MEP Annual Report 2020
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www.maraelephantproject.org MARELEPHANT PROAJECT Protecting Elephants and Their Habitats Across the Greater Mara Ecosystem 2020 Annual Report www.maraelephantproject.org ANNUAL REPORT 2020 CEO Report I think I speak for everyone when I say that 2020 was unlike any other year to date in our recent history. Mara Elephant Project was faced with many obstacles; Table of Contents MEP Celebrates the Life of Colin Church however, our resilience showed through and at the root of that was our exceptional staff. MEP’s rangers worked in increasingly difficult situations, combatting a rise in Contents and CEO Report 2 In early 2021, Mara Elephant Project Chairman Colin Church passed away before the bushmeat poaching and habitat destruction activities. Not just our rangers, but our support staff across all The Life of Colin Church & New Senior Warden 3 Annual Report copy was finalized. Colin played an active role in MEP’s operations and was levels of the organization were critical to ensuring we instrumental in ensuring our organization made it through a challenging year. His guidance all survived this year. Just like you, they were dealing MEP Method 4 will not be easily replaced. with children that were home from school, worry over the effects of the virus and the long-term implications MEP’s COVID Response 5 for their communities. I have never been prouder to Mara Elephant Project is sad to announce the passing Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in be the CEO of Mara Elephant Project more than I 2020 Impact 6 - 8 of conservation giant Colin Church on the 16th of 2017. was this year; we kept everyone safe and employed, March. Up until his death Colin was the chairman of we combatted the onslaught of difficulties head on and Deploying Drones in 2020 9 MEP and a founding member of the organization. Colin’s leadership at MEP championed the next managed to continue making an impact in our areas of Colin was a pillar, mentor, and gentleman who did generation of conservationists, the rangers, who work operation. Team Reports 10 - 11 so much for so many. Colin’s passion for wildlife on the front line. Colin guided our board, mentored So, let’s start with some good news, for the first time in conservation came to the fore in the Aberdare management staff, and pride recent history, in 2020, the Greater Mara Ecosystem Photo Spread 12 - 13 National Park when he led the Rhino Ark with the glowed on the faces of MEP (GME) recorded zero poached elephants; however, our enormous task of fencing and protecting the Water rangers when Colin would intelligence unit remains vigilant as we also experienced 2020 Operational Map 14 - 15 the third highest amount of ivory seized in 2020, all Tower and the endangered species living there. visit and congratulate them crossing the border from neighboring countries. We are Colin brought new skills to the conservation space for their work. To work with, SWT Mau De-Snaring Units & MEP Intelligence Unit 16 especially indebted to our operational partners who were from his business career in public relations. Colin’s be mentored by, and learn all facing similar hardships this year and yet, joined us 2nd Loita Ranger Team & Sand River Collaring Ops 17 contributions to conservation, the environment and from Colin’s gentle, decent, to ensure wildlife, communities and habitat in the Mara the community in Kenya, was recognized when Her and steadfast resolve has were all protected. Personally, who ever thought I’d be recording a hand washing tutorial this year? At MEP Ultra MARAthon & MEP’s COVID Relief Efforts 18 Majesty the Queen honored him with the Most been an honor. though, it was so much more than that. We participated in PPE and food distribution; we built tippy taps and Thank You Donors 19-21 portable handwashing stations in community centers. 2020 was the year we saw firsthand what the human Income & Expenditure Charts 22 spirit working together can overcome. Now, to address the elephant in the room. The COVID-19 Support MEP’s Kumi Anniversary 23 - 24 virus brought tourism to a halt all across Kenya and the MEET MEP’S NEW SENIOR WARDEN Maasai Mara. The income lost affected MEP’s tourism partners and the conservancies we work very closely Meet MEP’s new Senior Warden Zakayo Lenaeku. He with to protect wildlife. People with no other options Marc Goss Finlay Marrian joined MEP the year it was established in 2011 and had resorted to bushmeat poaching and habitat destruction previously worked in Olchoro Conservancy as a ranger activities to generate income; conservancies had to lay tasked with guarding the endangered white rhino. Zakayo off lodge staff and combat these rising challenges by CEO fundraising to pay leases. In 2020, we recorded the worked alongside MEP CEO Marc Goss as a patrol ranger highest levels of these illegal activities since we began in Mara North Conservancy before moving over to MEP operation; however, we also raised the most money ever to lead the intelligence unit. As the Head of Intelligence, in MEP’s history to combat this. Your support allowed his efforts have resulted in over 1,670 kg (3,682 lbs.) of us to remain steadfast in our commitment to face these ivory seized. Zakayo was promoted to Senior Warden in the challenges by expanding our presence on the ground. first quarter of 2020 and his duties include managing all of We were able to employ 10 additional Maasai men and women as rangers that were deployed in December to MEP’s patrol rangers; he plans operations, organizes their increase our protection of wildlife and wild spaces. deployments and is Marc’s second in command. Zakayo helps MEP work with communities to mitigate conflict So, as we head into our 10th year of operation in 2021, I say ‘good riddance’ to 2020, but I also acknowledge the and reduce poaching and he’s helped MEP build a better impact Mara Elephant Project made in a year no one relationship with local chiefs and community members in considered their best. We are committed to helping our the Morijo area to increase protection. MEP’s rangers are tourism and conservancy partners rebuild in 2021. all local Maasai men and women working on the front lines to protect the Mara’s wildlife, communities and habitat that they live alongside for future generations. 2 3 William Fortescue ANNUAL REPORT 2020 The MEP Method Mara Elephant Project (MEP) population has grown, so has a remarkable force of talented, was established in 2011 with the livestock and farming, pushing dedicated and determined men Addressing the Elephant in the Room mission of protecting elephants wild animals into smaller spaces. and women working together and their habitats across the 24/7 to save elephants, the The rapid and global spread of the COVID-19 virus Greater Mara Ecosystem MEP’s vision is to see the GME, Kenyan wildlife and wild has brought with it challenging future implications for (GME). The GME, an extension existence of a stable elephant spaces for generations to come. conservation, particularly elephant conservation in of the vast Serengeti ecosystem, population co-existing peacefully Kenya. Mara Elephant Project is deeply concerned is Kenya’s most important with people across the GME. While MEP was originally focused about the long-term effects of the socio-economic wildlife area and tourism asset. For over a decade at MEP, CEO on combating elephant poaching, downturn and what that means for the communities The Mara-Serengeti ecosystem Marc Goss, Kenyan stakeholders we always looked ahead knowing we work so closely with to protect Kenya’s iconic is one of the last major wildlife and a large team of local Maasai that human-elephant conflict elephants and the GME. As a frontline conservation refuges on Earth. Most famous have worked together to build a and habitat loss would be the organization, MEP reacted in real-time to the rapidly for its annual migration of nearly better future for their families, long-term threats to elephants. changing environment as a result of COVID-19. Our two million wildebeest and zebra, Africa and the world. Together Our approach of monitor, teams and all of our partners on the ground should the ecosystem is also home to an with MEP’s Director of Research evaluate and protect has worked be commended for their active continued work estimated 40% of Africa’s large & Conservation Dr. Jake Wall, when used in collaboration with within the restrictions they have to comply with. mammals. Historically, people who joined in 2019, we have partners to protect wildlife, MEP remains steadfast in our support of the national and wildlife peacefully co-existed worked to expand MEP’s communities and habitat in the and county government’s security and community when space for both did not capability through new renowned Maasai Mara. support mechanisms throughout this crisis. Never in overlap; however, as the human scientific programming. MEP is any of our lives have we dealt with anything like what is happening. Over and above our wildlife and habitat conservation work, MEP pledges that we will adapt to meet this, and future challenges and we will do our MEP uses cutting edge tools to monitor elephants, rangers and best to fight this pandemic together. Thorsten Hanewald asset movements in real time for threats to wildlife, communities MONITOR and habitat. These tools include the helicopter, elephant collars The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how fragile human life can be and has highlighted our abuse of the natural and MEP’s own instance of EarthRanger. world either through habitat destruction or wildlife consumption.