February 28, 2025

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Pauline Ronoh & Green Rising
February 28, 2025

Dear subscribers, welcome to the new incarnation of the Elephant News Service. Today, tragedy strikes Aitong, near the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, as an 11-year-old girl lost her life to an elephant attack while on her way to school. Meanwhile, in Gabon, efforts to foster peaceful human-elephant coexistence take a step forward with the launch of a two-year project plan. Best regards, The Elephant News Service team

Kenya News Service, February 27, 2025

Grief has engulfed the Aitong area near the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok West Sub County after an 11-year-old girl was killed by elephants while on her way to school. Narok County Police Commander Riko Ngare confirmed the incident, saying the juvenile was a grade three pupil at Rekero Primary School.

NewVision, February 27, 2025

“Species comprising naughty monkeys and slithering snakes, that were once confined to the wilderness, are now encroaching on villages, homes and urban areas”, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) manager conservation education & awareness Veronica Mirembe says.

Buks Viljoen, Lowvelder News, February 27, 2025

Tswale has been removed from Lowhills Farm by a professional relocation team, under the auspices of the MTPA, WeWild Africa and Provet Wildlife Services, on the strength of a court order Shofeeds, the owners of the farm, obtained from the Mpumalanga High Court.

Corruption Watch, February 27, 2025

They might look unprepossessing – tiny little fleshy plants, many of which closely resemble stones, nestling between the rocks in some of the most arid parts of South Africa. But for some time now, the country’s residents have been reading media reports about those very indigenous plants, particularly the ones that grow in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces and Namibia, being stolen at an ever-increasing rate.

Ecofin Agency, February 26, 2025

The park is home to one of the highest densities of primates in the world, including the mandrill, famous for its bright colours, which gathers in large groups of several hundred individuals, the western lowland gorilla, an endangered species, and the chimpanzee, which shares nearly 98% of its DNA with humans. In addition to primates, the park is also a refuge for the African forest elephant, leopard, forest buffalo, and more than 400 species of birds.

Mary Dixon, WCS Newsroom, February 26, 2025

A 2-year project fostering peaceful human-elephant co-existence in Gabon was launched by the Minister of Water and Forests on 17 February. The project, with funding from the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), will be implemented with the government by the Wildlife Conservation Society in partnership with Space for Giants. 

Aspen Pflughoeft, The Island Packet, February 27, 2025

High-definition trail cameras at a national park in the Republic of the Congo revealed a “truly breathtaking” glimpse of some elusive rainforest animals. Conservationists hope the project raises awareness about several at-risk mammal species.

RESOURCES

💼 Opportunity: WWF Cameroon is hiring for multiple positions.
(LinkedIn, February 28, 2025)

📚 Book Review: The Gambling Animal: Humanity’s Evolutionary Winning Streak – and How We Risk It – Glenn Harrison & Don Ross.
(News24, February 28, 2025)

🌱 Research: Bioinformatics & Human-Elephant Conflict- Dilantha Gunawardana, Ph.D. (LinkedIn) shared her research on how biofencing with orange plants can deter elephants from encroaching on human settlements in Africa. By using bioinformatics, they analyze plant-based solutions to mitigate conflicts.

🎨 Art: Kenya admires North Paravur native’s Amboseli Tim sculpture.
(Kaumudi, February 27, 2025)

🌍 Travel: Land-based safaris are epic, but water safaris offer a whole new experience.
(Cindy Sosroutomo, Travel Week, February 28, 2025)

SEEN ON SOCIAL

🔍 Fun Fact: Even with their backs turned, elephants can still hear you—they hear through their feet!
(LinkedIn, February 28, 2025)

📸 Visual Insight: The beauty of family and your dedication in protecting them
(Kamalak Kannan BV, February 17, 2025)

African Elephant News