Dear Giraffe Friends,

As Spring approaches, we are happy to send you positive updates on our giraffe conservation work in Africa!

I just spent two weeks in Kenya visiting multiple ongoing projects, as well as having some significant high-level discussions with key Kenyan decision makers in the wildlife space. I was reminded once again of the Kenyan people’s warmth and sense of humor, both of which are really special. Not to mention seeing giraffe moving freely and happily across the landscapes we support is always a treat!

Photo: A proud friend towering over the bush.

Save Giraffes Now continues to further develop relationships within the Kenya Wildlife Service, thanks largely to our Head of East Africa Operations, Aggrey Chemwa, who works very closely with them. We were happy to see in person the new giraffe trailer that Save Giraffes Now recently had manufactured, proudly displayed at KWS headquarters. We are in the process of procuring additional equipment for future giraffe translocations in Kenya that will make trips much safer and more comfortable for the giraffe.

Photos: The new giraffe trailer replaces the previous one, which was built approximately 20 years ago. It features upgraded equipment such as a winch and battery packs to make loading and unloading safer and more efficient.

The Save Giraffes Now team is also proudly collaborating with Kenya Wildlife Service veterinarians and researchers to study tick-borne diseases to develop solutions for these dangerous illnesses. SGN’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Liza Dadone, and Director of East Africa Operations, Aggrey Chemwa, are working together with Dr. Edward King’ori, a world-renowned tick researcher with Kenya Wildlife Service.

We would also like to give a big shoutout to the team at the Emakoko Lodge, who have started an acacia (and other native plant species) seedling program, which is enabling us to procure trees for Swara Plains Conservancy and Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary, a new SGN partner near Lake Naivasha. These tree seedlings are being provided at no cost to Save Giraffes Now and our partners and will greatly help improve giraffe habitat in these areas.

In other news, two members of the Save Giraffes Now team, Dr. Liza Dadone (Head Veterinarian) and Kayla Walisch (Chief Operating Officer), recently returned from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. We were grateful for the opportunity to share our work with others in conservation and animal care. Dr. Liza highlighted some of our work in Botswana. Her speech demonstrated how Save Giraffes Now works closely with local communities on giraffe translocations and follow-ups, and was especially well-received at the conference.