This is Rosario, the 34-year-old son of Rebecca of the RA family. He is one of Amboseli's successful musth males. Let's make sure he can continue to father calves.
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Some Good News for Elephants
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The Chinese government, which has promised to close the domestic ivory trade, recently announced that 67 ivory retail outlets and factories have been closed and that all would be closed by the end of this year.
Also in the news, Save the Elephants published a report showing that the price of ivory has gone down. The wholesale price for one kilo (2.2 lbs.) of ivory was $2,100 in 2014. In February of this year it was $730.
This good news has to be tempered by the fact that ivory carving and trade is flourishing in Vietnam. We haven't won the battle yet.
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KWS Ground Count
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As part of the Amboseli community, we participate in the regular wildlife censuses run by KWS. At least twice per year, or every season when resources permit, the Park is divided into blocks and teams head out to count mammals and important bird species. Keeping a sharp eye out, we spot every warthog, Thomson's gazelle, lion, jackal, hippo, Kori bustard. Everyone joins in -- lodge staff, NGOs and of course KWS. ATE was represented this year by Katito Sayialel. Afterwards KWS rewards all with a big lunch.
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Sylvi's Update on Some of our Students
We are now supporting 17 students in primary and secondary school and at university and training colleges, and will soon add three more. ATE's Sylvi Nyambura is brilliant at overseeing this program. She recently visited three of our students and reported:
Kimunyan Martine is in Class 7 in Jleperes Academy. Compared to when I saw him last, he has grown tall and looks happy and healthy. His performance in school is good and the teachers are expecting him to get good grades.
Mercy Sentoya is our new entrant in secondary school. She is in St. Clare Girls School in form 2. Mercy is a very needy girl and that affects her education. When I visited her she didn't have proper shoes. I am thinking of ways to improve conditions for her.
Dickson is also a new entrant in secondary school. He is at Enkii Boys High School in form 1. Dickson had an accident with a hippo when he was young and lost a leg. He does not feel sorry for himself and he has adjusted to having an artificial leg. He is very vibrant and high-spirited.
If anyone would like to help with the sponsorship of these students we would appreciate it.
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Ways to Support Us
Follow an Amboseli Family with Elatia
Elspeth, Eudora and their calves walk peacefully along the swamp edge. They're sweet and slightly eccentric members of the EB family, one of our six Elatia families.
For only $30 per year you can follow your chosen family, receiving
regular updates consisting of stories, photos and short films. This "elephant gossip" is the part we all love about tracking elephant lives, and we created Elatia as a mechanism to share this experience.
To learn more about Elatia
go to
This Link.
If you have any problems, Tal has made a tutorial for signing up,
Click Here.
You can also contact her directly if you have any questions on:
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Name a Baby Elephant 
Allura is striding out with purpose and a real lust for life. She is the daughter of Abra of the AA family, and she was actually born at our research camp. You can name a calf like her. With the Amboseli baby boom there are dozens of calves to be named.
Unlike our Elatia program where many people follow the same family, our naming program is a unique experience. The calf becomes "your" calf and yours alone and the name you give forms a part of the Amboseli dataset for all time. For more information write to us at: [email protected]
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iGive
One of the ways you can support ATE is by making your online purchases through iGive. If you sign up the Amboseli Trust for Elephants as your recipient organization we will get a small percentage of the sale. Connect with iGive.
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Give a Gift that Lasts Forever
Designate the Amboseli Trust for Elephants as a beneficiary of your will, individual retirement account, or life insurance policy. To learn more about planned giving opportunities, please contact:
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News from the Amboseli Trust for Elephants
March - April 2017
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Today as I write this it's April 22, Earth Day. Here in Kenya we have some of the most beautiful places on Earth. There is still wilderness and wildlife roaming free, living out their lives as they have for thousands of years. Almost nowhere is pristine anymore but these are functioning, natural ecosystems. How long they can continue is one of the questions we ask on Earth Day. It is these ecosystems and the plants and animals in them that we fight for.
Human beings are part of almost all of the remaining natural ecosystems. It is not an either-or situation. People and habitats and people and wildlife can co-exist, but it is getting more and more difficult. We see it on a global scale and we also see it in Amboseli. Human population growth, land-use change, and over-exploitation of natural resources are rapidly chiseling away at the wild places on the Earth.
Although the news and the attitudes of some of our political leaders is depressing, it is remarkable that more than one billion people in 192 countries will be celebrating Earth Day and advocating for a healthy, sustainable environment for our the planet. ATE will be joining them in several cities in the US including Orlando and Tampa.
Cynthia Moss
Director
Amboseli Trust for Elephants
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Welcoming a New Member to our Research Team
Moses Saruni will be joining the ATE team in May as a Research Assistant after he completes his certificate in Community Conservation at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute (KWSTI).
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Moses Saruni
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We have known Moses since he was a small boy.
His father Saruni ole Seleka worked for us in the Amboseli research camp for more than 15 years. When it came time for Moses to go to high school Cynthia sponsored him personally
and then when he completed his secondary education ATE sent him to KWSTI for further training.
On school holidays and while waiting to join college Moses came to us as an intern. During those stays with us it was obvious that he had a true passion for elephants and for conservation in general. Because o
f that commitment and because he is a member of the Amboseli community, M
oses will be a great asset to ATE. He knows the people and of course he is a Maa speaker. As a community member he knows the problems, especially those facing the younger generation whose choices are crucial for Amboseli's future. But best of all he simply loves elephants.
Welcome, Moses!
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Art Exhibit on Behalf of ATE
If you are anywhere near London from 26 April to 13 May don't miss Sophie Walbeoffe's exhibit of her gorgeous paintings at the Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcombe Street, London SW1X 8JU. Some of them are from Amboseli, including one of magnificent Tim (the painting on the left).
In conjunction with the Born Free Foundation, part of the proceeds from the sale of the paintings will go to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants. Cynthia Moss, Phyllis Lee and Vicki Fishlock from ATE and Will Travers from Born Free will all be there for the opening. We are so excited to see Sophie's immense talent honouring our beloved elephants.
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Once again our loyal supporters at the Oakland Zoo will be holding their annual Celebrating Elephants event on Saturday, May 20. This year our colleague Christy Browne-Nunez will be giving the presentation. Christy did her PhD with us in Amboseli. Her research on human attitudes toward wildlife has been an important part of all our work with communities. Christy will be discussing crucial issues such as: 1) the historical relationship between Maasai and elephants; 2) the changes that threaten Maasai culture, and in turn, elephants; and 3) ATE's activities that support local communities.
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I just had news that there has been good rain in Amboseli. As always this news makes us happy. The elephants in Amboseli are doing well, but we can never become complacent. It takes a huge amount of resources, energy and commitment to keep the elephants and other wildlife safe. We won't give up but we need your help. Please support our work.
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