Emergency giraffe appeal

“The drought is so severe now that everything else is at standstill. I have never witnessed this level of desperation in my life.”

Kenya is in the middle of a severe drought, affecting both wildlife and locals in extreme ways. In Garissa County, East Kenya, our colleague Dr Abdullahi Ali Hussein is on the ground saving the giraffes and Grevy’s zebras, which are already at risk. This drought is turning an already serious situation into a life-threatening one. The failed rains, livestock grazing pressures and high temperatures have devastated over 80% of the pasture. Most watering holes are dry. Giraffes, as well as other local wildlife – including hirola antelope, African wild dogs, Grevy’s zebra, buffalo, and coastal topi – are all struggling to survive. Livestock are badly affected too. The lack of water leads the animals to encroach into important wildlife areas and is depleting their milk yield for pastoralists who badly need it.

The region is unlikely to see much rain this year, and temperatures are only going to rise. Ali expects ever more dried up water sources and barren vegetation. Local wildlife and livestock are deteriorating physically due to the lack of food and increased distance to water. Ali fears many of the animals will die.

Wildlife diseases are proliferating and, as if things couldn’t get any worse, poaching is on the rise as people struggle desperately to supplement diminishing food sources. Poachers trade bushmeat with locals for items like sugar and powdered milk, to trade further in neighbouring Somalia. The situation’s extremely fragile and volatile – for wildlife, livestock and all the people living in the region.

We’re providing Ali and his team with emergency relief to help wildlife, livestock and local communities.

Can you help provide some emergency relief?

£10 could help send water trucks to fill water pans with 6,000 gallons of water weekly for six months
£20 could provide food for zebras and hirola for six months, so they have milk to feed their young
£30 could provide treatment for wildlife injured by human-wildlife conflicts exacerbated by the drought
£40 could help Ali create access for wildlife along the Tana River, which they’re currently cut off from
£50 could help Ali’s rangers work with Kenya police and Kenya Wildlife Service to stop the emerging cross-border giraffe bushmeat trade

Would you be able to help provide any of the items above? Your donation will go a long way to help giraffes, zebras and other grazing animals in one of the worst droughts in living memory. Born and bred right there, Ali says it’s by far the worst he has ever seen. He can use our emergency funding to protect the animals from starvation and disease. Anything you give will help.

Can you help us urgently provide water and access to rivers?