full report - Saving Big Cats and Wild Dogs
full report - Saving Big Cats and Wild Dogs
full report - Saving Big Cats and Wild Dogs
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Dear friends of the Ruaha Carnivore Project,The second half of 2012 <strong>and</strong> first part of 2013 have exceeded even our ownexpectations. The Lion Guardians programme got off to a very quick <strong>and</strong> so farsuccessful start, with three staff members <strong>and</strong> five Barabaig Lion Guardians hired.We had the entire dry season, when the number of depredations is low, to getthem used to their jobs <strong>and</strong> the Barabaig community used to the idea of not killinglions. They then proved their worth in this recent rainy season, as they helped stopnumerous lion hunts, <strong>and</strong> helped reduce lion killing in the core study area.We had hoped to provide two <strong>full</strong> secondary school scholarships to pastoralistchildren. Instead, we raised enough money to send six children to secondary school,which was really great.Thanks to grants from the National Geographic <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Cats</strong> Initiative <strong>and</strong> othersupporters, we have now predator-proofed over 50 livestock enclosures, which isgreat. No livestock have been killed in the improved enclosures, which has reducedthe local economic costs of carnivore presence <strong>and</strong> the need for retaliatory killing.Our camp has grown tremendously: we have added two b<strong>and</strong>as (thatch-roofedplatforms to protect our tents from the elements <strong>and</strong> marauding wildlife), areslowly replacing our nylon tents with second-h<strong>and</strong> canvas ones (that hope<strong>full</strong>y willbe less inviting to snakes <strong>and</strong> mice), have exp<strong>and</strong>ed our solar power array, <strong>and</strong>—most exciting of all—have run a water pipe from Kitisi to camp! This wassurprisingly inexpensive <strong>and</strong> saves many hours of manpower <strong>and</strong> wear <strong>and</strong> tear onour vehicles.You can read more about what we are doing below <strong>and</strong> also find out more on ourwebsite www.ruahacarnivoreproject.com or on Facebook. None of our work wouldbe possible without all of our supporters, so huge thanks from the entire team foreverything you are doing. We hope that you enjoy the <strong>report</strong>!Best wishes, the RCP teamDr. Amy Dickman, director; Dr. Maurus Msuha, scientific collaborator; MontyKalyahe, senior research assistant; Ayubu Msago, community liaison; MsafiriMgumba, senior research assistant; Justin Chumbulila, research assistant;Stephano Asecheka, Lion Guardians coordinator; <strong>and</strong> George Sedoyeka, LionGuardians coordinator.Cover photo by Mdonya Old River Lodge’s game driver, Kahimba.Page 1
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