Items by Erin

AWF Blog

• Lions and Rhinos and Okapi, Oh, My!

  Posted: August 30, 2011, 9:47 pm by Erin

  The air is electric with anticipation. Dozens of eyes fix intensely on a single target. The crowd hushes. Suddenly, a pack of African wild dogs charge forth from their den, barking and yelping as they begin feasting on the meal laid before them.

  This exciting sight was witnessed, not by safari goers in Africa, but by zoo-goers just 14 miles from downtown Chicago.  On July 23, more than 900 members of the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) helped celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary with a day at the Brookfield Zoo. Sporting VIP badges, AWF supporters from the Chicago metropolitan area, as well as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Iowa, enjoyed special keeper chats and feedings with zoo and AWF staff, as well as a picnic-style BBQ hosted by AWF Board Chair and Brookfield Zoo Trustee, Dennis Keller.

  Together with a Brookfield naturalist, AWF held a special zookeeper chat on the African wild dog. Where once there were 500,000 wild dogs living in 39 countries across Africa, today there are fewer than 5,000. Photo: Jim Schulz/CZS

  AWF is a leading conservation organization focused solely on Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AWF works directly on the ground in more than a dozen nations in key, defined landscapes—called Heartlands—to save wildlife, preserve natural habitats, and develop sustainable initiatives that benefit the people living closest to the wildlife.

  Even though AWF’s work is focused on Africa, according to AWF CEO, Dr. Patrick Bergin, celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary at the Brookfield Zoo was a natural fit. “Zoos are critical conservation partners for AWF; they help bring Africa closer to the general public,” he said. “They show people just how magnificent the species that call Africa home are and why it is so imperative that we work together to protect them and their habitats. Events like this connect people with AWF and our mission to ensure that the wildlife and wild lands of Africa endure forever.”

  In Brookfield’s Habitat Africa exhibit, guests were awestruck to see two of Africa’s most intriguing—and least-known—species: the red river hog and the okapi, the latter of which was once thought to be extinct. Other Africa-related sights included the Pachyderm House, home to hippos and lowland tapirs; and the Fragile Kingdom, where visitors learned about some of Africa’s smaller cats, such as caracals and sand cats. Throughout the day, people were overheard sharing stories from their own travels to Africa.

  AWF CEO Patrick Bergin (center, in green shirt) and a Brookfield zookeeper lead a chat on black rhinos and AWF's conservation efforts with the endangered species. Demand for rhino horn has increased rhino poaching in Africa. Photo: Jim Schulz/CZS

  Over the past 50 years, AWF has been at the forefront of African conservation initiatives, from establishing a research project on mountain gorillas to leading the charge against elephant poaching and international ivory sales. And while it is wonderful to look back on all that AWF has accomplished during its past five decades of service, Bergin stressed that there is still much more that needs to be done.

  “While AWF has achieved some notable conservation successes in the past 50 years, we will continue to confront challenges as Africa modernizes,” he said. “Thanks to our loyal members, AWF can continue working to prevent key and vital wildlife from passing into myth and habitats from being decimated.”

  AWF thanks all of its supporters, trustees and the Brookfield Zoo for helping it to achieve 50 years of conservation success in Africa, and looks forward to many more years of the same.

  AWF is a proud member of EarthShare. Find out how easy it is to support AWF and dozens of other environmental and conservation charities through a workplace giving campaign.  Federal employees can support AWF in the CFC by donating to #11219.

• Sweetening the Deal

  Posted: October 27, 2009, 4:49 pm by Erin

  “I received some literature from AWF regarding an option in AWF’s wildlife adoption program where I can adopt an animal and receive chocolate. Would you mind telling me a little bit more about that? Thanks!”

  -Tyra, Lincoln, NE, U.S.A.

  As many of you know, it is AWF’s mission to work hand-in-hand with the people of Africa to ensure the wildlife and wild lands will endure forever. Recently, we at AWF were thrilled to learn that we were selected by Endangered Species Chocolate – a company that wholly supports our mission- to become one of their non-profit partners.

  Some background: ESC was founded in 1993 with the sole purpose of spreading the word about the plight of endangered and threatened species to the masses via the most literal, word-of-mouth campaign ever: chocolate. Combining knowledge with indulgence, the core value of ESC is the belief that life- in all its various forms- is precious and worthy of protection, kindness and above all else, respect. Each of ESC’s more than 30 chocolate-related products features information on an endangered or threatened species found on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Endangered Species List. The purpose being to not only indulge in a person’s sweet tooth but to also engage folks in dialogue and most importantly, action, into helping Earth’s most threatened species-including humankind.

  Chocolate may be bad for doggies but not for you: an Endangered Species Chocolate adoption gift package featuring Kerubo, the African wild dog (Photo Credit: Endangered Species Chocolate)

  As I know so many of our supporters love our adoption program, many of you may be wondering how the ESC package is different from the AWF package. Well, I’ll tell you: with an AWF wildlife adoption you get: a name certificate suitable for framing, a plush animal representing the animal/group of animals adopted, a colorized fact sheet full of information on the animal/group of animals you’ve adopted and a one-year membership to AWF, which includes receiving our quarterly newsletter, African Wildlife News. The adoption of a single animal is $25USD and for a group of animals, $75USD (excluding shipping and handling). For the ESC wildlife adoption package, you get: a plush animal representing the animal adopted, a one year e-membership to AWF (that means email, ya’ll), a portion of the adoption fee turns into an immediate donation to the AWF program that corresponds to the animal adopted and- here’s the kicker- the higher the level you adopt (ESC offers packages of $30USD, $45USD and $75USD), the more chocolate you receive!

  AWF is honored to partner with such a respectable and praiseworthy company as ESC. From all adoptions and chocolate sold, ESC will donate 10% of their net profits to help support AWF’s Species Science Team and wildlife conservation programs.

  So what are you waiting for? Put off that visit to the dentist and visit our adoption center here to make an adoption that will help the wildlife you love while showing your sweet side to a sweetheart.

  Wait! Before You Go…

  We talked a lot about respect for life in this post and in keeping with that theme I would be remiss if I did not point out an upcoming holiday that is very deserving of respect: Veterans Day. On November 11^th, you can help honor the veterans of any nation in the world by making a donation in their honor to AWF’s ‘wildlife soldiers,’ such as the brave rangers of our Virunga Heartlands who, literally, put their lives on the line every day in order to protect the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas. Go here to donate equipment to scouts in the Congo and here to help equip mountain gorilla rangers. You may also go here to create a tribute fund to honor a vet in your life, here to make a memorial donation to a vet and here to make a gift in honor of a vet.

• The Elvis of Cheetahs

  Posted: October 23, 2009, 10:59 pm by Erin

  “I was recently doing research on cheetahs for school and my mother told me there is a breed of cheetah that actually has stripes. Please tell my mother that there is only one type of cheetah- the one with spots.”

  –Lucas, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

  Cheetahs with stripes? No way!

  Yes way. There is, indeed, a breed of cheetah with stripes and that breed is known as the King Cheetah.

  The King Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a very rare breed of cheetah found only in southern Africa. The King Cheetah was first found in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in 1926 and was at first thought to be a separate species from the usual spotted cheetah. Over time, due to lack of evidence that the King Cheetah is an altogether separate species, scientists retracted their earlier declarations and agreed that the King Cheetah is not a separate species but rather a variation of the usual spotted cheetah.

  Boasting what may be the most beautifully unusual coat in the Big Cat family, the King Cheetah’s coat features large, blotchy spots and (usually) three distinctive stripes along the back, which at first glance makes the King Cheetah look kind of like a walking Rorschach test. That being said, the question remains: How in the world did these cheetahs get stripes? For a brief moment, let’s go back to our high school biology class. Remember the teacher’s talk about dominant and recessive genes/traits? Well, the striped pattern that gives the King Cheetah its distinctive look is a recessive trait that only appears in two cheetahs that contain this trait. When the cheetahs mate, in some cubs born, this recessive trait becomes the dominant trait and-voila!- a King Cheetah is born. In simpler terms, being a King Cheetah is the same as being a person with blue eyes in an entire family of people with brown eyes.

  It is entirely possible for two usual spotted cheetahs to have liters of cubs all spotted, all King or a mixture of both. Whether or not a cheetah cub will be born a King or the usual spotted cheetah completely depends on which way Mother Nature decides to swing her pendulum.

  View original photo here.

  Did You Know…?

  • Early scientists were so taken aback at finding a cheetah with such differently shaped spots and stripes, the King Cheetah was originally thought to be a cheetah-leopard hybrid.
  • The King Cheetah is so rare its world population is just under 30 individual cheetahs, with merely a possible 10 living in the wild scattered throughout Zimbabwe and South Africa.
  • The best place to find King Cheetahs is at the DeWildt Cheetah Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. The DeWildt Cheetah Centre has been so successful in breeding the King Cheetah that it is often called ‘The DeWildt Cheetah’.

• A Window to the Heart

  Posted: September 11, 2009, 1:01 am by Erin

  A friend and I were recently watching a program about baboons and she mentioned that she heard of a baboon that has a heart on the outside of its body. Is there really a baboon in Africa with a heart on the outside of its body,  or was my friend pulling my leg?

  –Anne, Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A.

  Well, your friend was and was not pulling your leg. There is a species in Africa that is known as ‘the bleeding heart monkey,’ but I swear its all-important internal organ is exactly where it is supposed to be.

  The Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is often times called ‘The Gelada Baboon,’ although it is not a baboon at all (it gets this misnomer from being very close in appearance to baboons). Baboons are a species of primate in the genus papio. The gelada (no last name–like Cher) is a primate in the genus theropithecus and is the only living species in this genus.  That being said, the gelada and the baboon are closely related cousins (sort of like zebras and horses: zebras aren’t horses but they are equines and thereby related) and because of this relation, many scientists believe the gelada should be included in the papio family and yet other scientists believe it should remain in its own genus. Unlike any other primate, the gelada has the distinctive feature of an hourglass-shaped patch of skin on its chest. To the human eye, it looks very much like a window to the gelada’s heart, hence its handle, ‘the bleeding heart monkey.’ Although this patch of skin occurs on both males and females, the males’ patches may be more pronounced but it is the female’s that get to be studied.

  The Lion Baboon - A male gelada

  As geladas are 100% herbivores (i.e., vegetarians), unlike their baboon cousins, they spend most of their day in a sitting position foraging for grasses. Because of this sitting position, scientists believe the ‘bleeding heart’ patch developed as a genetic modification to their baboon cousins’ swelled buttocks: when a female baboon is in estrus, her buttocks swells and reddens, letting the males know she has not lost that lovin’ feelin’.  With female geladas, the ‘bleeding patch’ acts in much the same way- it reddens and becomes surrounded by fluid-filled blisters when in estrus. Scientists believe this genetic modification came about as, since the female gelada is in a sitting position for most of the day, if she’s in estrus- how are any of the males supposed to see her love signals? Hence, the ‘bleeding patch’ acts as the female geladas own ‘Bat Signal,’ letting the males know she is ready to mate.

  Did You Know…?

  • Because of the male geladas brilliant tuft of hair around its head, shoulders and tail, this creates a lion’s mane-like effect, which is why the male gelada is also known as ‘The Lion Baboon’
  • Geladas live in matriarchal families known as tribes or troops
  • The geladas live in the mountains of northern Ethiopia, with the highest population in the Simien Mountain National Park. They are found nowhere else in the world.
  • To escape predators at night, the gelada creep over the cliffs edge and-literally- hang on to the rocky mountainside with their fingertips.

• African Wildlife Foundation–Represent!

  Posted: August 28, 2009, 12:28 am by Erin

  “I am an avid AWF supporter and always receive compliments about my AWF Travel Tote Bag. Do you have other merchandise for sale, and if so, where do the proceeds go?”

  –Lyssa, Annandale, VA, U.S.A.

  Do we have stuff available for purchase? We have lots of great stuff available for purchase! In fall 2008, AWF redesigned and relaunched our online store with even more fun, fierce, African-made items than before. And all of the proceeds go to support AWF’s work to protect African wildlife

  As a born shopper, believe me when I say AWF’s online store has something for everyone: we have both Women’s and Men’s Apparel sections that have everything from AWF-branded baseball caps to sweaters to golf shirts to everyday t-shirts. Visit our Jewelry section to view our extensive array of African-made necklaces, bracelets and earrings. For the young conservationists in your family, visit our Kids section to take a look at our CD-books that tell the story of African animals (as read by an actual AWF Heartland director), coloring books, CD’s, punch-put masks, clothes and more. For our more eco-conscious supporters, drop on by our Green Living section for books that give great tips on how to live green (or greener, if you’re already hip) and some eco-friendly accessories. For our more fashion conscious supporters, come on by our Made in Africa section, which has great accessories, including our brand new Maasai Belts.

  Maasai Belts like these are available in our Made in Africa section.

  Wait! Before You Go…
  There are a couple of really great family holidays coming up: Labor Day (the day where you do anything BUT labor) is September 7th and Grandparent’s Day is September 13th. With all that we’ve covered today, I don’t have to tell you how many great items we have available for you to be stylin’ at the neighborhood block party. We also have great gifts for Meemaw and Pap Pap in both our store and adoption center. Please visit us here to make an adoption today!

• What’s in a Name?

  Posted: August 14, 2009, 1:39 am by Erin

  “I recently discovered that a group of rhinos isn’t called a herd, like other animals such as elephants, but a crash. This got me to thinking: where do names for groups of animals come from? How do scientists come up with these kinds of names?”

  –James, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.

  I have to admit, I have often wondered this myself. Upon doing some research, I found that a good portion of the seemingly oddball collective names are believed to come from a singular source: a 15th century woman by the name of Dame Juliana Barnes.

  Dame Barnes was the prioress of the Sopwell Nunnery near St. Albans and in addition to running a convent, she was also an avid student of animals and outdoor field sports (hawking, hunting and fishing were particular favorites). She is the author of the classic wildlife collective, The Book of St. Albans, which has also become known as The Book of Hawking, Hunting, and Blasting of Arms.  This three-part book is the first tome by a woman to accurately detail outdoor field sports and animal husbandry.

  Many collective terms used for groups of animals (such as ‘a melody of harpers’ or ‘an unkindness of ravens’) are believed to come from Dame Barnes’s clearly vivid imagination and are found in the section List of Animal Names in The Book of St. Albans. This particular section has struck the curiosity (and funny bones!) of countless numbers of people over the centuries and has undoubtedly kept the book in the spotlight since it was first published more than 500 years ago.  Most of the collective terms used have nothing to do with any scientific deductions (which answers the question- How do scientists come up with these names? Answer-They don’t) and are thought to stem from the images that come to mind when seeing a group of animals. If this is true, Dame Barnes was mighty successful: a crash of rhinos is an image that most definitely sticks in one’s mind!

  Crash into me: two black rhinos a crash makes.

  Fun Facts: Some great collective terms for groups of animals
  OK- everyone knows that a group of elephants is called a herd but did you know another term for a group of elephants is a memory? Listed below are fun collective terms for some of our favorite African animals. For fun, tried to add some of your own to the list.

  Zebras: A zeal OR dazzle

  Gorillas: A shrewdness OR troop
  

  Butterflies: A kaleidoscope
  

  Hippos: A bloat
  

  Rhinos: A crash OR stubbornness
  

  Warthogs: A sounder OR singular
  

  Buffalo: A troop, gang OR obstinancy
  

  Cheetahs: A coalition
  

  Giraffes: A tower
  

  Hyenas: A cackle

  Wait! Before You Go…
  We had some serious fun today discussing all the fun collective terms for groups of animals but making sure these groups can survive over the long term is serious business. You can help AWF protect Africa’s unique animals by stopping by our adoption center, where you can adopt your very own shrewdness of apes, dazzle of zebras, tower of giraffes, crash of rhinos, leap of leopards, sounder of warthogs and more.

• We Are Equine Family!

  Posted: July 17, 2009, 9:57 pm by Erin

  “One of my favorite animals in the world is the horse. I love horses! Since you started this blog, I wanted to ask the question I have always wanted to ask: are there any horses native to Africa?”

  -Jen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  Well, yes and no. There are horses that are native to Africa but they did not originate in Africa.

  The Barb horses of northern Africa (they get their name as they were developed along the Barbary Coast of northern Africa in roughly the 8^th Century) probably originated from the nearby middle eastern region and — like camels — came to Africa with the migrating people of this region. The Barb horses — of which there are three breeds: the Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian — are native to Africa, but they did not originate on the continent.

  That being said, there are a quite a few beautiful and wonderful animals within the equine family that are native to AND originate on the African continent: the African wild ass (Equus africanus), the Nubian wild ass (Equus africanus africanus), the Somali wild ass (Equus africanus somaicus), the Plains zebra (Equus quagga), Grevy’s zebra (Equus Grevy), Mountain zebra (Equus sebra), Burchell’s zebra (Equus quagga burchellii), Grant’s zebra (Equus quagga boehmi), Selous’ zebra (Equus quagga borensis), Chapman’s zebra (Equus quagga chapmani), Crawshay’s zebra (Equus quagga crawshayi), the Cape Mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) and Hartmann’s mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae).

  Not a horse but still family: a dazzle of Grevy’s zebras

  Did You Know…?

  - The Grevy’s zebra is also known as the Imperial zebra

  - Zebras are more closely related to the African wild ass than horses

  - The name ‘zebra’ comes from the Old Portuguese word ‘zevra’ meaning ‘wild ass’

  - The Swahili word for zebra is punda milia which literally means striped donkey

  - The Plains zebra (aka the Common zebra) has six sub-species in its genealogy, including the extinct Quagga

  Wait! Before You Go…

  Although not a horse, zebras are, indeed, a part of the equine family and you can take action to help protect them. Feel free to drop on by our adoption center here http://www.awf.org/adopt where you can adopt Leperit the zebra, a herd of zebras or an acre (or more) of land to give the zebras room to roam like the wild stallions (and mares) they are. You can also help AWF help the endangered Grevy’s zebra by supporting AWF’s Grevy’s Zebra Research Project.

• Hippo Hullabalooza!

  Posted: June 19, 2009, 12:38 am by Erin

  I have received quite a few emails from people asking about one of Africa’s most treasured and famous residents: the hippo.

  “Can hippos swim?”

  –Scott- Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A.

  Despite the fact that they spend the great majority of their day in water, adult hippos cannot truly ‘swim.’ The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) is enormous, with adult males sometimes reaching a weight of over 3,000 pounds. Being such a large, heavy animal, it is nearly impossible for hippos to possess the buoyancy necessary to swim freely throughout the water. Instead, when adult hippos ‘swim’ they actually sink and walk or trot along the bottom, using the water’s natural buoyancy and their feet to propel them forward. Pretty much the same as when you’re in the pool and you use your feet to ‘walk.’ Underwater, they are surprisingly quick and graceful.

  “I recently read an article in my local paper about the birth of a hippo in India. Are hippos native to India? I thought hippos were only native to Africa?”

  Robert- Tampa, FL, U.S.A.

  Hippos are, indeed, native to Africa and are found nowhere else in the world. In researching your question, Robert, I found the recent article in which you are referring regarding the birth of a new calf by the ‘hippo’ Hartali (see the video here) . Although referred to as a ‘hippo,’ Hartali and her calf are not hippos but Indian Rhinos. The only reason I can think of that Hartali and her calf are referred to as ‘hippos’ is because in Hindi (which is just one of the 18 official languages of India), the word for Hippo is ‘Jal Hasti’ meaning ‘Water Elephant,’ which I suppose could be seen as a deviation of the Hippo’s scientific name, which translates to ‘river horse’ or ‘water horse.’ This still doesn’t really explain why rhinos are being called ‘hippos’ but in any case, Hartali and her calf are, indeed, Indian rhinos and not hippos.

  “Is it true that hippos sweat blood?”

  -Susan, Norfolk, VA, U.S.A.

  The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) does not sweat blood…they don’t even have sweat glands! Instead, to protect their skin from sunburn and infection, they have mucous glands that secrete a special substance to coat the skin. Because this natural sunscreen is reddish in color, it is sometimes called ‘blood-sweat’ but in actuality it isn’t blood or sweat–it’s a modified mucous product.

  Bonus Fact:

  For those of you who had your thinking caps on you may have started wondering, ‘Gadzooks! If hippos don’t have sweat glands then how do they stay cool in the hot African sun?’ But luckily those of you who had your double thinking caps answered, ‘They live in the water!’ This is true: to keep themselves from getting hot and bothered in the African sun, hippos are mostly nocturnal, coming out of the water to feed on grasses at night.

  Wait! Before you go…

  It’s June and as such, Father’s Day and graduations of all levels are right around the corner. If you don’t yet have a gift for your Dad or Grad-don’t sweat it! Feel free to stop on by AWF’s online store at  [shop.awf.org]. For Dad, we have everything from outdoor vests to books and BBQ cooler tote bags. For the recent grad, we have great gifts such as beaded bracelets, stylish new belts and even safari gear for that last free-for-all backpacking trip before joining the Real World.

• Ligers, Tigers and Bears-Oh My!

  Posted: June 15, 2009, 8:22 pm by Erin

  “Does Africa have bears?”

  Janice- Shreveport, LA, U.S.A.

  Sadly, not any more. The only known species of “true bear” indigenous to the continent of Africa was the Atlas Bear (Ursus arctos crowtheri). It was a subspecies of the Brown Bear that was reported to have lived from Morocco to Libya. The last reported specimen was killed in theTetuan Mountains of Morocco in the 1870s.
   
  “I’m in 9th Grade and I am currently doing a report on Tigers. I found your website and while it is very informative, there is no information on Tigers which surprised me. I would think the African Wildlife Foundation would have information on Tigers. Why don’t you have information on Tigers?”

  Leatrice- New Castle, PA, U.S.A.

  “Why doesn’t AWF have information on Tigers?” I get asked this question a lot. The honest-to-goodness reason AWF does not have any information on Tigers on our website or anywhere in our offices is this: there are no Tigers in Africa. No fooling. This is not a trick. A Tiger is many things, including beautiful, fierce, majestic and flat-out magical. But one thing a Tiger is not, is native to Africa.  That being said, there are plenty of other interesting and beautiful cats in Africa both big and small—Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Servals, Caracals, Sand Cats and Wildcats to name but a few.

  “I was watching the movie, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ the other day and the movie mentions an animal called a ‘Liger’—a Lion crossed with a Tiger. Do Ligers really exist or were they just made up for the movie?”

  Justin- Omaha, NE, U.S.A.

     Ah yes, the Liger. “It’s pretty much my favorite animal. It’s like a Lion and a Tiger mixed… bred for its skills in magic.” (Napoleon Dynamite from the film, Napoleon Dynamite).”
   
       Actually there is such a thing as a Liger. Ligers are a hybrid species created by mating a male Lion (Panthera leo) with a female Tiger (Panthera tigris). They grow to enormous sizes. In fact, the largest known living cat is a Liger: His name is Hercules and he weighs 900 pounds. (For comparison, a very large Lion can weigh around 650 pounds.)  Ligers are faintly striped, exhibit a lion-like face, and are maneless. They are the largest cats in the world, with Siberian Tigers being the #1 largest pure-bred sub-species. It is interesting to note that the male Liger, much like that of a more common hybrid, the donkey, is sterile and cannot have offspring,  while female Ligers are fertile and can have cubs.

  Ligers are a hybrid species created by mating a male Lion with a female Tiger.

  While we’re all on the subject of Lion/Tiger hybrids, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Tigon. It’s a cross between a female Lion and a male Tiger. Unlike the Liger, male and female Tigons remain roughly the same size as their Lion mothers.  There have also been reported cases of Li-tigons (female Tigon and male Lion) and Ti-tigons( female Tigon and male Tiger).
  Neither the Liger nor the Tigon have ever been known to exist in the wild.

  Wait! Before You Go…

  Since we were talking so much about cats today, I wanted to remind you all that June is Adopt-A-Cat month! While AWF heartily supports everyone going down to their local animal shelter to rescue the newest member of their family, we also hope you keep in mind Africa’s cats. Please visit us at our adoption center at http://www.awf.org/adopt  to adopt Loli the Leopard or Auntie Botlhe the Lioness. You can also help the cats of Africa by helping AWF acquire as much land as possible to give the cats as much room to roam as they please. Adopt an acre (or more) of land today or visit us at [www.awf.org] to find different action opportunities to help AWF help the Big Cats of Africa!

• Are penguins found in Africa?

  Posted: June 5, 2009, 8:15 pm by Erin

  
  

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  “I am currently doing a report on penguins. Upon researching my subject a friend of mine told me that there are actually penguins in Africa. I told him penguins only live in cold climates but he swears Africa has penguins. Is this true?”
  

  –Casey of Cleveland, OH, U.S.A.

  Penguins? In Africa? Yes-Africa.

  Africa does, indeed, have penguins. Let’s travel now to the beautiful land of southern Africa where the African Penguin (Spheniscus Demersus) is a must-see, attention grabbing native.

  African Penguin

  The African Penguin (also known as the Black-Footed Penguin, and because of its braying vocalizations, the Jackass Penguin) stands approximately 28 inches in height and can weigh between 4-11 lbs. Besides its distinctive vocalizations, this penguin is most identified by the long, black stripe across its chest, which is also dotted with small black spots. Each pattern of spots is unique to each penguin, much like the stripes of a zebra or fingerprints for human beings.

  As with the stripes of zebras on the savannas, the black and white coloring of the penguin acts as a camouflage in the water: when predators (namely sharks, seals and occasionally, orcas) in deep waters look upwards, they see the penguin’s white underbelly reflected against the bright African sun; for predators looking down into the dark water, they see the black backside.

  Like many other African species, the African Penguin has also faced serious threats to its existence. Due to the harvesting of eggs for food and destruction of habitat, the African Penguin was almost on the brink of extinction. Currently, the African Penguin is listed as a Vulnerable Species.

  Did you know…?

   

  -The African Penguin can swim at a top speed of approximately 20 km/h (about 10 mi/h)

   

  -When swimming, the African Penguin can stay submerged for up to two minutes

   

  -The African Penguin is the only penguin species to breed in Africa and is not found anywhere else in the world.

   

• The Little Five

  Posted: June 1, 2009, 5:36 pm by Erin

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  “I know the Big Five animals of Africa, but what are the Little Five?”–Babu

  Ah, the Big Five. It’s a phrase that has sparked the imagination of many people across the globe for many decades. For those of you who may not know, the Big Five of Africa are the elephant, rhino (both the black and white rhino), leopard, lion and African buffalo. The term ‘Big Five’ was anointed to these species by big game hunters as a way to identify the top five species that are hardest to hunt by foot, not, as the term would suggest, by the size of the animal.

  By comparison, it would stand to reason that since there is a listing for the Big Five of Africa there must also be a Little Five, right? Right! Named in honor of their fierce and fiercely beautiful namesakes, the Little Five of Africa are as follows:

  The Leopard Tortoise (photo courtesy of SouthAfrica.Info):

  The Leopard Tortoise

  Found in the arid savanna of Africa, these tortoise are so named because of their shared distinctive spots with the leopard (Panthera pardus).  The leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) is the most widely distributed tortoise in southern Africa and may be found in lands from Sudan all the way to the Cape. The leopard tortoise can live up to approximately 100 years and is the fourth largest tortoise in the world.

  The Elephant Shrew (photo courtesy of SouthAfrica.Info):

  The Elephant Shrew

  The elephant shrew (Elephantulus myurus) is an African native that gets its name from-you guessed it– its long trunk-like nose. Feeding only on insects, this tiny species gets around quite easily due to its elongated hind legs, which for its size (elephant shrews can vary in size from 4-12” in length and weigh between a mere 2 oz. to 1 lbs.) enables the shrew to ‘hop’ along easily to find food.

  Antlion (Photo courtesy of SouthAfrica.Info):

  The Antlion

  The antlion  (Myrmeleontidae) is a remarkable creature. Found in sandy, arid regions of the Earth, there are more than 2,000 species worldwide. The term ‘antlion’ refers to this species while it is in its larval form. The Antlion digs small pits in soft sand and waits, open jawed, for its prey to walk by before snatching it up. The antlion may have gotten its name due to early scholars studying this behavior and likening the ‘hide and pounce’ approach to that of lions.

  Rhinoceros Beetle (photo courtesy of SouthAfrica.Info):

  Rhinoceros Beetle

  The rhinoceros beetle (Scarabaeinae dynastinae) is one of the largest beetles in Africa; it gets its name from its characteristic horns, which look much like the horns of its namesake. Along with being one of the largest beetles in Africa it is also one of the strongest animals on the planet (in relation to its size): these beetles can actually lift up to 850 times their own weight!

  Buffalo Weaver (photo courtesy of SouthAfrica.Info):

  Buffalo Weaver

  The buffalo weaver is one smart cookie, err…birdie. Known as the ‘Architect of the Bird World,’ the nests for buffalo weavers are incredibly constructed. Nests usually contain several ‘rooms’ which the weaver enters from the bottom of the nest. To protect against predators, the weaver lines the branches that construct the outside of the nest and the branches leading up to the nest with thorny, prickly and sticky twigs.

  So, there you are! These are the Little Five of Africa. Amazing, aren’t they? Let it never be said again that all good things come in large packages.

  Wait! Before you go…

  Although we focused on the Little Five today please don’t forget about their larger counterparts. To help AWF conserve and protect Lions, Leopards, Elephants and Rhinos, please visit our adoption center, where you can adopt Loli the Leopard, Jabari the Rhino, Oltupai the Elephant and Auntie Botlhe the Lioness. You can also help AWF give wildlife room to roam by adopting an acre (or more) of land today!

• Go Ahead, Ask!

  Posted: May 18, 2009, 10:19 pm by Erin

  Sawubona! Muraho! Habari! Supa! Muli Shani! Dumela! Mbote!

  In any language, Hello! Welcome to AWF’s newest blog, Ask Erin. The above phrases are a few ways of saying ‘HELLO, WORLD!’ in just a few African dialects from some of the countries in which the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) works to conserve and protect the wildlife and wild lands of Africa. The specific dialects are (from right to left) IsiZulu (South Africa), Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Kiswahili (Tanzania, Kenya), Maa (Kenya, Tanzania), Bemba (Zambia), Tswana (Botswana) and Lingala (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

  My favorite wildlife species -- the African wild dog

  My name is Erin Keyes and I am the Membership Services Assistant for AWF. This blog will differ from my esteemed blogging brethren as this blog is not about my program work in Africa (although that would be beyond awesome) or about me trekking wildlife through the savannas and rainforests of Africa (again-that would be awesome) but instead, this blog is all about YOU. What are YOUR questions? What wildlife are YOU curious about? What questions regarding the wildlife of Africa or AWF have you always wondered about but never asked? Well, now is the time to ask and don’t be shy in asking: I am a firm believer in the old adage that there is no such thing as a stupid question-there is only information that has not yet been found.

  Maasai jewelry, like that pictured on this lovely girl, is a personal favorite of mine; AWF supporters can buy at www.awf.org/store

  As a member of AWF’s Membership Team for the past five years, I have been asked every kind of wildlife question imaginable-everything from Do hippos swim? to Can cheetahs get chicken pox? As you can imagine, in researching the answers to these questions I have amassed quite a bit of knowledge about African wildlife. I do not claim to know everything but what I do not know, I will find out and share with you. So, if there are any answers to questions about African wildlife that you want to know or have ever wanted to know but were too afraid to ask, Ask Erin.

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

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

The end of the fish cakes