elephant Archives - Nikela: Helping People Saving Wildlife

Resolving Human Wildlife Conflicts: What is working and what is not in this northern part of Tanzania

Jun 24, 2020 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: elephant, Human Wildlife Conflict, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: beehive fences, farmers, human-wildlife conflict, Moses Ryakitimbo, saving elephant

In the early part of 2019 Moses Ryakitimbo reached out to us for help. Resolving human wildlife conflicts is his life’s work. In his late twenties, with a team and a strategy in mind we paid attention. Actually Moses reminded us that we’d planned to meet in early 2017 near Arusha during our 2016-2017 Africa Tour. Sadly due to a comedy of errors it never happened. I was delighted his interest and passion for resolving human wildlife conflicts had not waned. Now, after working with Moses in resolving human wildlife conflicts for over a year, he is figuring out what-is-and-is-not…

What do Trophy Hunting and COVID-19 have in common?

May 26, 2020 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: elephant, lion, Nikela Blog, trophy hunting Tagged: Cecil the lion, Coronavirus, Covid-19, pandemic, trophy hunting, Voortrekker

Both trophy hunting and COVID-19 are about death and preserving life… or are they? This morning, while on my walk through a city park outside of Dallas, Texas I was unexpectedly back in Africa. The familiar squawking of a fledgling bird on the path ahead. The twittering wings and wide beak with mother bird poised to deliver breakfast. I’d not stopped quickly enough, or maybe it was the dog at my side that spooked them. They flew off into the nearby tree. I continued to watch the magical scene. For some reason it threw me back to a confusing experience…

Wildlife conservation like COVID-19 is not a Once-off deal

May 13, 2020 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: elephant, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: Arusha National Park, beehive fences, beehive project, human wildlife conflicts, Moses Ryakitimbo, Tanzania

You can’t wear a mask once and feel you’ve protected yourself against Covid-19. You need to wear that mask every time you go out to the grocery. Similarly wildlife conservation can’t survive when we make just one donation. Of course, one-time donations are super welcome, much appreciated and helpful. However, they can’t sustain wildlife conservation. By sponsoring beehives folk like you have helped Moses create beehive fences with 56 beehives. These fences along the perimeter of the Arusha National Game Reserve are significantly reducing human wildlife conflict. Thanks to caring people like you elephants, buffalo and other unwanted wildlife is…

How Nikela is helping stop the spread of Covid-19

Mar 31, 2020 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: elephant, Human Wildlife Conflict, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: beehive project, Coronavirus, farmers, Moses Ryakitimbo, saving elephants, Tanzania

During his recent beehive project maintenance check Moses found the farmers very concerned about the spread of Covid-19. The Coronavirus is slithering its ugly tentacles everywhere! Tanzania, in East Africa, has less than 20 confirmed cases to-date. However, in a country with limited health care and economic power the Covid-19 threat is very real. Moses lives in Arusha, the country’s third largest city with a population of over 400,000. Over 700,000 inhabitants when you include the surrounding area. The beehive project is in the surrounding area, outside of the Arusha National Park where elephant, buffalo, leopard and many varieties of…

Why these farmers are celebrating this harvest season in Tanzania

Mar 10, 2020 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: elephant, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wild animals, wildlife conservation Tagged: farmer crops, human-wildlife conflict, Moses Ryakitimbo, saving elephants, win-win

Where wild animals and people live close together human wildlife conflicts are inevitable. Then why are these farmers celebrating? Well, it all started when one man had the notion that with a bunch of beehives the elephants would stay away. Moses took a risk. He approached us here at Nikela to sponsor 10 beehives to keep elephants from destroying farm crops. Families were losing their livelihood, their food and at times their lives. Elephants were crushing their maize. Lone bulls were scaring old and young alike as they tramped through crop fields. Some farmers were grabbing spears and snares to…