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Mt. Kilimanjaro from the air |
After
circling around the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro with picturesque views of the
summit, we landed in mainland Tanzania for our final adventure! We started at the Honeyguide offices,
learning of the history and work of the organization. Our first day was meant as an introduction to the people who
founded the organization and then the story of how and why the concept
Honeyguide was established in 2007.
Through careful and pensive conversation with Ole Kirimbai, a Maasai
elder and head of conservation for Honeyguide, we were able to unravel a story
of why Honeyguide is such a vital component to preserving the wildlife in
Tanzania.
We learned there are two main objectives to Honeyguide:
1) community
development with an emphasis on conservation
2) working
hand in hand with the communities to problem solve around human/wildlife
interactions and conflicts
Within these two objectives, four operation areas are
targeted:
1) Resource
protection
2) Enterprise
development
3) Conservation
management
4) Conservation
education
Three Honeyguide staff members, Marcelina, Lasima, and Fathili, presented us with a
detailed description of the varying operations. Nearly 70% of wildlife in Tanzania lives and/or moves
outside of government protected national parks during necessary migration for
food, water, breeding, etc. When
the wildlife is in these areas where communities live and farm, there is often
human/wildlife conflict. For
example, a farmer can have his entire crop destroyed, that took the whole
season to grow, in one night by a herd of hungry elephants. This leaves him and his family with no
income and in desperate economic circumstances. Naturally, the first response is to retaliate against the
elephants (this is classified as domestic poaching).
|
Danielle, Ole Kirimbai, Terri at Honeyguide Office bomas |
In
response to this problem, Honeyguide has developed a system for crop
protection.
In collaboration with
rangers, they train and provide farmers with a kit that keeps the elephants
from crossing into their property.
First, they shine strong lights at the elephants, which they don’t like.
Then, they blow an airhorn, which is
annoying to the elephants.
Usually, this works in deterring the elephants from crossing into
farmland.
However, if a strong
bull or strong matriarch resists, they throw a chili bomb.
This greatly disturbs the elephant
(although has no long lasting effects), because the tip of the trunk is 10
times more sensitive than a human finger.
The long-term aim is to make passage for the elephants seamless through
the designated corridors (areas that are specific for animal migration between
national parks).
They are relying
on the elephants’ incredible intelligence to remember the safety of the
corridors over the temptation of the farmland.
Elephants can remember their exact path of migration even 35
years after they have passed through a place.
They will seek the path of least resistance.
|
Lasima, Terri, Fathili, Danielle, & Marcelina |
Just
2 years ago, over 300 acres of crops were destroyed during elephant
migrations. So far this year, only
10 acres have been destroyed.
Working closely with Honeyguide has resulted in a decrease in
retaliation poaching and much happier communities.
An
example of how Honeyguide is addressing business poaching is with their Dog
Tracker Unit.
The highly trained
tracker dogs can pick up human scents even three days after an individual has
passed through an area.
Contracts
to construct roads and buildings in East Africa have been given to Chinese
investors.
Huge containers filled
with building materials are shipped to ports along the coast and returned to
China filled with ivory.
The
demand in China and Thailand for ivory is extensive due to the association with
ivory as a status symbol of wealth.
If there was no market for this, the poaching demand would not be so
prevalent.
However, as you saw in
our previous post from Kenya, currently every 15 minutes an elephant is being
killed specifically for their ivory tusks with the massive elephant carcass
left to rot.
Honeyguide’s dogs
with their ranger companions are a vital force in identifying and bringing
poachers to justice.
This
is just a taste of Honeyguide’s work!
Impressive, isn’t it? From
here, we were off to the field to see the work in action and to visit schools
and communities to learn first-hand about Honeyguide’s education projects.
We
are so thankful to Jeremy, our friend and Honeyguide host extraordinaire, and
all of the folks at Honeyguide for this opportunity! Thank you!