Where Exactly Does Your Donation Go?

"So how do you get paid?" asked a new friend this last weekend.
With 100% of your donation going to the project and expert of your choice that is a very valid question.  As a public charity we're not a private foundation with a huge pile of money from some money tree.

A public charity is a community effort and relies primarily on the support of people like you.  However, as this image of our DONATION page shows it clearly indicates that 100% of your donation goes to your project.

Of course, it gives you the option to donate separately to the Nikela Operations Fund if you want to assist with administrative costs, website maintenance, not to mention keep gas in our old Explorer.

If you haven't already found a project to support visit the website today at http://www.nikela.org/
Giving what you can to the Nikela Operations Fund will also be greatly appreciated.

308 Rhino Lost… What Nikela’s Doing About It

2010 turned out to be the deadliest year for the rhino’s living in South Africa. Only a couple of weeks before we met with Will and Carol in early October one of their four rhino was savagely dehorned and left to die.

According to, Robin, my young anti-poaching friend in South Africa the final death toll for 2010 stands at 308. A staggering loss, almost triple of the number from the previous year, and that’s not counting the orphaned calves that died from personal injuries, starvation or trauma.

Amongst all this tragedy there are glimmers of hope for the rhino’s survival as locals band together to ward of poachers and trained anti-poaching professionals are brought in.

Les, is one such anti-poaching professional. This coming February he is travelling to the USA to strategize with us. Together we plan to launch an awareness and fund raising campaign to assist anti-poaching efforts to do our part to make 2011 a much safer year for the rhino.

One way you can help right now is put me in touch with the person who can introduce me to Marc Ecko. Marc is the founder of the Ecko clothing retail stores head quartered in New York. What does Marc have to do with rhinos? The rhino is the clothier’s mascot or logo. Why? Because, according to the young store clerk I spoke to at Grapevine Mills in Dallas, the rhino is the only animal that runs only forward. Marc sees only one direction for his company… forward.

So, if you know someone who knows someone who knows Marc, please email me as I’d love to invite Marc to meet with Les while he is here.

Animal and Human Behavior

"It's the IRS!" I whisper to Russ as I almost drop my cell phone with excitement.

Here we are with our daughter and husband walking along a brushy creek looking for another blue heron when my almost out of battery phone rings.

Now, not too many people get excited by a call from the IRS, neither do I, normally, but this was about our pending 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status. It was mid July when we sent off our huge application packet to the IRS. It was two months later that we got an acknowledgement of receipt letter. Since late October Russ has called twice for an update. "It's waiting to be assigned an agent" was the reply both times. Just before Christmas they had gotten to the June submittals... we were getting closer!

The herons are forgotten and I literally skipped along the path like a young school girl. Only four relatively simple matters needed to be addressed, all to be clearly outlined in Karen's communiqué due to be mailed right away. That coveted letter is almost within our grasp! Whoooopeeeee!

What's that bird doing in the zebra's ear?

Then, later that same day Frank emailed me that a CD with the great photos he took at the Bird of Prey Sanctuary were on their way. Now Frank lives in the Netherlands, we connected via LinkedIn. We both love wildlife and are dedicated to its protection and conservation, so he totally donated his time and expertise to Nikela, for which we are very grateful.

Soon we'll have a slideshow of his fabulous photos depicting Shannon at work, her amazing birds of prey, and the kids who are privileged to visit the sanctuary. In the meantime please take a look at this short animal behavior slide show of Frank's.

Oh and do visit our new website at http://www.nikela.org/

Report: First Holiday Giving 2010

Small, but off to a hopeful start. $1,135 was raised in six days for 4 projects. 100% of which goes directly to the requested projects.

Saving the Leopard.

This beautiful solitary cat's very survival is at stake. It is our privilege to connect people like you with wildlife conservation projects that make a difference.

Two of these projects help Will and his team capture the movements and behaviors of four free roaming leopards. The data they collect is crucial to determine the endangered species status of the African leopard.

One of the projects helps fund the tracking collars that pin points where Grace, Bo, Lucky and Nhovti hunt, sleep and roam. The other helps buy camera "traps", batteries and supplies to capture photographs of the free roaming leopards in specific locations in the study area.

Raising Up Wildlife Advocates.

The wildlife's future lies in the hands of the rising generation. Ian and Michele believe so totally in this that they invested their retirement into developing a bush school that changes lives. Enough funds were raised to send .... more kids to a week long camp. With your help we'd like to sponsor ... more as soon as possible.

Kids Learn to Save Raptors


As a reward the students in the Enviro Club from an impoverished school visit Africa's largest bird of prey sanctuary. Noone experiences Shannon's flight demonstration without gaining a huge respect for the raptors and a love for this petite woman of passion. Even more importantly myths about owls and vultures are broken to prevent their senseless killing.
>>>Stay tuned: A pilot project is in the works to instruct the entire high school to their vital role in wildlife conservation.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to growing the Nikela community in 2011. With a little from a lot we can make a difference for the leopards, children and all the South African wildlife

Thank You to All Humans who...

Rose just grabbed on and made it happen!

The last couple of days I've read many a heart breaking story about poaching, gas chambers and other animal abuses.  However, in the midst of all this there are people standing up, signing petitions, challenging politicians, even go to to toe with poachers... and I felt grateful.

This brief video is a small attempt to be the voice of those you work hard to protect.  Enjoy!  Oh yes, and do share it with others who work as hard as you at saving the animals... the wild and the domestic.

For the love of wildlife and wild animals.

Give a Gift and Save a Leopard

If you're like me, you enjoy giving a gift that lasts longer than till the batteries wear out!

This year you'll be remembered for giving a most unusual gift...

...access to track one of the few remaining free roaming leopards of Africa.

Today virtual games and animated movies throw us into a surreal world, not this.  You and your friend can see the daily movements of Grace, Bo or Lucky, as they hunt and where they sleep.  Not only that you'll get photo updates and stories from the researches.

Yes, I haven't told you, this leopard tracking is all part of a landmark wildlife conservation study to determine the true status of the African leopard.  Some think they're on the brink of the endangered species list and need special protection.  This research will help us know for sure.  How tragic it would be if we allowed the existence of this beautiful animal to slip thru our fingers!

If you're the least bit intriqued read more about the project and how for as little as $25 (or less if you must) you can participate and help.

"It's a Website!"

Years ago, arriving home with my brand new baby, I was greeted by a big sign in our front yard, it read:

"It's a Boy!"

I walked into our little basement apartment in a daze. Everything looked the same, but after nine months of pregnancy, hours of labor I now stepped into a new world called parenthood.

It's a Website! After months of "pregnancy" and weeks upon weeks of "labor" today I again stepped in to a new world as the Nikela website entered cyberspace and began it's mission ~ to grow a global community of people who care to help experts in South Africa protect the wildlife and prepare the rising generation to take their turn.

Come celebrate with us! Browse thru the website and get to know the amazing people we've come to call friends and the vital work they are engaged in. As you do so please let us know what you think. Nikela has already grown into a community based project and thus is becoming the product of many minds and hearts.

In the future please bookmark the New Nikela Blog
www.Nikela.org/Blog