Ethiopian Elephants

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Sep 12 2008 | By: ethiopianelephants

It is a shock of missing Dr. Zahoor Kashmiri from my side by such horrible incidence. I have not yet fully recovered from the distress. With this devastating news, we extend our condolences to Kashmiri’s family and friends. We are planning to hold a memorial for Zahoor in Addis Ababa around end of September in the presence of friends, conservationists, diplomats and if possible families.

 Regardless of missing Zahoor with sadness, I feel that the project to be extremely worthwhile and will be grateful to receive your continued support. See details in the attached document.

 Elephant collaring initiatives in Babille Elephant Sanctuary and Kafta-Sheraro National Park, Ethiopia and its challenge

(In commemoration to Dr. Zahoor Kashmiri – 10 September 2008)

Yirmed Demeke

Elephant Researcher, Ethiopia

E-mail: Yirmed@yahoo.com

Summary - The challenges for future survival of elephants in Ethiopia are yet ahead of us. Poachers, looking for the ivory trade, kill these splendid animals with brutal efficiency. Habitat loss due to human pressure also limits the elephants’ range and places added stress on the remaining herds. Likewise, as their habitats continue to be reduced, the elephant must compete with other wildlife as well as humans and their livestock. As a result, the present projects supported with satellite telemetry aim at securing the long-term survival of elephants in the east and north Ethiopia and the satellite data received from the collared elephants for the coming two years will prove itself indispensable in furthering this aim. The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite telemetry on elephants in Ethiopia was initiated in February 2007. These projects are among the major components of our initiative in the national elephant conservation and management in Ethiopia. Three bulls were successfully fitted with GPS satellite collars. “Goliath” became the project’s first “satellite” elephant followed by “Big Daddy” which was darted down on the 1^st of September at 12:30 AM. Same day in the afternoon, Dr. Zahoor Kashmiri was victorious in knocking down the biggest of all bulls in the Sanctuary, Right-tusked, measuring 3.6 m. At present the position of collared elephants has been recorded every hour but will change this at 3 hours reading per day (eight positions per 24 hours) and these will continue for a minimum of two years.The following two pictures illustrate 1. Experts deploying the GPS collar ( 01 Sept. 2008), and 2. Administering the antidote ( 01 Sep. 2008). Both photos were taken in Babille ES, Ethiopia  Photos – Yirmed Demeke

Team composition - The Wildlife for Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and Tigray Region Agriculture and Rural Development organized this expedition aimed at tracking elephants using the GPS satellite telemetry. Dr. Zahoor Kashmiri, a well experienced wildlife veterinarian from Kenya, Dr. Keith Leggett, elephant researcher in Namibia, Dr. Fekadu Shiferaw, wildlife veterinarian in Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), Dr. Rea Schoppe, wildlife veterinarian in Ethiopia and Switzerland, Diets Okhuysen, collar manufacturer from South Africa, Cherie Enawgaw, wildlife expert in EWCA, Wendwosen Sisay, Warden of Babille ES, four wildlife scouts from Babille ES, and Yirmed Demeke, Coordinator of this expedition were part of the team and all contributed to the elephant collaring operation exceptionally.

Elephant collaring expedition 2007 - Dr. Zahoor Kashmiri became my honest friend in January 2007 and found him a well committed supporter to the wildlife conservation and research activities here in Ethiopia. I was first connected to Zahoor through the Save the Elephants in Kenya in 2007. He was quite happy to accept my request to handle elephant immobilizing part for the project undertaken in Babille Elephant Sanctuary (ES), east Ethiopia from 22 February to 03 March 2007. This was the first research for Ethiopia to track elephants using the GPS satellite telemetry manufactured by DATA SCOUT in South Africa.

During last year expedition, the operation was exceptionally tough - because of a lack of adequate roads connecting to the valley floor, the team had to walk up to 15 km per day, descending down to the vast valley of the Gobele and climbing up to the top of the escarpment in the high heat of the day. However, regardless of these harsh conditions, all participants were entirely committed to the realization of our objectives. After a long and dogged campaign, the elephant collaring team successfully fixed five satellite collars on three bulls and two cows of the Sanctuary.

Immobilizing elephants from the ground in this type of terrain was hazardous to all involved and needed careful handling. In early March 2007, Zahoor and I were nearly cornered by the Right-tusked bull, (who has killed a woman, a young boy and a camel over the last two years) and were only saved by Warden Wendwosen whose shots into the air made the bull turn back.

Zahoor noticed for the occurrence of a very good environment in Ethiopia and he was planning to start ecotourism project in Ethiopia though unluckily he never ended up his anticipated vision.

Elephant collaring expedition 2008 - Elephant collaring team (Zahoor, Keith and Diets) arrived in Addis Ababa on the 15^th and 16^th August 2008. Both locals and expatriates traveled to Babille ES on the 17^th morning. Searching for elephants started on the 18^th morning. This present elephant collaring activity is the second in Ethiopia particularly in Babille ES, and the first in Kafta-Sheraro National Park in the north. It was planned to collar eight elephants (five bulls and three cows) using the satellite telemetry bought from DATA ACOUT in South Africa.

On the 18^th afternoon the big bull named “Goliath” became the project’s first “satellite” elephant. In the following days the elephants moved to the south to inaccessible area so that the team could not stay longer and decided to move to the north to Kafta-Sheraro NP. When reaching there same to Babille the elephant herds moved to very distant area. Only one bull group was present but they were traveling outside the park in the southwest. We tracked them for three days but failed to reach them. Finally, we decided to postpone this operation and get back to Babille as the elephants returned to the north, near to our camp.

After 1,200 km drive per day from Kafta-Sheraro, we arrived at our camp in Babille ES at 4:00 AM on 01 Sep. 2008. Having 2 hrs nape and breakfast we left the camp at 8:00 AM to the place where we located the bull group based on the latest reading from the satellite, the big bull (Goliath) we collared him a week ago. The bulls were away from our camp for about 3.4 km to northeast. Assisted with our GPS we reached there easily but the vegetation where the elephants stationed were a mixture of Spiky cactus and Acacia. When reaching there, we managed to split the team into two: the leading team composed of Zahoor, I and one scout with heavy rifle, and the backup team stayed in a clear area and followed our activities by walkie talkies.

I was guiding the front team and after traveling about 1.5 km in the ticket and woodland we encountered five bulls and soon they picked up scent and moved another 1 km still we tracked them. Finally, around 1:30 PM Zahoor darted one of the huge bull and tracked him for half a km before lied down and finished collaring in 30 minute. This time I and Zahoor were in a very close distance to the immobilized bull just taking movie though we know well that it was totally wrong staying long near by a darted elephant.

Then we went for lunch (orange, banana and bread) under a big Acacia tree. After having that and taking some rest we decided to do the other bull we deployed a GPS satellite collar last year, we call him “Right-tusked” and ‘The killer’, he had frightened us last year. This bull also killed two people (a woman and a young boy) and a camel for the last two years. After finishing collaring we let go the backup team and I stayed with Zahoor to give the antidote and to leave the area soon. After the administration of the antidote the bull took more than 6 minutes to stand. Once he got up with difficulties and scanning his surroundings, he saw our movement as we were running away through the thick bush. The bull was extremely angry and charged us. I dived into a dense Acacia-Cactus mixed ticket and the scouts and local farmers made several shots to frighten the bull. When I saw that the bull had left the area I ran immediately to the site.  A large area of the vegetation was ruined and flattened and Zahoor was lying face down. He had been hit by the angry running elephant and was not breathing.

Loss of hope and frustration - every body cried.

Tags: Babille, elephant collaring, elephant darting, Ethiopia, Kafta-shashero, Zahoor Kashmiri