Life on the African plains has always been defined by the rains. There are the long rains, typically between March and May, and the short rains, from October to December. The time between these brief periods of bounty is all about survival. And so it has been for millennia: Nature gives and nature takes.

This year, nature was unforgiving. The abundance that defined the previous two years was replaced by scarcity. Poor rains spawned a long and difficult dry season, one that tested all manner of life. It was an incredibly challenging time on the conservation front, as we grappled with daily field emergencies, an uptick in illegal activities, and an unprecedented influx of orphans. Yet, disguised beneath drought-stricken plains and parching sunlight, the bounty of nature was still all around us.

As we turn the page on our 44th year of operations, I invite you to explore our 2021 Newsletter and discover all the work you helped make possible. Because of you, we are able to navigate these extraordinary times and rise to the challenge time and again.

– Angela Sheldrick