By: Chengeta Wildlife 27 July 2014

Comments: 51

A huge THANK YOU to Joe Chernov, Robin Richards and Leslie Bradshaw for creating the infographic below for Rory Young and Chengeta Wildlife!

Please share our new infographic with any media contacts you have and everywhere on social media!

elephant-15

 

  1. Paula Ilona

    Stop this horrible killing !!!

  2. Lisa Groeneweg

    We are doing everything in our power to stop this devastation! Thank you for helping us take action!

  3. The Land Of The Elephants |

  4. Linda

    What can an average American do to help save the elephants?

  5. Nobody Jane

    This Idea is CRAZY! What If we take the tusk from the Elephant without killing it. So the bad men dont have any reason to kill the Elephant. We get the tusk and leave the animal alive so the bad men have no reason to kill them. The bad men want the tusk so without the tusk they dont have to die.

  6. Nobody Jane

    Anyone Understand what I am wanting to say? If we get doctors to remove the tusk before the pochers get there. The pochers will have to reason to kill…..

  7. Teri Siracusa

    Please forward information and the way to respond with help.
    IT MUST STOP.

  8. Hugo Strong

    This senseless slaughter of these magnificent animals is an abomination before God. These are not soulless beasts. That He sees this horror, this ferocity, this contempt for His work is a stain on humankind. That I have time help is a blessing. That I have no money to help does not absolve me of my responsibility as a human, first, and as a Christian, second to seek a means of involvement or solution to the immediate crisis facing our elephants. So as I am not able to make a monetary donation at this time, please make available for me and others where and how to contact relief or preservation efforts. Thank you and God bless you.

  9. Dawnel W

    Where can I buy the poster to help fund the project and bring awareness?

  10. Robin

    Elephants are my most favorite animal. I had the pleasure of riding on one – although not as a local tourist because I know those animals are mistreated for money earned to their master. I want to be a part of your organization and will start to donate as a way to support your fight and hopefully end this tragedy. Whatever it takes I am in 100%!

  11. Marie Soto

    These poachers need to be killed because they have no hearts!!

  12. MA

    THANK YOU for this article and your hard work. A massive appeal must be made to US, Europe, and other developed countries to help stop the poaching, along with a massive educational effort done in Asia to get them to stop coveting elephants’ tusks.

    There needs to be a huge bounty paid for each poacher caught–followed by hanging or a firing squad.

  13. Lisa Groeneweg

    Hello Linda, I am Lisa Groeneweg the president of Chengeta Wildlife. I am about as average as an American can be. I am a married mom of two boys and live in a small town in the Midwestern US. After hearing about the catastrophe happening to wildlife in Africa I knew I had to take action.

    I found like minded people from around the world and we formed Chengeta Wildlife. We fund advanced training of the rangers and scouts that protect the wildlife. They need to have the best skills and equipment in order to face heavily armed poachers.

    Chengeta Wildlife is scheduled to fund anti-poaching training for the rangers of four African countries. They will be adopting our methods in all their national parks! Many more groups are requesting our training. We will soon need to add more trainers to cover the increased demand.

    We have no celebrity backing, no large foundation or corporation funding. Our only support has been from individuals like you and me and together we are getting the job done!

    Our work to save elephants and other wildlife has inspired people from around the world to assist. A ten year old girl in the Netherlands has been selling home baked cupcakes. She donated $50 last month. An artist in Africa sold her handmade jewelry and donated a portion of the proceeds to our training program. A massage therapist in the UK donated therapy sessions. A man in India gave $20, instead of taking his scooter to work, he walked to work for a month, saving enough gas money to make the donation fit into his meager budget.

    If you would like to help, please consider donating a small monthly amount so we can continue to offer free training to all who request it. If you cannot donate please try to raise awareness in any way you can.

    From one average American to another, please know that we can win this battle if we join together and each do what we can!

  14. Annelyse

    Elephants should not be touched, period. I understand this method you suggest and although it has been used in the past, it still does not stop the poachers from killing them. An elephant, or any animal, should not have to suffer through forcefully losing a piece of itself just to survive.

  15. Lisa Groeneweg

    It is going to stop! We are doing everything in our power to make that happen!

    We have published an anti-poaching field manual for the men on the front lines of this battle. Free digital copies have been sent to all APU’s that have requested one. We need funding to print hard copies to give them to carry into the bush.

    We also provide free advanced training to APU’s to augment the information in the manual.

    If you are able to, please consider donating a small monthly amount to support our work. If that is not possible please help by spreading awareness. When we each do what we can, we can make a difference!

  16. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you Hugo. Please do all you can to raise awareness about the atrocities that are happening to these special creatures. Tell your family, friends and the people you work with. Most especially tell your government representatives that immediate action is needed. God bless!

  17. janet

    Unfortunately, this is not a solution to the problem.
    The tusk is actually a tooth, imbedded deep in a socket, fed by a blood source, a vein that runs down the center of the tusk. Depending on the individual elephant, the vein can extend several inches from the root down the tusk.
    If the tusk is cut short the vein is severed and exposed. The elephant will develop a ragging infection that will plague him/her for years. Such a situation can cause a painful death.
    Since several inches of the tusk is actually hidden in the head, there is no way to trim the tusk short enough so poachers won’t be interested in the remaining tusk.
    Poachers cut off the elephants face to retrieve the entire tusk.
    direct quote from Carole Buckley

  18. Lisa Groeneweg

    We don’t have printed copies of the poster at this time, but please share the digital copy with your social media contacts.

    There will be a t-shirt fundraising campaign starting next week. Please check back for the details.

  19. janet

    I fully support Chengeta’s mission. I am one of the organizers of the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos on Oct 4 and I ask you all to take action and march for them all in your city. Currently 120 cities around the world are all marching… please join us.

    Find your city here: http://march4elephantsandrhinos.org

  20. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you for all your efforts Robin. Welcome to the team!

  21. Lisa Groeneweg

    Absolutely right, this is a war that needs to be fought on many fronts. We are giving it our all!

  22. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you for all you are doing Janet! The Global March is a wonderful endeavor that is having a huge impact. We fully support your work as well.

  23. Melanie

    Hello,
    in what manner can U.S. congresspeople be reached to support the elephant cause? How much of it is an issue that they would care to get the U.S. involved? I have heard that the U.S. is one of the major consumers of ivory–is that true? How could the world get involved-through actions of the United Nations?
    How can an educational outreach to Asia be accomplished? I care so deeply about this that it really upsets me. I don’t have much money right now to contribute, but want to contribute my time. I hate the feeling of helplessness, when I know I can contribute right now. I think that your mission is wonderful. Press on!

  24. Peter Courtenay Stephens

    I recently started to address this horrific catastrophe after reading about the great Elephant that had been able to hide from poachers for many years, being slaughtered, and this awoke me to what is going on. This article was important in that it gave me involvement resources.
    I would volunteer to go to Africa as a poacher hunter, if provided with the airfare and credentials. I would supply my own poacher hunting utensil and supplies.
    At 77, I am not as agile as I once was, but my eyesight is fine and so is my expertise.
    I will be at the Rally and I will participate from this point on in this truly humanitarian effort.
    One thing that can be done is to start a calling effort at the Chinese Embassies in all nations where there are people involved. Be polite, but be firm. Just say who you are and that you insist that the Chinese government step up and stop all importation of Ivory using what ever is necessary to do so. And to do so now. Repeatedly calling daily until they announce that they have put serious resources to work to stop this sad, sad act from any further deaths.
    You should also include that the Chinese government prosecute and do so fully, any and all who they are able to arrest. Fax is very effective as it is a hard copy.
    People’s Republic of China Embassy, DC. 1-202-495-2266
    fax 1-202-495-2138

  25. Taylor

    I never really thought about how people don’t think about where half of their items come from, and I think this whole drawing thing is brilliant. It really educates people, but sadly a lot of the people who are poorer will not get to see it, and usually they are the ones who may give in o this kind of thing most. Anyways, I fully support this and would love to help. One day I dream of opening an animal sanctuary, but for now I’d like to contribute to other organizations. I’d love to read the handbook on preventing poaching, and I was wondering if anybody could give me advice on starting up an animal comic series so that people could get attached to animal characters and then see the problems they face in reality (and hopefully be urged to help) and on how to go about becoming some kind of activist. I’ve though about writing a book before, but I’m unsure of how to get the popularization it needs to make a difference. I’m kind of young, but I have seen some activists around my age- like Bindi Irwin and Malala.

  26. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you Taylor! To become an activist you can start by sharing the infographic with your social media contacts. Tell your friends what is happening to the elephants and why you care. An animal comic sounds wonderful, if you pursue that further please share the results with us.

  27. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you Peter. Welcome to the Chengeta team! Your advice is wonderful. We need many more people like you in the world, people who see a problem and take action!

    Thank you for your donation as well. Together we can win this!

  28. Charles

    I have a small organization and would like to do a fundraiser for you.Could you please contact me with more information.
    Thank You

  29. Lisa Groeneweg

    The US Congress is very aware of the elephant poaching problem, what they need to know is how much you care about the atrocities happening to elephants and that you want them to take action.

    It is a shameful truth that the US is the second leading importer of illegal ivory.

    Chengeta is working with the United Nations to establish anti-poaching forces in Guinea. We will be training recruits there in October and November. These will be the first anti-poaching teams to work in Guinea since 1966.

    Our infographic, “The True Cost of Ivory” has been translated for those who speak Mandarin and will soon have a Vietnamese translation as well. Please share the infographic and tell your friends on social media about our work. That would be an important contribution to our cause!

  30. Lisa Groeneweg

    We will send an email Charles, thank you.

  31. Carlyle

    As someone else pointed out – the elephants NEED their tusks. Removing them is not an answer. Shall we remove some of your fingers or take some of your teeth? Remember that the tusks are being used for trinkets. No reason. No purpose. Just greed. Gets us nowhere.

  32. Lisa Groeneweg

    We are doing everything in our power to stop this catastrophe!

  33. DB

    Have you ever thought about employing former/retired US soldiers to rotate in/out of country to help combat the poachers? I know there are a few of us who would like to use what skills we have to help eliminate the problem. Just a thought…take care and keep fighting the good fight!

  34. Peter Courtenay Stephens

    Have you considered or thought of having an international effort for school children to adopt an elephant to save it from poaching? It could be done on an international basis and could also encompass for those who are able, a donation system, so that the children who have adopted an elephant or an Momma and her baby, a picture. That of course costs and that is why a donation system would be needed. It could however be posted on the internet where each elephant had it’s own site for kids to visit. You are going to have young rangers in the field who are also school children, and they could be helpful in the picture getting. There may be a couple of turns here that would need to be adjusted, as I realize there is a cost, but on an international basis the publicity would be extremely helpful for the overall effort.
    My 7 Y/O Grandson Christian Peter Ortiz, has volunteered to adopt an elephant and make a contribution towards this concept of $5.
    Let me know what you think of this please.

  35. Peter Courtenay Stephens

    Hey Kids ! Save the Elephants ! Adopt a live African Elephant, living in the wild in Africa, and prevent it from being killed by bad people for it’s tusks.
    Please Join Now!!!! There is not much time left or all the Elephants in Africa will be gone.

    Etc

  36. Lisa Groeneweg

    Thank you for your offer. Our focus is on training the men who are already on site, those men are putting their lives on the line right now. We want them to have the most advanced training and skills when they face the organized criminal groups involved in elephant/rhino poaching.

    There may be other groups in Africa, entities hard hit by poaching, that would like to hire men of your calibre.

  37. lisagroeneweg@hotmail.com

    What do you think of Christian becoming an honorary Ranger instead of adopting an elephant. We could have a page dedicated to such children. He could send us a picture and we could post it on a “Young Rangers” page.

    We could list the activities of Young Rangers from around the world. We have a 10 yr old in the Netherlands raising funds for us. Another young person in Canada was selling handmade bracelets for Chengeta.

    What do you think Peter?

  38. Peter Courtenay Stephens

    He likes the idea, from a not knowing what it is all about perspective.
    So the word is go.
    What next?

  39. lisagroeneweg@hotmail.com

    I will have our website developer add a “Young Rangers” page to our website. It may take a couple of weeks to get set up.

    Have Christian take a good photo so he can be our first “Ranger!”

  40. Peter Courtenay Stephens

    He has a very good one.

  41. Travis Lovelace

    Any possible way of joining the protection team?

  42. Taylor

    Thank you for answering! I have already posted the pictures on some sites, and hopefully I can get to that comic somehow. I promise to share the results when I get any.

  43. Basil Scafidi

    hello Rory,
    Just wondering how much of the donated money is actually getting to Africa to help fight this war?
    Also, your ‘contact us’ page has no contact info on it? or it’s not showing up for me? can you send me an email please.
    Thanks, Basil

  44. Lisa Groeneweg

    Hello Basil, I am proud to say that so far 100% of donations to Chengeta Wildlife have gone to Africa to fight this war. Chengeta is run by passionate volunteers who donate their time and skills. Overhead costs so far have been underwritten by our dedicated board members.

    Our website is undergoing some construction right now. I will send you an email with our contact information. 🙂

  45. janet planet

    Join the March for Elephants, Rhinos, and Lions on Oct 4 in your city.
    Find your city here:
    http://march4elephantsandrhinos.org

    Join 131 other cities across 6 continents all marching to end the poaching and stop the elephant and rhino holocaust that is going on across Africa right now. Terrorists are murdering animals with abandon to fund their terrorism. China buys their poached elephant tusks and rhino horn for their carving factories and for fake medicine. People in China and throughout Asia are snorting rhino horn… they are too stupid to understand rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material in human hair and nails. It’s like grinding up your own nail clippings and snorting them.
    We are their voice and we must take action now to stop their impending extinction. We only have a few years left before it’s too late. Raise your voice on their behalf!

  46. lisagroeneweg@hotmail.com

    Dawnel,
    You can purchase a Chengeta T-shirt here:

    https://www.bonfirefunds.com/stop-the-killing

  47. Elise

    I have read with great interest the comments. Thank you all for caring. I am deeply disturbed by what is happening to elephants in Africa , India, in roadside zoos in the USA too. I appreciate what your organization wants to accomplish. Sadly, I feel a viable strategy for Africa to slow down the butchery may include paying locals to NOT be complicit with poachers. Frankly, locals make a living helping poachers. So pay them to make a living NOT helping. Apparently India rewards those financially who report poachers and abusers. Good laws are important but you must have power to enforce them. I just don’t see there being enough armed rangers to do this on a large scale.

    Is your organization a 501 (c) 3? Forgive me if I missed this, how are you collaborating with with other sometimes long-established organizations with a presence in Africa who have similar if not the same goals? Who perhaps have strong relationships with or access to those in African government with power to change laws (as in consequences for poachers and those who aid them.) I’d be overjoyed to have an international effort boycotting imports from the countries using ivory.

  48. lisagroeneweg@hotmail.com

    Thank you for your comment Elise. We want local populations to realize that the flora and fauna is their ecological heritage. They must value it for themselves and their descendants. Excerpts from the introduction of Rory Youngs Anti-poaching Manual:

    This manual primarily deals with stopping poaching on the ground and deterring poaching. However, the necessity of education and awareness as well as other factors are always intertwined with these objectives. For example a crucial part of operations, pro-active investigation, is dependent on good relations with the community, which in turn is usually a result of educating the community about the benefits and importance of protecting wildlife and wild areas, and by raising levels of awareness within those communities of poaching problems being experienced. This education and raising of awareness leads to the cooperation that allows for good pro-active investigation whereby even unpaid informants provide information on poaching-related activity.

    We must protect the biodiversity and health of our natural environment for our own well-being. That said we cannot expect man to return all areas to nature, but we can and must ensure that what natural treasures still exist are protected and maintained in a healthy state. This is why governments and other organizations create protected areas; they are intended to ensure the survival of important ecosystems and their components for perpetuity.
    Removing any component of these natural areas, most especially keystone species, will have a devastating and often unpredictable domino effect that will degrade both these areas themselves and contribute to further change of our human environments.

    Change to the human environment inevitably leads to disease, hunger, poverty, and war. A good example of this is desertification in North Africa; the southerly extension of the Sahara and other North African dry areas, which has caused deadly stresses to the peoples inhabiting the boundaries of these places. In order to survive, pastoral peoples have been forced to relocate south to areas inhabited by other ethnic groups, thus putting strain on local resources and inter-ethnic relations with the result being hunger, poverty and warfare.

    Rory goes into great detail within the manual about payment of legal rewards to community members for information on poaching activity. We hope to get a printed copy of the Anti-Poaching Field Guide, free of charge, into the hands of everyone who is in the field, working against poaching. At present we are giving free PDF copies to those groups.

    We are a new organization and have not yet been approved as a 501(c)3, though we are applying to become a nonprofit. As of today, 100% of our donations are used to fund the work in Africa! All of our overhead/fundraising costs have been underwritten by our board members.

    We are partners with and work very closely with ALERT, an established 501(c)3 in the US and also approved non-profit in the UK. ALERT makes all the necessary arrangements for our training sessions. The page I linked to is where our field guide is offered for sale.

    We have just begun collaborating with Wildlife Conservation Society of Vietnam to raise awareness of the true cost of ivory there. We train African anti-poaching units including police, community scouts, units hired by NGO’s, units from private concessions as well as national park rangers. We work with many different organizations and work very hard to promote a united effort against poaching.

    In October, 2014 in partnership with the United Nations we will training in Guinea on behalf of their Ministry of the Environment, Water and Forests, to establish anti-poaching units there. They have not had APU’s in their national parks since 1966. We are also scheduled to train the national park rangers from Malawi, Burundi and Central African Republic. These countries are very poor and have been hard hit by poaching, staving off poaching there is a challenge we look forward to.

    This week Rory Young has been meeting with high level officials from a large group of central African nations. There will be a press release soon giving the exciting results!

    As you can see, we are making great strides for a young organization and we have much more planned!

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  51. graphic t shirts

    I will immediately clutch your rss as I can’t to find your email subscription link or newsletter service.

    Do you’ve any? Please allow me recognize so that I could subscribe.
    Thanks.