Elephants Trump Avocados
“When we protect wildlife, we protect our future”
Breaking news – the case against the avocado farm reported in Stop the Madness on March 31st has been dismissed and the farm’s license revoked. Conservationists and community pastoralists fought back and won! This sets an important precedent. We must find ways to co-exist with wildlife. We need to employ sustainable models of agriculture that protect the land, the flora, the fauna, and the local communities. We must do it now. The future of our planet depends on it.
In an effort to get this story out to a larger audience I submitted “How Many Avocados Does it Take to Kill an Elephant?” to Africa Geographic. The editor responded positively and requested more data. He asked me to take out the emotion and resubmit the article as a news piece. No emotion in a story? That’s a challenge for me, a visual storyteller. Thanks to collaboration with the Big Life Foundation and their editorial help and images, Africa Geographic published the news story in their May 14th edition. You can read it here.
I learned some valuable lessons from this experience.
1. Collaborate
Working alone can feel like an uphill battle. Find your people, work in community. Social media can play a role in conservation. When I learned about the avocado farm via Paula Kahumbu’s Instagram post @wildlifedirect I was heartsick. I reached out and asked if I could support their cause with some of my Amboseli Images. Paula replied with an enthusiastic “Yes, thanks!” Wildlife Direct used several of my images in their online campaign.
2. Reach out – take a risk
Dare to reach out. There is no harm in asking. What’s the worst that can happen? If we don’t ask, we will never get to yes. If we don’t act, we won’t get to positive change.
3. Be generous
I’ve learned that generosity is often rewarded with more generosity. If you have something to offer – share it! There is an energy that grows with service. The rewards of connection, positive change, and networking are another measure of success. I met extraordinary people working on causes dear to my heart by joining the fight to protect the Amboseli elephants. Thanks to our mutual passion for elephants my photographs were shared with a larger audience.
4. Ask for help
I reached out to The Big Life Foundation for help when the editor of Africa Geographic responded to my first submission with a request for more data and maps, Mike Pflanz, journalist and media rep for BLF, responded with editorial support. See the generosity thread building?
5. Be flexible, maintain integrity
When Africa Geographic asked for further edits, Mike Pflanz graciously rewrote the article in a news format. I took my name off the story because it no longer felt like my writing. It is important to stay in integrity – but don’t give up! We became a collaborative team of journalist and photographer and the article was accepted.
6. Keep your eyes on the prize
The common goal of everyone involved in this campaign was the protection of the Amboseli elephants and the sustainable model of conservation with local Maasai. In order to do that, the encroachment of unsustainable agricultural development in the Kimana Wildlife Corridor had to stop. That focus set the parameters of our work.
7. Celebrate your success!
Kenyans celebrate with the universal language of song and dance. I am thrilled that AG published this story. I’m celebrating in spirit and look forward to celebrating with African friends when I return to Kenya. Enjoy this 60 second clip of the Kenyan Boys Choir celebrating.
8. Keep on nurturing your dreams
My hope is the news of the Kenyan government standing up to protect wildlife and surrounding communities becomes a global norm. I believe when we protect nature, nature in turn protects us. Together we can make a difference!
PS - It’s not too late to enter the free draw to win a signed 8x11 fine art print on archival matte paper of the Lion Family Portrait. Leave a comment or send an email to kathy@kathykarn.com answering one question: “How would you describe my website to a good friend who hasn’t visited it?” The winner will be announced at the end of May.