Wildlife Management Archive
Trampling the Election
Posted by jimheck in Big Game, Politics, Wildlife Management on September 7, 2010
The human/elephant conflict is becoming a major campaign issue in both Kenya and Tanzania. Soon, efforts towards resolution will lose out to the calls for culling.
Western wildlife NGOs and local researchers have been working tirelessly on human/elephant conflicts over the past decade. They haven’t gotten very far. It’s hard to keep six [...]
California Wildlife Management
Posted by jimheck in Animal Attacks, Wildlife Management on September 2, 2010
Wednesday early morning police (it took three of them) shot (multiple times) and killed a mountain lion found in a residential area of Berkeley, California.
A 90-pound mountain lion (also known as a cougar) is roughly the same size as a cheetah, although stronger. The cheetah is built for speed whereas the cougar is built [...]
Mue or Zoo to the Rescue?
Posted by jimheck in Aberdare, Big Game, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Research on August 24, 2010
Two beautiful African animals face extinction because wildlife officials and scientists can’t agree on how to reintroduce zoo-bred individuals. And interestingly, it’s now become something of a contest (battle?) between the American zoo-world, and the American museum-world.
According to the IUCN, the mountain bongo and Rothschild giraffe face extinction in the wild if immediate efforts [...]
The Mara: Tipping or Tentative?
Posted by jimheck in Mara, Politics, Safari Lodges, Wildlife Management on July 9, 2010
A recent study in Kenya has sparked enormous confusion over the long-term future of its wildlife, particularly in the Mara. But a couple things do look certain. Don’t stay outside the reserves and don’t privatize national treasures.
I hate reporting a story like this, but it’s been growing in my conscience like mold on [...]
Rats to those Mines!
Posted by jimheck in War, Wildlife Management on May 13, 2010
An important electricity line has just been laid in western Mozambique, crucial to the development of Mozambique’s big new Limpopo National Park.
Thanks to. Rats.
Yes that’s right. Installation had been stalled because of the huge numbers of land mines that remained in the area from the civil war. Land mines are a problem [...]
Is CITES a Rich Man’s Treaty?
Posted by jimheck in Animal Attacks, Poaching, Wildlife Management on April 29, 2010
The southern African countries are meeting today in Malawi to decide whether to withdraw from the CITES convention. They almost convinced me to support them, and then, they blew it.
The withdrawal from CITES (Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species) by part of the world where half the elephants live would throw the treaty [...]
Eles for Bluefins
Posted by jimheck in Poaching, Politics, Wildlife Management on April 21, 2010
The whole damned world is becoming politicized. It isn’t just us, and it’s not good for animals.
The quintessential world treaty, CITES, which has done so much good since its inception in the 1980s to protect endangered species became totally politicized at the March meeting in Doha.
Horse trading ruled the day. Sorry, elephant trading.
The [...]
Elephant Now Safe, Are People?
Posted by jimheck in Big Game, Politics, Wildlife Management on March 22, 2010
Elephant are safe for the moment, but what about the people they’re trampling?
The CITES convention in Doha yesterday strongly rejected Tanzania and Zambia’s petition for a one-off sale of warehoused ivory. I think that’s the right decision, but will others step up to protect ordinary citizens?
(And note that the Obama administration became a pivotal [...]
War in Ngorongoro?
Posted by jimheck in Ngorongoro Crater, Politics, Poverty, Wildlife Management on February 25, 2010
Education is fine if you’ve got something to do with it. Is there going to be war in Ngorongoro?
The great experiment known as the “NCA” in what ABC’s Good Morning America christened one of the world’s Natural Wonders is coming apart.
Most tourists know it as “The Crater.” But Ngorongoro Crater [...]
Bipartisan with China, against Eles
Posted by jimheck in Poaching, Politics, Wildlife Management on February 24, 2010
Two weeks from Sunday the Obama administration will finally let the world know what they think about elephant conservation. So far, they haven’t.
The silence is deafening. I’m afraid the whales and elephants are being negotiated away for sanctions against Iran.
This will be Obama’s first world forum on conservation. The last CITES convention [...]
Would you like a zebra or a petunia?
Posted by jimheck in Amboseli, Economy, Wildlife Management on February 10, 2010
Or both? Animals are being frantically transported out of the Kenyan cut flower farms back into Amboseli National Park.. pretty much under the radar.
Wednesday, the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) began a massive relocation of nearly 7,000 animals into Amboseli National Park. KWS has issued no press reports on the move and there are [...]
Bonobos as Peace Makers
Posted by jimheck in Tourism Trends, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Research on February 1, 2010
In this so troubled time for East Africa there are some exciting glimmers of hope for societies and conservation.
Stand on any of East Africa’s high mountains and look east to some terrifying developments. Al-Qaeda militia are gathering on Kenya’s borders. The drought in Tsavo decimated the hippo population and spurned the bushmeat [...]
The Monkey & The Butterfly
Posted by jimheck in Community Based Tourism, History, Wildlife Management on January 26, 2010
The 2009 “Year of the Gorilla” ended very beautifully and very sad. The butterflies will just have to wait.
It was a sad coincidence from the start that the YOG planned so long in advance occurred as the world tailspinned into economic collapse. The whole point of these sponsored years is to focus attention [...]
What are the Heavens doing?
Posted by jimheck in Weather, Wildlife Management on January 12, 2010
Wildlife people are happy, social activists are alarmed, and the poor Turkana people believe it’s the end of the earth. El-Nino’s floods have blown up the drought.
From the Serengeti to Tarangire to Tsavo to Samburu to the Mara, the rains are tumbling down. And the last to report torrents – as was to [...]
1% of Rhino Population Poached
Posted by jimheck in Poaching, Wildlife Management on January 5, 2010
A major KWS nab of rhino poachers in Laikipia, yesterday, reveals new and terrible sophistication in rhino poaching.
Recently a friend chastised me for writing so negatively in my blogs, remarking specifically about the number of blogs about poaching. She’s right, of course. My blogs about poaching have increased substantially. Poaching always increases [...]