The judicial process is on-going in the case brought against Soila Sayialel and Robert Ntawuasa. We cannot comment any further while this process unfolds, and nor will we be speaking to the press. We have been assured by KWS that they regard the Amboseli Trust for Elephants as a highly valued partner and that there is no question that we will be permitted to continue our work in the ecosystem. With this welcome reassurance, we will return our attention to what we are here for: a harmonious and secure future for Amboseli’s people, wildlife and elephants. CM

We are very sorry to report that ATE is facing some of our most challenging times ever. Our Deputy Director Soila Sayialel and Technical Support Assistant Robert Sayialel were arrested and charged with ivory smuggling. We have no belief in these allegations and we are confident an investigation will exonerate them of all charges. We will not comment further on the facts of the case until we have had chance to consult with our lawyers, but we ask everyone to remember that we have fought for and dedicated our lives to elephants for decades. We do not intend to stop now.

By Matthew Knight, CNN

Read the complete article at CNN

London (CNN) -- Africa's western black rhino is now officially extinct according the latest review of animals and plants by the world's largest conservation network.

Today, May 3, 2013 is the fourth anniversary of Echo’s death. She was probably the best-known wild elephant in the world, but for us in Amboseli she was almost a daily presence, frequently feeding and resting with her family in and around our research camp. We still miss Echo, but we are very happy to report that her family is thriving.

A very powerful film on elephants will be shown on Earth Day, April 22, 7:00-7:45 ET/PT, exclusively on HBO. Narrated and executive produced by Lily Tomlin and directed by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, both Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole are in the film.

New research shows that we have grossly underestimated both the scope and the scale of animal intelligence. Primatologist Frans de Waal on memory-champ chimps, tool-using elephants and rats capable of empathy.

Read the complete article in the Wall Street Journal

Who is smarter: a person or an ape? Well, it depends on the task. Consider Ayumu, a young male chimpanzee at Kyoto University who, in a 2007 study, put human memory to shame. Trained on a touch screen, Ayumu could recall a random series of nine numbers, from 1 to 9, and tap them in the right order, even though the numbers had been displayed for just a fraction of a second and then replaced with white squares.

Forest elephant numbers have decreased by 62% across Central Africa over the last 10 years, according to a study.

Read the complete article in BBC Nature News

The analysis confirmed fears that African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are heading for extinction, possibly within the next decade.

In this important article we argue against a legal ivory trade, which, unfortunately, some mis-guided and naive economists think is possible and recommended.
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/1800368/elephants_are_not...

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-103402/china-fueling-elephant-poa...

Open this BBC page, then click on the red triangle symbol on the left side of the video screen to start playing.