AWF Blog

• Erin, once and for all-Zebras: are they ...

  Posted: December 29, 2009, 10:19 pm by admin

  Erin, once and for all-Zebras: are they black with white stripes or white with black stripes?

  –Jarrett, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.

  Ah… the Great Zebra Debate. Are they white with black stripes or vice versa? Kingdoms and friendships have fallen because of this debate, but here goes:

  After doing a bit of research,  the common consensus among reputable sources is that zebras are black with white stripes. Now, before anyone who disagrees takes my head off, you should know that there is actually a bit of logic and science behind this reasoning. First, most zebras have darker skin underneath their coats. Second, fair skinned equids would not have fared well over the centuries in the unforgiving hot, arid African regions. Third, scientists believe that zebras diverged from a solid-colored equine, with the African Wild Ass (Equus africanus) being the first species to appear after this diversion followed by the Plains Zebra (Equus quagga- aka the Common Zebra).

  You talkin’ to me?: the ‘darker’--and endangered--Grevy’s Zebra. © Paul Thomson

  Now, I know a lot of you out there in Ask Erin! land will say, But, Erin, how can you say that zebras are black with white stripes when, if you look at the underside of a zebra’s belly, they are stark white? There are many species of animals of different colors that have light or white colored underbellies or legs that no one would claim are white. The striped pattern of zebras comes about from a genetic process called selective pigmentation. What this means is, black is the predominant, actual color pigmentation of the zebras coat and the part of the zebras coat that does not contain pigmentation (or at least very little pigmentation) appears as the white stripes and underbelly.

  Zebra stripes work as a camouflage against predators and each species of zebra has a stripe pattern (or pigmentation) acquired for their habitat. For example, the Plains and Grevy’s Zebras have ‘darker’ pigmentation (i.e., thinner white stripes or larger black stripes, depending on how you look at it) in order to blend in with the African plains and savannas.  Zebras which live in areas with more rocky, mountainous locales are ‘lighter’ (i.e., wider white stripes) in appearance in order to blend in with their surroundings. There are three distinct species of zebra. The Plains zebra alone has six sub-species. Many people think all zebras are alike and most folks can’t tell a Plains zebra from a Cape Mountain zebra. It is because of this confusion (and by extension, different stripe patterns per species and sub-species), that the great zebra debate, no doubt, will rage on.

  Wait! Before You Go…

  Do your part and help AWF protect the magnificent zebra–adopt Leperit the zebra, a zeal of zebras or adopt an acre (or more) of land by visiting our adoption center. You can also take action by supporting AWF’s Grevy’s Zebra project.

• Gorilla Twins, a New Baby and Growing Community

  Posted: December 14, 2009, 6:25 pm by admin

  Wobbling down what seems like an endless descent from the lofty perches of Nkuringo Ridge, the village of Kahurire in the patchwork of green hollows below looks tiny no matter how close we get to it, like a scattering of child’s playhouses neatly arranged in neighbor friendly concentric circles.  The ragged leaves of the banana trees and deep red earth of Kahurire’s paths snake through the valley like bursting capillaries, the lifeblood of this patch of farmland on the forest’s edge.

  Just as we pass Kahurire and its early morning chorus of chattering children, our guide Herbert comes to a complete halt.  There is movement in the valley just west of the village – something romping through the long golden grass that flows in all directions from the wall of trees on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  It’s low to the ground and dense.  Herbert hands me the binoculars.  The Nkuringo gorilla group has decided on a jaunt outside of Bwindi today, and I spot Park rangers in their everyday green fatigues coaxing them back: out of the community’s bean fields and back into Bwindi’s dense sanctuary.  Today the rangers are on the spot, but when gorillas leave the forest they often encounter community members.  Here, the HUGO (Human Gorilla Conflict) team, an IGCP assisted project springs into action using their extensive training to encourage the gorillas to re-enter the forest.

  When we finally reach the gullies beyond the bean fields (gorillas do not actually like the bean plants for food and leave them alone, the rangers tell me) the family has scattered, but still has time to be cheeky: the newly silvered silverback Bahati, who has graduated from blackback status the last time I saw him, still plays the rebellious teenager and starts chasing us through the rustling ferns, which have turned reddish-brown under the high country sun.   After one or two bluffs, he settles into a spot near some tasty trees and ignores us, deciding a snack is more important than making this pale ape tumble backwards down the almost vertical slopes.

  Bahati, newly silverbacked, pauses for a snack.

  As Bahati tucks beneath the vegetation, Kwitonda emerges on the knob above us with her two fuzzy and precious packages clinging tightly to her back: the brother and sister twins Karunge and Muhozi, who were born just over a year ago.  Gorilla twins are rare. Rarer yet is both surviving past their first year.  Muhozi and Kaurunge both look healthy to these untrained eyes, and the rangers inform me they are doing just fine.

  Kwitonda emerges with brother and sister twins Karunge and Muhozi.

  There is rustling all around us and we follow Kwitonda up the hill, but it is hard to spot anything in the wall of ferns and grass.  As we double around and pass above the lounging Bahati we get lucky: there is Mama Christmas with her tiny two week-old baby, which she is vigilantly sheltering under her arm beneath her breast.  My mission today was to get photos of the newborn, but I am no match for a protective mother: I can only get a few fleeting glances and blurry snaps before she whisks the fragile youngster through some dense brush and out of site.

  Mama Christmas with her tiny two week-old baby.

  I have to content myself with Rafiki (“Friend”), the mellow silverback with the massive head who has perched himself on another impossibly steep hill and is stuffing his mouth with leaves and young shoots, occasionally closing his eyes in a sleepy haze like a sports fan with a protruding belly on the sofa drifting into a nap after a long day of overdosing on football and food.    We keep him company during the voracious munching, and blissfully content in his food wonderland, he doesn’t stir as we retreat for the muscle taxing hike back up the ridge, which by now is sticky hot with late morning sun.

  The Nkuringo family has increased from 18 to 20 members since my last visit.  They are healthy, safe and content, and their progress seems inextricably linked to that of their human neighbors in and around Nkuringo Village.  Later, I have a nice chat with Gervase Tumwebaze, the ebullient Head of the Nkuringo Community Development Foundation, the local organization partnered with IGCP and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge that turns the benefits from gorilla tourism into development benefits for an increasing number of households in the area.  Gervase mentions current projects: a water extension project for a village, Nyabaremura, which had no source, pig and cow distribution which places the animals’ offspring back into the community’s needy families, school fee support for local nursing students, conservation of pocket forests outside of the National Park, development of school gardens.

  Walking through the village I meet up with Simeo, who has benefited from the cow project.  He points to his cow’s young calf, which bounces around his pasture below the village.  When the calf is old enough, it will go to another local family in need, and Simeo will get to keep his cow, which will produce milk for his family and for sale, as well as additional calves.  “The benefits go to both my family and others in the area,” states Simeo, proudly showing off a living benefit of NCDF’s work that has already had a positive impact on the families of this remote mountain hamlet stashed between the impenetrable green of Bwindi Forest and the vast expanse of the Virunga Volcano chain.  It’s a rare site, and rare treat, indeed, to witness the progress of so many families, human and hairy.

  - Jamie Kemsey

• Charlotte Fellows Follow-Up

  Posted: December 4, 2009, 12:52 am by admin

  A big hearty HELLO!

  A few weeks back, I wrote to you all about the African Wildlife Foundation’s (AWF) Charlotte Fellows Program, which is a fellowship offered specifically to African nationals seeking their full or partial Ph.D. or Master’s degrees in conservation, biological sciences (see my original post here). As you no doubt will recall, I promised that as soon as I had word I would let you all know about the newest crop of students who will make up the Charlotte Fellows class of 2009-2010. Well, guess what? The word is in!

  As AWF recently expanded our work into western Africa (you’ll be hearing more on that very soon!), we specifically restricted the application process to students from West Africa. These future leaders of African wildlife conservation are as varied as any class we’ve ever seen – and just as brilliant.

  The roan antelope is one of the many fabulous antelope species found in West Africa. © Shana Laursen

  I present to you now the AWF Charlotte Fellows class of 2009-2010:

  Etotepe A. Sogbohossou is  a lion lover from Benin who is working towards a Ph.D. in Conservation Biology at the University of Leiden in The Netherlands.

  Issa Nassourou is from Niger and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography at the Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, Niger.

  Boubacar Boureima is also from Niger and like Issa, is currently working towards his Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, also, at the Abdou Moumouni University in Niger. He is studying the manatees of the Niger River (Betcha didn’t even know Africa had manatees, did ya’?).

  Mohamadou Habibou Gabou is from the nation of Niger (wow- Niger has really represented for this class!) and is working to earn a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management at, you guessed it, Abdou Moumouni University in Niger.

  Isidore Ogoudje Amahowe is from Benin and is  pursuing his Master’s degree in Analysis of Wildlife Populations at the Rural Development Institute, Bobo-Dioulasso University Polytechnic.

  Amelie Traore Hien is from Burkina Faso and is conducting research on ecosystem degradation in the Kou sub-basin in her homeland while studying for a Master’s degree in Protected Area Management at the International Institute of Water Engineering and Environment in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso.

  Congratulations to our newest class of fellows! For more information on our new fellows, please visit us on our website here.

  Wait! Before You Go…
  As most of you know by now, here at AWF, we believe in empowering people as much as we believe in conserving and protecting wildlife. Our Charlotte Fellows program is living proof of this belief. However, just because the application process is closed for our 2009-2010 fellows class doesn’t mean you can’t still lend a helping hand to future African conservationists. Please visit us here to lend support to our Charlotte Conservation Fellowship Program and here to buy school supplies for our youngest future conservationists: the primary students at AWF’s Manyara Ranch School in our Maasai Steppe Heartland.

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Fish cakes

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Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes