Tanzania Elephant Protection Society (TEPS)
TEPS aims to connect those with the political will, those with the financial capability and those with the courage of their own convictions to ensure that future generations may continue to live in a wonderful and diverse natural world.
"The survival of our wildlife is a matter of grave concern to all of us in Africa. These wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabit are not only important as a source of wonder and inspiration, but are an integral part of our natural resources and our future livelihood and well being.In accepting the trusteeship of our wildlife we solemnly declare that we will do everything in our power to make sure that our children's grand-children will be able to enjoy this rich and precious inheritance.
The conservation of wildlife and wild places calls for specialist knowledge, trained manpower and money, and we look to other nations to co-operate with us in this important task - the success or failure of which not only affects the continent of Africa but the rest of the world as well."
Julius K. Nyerere, Arusha Manifesto, 1961
2013: The natural world is under severe attack from a new wave of demand for animal products. Elephant ivory has offered the poachers a perfect combination of high value and easy availability. Not for long. Half of Africa’s elephants have gone well inside the last decade; Tanzania is one of the last great sanctuaries and the Selous Game Reserve is its largest protected area. In 2011 alone, Selous lost nearly 10% of its elephants (over 4,000 animals). TEPS pulled together every individual and organisation with a will to stop the slaughter, from senior members of government to concerned members of staff in tourist camps, and convened a conference. The conference spawned the task force which presented its recommendations to the parliament in Dodoma, and now government policy has been changed. Poaching is being tackled head on, with massive increases in budget, manpower, equipment and the energy required to smash the poaching rings. This is the work of TEPS, but the story has only just begun ...