The elephants are in trouble
There's nothing quite so iconic, and quite so engrained in our collective psyche, as elephants. Worldwide, these gentle giants capture the imagination of both children and adults, and take us back across the ages, to times when giants roamed the Earth.
And yet today's elephants are in danger. Their habitats are protected, but because of a huge demand for ivory, the elephant population numbers are dropping at an alarming rate. Right now there are only half as many elephants in the world as there used to be in the 1970s, and they continue to be killed off rapidly.
A few weeks ago, news spread across the world, that the world's biggest elephant, Satao, had been killed by poachers [1]. We are fundraising in his memory, and to protect others like him. With more than 35,000 elephants killed in Africa every year, we feel that this is a large scale and urgent crisis, that requires action now.
Reaching the top of Africa
Our group of four will be climbing Kilimanjaro starting on the 27th July. Because we're in such close proximity to the national parks, we wanted to use this opportunity to raise awareness of the danger the elephants are in, and raise money to help. We'll be updating you regularly - for photos and updates about our preparations, adventures with altitude, and finally the outcome of our trek, do check out our blog: http://soulfire.org.uk/blog/
How you can help
While the image of 'poachers' might still evoke images of local people just out hunting to survive, the truth is that today, poaching is part of organised crime, which happens to the detriment of the local communities. Poachers have modern weapons and night vision goggles, and the organisations protecting the animals often lack the funding to keep up. For this reason, the question of providing adequate protection is mainly a financial one.
We believe that we can protect the elephants, and there are already rangers risking their lives every day to do so. We are fundraising to support their efforts in a practical way. And you can help us by making a donation today. Any amount you can contribute, no matter how small, will go a long way to protecting elephants and ensuring that these amazing giants have a future.
Also, everyone loves elephants, right? Please help us spread the word :) Even if you can't contribute, it would be great if you shared this with your friends.
What your money will go towards
We are fundraising for the Tsavo Trust. This is a Kenyan non-profit organisation that is involved in front-line conservation and anti-poaching efforts, as well as outreach and community initiatives. Their Large Elephant Monitoring project seeks to provide extra protection and patrols to the last remaining giants of the elephant world. These are the elephants most at risk and targeted by poachers, and they will only survive if we manage to protect them.
The focus is on practical measures such as aerial and ground patrols. With the large geographical regions being monitored, the Tsavo Trust aerial patrols are an invaluable part of the conservation efforts.
All donated money is going straight to the charity, and any amount, large or small, will do a lot to help. Here are a few examples of what your donation can accomplish:
£1,840 / $2,940 keeps fuel in the conservation aircraft for one month.
£625 / $1,000 covers the cost of two essential aircraft safety and maintenance checks, required by law every 50 hours of flying.
£160 / $260 keeps the conservation aircraft in the air for one hour, including fuel, maintenance, and all associated running costs.
£120 / $185 contributes towards the salary of an aircraft attendant, helping to provide employment in an area of high unemployment in Kenya.
£16 / $25 pays for a monthly supply of aero oil, essential for the functioning of the aircraft.
£10 / $16 provides a useful contribution to Tsavo Trust's 'Large Elephant Monitoring Project' when combined with support from our other partners.
To a better future
Together we can protect the elephants. Please help us make it happen!
[1] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/africa-wild/2014/jun/13/kenyas-biggest-elephant-killed-by-poachers
124
%
£311.98
raised of £250 target
by 20 supporters
Jelena Aleksic
Tsavo Trust - elephant conservation
Steve, Jelena, Geraint and Emily climb Kilimanjaro for Tusk Trust because we love giant things, like mountains and elephants
Tusk Trust
We support wildlife & communities in Africa to end wildlife crime & alleviate poverty
Charity Registration No. 803118
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