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CURRENT FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
Water Supply for Wildlife
Tsavo is experiencing a 18+ month drought:
The Tsavo region in southeast Kenya encompasses Tsavo East and West National Parks. Combined, they make up the largest protected area in Kenya and are home to many endangered species including the African elephant, Lion and Grévy's zebra. In between these two national parks is a vital wildlife corridor (Rukinga Sanctuary and the Kasigau Wildlife Corridor) that falls outside the protection of the national parks. Through collaboration with local communities, this wildlife corridor has been protected by Wildlife Works, a mission-driven wildlife and forest conservation company. For the past 20 years, Wildlife Works and their 100-strong unarmed ranger team has been protecting this corridor’s wildlife and forest from poachers and illegal charcoal producers.
Now, they face a new challenge. Climate change has caused an unprecedented dry spell which has lasted over 18 months, leaving the local wildlife desperate for water. Wildlife Works has been supplying water from third party sources for the local wildlife population in order to reduce pressures of wildlife moving into community farms in search for water. To further support the ranger team’s work in times of emergency like this, Wildlife Works set up a trust, The Elephant Protection Trust, to collect funds directly from donors who want to help the wildlife of Tsavo.
Funds will be used to acquire and deliver water:
The remote location of Tsavo makes trucking water into the region very expensive and has been an unpredicted expense. All donations made to The Elephant Protection Trust for this water supply campaign (minus 10% fiscal sponsor or donation collection platform fees) will go directly to the cost of acquiring and delivering water to the wildlife that travel through the wildlife corridor.
Purchase of 200-hour Magni M-24 Gyrocopter for Aerial Surveillance
Funding Goal: $60,850
An M-24 Gyrocopter with a low 200 hours of engine time has been secured for purchase by the Elephant Protection Trust at a discounted price of $60,000 USD (compared to the market value of $80,000USD).
The original M24 Gyrocopter, flown by Keith at the EPT for the last 4 years, has now reached its engine limit and requires a complete rebuild. The engine, rotor blades, propeller, body frame and electronics all need to be refurbished which will be a long and slow process. In the meantime, aerial surveillance efforts are still required to continue and at the same time the reach of our impact needs to be expanded. The acquired gyrocopter would be used for aerial surveillance of 45 hours a month, totaling 540 hours a year.
Outcomes and Impacts
The overall expected outcome is the reduction in insecurity within the project area. This will lead to the reduced poaching of elephant and other wildlife. By preventing charcoal production and logging, the project will reduce the destruction and degradation of wildlife habitat. By anticipating elephant movements through monitoring, the project will ensure protective measures are put in place and there is a deterrent to potential threats. With any poaching that has occurred, best attempts can be made to secure any ivory within the project to remove it from the black market. It will increase the likelihood of perpetrators being arrested and brought to justice.
The aerial team on an illegal charcoal chase
Reporting
The EPT will produce Aerial surveillance and Wildlife reports every quarter, as well as an Annual Report. See previous survey reports.
Photos, videos, and other media can be provided on request.
ONGOING FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
Annual Aerial Surveillance Budget
Funding Goal Per Year: $92,880/yr
The EPT is searching for funding for aerial surveillance for 2019 and beyond. The funding would allow aerial surveillance of 60 hours a month, totaling 720 hours a year with two aircrafts and two pilots, ensuring consistent aerial monitoring of elephant movements over the Taita Ranches. The surveillance informs Wildlife Works Rangers and KWS of elephant locations to help daily security decisions and in turn improve ranger security by reporting potential threats to ranger safety, improve elephant protection and reduce habitat destruction. The project will allow the locating and reporting of illegal logging and harvesting of wood for charcoal production. The project will increase the locating and treating of injured or sick elephants and other wildlife. It will monitor key elephants such as large tuskers, crop raiders and GPS collared individuals.
Meet the aerial team
Outcomes and Impacts
The overall expected outcome is the reduction in insecurity within the project area. This will lead to the reduced poaching of elephant and other wildlife. By preventing charcoal production and logging, the project will reduce the destruction and degradation of wildlife habitat. By anticipating elephant movements through monitoring, the project will ensure protective measures are put in place and there is a deterrent to potential threats. With any poaching that has occurred, best attempts can be made to secure any ivory within the project to remove it from the black market. It will increase the likelihood of perpetrators being arrested and brought to justice. Training and outreach targets: The project would allow the continued training of Daniel Zuma through increased patrols and continued participation in maintenance. Daniel, the first native Kenyan gyrocopter pilot, will build up his flying hours assisting with the project. The project would also allow the continued training of co-pilots Simon Kipsang and Evans Machoke in
their roll of aerial reconnaissance, pursuit, securing crime scenes and data recording.
Funding History:
The Elephant Protection Trust was formed in November 2013. It has successfully carried out small scale handling of donations for the Greater Good Foundation and is currently handling two large projects for the Elephant Cooperation based in the USA. EPT has received operating funds from the Elephant Crisis Fund from 2016-2018.
Partner organizations:
EPT works hand in hand with Wildlife Works Sanctuary Limited and collaborates closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Taita Ranches. Information is shared on a regular basis with Save the Elephants Tsavo Trust and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
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