Action Alert: Sponsor a Ranger in the Mara Triangle

Posted by EthicsandAnimals at 3/23/2008 9:22 PM and is filed under wildlife

Photo Credit: Wildlife Direct

Posted March 25, 2008

Africa News (click here)
Mara Triangle Wildlife Direct blog (click here)


Kenya is spending Sh1.2 ($230 million US) on attracting both international and local tourism after the harm caused to that sector by post-election violence. As well as sending delegations to travel fairs in China and creating a website to target the rapidly-growing Chinese market, the government is offering incentives to domestic travellers. The Kenya Wildlife Service is offering free entry to residents below the age of 18 and hotels and resorts are offering lower rates for Kenyan and East African residents.

Tourism revenue is a major source of funding for protection of wildlife and Kenya is currently struggling with a surge in poaching and wildlife-human conflict. One program severely impacted by reduced revenue is compensation to local farmers for damage caused to livestock and farms by wildlife, which is leading to more revenge killings.

The Mara Triangle blog (click to read) reported on one such incident involving a leopard saved by rangers from being killed. (In 2006 – 2007, the Mara Conservancy, which protects wildlife in the Mara Triangle, compensated farmers for 239 incidents along the wildlife reserve border involving leopards, lions, hyenas and elephants.)

Until tourism resumes, the Mara Conservancy is forced to rely on donations to keep their anti-poaching, de-snaring and livestock compensation programs running. They estimate that revenue should only be needed for a couple of months. Sponsoring a Ranger is one way you can help protect wildlife during this period. Learn more by clicking here or you can designate a donation as livestock compensation fees.

Related Links
Mara triangle: Gateway to the Masai Mara, for animals and for poachers
Urgent Appeal: Kenya's Mara Triangle in the Masai Mara

From the Telegraph, March 17, 2008
Elephants killed by spear attacks in Kenya
From the Telegraph, March 17, 2008
Years of Masai Mara Cooperation Threatened
From The Telegraph, March 10, 2008
Two weeks' funding left for Masai Mara rangers (Click here to read article)
From REUTERS, March 5, 2008
Kenya's wildlife needs tourists to come back - UN (click here)

 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this entry
  • No trackbacks exist for this entry.
Comments
  • No comments exist for this entry.
Leave a comment

Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

 Enter the above security code (required)

 Name

 Email (will not be published)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.