NEWS
JWT Agrees to step in to protect almost 100,000 acres in Kenya
In Early 2009 the trust visited Kenya with Will Travers, CEO of Born Free Foundation (www.bornfree.org.uk) to look at the desperate situation facing some of the world’s most vulnerable and endangered animals. We visited the areas around Tsavo National Park in South East Kenya where wildlife conflicts and poaching are a real problem, to see if there was anything we could do to support the work being carried out by Born Free and other wildlife charities.
Tsavo East and West together form the largest National Park in Kenya and one of the biggest National Parks in the world and are regarded as an area of global importance. The parks have a rich diversification of wildlife and although patrolled by the Kenya Wildlife Service, still face the threat of illegal poaching and habitat destruction. In the land between the two parks, which forms an important migratory corridor for elephants and other wide-ranging species, the situation is desperate. This area is outside the relative safety of the national parks and has to face the daily onslaught of habitat destruction and extremely brutal poaching. Without some form of protection and regular patrolling, Elephants, Lions, Leopard and Cheetah, in fact any animals who dare to venture between the two parks, are lucky to survive. Our trip was evidence of that and the reason we have set up our first project - Project Taita.
Having spent 10 days in and around Tsavo, looking at how we can help protect and preserve the area, the urgency to move quickly became paramount. We saw at first hand, small groups of elephants moving freely through the area between the two parks, following the same paths they have used for many years. We also saw a number of young bull elephants all with impressive tusks and couldn't help wondering just how long they would survive in this dangerous, unprotected wilderness. Returning to the UK, with a promise to do all we could to help protect as much of the area as possible we received the most devastating news. Four days after we left Tsavo, three elephants had been found slaughtered, butchered for their ivory and news had just come in that a fourth elephant had been seen about a mile from where we camped, alive but trapped in a crude and excruciatingly painful snare. The thought that these poor animals may have been the same individuals we observed for hours a few days earlier, harmlessly going about their daily routine, was deeply upsetting. The race was now on to establish a presence in the area as quickly as possible, to prevent any further poaching. The biggest deterrent is to have teams of game rangers patrolling the area day and night and so after a few frantic telephone calls and several rushed meetings, Project Taita was born.
The Trust prepared a draft proposal and submitted it to the local community leaders and the Board of Directors in Kenya, who look after the land, with a detailed plan of how we could protect the area and provide a safe haven for the wildlife who share the land. After several months of negotiations, the proposal was accepted and a contract was drawn up to secure the long term future for the Taita Ranch. As soon as the agreement is signed, as part of its' 20 year plan, The Trust can begin to create the Taita Wildlife Conservancy and, with a bit of help from the local community, the amazing wildlife can begin to return to this incredible place.
The future begins now!
Walk 2 Live 2010 Date Announced
The first major event in aid of the Trust will be taking place in May 2010.
To promote awareness and to help raise the £500,000 needed to develop the first of its' wildlife conservancies, the charity is planning to hold the largest mass sponsored walk ever held and hopefully...
JWT announces its partner and beneficiary for 2010
As part of our commitment to support wildlife protection and conservation, the Trustees have decided to offer a pledge of support for other organisations who share our aims.
Mark Oliver, founding trustee says, 'There are many charitable...
