Elephanatics
Elephanatics 2022
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!
Elephanatics Impact and Activities | 2022
Over 2022 Elephanatics’ continued to advocate on behalf of African elephants to fundraise, build partnerships, and educate Canadians about the ongoing and multiple threats that affect both African communities and elephants.
We share some of this year’s highlights below and in the video above.
EDUCATION
The first ever Fran Duthie Elephant Conservation scholarship was awarded to Janeth Jepkemboi, a Conservation masters student, now attending Karatina University, Kenya.
The scholarship provides financial support to Kenyan nationals acquiring a technical certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters or PhD) degree in an area related to conservation and the protection of wildlife. Read more here.
Elephanatics offers free lesson plans and resources for elementary and intermediate students including reference articles, books and apps and educational videos.
NEW LESSON PLANS
New 2022 Lesson Plan for Grades 6 to 12, “Elephanatics newest lesson plan Rewilding” aims to restore healthy ecosystems by creating wild, biodiverse spaces that are self-sustaining without human interference. Download Rewilding lesson plan here
Access all education resources here.
New lesson plans will be announced early January 2023.
SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
- Rene Beyers virtual school presentation “Ivory is For Elephants. See video here.
- San Diego – elementary school teacher taught 6 month project that focused on extinction of wildlife with an emphasis on elephants for Elephanatics
- Student conservation ambassador’s delivered presentations.
- Local classroom presentations done by directors in Elephanatics
PARTNERSHIPS
Elephanatics partnered with not-for-profit SEEDBALLS Kenya whose mission is to re-green habitats in Kenya. SEEDBALLS Kenya is an African based organization that has pioneered a method of mass-producing seedballs for low cost and efficient reintroduction of trees and grass species into degraded areas in Africa. Their methodology will help rebuild ecosystems that have been degraded by human interference. We are happy to promote the outstanding work SEEDBALLS Kenya does in assisting with restoring and reforesting areas of Africa hardest hit by habitat destruction.
FUNDRAISING
- On World Elephant Day, Elephanatics fundraised for SEEDBALLS Kenya and raised enough money to cover the cost of 5 x 25kg bags of seedballs to assist Mara Elephant Project and their surrounding areas.
- On Giving Tuesday we fundraised to support the Fran Duthie Conservation Scholarship, held with Mara Elephant Project, and were pleased to receive additional funds to support future students.
- We sold items through Elephanatics merchandise line, Spring, on specific holiday events during the year to help support our cause. We thank you for your purchases!
ADVOCACY
- In advance of CoP19 Elephanatics, in partnership with Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, outlined the need for the greatest protection for all elephants. Read letter and outcome of Conference of Parties here.
- In advance of CoP19 Elephanatics sent letters of concern to all MP’s, PM Trudeau and Minister Stephen Gilbeault regarding global elephant protection at CoP19. Read letter here.
- We continue to work with Humane Society International and our Ivory-Free Canada partners to enact the mandate to end the elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn trade by the Canadian government. Read more here.
- Elephanatics and its global partners continue to support action to end Recon Africa’s drilling in the ecologically sensitive Okavango Delta.
- Elephanatics continues to support the work of Mara Elephant Project.
- Elephanatics has donated to Mara Elephant Project this year to support their female Ranger Week, MEP Experimental Farm, and Loita Forest Ranger teams.
KUDOS
“Elephanatics African Elephant Specialist Director, Dr. Rene Beyers, co-edited and published the “Routledge Handbook of Rewilding” this year. It is a comprehensive overview of the history, theory, and current practices of rewilding. This followed last year’s publication of “A Place Like No Other,” Discovering the Secrets of Serengeti, which he co-wrote with Prof. Antony Sinclair from UBC. Congratulations, Rene!
VOLUNTEERS
Without our small but mighty group of volunteers we couldn’t do the work we do.
With special thanks and kudos to: Carol Ann and Brian Kunimoto, Chelsey Bogaczewicz, Melissa Torres, Jade Crawford, Melanie Reding, and Jett Britnell.
We thank ALL our wonderful donors, volunteers, and directors for their enormous support during the year. We wish you all a very happy, healthy, harmonious, holiday season.
Until next year, keep enjoying elephants with us!
Elephanatics Team
90 Civil Society Groups Call on China to Protect Biodiversity in its Overseas Investments
On December 15, 2022, 90 civil society groups from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the world called on Chinese authorities and actors to protect biodiversity and people in its overseas investments. As China is chairing the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD #COP15) currently underway this month, civil society and impacted communities voiced concerns that many Chinese banks, companies, contractors, and other Chinese overseas developers are not meeting international norms and standards in protecting the environment, people, and biodiversity, as obligated under China’s green finance and overseas policy frameworks.
The civil society letter highlights China’s commitments to protecting biodiversity, and provides concrete recommendations for how Chinese authorities and overseas actors can do their part in stopping and reversing the biodiversity crisis. The letter also includes a list of 37 controversial projects associated with harmful biodiversity, environmental, and social impacts which Chinese banks and companies are currently supporting, and notes compelling examples where Chinese banks and companies have withdrawn support from activities with harmful biodiversity impacts in the past. Although these cases represent the exception rather than norm, they indicate the capability of Chinese actors to take positive steps in protecting biodiversity.
Read letter here: English_China CBD COP15 Letter_Biodiversity
Just Released: Routledge Handbook of Rewilding
Summary of CITES COP19 Nov 14- 25
Summary of Proposal Outcomes at CITES CoP19 November 14 – 25th 2022
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), CoP19, concluded this past Friday, November 25th. Elephanatics and coalition partners wrote a letter to Canadian MP’s and Canadian CITES Scientific Authority calling for urgent action to be taken to provide elephants the highest level of protection. Below is a summary from the proposals we opposed and supported from the letter we sent.
We opposed:
a.) The proposal to CITES by Zimbabwe at the upcoming convention to amend Annotation 2 pertaining to the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe as specified here:
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/documents/E-CoP19-Prop-04_1.pdf
- Loxodonta africana:ZIMBABWE introduced CoP19 Prop.4 to amend the annotation for the Appendix II listing of elephant populations ( africana) in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. BENIN, LIBERIA, BURKINA FASO, PANAMA, KENYA, the EU, GABON, the UK, and ETHIOPIA opposed the proposal on the grounds that it would reopen international trade in ivory. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, ESWATINI, ZAMBIA, TANZANIA, NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, and LESOTHO supported the proposal, highlighting the relative stability of Southern African elephant populations. IUCN stressed the endangered status of the African savannah elephant.
** The proposal was rejected, with 15 in favour, 83 opposed, and 17 abstentions. Canada voted to reject proposal.
b.) The proposal by Namibia and Botswana to transfer Namibia’s population of southern white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II to facilitate trophy hunting and live animal trade for in-situ conservation purposes, as specified here:
- The proposal to downgrade the status of southern white rhino from Appendix I to Appendix II was accepted at the 19th Conference of Parties (COP19). The amendment restricted the downgrading to live animals, for in situ conservation purposes only. The initial proposal also sought the export of hunting trophies. The decision does not reopen the international trade in rhino horn.
** The proposal was confirmed after it received 83 votes in favour, 31 against it and 13 abstentions. Canada voted in favour.
We supported:
The proposal by Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, and Senegal to transfer African Elephant populations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe from Appendix ll to Appendix l.
- L. africana: BURKINA FASO introduced CoP19 Prop.5 to include all populations of African elephants (L. africana) in Appendix I through the transfer from Appendix II to Appendix I of the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. BENIN, TOGO, KENYA, NIGER, SENEGAL, PANAMA, NIGERIA, and BURUNDI supported the proposal, calling for the single listing of all African elephants in Appendix I. CONGO, BOTSWANA, the EU, TANZANIA, ESWATINI, ZIMBABWE, JAPAN, RWANDA, ZAMBIA, NAMIBIA, INDONESIA, ERITREA, UGANDA, and MALAWI opposed the proposal.
The US highlighted Committee II discussions exploring the establishment of a fund accessible to range states upon the non-commercial disposal of their ivory stockpiles.
** The proposal was rejected, with 44 in favour, 59 opposed, and 13 abstentions. Canada voted to reject proposal.
Other good news for Elephants and Rhinos
- A three-year moratorium was placed on trading live African elephants – meaning there will be no more capturing of baby African elephants from the wild and shipping them to captivity overseas at least until a decision is taken through the standing committee which could take some years. So this is good news for now!
- There will be no rhino horn trade!
- A 2nd reading of Henry Smith’s Private Member’s Bill, Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill passed. His bill would ban British hunters from bringing ‘trophies’ of endangered and vulnerable animals into Britain. The Bill needs to successfully go through all the UK parliamentary stages and then Royal Accent before it becomes law.
Overall, there were some good outcomes for elephants and rhinos. Many other endangered species received more protection such as birds, amphibians, turtles, glass frogs, snakes, lizards, some of which are traded heavily for the pet trade.
More work needs to be done with African and Asian communities to deal with human wildlife conflict and the role of CITES in reducing risk of future zoonotic diseases associated with international wildlife trade.
For the full summary records at CoP19 see here.
Volunteers In Action For Elephants!
Giving Tuesday November 29th
It’s Giving Tuesday November 29th
This #GivingTuesday we are asking you to help support the work of Elephanatics to build conservation educational capacity in Kenya by donating to the Fran Duthie African Elephant Conservation Scholarship held with Mara Elephant Project, an African conservation organization in Kenya dedicated to protecting elephants and their habitats.
The scholarship provides financial support to Kenyan nationals acquiring a technical certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters or PhD) degree in an area related to conservation and the protection of wildlife.
Janeth Jepkemboi was the first ever recipient of the scholarship.
Janeth began her master’s program at Karatina University studying environmental science. Janeth’s parents worked hard to put her through high school, and she helped by doing fundraisers. To pursue her undergraduate degree, she took out loans and worked throughout. Janeth was an exceptional candidate for this scholarship.
“My undergraduate studies in environmental studies made me passionate about conservation and I love connecting with nature. This scholarship is an opportunity for me to gain skills and academic excellence that I will use after as I envision working with a conservation organization and being at a level where I can influence policy to safeguard livelihoods while still protecting biodiversity values. This scholarship will be a great opportunity to realize my dreams and be an asset to the community.”
Janeth’s first semester consists of 7 units to include Conservation & Planning of Biological Resources, Environment & Development, among others. She is currently working on numerous assignments and term papers and will be writing her end of semester exams in January. We wish her every success and know she will do well.
The future of our wildlife depends on students, such as Janeth, to bring innovative change to conservation methods and modalities. We are all interdependent on nature for our own survival. Please consider investing in students who will provide the expertise necessary to make these changes.
* Please state in the comments section under ‘Donate Now’ that you would like your money deposited to the “Fran Duthie Scholarship”.
GMFER AND PARTNERS AT #CITES COP19
GMFER AND PARTNERS AT #CITES COP1914-24 November 2022. Panama City, Panama
CITES-CoP19 and its member nations must guarantee regulation ensuring the protection of Earth’s last wild inhabitants. Failure to fortify the interface between human activities and the lives of wild animals and plants will set the stage for future pandemics, economic failure, extinction events, and ecological collapse.
Even as economic considerations are factored, nature must be valued over money. #NatureNotMoney. We respectfully call on CITES’ member nations to support the following at CoP19:
- List all African elephants on Appendix I. Specifically:
Support the proposal by Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, and Senegal to transfer African Elephant populations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe from Appendix II to Appendix I.Oppose Zimbabwe’s proposal concerning elephant populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. - Close all loopholes in Appendix I and Appendix II permitting the live capture and trade of elephants.
- Maintain the international ban on rhino horn trade. Specifically:Oppose the proposal by Namibia and Botswana to transfer Namibia’s population of southern white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II to facilitate trophy hunting and live animal trade for in-situ conservation purposes.
- Move Oophaga vicentei to CITES Appendix I.
- Prohibit the import and export of trophies.
- Regulate the trade of Traditional Medicines using the body parts of IUCN red-listed animals.
- Implement and enforce an e-permit registration system in all participating member-nations.
Read full letter – CITES-CoP19-Demands )
Holiday Shopping Made Easy!
CITES CoP19 Letter to MP’s
October 15, 2022
Dear Member of Parliament,
We are a coalition of organizations calling for urgent action to be taken at the upcoming CITES-CoP19 taking place in Panama City, Panama, November 14-25. (https://cites.org/eng/cop19).
We oppose:
a.) The proposal to CITES by Zimbabwe at the upcoming convention to amend Annotation 2 pertaining to the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe as specified here: https://cites.org/sites/default/files/documents/E-CoP19-Prop-04_1.pdf
b.) The proposal by Namibia and Botswana to transfer Namibia’s population of southern white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II to facilitate trophy hunting and live animal trade for in-situ conservation purposes, as specified here: https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/19/prop/as_received/E-Ceratotherium_simum_simum-Namibia.pdf
We support:
The proposal by Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, and Senegal to transfer African Elephant populations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe from Appendix ll to Appendix l.1
Read full letter here: Dear Member of Parliament
African Elephant Conservation Scholarship distributed by Mara Elephant Project!
We are excited to announce that Janeth Jepkemboi is the first ever recipient of the Fran Duthie African Elephant Conservation Scholarship distributed by Mara Elephant Project. Janeth is beginning her master’s program at Karatina University studying environmental science. Janeth’s parents worked hard to put her through high school, and she helped by doing fundraisers. To pursue her undergraduate degree, she took out loans and worked throughout. Janeth was an exceptional candidate for this scholarship generously supported by Fran Duthie and her family.
“My undergraduate studies in environmental studies made me passionate about conservation and I love connecting with nature. This scholarship is an opportunity for me to gain skills and academic excellence that I will use after as I envision working with a conservation organization and being at a level where I can influence policy to safeguard livelihoods while still protecting biodiversity values. This scholarship will be a great opportunity to realize my dreams and be an asset to the community.”
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