Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Amboseli-Tsavo grass-root elephant campaign walk

Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Amboseli-Tsavo grass-root elephant campaign walk: IVORY BELONGS TO ELEPHANTS CAMPAIGN : Feb 14th 2015  Kenya continues to face enormous challenges in conservation. To satisfy the desire...

Amboseli-Tsavo grass-root elephant campaign walk

IVORY BELONGS TO ELEPHANTS CAMPAIGN : Feb 14th 2015 

Kenya continues to face enormous challenges in conservation. To satisfy the desire for illegal trophies of the developed countries African resources are poached through funded criminal cartels. The killing of the African Elephant by organised gangs has defied the efforts of our security organisations to crush this serious vice, with the result that our remaining Elephant population could become extinct within the next decade.

Jim Nyamu walking along Loitoktok road

Elephant poaching and the exploitation of Ivory trade continue to pose a major threat to elephant populations in Kenya. From 1979 to 1989, 151,100 elephants were killed in Kenya. Over 300 elephants were killed last year and at least 15 have died already this year due to poaching, natural death and also due to Population Control within National Parks. Kenya currently has26,000 elephants, from a population of 35,000 in 2011; at least 4 elephants are killed every day through poaching and community retaliation.

Jim Nyamu being flag off from Amboseli National Park with him is Evans Mkala of IFAW, Norah Njiraini of ATE .

African elephants are the largest land mammals on earth these majestic giants maintain many of Africa’s diverse habitats rendering them a keystone species on which many plants and animals depend. Most forests in Africa depend on elephants for seed dispersal and to create open spaces through which seedlings can grow. These forests impound carbon and release water and oxygen, playing a key role in global climate control. Living alongside these animals has always been a challenge for humans. Man has long killed elephants for their ivory and persecuted them for raiding crops, But alongside this uneasy relationship a link is slowly being created through community education and participation in community conservation programs. Amara Conservation has been doing just that work in the Tsavo Conservation Area since 2004.

We encountered this big bulls in the Amboseli National Park.

Awareness of who actually owns the wildlife, and existing data on their status, sheds light on the need for conservation. The continued and systematic elimination of our elephants is a concern for every Kenyan. It is our collective duty to protect the elephants.

Elephant Neighbors Centre under the Leadership of Mr. Jim Justus Nyamu hopes to educate communities on the values and benefits of wildlife, creating awareness of the massive elephant poaching taking place in Kenya. They have done this through walking and talking to communities on the atrocities and the irreversible damage associated with killing of elephants. The campaign dubbed ‘Ivory Belongs to Elephants’ started in 2013. The Campaign has reached out to many people including 326 learning institutions and over 350 community meetings in 29 counties. Jim has walked for over 4,400 km now, including 950 km in the USA (Boston to Washington D.C.) carrying this vital message: IVORY BELONGS TO ELEPHANTS.

Jim Nyamu and his team received by Deputy County Commissioner in Loitoktok

Elephant Neighbors Center under the ‘Ivory Belongs to Elephants’ campaign will embark on its (without apostrophe) first walk this year on the 6^th of February to the 14^th of March, 2015 in the Tsavo Amboseli Ecosystem. This walk will be flagged offat Emali in MakueniCounty, and traverse Amboseli,Loitoktok,Taveta, through Wundanyi,Tsavo and finish inVoiTown on 14^th March with a big celebration. Big Life Foundation and the Kenya Wildlife Service have set the route from Emali to Amboseli. The route and communities to be visited in the Tsavo areas have been organized and planned by, Wildlife Works, KWS and Amara Conservation among other organizations. Other partners of note include Wildlife Works, Born Free Foundation, Taita Taveta County Government, Mbulia Conservancy,  Tsavo Pride, ANAW, Voi BodabodaDrivers Association, Tsavo East Stakeholders Association.

The Amboseli and Tsavo ecosystems are home to the largest number of tuskers ever recorded in Kenyan history. The elephant population in both parks is currently approximately 11,087 and 1, 2000 respectively. Land outside these parks is crucial to wildlife since they serve as dispersal areas and seasonal habitats. These areas are threatened with increasing ‘land sub-division, agricultural Expansion and major new construction projects (e.g. The Standard Gauge Railway from Nairobi to Mombasa, the Taveta/Mwakitau Highway renovation).‘THE IVORY BELONGS TO ELEPHANTS’ team will hold community meetings, walks around the villages and market places educating people on the importance of living in harmony with wildlife.

These walks are not only designed to create awareness but also to create a platform to share  details of the new Wildlife Conservation Act that was signed into effect in January 2014. These include higher penalties for wildlife crimes, and better compensation for wildlife damage to human settlements. To win this war on poaching we call on all Kenyans to take a moment and reflect on the state of our resources in the coming years.

Jim welcomes on board all willing participants and vows to walk until the world knows that indeed, IVORY BELONGS TO ELEPHANTS.

Jim Justus Nyamu

Jim Nyamu is the founder and the Executive Director of Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC).

ENC is a local NGO that focuses on enhancing the capacity of communities living with wildlife to promote inter-linkages between species and their habitats.

Nyamu is an elephant enthusiast and has over time gained enormous knowledge on the African Elephant species after being an Elephant Research Scientist with African Conservation Centre. Jim has also worked as Consultant with Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS) and Mount Kenya East Pilot Project FAO for one year 2010. From 1998 to 2000 Nyamu worked as an Assistant Research scientist with the Kenya Wildlife Service on projects based at Mt Kenya, Shimba Hills and Arabuko Sokoke Forest.

He is a holder of a Post graduate Diploma on Dissertation: Environmental Management study, from Kenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree on Natural Resource and conservation management from Mweka college of African Wildlife management Tanzania.

As an elephant enthusiast, Nyamu has been trained, honoured and awarded on several occasions such as an awarded on Professional Development Grant (WWF), where he attended an International Elephant and Rhino Conservation Research Symposium in Rotterdam/Netherlands, Colorado State University & National Museum. Wildlife migration, awarded a Research Fellowship Rufford grant, Biodiversity Research Program, attended the Global Human Right Leadership Training Institute Ibadan University Nigeria, took part at Earth Watch Darwin Initiative Magadi: Field techniques for biodiversity Monitoring program.

Nyamu is an active member of the Kenya Elephant Forum, Ecological Society of Eastern Africa (ESEA), African Elephant Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission IUCN and Wildlife Clubs of Kenya. Through his field research, Nyamu has consolidated a lot of elephant knowledge on several publications and articles.

Jim worked for African Conservation Center ACC as a research scientist implementing cross border elephant program between2004-2011 ”Conserving a free ranging elephant movement” between Amboseli and Nguruman. During his time at ACC, he represented East Africa in Holland at an international elephant foundation in 2011 supported by WWF - Professional Grant -USA.

In 2013 he represented Kenya in USA Pittsburgh at the International Elephant and Rhino Research Symposium.

Jim founded Elephant Neighbors Center in Feb 2012, he is currently directing the three programs Conservation and Research, Education program and community based natural resource and management (CBNRM)  supported by WWF-EFN USA.

Recently,  Jim, in his bid to protect the African elephant and secure landscapes for them, has been engaged in a campaign walk dubbed “Ivory Belongs to Elephants Walk”.

The campaign involves Jim walking to raise awareness on the value of elephants, how to mitigate human-elephant conflict and to raise awareness on poaching.

The campaign kicked off on 9th –23rd Feb 2013, from Mombasa to Nairobi (500 km) and the walk took 14 days.

2^nd walk of the campaign begun on 11th May: he walked from Masai Mara – Nakuru - Samburu – Nanyuki – Laikipia  – Meru - Nyeri and ended on the 29th of June 2013 at the KWS headquarters/Nairobi covering approximately 1,710km.

3^rd walk Nairobi: Mr. Jim Nyamu embarked on one day 20 Km walk in Nairobi.

4^th walk in Boston/USA to Washington DC 560 Miles 

5^th walk in February 2014 from Meru town to Meru National Park 104km;

6^th walk in May (12-24^th, 2014): 375km walk from Shimba Hills to Lamu passing through 5 counties Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu.

7^th walk in June from Laikipia – Nyeri - Nyandarua, walk in June 377km,

8^th  walk Murang’a County walk 181km.

He has now covered over 4,474km reaching out to

372 learning institutions both secondary and primary schools,

25 Universities in Kenya and in the USA, conducted

921 community meetings conducted in Kenya, and

92 conservation talks in different forums that include Kenya Museums Society, Karen County Club and Muthaiga County Club creating awareness to many people globally.  These grass-root campaign walks have made some communities aware of their conservation challenges and shared the mitigation option and attitude issues. Such communities include those living in the Mount Kenya region and Ruiri in Meru County.

He has also experienced rejection due to high and unattended human-wildlife conflicts in areas like Mutwati in Meru County, Kwa-Maina and Gatundia in Nyahururu. Some communities are hostile and this campaign continues to engage them using their local leaders and councils of elders who understand the genesis of this conservation challenges.

These campaign walks have brought together County Commissioners of different Counties such as Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana-River, Laikipia, Nyeri, Nyandarua and Murang’a as well as their Governors.  

Jim  Justus Nyamu

E; jim.nyamu@elephantneighborscenter.org

T:@NyamuJim

F:Jim Justus Nyamu 

Organisation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElephantNeighborsCenter 

Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Why its not easy to reverse CITES decision in the ...

Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Why its not easy to reverse CITES decision in the ...: This is a lesson for African elephant Range state who have been asking CITIES through a proposal for  Appendix I . Its a decision that is no...

Why its not easy to reverse CITES decision in the name of Appendix I and II

This is a lesson for African elephant Range state who have been asking CITIES through a proposal for  Appendix I . Its a decision that is not easy to reverse.

The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has received copies of various
news articles, as well as other communications by private individuals
and special interest groups, concerning alleged trade in live African
elephants from Zimbabwe to destinations in China and the United Arab
Emirates.

The Secretariat is issuing this public statement to explain the
application of CITES to this trade, and to clarify the relevant procedures.

China, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe are all Parties to CITES.

Permits and certificates for international trade under CITES can be
issued only by the designated national CITES authorities of the 180
Parties to CITES. (Parties are States - or countries - that have joined
the Convention.)

The CITES Secretariat does not issue CITES permits or certificates, and
has no authority to directly intervene in any trade transactions.

Parties to CITES are required to report all authorized international
trade in specimens of CITES species to the CITES Secretariat on an
annual basis. These reports are included in the CITES Trade Database,
which is publicly available.

The population of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) of Zimbabwe
is included in Appendix II of CITES, following a decision taken in 1997
by the Conference of the Parties to CITES. This means that the Parties
to CITES consider the African elephant population in Zimbabwe is not
necessarily threatened with extinction but could become so if trade were
not strictly regulated.

There is an annotation to the Appendix-II listing of Zimbabwe's African
elephant population that specifically allows for "trade in live animals
to appropriate and acceptable destinations". The words “appropriate and
acceptable destinations” are defined in Resolution Conf. 11.20 of the
Conference of the Parties to CITES.

Therefore, international commercial and non-commercial trade in certain
specimens of African elephants from Zimbabwe (including live animals) is
allowed by the Convention if specified conditions are followed. These
conditions are contained in relevant provisions of the Convention,
particularly those of Article IV.

In addition to the requirements above, according to Article IV of the
Convention, the CITES Management Authority of Zimbabwe may grant a
permit to export live elephants only when:

    a)  it is satisfied that they were obtained in accordance with
national law;

    b)  the CITES Scientific Authority of Zimbabwe has advised that the
export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species; and

    c)  the CITES Management Authority of Zimbabwe is satisfied that any
living specimen will be so prepared and shipped as to minimize the risk
of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.

Regarding the first requirement, the verification of the legal origin of
the specimens is the responsibility of the Management Authority of the
State of export, which must be satisfied that the specimens were not
obtained in contravention of the laws of that State.

With respect to the second requirement, an assessment of the
sustainability of export of Appendix-II species (known as a
non-detriment finding) is conducted by the CITES Scientific Authority of
the State of export. Reviews of the sustainability of trade in
Appendix-II species are conducted by the relevant CITES scientific
committees with the support of the Secretariat.

In relation to the third requirement, it is recommended in Resolution
Conf. 10.21 (Rev. CoP16), on Transport of live specimens, that the Live
Animals Regulations of the International Air Transport Association
(IATA) and the CITES guidelines for the non-air transport of live wild
animals and plants be deemed to meet CITES transport requirements.

The Secretariat has corresponded with the CITES Management Authorities
of China, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe to ascertain the
particular circumstances surrounding the reported trade in live
elephants. The Secretariat has also asked whether the procedures set out
under Article IV of the Convention and Resolutions Conf. 10.21 (Rev.
CoP16) and Conf. 11.20 were followed in relation to any trade.

The CITES Management Authority of China has advised that it has not
received any application to import elephants from Zimbabwe.

The CITES Management Authorities of the United Arab Emirates and
Zimbabwe have advised that they have authorized the export from Zimbabwe
to the United Arab Emirates of seven elephants as a family group that
has been in captivity in Zimbabwe for more than 10 years. The two
Management Authorities advise that the group consists of one calf with
its mother and other adults. The Management Authority of Zimbabwe has
also advised that before the trade was authorized, a non-detriment
finding was made in Zimbabwe. The authorities of both the United Arab
Emirates and Zimbabwe advise that they conducted an inspection of the
private park to which the animals will be sent, to ensure that it is an
appropriate and acceptable destination. Copies of the inspection report
and of the permits have now been provided to the CITES Secretariat at
its request.

Some press articles refer to Mr Hank Jenkins, who is said to be a former
official of CITES. Mr Jenkins was an employee of the CITES Management
Authority of Australia, and was the Chair of the CITES Animals Committee
from 1992 to 2000. He was never an official of the CITES Secretariat and
has no association with the Secretariat.

CITES Secretariat

18 December 2014

Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Walking for Elephants and crying out for Elephants...

Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC): Walking for Elephants and crying out for Elephants...: Jim Nyamu walking in Nyahururu and comforting a primary school pupil injured by an elephant Its now 2 years  since I started this grass...

Walking for Elephants and crying out for Elephants

Jim Nyamu walking in Nyahururu and comforting a primary school pupil injured by an elephant

Its now 2 years  since I started this grass -root campaign of walking and talking; Its has not been easy talking about the values of wildlife with all this hullabaloos ! that elephants cause huge damage and no compensation secondly when local and International communities begins to see a moving bank in the elephant in the name of Ivory trade.

As I have  been quoted by several media saying that I will continue walking and talking, this is the case however we have to appreciate what our Government have done so far . With the new Wildlife and Conservation Act, establishing county compensation committee and now establishing a collaboration work-force with Kenya Police, Administration Police and Kenya Forest Service these are goes in the history of this country . We are now awaiting for the Natural resource and benefit sharing bill to become a law and this will be a big plus to our communities.

Jim with Elephants in Tsavo East

There is this big question what is Human-Elephant Conflict and what cause this? My experience now reveals that community can live with elephants if they are contained or reduce and mitigate Human-elephant conflict . Human- Elephant Conflict is a cause by (1) Increased Human demand for land with a constraint of increasing human population  (2) Increased development of dry land crop agriculture that is caused by high poverty level and population explosion  (3) Increased road construction and adequate conflict policies , this is due to dependency in road transport supply systems. Just to mention a few concerns .

Greatly all this can me mitigated if we address the underlying concerns but very important we need to educate our local communities who host about 70% of wildlife within their private land.  ENC we are committed in taking this synthesized message to our communities and doing it hard way walking the talk. We have walked now to over 4,400Km in Kenya and in the USA and I can count the greater outputs after all these walk.

Jim talking with local communities in Aberdares during his walk

We come to the end of the year with high hope, trust , commitment and dedication in continuing with this tiring activity. We are ready for 2015 and our 1st walk edition will start from Emali- Amboseli- Loitoktok - Taveta to Voi passing through the very important elephant homes Amboseli-Tsavo. This will walk will cover approximately 430km in 34 days.

Amboseli- Tsavo elephant population remain the heartland of Kenyan elephants, its the largest population and currently under threats namely, habitat loss, poaching, inadequate pasture that include water . All these give birth to negative attitude towards local communities who have at some point turned against elephant and begin killing elephants in the name of reiteration.   Join us as we take lead bring all the stakeholders such as , KWS,Tsavo Pride, AWF, Big-life, IFAW, AET, Wildlife Works, Tsavo Trust among others. We anticipate to hold community meetings talk to school pupils and show conservation films

Jim in deep conservation talk with communities in Meru

Help us to make this grass-root campaign a success . We have our dedicated Paypal account : nyamuj@yahoo.com or you can write a cheque direct to Elephant Neighbors Center.

Contact us and we will guide you. jim.nyamu@elephantneighborscenter.org or info@elephantneighborscenter.org
+254 713-353-060