Najib Balala, Kenya’s Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, presided at the first-ever Magical Kenya Elephant Naming Festival on Saturday, October 19, with the goal of embracing conservation and, eventually, assuring the preservation of Kenya’s legacy.
Individuals and organizations that donated funding to the effort gave names to selected elephants during the event, which took place at Amboseli National Park, which has 1900 elephants, including 200 calves due in 2020.
Tusker, Serian, Pendo, Magical Kenya, are among the names of the 20 elephants given by their adoptive parents- East African Breweries Limited, Kenya Commercial Bank, and Kenya Tourism Board respectively.
CS Balala, speaking at the event, praised the event for involving the people in conservation efforts and pledged the government’s commitment to ensuring the event’s viability, even as he revealed plans to expand it internationally.
The ministry also raised Ksh 16.5 million as of Saturday, October 19, against a target of Ksh100 million for the financial year 2021-2022. And Patrick Omondi, Director of Wildlife, Research Training Institute, stated that the funding will be utilized to improve technology through elephant collaring, which assists KWS rangers in anticipating when elephants are in danger. Part of the funds, Omondi said, will also be directed towards the enhancement of existing community-led projects that will improve the livelihoods of the locals.
Some of the other elephants’ adoptive parents included: Africa Wildlife Foundation, Animal Adoption, Advocacy LLc, Chandaria Foundation, East Africa Safari Rally, Ken and Joan Wakia, Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM), Mediheal Hospital, East Africa Safari Rally, Chandaria Foundation, and Oltukai Lodges.
Share this page