News

NEWS FLASH!!

Latest Events:

* We have 2 new elephant ambassadors! We began monitoring CH54 “Nathan” early May, on his journey from the Selinda spillway in the Kwando corridor of northern Botswana into the Okavango Delta. In June, CH55 “Rosy” joined our herd of monitored elephants. She is on Chief’s Island within the Okavango Delta, where we are looking at the impacts elephants are having on vegetation and how it effects other wildlife.

* Dr. Mike Chase gave presentations on “The Current Status of Elephants and Wildlife in Northern Botswana: Results of a Dry Season Aerial Survey” to the Botswana government, hosted by the Botswana Tourism Organization and another at the Kalahari Conservation Society annual event. Guests included the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Kitso Mokaila, the Deputy Permanent Secretary E. Moabi, the acting Director of the Department of Wildlife & Tourism N. Nagafela, the Chiefs of the Chobe, Ngamiland, and Okavango areas, and other key stakeholders, researchers, and media.

* We are pleased to announce the latest EWB scientific publication, which has been accepted by the African Journal of Ecology, and now in press: Dr. Mike Chase and Prof. Curt Griffin, Elephants of south-east Angola in war and peace: their decline, re-colonization and recent status. Watch for our announcement of how to attain this publication.

* In May, EWB hosted four undergraduate students from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, accompanied by their Professor, Rachel DeMotts, as a part of a newly established field school that aims to complement classroom learning, in affiliation with the Environmental Policy and Decision-Making Department. Together we conducted a week-long field exercise in Chobe National Park to collect data on elephant herd structure to help assess population growth and recruitment rates. The team assessed over 40 herds, identifying information such as age, sex and distinct characteristics on almost 450 individual elephants.

* Recent articles were published about EWB’s projects and research: Ngami Times “Massive drop in Delta Wildlife”, The Botswana Gazette “Catastrophic Loss of Wildlife in the Okavango”, Guardian UK Newspaper “Drought and poachers take Botswana’s natural wonder to brink of catastrophe” D. Smith, Mmegi Newspaper “Okavango Delta in catastrophic wildlife loss”, Mail & Guardian “Okavango wildlife threatened” D. Pinnock, Zambezi Traveler June 2011 “Chobe is Botswana’s Wildlife Stronghold” K. Landen. To Download some of these articles (click here)

* EWB joined the San Diego Zoo’s Classic Safari to Botswana’s Treasures tour group on safari, exploring Chobe National Park. The trip was successful and Dr. Chase discussed elephants, EWB’s research and San Diego Zoo’s support in conservation activities in Botswana with the group.

* We have received a grant from the Tropical Forest Conservation Fund (TFCF) from Forest Conservation Botswana to begin a study on the “Status of Wildlife Populations and Land Degradation in Botswana’s Forest Reserves.” Field activities will commence this season!

* Elephant Collar Retrievals. This month we are gathering our “collaring team” to fly and track several of our elephant ambassadors. Through this extensive exercise, we hope to retrieve satellite collars from 7 of our monitored elephants, whose battery life in their units are scheduled to expire. At this time, we will redeploy a second collar on CH37, known as “Naledi”, to collect data on his interesting movements between the Makgadikgadi salt pans and the Okavango Delta, as part of our long-term monitoring program.

* The Botswana Management Association (BWMA) is graciously hosting a semi-formal dinner in Maun on July 21st, for Dr. Mike Chase to give a presentation on EWB’s recent aerial results on the status of wildlife in northern Botswana.

* Look for upcoming articles featuring EWB! August editions of Getaway Magazine “The Wonder of Elephants” by Don Pinnock, and Africa Geographic “View from the Top” by Mike Chase & Kelly Landen

Blog page: Elephant Conservation and Research with EWB For immediate updates, elephant research and stories from the field, please visit our Blog, the latest Blogs include:
       • Great Tigermoth Botswana Safari
       • Nathan’s Legacy
       • Elephant Herd Assessments by Puget Sound Students
       • Aerial Survey Presentation Held in Maun

Latest Posted Reports and Maps, can be viewed and downloaded on our Downloads Page, (click here):

* “Chobe is Botswana’s Wildlife Stronghold” K. Landen. Zambezi Traveller

* “Drought and Poachers take Botswana’s natural wonder to brink of catastrophe” David Smith. Guardian UK

* “Okavango wildlife threatened” Don Pinnock. Mail & Guardian

*Elephant Movement Maps for Mar, Apr, May, June 2011