Write Nature

Write Nature Write Nature is a British Columbia based creative writing business that specializes in natural history and environmental topics.

One entrance into the Serengeti, “endless plains” in the Maasai language, and a prominent setting in my next novel.
04/23/2026

One entrance into the Serengeti, “endless plains” in the Maasai language, and a prominent setting in my next novel.

12/23/2023

We believe the practical, direct action of rangers is the most necessary and effective way to overcome the environmental challenges of our time. Thin Green Line is a global not-for-profit conservation organisation.

12/14/2023

AN (ELEPHANT) HIGHWAY CALLED NAIRRABALA

Amboseli National Park (NP) is an oasis. It protects life-giving springs and swamps that keep animals – both wild and domestic – alive through the dry season, but it is too small to support all these animals on a permanent basis. Animals range far beyond its boundaries and if they cannot move freely, they will eventually die.

When animals leave the park, including elephants like Paolo, they move along favored routes known as migration corridors, some of which connect to neighboring ecosystems in Tanzania, the Rift Valley, and Tsavo.

The Kimana corridor, where Big Life has worked with landowners for the last decade, allows animals to move in and out of Amboseli NP to the east. But for animals moving north, the Nairrabala corridor is the key.

Nairrabala was communally-owned by the Maasai community of Olgulului Group Ranch. The area is going through a process called land subdivision, which will split it up into thousands of small parcels that can be bought and sold, and potentially fenced and converted to other land-uses.

Nairrabala is the most important route used by elephants and other animals to reach important natural resources in the north. The lines on the map shown here represent the movements of just 3 collared elephants over a 3-year period.

As you can see, Nairrabala is an elephant highway. This corridor is natural and currently clear of obstructions like fences and other development, but we need your help to keep it that way.

The corridor itself is 37,500 acres and each acre costs just under $10 a year to lease; this is money that goes directly to Maasai landowners in return for keeping their land open and available for wildlife use. By protecting wild habitats like Nairrabala, we can keep this ecosystem alive, and home to giants like Paolo.

Donate: biglife.org/paolo

Thanks to our partners at Amboseli Trust for Elephants for the elephant collar data.

12/03/2023

There have been two rhino births in Sumatra in the last 10 weeks!
At the sanctuary adjoining Way Kambas National Park, a female Sumatran rhino was born in late September. This was followed a week ago by the birth of a male rhino. Delilah gave birth to the as-yet-unnamed 25-kilogram male calf.
The male calf's father, Harapan, was the last Sumatran rhino in the world to be repatriated to Sumatra. His arrival from Cincinnati Zoo meant the entire population of Sumatran rhinos is now in Sumatra, (part of Indonesia). It was just over 20 years ago, at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, that Thin Green Line ambassador Dr Jane Goodall first laid eyes on a baby Sumatran rhino, then only a few hours old. It was the first successful birth of a captive Sumatran rhino in over 100 years.
New father Harapan (or Harry), was born in 2007 after many challenges, and as part of a bold plan by a consortium of American zoos working together with the Indonesian government.
“So does breeding a few rhinos save a species?” Dr Goodall said soon after Harapan was born. “Not by itself.”
“Demonstrating the value of wild animals to the people in an area where they live is the number one way to help protect those species and their habitat.”
“Perhaps the most important outcome of this successful captive breeding program is the increased public awareness and dedication to protecting the Sumatran rhinos – the wild, hairy rhinos – around the world, but especially in Indonesia.”
Sumatran rhinos are classified as critically endangered.
As well as working tirelessly to regenerate habitat, rangers at Way Kambas NP have prioritised their roles improving relationships with local communities.
That's a long post, but please remember that these rangers and their colleagues around the world need new field equipment. Our Christmas Appeal is raising funds for the conservation essentials that rangers need.
https://thingreenline.org.au/?form=FUNALLDTQGJ
📷 Vet Zulfi Arsan tends to one of the newly born Sumatran rhino calves at the sanctuary at Way Kambas National Park, (Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry).

11/07/2023

MOURNING THE QUEEN OF AMBOSELI

We are sad to report that Theodora, one of Amboseli’s oldest and most loved matriarchs has died of natural causes at the age at 57.

She had not been seen for months following the recent drought and everyone feared the worst. We were therefore surprised and delighted when she resurfaced in Kimana Sanctuary last week, however looking very frail. Big Life’s rangers monitored her closely, but she died peacefully on Thursday.

If there was ever an elephant worthy of being one of Amboseli’s queens, it would be Theodora. And her brother Tolstoy and nephew Tim, would have been two of its kings.

Over the course of her long reign she gave birth to 10 calves, endured 5 droughts, and withstood waves of ivory poaching and human development, yet time and again, she helped her family overcome these threats.

She was a member of the illustrious ‘T’ family, first recorded by Cynthia Moss, Director of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants and Harvey Croze back in 1973 – 50 years ago! They were led by a matriarch called Teresia who also had long, elegant tusks. It would be long tusks, but also long lives and resilience in the face of enormous challenges that would define the ‘T’s.

Theodora inherited her mother’s wisdom when she became matriarch of the family in 2003 and her biggest test came in 2009, during the worst drought in living memory. By the time the rains had returned, a quarter of Amboseli’s elephants had perished, yet remarkably Theodora had kept her entire family alive.

While it is always sad to lose a great matriarch, we should be reminded of Cynthia Moss’ words that: “Other than Amboseli, there truly aren’t many places in Africa where it’s possible for elephants to live out their full lifespan.” This is something that should be celebrated, and Big Life is proud to play a significant role in ensuring that this is the case.

📸: Josh Clay

09/14/2023

Here’s how newfound “spicy” birds resist their potent neurotoxin

Address

North Saanich, BC
V8L1K4

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Write Nature posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Write Nature:

Shortcuts

Share