Stop Deadly Droughts From Killing Thousands of Animals and People

Target: Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya

Goal: Invest in agroforestry and other measures to end dangerous drought conditions.

A heartbreaking image of six dead giraffes lying together symbolizes how Mother Nature—pushed to extremes by humanity—can cause the worst cruelty. These animals died as they desperately tried to reach a water source in drought-ravaged Kenya. They are the latest victims of an increasingly punishing climate.

Over half of Kenya has experienced record-shattering shortages of needed rainfall. As a result, over two million people are in danger of starvation (due to withering crops) and dehydration. The consequences do not end here. An estimated 4,000 giraffes could soon meet the same tragic fate as the six fallen wildlife, not to mention countless other animals facing similar setbacks.

Many human activities have fueled this crisis. While global warming and climate change have exerted a tremendous impact, more regional practices also share the blame. Rivers are being increasingly depleted by industry and agriculture. Illegal logging has eradicated forests that served as water catchment areas. And beneficial practices that can boost water supplies like agroforestry are largely dismissed and ignored.

Sign the petition below to urge this nation’s leaders to develop a plan of action that will protect a vital resource for all living beings.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear President Kenyatta,

Of all the natural resources on Earth, water is the one substance we must have for survival. As a recent photograph from Kenya depicting six dehydrated and deceased giraffes demonstrates, no living being can go for more than a few days without this resource. Alarmingly, Kenyan water is in critically short supply. These conditions have put millions of people and wildlife in danger and have contributed to potentially deadly communal conflicts.

This nation alone cannot curb the drought conditions, but you can mitigate the worst effects with well-reasoned action plans. A centerpiece of such a plan should be a strong investment in natural water catchment and restoration of rivers. Agroforestry and a committed crackdown on illegal logging could help the former issue, while stringent regulation of agriculture and industry operating near crucial water sources could provide an important starting point for the latter issue.

Water vending machines and water donations are short-term solutions. Please make long-term investments that will safeguard this world’s most vital natural resource.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Sangonda