostly on reforestation, with around 20,000 tree seedlings planted out annually in previous years and more than 36,000 planted out this year. One new project during the year was the initiation of a tree-planting competition among 4 schools in communities neighbouring the Forest. Nearly 800 students from years 1-3 are currently participating in a 1-year tree planting competition sponsored by the SWT. Each of the children was supplied with 5 packets of seeds (5 different species), purchased from KEFRI, to be planted on their farms at home. Each of the species is well suited to the arid environment and will, in time, be a useful source of animal forage, firewood and charcoal, thus reducing the demand on forest products. As an incentive, the winning student from each school will receive a cash reward, as will the runner-up.

The winners will be determined after 1 year, so that we may be assured of the survival of the remaining trees.

Additionally, the school with the highest average number

of trees per student will also receive a large cash reward.

Even with a relatively small survival rate of 10%, this could very well equate to nearly 300,000 trees planted; the economic value of which cannot be understated.

Several projects were undertaken in the community as well in 2018, including educational school field trips into Tsavo West, and the continuation of a scholarship for bright, disadvantaged children in the area.

Tourism in the Kibwezi Forest has been steadily increasing over the last few years with nearly 100% occupancy being recorded at the Trust’s Umani Springs lodge for some months. Maintaining a superior eco-tourism product has meant continuously maintaining the road network and infrastructure of the Forest and, in some instances, improving it. Six workers employed by the SWT maintain the extensive road network, clearing tall grass and fallen trees, cutting back encroaching vegetation, filling potholes, levelling and murraming, whilst a crew of 26 Sanyati Ltd workers maintain the entire length of the electric fence. In addition to the internal road network, the airstrip at Kithasyo has been maintained, as many of the guests visiting Umani Lodge come by air and use the KWS airstrip to land.

PROJECT AMU & WITU FOREST A project the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is incredibly proud of is our collaborative partnership with the communityled conservation initiative, The Lamu Conservation Trust. For over 10 years SWT has partnered with the local communities in the Lamu area, empowering them to protect their land and act as guardians to a combined area of more than 400,000 acres.

Through this local partnership, the Trust has been able to protect a vast area which encompasses unique biodiversity and is home to forests, endemic species, mangrove fringed creeks and flood plains of borasis and doum palm forests.

Wildlife continues to thrive and increase in number with herds of thousands of buffalo, coastal topi, zebra and reticulated giraffe as well as elephants, lions, leopards and cheetahs along with numerous other endangered and protected species. This area truly has a staggering diversity and thankfully the local indigenous community has become increasingly aware of just how precious it is.

Working in partnership with these dedicated communities the SWT/LCT patrol teams have kept constant surveillance over the ecosystem to protect this priceless natural heritage. During 2018 a persistent challenge has been to ensure no homesteads are erected within the protected zones of Amu and that herds of cattle are kept on the periphery of the ranch, where the teams are in constant battle with herders. Another significant challenge is that of poaching for bushmeat, although cases have declined due to persistent patrols.

During the year the teams patrolled over 12,000kms by vehicle and over 1,200kms by foot throughout the greater Lamu ecosystem, whilst the Witu Forest team covered some 9,400kms by vehicle and 120kms by foot. During these daily patrols, which are supported by armed KWS rangers, a total of 23 arrests were made in 2018 including 3 bushmeat poachers, 17 livestock herders, 1 logger and 2 Mkoma trappers. 21kgs of bushmeat was also confiscated along with 25 snares. The Witu team made 2 logging arrests and confiscated and destroyed 200 charcoal sacks.

The teams also conducted the rescues of 5 wild animals including giraffe, buffalo and topi.

During the year work started on integrating the Lamu project into the SWT’s extensive radio network. The team has recently achieved the first step by setting up an internet link at Farouk camp on Amu Ranch by using a point to point radio system. The next step is to upgrade all the radios to digital radios and install a digital repeater, which will allow management and staff to communicate with Lamu from anywhere in the Trust’s network using

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a digital radio even from a hand set. Due to the digital aspect of the radio system it also allows management to be able to track all movements of every radio through the Turbonet Server in the Trust’s Ops room at Kaluku in Tsavo, which enhances management capabilities enormously.

One of our many initiatives in the region has been to increase the capacity of the tree nurseries, despite the considerable challenges in the past with water limitations due to severe droughts in Amu. During 2018 the Lamu Conservation Trust teams took it upon themselves to work harder to ensure that some 10,000 indigenous trees were planted within the ecosystem especially after the heavy rains that thankfully graced the region during the year.

Over the past couple of years, the Lamu area, including Amu, has experienced extreme climate changes from droughts to floods, but thankfully 2018 gave the vegetation and wildlife enough water to recover, and was a perfect time to plant out the seedlings from the nursery. The teams were busy planting not only within the protected areas of the region, but throughout villages at dispensaries, schools and other public spaces encouraging communities to take ownership for the future of this region. Since establishment in 2012 the Amu Tree Nursery team has planted over 42,000 indigenous trees.

PEREGRINE CONSERVATION AREA For over 20 years the Sheldrick Trust has been purchasing land on the boundary of Tsavo East National Park to be put under the protection of the Trust’s Peregrine Conservation Area, which acts as a vital wildlife habitat and buffer zone bordering the Athi River, Tsavo Triangle and community lands. Home to the Trust’s Kaluku Headquarters, Canine Unit and airfield this area benefits from increased protection and surveillance whilst the Trust also funds a de-snaring team dedicating patrols to the area. Another 400 acres were purchased in 2018 bringing the total conservation area to some 4,500 acres.

THE MWALUNGANJE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY Space, or more the lack of it for wildlife, is a growing challenge and one we have been addressing for many years through our Saving Habitats Program, mindful that with an ever-increasing number of people, elephants need their migratory routes secured and protected to ensure they forever have a place to call home. For these reasons the Sheldrick Trust has been financially supporting the

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operations and community compensation scheme run by the Mwalunganje Elephant Sanctuary since 2014, and in just 4 short years the Trust is proud to have observed some huge achievements by the sanctuary team whilst being nominated for a chair on the board in 2017.

During 2018 one such achievement was when MES staff witnessed a special event which saw over 100 elephants congregate in the sanctuary; considering how difficult it is to see, let alone count elephants in the thick bush, it is possible there were even more, which compared to elephant numbers reported in 2014, is a huge success for the Mwalunganje Elephant Sanctuary. Since that report there has continued to be regular sightings of both small and large groups of elephants, whilst there has not been a report of a single elephant lost to poaching in the whole Shimba ecosystem during the past year.

In late November reports were received from several sources that a group of 58 elephants had broken out of the sanctuary and travelled within 7 kilometers of Likoni before the KWS arrived to divert them back to the safety of the protected area. Luckily no incidents were reported thanks to the quick response from the KWS teams deployed, whilst it was also reported that one of the group of elephants had tusks ‘almost touching the ground’.

The SWT continues to ensure that funding is available for compensating the land owners and providing salaries for the sanctuary rangers and scouts, especially as any profit from tourism and sanctuary gate fees is still too low to be able to cover all the sanctuary’s operating costs.

THE MARA CONSERVANCY The SWT began funding the Mara Conservancy in 2016 and has continued to do so year on year since then. We are supporting the Conservancy with significant funds directed towards security helping them maintain a very high level of anti-poaching activity within the Mara Triangle and the Northern Serengeti whilst maintaining their incentive program for security staff and keeping the security vehicles operational at all times.

The Mara is famous for giant herds of wildebeest and zebra that migrate between the Serengeti and Masai Mara.

It is also home to a population of some 2,500 elephant.

Despite it being such a popular tourist destination this region is coming under increasing threat. These threats include bushmeat poaching, cattle incursion into the protected areas, human-wildlife conflict when elephants venture into community small holdings and farms and the increase in fencelines within community lands now inhibiting the free movement of wildlife. Development

and poor land management is seeing vast tracts of land lost to wildlife. For hundreds of years the Masai people have lived in harmony with wildlife with their pastoral ways complementing such coexistence, but in recent years land parcels have been sold and developed and the human footprint has expanded at an alarming rate with little land use planning considered. The human-wildlife conflict threat has risen enormously, evidenced by the numerous elephants that were treated in 2018 by the SWT/KWS Mara Veterinary Unit for spear and arrow wounds. Keeping the Mara safe has taken on a much greater priority than in previous years as the human footprint expands and with it the external pressures. This ecosystem is one of the world’s treasures, with its impressive rainfall and open grass plains the Mara is able to sustain an enormous amount of wildlife unlike more arid areas of the country, and as a result this does remain one of the wonders of the world. The management of the Mara Conservancy works hard to ensure that the external pressures and threats are kept to a minimum and we are happy to help when called upon to support these efforts.

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THE MOUNT KENYA TRUST Support to the Mount Kenya Trust began when the SWT donated a Land Rover to the cause in December 2015. The MKT’s Northern Area Supervisor helps to manage 3 patrol teams and conducts mobile patrols with this vehicle as well as increased surveillance in the Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor to back up the fencing teams. It has been invaluable in increasing patrol areas and enhancing response times for fence damage, illegal activities and arrests in the past 3 years. Since then the SWT has also funded a new mobile patrol team with annual financial support towards this team’s rations, fuel and field equipment.

During 2018 the Mt Kenya ranger teams conducted ten camping patrols providing anti-poaching and surveillance support covering a range of locations on Mt Kenya identified as illegal activity hotspots. These teams included the Marania Wildlife Guards (MWG), the Joint Wildlife Protection Team (JWPT) and the Horse Patrol Team (HPT), which are all accompanied by KWS rangers.

During these patrols the teams removed hundreds of snares set by poachers and destroyed countless charcoal kilns on the mountain during the course of the year.

This year SWT also made a donation of a vehicle directly to KWS for the Mount Kenya rapid response team which is helping KWS to better manage human-widlife conflict and monitor the poaching threats in the region.

KIMANA CORRIDOR & KIMANA SANCTUARY The SWT began supporting the Kimana Conservation Corridor in Amboseli during early 2017. This financial support takes the form of payments of annual leases to the Masaai owners of 60-acre parcels of land located in the Corridor. These lease payments are intended to limit destructive development of the land, limiting activities to only those which are compatible with conservation and sustainable pastoralism, which has proven to be a successful conservancy management system.

Shortly following this partnership, the SWT then commenced support of the Kimana Sanctuary with a 21-year lease. The Kimana Sanctuary sits within the easternmost part of the Kimana Corridor, and is an area frequented by Amboseli’s biggest bull elephants, including known tuskers like ‘Tim’. It is a critical 5,700acre ecosystem which ensures elephants can safely roam between the Amboseli ecosystem, the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo West National Park. With plentiful spring-fed waterways, swamps, groves of yellow fever trees and the majestic Kilimanjaro mountain as a back drop, Kimana Sanctuary is a favorite stomping ground for plentiful numbers of wildlife, particularly elephants. This project has been embarked on in partnership with Big Life Foundation.

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Big Life provides the daily oversight of the Sanctuary while SWT funds the lease fees payable to the Kimana Group Ranch community. It pleases us no end to provide practical solutions to the challenges faced by all species but particularly the elephants in today’s fast changing landscape. Two organizations securing Kimana for such a long period of time with a staunch commitment to conservation as the primary focus will ensure the free passage of elephant herds from Amboseli to the greater ecosystems of the Chyulus and Tsavo for a long time to come despite the growing challenges within the surrounding region.

SUPPORT FOR OUR KWS PARTNERS equipment in the Tsavo Conservation Area.

The Sheldrick Trust has a long-standing history of collaboration with the KWS, specifically working together to enhance the conservation and management of wildlife and habitats in the Tsavo Conservation Area. Given the broad mandate assigned to KWS under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, the SWT has continued to dedicate significant resources towards directly supporting KWS to undertake various management operations in the TCA along with other protected areas.

KWS ANIMAL CAPTURE/TRANSLOCATION UNIT

To help mitigate human-wildlife conflict and in support of capture and translocation operations in Kenya the Sheldrick Trust donated a Mitsubishi 10-wheeler truck to the KWS Capture Unit, as their origional truck was no longer in working condition. The KWS still have use of the crane from the old tractor head, which the Trust refitted to the new Mitsubishi, as well as a second flatbed truck and trailers and crates, which are still in reasonable condition.

VEHICLE & MACHINERY DONATIONS

During 2018 the Sheldrick Trust donated 4 new Landcruisers to the KWS in support of anti-poaching and management operations; 2 of these vehicles were handed over to Tsavo East, 1 to Meru National Park and 1 to Mount Kenya National Park. A 10,000 litre water bowser truck was also donated along with annual fuel supplies for anti-poaching, logistics, generators and other KWS

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With this support the KWS Capture/Translocation Unit is back in operation, carrying out an elephant translocation successfully from Laikipia. Whilst the SWT has been supporting this project we have also been in the process of developing additional capacity with a similar unit set up which will be based at Kaluku in Tsavo East and will be operational in mid 2019.

FUNDED AND MAINTAINED FENCELINES

WATER FOR WILDLIFE

The Sheldrick Trust has financed the construction, monitoring and maintenance of over 180kms of electric fences along protected area boundaries that are humanwildlife conflict hotspots. Not only do these fences help to reduce human-wildlife conflict, they also significantly reduce illegal activities in protected areas and curb overexploitation of natural resources thereby promoting natural regeneration. These fences are professionally maintained by full time fence monitoring and maintenance teams that are in close radio communication with SWT – KWS De-Snaring Units.

The Sheldrick Trust operates a supplemented water for wildlife program in the Tsavo Conservation Area supporting wildlife in the face of prolonged drought cycles.

Over the years seasonal watercourses have dried and huge swaths of Tsavo remain waterless. Supplementary water has become essential. This program also helps to decrease incidents of human-wildlife conflict as cases of wildlife attempting to access water sources in community areas are significantly reduced.

83.5 Km² Rhino Sanctuary upgrade Meru NP 77.8 Km 14 strand un-shortable fence Kibwezi – Chyulu NP 63 Km in the Northern Area, Tsavo East National Park 17 Km 14 strand un-shortable fence Voi - Ngutuni 10 Km Nairobi National Park fence

As part of this program there are currently 25 boreholes funded by the Trust, most are powered by solar and 6 with windmills, and a few require generators to pump. All are maintained weekly by the Trust’s field works team. 5 water bowsers each with a 20,000-litre water capacity have also been deployed to the TCA by the Trust over the years and work to transport water and refill waterholes for the Orphans’ Project as well as provide water for wildlife and KWS teams during periods of drought throughout the vast Tsavo ecosystem.

These bowsers were also fitted with pumps and fire hoses during 2018 for firefighting missions. During the year a high capacity water tank has also been constructed on Kenze Hill in the Kibwezi Forest for the dual purpose of supplying water for wildlife and fire-fighting purposes.

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TSAVO CLEAN UP

In the wake of the severe flooding that hit the Tsavo region in April 2018, the Sheldrick Trust has spent considerable time and resources clearing the effected habitats from the debris left behind. During this extensive clean-up hundreds of tons of plastic and rubbish has been removed from the ecosystem, which continues to be an ongoing project. 10 full-time casuals have been working on this project, which has needed the support of the Trust’s trucks and machines, especially the backhoe which was flat-out working to dig deep pits which were then filled with the plastic and burnt before being covered.

FIRE MITIGATION PROGRAM

In June 2018 the Sheldrick Trust established a new wild fire prevention and suppression plan within the TCA in partnership with KWS in preparation for potential fire outbreaks after the prolonged drought, which was then followed by unprecedented rains in Tsavo. Given the grass regrowth that occured the likelihood of bushfires was ever present in our minds. Over 100 personnel including key SWT staff and rangers as well as KWS teams took part in 3 seperate 3-day fire-fighting training courses headed by a specialized KWS team and Danny Woodley.

Following this new program all the Trust’s facilities within Tsavo have been equipped with firefighting gear including pumps and fire hoses whilst all the water bowsers have been customised with a pump and hose rig for fast response to any call-outs Day to Day Operations of this program included: • Deployment and supervision of motor graders, tractor mowers for firebreaks and prevention measures • Training of firefighting crews and perimeter control burning • Response to fire outbreaks • Supervision of fire suppression • Mobilization of firefighting units, water bowsers, graders, tractors • Aerial support from the helicopter and bambi bucket

INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT

The extent of Opuntia stricta (prickly pear cactus) colonisation in Tsavo East has reached a critical level, with this invasive species starting to occur beyond Aruba to the west and beyond Satao to the North in an area of roughly 1,000 sq kilometres. Towards the epicenter near McKinnon Rd it is growing so thick in places that almost all other vegetation has been choked out. This species is actively spread by wildlife, especially elephants, and once established, it expands rapidly, outcompeting

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indigenous vegetation and shrinking the area of viable forage for the majority of grazing and browsing mammals.

Already a monumental task to bring it under control, if it was left any longer it will become exponentially more difficult to deal with, so SWT initiated an extensive program to help eradicate it from the Tsavo environment.

This is an undertaking that will take many years, with work commencing in early 2018 by a dedicated team physically removing the cactus and destroying it, whilst other solutions will work hand in hand with this method in order to achieve the best result long term. The Trust purchased a backhoe loader as well as a Fuso tipper truck to support this long-term project.

MERU NATIONAL PARK RHINO SANCTUARY The SWT has a long and rich history of rhino conservation in Kenya having been involved in establishing the country’s first fenced rhino sanctuaries in both Lake Nakuru National Park and later in Tsavo West National Park. Moreover, in the early 1960s, our Founder Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick pioneered the milk formula and the husbandry necessary to hand rear orphaned black rhino calves and, over the years, Daphne and the Trust handraised 17 orphaned black rhinos and rehabilitated them successfully in Solio Ranch, Tsavo East National Park and Nairobi National Park. Following this support, the Sheldrick Trust was honoured to be asked by the KWS to support Meru National Park’s dedicated rhino sanctuary and immediately set the wheels in motion to ensure this vital habitat was secured.

The Sheldrick Trust embarked on this significant upgrade and extension of the Meru Rhino Sanctuary in 2017, successfully completing all works in April 2018, seeing the sanctuary nearly double in size from 48km² to 83.5km². As part of the upgrade, two security bases have also also built which house KWS Security rangers and SWT funded fence maintenance teams. The brand-new perimeter electric fenceline was extended a further 25.6 km, with 20 strategically located wildlife corridors which have been incorporated into the design built to confine the rhino population whilst allowing the free movement of elephants and other wildlife in and out of the Sanctuary.

To celebrate the completion of the upgrade, on the 5th of April, the SWT and KWS held a handover ceremony attended by Robert Carr-Hartley, Dr. Margaret Mwakima the Principle Secretary of Tourism, and KWS Mr. Julius Kimani along with senior management from Meru National Park. During the ceremony, the Trust also donated a fully customized land-cruiser, to be used by the KWS Meru teams to further boost security within the Park. During 2018, the Trust ensured all infrastructure will be maintained to a high standard with an annual maintenance program carried out in support of the KWS. Sanyati Ltd has been contracted to carry out these maintenance efforts and a crew of 9 men with a dedicated vehicle have been recruited to maintain all access tracks and firebreaks, clearing roads and monitoring the fenceline.

Given the suitability of the habitat for rhinos in Meru National Park, the Meru Rhino Sanctuary offers a secure haven for them with great potential for sustainable growth.

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Communities & Education 23,471 school children visited the SWT Nursery in 2018 1,200 school children enjoyed SWT field trips within Tsavo in 2018 A total of 658 school desks donated A total of 27,203 tree seedlings planted together with communities in 2018 131 Beehives on fences protecting community farms

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2018 was a busy year for the Sheldrick Trust’s Community Outreach Program. The biggest role the Community Outreach team performs is conservation education, and this year nearly 1200 children benefitted from school field trips into Tsavo East and West National Parks funded and organised by the Trust. For many of these children this was their first opportunity to experience the wild animals that live on their doorstep, which is an important first step in engendering a spirit of conservation among Kenya’s youth.

These trips are a great experience for the children and for the Trust’s Outreach Team who also get a chance to relive the excitement of a positive first-time wildlife experience whilst reaching out to the children with a message that they are passionate about. For some of the children, their only experience with wildlife has been the devastating results of human-wildlife conflict, as unfortunately, living in close proximity to protected areas brings with it the risk of crop-raiding elephants and potentially dangerous encounters with other wild animals.

The Sheldrick Trust has been devoting time and resources for many years in resolving and preventing humanelephant conflict, whilst being dedicated to the mission of mitigating its impact on communities bordering the Parks.

One such program is the construction of fencelines, and the Trust during 2018 completed another phase of electric fencing from Kibwezi Forest extending along the boundary of Chyulu Hills National Park towards Tsavo West National Park. This is an area which has historically been a hotspot for human-elephant conflict resulting, over the years in massive crop loss as well as human loss and injury; this fenceline has been gratefully received by communities and its benefits will be reaped for years to come.

In other areas where electric fencing is more difficult to implement, the Trust has continued to grow and maintain a series of smaller beehive fences as elephants are repelled by bees. In 2018, no new beehive fences were erected; however, an extension to an existing fence was installed, and maintenance was conducted on every fenceline to ensure the productivity of the fence whilst keeping the hives clean and attractive to incoming bee colonies.

These works involved the addition of 119 iron sheets to prevent badgers from raiding hives, the installation of 6 additional hives, as well as 34 poles and 25 “dummy” hives. Additionally, monthly inspections of the hives ensured that empty hives were clean and ready to receive new tenants, and occupied hives were clean, healthy and free of pests. For the team’s efforts, over 100kg of highquality, all-natural honey was extracted from the hives, despite a very poor nectar flow, providing income to the farmers and an added incentive to maintain the fences.

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A new and exciting project undertaken by the Trust towards the end of 2018 sought to inspire children to plant more trees. The two-pronged approach involved a largescale seed-balling initiative in Chyulu Hills National Park (CHNP) and a tree planting competition involving 731 school children from 4 different schools also bordering CHNP. Just a few weeks earlier, a large wild fire devastated a forested area on the edges of Kikunduku Primary School.

Fortunately, the school was spared, however, a large area of the bordering Park was burnt. This presented the team with the perfect opportunity to involve the students in a reseeding effort to help speed up the reforestation process and educate them on the importance of forests and their protection. Then on the 25th October 2018, with approximately 450,000 seed balls bought, purchased from Seed Balls Kenya, over 300 children participated in the largest seed-balling effort in Kenya at the time. The seed balls, coated in a thick layer of protective char dust, consisted of a mix of 4 different locally indigenous acacia species.

This coating helps protect the seeds from predation and provides a small amount of nutrients to give the seeds a ‘jump-start’ as soon as adequate rainfall triggers the germination process. Not all the seeds will become trees, but even if only 5% survive, this will equate to over 20,000 trees planted in the space of one hour. The final percentage of successfully grown trees will not likely be known for a few years, since many of the seeds, especially the Acacia tortilis, which can lie dormant for several years, will not germinate the first year. However, just a month after the onset of the rains, a preliminary site visit revealed a large number of seedlings that had already reached 6-8 inches in height and are well on their way to becoming trees. Ten years from now, the students will be able to gaze across the fence from their old school and point proudly at the forest they created.

In addition to the seed balling, 3 other schools were involved, along with Kikunduku, in a separate tree planting competition. The SWT provided 2.7 million seeds of 5 different dry land species that were handed out to 731 students to take home and plant on their farms. The team will monitor their progress for a year at which point the winner and runner up from each school will receive a cash prize. The school with the highest average number of surviving trees per student will also receive a cash donation to be used toward a conservationrelated project. The trees will eventually provide forage for livestock and bees, wood and charcoal fuel (without depending on protected areas), shade and erosion control to name just a few benefits. More importantly, the exercise will hopefully inspire a new generation of tree planters.

We will begin to gather useful data on the success of the competition in 2019, however, early canvassing discovered that almost all of the children were participating, and a large percentage of their trees had begun to germinate. The fun filled annual Tsavo Sports Day took place once again this year, undertaken in collaboration with Waves, a UK charity focused on supporting children and their education. The value of activities such as the Sports Day increases year-on-year, especially as it is critically important that steps are taken to engage local people with the natural world and encourage them to see the importance and value of wild animals and why everyone must work to live together in harmony. This year’s event brought together children and teachers from Gideon Mosi School (hosts), Kalambe, Sowa, and Gimba Schools to compete in netball and football tournaments interwoven with conservation messages through speeches, drama and dance. With over 300 people taking part in the day, 2018’s event was a huge success and so positive to see so many smiling faces and a truly enthusiastic crowd cheering on the children, all coming together for a fun day out, that has wildlife conservation at its core.

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ECO LODGES & TOURISM ITHUMBA HILL CAMP

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ECO LODGES & TOURISM ITHUMBA CAMP

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ECO LODGES & TOURISM ITHUMBA PRIVATE

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ECO LODGES & TOURISM UMANI SPRINGS

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ECO LODGES & TOURISM GALDESSA CAMP

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Eco Lodges & Tourism A MISSION TO PROTECT, PRESERVE AND CONSERVE 5 Eco Lodges Ithumba Hill - Accomodates 8 pax in 4 thatched tents Ithumba Camp - Accomodates 8 pax in 4 thatched tents Ithumba Private -Accomodates 6 pax in 3 thatched tents Umani Springs - Accomodates10 pax in 3 cottages Galdessa Camp - Accomodates 10 pax in 5 thatched tents Galdessa Private - Accomodates 6 pax in 3 thatched tents

The Trust’s eco lodges are built to benefit conservation, and the revenue they generate from visitors is channelled directly back into the protection of the area in which they are situated. By staying at any of the Trust’s eco-lodges you are directly contributing to the area, while enjoying and learning about the diversity of these environments.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust developed and operates these high value, low volume eco lodges each one sustainable in design, development and operation, minimizing environmental impact. These beautiful camps offer exclusivity and are developed and run with great attention to detail in order to meet the demands of the high-end tourism market.

Aside from the revenue they generate being channeled back into conservation initiatives, our camps also enable donors to access the Trust’s Orphans’ stockades and projects in remote areas, attracting additional support and goodwill in the conservation and management of these important ecosystems, whilst guaranteeing systematic income for KWS by diversifying and promoting wilderness-based tourism activities in less frequented wilderness areas.

The SWT’s much loved eco lodge portfolio comprises of 3 small camps at Ithumba offering special access to the Ithumba orphans and the vast unspoilt wilderness of northern Tsavo East, as well as the Umani Springs lodge in the Kibwezi Forest and our new and most recent property, the rebuilt Galdessa Camp situated on the Galana River in a pristine corner of southern Tsavo East. Galdessa consists of two properties, the larger Galdessa Camp which can sleep 10 guests in five tents, and the smaller Annex known as Galdessa Private which sleeps 6 guests in three tents. The two can be booked seperately or in case of larger groups booked as one. Like all our properties the camps are booked exclusively.

GALDESSA FLOODING INCIDENT At the end of April 2018, huge flooding affected much of the country with the Galana and Tiva rivers both rising higher than ever in living memory. Every camp/lodge along the river in Tsavo East was flooded, including Galdessa. The bulk of damage was done when the flood was at its height at 10pm in the evening, although the damage at Galdessa was fortunately not as extensive as at other camps, which in some cases were completely destroyed. A serious clean-up effort was required, with all hands-on deck recovering what was salvageable from the camp. Following the flooding the Trust once again began work on rebuilding Galdessa and has worked hard throughout the rest of 2018 to have it ready and open for visitors by January 2019.

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Elephants & Ivory Trade 2018 UPDATE

In general terms, 2018 was a quieter year in regard to ‘elephants and ivory trade’, when compared to recent years. Inasmuch as there were less country specific ivory bans, less ivory stockpile destructions, and less landmark ivory seizures; many of these activities having taken place in recent years, in countries around the globe and many US States. China’s ivory sales ban effectively came into force on the 1st January 2018 and, while it is too soon to ascertain its impact on poaching, it is apparent from surveys conducted throughout the year that the appetite for ivory continues to diminish in China. The value of ivory, which of course is only of any true value to an elephant, had already fallen by more than two-thirds by 2017 and there has been no reported rise, while it is now no longer possible to purchase ivory from retailers in China, outlets that had been plentiful prior to the ban.

There were however a number of activities of note in relation to the ivory trade in the year, alongside a wider recognition by those that had been solely fixated on ‘ending the trade’ that land space, or more aptly a lack of it, is the greatest threat facing elephants and, similar to the illegal ivory trade, has no singular solution.

The UK government introduced its Ivory Bill for Parliamentary discussion in May 2018, following the public consultation on an ivory ban that was completed in December 2017, to which an overwhelming majority of respondents (88%) were in favour of a ban. In December 2018, the Bill gained Royal Assent, becoming the Ivory Act, which is expected to come into force in late 2019.

This is a positive step on the part of the government, which had dragged its feet on the issue of ivory trade and a ban, not least given the revelation in the report published by EIA in 2017 that, between 2010 and 2015, the UK had been the largest exporter of legal ivory in the world. This legal market has been proven to be exploited by criminal syndicates, infiltrating it with ivory from poached elephants, as demonstrated at the time by a subsequent report by the group Two Million Tusks.

At the start of the year, in Hong Kong, a major hub for illegal ivory shipments, lawmakers voted 49-4 to phase out antique ivory sales. This vote cemented Hong Kong’s commitment to close its ivory market by the end of 2021, a closure that is arguably even more critical given China’s ivory ban, due to the risk of ivory consumers turning to

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Hong Kong as a marketplace for ivory products.

Legislation to ban ivory sales, which has been implemented over the past five years by various national and state governments, has for the most part been driven by the public. There is an increased understanding of elephants; their intelligence and compassion; the key role they play in shaping ecosystems that would be forever changed without them; the extent to which other species are reliant on elephants for their survival; their economic importance in attracting tourists (and their dollars) to see and photograph them in the wild; and critically, greater awareness of the brutal reality of poaching, the suffering of those targeted, and their orphaned young left behind. A more connected world allows for this broader knowledge and, while the internet and particularly social media channels can be as destructive as they can constructive, the sheer scale of information now available makes it hard for any person or government to try and ignore what has been – and what continues to be – the reality for elephants (and other species) and, when they read past headlines which are all too often unrelated to the stories themselves, the truth is unavoidable. Elephants are critical to the long-term survival of species and that includes our own.

It would not be possible to write this section without shining a light on what is the greatest threat facing elephants today, the lack of space to roam. The threat is most apparent in the case of elephants, as being such large creatures with vast appetites, their impact when they come into contact with humans is perhaps more immediately apparent. However, the issue of reducing wildlife habitats affects all wild species and it is driven solely by the expansion of our own species. As the number of people increases day-on-day, so does our need (and often want) for more land; for dwellings, transport infrastructure, work places, food production, even bigger gardens so that we are not so close to our neighbours!

Over the past ten years, since we first penned this section for our Annual Newsletters, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has not only played an active role in reducing elephant poaching in Kenya, and influencing a change in attitudes towards ivory globally, we have also spoken about – and acted upon – the increased issue of habitat loss, due to burgeoning human populations. Incidents of conflict

between humans and elephants are on the rise in all countries that have a population of elephants and it is clear that a far greater emphasis needs to be placed on this by people and governments around the world. As with the ivory trade, a threat that continues to claim the lives of more than 20,000 elephants a year, this is not an issue just for those nations that are home to elephants, but a global issue and one that must become a priority for all.

There has never been a magic wand when it comes to ending elephant poaching. Effective solutions take time, investment and hard work to implement, and they must work in tandem – boots on the ground, enhanced port security, enforced legislation, demand reduction campaigns and, when they are implemented effectively, we see positive results. Five years ago, 35,000 elephants were being killed annually for their tusks, today this is closer to 20,000. That is still 20,000 too many, and a terrifying number when we consider each individual, as we must, but it is still far better than it was. If we continue on our current path in respect of the ivory trade and ending it in all forms, we will reduce that number still further

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year on year. The same is true in tackling the lack of space; there is no quick fix, no readily available or publicly digestible solution, but there are measures that can and are being taken to both secure space and limit negative contacts between humans and animals – partnerships with local land owners, electric fencelines on high risk boundaries, educational programs in communities living with wildlife, reforestation projects, and more – activities that individually help, but collectively can change the landscape for the benefit of people and wildlife.

With all of this in mind, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust will continue to adopt its multi-faceted approach to the conservation of species and habitats in Kenya, as demonstrated throughout this newsletter. Central to this approach is the consideration of local factors and local stakeholders – human and animal – when implementing suitable conservation projects, which individually saves lives and collectively will save entire species and ecosystems.

SPECIAL THANKS TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS

Acton Family Giving Bernard and Nancy Karwick Foundation Delves Charitable Trust Diane Warren Foundation Eden Wildlife Trust FM Area Foundation Focused on Nature Forsava Elefanterna Fredman Family Foundation Kerrigan Savage Waves Charitable Trust Lemmon Foundation Loke Foundation Mactaggart Third Fund Marta Heflin Foundation Maverick Lloyd Foundation Mey Share Foundation, Inc. Minara Foundation MKM Foundation Nature Defense Foundation Pattee Foundation Pearson Family Foundation Philip R. Jonsson Foundation R G Hills Charitable Trust Rathmann Family Foundation Real World Conservation Trust Scott (Eredine) Charitable Trust Scoob Trust Foundation Serengeti Foundation Sexton Family Foundation Trust Story Garschina Foundation The Annenberg Foundation The Argus Fund The Boston Foundation The Holly Fund The Joseph and Fiora Stone Foundation The Lucky Girl Foundation The Mackintosh Foundation The Mateya Wildlife Foundation The Merlin Foundation The Richard Lounsbery Foundation Timothy Sykes Foundation Inc. Toby and Regina Wyles Charitable Trust Trebek Family Foundation VBS Foundation Victoria Sujata Charitable Fund William JJ Gordon Family Foundation Williamson Charitable Trust Ziering Family Foundation CORPORATE

Abaxis Angama Barrett & Coe Boscovic Air Charters

INDIVIDUALS/GROUPS

Chantecaille Choose Your Animal Design Foundry Dixie Cup Productions East African Air Charters East African Canvas ED by Ellen Ecojot Elephant Gin Empowers Africa Finch Hattons Gruene Elefanten IAG Cargo J. Crew Kathy Kamei L.A. Burdick Chocolates Lina Noel Love Brand & Co. Moyophotography Redstone Studios Rumisu Shutterfly Soludos Store2be True Traveller Velvet Coffee Roasters whiteGREY Williamson Tea WPP NGO PARTNERS

Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA) Pengo Life Project Rettet die Elephanten Sauvez les elephants d’afrique Terre et Faune United for Wildlife Verein Der Elefantenfreunde Vrienden Van De Olifant Vier Pfoten WildAid KENYA PARTNERS

Kenya Wildlife Service Kenya Forest Service Lamu Conservation Trust Mara Conservancy Mara Elephant Project Mount Kenya Trust Galana Conservancy Mwaluganje Wildlife Sanctuary Mount Kenya Trust Big Life Wildlife Works

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The Dharmaraj Family Fund Adnan Merdin Alan Alderson and Sandra Allen Amanda Loke Anne Pattee Barry and Jody Turkus Candis Stern Carole Tanklage Caroline Forgason Chao-Wen Huang Chris Lucas Chris Nassetta Christopher and Elizabeth Davis Claude and Elisabeth Koeberle Darylan Stratten Decatur and Daniel Boland Diane Davidson Dorothy Cheng Eleanor Ganger-Laubly Eleanor Phipps Price Elizabeth Steele Ellen DeGeneres Eric Henderson Erik Haggmark Erika Rosenthal Estate of Elizabeth Jane Frankcom Evan Greenberg Francisco Grimaldi Focused on Nature Gary Hodges Gerald Meyer Gilda Castro Rios Gregory and Susan Summe Gwen McConkey Heidi Blackie Helena Oláh Hollis Stern Jennie Moehlmann Jimmy Fallon Jo Ann Hoffman John and Carol Garand John and Jutta Kay John and Kathy Burke John Gibson Jon Steel Jonathan Connolly Jorge Perez Companc Joyce Schurzky Judith Anne Kaplan Fund Julie and Tom Hull Kathy Bryson Kids’ Tusk Force UK Kristin Davis Kristin L. Hettermann

SPECIAL THANKS Linda Rodgers Lisa Kucukdogerli Lori Price Maggie Q Marcia Coambs Maria Menounos Marilyn Whitney Martin and Gillian Evans Martin Blank Michael and Elizabeth Garstang Mike McCandless Moira Norrie Natasha Weld-Dixon Nicky Campbell OBE N. S. Ramjee Olivier and Sylvie Chantecaille Oprah Winfrey Pamela Hayden Patrick and Priscilla MeLampy-Lawrence Paul Gibson Pearse Umlauf Prince Hussain Aga Khan Rebecca Seltzer Robert and Joan Blackman Robert Musser and Barbara Francis Roy and Susan Dorrance Scott Greene Shannon Miller Shari McNulty St. Clare Seifert Stephanie Perenchio Stephen Charles Stuart and Joanna Brown Charitable Fund Susan Pearce Harvey The Mitchell Family Charitable Fund Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins Tim and Nancy Corwin Tyler and Hayley Hubbard Vivien Margaret John William B. and Ruth L. Harwood Trust William West Yashar Ali

Photographs Copyright © David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with special thanks to Robert Carr-Hartley, Neville Sheldrick, Mia Collis, Freya Dowson, Taru Carr-Hartley, Roan Carr-Hartley, and Jeremy Goss.

“ A heartfelt thank you to our many incredible supporters around the world who are so generous in their commitment to our conservation efforts - it is quite simply because of you that we have managed to acheive so much over the years - thank you all. ”

Angela Sheldrick 85

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Online donations can be made directly through the website

WWW.SHELDRICKWILDLIFETRUST.ORG The David Shelddrick Wildlife Trust is a Charity registered in Kenya.

For donations to the Trust please please make Checks out to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

KENYA

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust P.O.Box 15555 Mbagathi, 00503 Nairobi, Kenya Email: info@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Telephone : +254 (0) 202 301 396 +254 (0) 733 891 996

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a charity registered in the U.K. Charity No 1103836.

Donations to the Trust by U.K. taxpayers can be gift aided.

UK Sheldrick Wildlife Trust 2nd Floor 3 Bridge Street Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8BL Telephone: +44 (0) 1372 378 321 Email: infouk@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt ‘Public Charity’ to which contributions, gifts and bequests are deductible for U.S. income, gift and estate taxes. Checks can be made out to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

USA Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA 25283 Cabot Road, Suite 101 Laguna Hills CA, 92653 Telephone: (949) 305-3785 Email: infous@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

SHELDRICK WILDLIFE TRUST P. O. Box 15555 Mbagathi, Nairobi, 00503 Kenya Tel: +254 (0) 733 891 996, +254 (0) 20 230 1396 Email: info@sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Website: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org