Posts Tagged ‘Africa’

Aug
27

An update from the African Wild Dog rehabilitation center at Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe

Posted by Renee in Africa,Carnivores,Endangered Species,Painted Dog,community-based conservation

Here is another update from Xmas Mpofu, head keeper, at Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe. -

“We have received 2 puppies from low veld and are now settled into our Rehab Facility. The 2 were dug out of their den following a rabies out break in that area. The pack members are now dead and the 2 pups are the only survivors. The 2 puppies currently seem to be fit and strong and will be released back into the wild with some of our other Rehab dogs.”

Wild Painted dogs in the enclosure at PDC's rehab center

This is another example of why it is imperative to have a Painted dog rehabilitation center at PDC.  These pups wouldn’t stand a chance in the wild without the rest of the pack.  The rehabilitation center will give them the opportunity to integrate into a new pack and gain the strength they will need to survive in the wild. 

Map of enclosures and PDC's facilities

 

Chute allowing dogs to move from one enclosure to another

The rehabilitation facility itself is very impressive.  There is a series of 4 enclosures – the largest is 70

Powerful electric fence around perimeter of enclosure

 acres.  All of the enclosures have shift doors and chutes connecting them to one another for easy non-intrusive movement between pens.   There are 4 smaller day pens that allow for closer observation, if needed.  The enclosures all have a very powerful electric fence around the perimeter.  Surprisingly, the strength of this fence is more for keeping animals from the outside out!  The saying “the grass is always greener” applies here.  They have had lions, leopards, other Painted dogs, and elephants all challenging the fence line from the outside, and occasionally the unwanted visitors have found their way in.  Much of Xmas’ day is spent maintaining the perimeter fence line.  

Stay tuned for more of the exciting adventures from PDC.

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Aug
26

Impressive news from Painted Dog Conservation’s childern’s Bush Camp in Zimbabwe

Posted by Renee in Africa,Endangered Species,Painted Dog,community-based conservation

Bush Camp kids

Here is an exciting message from Painted Dog Conservation’s children’s Bush Camp in Zimbabwe. This is an example of the country’s unwavering support for this amazing community-based conservation program.   

“Painted Dog Conservation has been awarded a certificate of recognition for the sterling contribution in conservation education to the Matabeleland North region, the only organisation in the district of Hwange to receive this award. Thank you to everyone who has made this contribution a success.”    Wilton Nsimango, PDC

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Aug
18

Introducing Dought Nkomo from Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe

Posted by Renee in Africa,Carnivores,Endangered Species,Painted Dog,community-based conservation

Dought and I at PDC

While working at Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe I was very fortunate to establish many wonderful friendships.  The local people are warm and inviting and I always feel very at home with them.  Dought Nkomo is the head guide at PDC’s children’s bush camp.  He approached me to introduce himself after he watched me dance and make a fool of my self in my attempt to make the bush camp children laugh.  After a bit of conversation we figured out that we were the same age.  I think this was shocking to him after watching my childish antics with the children, but none the less – or maybe because of this –we became good friends. 

Dought grew up in a rural village surrounding Hwange national park.  On my last visit to Zimbabwe he brought me to see his village and meet his wife, mother, cousins, brother, and young son, Adrian.  I was fascinated to see where he and his family lived.

Teaching bush camp kids

Dought is a very proud and dedicated PDC employee; he also heads up the maintenance/building team when he is not at the bush camp. The bush camp guides are Hwange National Park employees that have been trained to be teachers. PDC offers teaching courses for guides, who are often out of work due to the decline in tourism, so they can work at the bush camp. Traditional teachers in Zimbabwe have strict relationships with students. PDC’s director, Dr. Greg Rasmussen, wanted to create a learning environment where the kids would feel very open and free.  He felt that park guides had unique knowledge and could be trained to teach children.  Their relationship to the kids is more like that of a camp counselor. Dought says that he loves what he does because he gets to see kids come out of their shell during the camp. 

Kids recognize him where ever he goes. When we went into a village one day, kids seemed to come from everywhere, yelling “bush camp, bush camp!”  He’s a celebrity, and in my opinion, the best kind!  I am very excited announce Dought has agreed to send me updates from the project that I will post on our blog, the first of which is below.

Dought at his village with his family

Well I have completed another 3 months of Bush camps and a lot of them were back to back because of interest that have been shown by schools outside Hwange.We had a school coming from Zambia and another from Victoria Falls and both have promised to come back next year. We had 11 camps compared to 6 every 3 months.

When there is a bush camp my day starts at 4:30am when I take a bath then if I am the one doing the staff run I go and pick up the housekeeping staff. At 6:30 the kids have breakfast, then lessons start at 7:00am.I take the kids through various conservation activities up to 8pm but with a number of breaks in between for 4 days. During the the weeks when there are no bush camps i am in the maintenance department where i am involved with supervision of the construction team. Currently we are building Dr Greg Rassmussen’s house and the other team is digging a big hole where we want to build an underground water storage tank for storin rain water that will come down the gutters on the visitor centre roof. Once complete a pump will be fitted on the tank to supply water to the sprinklers around for use in case of fire. I am also doing maintenance of the Painted dog Conservation facilities, like the childrens bush camp ,the raised walkway and the Visitors centre and also the furniture.

I enjoy being in Africa especially with all the wildlife around the community i live in.here in Hwange we have over 100 animal species and with the conservation education the community is recieving is now making them aware that they can co-exist with wildlife.People used to think that wildlife is “game meat”but now they are begining to know about the role each species play in the naural community. The kids enjoy a lot when i take them out into Hwange national park where they get to see wildlife so close to them and yet in the villages animals run away at the sight of humans.It is usually the first time for most of them to see some of these animals and the excitement they have is amazing .I am happy about the oppotunity i am giving to the kids on behalf of Painted dog conservation.

In the village all is progressing well for me and my family, next week schools close and Adrian is going to the village for the whole month.He is going to be looking after his goats and cattle.

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Aug
17

The Childern are saving the Painted dog in Zimbabwe

Posted by Renee in Africa,Carnivores,Endangered Species,Field Research,Painted Dog,community-based conservation

Bush camp kids at water hole

 

Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe has double the population of the endangered Painted dog in the past ten years by its community- based conservation efforts.  It attributes its continued success to a program they offer to grade six level students from the local villages called the Bush Camp.  This is a 4-day long environmental education experience.  The local communities are so supportive and excited about this program for the kids that they have made it a mandatory requirement for schools in the area.  The program is free to the community, as PDC gets all of their funding from donations outside of the country.  Every year one thousand children come through the Children’s Bush Camp – for less than $15 a day.  They stay a week – and for the first time, they see the dogs and wildlife that live just miles from their villages. It’s like Disneyland to them – it’s the highlight of their lives. 

Bush camp work book

So how did this wonderful program get started?  When Dr. Greg Rasmussen first set out to save the Painted dog, he knew that it would only be possible with the support of the local people.  So, he spent 10 years before he even started PDC on a journey to find what the local rural natives really wanted and needed.  He spent time with the community to listen and inquire; and the answer that rang clear was to make their children happy. Throughout these years he also visited local schools to talk to the kids and teachers about the dogs (usually in a dog costume). He saw the youth were deprived of any wildlife education, not from a lack of interest, but more from a lack of inspiration.  Greg was finding it very difficult to connect the kids to wildlife when they had never seen it before.  The kids from rural villages no longer see wildlife, as the villages are being pushed farther away from the park.  Most of the rural village kids have never even seen an elephant or giraffe never mind a Painted dog. 

Being a big kid himself, this task made Greg very happy!  He built small round huts immersed in the bush and all of the kids sleep in their own beds with mosquito nets.  Many of the kids have never slept on beds much less in their own bed, and they definitely have never had mosquito nets.  The children are overjoyed by the electricity (the rural villages do not have electricity), the lights flick on and off all night for their first night.  The kids are very respectful and well behaved; they are immensely grateful for this experience.

Bush camp kids dress up like Painted dogs for a play

The kids learn about the whole eco-system with a special emphasis on the plight of the Painted dog.  They are put in groups named after the various Painted dog packs that are in the area when they arrive and play games that imitate the Painted dog’s behavior and social dynamic.  The lessons are in both the local dialect, Ndebele, and English and the kids get an opportunity to see and work with computers for the first time.

In the middle of the camp there is a meeting area on stilts, used for the kid’s plays and dances.  Each night they act out, dance and sing what they have learned during the day.  The stilted stage is connected to the elevated walkway over the 80-acre dog enclosure. The kids are led out onto the walkway to get an unobstructed view from above of the Painted dogs in PDC’s rehabilitation center.    

 

When I am at PDC, being at the bush camp with those amazing children is definitely the highlight!  When I get the pleasure of going into the park with the kids for their first game drive they always break out into joyous song on the way home.  This experience brings tears to my eyes.  They are beautiful singers and their gratitude and joy is expressed in their singing.  

Kids with me in front of Bush camp huts

When Greg is asked what of PDC’s achievements to date he is most proud of, he answers “Our children’s bush camp. Ideally I would like to see them set up adjacent to many of the world’s national parks. It happens in most areas – the local communities never get to see their wildlife often because the areas are made inaccessible as they are designated for tourist or hunting purposes. Consequently it is no surprise that communities see no value in wildlife and consequently make no effort to conserve it.”

The success of this program is tangible; there have been children that have assisted in the arrest of poachers after being at the bush camp.  The local communities love it so much that they are now asking for an adult camp.

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Jul
14

Art of Conservation is Saving Gorillas by Inspiring Childern

Posted by Renee in Africa,Endangered Species,Gorilla,community-based conservation

We are proud to partner with an inspirational organization called Art of Conservation.  The Art of Conservation project commenced in 2007 and works in poor rural communities bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.  Kids are given the opportunity to connect with nature and endangered species through various forms of art.  The focus of the program is to empower the kids and instill a sense of pride and respect for the environment and for each other.   

Every kid(including myself) loves to dress up and pretend.  What better way to enstill a deeper empathy and understanding for their local endangered species then to have the kids imagine being the species?   Each year in June during Igitaramo, a cultural festival that celebrates Rwanda’s environment and biodiversity, AoC students put on song and dance performances while wearing the masks.

For “Mu Birunga,” a song about mountain gorillas, students get to wear these gorilla masks; for “Heroes of the Forest,” a song about the many different wild animals that inhabit Rwanda, costumed children depict more than 10 different species.

Staff artists craft these beautiful animal masks in the Art of Conservation studio, depicting mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, forest buffaloes, and other species that inhabit Rwanda’s national parks. The artists sculpt masks using clay molds and papier mache, and hand paint each to look as realistic as possible.

Youth programs are critical to the success of  any conservation effort.  AoC approaches learning through a unique method, using visual, auditory, and performance arts to teach lessons and inspire creativity in its students.

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Jul
02

Baby Elephant Rescue in Hwange National Park

Posted by Renee in Africa,Elephant,community-based conservation

Here is a different type of baby elephant video.  My friends at Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe spend a lot of their time following packs of African Wild Dogs through Hwange nation park .  Occasionally, they find  injured animals needing their assistance along the way.  They often help animals with snare (wire trap) wounds that need to be treated.   One afternoon Jealous (this is actually his name, native Zimbabwean parents name children after English words they have heard or seen, but don’t understand what they mean.  His name does not describe his nature.), PDC’s head tracker, found a baby elephant trapped upside down in a water trough and called Peter Blinston, PDC’s project manager, to assist in a rescue.  Watch the heroic rescue below.

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May
11

The Okapi Conservation Project

Posted by Renee in Africa,Field Research,Okapi,community-based conservation

Okapi

The okapi is a secretive mammal found only in equatorial forests of the African Congo.   There are relatively few okapi in captivity, but the numbers are growing thanks to a program initiated by Florida’s White Oak Conservation Center. White Oak began to build a captive breeding stock two decades ago as a safeguard to ensure this species’ survival, and at the same time established an on-site conservation program  in Democratic Republic of Congo.  Today, all zoos that exhibit okapi from this project and participate in the international breeding program also support field programs of the Okapi Conservation Project.  The most important of these is the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, 8,500 square miles of tropical forest – about half the size of Yellowstone National Park – in which okapi are officially protected along with forest elephants, six species of duikers and 13 species of primates.

The White Oak Conservation Center Okapi Conservation Project, working closely with the Institute in the Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) is considered a model conservation partnership in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The Project conservation teams are constantly in the field helping ICCN protect the Reserve and teaching the local communities about the importance of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.

In the last year the Project’s programs provided school curriculum’s in conservation for over 120 nearby schools and held meetings with the community customary chiefs to teach them about the Reserve and to listen and address their concerns.  The agro-forestry team is now working with over 400 farmers bringing them new and more efficient crop producing and reforestation methods for abandoned farmland.  The continued support of the ICCN wardens and rangers includes bonuses for time spent on patrol in the Reserve, technology and equipment including GPS, satellite communication phones, computers, and uniforms.  The Houston Zoo has been a supporter of the Okapi Conservation Project since 2005.

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Jan
21

January 28th Speaker Event: Rhinos!

Posted by Peter in Africa,Endangered Species,Featured,Rhino

Tickets are going fast…

The Houston Zoo’s 2010 Call of the Wild Speaker Series resumes January 28, 2010 with a very special guest – Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation, the leading non-governmental organization for rhino conservation in the world.

Rhinos have existed on earth for more than 50 million years.  Today, from Africa to Indonesia, all but one of the world’s 5 surviving species of rhinos is on the verge of extinction.   Join us on January 28 in the Houston Zoo’s Brown Education Center auditorium as Dr. Ellis weaves a fascinating story about a species on the brink with first hand accounts from the field of efforts to save these amazing creatures.

Dr. Susie Ellis takes a hands on approach to rhino conservation.  In fact, on January 22, just six days before her Call of the Wild Speaker Series presentation, Dr. Ellis will be returning from near two weeks of field work in Indonesia to protect the few remaining Sumatran and Javan rhinos left on earth.   

Dr. Ellis’ dedication to the mission of the International Rhino Foundation has moved people of all ages to take action for rhino conservation. Two dedicated young conservationists will be introduced and honored during Dr. Ellis’ presentation.  Eight year old Jax Bittner of Buda, Texas created his own rhino conservation Web site (www.rhino-jax.com) and has raised more than $600 for rhino conservation.  Another Texan inspired by IRF’s work, 9 year old Eva Malone has raised $400 for rhino conservation. 

Don’t miss a minute of the Call of the Wild Speaker Series with Dr. Susie Ellis and her special guests.  Ticket prices are $10 for members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for children, students and Houston Zoo volunteers.  Buy tickets on-line when you visit http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/.   

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Dec
30

Art of Conservation

Posted by Peter in Africa,Featured,Gorilla

I attended an evening event last week in support of Art of Conservation (AoC). Hosted by Maverick Images, the Gallery of Michael Loyd Young  in Missouri City, TX, I was truly fascinated by what one persons inspiration can accomplish.

Art of Conservation, Inc. works in poor rural communities surrounding Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in Rwanda, teaching schoolchildren about the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for both people and animals and instilling them with an understanding and respect for themselves, their peers, and the natural world. AoC is led by Julie Ghrist and her team, Valerie Akuredusenge, Eric Mutabazi, Innocent Uwizeye and Fahad Ndangiza.

aoc_logoThe idea is the brainchild of Julie Ghrist who puts all her time and effort into establishing a truly exceptional program which addresses the health and education of the communities surrounding the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, home to approximaltey half of the 700+ Mountain Gorillas remaining in the world.

Take a few minutes to view the programs website and the children’s artwork at http://www.art-of-conservation.com/ and Julie’s blog at http://artforgorillas.wildlifedirect.org/

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Dec
29

Human Dimensions of Wildlife Conservation

Posted by Peter in Africa,Featured,Uncategorized

Musanze, Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Ged Caddick

Musanze, Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Ged Caddick

While the new African Forest exhibit will have its fair share of awe-inspiring animals, it will not be just about magnificent wildlife and beautiful habitats. It is also about people and the wonderful, rich cultures that we all can share. To be a conservationist is to actively preserve and protect something, especially through planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction or neglect. The concept of conservation in the context of zoos and aquariums can mean many things to many people: wildlife protection, habitat restoration, environmental protection, and more.

What we frequently do not discuss is the human component of wildlife conservation. What are we doing to enact the “careful preservation and protection of something” if that something is the people who have historically lived side-by-side with the wildlife we intend to protect? To that end, the Houston Zoo’s conservation efforts will focus on developing wildlife, habitat, and human community support programs in central Africa in 2010.

Right now, there are few places left on earth where humans do not co-exist with native wildlife. There are also few national parks and protected areas on earth where humans did not co-exist with wildlife before these park boundaries were put in place. And there are even fewer places where the decision to designate a protected area does not somehow intimately affect the human population living around its borders.

If  the ability for native people to coexist with their habitat is taken away from them without offering a sustainable solution, then wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are bound to fail. The most successful wildlife conservation efforts are those in which indigenous communities are empowered in the management of local natural resources and supported through capacity building programs.

Musanze, Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Ged Caddick

Musanze, Rwanda. Photo courtesy of Ged Caddick

Model community initiatives lead to socioeconomic and conservation gains by establishing and strengthening alternative community initiatives for sustainable development which can be compatible with the long term conservation of local natural resources. Today, wildlife is much more valuable alive than dead.

Human-wildlife conflicts are worldwide; Tigers, Elephants and humans in South Asia, Jaguars and livestock in Latin America, Wolves and livestock in North America, and many, many others. As conflicts continue to increase with habitat loss and human population growth, we must consider a positive solution to both the issues facing wildlife and humans.

Learn more about the Houston Zoo’s global initiatives at www.houstonzoo.org/global

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