The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) welcomes the recent agreement between Kenya's leaders to resolve the political crisis that broke out after closely contested national elections late last year.

In regards to the impact on conservation work – an area in which Kenya has shown long leadership – it will take time before the full impact of the crisis is known. The economic toll, however, looms large. As tourists canceled plans and chose other destinations, parks were forced to lay off staff and cut critical programs. To revive Kenya's world-renowned tourism sector, it is thus essential that national parks and other conservation programs get the support they need. So we can ensure that key lands and wildlife are protected, AWF urges our friends and partners to continue supporting our work in Kenya.

South Africa announced it will end its 1995 suspension of elephant culling to manage its burgeoning elephant populations. Since the 1995 suspension, the elephant population in Kruger National Park has grown from 8,000 to an estimated 12,500, and is said to be hurting the park’s biodiversity.

In response to the announcement, AWF strongly believes that combining parks, private lands and community areas into large conservation and tourism landscapes is the best way to manage elephant populations and other wildlife. Specifically, in southern Africa, AWF has pursued a strategy of supporting full implementation of the larger Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which would allow elephants and other wildlife to spread out into the parts of Mozambique and Zimbabwe adjoining South Africa.

Experts agree that culling is heartbreaking, dangerous, and very expensive, and it is only considered regretfully as a last option when the long term well-being of elephants and other wildlife is at risk. The South African announcement of February 25 stated that culling would be allowed only as a tool “of last resort.” AWF believes that in this instance, the South African local wildlife authorities are in the best position to determine when and where the highly undesirable option of culling must be resorted to.

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Pollution, unchecked development, and uncontrolled fishing are endangering the ecological health of the Chobe River, experts recently told the Daily News, a Botswana daily. The Chobe River marks the boundaries of Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe and flows along the northeastern border of Botswana’s Chobe National Park.

According to experts, many lodges and other buildings are too close to the riverbank, increasing the risk that sewage and other man-made chemicals will end up in the water.

Recently, fish in the Chobe River were attacked by a disease caused by human waste that likely leaked from the sewage system of area lodges.