TAKING THE ELEPHANT OUT OF THE ROOM CONFERENCE
The EMS Foundation organised a conference in South Africa which took place on the 6th September 2019. Elephant experts from around the world were invited to discuss the subject of Africa’s Role in Elephants in captivity.
The panelists included the previously mentioned Elephant experts Dr Joyce Poole, Dr Marion Garai, Dr Keith Lindsay, Dr Audrey Delsink, Dr Yolanda Pretorius, Antoinette van der Water and Brett Mitchell.
These are the short biographical details of the other expert panelists:
Dr Gaye Bradshaw
Dr Gay Bradshaw holds doctorate degrees in both Ecology and Psychology and a Master’s degree in Geophysics. Dr Bradshaw’s research expertise focuses on the sources and healing of human-caused violence to Animals.
Dr Bradshaw was first to diagnose Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in free living Elephants and Chimpanzees which has led to the establishment of the field of trans-species psychology— the theory and practice animal psychological rehabilitation and conservation.
Dr Bradshaw’s published books include Pulitzer Prize nominated Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach Us about Humanity (2009), Carnivore Minds: Who These Fearsome Animals Really Are (2017), and Talking with Bears: Conversations with Charlie Russell (2020). The Elephant Letters: The Story of Billy and Kani (2014), How Landscapes Change (Springer-Verlag) and Minding the Animal Psyche (Spring 2010).
Dr Bradshaw is the Executive Director of The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence, and The Tortoise and the Hare Sanctuary located in Oregon, USA.
Gay’s research has been featured in numerous media, including ABC 20/20, Stern, National Geographic, New York Times, Time, New Scientist, Nature, and the London Telegraph. Her area of specialization is elderly individuals who have suffered capture and captivity.
Professor David Bilchitz
is a Professor of Fundamental Rights and Constitutional Law at the University of Johannesburg and Director of the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law (SAIFAC).
Professor Bilchitz was also Secretary-General of the International Association of Constitutional Law, and a Director of Animal Law Reform South Africa. Professor Bilchitz has a BA (Hons) LLB cum laude from Wits University. He graduated with an MPhil in Philosophy from St John’s College, University of Cambridge and with a PhD in law from the same university.
Professor Bilchitz worked as law clerk to Deputy Judge-President Langa of the South African Constitutional Court in 2000. Professor Bilchitz has been quoted and published widely with 1 monograph, 4 edited collections, 21 book chapters and over 40 journal articles.
Professor Bilchitz is a Director of Animal Law Reform South Africa. He has written several articles considering the changes that the new democratic constitutional order – that emerged in South Africa in 1994 – should bring about in relation to the status and entitlements of animals.
Professor Bilchitz has also actively sought to change the plight of animals in South Africa. He was intrinsically involved with the campaign to stop the resumption of elephant culling; and provided the necessary input that positively impacted upon the Norms and Standards on Elephant Management in South Africa, a vital piece of legislation that comes closest to engaging directly with the interests of animals. Professor Bilchitz has also been intricately involved with making submissions to parliament and the executive around the Performing Animals Protection Act in South Africa.
Jim Karani
Jim Karani is a Director at Lawyers for Animal Protection in Africa (LAPA) a non-profit organisation that engages in research and advocacy involving animal law issues in Africa.
Jim Karani is Africa’s first Animal lawyer and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya who holds a Bachelor degree in Law (LL.B) from University of Nairobi, Kenya; a Master’s degree in Animal Law(LL.M) from Northwestern Lewis & Clark Law School, USA; and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Law (LL.D) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Prior to LAPA, Jim Karani worked as the Legal Affairs Manager at WildlifeDirect Kenya engaging in the “Hands Off Our Elephants Campaign” leading environmental public interest litigation.
Jim Karani managed the Eyes in the Courtroom program in partnership with Kenya’s Judiciary to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement in Kenya. He tracks the progress of wildlife crime casesincourt rooms inKenyato ensure wildlife traffickers are brought to justice and facilitates best practice – capacity building efforts aimed at strengthening law enforcement’s response to wildlife crime.
Jim Karani is also is involved in public interest litigation that champions the enforcement and compliance of laws to protect and preserve wildlife habitats and their wild populations.
He is an expert in international comparative law and advices on the implementation of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Criminal, Environmental and Natural Resources Law.
He is keen on bringing wildlife traffickers and poachers to justice and securing the preservation and protection of wildlife habitats that allow non-human animals to thrive and endure forever. Mr Karani has worked on the some of the largest Elephant poaching cases in the world as an Attorney and Advocate of the High Court in Kenya and previous as the legal Affairs Manager for Wildlife Direct, a non-profit operating in Kenya to strengthen Kenya’s response to wildlife crime.
Kahindi Lekalhaile
Kahindi Lekalhaile is the head of the newly-created Department of Planning and Research for the African Network for Animal Welfare. The ANAW has spearheaded the drafting of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 and review of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, CAP 360. The ANAW is also responsible for the amendments to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 in order to effectively address animal welfare issues arising from Wildlife Crime. ANAW is responsible for the formation of a platform that brings together law enforcement institutions and animal welfare practitioners to look into wildlife and environmental crimes.
The role of this department is to spearhead evidence-led paling for impactful interventions by the organisation, Kahindi Lekalhaile has a wealth of knowledge and working experience gained from employment over time by different wildlife, ecotourism and environmental organisations in Africa and as a full-time researcher.
Kahindi Lekalhaile was the CEO of Ecotoruism Kenya before he joined ANAW in 2014.
He has a Masters I Environmental Studies from the University of Strathclyde and is a candidate for the award of doctorate degree in Tourism Management at Moi University.
He spent much of his earlier life as the coordinator and manager of the STE project for monitoring the illegal killing of elephants (MIKE) in the Laikipia-Samburu areawhere his achievements earned him the Disney Wildlife Conservation Effort Award in 2006.
His work was featured in documentaries and news features produced by Reuters, CNN, the National Geographic and the recent BBC series entitled: “Living with elephants”. Kahindi Lekalhaile has published several peer-reviewed journals. He is the technical advisor to several community-based wildlife conservancies.