From the Field: Helping People Saving Wildlife - There is Much More to Wildlife Conservation Than You May Think

Here I am in the middle of writing this blog entry when Russ walks in. He's just talked to Les in a cabin next to ours. Les is a national anti poaching expert. He's in this part of the country to do training. 294 Rhino have been poached this year in Southern Africa! 100 of those in Mozambique. Apparantly this whole poaching epidemic started with the issue of illegal permits. After an outcry that was stopped, however,the market in Asia was already established and the cruel sawing off of horns continued. When there's the ridiculous sum of $1,000,000 to get for just 8kg of processed horn you can understand why. It seems like a lot of money for little effort tends to bring the savage and crazy side out of humans. How narrow minded is the current adage: If it doesn't pay it doesn't stay!



Boabab Tree near Hoedspruit

Back to my original blog entry...
[Pics at the end... somehow couldn't get them inbetween! Go figure!]


It's been two weeks since we arrived and met with Libby who protects the habitat of her urban Black Eagles west of Johannesburg. Unfortunately as our flight out of Paris was delayed by a passengers medical emergency we missed chatting with Christo (who is a wildlife hero I wrote about before).
We left the big city and the High Veld and dropped down Van Reenen's pass into Kwazulu-Natal. Roz who within only two and a half years has organized a first response wildlife rescue and rehab center is our first stop. Her center has become a hub for country wide rescue and rehab information already. Not that the center tauts to address every wild birds or animals need, but they know the specialts and experts to get involved. Like Ben at the African continents largest and most advanced raptor rescues and rehab facility who we visited next.


Ben and Shannon are not only a create match as husband and wife, they established both the rescue and rehab center, with it's main objective to return these magnificent birds back to the wild, but also a sanctuary to house those that can't be and are used as ambassedors and trained free flying birds for Shannons marvelous educational demonstrations. There's nothing quite like having a Horned Owl soundlessly skim the top of your head in flight. Or watching the Lanner Falcon soaring high only to return to catch the lure in full flight with his talons.

I still can't help but chuckle as I think of our visit to the Jan and James and their Vervet Monkey project. This elderly couple is preparing for the thirteenth year to care for this springs injured or orphaned Vervets. They've not lost one of the 15 plus that arrive at their doorstep every season.

Along the way we meet ordinary people like Leon (banker), Shaun (health care administrator), Avril (outdoor adventure business owner), Thoko (high school teacher), Caroline (newly graduated conservationist), Andries (looking for job in conservation), Terry (Methodist pastor) who share their diverse experiences and understanding of what's really happening with South African wildlife today. The puzzle pieces are different than we had imagined! (You may want to read: Wildlife Conservation: Does One-Size-Fit-All? and The Catch-22 of Protecting South African Wildlife.)

Will and Carol, retired from their former lives, are dedicated to researching the behaviors of the only free roaming preditor that remains in South Africa, the leopard. Their bush home is on a 5,000 hecter ranch. So Russ and I forfitted showers and took off shortly after first light to explore at the waterhole below and by following game paths to the hill above. We were richly rewarded by: Kudo, grey Duiker, Vulture, Impala, Zebra and numerous song birds. Sure beats a morning walk in the suburbs!

Then while eating breakfast on the deck a baboon troop and then a small herd of wildebeest pass by. What a life? However, Will and Carol don't sit around much, the leopard project, safari TV (live online interactive educational program) and so many other protection efforts that would make anyone else's head spin, keep this entrepreneurial couple hopping. Will is not only creating the first free roaming leopard database ever, he also grows the young people he surrounds himself with. Nothing stagnant about what Will does!

Down the dusty road we travelled. Climbing one hill and avoiding one pothole after another in our little car with tiny wheels. Michele and Ian's bush school is really way out there! She wasn't kidding me. Surrounded by nothing but bush and wildlife the kids and volunteers are invited into a once in a life time experience. It was a gift for us to spend half a day with them. Risette, a volunteer from Holland, said it's amazing to see how at the beginning of the week the children arrive very quiet and heads bowed with little interest in the wildlife around them. By the time they leave their hearts are transformed and they cannot only name the wild animals but are excited to see them.

Off one of the main roads near the famous Kruger National Park is Donald's reptile center. Now Russ doesn't like snakes, but after talking to the enthusiastic Donald and getting our own private behind the scenes tour he had a change of heart. Donald's center is full of rescued reptiles that cannot be released. Those that have been dropped off there or he and his staff have rescued from behind peoples cubboards to those about to be killed by an angry farmer.

What a ride! Each day is a new adventure as much of who we meet are those that are put in our path! This amazing tour of meeting such wonderful people beats any vacation I could wish for... except to go relax on the beaches of Hawaii maybe... not!



Volunteers teaching the kids at the Bush School

Russ and Will at their Bush Home

Rescued Albino Python

A Black Headed Heron approaching the nest on a small island in an urban lake. Ermelo SA

Would love to add more pics but out of battery and out of internet time... till next time thanks for following.

Catch 22 in Protecting South African Wildlife

Remember being at the Zoo standing in front of a majestic enclosure in awe of the lion in front of you? With visions of a Discovery Channel Special you were enchanted by this magnificent animal of the wild.

Yes he is serving mankind as an important ambassador not only for his species but the whole animal kingdom. Yet it is a sacrifice he has not chosen to make. Sadness comes as you look deeper at the lethargic King of Beast in front of you. How long has it been since he roamed, hunted, bred… lived?

A rancher has the right to safely raise his livestock; a Leopard has the right to hunt and eat.

An injured bird of prey has the right to follow nature’s course and become food; a researcher has the right to capture the injured bird to understand so he can help.

The millions in poverty have the right to eat; endangered species have the right to survive.

A natural habitat has the right to exist for its interdependent environment of thousands of species; a farmer has the right to clear the land to provide for many of his kind.

Unlike the extremists on both sides, I do not claim to know the answers to the many paradoxes seen in our visit to Africa. But like a very wise 24 year old Leopard researcher said yesterday, “We have to take the situation as it is and do what is right by all”.

Extremism does no one any good. As an example the “bunny huggers” (let live at all costs), the Eco-scientist, and the politicians have created a horrendous situation in Kruger Park by not allowing the conservationists and rangers to do their job.

The Kruger elephant herd cannot be thinned by culling or transporting some to other places where their genetics may not match. And few want to risk looking bad or uncaring to the rest of the world.

As a result the maximum population of 9000 elephants in this magnificent Wildlife Reserve is now over 19000 causing major environmental destruction effecting all other plant and animal species.

Similar to party politics, the bickering and rhetoric continue while the best interests of the species are compromised.

Stay tuned for some interesting solutions to impossible problems by those willing to take a stand, consider all involved, and do their part large or small.

Impossible Made Easy at the Hampton's

What a privilege to be in South Africa and see where we can help. The projects we are evaluating are exactly what we hoped for; wonderful people accomplishing amazing things for wildlife and educating along the way.


It is so hard to choose which one to write about today... Russ picked this one...
 

Impossible Made Easy at the Hamptons


I knew this was going to be an interesting visit. When I called for directions Jan had me smiling in the first few sentences, called me ‘Love’ three times, and said I would have to get directions from her husband because she gets lost finding the same bathroom twice.

After we arrived interesting turned to fun, fun to amazement, and amazement into total awe of who the Hamptons are and what they are accomplishing. What a fascinating marvelously dedicated couple they are with a powerful sense of caring for animals for proper release back into the wild.

James does get in a few words edgewise but mostly it is Jan’s nonstop heartwarming conversation punctuated with pertinent knowledge, caring stories and down to earth reality. No injured beast is turned way but the Hampton’s specialty is saving neonatal Vervet monkeys orphaned by their mother’s death most often caused by humans.

When Jan said they take in 15 to 20 “tinies” each year from all over South Africa I had visions of the shut-in with 45 cats that never leave the house. Nothing but stench, filth and pandemonium…

But then she took us into their spotless intriguing home and nursery where the delicate process was revealed. Over 250 “tinies” have been rescued and reared over the past 12 years and they could hardly contain themselves for this year’s “crop” of 15 to 20, “It is the start of the season and we should be getting the first calls very soon.”

When the “tines” are 7 months old they are weaned and independent. Now ready to forget “mom and dad” they are put in a large enclosure and carefully mixed with older vervets to form a troop that is capable of surviving as a colony in the wild. The forgetting and adapting takes over 2 years and the Hamptons have one troop preparing to be released this year with another progressing well for the following year.

Presently they are in need of another troop enclosure as there will be an overlap in the troops this year. This wonderful couple has all the proper permits and accomplishes this major effort mostly on their retirement pensions and some help from the locals.

The funds to meet the urgent need for the enclosure are out of reach and they need help before this year’s “tinies” are weaned. James just wants help with the material as he intends to build the enclosure himself with some friends.

A closer glimpse into the Hampton's...

 
Sorry this one is turned side ways... have no idea why it did that!!!!
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