An elephant in a skirt? Not quite. This is a giant puppet created through a collaboration between No Strings and Born Free with Kenyan communities affected by human-elephant conflict.

It’s easy to make judgements about the shrinking territory of elephants in the wild. It is harder to live beside animals that can destroy a family’s crops, and with them a year’s income, in a single night.

On the other side of the Meru National Park fence, the one the elephants climb through at night to get to crops, or to water when farmers’ irrigation channels have depleted their own sources, or to follow the migration routes of their ancestors, the wild elephants are being photographed by wealthy tourists. 

The majority of Kenyan villagers are unable to afford the park entry fees and experience only their destructive side. 

Aimed largely at adults, our approach recognises that effective programming needs to afford community members the dignity of being heard, and a space to enjoy the process of being present. The elephant puppets create a striking focus for conversation, allowing people to gather, respond, laugh, question and reflect together.

Meet Leo as he spends a day with the Born Free Lion Monitoring Team.