AWF Blog
-
What Has the Collared Leopard Been Up To?
Posted: November 28, 2008, 3:56 pm by Nakedi
Since being collared the leopard has been providing us with very valuable information. Firstly his movement patterns suggest that he prefers drainage lines to open plains. This makes him one tough cat to find even with a collar. He is so good at hiding from this fellow who keeps following him no matter where he is; except of course when he is in Mozambique (I wonder if he’s picking up the trend).
For instance, three days ago Deirdre Opie (guide) and I went to track him along the ridge. Upon finding him he ran away in a spectacular manner. He kept the same perfect posture as he ran. It was like watching him float over the rugged terrain. I don’t know how to explain this, but for those five odd seconds, time stood still and nothing really mattered.
Personal observation: the telepathy thing, I am starting to have serious doubts!
Score board: Leopard 1, Nakedi 0 - since I’m the one doing the chasing.Secondly, he likes secluded areas surrounded by numerous tall trees with dense foliage - for example the marula tree, Sclerocarya birrea, which bears marula fruit. The juice from fruit is famous for its intoxicating effects when fermented. For those who enjoy Amarula Cream, remember the collared leopard (and the researcher if you like) when you get an opportunity to drink a glass or two. In areas where pressure from lions and hyenas is high, leopards use such trees to protect their well earned meals from being taken away.
Thirdly, he has random movements within the study area; the movements appear as such probably because we only have two weeks worth of data. In a month or two we should start getting information that would hopefully be biologically relevant.
Map of leopard movements.Map of leopard movements.
Lastly, he likes to spend time in Mozambique. As I am writing this, he is approximately three kilometres across the border. We don’t have permission to work in Mozambique at the moment, so we must wait until he returns in to the Kruger National Park.
So far he has given us some information on two of his crossing points along the fence. Next to one of them is a beautiful marula tree that has signs of continued use. Seven days ago while I went tracking with Clement Khoza (tracker) we managed to go to the exact spot where he crossed the fence. That is where the marula tree is.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the AWF supporters for making this work possible. If you’d like to help, please use the donate button to the right or click here.
Clement examining the marula tree.Clement examining the marula tree.
-
Rangers Return to Protect Gorillas
Posted: November 27, 2008, 1:17 pm by Paul
On the other side of the DR Congo, out east where things are grim, there is some good news for mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park.
70 rangers have returned to their posts, with the intention of resuming monitoring activities, says the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP).
An IGCP meeting with representatives of General Laurent Nkunda’s militia, the CNDP, on November 14th was followed by additional meetings between IGCP, the Congolese Wildlife Authorities ICCN, and the CNDP the following week, leading to this unprecedented agreement.
Negotiations with Nkunda, whose forces control the Mikeno sector where the gorillas live, and other Park stakeholders led to the breakthrough, with monitoring to resume imminently.
With negotiations for peace in the region under way and Nkunda’s forces pulling back to some positions held before the current flare up, a clear, albeit fragile, path has now opened for rangers eager to get back to their posts.
IGCP has pledged continuous support for our Park partners, and will work towards building ranger staffing and monitoring activities back up to full strength.
Virunga National Park Director Emmanuel de Merode has also worked in concert with IGCP throughout the process, and stepped in to join IGCP staff in personally accompanying the returning rangers on their journey back to headquarters.
-
A Nice Surprise from the Bonobos of Ndele Research Camp
Posted: November 26, 2008, 11:54 pm by Valentin
We were very worried before our arrival here at Ndele when we received a call from our intern telling us that there had been no direct observations or even traces of the bonobos for three whole months.
So when we arrived with the whole team we all went into the forest to look for the bonobos, but the forest was unusually calm: there was no evidence to show that there were any bonobos in the area. That evening on our way back through the forest after a big downpour we saw a lone male bonobo about 5 Km away from the camp. We were able to observe him a little and follow him until he made his nest for the night.
The following morning, those of the team who had not been with us went to observe the same bonobo at the spot where we had left him the previous evening.
One day later, on the 19th of November, at approximately 4.30pm the oldest of our trackers (Papa Bosco Ikwa) spotted a group of bonobos during his search only 1.3 Km away from the camp, he stayed with them until they settled in their nests.
On the 20th of November we woke up at 4am and set off for the location where the bonobos had been left to sleep. We arrived at the nests at 5am and the first stirring began at 5.30am. From 5.30 to 8.25am we observed the group of bonobos and noted that it was composed of an adult male, a juvenile male, a young female and two adult females, one of which had a baby.
But yet again, the bonobos made no vocalisations like they usually would when they wake up or when they see us (the observers).
One hypothesis to explain this phenomenon: As there is insufficient fruit in the forest, maybe the bonobos have split into smaller groups and are eating more terrestrial herbaceous vegetation (THV) such as the Bekombe (Haumania liebreschiana) and Tétéle (Palisota sp) to avoid intraspecific feeding competition.
However, since we saw the bonobos that day we have been much happier, we were worried sick when we found out that they had not been seen for so long. Today even if we don’t see the bonobos we are still lucky enough to hear their calls and to see evidence of their passage.
The presence of the bonobos our closest neighbour reassures us greatly. The conservation of bonobos is the right job to have chosen.
-
En francais:
Surprise Etonnante Chez les Bonobos du Site de Recherche de Ndele
Nous étions très inquiets lorsque notre stagiaire nous a appelé par Thuraya pour nous dire qu’il y a trois mois qui se sont passés jour pour jour où il n’y a eu ni observation ni traces des bonobos dans le site de recherche de Ndele.
Sur ce, à notre arrivé au site avec la grande équipe qui est venue construire les infrastructures de base et installer l’internet, nous nous sommes rendu tous en forêt pour chercher les bonobos mais curieusement la forêt était très calme pas comme d’habitude : il n’y avait aucune traces des bonobos.
Ce soir là au retour de la forêt après une grande pluie, à environ 4950 mètres du camp, nous nous sommes rencontrés avec un bonobo mâle que nous avons eu à observer et à accompagner jusqu’au nid.
Le lendemain matin, certains membres de l’équipe qui n’étaient pas avec nous sont allés observer le même individu là où nous lui avons laissé coucher dans son nid.
Un jour plus tard, le mercredi 19 novembre 2008 vers 16h30, le plus vieux de nos pisteurs (Papa Bosco Ikwa) lors de son voyage de recherche des bonobos s’est rencontré avec un groupe à 1350 mètres du camp et l’a accompagné jusqu’au nid.
Le 20 novembre 2008, nous nous sommes réveillés à 4 heures en route vers le lieu où il a laissé les bonobos couchés, arrivée au site de nid à 5h00 ; le premier mouvement de ces bonobos a commencé à 5h30 minutes. De 5h30 à 8h25, nous avons observé ce groupe des bonobos et avons identifié qu’il était composé de 5 individus dont un mâle adulte ; un mâle juvénile ; une femelle jeune et 2 femelles adultes dont une avec un bébé.
Un constant fait, ces bonobos n’ont pas émis des cris comme d’habitude soit lors de réveil soit lors de rencontre avec nous (les observateurs).
Une hypothèse pour expliquer ce phénomène : comme il n’y a pas assez des fruits dans la forêt, peut être que les bonobos ce sont divisés en petits groupes et ces sont rabattus à la consommation des herbes terrestres(TVH) comme les Bekombe (Haumania liebreschiana) et Tétéle (Palisota sp) pour éviter la compétition alimentaire intra spécifique.
Depuis ce jour, nous sommes devenus heureux car depuis que nous avons reçu le message qu’il y a 3 mois les bonobos ne se font plus voir, nous étions presque malade et aujourd’hui, même si nous ne voyons pas les bonobos, nous avons la chance soit de les écouter soit de voir leurs traces.
La présence des bonobos, notre plus proche voisin nous rassure la continuité de la vie. La conservation des bonobos est le bon métier que nous avons choisit.
-
New Bonobo Blogger Joins Our Team from the Congo!
Posted: November 23, 2008, 1:46 pm by Paul
I’m super excited to introduce the newest member of AWF’s Blog Team: Valentin Omasombo Wotoko from our Congo Heartland.
Check out his blog: [awf.org]
Having spent the last two weeks in the field with Valentin, I think he is remarkable. He was key to the establishment of the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve, works closely with the Congolese Wildlife Authorities (ICCN) to manage the reserve, oversees the development of the new research/conservation center there, and leads research activities on bonobos and other forest species of Lomako.
Newest AWF blogger: Valentin Omasombo WotokoNewest AWF blogger: Valentin Omasombo Wotoko.
He’s got some incredible stories to tell.
Valentin is able to blog from one of the most remote places we work in thanks to a new satellite internet connection. The satellite dish is an awesome addition to our program. It will enable Valentin not only to reach the world through his blog, but also connect with other researchers, stay in touch with other AWF colleagues spread across the continent, and relay data to our partners.
The satellite internet connection comes from the generosity of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Thanks!
Surfing in the jungle: Installing the internet satellite dish in Lomako.Surfing in the jungle: Installing the internet satellite dish in Lomako.
-
The Bonobos of the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve for the World to Discover
Posted: November 21, 2008, 3:48 pm by Valentin
Hello everyone!
Thanks to the internet connection installed on the 14th of November 2008, and the basic infrastructure which has been built at our Lomako Conservation Science Camp - all the information on the populations of bonobos living in this part of the equatorial rainforest - is available to all.
A young bonobo.A young bonobo.
This project that will favour the conservation of and promote the bonobos was made possible due to the efforts of a multi disciplinary and institutional team, made up of:
1) Jules Mayifilua, Chief Conservator of the LYFR site representing the Congolese wildlife authorities (ICCN), in charge of the protected area;
2) African Wildlife Foundation:
Jef Dupain, Director of the Congo Heartland project,
Paul Thomson, Communications Manager,
Valentin Omasombo, Head researcher at Lomako research camp,
Florence Bwebwe, S14 officer,
Malou Nsona, Intern;
3) Press:
Jolie Okako, independent journalist;
4) Maison Mpenzo construction:
Joseph Mpembe, Camp engineer;
5) Cybernet:
Costa Divengele , VSAT technician.
Part of the team visiting Lomako. The satellite dish is behind Jef. I'm standing to his left.Part of the team visiting Lomako. The satellite dish is behind Jef. I'm standing to his left.
A BIG thank you to the Arcus Foundation and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium who financed the satellite internet connection!
–
En francais:
Bonjour!
Par la construction des infrastructures de base et la connexion internet dans notre site de recherche de Ndele le 14 novembre 2008; toutes les informations sur les populations de bonobos de cette partie de la foret équatoriale seront disponibles.
La realisation de cet œuvre grandiose et salutaire pour la conservation et la valorisation de bonobos a été rendue possible grâce au déplacements et aux efforts fournis par une equipe multi disciplinaire et institutionnelle composée de:
1) Jules Mayifilua, Conservateur Chef site de la RFLY représentant de l’institut Congolaise pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), autorité gestionnaire de l’aire protégée;
2) African Wildlife Foundation:
Jef Dupain, Directeur du programme RDC,
Paul Thomson, Communication et marketing,
Valentin Omasombo, Chercheur en chef du centre de recherche de Ndele,
Florence Bwebwe, S14 officer,
Malou Nsona, Stagiaire;
3) Presse:
Jolie Okako, journaliste independante;
4) Maison Mpenzo construction:
Ingenieure Mpembe, Directeur gerant;
5) Cybernet:
Costa Divengele, Ingenieure technicien.Coup de chapeau à Arcus Foundation et Colombus Zoo qui ont financé ce projet!
-
Searching for Bonobos
Posted: November 21, 2008, 2:53 pm by Paul
The guides haven’t seen bonobos in about three months. But we went into the Lomako forest anyway and I thought at least we’ll get some good exercise and fresh rain forest air.
Little did I know what I was in for.
At the AWF bonobo research and conservation center in the Congo’s Lomako Reserve, scouts go out each day and walk transects through the Reserve to record sightings and signs of bonobos. They record other species, too - black manageys, red-tailed monkeys, red river hogs, forest duikers, pangolins, golden cats, and others. They look for snares and nets, hunting camps, burning, and poachers.
Scouts looking for signs of bonobos.Scouts looking for signs of bonobos.
For 4 hours we trekked through the forest. The scouts were carefully scanning the ground for signs and listening for calls. I was equally focused… on the mud, mosquitoes, intense humidity, slippery logs, and attacking ants in pants.
The forest of Lomako - searching for bonobos.The dense tropical forest of Lomako.
The scouts found remnants of Haumania shoots - an herbaceous plant eaten by bonobos. They were from this morning and we got excited that we might be close. We left the trail and went into the thick of the forest, crawling through vines and stinging nettles.
It was amazing to see how the three scouts spread out in search of signs and communicated with each other through whistles and hand gestures.
Fresh signs of bonobos: discarded Haumania shoots.Fresh signs: discarded Haumania shoots. But where were the bonobos?
At one point we stopped to wait near an Antiaris tree (a flowering tree favored by bonobos). I spread out my rain jacket and sat with Jolie - the Congolese reporter with us to help raise visibility in national media. Within minutes clouds overhead completely darkened the forest and that pre-thunder storm feeling filled the air.
For over an hour we sat huddled on a log under intense rain. People do strange things when soaking wet in the jungle. To entertain ourselves, Jolie and I practiced French and English. I spent most of the time trying to pronounce beurre (butter) and learning how to say “I don’t speak French,” while she quickly picked up finger nail, cheek, armpit and other obscure anatomy.
Another friend of the forest.Another friend of the forest.
It was 4:30, getting dark, and still raining. We decided to head back to camp. No bonobos for me today. I knew the chances of seeing wild bonobos were slim, so I tried not to be disappointed.
But we didn’t go far before we heard the unmistakable alarm chirp of a bonobo! Trying not to fall over each other from excitement, we searched the canopy above us for the source of the call.
Far above us was a single male bonobo, anxiously looking down at us from the fork of a tree. As it got darker he was little more than a silhouette, but I managed to get a shot and record his call.
A wild bonobo!A wild bonobo!
Click here to listen to a recording of the bonobo’s vocalization.
The bonobo was clearly uneasy. But why? Despite the protection brought by the establishment of the Reserve, are people hunting them? We could only speculate.
To reassure him that we pose no threat, the scouts stooped over and tore leaves and twigs. This mock foraging behavior has been successfully used in the habituation of apes elsewhere.
Much larger than the other monkeys we have seen (bonobos are almost the size of chimps), he still gracefully maneuvered through branches in the canopy. We got an extra bonus when he let us follow him to his nest - a large, leafy platform in the crook of a tree.
He tossed some branches around, then settled in and peeped down at us. We left him in peace and returned to camp.
No amount of biting ants or pouring rain could darken our moods!
-
The Story Behind the Leopard Capture
Posted: November 19, 2008, 2:35 pm by Nakedi
Ok, I’ll write something then! When I first saw the leopard trapped in the cage, I didn’t believe my eyes. He looked calm and was just sitting there in the cage looking at me. I got so excited that I started running. If you asked me why I was running, I would politely ask you not to ask me difficult questions too early in the morning.
I got in the research vehicle, looked in to the mirror, and did what most people in my situation would do. I did a lot of things! After recollecting my composure, I started the engine and drove off to the lodge to call the vets from Skukuza.
In roughly two hours, Dr. Danny Govender (the veterinary scientist/doctor) and her assistant, Khosi - both from Game Capture Unit - arrived at the lodge. Danny looked at me and said with a smile, “Nakedi, don’t you know that people shouldn’t work on Sundays?” I smiled sheepishly, and then scratched my head.
And so we all went to the capture site. Getting to the trap, it was quickly established that the leopard was a big male. He was unsettled by the number of people who all wanted to witness his fate.
However, for a leopard, he seemed a bit calm; normally he would slam against the sides of the cage; sometimes resulting in some nasty injuries. The reason for his relative calmness was that when we baited the cages, we also placed five pills called Dormicum® in the meat. Dormicum has sedative properties; furthermore it is known to have skeletal muscle relaxant. It is for this reason that the leopard appeared to be too calm in leopard standards even though he was growling and being a leopard.
Personal observation: This obviously didn’t work with the lions, last week!
Danny expertly immobilized the trapped leopard by using the Dan Inject rifle aimed to the neck region. Within a few minutes it was lights out! We then lowered the leopard to the ground and moved him to a suitable area for the collaring.
Taking down data.
We took measurements including weight, body length, tail length, leg lengths (hind and fore) shoulder height, sizes of feet, canine sizes, and length of ears. We also took blood samples for disease screening; for example, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus [FIV - the cat equivalent for the HIV; different to humans, cats have evolved with this disease for millions of years] and other diseases, hair samples for DNA analyses. The general condition of the animal was also assessed. He is an old guy alright, with two broken canines and missing one claw.
After all the necessary information had been gathered, we fitted him with the collar. Danny then injected the reverse drug to wake him up.
Fitting the collar on Paddy.
We all then ran to the safety of the cars because leopards are known to attack anything that moves when they wake up. None of us wanted to be living proofs!
After a while he seemed to be waking up and then everyone decided they were leaving. Matthew Harding (Head Guide) decided to wait with me for a while. After everyone had left the leopard went back to sleep right in front of us. It turns out a combination of Dormicum and other drugs had some serious effects on the leopard.
Matthew and I waited for about two hours during which the leopard attempted in vain to get his legs under his body to start walking. Then Matthew had to leave. By that time it was approaching dusk. I decided to stay and guard the leopard until he was fully recovered.
Reasons for guarding the leopard:
1. With the high lion and hyena densities in the park the leopard was in grave danger
My game plan: Drive around the sleeping leopard, thereby shielding him from the prospective assailant;2. A rival leopard could have taken advantage of the situation if he came across the drugged leopard (proving the point: if you take drugs, your counterpart gains a thousand strides on you; whatever that means)
My game plan: Same as above; and3. A part of me hoped that if I were the first thing he saw upon waking up… we would develop an irreversible bold, a telepathic connection that would keep us going for the next two years
My game plan: stare in to his eyes and hope he does the same for me.In the end I ended up spending the night guarding the sleeping leopard. He woke up early the following morning and gave me the look I was hoping for. He then sleekly disappeared behind the bushes.
I gave a big sigh of relief and drove off to the lodge…
-
First Leopard Captured!
Posted: November 18, 2008, 1:35 pm by Nakedi
Sunday November 9th marked the day of capturing the first leopard in my career. The event was too beautiful to mar with heavy words. Here is a full account of what happened that day in pictures.
Removing the leopard from the trap requires a lot of strength (70 kg cat_ an X-cat). Removing the leopard from the trap requires a lot of strength (70 kg cat = an X-cat)
...and team work. …and team work
...and an open area …and an open area.
The leopard has a broken tooth. Paddy has a broken tooth.
Examining Paddy. Examining the leopard.
Preparing the collar. Preparing the collar.
Collar fitted and ready to go. Collar fitted and ready to go.
Two days later, Paddy is looking good! Two days later, Paddy is looking good! -
When Negotiation Skills Are Key
Posted: November 17, 2008, 3:01 pm by Paul
Nothing starts your day like an angry mob at 7am.
A group of fifty or so men are gathering outside the yard of the house we’re staying at. Things get heated – men begin shouting and waving their arms in frustration. They’re yelling in Lingala, so I look to Jef for help. He shrugs. “They want money.”
And money is what we’re trying to bring to people here in this part of DR Congo. We’re in Lingunda, a village on an elevated bank of the Lomako River.
Our expedition arrived here two days ago on the way to the AWF bonobo research and conservation center being built in the Lomako-Yokokala Faunal Reserve.
To manage the newly formed reserve, AWF works closely with the Congolese wildlife authority, ICCN, and helped establish an ICCN office here in Lingunda about 18 months ago. One of our key objectives with ICCN is to incorporate local communities into conservation management.
Jef tells me, “For the contract between AWF and ICCN on the management of the [Lomako-Yokokala] reserve, we agreed that the local communities take part not only in the execution of the management plan but also in its development from the beginning. This is a major difference.”
At the same time, we work with partners in this landscape to create projects that provide income and alternatives to unsustainable use of the forest.
If we can help bring tourism to this area, “money will come in,” Jef says. “And that never happens. That was nonexistent here. And it’s an example of how it should be.”
Jef, Innocent, Valentin, the ICCN Conservator, and others talk to the group of men that has surrounded us. The energy is escalating, but Jef remains calm and direct.
Jef and team dealing another sticky situation in the DR Congo - about 50 angry men.Jef (white guy), ICCN Conservator (green hat) and team negotiating their way out of another sticky situation in the DR Congo - about 50 angry men.
After 20 minutes of intense discussion, the tension breaks. Some agreement has been reached. Hands are shaken, smiles exchanged.
“This is the way it is here,” Jef tells me later as we travel upriver. “There was some confusion about payment of salaries for the guys who walk transects in the forest. We worked it out. A bit scary, no?”
Uh, yes.
It is amazing what the Congo team has achieved in the face of such challenges.
-
25 Hours by Canoe to the Heart of the Congo
Posted: November 15, 2008, 7:50 pm by Paul
[Reporting from the Congo Heartland]
We had clear skies and a cool temperature as we pushed our two giant wooden canoes (pirogues) off the bank into the Maringa River. The crowd that had gathered to watch us pack now waved and shouted, wishing us bon voyage.
Two pirogues, 14 people, 16 cans of fuel, 12 or so trunks and bags of gear, sacks of rice and food staples, two complete satellite internet dishes, a crate or two of beer, a backpack full of cash to pay park guards, and some fresh wriggling catfish thrown on top for good measure.
For the first couple hours we sat quietly in our small Congolese wood-and-wicker chairs, watching the forest pass us. There was no river bank. The water simply met the wall of trees and flooded inland.
Every now and then we passed a small encampment (homestead? village?) and the people came out of their simple bamboo and thatch homes and watched us go by. A fisherman in a long, shallow and slender pirogue would shout a greeting, holding up fresh fish to sell.
Congo fishermen in a pirogue: The art of not tipping.Congo fishermen in a pirogue: The art of not tipping.
The water of the Maringa – which is a major tributary of the famous Congo River – was deep black. Not dark and murky like coffee – more glossy like a hard black candy. The river is wide and shallow; the surface was still and reflected vivid images of trees or other boats.
I can’t resist the cliché of quoting from Heart of Darkness, as Marlow slogs up the Congo in search of the mad Mr. Kurtz:
“Going up that river was like travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings.”
I’ll leave out the bits about despair, losing your mind, and utter gloom.
Part of the team on one of the pirogues heading up river.Part of the team on one of the pirogues heading up river. Jef on the left, me, and Joseph on the right.
A few hours later we pushed aside the chairs as best we could, rolled out a tarp and voila! – we were set for sleep. We lay there like slugs wrapped in our rain jackets.
I managed to sleep but woke up a few hours later with my entire right arm asleep and my legs soaking in a puddle. I rang the flight attendant for a pillow and warm blanket, but she never came so I rolled to my other side and shivered until dawn.
Just past 6am we stopped at one of the encampments to have a toilet break and brew some coffee. The people living here greeted us warmly, not even surprised that two boatloads of strangers showed up to use their fire and pee behind their house. “This is the way it is here,” Jef said. “It’s no problem.”
We continued upriver for another several hours and then the river split. Valentin Omasombo W`Otoko, our Protected Area Manager / conservation scientist, who’s research camp is our destination, excitedly told us that we were now on the Lomako river which bordered the Lomako reserve.
I’m not making this up: soon after we entered the reserve, we started seeing wildlife that was not present downstream. A group of white egrets perched on a snag didn’t take flight. A black mangabey fed on fruits in the canopy. Five Black-casqued Wattled Hornbills glided over us. A black and white colobus jumped through trees, the long white hair on his back could be seen.
“A couple years ago, you would not see that,” Jef said. “They would have heard us coming and escaped into the forest.”
The sun was out in full force now and sat there baking. Tsetse flies found us. We scrambled to swat them but one found its way up my trousers and got me good. “Don’t let it bite you,” I was told after a couple juicy welts were already swelling.
There is no river bank - just a wall of forest meeting the water of Lomako.There is no river bank - just a wall of forest meeting the waters of Lomako.
Several hours later, hungry, tired and dehydrated we arrived in the village of Lingunda, where we will spend two nights.
This is the way of life for our staff in the Congo Heartland. Traveling to a project site takes 25 hours in a canoe complete with cold rain, hot sun, biting tsetse flies. Yet no one complains.
And as I learned the following day, this is not even the most challenging part of their work environment.
-
Two Lionesses Trapped
Posted: November 11, 2008, 3:08 pm by Nakedi
30 minutes after baiting the leopard traps, and having been reassured that they would be safe from lions, we got a call from Matthew Harding (Head guide). Steve Faulconbridge (Conservation officer) had seen two lionesses get in to the last cage and get trapped!
I didn’t believe what I heard. How can two lionesses - each of which is probably double the size of a fully grown adult male leopard - fit in that cage? “Someone is playing a prank on me,” I thought. Two people were looking at me with the look: “Nakedi, what have you done?” Then I knew it was real.
My thoughts at the time:
• Scream at the top of my voice and ask God to end my life.
• How do I get a lioness out of a cage?
• They are two lionesses, Nakedi; not one.
• Why me?
• Run away and never return.
• I miss home.James Suter, one of the guides, came in to the picture and said he was on duty and was keen to help.
Next bunch of thoughts:
• Wait a minute, I’ve seen JV work with two male tigers on television before; I can relax a little.
• Go and get JV and Andy, they are rugged, they’ll enjoy this right?And so together with James and Francois we (JV, Andy and I) headed back to the trap site. When we got there, the tree was shaking vigorously.
And then the lions heard us, “(GRRRRRRRR x 2)1.”
We moved closer to the cage and then they saw us “(GRRRRRRRR x 2)1000000.” I could feel the air around us vibrating with the vibrations being earthed through my feet. Better yet, as Bill Altimari says: “your breastbone vibrates like a tuning fork,”
Hell hath no fury like two lionesses scorned!
We thought of releasing the animals by quickly lifting the cage door and driving off quickly. James would sit in the back with his rifle aimed at the lionesses should they come out and do what they do best while JV and Andy would attempt to lift the cage door. Francois ran the camera in the safety of the other car. I had to be on the wheel - AWF’s leopard research vehicle was the designated getaway car of mission suicide.
I thought we were on a suicide mission judging by the snarls and growls from the lionesses. It was like they were saying, “When we get out of here, we’ll take out every last one of you”. I opened the knife from my Leatherman® Fuse™ just in case. I’m not going down without scratching something.
My thoughts during mission suicide:
• This is crazy.
• These animals are stressed. Definition: the cage overriding the lionesses’ desire to rip us in to pieces.
• If something happens, this project is doomed.
• We need to call the vets.Finally common sense struck: Call the vets, it was agreed. Hallelujah!
The trap intended for leopards caught two lionesses instead. We sedated and released them. Photo by Andy Coetzee.
We went back to the lodge called Peter Buss from Game Capture Unit in Skukuza. He said he would arrive in two and half hours to sedate the animals and release them. By 22:30 he arrived together with Jenny. They sedated the animals and we released them.
Still no leopards trapped though. Leopards have not moved in those areas…. But in time, they will.
-
Expedition to the Congo
Posted: November 10, 2008, 7:15 pm by Paul
A while back I wrote about the progress being made on the bonobo research and conservation center in our Congo Heartland. I’m joining a 15 person expedition organized by Jef Dupain, director of the Heartland, to visit the site, check on construction as it nears completion, install a VSAT internet connection, and prepare some media buzz for its opening.
Arrival in Kinshasa.
I spent two days in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo, and had the chance to visit Lola ya Bonobo, a sanctuary for orphaned bonobos - and one of AWF’s partners here. Founded by Claudine Andre in 1994, Lola is home to almost 60 bonobos who live in 75 acres of primary forest.
Beyond rehabilitating orphanted bonobos (usually confiscated from the black market pet trade), Lola has a strong outreach and education program for schools. “Education is the first step to conservation,” Claudine told me at the sanctuary. “Congolese kids are proud of their country’s biodiversity. We are helping to spread that pride.” Each year 19,000 school kids come and get to see bonobos up close.
A young bonobo at the Lola sanctuary.
AWF has been lending technical support (mapping, vegetation analysis, etc.) to the program, which aims to reintroduce bonobos back into the wild in 2009.
“Jef is amazing in working with communities [in the Congo Heartland] to know and appreciate bonobos,” Claudine said. “I went to the forest with him and it was easy to see signs of conservation.”
Tomorrow we take two pirogues (giant wooden canoes made from single tree trunks) 300 kilometers up the Maringa and Lopori rivers to get to the site of the bonobo center. I can’t wait to see Claudine’s praise in action, and hopefully to catch a glimpse of these incredible apes in the wild.
I'll be in one of these canoes for 25 hours as we go 300km upriver. Don't rock the boat!
P.S. - It might not sound like the best time to visit the DR Congo. But I’m about 850km from the fighting in the east. I’m safe, I think.
-
How to Trap a Leopard - Part 2
Posted: November 10, 2008, 3:33 pm by Nakedi
The next day (October 31), John Varty (JV), Andy Coetzee, Francois Botha, Hendri and I went out to bait the cages.
JV is famous for his work with big cats and his tiger project down in the Karoo. Andy has more than twenty years of experience working with wildlife and has also been in the army. Francois and Hendri are cameramen who will be filming the events for National Geographic Live, which will be airing live in 166 countries worldwide from Sunday November 9th until Saturday November 15th.
If you have time, please watch the program “Caught on Safari: Live”, you’ll hopefully get a glimpse of the leopard project in the Singita Concession of the Kruger National Park. The leopard project will be aired on day two, that’ll be on Monday November 10th.
The four of us went out and baited all the traps, save one (a lioness with cubs rested in front of the cage that day) and finished just before the game drives began.
To bait the trap we use meat, mostly from animals that die from starvation due to dry conditions. We take the animals’ insides and drag them around the trap site to attract leopards, but this method often attract other carnivores. We then place Dormicum® in the meat (to calm the animal down when he/she finds out that he/she is trapped) and tie it to the trigger. When a leopard comes, it should theoretically tug on the meat, thereby closing the door behind.
The last trap looked worrying, it was set too low. Someone commented (in Shangani) while shaking his head as the trap was set up: “Ti ta ngena tingala la!” (“Lions will get in here!”) I mentioned this to JV while he and I were dragging the lure on a dry river bed. JV’s response: “I wouldn’t worry about it, Nakedi. Lions are too big. I’m worried that even a male leopard may not fit in there.”
I said: “OK,” not knowing what was in store for us next….
-
How To Trap a Leopard
Posted: November 9, 2008, 8:45 pm by Nakedi
Day 1 (October 30th)
At 07:00, Johan Malan of the Game Capture Unit from South African National Parks Board (SANParks), together with three assistants, brought four cage traps to the Singita Concession. The cage traps would be used to capture two leopards, a male and a female, for collaring. Thomas Ramabulana, the section ranger from this area allowed four of his staff to come and help. In total, there were nine of us. Aeron and Francois also tagged along.
We then went and placed all the cages in areas of prime leopard activities. The cages are placed into trees to avoid lions, hyenas and other non-target animals from getting trapped. Placing a cage big enough to capture a leopard is labour intensive because the cages are heavy. It’s not a piece o’ cake!!
Leopard trap placed in the tree.
Good news for us, Johan and his guys knew how to place the cages like the back of their hands. By 15:00 we were done. Johan then took some time to explain to me how to bait and arm the cages. He and his guys then bid us farewell and went on their way. Thomas’ guys did the same. By that time it was too late to go and bait the cages, so I also called it a day.
I would worry about that the following day…
-
Gorillas Remain Safe Amidst Congo Fighting
Posted: November 8, 2008, 8:00 pm by Paul
We’ve been following the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where rebels took command of Virunga National Park’s headquarters. What about the rangers and the mountain gorillas? Jamie from IGCP sent me this news:
“There are still 52 park staff in the Mikeno Sector [the sector of the park where the mountain gorillas live], and 22 rangers monitoring the gorillas. The rangers have continued to go out on a daily basis. Information, however, has had difficulty flowing from the area due to the recent troubles.
Our DRC staff was able to contact the rangers briefly on the 5th and the good news is they reported all the gorillas are fine. As of now, there is no evidence they have been affected by the recent fighting. Of course, Nkunda’s rebel army claims to be monitoring (and not harassing) the gorillas as well.
ICCN [the Congolese wildlife authorities] has emergency funds, but is not able to use them at the moment. The two items the rangers probably need most at the moment are patrol rations and medicine. However, there is no way to get these things to them. With Goma currently calm, our DRC staff are heading back there today to check and see if it calm enough to move back and begin program activities again.
If that happens, one of our staff will travel to the Park soon and personally check on the status of the gorillas. But, that depends, of course, on the continuing peace and the safety conditions for traveling to the Park.”
-
Staff Evacuated from DRC
Posted: November 4, 2008, 2:35 pm by Paul
Staff of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP) have been evacuated from DR Congo, as things remain tense between the Congolese army and rebel militia.
Staff were moved from the office in Goma across the border to the town of Gisenyi in Rwanda.
From IGCP’s Jamie in Rwanda:
“Eugene [Rutagarama - the IGCP Director] organized an emergency trip on friday to see our staff, who we evacuated over the border to Gisenyi.
Everyone got out safely, and now our staff and their families are all living in a rented house in Gisenyi. They are doing fine, and should be there temporarily until Goma is safe again.
Things are calm in Goma at the moment while the international community intercedes and tries
to decide what to do.”Not sure what the fighting is all about? Here’s a good Q & A on the DR Congo conflict: [news.bbc.co.uk]
Blah blah blah
Fish cakes
Alas a fish cake.
Yet more fish cakes
Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.
The end of the fish cakes
