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SPRING 2004<br />

Inside THIS ISSUE<br />

Machache ~ A Few Words<br />

You can turn your passion into action.<br />

Safari Report<br />

The differences between East Africa and<br />

Southern Africa.<br />

<strong>Wildlife</strong> Watch<br />

This endangered animal can roll up into a ball to<br />

protect itself.<br />

www.awf.org<br />

page 2<br />

page 4<br />

page 8<br />

First-time mother Rwanda Rushya of Rwanda’s Susa group gave birth to this little one on Christmas Eve 2003.<br />

Mountain Gorilla<br />

<strong>Population</strong> <strong>Increases</strong><br />

Life has been busier<br />

than normal recently<br />

for everyone who<br />

works with the mountain<br />

gorillas: Three babies were<br />

born, major census was<br />

carried out, a new community<br />

gift shop opened, and work<br />

continues on a buffalo wall.<br />

Christmas 2003 was<br />

cause for greater celebration<br />

than usual. New babies<br />

arrived in the Susa group in<br />

Rwanda, the Nkuringo group<br />

in Uganda, and the Rugendo<br />

group in Democratic Republic<br />

of Congo (DRC). With an<br />

infant mortality rate of 30%,<br />

rangers will keep a close eye<br />

on these little ones.<br />

The completion of the<br />

first census of the Virunga<br />

population in 15 years brought<br />

more reason to celebrate.<br />

BUT STILL CRITICALLY ENDANGERED<br />

The number of gorillas<br />

increased by 17%. In the 1989<br />

census, the gorillas numbered<br />

320. Today there are 380.<br />

Together with the 320 gorillas<br />

living in the Bwindi<br />

Impenetrable National Park in<br />

Uganda, the total number of<br />

mountain gorillas is up to 700.<br />

And the three recent births<br />

bring the total to 703.<br />

Years of civil war in<br />

Rwanda and DRC prevented a<br />

complete census of the<br />

Virunga population until now.<br />

Sadly, we know that these<br />

conflicts resulted in several<br />

gorilla deaths.<br />

The census was carried<br />

out by nearly 100 people in<br />

September and October 2003.<br />

They spent six weeks<br />

combing through 250 square<br />

miles of rainforest. The<br />

Craig R. Sholley<br />

International Gorilla<br />

Conservation Program (IGCP)<br />

led the census with support<br />

from AWF in conjunction with<br />

several partner conservation<br />

NGOs (non-governmental<br />

organizations) and the<br />

protected area authorities of<br />

Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC.<br />

IGCP, which is funded in<br />

part by AWF through several<br />

partners including the U.S.<br />

Agency for International<br />

Development (USAID), the<br />

U.S. Fish and <strong>Wildlife</strong> Service<br />

(USFWS), and the U.S. State<br />

Department, works with<br />

communities to benefit both<br />

the gorillas and the local<br />

people. One program helps<br />

educate communities on<br />

basic hygiene and sanitation<br />

continued on page 7


2 <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News<br />

Machache ~ A FEW WORDS<br />

BOARD OF TRUSTEES<br />

Leila S. Green<br />

CHAIR<br />

Matthew T. Weir<br />

VICE CHAIRMAN<br />

Victoria Leslie<br />

SECRETARY<br />

Douglas C. Walker<br />

TREASURER<br />

Patrick J. Bergin, Ph.D.<br />

PRESIDENT<br />

Joanna Elliott<br />

VICE PRESIDENT<br />

Helen W. Gichohi, Ph.D.<br />

VICE PRESIDENT<br />

Tony Kalm<br />

VICE PRESIDENT<br />

Thomas W. Nichols<br />

VICE PRESIDENT AND ASSISTANT TREASURER<br />

Felix O. Otieno<br />

ASSISTANT SECRETARY<br />

Edward M. Armfield, Jr.<br />

Robin Berkeley<br />

Crandall C. Bowles<br />

Wendy McCrary Breck<br />

George R. Bunn, Jr.<br />

Jacques J. Busquest<br />

Stephen D. Cashin<br />

David Challinor, Ph.D.<br />

Dale F. (Tucker) Dorn<br />

James L. Foght, Ph.D.<br />

Christine F. Hemrick<br />

William E. (Wilber) James<br />

Dennis J. Keller<br />

Mark D. Kvamme<br />

Robin Lloyd<br />

Wariara Mbugua<br />

Henry P. McIntosh IV<br />

Anne B. Mize, Ph.D.<br />

Eleanor G. Nalle<br />

Ofer Nemirovsky<br />

Dr. Mamphela A. Ramphele<br />

Paul A. Schosberg<br />

Lisa M. Stevens<br />

David Thomson<br />

C. Bowdoin Train<br />

Nicholas Vingirai<br />

Annette Williamson<br />

Gordon Wilson<br />

TRUSTEES EMERITI<br />

Arthur W. Arundel<br />

E.U. Curtis Bohlen<br />

Joan Donner<br />

John H. Heminway<br />

George C. Hixon<br />

Richard M. Jackson<br />

Sally Pingree<br />

Russell E. Train<br />

<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News<br />

is published four times a year.<br />

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR<br />

Elodie Sampéré<br />

©2004 <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> Foundation<br />

1400 16th Street, N.W., Suite 120<br />

Washington, D.C. 20036<br />

202-939-3333<br />

202-939-3332 (fax)<br />

888-4-WILDLIFE<br />

E-mail: africanwildlife@awf.org<br />

Web site: www.awf.org<br />

Printed with soy-based ink<br />

Recycled Paper<br />

Turn Your Passion for Africa<br />

into a Lasting Legacy<br />

Each one of us has<br />

things we are<br />

passionate about.<br />

If we act on what we’re<br />

passionate about, these<br />

things become top priorities in<br />

our lives.<br />

We often think about<br />

being passionate in terms of<br />

favorite people, favorite<br />

activities, or even our favorite<br />

sports team. As a member of<br />

AWF, I believe you are<br />

passionate about Africa: the<br />

diverse wildlife, the amazing<br />

environment, and the people<br />

who call this continent home.<br />

One of the ways you act<br />

on this passion is through<br />

your support of AWF.<br />

Perhaps what first attracted<br />

you to our cause was the<br />

plight of the mountain gorilla.<br />

Or the majesty of the<br />

elephant. Or maybe you are<br />

fascinated by the big cats –<br />

the lion, cheetah, and leopard.<br />

Perhaps you appreciate our<br />

commitment to work with the<br />

people of Africa to protect<br />

their homeland and the<br />

wildlife that share the land.<br />

Whatever particular<br />

Craig R. Sholley<br />

passion drew you to AWF, I<br />

am proud to call you a partner<br />

in our cause. Your committed<br />

support is so important to<br />

fulfilling our mission – to<br />

ensure that Africa’s wildlife<br />

and wild lands endure<br />

forever. We are not just trying<br />

to help wildlife survive for the<br />

next few years. We want to<br />

create and protect vast<br />

Heartland areas where<br />

wildlife will be safe and thrive<br />

continuously.<br />

That’s why I’m thrilled<br />

that over the past several<br />

years, a growing number of<br />

AWF members have<br />

committed to make this<br />

happen in a special way.<br />

These members have worked<br />

with our AWF staff and their<br />

own financial advisors to<br />

design ways of giving that<br />

protect <strong>African</strong> wildlife now<br />

and for many years to come.<br />

AWF supporters who<br />

create lasting gifts become<br />

members of our Kilimanjaro<br />

Society. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the<br />

great timeless mountain that<br />

towers over so many of<br />

Africa’s wildlife treasures.<br />

LEAVE A LEGACY FOR AFRICAN WILDLIFE WHEN YOU:<br />

• Remember AWF in your will or trust.<br />

• Create a charitable remainder trust which provides income for you in your<br />

lifetime and for wildlife conservation in the future.<br />

• Name AWF as a beneficiary in your life insurance policy or retirement plan.<br />

And planned gifts provide a<br />

lasting legacy which will help<br />

AWF look over and protect<br />

Africa’s wildlife.<br />

There are several<br />

benefits to joining the<br />

Kilimanjaro Society, including<br />

invitations to special events<br />

and letters directly from the<br />

field when I’m traveling.<br />

If you are passionate<br />

about Africa, its wildlife, and<br />

its wild lands, I hope you will<br />

consider creating a lasting<br />

legacy though your support.<br />

The future of the mountain<br />

gorilla, elephant, lion, and<br />

so many other endangered<br />

and threatened animals<br />

depends on you and other<br />

compassionate friends.<br />

Thank you.<br />

Patrick J. Bergin, Ph.D.<br />

AWF President & CEO<br />

Protect<br />

<strong>Wildlife</strong><br />

Today &<br />

Always<br />

Make Your Will Known –<br />

Join the Kilimanjaro Society<br />

For more information about planned giving, go to www.awf.org/act. Or call 1-888-4-WILDLIFE and<br />

give us your state of residence so we can connect you with your regional planned giving officer.


Shocking Decline of <strong>African</strong><br />

Lion <strong>Population</strong> Reported<br />

Recent headlines<br />

tell a sad story:<br />

“Lions Close to<br />

Extinction,” “Africa’s<br />

Shocking Lion Loss,”<br />

“Declining Lion Pride<br />

Threaten Botswana<br />

Eco-Tourism.”<br />

The decline in numbers<br />

is being reported in both<br />

East and Southern Africa –<br />

from studies in South Africa<br />

and Botswana to Tanzania<br />

and Kenya.<br />

According to current<br />

news stories, <strong>African</strong> lions<br />

number between 18,000<br />

and 23,000 today. Twenty<br />

years ago they numbered<br />

200,000. The greatest<br />

threats to these big cats<br />

are sport hunting and<br />

conflict with farmers over<br />

livestock.<br />

Another killer that<br />

could become a very<br />

serious problem is feline<br />

immunodeficiency virus<br />

Lions appear to be declining in the Four Corners Heartland,<br />

according to recent research by AWF staff members.<br />

(FIV). It’s the animal<br />

equivalent of HIV. For the<br />

first time FIV is being<br />

blamed for the death of<br />

lions. It is one of the<br />

deadliest viruses in cats<br />

and can wipe out an entire<br />

pride.<br />

A strong predator<br />

population suggests a<br />

habitat that presents a<br />

healthy environment for all<br />

wildlife. In addition, the lion<br />

is one of Africa’s “big five.”<br />

Along with the elephant,<br />

buffalo, rhinoceros, and<br />

Cardo Kleberg<br />

leopard, the lion is one of<br />

the most popular animals to<br />

view and photograph. It<br />

therefore plays a critical<br />

role in attracting tourists to<br />

the continent.<br />

Your support helps<br />

protect Africa’s lions and<br />

other threatened wildlife.<br />

Through AWF, you help<br />

fund critical research,<br />

provide education for local<br />

communities, and better<br />

equip park rangers to<br />

protect the animals and<br />

their habitat.<br />

<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News 3<br />

News in Brief<br />

New Radio<br />

System Helps<br />

Protect <strong>Wildlife</strong><br />

A new VHF radio network makes it<br />

possible to have complete coverage of<br />

Manyara Ranch. The network has a base<br />

station in a secure radio room, mobile<br />

radio stations in support vehicles, and six<br />

hand-held radios. Everything is powered<br />

by a solar array buffered by high-capacity<br />

batteries. This ensures 24-hour<br />

communication with no ongoing costs to<br />

run the network.<br />

This communication system has<br />

already made a big difference in the<br />

efficiency and cost of doing work on the<br />

ranch. Game scouts can communicate<br />

with each other from any area of the<br />

ranch. This creates a better network for<br />

surveying and protecting the wildlife and<br />

their habitat.<br />

New Cultural<br />

Boma Opens<br />

GIS Takes <strong>Wildlife</strong> Conservation<br />

to the Next Level<br />

By David Williams, AWF GIS Specialist, Kenya<br />

After the sweaty<br />

labor of digging<br />

his Land Cruiser<br />

out of the deep sand of a<br />

dry river bottom in Samburu<br />

Heartland, Dr. Paul Muoria<br />

understands the<br />

importance of water. Dr.<br />

Muoria is the lead<br />

researcher for AWF’s<br />

Grevy’s zebra program.<br />

He speculates that the<br />

seasonal rainfall<br />

fluctuations that diminish a<br />

coursing river in May to a<br />

bone-dry stretch of sand in<br />

March impact the<br />

movements of the<br />

endangered Grevy’s zebra.<br />

To test this hypothesis, Dr.<br />

Muoria sought to<br />

measure the distance<br />

from zebra observations<br />

to water sources to<br />

determine if it varies by<br />

season.<br />

Previously, making<br />

numerous distance<br />

measurements was a<br />

demanding task involving a<br />

compass and topographic<br />

map. It yielded only rough<br />

estimates. With the help of<br />

Geographic Information<br />

Systems (GIS) and Global<br />

Positioning Systems (GPS),<br />

hundreds of measurements<br />

can be calculated to the<br />

meter with the press of a<br />

button. GIS is a system of<br />

GIS map of Grevy’s zebra distribution<br />

in southern Samburu, Kenya.<br />

hardware and software<br />

used for storage, retrieval,<br />

mapping, and analysis of<br />

geographic data.<br />

Through training<br />

provided by AWF GIS<br />

specialists, Dr. Muoria<br />

learned how to use GPS to<br />

precisely locate his zebra<br />

observations. These<br />

continued on page 7<br />

Hassan Sachedina<br />

Maasai children celebrate at the opening ceremony of<br />

the Esilalei Cultural Boma.<br />

The new Esilalei Cultural Boma is the<br />

most recent conservation business<br />

venture completed in the Maasai Steppe<br />

Heartland. A boma is a Maasai<br />

homestead with several homes (bandas)<br />

in one round compound. The boma is<br />

operated by the Naisho Women’s Group of<br />

Esilalei village and emphasizes the<br />

people’s connection to the wildlife.<br />

It will house Maasai handicrafts for<br />

sale, as well as photos and brief<br />

interpretive displays. This new modern<br />

banda was built by AWF with USAID funds<br />

to benefit the local community.


4 <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News<br />

Safari Report FROM CARDO KLEBERG<br />

Southern Africa vs. East Africa:<br />

Comparing and Contrasting the Safari Experience<br />

By Cardo and Britt Kleberg<br />

While working in the tourism<br />

industry, we were often<br />

asked: “Should I go on<br />

safari to East Africa or Southern<br />

Africa?” The answer is never easy<br />

because there are many factors to<br />

consider.<br />

First, let me define the regions: East<br />

Africa encompasses Kenya, Tanzania,<br />

Zanzibar, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi<br />

(although some people consider the<br />

latter three as Central Africa). Southern<br />

Africa includes South Africa, Zambia,<br />

Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and<br />

Mozambique.<br />

To begin, let’s look at recent safari<br />

history. Up until the 1980s, East Africa<br />

was the preferred destination for<br />

adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts.<br />

Then, Botswana was little known,<br />

Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) was politically<br />

unstable, and South Africa was under<br />

the oppression of apartheid. In contrast,<br />

East Africa offered wonderful wildlife<br />

experiences, low human populations,<br />

and wide open spaces.<br />

In 1990, Nelson Mandela was<br />

released from prison and the new South<br />

Africa was born. Meanwhile, this<br />

decade brought political unrest in Congo<br />

and Uganda, massacres consumed<br />

Rwanda, famine hit Ethiopia, and<br />

bombings occurred in Kenya. These<br />

events affected all of East Africa. All<br />

the while, the rand (South Africa’s<br />

monetary unit) began to depreciate,<br />

making Southern Africa more affordable<br />

and attractive.<br />

When you consider terrain and<br />

destinations, the regions are very<br />

different. East Africa boasts magnificent<br />

landscapes including Tanzania’s Mt.<br />

Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, the<br />

Serengeti Plains, the montane rain<br />

forests of Uganda and Rwanda, Kenya’s<br />

Maasai Mara, and many more.<br />

Southern Africa is diverse as well.<br />

The area includes: the wetlands of<br />

Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the semiarid<br />

Kalahari Desert, the Skeleton Coast<br />

of Namibia, the roaring thunder of<br />

Victoria Falls, the red dunes at<br />

Sossusvlei, the numerous national parks<br />

of northern Zimbabwe, and the ever<br />

popular Kruger National Park in South<br />

Africa.<br />

With the exception of several birds<br />

and a few mammal species, most of the<br />

popular wildlife can be seen in both<br />

regions. The major difference is in how<br />

When you<br />

consider terrain<br />

and destinations,<br />

the regions are<br />

very different.<br />

many you will see. For example, in<br />

Southern Africa you would never see the<br />

huge numbers of zebra and wildebeest<br />

that you would in the Serengeti. In<br />

contrast, East Africa does not have the<br />

enormous populations of elephants<br />

found in Botswana.<br />

Weather is another differentiating<br />

factor. Rain can have a significant<br />

effect on a safari. In East Africa,<br />

October is the beginning of the short<br />

Cardo Kleberg<br />

rains, while April brings long rains.<br />

Many camps and areas shut down<br />

because they become difficult to<br />

access. In Southern Africa, while each<br />

country varies, the general rains<br />

(tropical storms) come between<br />

November and March. Most camps stay<br />

open year-round. The temperatures are<br />

more or less the same. May through<br />

August tend to be the cooler months in<br />

both regions.<br />

One of the main differences between<br />

the regions is the lodges and vehicles.<br />

Parts of East Africa have earned the<br />

reputation of being over-saturated with<br />

hotel-style lodges and vehicles. Southern<br />

Africa, on the other hand, has always<br />

offered a very private safari experience<br />

with low-density tourism. The majority of<br />

the lodges are luxury tent-style camps.<br />

Budget is also an important factor.<br />

With the rand getting stronger, Southern<br />

Africa is getting more expensive.<br />

However, mobile or overland safaris are<br />

very popular in both regions and give the<br />

economy traveler the opportunity to<br />

experience the bush.<br />

Another issue is cultural tourism.<br />

Here, East Africa by far has the upper<br />

A key part of the safari experience is<br />

viewing wildlife in their natural habitat.<br />

continued on page 5


<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News 5<br />

Safari Experience<br />

continued from page 4<br />

hand. The local people of East Africa are<br />

much more involved in the tourism<br />

industry. Opportunities to witness<br />

Maasai or Samburu tribal living are more<br />

common. In Southern Africa it is very<br />

difficult to witness Bushmen and Himba<br />

people living traditionally.<br />

Both regions have a lot to offer.<br />

Although the safari industry began in East<br />

Africa and expanded to Southern Africa,<br />

today both regions are learning from each<br />

other’s successes. They are fine-tuning<br />

the overall wilderness experience and<br />

offering travelers unique opportunities to<br />

witness the beauty of the <strong>African</strong><br />

continent and wildlife.<br />

One final note – as wilderness areas<br />

are slowly being destroyed, it will only<br />

become more difficult to take advantage<br />

of what Africa has to offer. Thankfully,<br />

AWF and other organizations are<br />

working to preserve and protect<br />

these precious lands and the<br />

animals that call them home.<br />

The support of members like you<br />

makes this critical work<br />

possible.<br />

If you’re considering a<br />

safari, please contact Craig<br />

Sholley at csholley@awf.org<br />

or visit AWF’s Safari Planner<br />

at www.awf.org/safari. Our<br />

next safari is August 28 –<br />

September 8, 2004 in<br />

Southern Africa.<br />

Cardo and Britt Kleberg take a break with a fellow safari guide. The<br />

Klebergs spent over 10 years managing photographic safari lodges and guiding travelers<br />

in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Currently, Cardo serves as an ambassador for AWF.<br />

AWF Protecting Rhinos for Nearly 20 Years<br />

Black Rhino Looks Tough, but is<br />

Powerless at the Hands of Man<br />

The <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> Foundation<br />

has been committed to rhino<br />

conservation for nearly 20 years.<br />

A large portion of funding has gone to<br />

support black rhino protection and<br />

conservation at Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary<br />

in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.<br />

The most recent support to help<br />

protect this highly endangered species<br />

included communication equipment and<br />

$15,000. AWF President and CEO Patrick<br />

Bergin presented these gifts to the Kenya<br />

<strong>Wildlife</strong> Service (KWS) in January.<br />

The black rhino population in the<br />

Tsavo ecosystem in Kenya was estimated<br />

at 6,000-8,000 in the 1970s. By 1989, there<br />

were no more than 20 remaining. Man is<br />

the rhino’s primary predator and poaching<br />

for horns decimated the population in<br />

Kenya and throughout Africa.<br />

This dramatic decline led to the<br />

creation of Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary in<br />

1985. The sanctuary started with just<br />

three rhinos in an area of less than one<br />

square mile. Today, Ngulia is over 38<br />

square miles and has 57 rhinos. More<br />

than half were born there.<br />

Today black rhinos are protected<br />

primarily in fenced sanctuaries like<br />

Ngulia. These small populations hold the<br />

future of the species. Only in these<br />

areas can they reproduce in relative<br />

safety from poachers. Tragically, last<br />

May, two KWS rangers were killed in a<br />

valiant effort to protect rhinos from<br />

poachers.<br />

AWF’s continued support helps in<br />

several areas, from expanding the<br />

sanctuary to accommodate the growing<br />

population to providing tools and<br />

equipment to help the rangers in their<br />

work. AWF also encourages more<br />

collaborative efforts among the KWS,<br />

local communities, and other<br />

A black rhinoceros mother and her calf.<br />

Art Wolfe<br />

organizations working in the area. All of<br />

these efforts will increase protection for<br />

the black rhino, other endangered<br />

wildlife, and those who work hard to<br />

safeguard them.<br />

As an AWF member, your support<br />

helps protect the black rhino and other<br />

endangered animals in the <strong>African</strong><br />

Heartlands. Thank you for your<br />

continued partnership!


6 <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News<br />

U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer<br />

Joins Samburu Heartland Team<br />

The U.S. Peace Corps has joined<br />

AWF in the work of conserving<br />

the Samburu Heartland in Kenya.<br />

Volunteer Nancy Stills joined our team in<br />

December 2003.<br />

Currently, Stills is helping develop a<br />

beekeeping project around the Kirisia<br />

Forest. It combines conservation of wildlife<br />

and the environment with private enterprise<br />

and will benefit the local community. She is<br />

also assisting the Kenya <strong>Wildlife</strong> Service in<br />

the development of their new wildlife<br />

conservation education center.<br />

AWF employs eight former Peace<br />

Corps volunteers, including President and<br />

CEO Patrick Bergin and Amy Wiedemann, a<br />

Program Development Officer in<br />

Washington, D.C. Wiedemann served with<br />

the Peace Corps in Ghana for two years.<br />

Most of AWF’s other former Peace Corps<br />

volunteers also served in Africa and many<br />

of the relationships they built have<br />

continued through their work with AWF.<br />

Working for AWF allows Wiedemann<br />

“the opportunity to have Africa be a part of<br />

my everyday life again.” She appreciates<br />

that AWF invests in the people of Africa.<br />

“For conservation to really be sustainable,<br />

the communities who live there are going to<br />

need to be involved and engaged.”<br />

AWF hopes to work closely with more<br />

Peace Corps volunteers in the future, as<br />

additional human resources to help save<br />

wildlife.<br />

Elodie A. Sampéré<br />

Peace Corps volunteer Nancy Stills with local<br />

beekeeping farmer, John Leadura.<br />

Report from the Field<br />

Initial Results of Zambezi<br />

Lion Study Offer Hope<br />

By Norman Monks, Lion Researcher, Zambezi Heartland<br />

Aresearch project to establish<br />

the population dynamics of<br />

lions (Panthera leo) in the mid-<br />

Zambezi Valley has been under way<br />

since 2001. It is partly funded by AWF.<br />

This is the first such study to be carried<br />

out in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe.<br />

This large tract of land (over 6,210<br />

square miles) consists of both safari and<br />

park areas. There are no human<br />

settlements in the area apart from park<br />

accommodations.<br />

Fourteen lions from five different<br />

prides have been radio-collared. The<br />

prides are regularly tracked and<br />

information on pride structure, behavior,<br />

and prey species is collected. So far the<br />

population structure of lions in the park<br />

shows the same population<br />

characteristics as lions in other<br />

conservation, non-hunted areas in Africa.<br />

This indicates that the population is<br />

healthy and is not being subjected to<br />

human disturbances, disease, or<br />

imbalances with competing carnivores<br />

such as the spotted hyena (Crocuta<br />

crocuta).<br />

In Mana Pools<br />

National Park, visitors<br />

are allowed to walk<br />

unaccompanied by<br />

professional guides<br />

despite the presence of<br />

potentially dangerous,<br />

free-ranging wildlife<br />

such as elephants,<br />

buffalo, and lions. This<br />

unique privilege has resulted in<br />

remarkably few wildlife/human conflicts.<br />

Lions are naturally secretive animals.<br />

They appear to avoid visitors on foot by<br />

hiding in thick vegetation.<br />

Our studies have shown that lions<br />

are seen in open areas (such as on and<br />

near the road), where they can be easily<br />

seen, only 5.3% of the time. Lions are<br />

seen in moderately vegetated areas<br />

35.1% of the time. And for 59.6% of the<br />

time, lions are found in dense vegetation<br />

where there is very little chance of<br />

tourists seeing them.<br />

The structure of a normal population<br />

has been successfully established for a<br />

non-hunted area of the same ecosystem.<br />

Radio collars help AWF researchers track the movement of lions.<br />

Gosiame Neo-Mahupeleng<br />

Now the research will focus on obtaining<br />

population dynamics in the safari areas<br />

where lions are offered on quota for<br />

sport hunting.<br />

Once the population characteristics<br />

of lions are known for the safari areas,<br />

sustainable hunting quotas can be set<br />

based on empirical data. Then<br />

management recommendations can be<br />

put forward. At present quotas are set<br />

using an educated guess. This project<br />

has important management implications<br />

and is considered vital for the future of<br />

this vulnerable species.<br />

To read Norman Monk’s full report on lion<br />

research in the Zambezi Heartland, go to<br />

www.awf.org/zambezilion/.


Rabies Threatens Rare<br />

Ethiopian Wolf <strong>Population</strong><br />

Since September<br />

2003, at least 38<br />

Ethiopian wolves<br />

have died from rabies in<br />

the Bale Mountains.<br />

Another 20-25 are missing<br />

and presumed dead. This<br />

area is home to 300 of<br />

these endangered wolves.<br />

Scientists believe there are<br />

less than 450 left on earth.<br />

This rabies outbreak<br />

devastated the Web Valley<br />

population of the Bale<br />

Mountains in southeastern<br />

Ethiopia. Over 75% of this<br />

key population died from<br />

the disease. Only 20 of the<br />

original 80 wolves remain<br />

alive.<br />

The disease appears<br />

to have been brought to<br />

the area by domestic dogs.<br />

The people in the Bale<br />

Mountains own an average<br />

of 2.1 dogs per household.<br />

The average is high<br />

because many families<br />

have dogs to protect<br />

livestock.<br />

In November, the<br />

Ethiopian authorities<br />

authorized a wolf<br />

vaccination campaign in<br />

response to the outbreak. A<br />

total of 70 wolves have been<br />

vaccinated. Domestic dogs<br />

that need the vaccine are<br />

also inoculated.<br />

AWF helped fund a<br />

study on the effects of the<br />

domestic dog population on<br />

Ethiopian wolves in 1996-97.<br />

This study included rabies,<br />

canine distemper, and other<br />

dog diseases. As a result of<br />

this study, the Ethiopian Wolf<br />

Conservation Programme<br />

(EWCP) developed a<br />

vaccination program for<br />

domestic dogs.<br />

Since 1996, an<br />

estimated 1,475 dogs out of<br />

a total population of 1,878<br />

have been inoculated. This<br />

70% coverage is good news,<br />

but until complete coverage<br />

is achieved, the chance of a<br />

rabies outbreak still exists.<br />

And, unfortunately, this is<br />

exactly what happened at<br />

the end of 2003.<br />

A rabies outbreak has reduced a critical population of Ethiopian<br />

wolves by 75 percent.<br />

GIS Takes <strong>Wildlife</strong> to the Next Level<br />

continued from page 3<br />

results can be overlaid on<br />

water source data in a GIS<br />

to efficiently analyze the<br />

relationship between<br />

seasonal zebra movements<br />

and the availability of water.<br />

(The map on page 3<br />

illustrates this.)<br />

Just like Dr. Muoria’s<br />

program, much of AWF’s<br />

conservation work on the<br />

ground centers around two<br />

questions: Where are the<br />

critical wildlife migration<br />

routes? And when are they<br />

used? We want to know<br />

where and when AWF<br />

should intervene to mitigate<br />

conservation threats.<br />

With support from the<br />

Rockefeller Foundation and<br />

USAID, AWF created GIS<br />

laboratories in Nairobi,<br />

Kenya and Kasane,<br />

Botswana in 2002. Working<br />

with AWF GIS specialists,<br />

AWF field staff can now<br />

address such questions<br />

with greater speed and<br />

precision. By juxtaposing<br />

conservation targets and<br />

threats using GIS, land<br />

managers and planners<br />

have refined their<br />

For more of this story<br />

about threats to<br />

Ethiopian wolves, go to<br />

www.awf.org/ethiopianwolf/.<br />

Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme<br />

understanding of<br />

conservation challenges.<br />

This enables them to target<br />

interventions more<br />

effectively.<br />

With GIS, AWF is<br />

gradually transforming its<br />

approach to landscapelevel<br />

wildlife conservation.<br />

GIS work will begin with<br />

wild dogs in Samburu<br />

Heartland and carnivores in<br />

Four Corners. And, Grevy’s<br />

zebra work aside, perhaps<br />

Dr. Muoria can also use GIS<br />

to map trouble spots for his<br />

vehicle.<br />

<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News 7<br />

Mountain Gorilla<br />

<strong>Population</strong> <strong>Increases</strong><br />

continued from page 1<br />

Craig R. Sholley<br />

Locally-made handicrafts are sold at the new<br />

community gift shop in Rwanda.<br />

to improve their health. IGCP also works<br />

with the local people to develop new<br />

business opportunities.<br />

One of these opportunities is the new<br />

community gift shop in Rwanda. The shop<br />

opened in December and sells locallymade<br />

handicrafts and food items. Eighty<br />

percent of the profits will go back into the<br />

community for projects to benefit the local<br />

people. The remaining 20% will be<br />

reinvested in the shop.<br />

Another IGCP project is the buffalo<br />

wall in the Virunga Massif. The main<br />

objective is to keep the wildlife from<br />

raiding crops bordering the national park.<br />

Currently 16 miles of wall has been built in<br />

Rwanda and 13 miles in DRC.<br />

The people of the community<br />

appreciate that the park is helping protect<br />

their crops and livelihood. This is truly a<br />

community project – constructed by the<br />

people to benefit the people.<br />

AWF has been working with the<br />

mountain gorilla population for 25 years.<br />

Funding research to protect these<br />

magnificent animals is vital. Despite the<br />

good news of a growing population,<br />

mountain gorillas are still critically<br />

endangered. They face many threats,<br />

including habitat destruction, poaching,<br />

hunting, and disease.<br />

“We must not be complacent. The<br />

slow rate of reproduction among mountain<br />

gorillas makes the challenge of keeping<br />

these precious creatures alive ever so<br />

great,” said Patrick Bergin, AWF’s<br />

president and CEO. “The population is still<br />

extremely fragile.”<br />

AWF members like you enable us to<br />

conduct important research, train rangers,<br />

and build partnerships with local<br />

communities. Your support is critical in<br />

protecting mountain gorillas and other<br />

endangered wildlife. Thank you!<br />

To read more of this article about<br />

mountain gorillas, go to<br />

www.awf.org/gorillaupdate/.


8 <strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> News<br />

<strong>Wildlife</strong> WATCH<br />

The pangolin ambles along on all<br />

fours. But to move more<br />

quickly, it stands up on two<br />

feet, using its long tail for<br />

support. It can run<br />

three miles per hour.<br />

The pangolin has mistakenly been<br />

called an armadillo. It also has<br />

scent glands similar to those of a<br />

skunk that can be used to spray its<br />

enemies. But the pangolin is actually most<br />

closely related to the anteater.<br />

The Cape pangolin weighs 30-40<br />

pounds, is between two and four feet long,<br />

and lives an average of 20 years. It has a<br />

well-developed sense of smell and<br />

hearing, but poor vision. The pangolin is<br />

nocturnal and spends the daylight hours<br />

underground. Pangolins are found in the<br />

tropical areas of Africa and Asia.<br />

The name pangolin comes from the<br />

Malayan word peng-goling, meaning to<br />

roll over. This refers to the animal’s ability<br />

to roll into a tight, protective ball when<br />

threatened. The pangolin can also lash out<br />

with the razor-sharp scales that cover its<br />

body and long tail.<br />

Pangolins eat ants and termites. They<br />

locate the insects by smell and then<br />

quickly dig them from the mound with their<br />

powerful front paws. The pangolin’s<br />

extremely long tongue (up to 16 inches) is<br />

Pangolin<br />

Daryl & Sharna Balfour<br />

covered with sticky saliva that quickly<br />

grabs the insects.<br />

At birth, a common pangolin is just six<br />

inches long and weighs 12 ounces. After a<br />

month, the infant will ride on the base of<br />

the mother’s tail. If the mother senses<br />

danger, she will slip the baby under her<br />

and roll up around her infant.<br />

Pangolins are endangered animals.<br />

They are hunted for their skin (to make<br />

boots and belts) and their meat. Some<br />

people believe a combination of<br />

pangolin scales and bark from certain<br />

trees neutralizes witchcraft and evil<br />

spirits. Others believe burning their<br />

scales keeps lions and other wild<br />

animals away.<br />

As an AWF member, you help protect<br />

unique wildlife like the pangolin through<br />

your support.<br />

For more profiles of the animals you<br />

help protect through your support of the<br />

<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> Foundation, please visit<br />

www.awf.org/wildlives.<br />

Survey of Rare<br />

Wattled Crane<br />

Funded by AWF<br />

An aerial survey of wattled<br />

cranes was conducted in the<br />

Okavango Delta of Botswana<br />

in 2003. The survey, which took place<br />

in the Four Corners Heartland, was<br />

funded by AWF. Two airplanes<br />

equipped with Global Positioning<br />

Systems (GPS) were used for the<br />

survey.<br />

Results show an estimated total of<br />

1,450 birds and 77 nests. These totals<br />

are slightly higher than estimates from<br />

2002 (1,205 birds and 76 nests). The<br />

slight increase is reportedly due to<br />

narrower strips taken in the flight<br />

pattern. This improves the precision of<br />

the survey by reducing the chance of<br />

missing birds.<br />

The Okavango holds the largest<br />

single population of wattled cranes –<br />

about 18% of the global population<br />

(estimated to be 8,000). The population<br />

has decreased by more than 2,000 birds<br />

over the past eight years. This makes<br />

monitoring the wattled crane a high<br />

priority.<br />

The majority of the Okavango<br />

wattled crane population falls outside<br />

the protection of the Moremi Game<br />

Reserve. A large percentage of the<br />

birds are offered some protection in the<br />

<strong>Wildlife</strong> Management Areas that border<br />

Moremi. Major conservation efforts<br />

need to be directed toward these<br />

areas.<br />

This important survey and other<br />

key projects wouldn’t be possible<br />

without the help of concerned<br />

members like you. Thank you!<br />

I Want to Do My Part to Save the <strong>Wildlife</strong> and Wild Lands of Africa<br />

As an AWF member, I know my partnership makes a difference<br />

for the wildlife and wild lands of the <strong>African</strong> Heartlands. That’s<br />

why I’m enclosing my tax-deductible contribution of:<br />

■ $25 ■ $50 ■ $75 ■ $100 ■ $500 ■ $_______<br />

______________________________________________________________________________________<br />

NAME<br />

______________________________________________________________________________________<br />

ADDRESS<br />

_______________________________________________________________________________________<br />

CITY STATE ZIP<br />

_______________/________________________ ____________________________________________<br />

PHONE<br />

E-MAIL ADDRESS<br />

■ Please send me information about<br />

making a legacy gift for <strong>African</strong> wildlife.<br />

■ Please send me your online newsletter, AWF<br />

Africa News, so I can receive special updates<br />

on breaking news affecting the wildlife and<br />

wild lands of Africa.<br />

Thank you! Please detach<br />

this form and return it with<br />

your tax-deductible check in<br />

the enclosed envelope to:<br />

<strong>African</strong> <strong>Wildlife</strong> Foundation,<br />

1400 Sixteenth Street, N.W.,<br />

Suite 120, Washington, D.C.<br />

20036.<br />

If you have any questions,<br />

call us at 1-888-4-WILDLIFE.<br />

Please visit our Web site at<br />

www.awf.org.<br />

PROTECT<br />

WILDLIFE<br />

TODAY!<br />

A044<br />

James Weis

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