Give a gift that the world will thank you for!

Rather than giving the usual conventional gifts this holiday season, why not consider giving a gift that will help protect and preserve one of the world’s greatest living creatures, the magnificent African elephant?

In the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe, one of the continent’s last remaining strongholds, we are now losing elephants at an alarming rate to poaching. Unless we do something now, elephants will certainly disappear forever.

“The elephant is a beloved and iconic species, and the idea of it vanishing from the planet and the lives of future generations is unimaginable. ”

The Zambezi Elephant Fund (ZEF) is an umbrella organisation working collaboratively with Zimbabwe Parks Authority along with NGOs and the private sector to establish real needs and priorities to harness synergies and develop, implement and manage anti-poaching operations. (Read more about the Zambezi Elephant Fund here)

It takes just a few minutes to dedicate a donation towards this important work on someone else’s behalf – and to let them know about your special gift. Elephants are sentient beings and their family structures are very similar to ours. It’s that time of year when friends and families come together – and what better way to honour that than helping the elephant families of the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe. 

Your dedication:

• Can be made in honour of a loved one
• Can be made easily and quickly online
• Is tax deductible
• Is more important now than ever before

How will your gift make a difference?

• The Zambezi Elephant Fund requires help in areas such as –
• supporting the rangers that protect elephants, through training, rations, weapons, equipment and field gear
• surveillance, operations & monitoring equipment, deployment vehicles, fuel and
• administration

Your dedication will make a real difference in these and other areas of anti-poaching efforts in the Zambezi Valley.

To our special safari friends – we need your help!

John will be in the United States in September this year on an important fundraising mission to help save the elephants of the Zambezi Valley.

Poaching remains an enormous problem in this area and, as you know, the Zambezi Elephant Fund, which John started along with a small group of passionate individuals and organisations, has made some progress with various supportive and protective measures. It is also thanks to the incredible support from our donors that we continue to work against poaching in the Zambezi Valley and Mana Pools, in particular.

Now, John is taking the opportunity, with the kind hospitality and support of friends in the States, to give a series of talks and presentations about the Zambezi Valley elephants.

Talk dates thus far:

• • • Jackson, Wyoming: 11th September 2016
    • Chicago, Illinois: Sunday 18 September 2016
    • Austin, Texas: Tuesday 20 September 2016
    • New York: Wednesday 28 September 2016

Everyone in the world has a stake in conserving elephants. Here are two ways that you can help us today:

1. Advise John ASAP if you or anyone you know lives in or near Jackson, Chicago, Austin or New York so that we can add you/them to the invitation list.

2. If you know of people who love elephants as we do, or have any fundraising ideas or contacts that may be useful, please share at your earliest convenience.

We are relying on our friends to make this a success! Thank you for your friendship – and thank you in advance for your assistance.

December 2015 Newsletter

“The question is are we happy to
suppose that our grandchildren
may never be able to see an elephant
except in a picture book?”

— David Attenborough

Without urgent action to save their species, elephants could be gone from the wild within a single generation. 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory in just three years, between 2010 and 2012. (Ref: Save the Elephants – read more here – Why Elephants Matter)

John Stevens Appeal

“We are doing all we can with your help and cannot thank enough those of you who have so generously donated.

We still have so much to get done to curb the slaughter. We are desperate for funding and so my urgent appeal to you today is to continue with your support or, if you haven’t already, please support the Zambezi Elephant Fund in any way you can. Thank you.”

John Stevens, November 2015

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This Zambezi Elephant Fund news update is inspired not only by the incredible work that is being carried out right now throughout Africa, but most especially on the ground right here in the Zambezi Valley. Read about the Zambezi Elephant Fund’s newest updates and share with friends, if you can – this will help tremendously in our bid to raise global awareness of the devastating poaching problem and, in turn, accelerate understanding and inspire action. 

“There is a terrible forest fire. All the animals are fleeing the conflagration except for the hummingbird, which is flying back and forth, scooping up little slivers of water from a spring and dumping them on the flames. “What do you think you are doing, stupid little bird?” said the other animals derisively.
“I’m doing what I can,” responds the Hummingbird.”

— Wangari Maathai, Nobel-Prize winner and Founder of the Greenbelt Movement

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BOREHOLE AND SOLAR WATER PUMPING UNITS

Steady progress has been made towards the enhancement of living conditions for rapid reaction anti-poaching rangers based at a forward base point in Mana Pools National Park. This is an area known for heavy poaching, so it is strategically positioned for easier access and the quicker deployment of rangers.

The base will make a powerful statement and will most certainly motivate the rangers in their work.

A solar water pumping installation, tanks and reticulation are all now in place, with full planning all set for the establishment of an ablution block and one barrack building. Altogether 50 backpacks have been provided to the rangers for anti-poaching patrols in the Lower Zambezi Valley. (We continue to fundraise for another 30 backpacks, including regular patrol kit, such as tents, sleeping bags, etc.)

Zambezi Elephant Fund thanks our partner, the Tashinga Initiative, for undertaking this critical implementation and also the British Embassy, Harare for significant funding in support of this project.

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More about the Anti-Poaching Base Station in Mana Pools

A sum of $40,000 has been raised towards the total of $120, 000 needed to complete the building of the base through a phased process of implementation. Please help us raise this sum, with any amount you can. The rangers will be able to operate more efficiently and faster in a more central and supportive environment.

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REPORT FROM ZIMBABWE PARKS & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AUTHORTY

26th October 2015

173 kilogrammes of ivory was (recently) seized at Harare International Airport. Three locals and one Malian national have since been arrested in connection with the case. The cargo was destined for Singapore.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Public Relations Manager, Caroline Washaya-Moyo, said currently the Authority is seized with problems involving smuggling of game products. “We are happy that our system was able to detect the smuggled goods. We further commend our investigating teams for being alert. The law enforcement agencies are doing a commendable job and anyone found on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with accordingly. The Authority will continue to support the system in ensuring that smuggling of game products within the country by wildlife criminal syndicates are brought to book.”

Investigations are continuing.

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WILDLIFE'S NEW EYE IN THE SKY

In 2015, four Zimbabweans, concerned for the plight of Zimbabwe’s elephant and wildlife, formed a non-commercial trust, Flying for Wildlife. The main objective of the trust is to provide Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and other stakeholders with regular, low-cost aerial surveillance and monitoring over wildlife areas and parks. Flying for Wildlife pilots have already flown National Parks officers, researchers and anti-poaching units over various areas in the Zambezi Valley; these flights have been very valuable and were made possible by kind donations of fuel, accommodation and logistics from all those involved and, of course, the goodwill of the pilots and aircraft owners.

The trust is completely reliant on donations. Zambezi Elephant Fund has offered to help towards fuel (Flying for Wildlife has received clearance through the Zambezi Society to have two aircraft airborne for surveillance in the next two weeks) and we will continue to support this excellent initiative in whatever way we can – with your help! If you’d like to get involved or make a donation,please let us know. Also, please visit the Flying for Wildlife Facebook page and Like!

Lower Zambezi Wildlife Support Group has also taken to the skies, monitoring the western end of Lower Zambezi Valley with support from Zambezi Elephant Fund donations, bringing heightened awareness of the situation on the ground.

“Sometimes the heart sees what is
invisible to the eye.
”

— H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

If you’ve never looked into the eye of an elephant, just that moment when you each hold each other’s gaze and time stands still forever, you won’t know that heart-stopping glimpse into the ancient wisdom and peace of a truly sentient being. It’s like looking into the very soul of integrity and grace.

Thank you, Judy Travers of Imire for the beautiful elephant eye photograph.

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ZEF presents backpacks to Mana Pools Rangers

Many thanks to all the donors who have supported the Zambezi Elephant Fund to date. Recently, the Zambezi Elephant Fund was pleased to present a consignment of backpacks, water bottles, water sacs, cooking sets and sleeping bags to officers at Mana Pools for use by anti-poaching Rangers in Mana Pools National Park. The rangers are so appreciative!

John Stevens of Zambezi Elephant Fund presenting a consignment of backpacks, water bottles, water sacs, cooking sets, sleeping bags to Bright Jeroma, Senior Ranger at Mana Pools, for use by anti-poaching Rangers in Mana Pools National Park.

Sebungwe Elephant Management Plan Workshop

Sebungwe Chiefs who attended the workshop

(Extract Workshop Proceedings, (I. Games June 2015))

This workshop, funded by Conservation Force, (USA),  produced a sub-regional Action Plan for the Sebungwe Elephant population that was based on the Strategic Elephant Conservation Policy and Management Plan Framework of December 2014.  It was based not only on this Framework, but also in recognition that of the fact that there was a greater need for coordinated and collaborative effort than ever before amongst Sebungwe’s stakeholders, in order to deal with ongoing wildlife crimes and other challenges that threaten biodiversity conservation. Specifically, private sector tourism and safari operators providing safari services in and around the Parks and Wildlife Estate recognise the threat as not only undermining the conservation status of the PWMA Estate but the very resources upon which their businesses and community benefits from wildlife depend.

As the Sebungwe’s human densities increase, combined with the massively increased elephant poaching and deforestation levels, the need for better and improved communication between all stakeholders, collaboration and coordination of conservation effort have become increasingly apparent. This is  essential for optimum efficiency and effectiveness in the management of Elephant populations being achieved. 

Sebungwe workshop at Musango Safari Lodge

The outcomes of the Sebungwe Elephant Management Plan Workshop were informed by two sources:

1. The Zimbabwe Strategic Elephant Conservation Policy and Management Plan Framework (As agreed at Hwange Safari Lodge Workshop on 4 December 2014).

2. The data, and specifically that related to the Sebungwe Region, from the National Elephant Aerial Survey undertaken in 2014.

The framework of Strategic Objectives, Outputs, Key Activities, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and Mean of Verifying KPIs was structured under five components, namely,

1. Protection and law enforcement,
2. Biological management and monitoring,
3. Social, Economic and Cultural Framework,
4. Building Conservation Capacity, and
5. Coordination, collaboration and programme management.

Working group in session

The workshop was attended by 53 representatives from the following sectors:  ZPWMA, Rural District Councils, Local Government – Sebungwe Chiefs, ZRP, CAMPFIRE, NGO’s, IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group, Photographic and Hunting Safari Operators, University of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Commercial stakeholders, Antipoaching Units, Indepedant Conservation Advisors, Conservation Force USA.

Images courtesy of the Tashinga Initiative

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