At the end of 2023, my three-month elephant conservation experience on the vast plains of Kenya's Maasai Mara completely rewrote my life story. Living day and night alongside these gentle giants on the endless savanna made me rethink the relationship between humans and nature. In this podcast, I've invited my dear friend and colleague Deep Lex, the Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator at Mara Elephant Project.
Deep Lex's story is itself full of drama—from a university student studying tourism management, to losing his job during the pandemic and starting a podcast at home, to finally finding his life's calling on the African plains as an elephant guardian. The Mara Elephant Project we worked together at has truly made history: when it was founded in 2011, it was at the height of the poaching crisis, with 96 elephants killed in 2012 alone. But through more than a decade of dedicated efforts, they not only reduced poaching numbers to zero but also its footprint covers 24 community conservancies in Kenya, making the word 'conservation' truly take root on the ground.
2023年底，我在肯尼亚马赛马拉大草原的三个月大象保护经历，彻底重写了我的人生故事。在无边的草原上与这些温柔巨兽朝夕相处，让我重新思考了人与自然的关系。这期播客里，我请来了当时并肩作战的好朋友Dibblex，马拉大象项目的社区推广协调员。
Dibblex的故事本身就充满力量，从草原变长大的孩子走进大学里学旅游管理的，到因为疫情失业在家创办播客，再到最终在非洲草原上找到人生使命，成为大象守护者。我们一起工作的的马拉大象项目更是穿凿了历史：2011年成立时，正值偷猎危机最严重的时刻，仅2012年就有96头大象被杀害。但通过十多年的努力，他们不仅将偷猎数量降至零，还将保护的范围扩大到24个社区保护区，让"保护"这个词真正落地生根。
这是一期英文播客的尝试，我自己非常期待大家能听到Dibblex自己的声音，但也希望更多的朋友能够轻松的听节目。所以在下一期中，我会将本期的内容用中文讲述，添加一些我自己的感受和背景信息，感兴趣的朋友们可以订阅《泡泡星球》，我们两周后再见。
时间戳
- 09:18 - Dibblex's story: from the nature, back to the nature （Dibblex的故事：从自然中来，到自然中去）
- 13:33 - Close Encounters with Elephants（与大象的亲密接触）
- 21:00 - The Power of Ownership From the Community （当地人主人翁意识的力量）
- 29:36 - Elephant Cropraiders: Smart Elephants vs. Smarter Solutions (吃庄稼的大象：人与象的斗智斗勇）
- 34:50 - Habitat Protection: From fencing to trees (保护栖息地：从栅栏到森林）
- 43:59 - Unsung Heros: Rangers (真正的无名英雄：巡护员）
- 55:04 - To Our Chinese Friends: Appreciation and a Call to Action (致中国朋友：感恩与倡议）
Social Media 社交媒体
- www.maraelephantproject.org
- @maraelephantproject (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)
Photos 照片墙
我居住的营地也是长尾猴的乐园
不同年代大象颈部的追踪器
正在进食的象群
独自游走的公象
