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A new A Rocha book launches!

Still have some Christmas gifts to find for friends and family? How about getting them a copy of The Whole Easter Story: Why the Cross is Good News for All Creation by A Rocha International’s Jo Swinney?  

This 40-day Lent Devotional includes a six-week small group discussion guide and explores how the cross transforms not just our own individual connection with Jesus, but also our relationships with each other and our world.  

All royalties go to A Rocha’s conservation work around the world. 

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*For those outside Europe, please use a local supplier. 

 Narrated with honesty, warmth and the insightful perspective of a storyteller – and accompanied by Jo’s warmly sensitive sketches of particular species – the Whole Easter Story helps us see afresh the immense power and wisdom of the cross for the salvation of the whole world. Thoroughly recommended!  

Professor Paul S Williams – Chief Executive, Bible Society 

This is a truly enjoyable devotional book, providing an excellent guide as we journey through our relationship with God, others and God’s wider creation, as well as God’s own relationship with his creation. Refreshingly honest, laugh out loud, attentive to all of God’s creation – your heart and soul will be fed.  

Jo Herbert-James – Head of Engagement, A Rocha UK 

Lent book club

You are warmly invited to join a six-week virtual book club hosted by Jo Swinney and Jo Herbert-James on Wednesdays from 5 March to 9 April from 8 to 9pm GMT.  

Find out more and book your place HERE. 

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Biodiversity loss and climate change – why should we care? A conversation with Dr Rodel Lasco

If you missed our virtual event on 11 November, no need to fret as we recorded the whole thing!  

Our planetary life support systems are starting to fray under the weight of human activities. Rodel Lasco is the author of several reports by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), and as part of the IPCC, a co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.  Hear his appraisal of the current state of biodiversity globally, how we can respond with hopeful action and the exciting plans for A Rocha’s growing presence in South East Asia.

You can also watch past virtual events on The A Rocha Resource Hub 

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Restoring balance to the crow population in Kenya’s ecosystem

The word ‘invasive’ has often been used to signify species not in their native environment. They are often introduced to new habitats through human activities, either intentionally or unintentionally. 

In the 1890s, the House Crow Corvus splendens was introduced in Zanzibar to control garbage. The solution soon became a problem of its own as the population rapidly increased over 15 years, becoming labeled an invasive species and spreading along the East African coast. 

A Rocha Kenya’s Eric Kinoti notes that the introduction of an invasive species disrupts and destabilizes ecosystems by causing competition between species. The House Crow population grew to over 700,000 birds along the coast of Kenya, which majorly affected tourism as the birds invaded hotels, destroyed crops and placed a strain on the marine ecosystem with their feeding on marine life. It is not the crows’ fault for existing, but human intervention created a problem.  

A Rocha Kenya, in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service, has set out to restore balance to the ecosystem by making a first attempt to control the population using a poison called starlicide. Crows are, however, very intelligent creatures with reasoning as good as a seven-year-old human and with the ability to adapt quickly to any traps set to catch them. Starlicide is the preferred poison because it breaks down fast in the crow’s body and does not cause secondary poisoning to other animals that come into contact with it. Not an easy decision, but, ‘The goal is to manage the population in a year before they surpass the one million population mark,’ Eric explained. 

In July this year, A Rocha Kenya received the first batch of starlicide in hopes that it will significantly reduce the number of crows, without affecting other species. So far, the results are promising and starlicide is said to have an 80% success rate within four months.