So sad

I am stunned speechless.

s.

This all is at times too overwhelming to understand. Are we heading to a situation in which the wildlife has to be protected by armed forces if we are to save it from further suffering?
One thing on the story remain unclear for me; at the list you mentioned Tulip had died of the injuries, but the text under the picture states that despite her injuries Tulip survived and gave birth to a calf?

Sorry Pirjo, I have Just confirmed that it was Odile who survived not Tulip - sorry for the mistake

I am totally shocked, I’m not quite sure what to say. I have such a love of elephants and can’t get my head around why people want to do this. What is or can be done to try to prevent this happening?

Dr. Leakey — this is so unbelievably disturbing…14 spear wounds to a calf? I feel like we are losong more and more of the precious resources of Africa every day, first the gorillas, then the lions, now this. What can be done?

Just to clarify: Tulip first was speared in the trunk in 2004 (as seen in the image). She survived that incident, but has sadly succumbed to the recent spate of attacks. Odile, as Richard says, is still alive and well and even even had a baby in 2004.

Dr. Leakey, Kenya simply must adopt Botswana’s use of their army protecting their elephants.

The Amboseli elephants are the worlds most well studied population of elephants. We are really happy The Amboseli Trust for Elephants will soon be running their own blog with WildlifeDirect to provide daily news directly from the field.

Paula, that is good news. Perhaps a program modeled after the Lion Guardians, would help. But if Kenya is to save these elephants from future attacks, I’m afraid armed force is needed.

Theresa you are absolutely right! I had a long conversation with The Kenya Wildlife Service who have moved their top people onto the ground. Remember this is a very recent phenomenon and I Kid-you-not, the last people we want in there are Kenyan army! But we can support the ATE to work with and educate/inspire the local community, and to respond to the elephant victims. KWS is suffering due to the crash in tourism, but they have the machinery to handle the enforcement issues. We will keep you updated as we get more information.

Just in case it isn’t clear KWS are one of the most highly trained para-military forces in Kenya and are fully armed! Richard Leakey actually put that system into place in the 1980’s during the ivory war days - it totally ended the killing of elephants for ivory

Thanks, Paula for this info. Re the killing fields of Zimbabwe, if you go to their embassy website, you can send a letter to the editors of 5 newspapers of Zimbabwe. Today I sent a letter to the Zimbabwe Independent. Please send a letter today. Also call their embassy in DC 202-332-7100. The Kenyan embassy in DC 202-387-6101. We must stop wringing our hands and shaking our heads. Make these calls and be a voice for these elephants. ROAR!!!

Update, I just made 2 calls. The Kenyan embassy, where I left a recorded message. The second call to the Zimbabwean embassy, the ambassador’s office. This official who took my call denied his country was killing elephants and hung up on me while I was in mid-sentence. Please, do not be deterred by their rude behavior, make the call anyway!

Just awful but what wonderful people to help them! Bless you all…I hate to see this happen to these great giants!

The following articles will be of interest:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/warlords-turn-to-ivory-trade-to-fund-slaughter-of-humans-796796.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/03/17/eaeleph117.xml

Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars which have been transfered FROM US TO THEM. All over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They just keep getting richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductible crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any ‘humanitarian’ progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. So don’t fall for any of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductible contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGenerous, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. No offense fellow citizens. But we have been mislead by nearly every public figure. WAKE UP PEOPLE. THEIR GOAL IS TO WIN THE GAME. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Reaganomics. Their idea. Loans from China. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. High energy prices. Their idea. Obscene health care charges. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. The multi-million dollar endorsement deal. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. Brainwash plots on TV. Their idea. Vioxx, and Celebrex. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed, credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of the above shrink the middle class, concentrate the world’s wealth and resources, create a dominoe effect of socio-economic problems, and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and politicians. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for any of their ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTIBLE PR CRAP. In many cases, the ‘charitable’ contribution is almost entirely offset. Not to mention the opportunity to plug their name, image, product, and ‘good will’ all at once. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These filthy pigs even have the nerve to throw a fit and spin up a misleading defense with regard to ‘federal tax revenue’. ITS A SHAM. THEY SCREWED UP THE EQUATION TO BEGIN WITH. If the middle and lower classes had a greater share of the pie, they could easily cover a greater share of the federal tax revenue. They are held down in many ways because of greed. Wages remain stagnant for millions because the executives, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, and entrepreneurs, are paid millions. They over-sell, over-charge, under-pay, outsource, cut jobs, and benefits to increase their bottom line. As their profits rise, so do the stock values. Which are owned primarily by the richest 5%. As more United States wealth rises to the top, the middle and lower classes inevitably suffer. This reduces the potential tax reveue drawn from those brackets. At the same time, it wreaks havok on middle and lower class communities and increases the need for financial aid. Not to mention the spike in crime because of it. There is a dominoe effect to consider. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. But our leaders refuse to acknowledge this. Instead they come up with one trick after another to milk the system and screw the majority. These decisions are heavily influensed by the 1% club. Every year, billions of federal tax dollars are diverted behind the scenes back to the rich and their respective industries. Loans from China have been necessary to compensate in part, for the red ink and multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth to the rich. At the same time, the feds have been pushing more financial burden onto the states who push them lower onto the cities. Again, the hardship is felt more by the majority and less by the 1% club. The rich prefer to live in exclusive areas or upper class communities. They get the best of everything. Reliable city services, new schools, freshly paved roads, upscale parks, ect. The middle and lower class communities get little or nothing without a local tax increase. Which, they usually can’t afford. So the red ink flows followed by service cuts and lay-offs. All because of the OBSCENE distribution of bottom line wealth in this country. So when people forgive the rich for their incredible greed and then praise them for paying a greater share of the FEDERAL income taxes, its like nails on a chalk board. I ca
n not accept any theory that our economy would suffer in any way with a more reasonable distribution of wealth. Afterall, it was more reasonable 30 years ago. Before Reaganomics came along. Before GREED became such an epidemic. Before we had an army of over-paid executives, bankers, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and sold-out politicians to kiss their asses. As a nation, we were in much better shape. Strong middle class, free and clear assets, lower crime rate, more widespread prosperity, stable job market, lower deficit, ect. Our economy as a whole was much more stable and prosperous for the majority. WITHOUT LOANS FROM CHINA. Now, we have a more obscene distribution of bottom line wealth than ever before. We have a sold-out government, crumbling infrastructure, energy crisis, home forclosure epidemic, 13 figure national deficit, and 12 figure annual shortfall. The cost of living is higher than ever before. Most people can’t even afford basic health care. ALL BECAUSE OF GREED. I really don’t blame the 2nd -5th percentiles in general. No economy could ever function without some reasonable scale of personal wealth and income. But it can’t be allowed to run wild like a mad dog. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK. TOP HEAVY ECONOMIES ALWAYS COLLAPSE. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The American dream will be shattered. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE HUMANITARIAN. EXTREME WEALTH MAKES WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman.. Of course, they will jump to small minded conclusions about ‘jealousy’, ‘envy’, or ’socialism’. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.

[…] Wildlife Direct alerts readers to a disturbing occurrence at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. 14 elephants speared in Amboseli: “…The range of causes of elephant spearing are complex enough — revenge, political […]

[…] Kenya, 14 elephants have been killed in a classic animal-human conflict scenario. Does this give credence to the culling crusade? Does a […]

What a discusting offensive tirade from someone called Truxter - nothing to do with the issues concerned on these blogs. I am more than surprised that the Webmaster did not delete it!!

I’m a 38 year old man that had thought seen everything. There is no excuse for this treatment of ANY animal, especially such amazing, intelligent ones. Please excuse me while I spend days sick.

No comments for this people. They didn’t have feelings for the animals. They would have to kill them.

Well. I got you. What an amazing hook. I have never seen Cynthia Moss, Richard Leaky and all the stupid white men jumping about their fellow white men who are responsible for near elimination of African wildlife. What a shame!

So long as they get money buy displaying speared elephants they just move the bowl around by displaying disgusting pictures to unsuspecting people of European stock who can not stand the site of elephant blood.

If it the elephants kill a Maasai then the Moss, the Leakys and all hide under a pounding silence. Just why?

We will kill all elephant. We will spear lions until the shout like dogs! That is our only remaining way to send a strong message against Moss, Leaky and their ilks who prendent to be ‘experts’ and ‘authorities’ they should eat their hearts out!

Webmaster should really get these abusive messages deleted. I’m referring to this “message” from Tembo. Do you get some kind of a kick out of talking the way you do? There are a lot of people around the world who are more than willing to support African conservation work along with protecting African people livelyhood. If you don’t understand that it’s your loss…

[…] to the elephant slaughter in Kenya more than 20 years ago. It saddens me terribly to think that the recent spearings in the Amboseli region might be a sign that these senseless killings are creeping back […]

It’s so hurting to read comments from somebody like ‘tembo’ above and the fact that he/she is abusing the name even to the elephants. But then I guess a true vissionary would have to get the facts from the grounds and make comments. Or maybe it’s a personal thing and the so called ‘tembo’ is taking it out in a very uprofessional way. I have greatest fear for the Amboseli elephants if this all is not resolved. There is no Maasai that will support your comments “WILDLIFE IS A TREASURE TO THE MAASAI TRIBE SINCE TIME OF MEMORIAL”, Tembo!

Dear Friends, I too find the comments of Truxter and Tembo offensive but we have left them in because these are legitimate comments that force us to see things from different angles and it also leads to comments like Amboseli man. Neither Truxter nor Tembo are saying anything true but they are opinions, I hope that they both continue to read the blogs and get to ’see’ the work of Leakey and Moss which, if you have an open mind, will lead you to only one conclusion. I urge everyone to visit the Amboseli website which is a rich source of information about what Cynthia Moss and her team which depends on 3 amazing and inspirational Masai women, is doing.