News & Updates
Team and volunteers with snared kudu
Early morning Kalambeza 3Cº
Team after a successful clean up
operation in ‘Chimwara’ Farm
Zimbabwe, Newsletter November-December 2008
Dear readers,
WARM & WET
It remains warm here but luckily now we are getting some (thunder) showers
that give us some refreshment. Like last year it is always surprising how fast
a very dried out forest can turn into a green oasis . Also just like last year all
insects are back from we thought they would have dried out by now. Mopani
bees are replaced for several different species of insects that, in turn and
mostly at night, come down from the sky in the thousands. Unfortunately the
mosquito’s are also present again.
Frogs and toads are also here again. Especially the last month it was a
concert out of thousand frog mouths. A pleasant sound.
NEW LOCATIONS
In November the team has moved to another location. I decided that our
team and the ones from our sister organization PDC, should not stay in just
two locations but should be spread out.
Four locations are available: Katshana (which means ‘far away’ , but for us
actually the nearest), Jackal berry camp (the camp the PDC members and
me build in 2001 at the Gwayi River), Chimwara (15 further) and Lugo Ranch
(another 15km) The latter two lay strategic and deeper into the Gwayi area.
Plan is to rotate the teams every 2 months so they will patrol different areas.
It will be more interesting for them and they will not get too familiar with the
other inhabitants of the camps.
The camps have proper structures and most of them have water and
electricity. Parallel with this we will still do our ‘bush camping’s’ as usual.
SNARES
ALL4AP team is now present at Chimwara, one of the riches places in terms
of wildlife in the Gway. In November we found 126 snares, in December only
36. This because of the rain and because the Christmas holiday was
consumed in this month.
ANIMAL RELEASE
Maybe you have already seen it as a video; In November the team managed
to release a fully grown male water buck from a snare. The animal was
caught by the front leg but had no damage on the leg yet. No damage either
for the team that took a bit of a risk releasing this animal without it being
immobilized. Obviously the team received a bonus for this action.
We wish you a good and animal friendly 2009!
Until next month,
Martin & team
