Saving our Elephants and Rhinos

Last week I sent out a press release that was posted on blogs that I publish, here and our company blog Lets Go Travel, Kenya. The post spoke of how conservationists were doing their best with the latest campaign to try and save our elephants with the campaign being dubbed, Hands off our elephants!

Truth is, I do not think people understand how serious this is! It is said that if the current trend on Ivory poaching continues, we basically expect all the elephants to be extinct within 10 years! If this is not alarming enough, then let me break it down to you with what Citizen TV news anchor, Johnson Mwakazi would call SENSE....

Tourism is one of the main pillars of economy in Kenya, with it being the 2nd largest source of foreign exchange revenue following agriculture. This means that at least a high population depend on tourism to put food on their tables! Think of it, for this industry to function we need other sectors such as the communication sector, food & poultry, transport etc. But all these other sectors to have business depend on that tourist who is coming to see that Elephant that we are killing for the sake of Ivory trade!

Figures point out that 384 elephants were slain in 2012, expectations are that this year will be even worse: 92 elephants and 17 rhino were poached in the first 10 weeks of this year - 12 of which were killed in one go, in Tsavo East national park!

Of course, Rhino horn / poaching is not exempt with just in the recent past, Lewa wildlife conservancy, a conservancy created in order to protect the rhinos saw two black rhino - one just three days old - gunned down even though the conservancy has an aircraft patrolling the skies and  heavily armed protection unit, poachers still got in and out,in efforts to get the rhino horn!

All I am trying to say is this, if we could create more awareness, more strict penalties such as the raised fines and jail terms... just maybe the "kingpins" who basically contract the middlemen, who in turn contract the ground poachers would be scared to trade!

What do you think we should do to stop this Killing of our Elephants and Rhinos?

Lions: Another on the Endangered Animals List

I would love to start of by thanking Mshatch from  Mainewords blog for the "One Lovely Blog Award"  I am so gratefully. You really made my day!

Moving on to a touchy topic, I feel that this is not a new topic to us, many animals are nowadays finding themselves on the endangered species list. It is as though the animals are competing for who will be the first to become extinct! It is a rather very sad, considering we have so many animals on this endangered list already!

Lions are well known for their beauty, majesty and prestige with many hit films such us Africa Disney Cats or The Lion King, portraying the image of a lion as should.... a strong, confident and brave creature, like depicted, the king of the jungle.

Lions vary in colour but commonly are those that sport a light yellow-brown coat. Mature male lions are unique among big cats due the thick brown or black manes that encircle their necks and protect them while fighting, whereas the mature female lions are the pride's primary hunters, often working together to prey upon antelopes, Zebras, wildebeest and other animals in the naked wild.

Lions population in Africa has rapidly reduced to approximately 21,000. They face an indirect threat from climate change called co-infection and periodically face outbreaks of the disease distemper though this causes few death with an exemption of the period 1994 - 2001 which caused massive die-offs with researchers saying the epidemic was due to the occurrence of a server drought. Drought which is caused by humans due to deforestation with more human threats such as population growth and agricultural expansion, resulting in loss of natural habitat, hunting, poisoning and poaching just to name but a few.

Animal protection and conservation groups are continually trying to curb the factors contributing to the Lion's endangerment but they also need you help to spread the word! This is my plea  to you, spread the word, lets save the lion!!