A Heartbreaking Discovery at the 11 month checkup of Mowana MJ

In early March 2024 Tebogo began to check on the Mowanas that have been pasted for the Project.  He arrived first at the big Mowana he had named MJ. He found her completely wrapped in wire mesh that was secured to her with nails and plastic cable/zip ties. His pain can be felt in his words: Heart breaking exercise that was done by a stupid group that was recently funded by the NEF the same organization that never gave us feedback on our application for funds, I'm told this group chose this mowana that i named MJ - they came and found a completely recovered mowana and put mesh-wire around it claiming that it is the pilot project tree for them.......she is in real pain😭 He said he panicked and spent all night driving to all 15 Mowanas he is caring for. To his relief the were all doing very well, with no further elephant damage and ongoing evidence of recovery with no wire mesh. Mombo Camp run by Wilderness Safaris had tried this approach in the past (using rope to hold the mesh on) and found it didn't work for all of the reasons Tebogo points out. A year ago Cathy and Tebogo submitted a grant application to the NEF (National Environmental Fund) administered by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. That grant was awarded to the group who has wrapped this tree in wire.