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Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE)

The most reliable continental measure of poaching pressure is the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme, established by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). There are around 50 MIKE sites across Africa.

The Samburu-Laikipia MIKE site in Kenya is the most data-rich on the continent, and is coordinated by Save the Elephants. Every elephant carcass that is heard about is visited by either our team or one of our partners and cause of death assessed. One measure that results from the MIKE program, the ‘Proportion of Illegally Killed Elephants’ (PIKE), gives an index of poaching pressure that is independent of the resources put into detection of carcasses.

In 2012, 72% of dead elephants had been poached, indicating crisis-levels of poaching and a population in steep decline. By 2014 this had been reduced to 48%, a level at which births exceed deaths, and in the first quarter of 2015 the PIKE was reduced to 37% – a level that it had not descended to since before the crisis hit the area.

Save The Elephants and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have been collaborating with CITES on their monitoring illegal killing and hunting of elephants project since 2002. STE coordinates MIKE harmonisation meetings to collate elephant mortality statistics with numerous partners in both Samburu-Laikipia and the Masai Mara including the Northern Rangelands Trust, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Samburu Trust, Space for Giants and the Mara Elephant Project.

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How You Can Help

Over the last years our world-leading conservation efforts have been possible thanks to the dedication and generosity of loyal supporters. To join them you can donate in a number of ways:

Elephant Crisis Fund

Elephants are fast disappearing from the wild. Without urgent, international action they could be gone within a generation. The Elephant Crisis Fund provides rapid, catalytic support for the most effective projects designed to stop the killing, thwart traffickers and end the demand for ivory. 100% of all donations reach the field.

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