How Poachers Became Caretakers…..

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

It is no secret the poaches know animals best. Here is a fantastic TED lecture by  John Kasaona,  a Namibian conservationist who is working on an innovative way to protect endangered animal species  giving nearby villagers (including former poachers) responsibility for caring for the animals. And it’s working and everyone is happy…. Take a look at the video below:

To learn more about John’s organization Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) and their fantastic projects….. CLICK HERE

Organization of The Day: WildlifeNOW

WildlifeNOW

George Adamson was a legendary figure in the world of wildlife. He devoted his life to his many lions that he was able to reintroduce into the wild, becoming the infamous ‘lion man.’ In 1989, George Adamson’s life ended devastatingly, murdered by a group of Somali Bandits. Fortunately, his legacy lives on through Tony Fitzjohn, who spent nearly 18 years with Adamson learning all the tricks of the trade from building roads to organizing anti-poaching units. Together this dynamic duo created Kora National Park, encompassing 1200 square miles of land that lays adjacent to Tsavo National Park (Kenya’s largest National Park), creating a massive amount of landscape dedicated to protection and preservation.

These two extraordinary men also fought many battles against bandits and poachers, created airstrips, cut more than 300 miles of bush roads and reintroduced more than 30 lions and 10 leopards back into the wild. Today, Fitzjohn carries on the spirit of Adamson as his protégé. Recently, WildlifeNOW focuses its efforts on the highly endangered rhinos, African Wild Dogs, and elephants. Their accomplishments consist of establishing the first successful rhino sanctuary in Tanzania which is now a highly patrolled, 30 square mile sanctuary. Their veterinary program has made groundbreaking progress in the research of diseases, hoping to one day contribute to immunizations of the African Wild Dogs. After a devastating decrease in population of elephants, WildlifeNOW has around 1,000 elephants roaming the reserve in the wet season.

Additionally, for the past three decades WildlifeNOW has been successful in reintroducing zoo animals back into the wild. Tanzania, being one of the poorest countries, has hunted wildlife for the survival of themselves and their families. To help local communities WildlifeNOW has created an outreach program so that the surrounding villages benefit from the reserve. Their outreach program has provided medical assistance, funded the building of a secondary school, improved water supplies and much more. Their goal is not only to sustain wildlife, but to reverse the damage that has been done. Tony Fitzjohn has spent a lot of time traveling the world, educating the public on issues of wildlife preservation. However, he is now moving back to Kora, where he and Adamson started their magnificent journey, to bring the area back to life and re-introduce more lions into the wild.

To learn more, please visit their website

Organization of The Day: Lewa Conservancy

 

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

During the 1970s population of black rhinos had dropped from 20,000 to fewer than 300, putting these animals in danger of becoming extinct. Since then, thanks to the Lewa Conservancy, over 40,000 acres has been dedicated to over 70 different animals. Since the 1970s Lewa has been able to double the population of rhinos! Lewa also lends a helping hand to the surrounding communities.

Their annual safaricom marathon has helped raise over 2,000,000, they have been able to build over 10 schools, establish forestry programs, support hospitals, provide free treatment to those injured by wildlife, as well as put projects in place such as tracker dog units to help the conservancy. They have even started a womens micro-credit program. The surrounding communities are impoverished and this program gives these women a chance to become more independent. They are given the chance to train and become entrepreneurs, hoping to reduce poverty and facilitate gender equity. Lewa’s efforts not only help out the animals in need, but the people as well.

To Learn More, please visit their site

Organization of The Day: The Mara Conservancy

Mara Conservancy

Management of the Mara Triangle was falling apart, until 2001, when Mara Conservancy stepped in and took control over the triangle. Their programs include anti-poaching and de-snaring patrols, as well as a mobile veterinary unit that is always on the move. These units help animals that have been snared by cutting wires and treating open wounds, giving the animals a chance to survive.

The help of the conservancy extends to surrounding communities creating a ripple effect that in turn helps protect wildlife. They have started a project that brings bio-gas to surrounding homes. Bio gas reduces smoke within homes, preventing women from having to search for wood. Because of this, the depletion of surrounding forests is reduced as well as human-wildlife conflict, an obstacle that faces many conservationists.

Additionally, they’ve brought toilets to 5 villages and plan to construct more. Female genital mutilation is a huge problem in surrounding communities and Mara has educated them in hopes to stop the mutilation. They’ve also reduced revenge killing of predators by giving livestock guardians and replacing the livestock when possible. With the reduction of revenge killing, better patrol of the area, veterinarians in place and their efforts in reaching out to the community Mara Conservancy has taken huge strides in the protection of wildlife.

To Learn More about the Conservancy & the Mara Triangle, click here.

Introducing Safari.TV

It is with GREAT pleasure that we would like to introduce our new partner Safari.TV and a new section of our blog titled ‘Safari TV.’

As you well know by now nothing makes us more happy than seeing wildlife in  its greatness. It’s even better when you’re right there with it. But when you can’t and the only thing you have in front of you is a computer, guess what……. you now can……

It is our pleasure to introduce to you our latest partnership with WildEarth TV and their outstanding Safari TV. WildEarth is the brain child of Graham Wallington. For those of you who don’t know, Graham is a wildlife film maker and is one of the founders of the ground breaking and legendary Africam.

The Safari Channel  is headed by William Fox and broadcasts LIVE safaris daily from Djuma Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands. Every day there are two safaris one from 06h00 CAT to 09h00CAT and the other from 15h00CAT to 18h00 CAT. (these times change during the different seasons). Our Safari TV page will give you a professionally edited daily highlights from these safaris, which you are going to love…….

The safari consists of a Presenter/Expert Ranger who drives around the reserve looking for animals both big and small. A camera person sits on the back of the safari vehicle and their camera is your eyes. This gives you the viewer a fantastic feeling of actually being on the back of the vehicle as it bumps through the African Bush. If you want to talk to the Ranger in real time you can email a question through to finalcontrol@safari.tv and he will try to answer it.

The Sabi Sands is one of the top locations in South Africa for viewing game. The Sabi Sands Park which together with some other parks make up the Greater Kruger National Park. It is a conservation area where the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, buffalo, elephant) occur naturally. There are safaris in open land rovers during the day and at night, and there are also guided bush walks. Sabi Sabi has four separate lodges, Earth Lodge, Bush Lodge, Selati Lodge and Little Bush Camp. There is a licensed airstrip at Sabi Sabi with scheduled flights from Johannesburg. The area is also accessible by car and roads from Johannesburg. People travel from all over the world to visit this place and now you can join them from the comfort of  your own home or office.

The Safari Channel also hosts a number of other live show such as fire side chats with the crew, remarkable  creatures and photography shows. To learn more, please visit their website. To see highlights and blog updates, click here

Africa’s Lost Eden: A Rare Yet Hopeful Success Story

Mozambique was torn apart by civil war in 1977.  During that war, 1,000,000 people died as well as almost the entire zebra, buffalo, and hippo population due to cross-fire killing. About 95% of the large animal population was decimated in Gorongosa National Park in addition to the rampant poaching to fund the war effort.  This in turn drastically affected the overall ecology of the region as some of the major players were no longer there: vegetation grew, birds lost their nesting habitat, fires began much more common, etc.

The park was shut down and abandoned in 1983 as clashes between opposing forces waged on for another decade. However, a relocation program was implemented in which elephants, buffalo and hopefully soon, other animals will be reintroduced into the Gorongosa National Park.  A group of scientists are trying to save this park and the species that used to be there so that another chunk of their only remaining  territory is not lost. Led by the US based Carr foundation, in collaboration with the government of Mozambique, the foundation invested about $10 million into the parks restoration between 2004-2007. Due to the rapid success of the three year project the government of Mozambique and the Carr foundation agreed in 2008 to sign a 20-year agreement to restore and co-manage the park. Today thousands of visitors visit the park annually which is open from 6am – 6pm.

Lioness in Gorongosa National Park

Urema Lake in Gorongosa National Park

A hippo and wading birds back in Gorongosa National Park.

National Geographic Wild has aired a 1 hour special on Gorongosa National Park titled ‘Africa’s Lost Eden’

To read the full article click here

Bushmeat Agony and Ivory: Bushmeat Crisis and Elephant Poaching is only Increasing

Last year alone the conservative estimate for the number of elephants killed in Kenya is 220; while conservationists estimate that 36,000 elephants were poached worldwide last year.  In Kenya, this number is an increase of %400 from two years ago.  These elephants are being killed for their ivory, but this is not the only cause of poaching in Africa; the rampant bushmeat trade of everything from gorillas to antelope is the target of poachers.  Large bushmeat markets in Nairobi and other major cities keep these industrial-like poachers in business, as well as the desire for “exotic flavors” in the US and Western Europe.  This consistent poaching for meat, trophy, and ivory and pushing these fragile populations of African animals to the brink of extinction, and the rest of the world’s desires for these cheap African goods is what keeps the poachers going.

Forest elephant poached for its meat and Ivory in Congo

A poacher putting his catch of bushmeat into a sack for transport.

Smoked monkey for sale in a local market

To read the full article click here

Bones of Content

This is a great article from our friends at Plan Your Safari’s regarding worrying trends in the illegal animal parts trade.  It focuses on the shady business of substituting Lion bones instead of Tiger bones to make traditional medicines. Here is an exerpt from that article.

‘We are beginning to see some worrying trends in the illegal trade of animal parts – and this time it is not just about rhino horns, elephant tusks, bear gall bladders, and shark’s fins – it is about lion bones. Yes, you read that right, lion bones. Ian Michler, writing for Africa Geographic Magazine in February 2009 as reported by Big Cat Rescue, exposed a growing trend in this shady business, and I suspect we have only just exposed the tip of this rotten iceberg.

But back to lion bones. Big Cat Rescue reports the use of “tiger wine” (rice wine carefully aged with added tiger bones or even whole carcasses) to make a person less fatigued and take care of arthritis and rheumatism. Since the tiger harvest is falling off a bit, the manufacturers of tiger wine are now looking for an alternative to make their vintages – lions. Consequently, and probably not only because of the wine market, the price of lion bones is increasing by leaps and bounds. If you happened to have some lion bones lying around the house two years ago, you could have sold a kilo for about $10. If you sell them now, you get $300. Big Cat Rescue estimates that the bony bits of a whole lion can now be sold for $4,000.’

To read the full article and learn more about this terrible issue….Click Here

Africa’s cheetahs, leopards face extinction as poaching intensifies

Most rare and precious African fauna and flora species are on the verge of extinction, today more than in the past years following increased illegal trade in the past decade as global demand for these increases on daily basis.

Game poaching has been singled out as the greatest threat that could lead to the extinction of wild animals like elephants, leopards, rhinoceros, gorillas and buffaloes among other African animals, making these species more endangered like never before.

An African leopard

And a cheetah

I hope this cheetah looks as good on someone’s wall as she does prowling the African savanna in search of an impala to feed her kittens so that they too may maintain the beauty and biodiversity of the world in which we live.

Click here to read the full article

Lions Targeted For Chinese ‘Medicines’ As Tigers Become Increasingly Scarce

As wild tiger populations dwindle, poachers are turning to lions to feed the insatiable Chinese appetite for ‘potions’ made from big cat bones. Conservationists are sounding the alarm about a disturbing development in the fight to save wildlife from poaching: Lions are being killed as a substitute for tigers so their bones can be sold as Chinese “remedies.”

While the main threat to African lions at this point is human encroachment (especially poisoning by farmers), Dereck Joubert, a National Geographic filmmaker and writer focusing on big cats, said in today’s Washington Post that African lions are also at risk of becoming commodities in China.

Big cats are in trouble everywhere. The number of tigers has dipped below 3,000. Indeed, as we look at the lion population today, it’s the shadow of the tiger’s history that scares me most. Tiger bones are used extensively in the East for medicines and mythological (read nonsense) cures for ailments or limp libidos, and the demand is increasing. A growing demand and a disappearing supply is a formula for disaster.

The solution we are seeing play out is a switch from tiger bones to lion bones, which can be easily sold off as tiger bones. It’s ironic that the most famous animal in Africa, perhaps in the world, can’t even be poached on its own value but only as a “mock tiger.”

To Read the Full Article…Click Here