Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 April 2009
In 1966 the Ford Foundation made a grant of £78,000 to finance a three-year research project in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. The big problem to be investigated was the vast and increasing numbers of elephants which were said to be destroying the park by their wholesale destruction of trees. A research programme was started, involving the killing of large numbers of elephants. This aroused considerable controversy, and in May 1968 the Director and a research ecologist resigned. Research has, however, continued under the direction of the author, who is Botanist Warden, aided by a zoologist, both of whom joined the project later in 1968, and a count of the elephants in 1969 showed that they had not increased at all since 1965. Dr Glover's account of the work that is being done, the findings so far, and the changes in the park itself explains why it is important that the work should continue, and for this new funds must be found.