16th June 2009

After quite a few "cliff hanger" days, of which the 22nd May was the worst, we think the elephant's water security is now much better in the Gourma, thanks to your generosity and immediate response to the crisis.  The Water Tank is now built and Jake will be inspecting the final works in a few days time.  In the meantime some rain has fallen and hopefully will be enough to keep the elephants going until the main rains fall some time in June or July.  If not the water tank is available to them for emergency use.

From the donations raised so far, hopefully, we can now work to a more sustainable long-term solution in collaboration with our colleagues at DNCN.  Both Jake Wall and Susan Canney of EDG are in Mali currently and we look forward to hearing from them in the next few days with an update on the situation.

3rd June 2009

Early attempts at pumping water into Lake Banzena proved tricky, as it was very difficult to get more in than was going out by evaporation and cows and elephants drinking from it.

Water pumped into Lake Banzena was also being churned up with dust and becoming muddied by the extensive human, cattle and elephant use.  As a result Save the Elephants have built a water holding tank close to the lake for elephants and cattle to drink from. The volume of the holding tank  is 7 by 7 metres, 50 cm deep with a layer of concrete on the bottom.

Very luckily we received some light rain and the elephants have now moved 75km south west of Banzena in search of the water it deposited (although there are a few elephants still drinking from the pumps at night). If the heavy rains start in mid-June the way they normally do then the elephants should be alright this year but we will be closely monitoring what is happening. Lake Banzena is still bone dry and we’re wondering what might be in store in future years for these elephants if the lake doesn’t replenish fully. This could be one more negative result of a changing environment.

29th May - 9.43 AM
“There is water to south west now. Feels like rains are on the way”

28th May - 10.33 AM
“Overcast this morning, light sprinkles at 5.30am.  We are going to check on elephants at Imanane”

27th May - 11.32 PM
“It rained in the area today but not sure how much. Still no rain in Banzena.  Bull walked by up just now, he will probably come and drink once the workers have left.  Will check water quantity tomorrow. El Mehdi nervous until water is back in lake.”

27th May - 4.51 PM
"Some big promising clouds have suddenly built up...inshallah it rains today.  Are heading back to pump now and to oversee work on basin"

27th May – 3.41 PM
"hundreds of cows and goats around forage now.  Some goats so weak we had to help them stand up this morning. Think 3 elephants drank last night"

27th May – 3.26 PM
"Insanely hot here right now. Close to 50 degrees. Some elephants returning to Banzena. Drank from pump last night. Construction of basin underway"

27th May - 10:53
"Construction started this morning. Elephants drank from pump last night"

26th May 16:42
"Elephants back last night, some water still in the forest, going to make sure the pumps are going, started work on the concrete retaining water tank with the contractor and the DNCN."

26th May: 15:25
News from HQ in Nairobi to Jake in Mali (after tracking the collared elephants online we were able to inform Jake of their actual locations)
"It looks like in the extreme east water sources have dried up. One elephant called Achar who has been north in Adjora, yesterday made his way down to Gossi Lake where he's drinking with thousands of cattle."

24th May  17:40
"Leaving now for Norahi to check Ramata and Ali (elephants). Banzena Lake still dry. Jake"