Holy Crap, I Like Adventure As Much As The Next Guy, But This Is A Little Much.....

[sestoppelman]

Did you all know that the real behind the scenes reason that Kenya banned hunting was because the First Lady of Kenya at the time was coordinating the ivory poaching and she/they didn’t want the safari operators and PHs in the field to witness what was going on? Yes, the First Lady and the government was supporting the ivory poaching!

Have never heard that before but I guess it wouldnt be too surprising if true. How did you come by that bit of info?

 

[mark-hunter]

Did you all know that the real behind the scenes reason that Kenya banned hunting was because the First Lady of Kenya at the time was coordinating the ivory poaching and she/they didn’t want the safari operators and PHs in the field to witness what was going on? Yes, the First Lady and the government was supporting the ivory poaching!

It is well known fact. It was mentioned in several books on safari. Even there are allegations in wikipedia.
The story is army was sent to slaughter elephants, and Ivory smuggled by Kenyatta private jet to China.

This is from wiki:
In the 1970s, Ngina Kenyatta (Mama Ngina), wife of then-President Jomo Kenyatta, and other high-level government officials were allegedly involved in an ivory-smuggling ring that transported tusks out of the country in the state private aeroplane.[10][11][12][13][14] New Scientist claimed that there was now documentary proof that at least one member of "Kenya's royal family" (the Kenyatta) had shipped over six tons of ivory to China.[10]

 

[sestoppelman]

It is well known fact. It was mentioned in several books on safari. Even there are allegations in wikipedia.
The story is army was sent to slaughter elephants, and Ivory smuggled by Kenyatta private jet to China.

This is from wiki:
In the 1970s, Ngina Kenyatta (Mama Ngina), wife of then-President Jomo Kenyatta, and other high-level government officials were allegedly involved in an ivory-smuggling ring that transported tusks out of the country in the state private aeroplane.[10][11][12][13][14] New Scientist claimed that there was now documentary proof that at least one member of "Kenya's royal family" (the Kenyatta) had shipped over six tons of ivory to China.[10]

Seeing that info there does ring a bell inside my noggin, not that you post that. I do sort of recall it now. Thanks.

 

[PerH]

Thats something to use against the ara,many of them Kenya based. In their mlm almost way of thinking " they saved nature by banning hunting there"

 

[mark-hunter]

Hypocrisy they show now, after that, is public burning Ivory they do.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Again, Kenya well known fact.

 

[Wheels]

Did you all know that the real behind the scenes reason that Kenya banned hunting was because the First Lady of Kenya at the time was coordinating the ivory poaching and she/they didn’t want the safari operators and PHs in the field to witness what was going on? Yes, the First Lady and the government was supporting the ivory poaching!

Both the first lady and daughter of Jumo Kenyatta were involved.

Eric Balson wrote a book that the publishers wouldn't print unless the names were changed. He wouldn't change the names. Viva Balson has evidently given the book to Ian Manning who is in the process of publishing the book. That information comes from post#4 in this thread.

Hopefully the book will be published soon!

In memoriam - Eric "Bwana" Balson Passes Away

Another one of the "old timers" has gone. Having been out of the country I am way behind on my email but just found his obituary. Bwana Balson was our game warden in southern Tanzania in the late 1960's. He was a great hunter and conservationist. He wrote two books that were published by...

www.africahunting.com

 

[WAB]

It is a very frustrating story. One of the gems of Africa destroyed by greed and corruption. To make things worse, they’ve convinced the average Kenyan that what little wildlife they have left is there only because hunting was banned. This book can’t be published soon enough.

 

[mark-hunter]

This was also mentioned (and published) in one of Craig Boddingtons books, now I can not exactly remember which one, as I have read all his African titles.

 

[mark-hunter]

, they’ve convinced the average Kenyan that what little wildlife they have left is there only because hunting was banned.

I think the average Kenyan doesn't care, especially the rural and tribal ones, raising cattle.
Disappearance of wildlife in Kenya, in my view is result of that activity in wild, looking for pastures and making uncontrolled encroachment.
And lack of proper game watch keeping from govt side, which resulted in disappearance of white rhino, and reduction of everything else. (as opposed to 20.000 or more white rhinos in south africa and namibia)

All in all, this is an average peoples (tribal) job, one looking for pastures, the other looking for money from the horn.

For example, below is screen shot from Anglia Survival documentary vintage 1975,
You can find it on yout tube.
Title "The dusts of Kilimanjaro".
A rhino wounded by Massai spear, and later confirmed to be had to be put down, due to this wounding.
Amboselli is national park in Kenya. Spear is Massai

Human wildlife conflict.
If there is no financial incentive to keep wild animals around, local poverty will move them away, to make their living