Media Centre
Maliasili makes great African conservation organizations even better and we love to tell our story about how we’re doing that.
We also offer a unique opportunity to connect members of the media to local conservation organizations in Africa who have compelling stories, news, and insights to share about impactful community conservation solutions in Africa. Our portfolio partners are leading the way in conservation solutions.
This section of our site is designed for members of the media. You can find our latest press releases, media mentions and contact details.
Please contact Wanjiku Kinuthia for media enquiries:
Email: wkinuthia@maliasili.org
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Media Mentions
In recent months there has been a flurry of media coverage around the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic, including the loss of millions of dollars of tourism income on key conservation work in eastern and southern Africa. Maliasili partners are working on the ground to find creative solutions to the crisis, here are some of the key coverage of these issues:
Partner Media Mentions
July 29, 2020 | Nature, Ecology & Evolution
Conserving Africa’s wildlife & wildlands through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond by Peter Lindsey, James Allan, Peadar Brehony, Amy Dickman, Ashley Robson, Colleen Begg, Hasita Bhammar, Lisa Blanken, Thomas Breuer, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Michael Flyman, Patience Gandiwa, Nicia Giva, Dickson Kaelo, Simon Nampindo, Nyambe Nyambe, Kurt Steiner, Andrew Parker, Dilys Roe, Paul Thomson, Morgan Trimble, Alexandre Caron & Peter Tyrrell | A new article in Nature Ecology & Evolution looks closely at the conservation impacts of COVID-19 in Africa. The authors provide a number of recommendations for ways to address key challenges, one of which highlights the importance of supporting African civil society conservation efforts.
July 20, 2020 | The Independent
Covid-19 ecotourism collapse could spell disaster in the Masai Mara by Emma Ledger | The pandemic has resulted in the collapse of the tourism industry and the subsequent increase in wildlife poaching. Dickson Kaelo of Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association discusses the rise in commercial bushmeat due to high rates of unemployment. The Independent announces the launch of its Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign in partnership with Space for Giants.
July 17, 2020 | The Washington Post
Coronavirus is crushing tourism — and cutting off a lifeline for wildlife by Max Bearak | This piece looks at how coronavirus is crushing tourism and why community conservation is at risk. Dickson Kaelo of Kenya Wildelife Conservancies Association discusses how “thirty years of hard work building this ecosystem is being undone.”
June 10, 2020 | Mongabay
Audio: Conservationists find opportunity and community amidst current crises by Mike Gaworecki | Leela Hazzah, Lion Guardians’ Executive Director, was interviewed by Mongabay’s conservation podcast. She highlights the importance of local and grassroots organizations in supporting communities during the covid-19 crisis.
June 5th 2020 | Daily Nation Kenya
Invest more in complementary conservation | Dickson Kaelo, CEO of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, calls for greater investment in community conservation by the Kenyan government in response to the crisis, in an op-ed in the Daily Nation.
May 18th 2020 | Aljazeera
Could the pandemic threaten the survival of Africa's wildlife? | Presenter: Nick Clark; Guests: Daniel Sopia, Craig Millar, Kaddu Sebunya | Al Jazeera’s Inside Story discusses how the global pandemic has affected the wildlife tourism industry in Africa and how it could have repercussions on local and regional economies. In the video interview, panelists include: Daniel Sopia - Chief executive officer of Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association; Craig Millar - Head of security of Big Life Foundation; and Kaddu Sebunya - Chief executive officer of the African Wildlife Foundation. The panel talks about how the impacts of COVID could not only result in an increase in organized illegal wildlife poaching, but also a serious increase in unemployment.
May 5, 2020 | The Guardian
Conservation in crisis: ecotourism collapse threatens communities and wildlife by Patrick Greenfield and Peter Muiruri | Another piece that examines the impact of the collapse of international wildlife tourism on African conservation. Dickson Kaelo, CEO of Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, discusses the setbacks that wildlife conservation is now facing as well as the increased threat of bushmeat poaching due to the pandemic.
Maliasili Media Mentions
May 20th 2020 | Mongabay
From crisis to solutions for communities and African conservation (commentary) by Dickson Kaelo, Daniel Sopia, Damian Bell, Richard Diggle & Fred Nelso | A new commentary in Mongabay by Maliasili CEO, Fred Nelson, and several other partner organizations and colleagues working in eastern and southern Africa examines at the major challenges created by the collapse of international tourism- and the loss of billions of dollars in wildlife revenue at the local and national scale- across the region. The article also highlights opportunities for new solutions, and how those are starting to be developed by conservationists in the region, in response to the crisis. The article was first developed based on discussions held online through the African Conservation Leadership Network amongst the co-authors and other colleagues.
June 29th 2018 | Standford Social Innovation Review (SSIR)
Developing new models for collaboration in conservation By Fred Nelson & Jeffrey "Jefe" Parrish | Three innovative ways groups can work together across organizational fiefdoms and disciplinary siloes to meet conservation challenges locally and globally.
August 22th 2016 | Standford Social Innovation Review (SSIR)
Five ways to advance conservation entrepreneurship By Fred Nelson & Alasdair Harris | Meeting today’s growing conservation challenges requires that we find new ways of thinking about and practicing conservation, rooted in solving social problems through scalable methods and prototypes that deliver results.
October 25th 2015 | National Geographic Society Newsroom
Homegrown African Solutions to Elephant Poaching By Fred Nelson | By most counts, 2015 has been a devastating year for Africa’s elephants. Census results have documented large-scale declines from poaching in a number of key countries and protected areas. In just five years, Tanzania’s elephant population, which was formerly the second-largest national herd in Africa, has declined from more than 110,000 elephants...
For more media mentions > go to Articles