Saving the Leopards | SilverKris - The Travel Magazine of Singapore Ai...
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January 2013 issue now! 01 Oct 2012
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CATHERINE MARSHALL takes a working holiday in Namibia – to help save the leopard.
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People and places brought to you by correspondents from BBC World News. There is no easy way to catch a leopard. I have spent days preparing for an encounter with this endangered animal at Ongos game farm in the Khomas Hochland region of central Namibia: crumbling animal excrement between my fingers to
Auld Lang Syne
determine whether it belongs to predator or prey; scouring the bush for signs of small antelopes and warthogs that might attract a hungry leopard; lacing box traps with fresh meat to entice one of these beauties into their yawning, but harmless, jaws.
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Game hunting is a popular pursuit here in this arid corner of Africa’s southwest, but it’s not the
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Groznjan, Croatia
leopard’s pelt I’m after. Quite the contrary. Along with half a dozen fellow Biosphere Expeditions team members, I’m helping German scientist Kristina Killian gather data such as blood and tissue samples, and monitor general leopard behaviour. Conclusions from Killian’s studies will shed light on the
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leopard’s daily movements and activities – helping scientists to manage its population. It will,
JOURNEYS
hopefully, also convince local farmers to use more humane methods – including predator avoidance techniques – to prevent these cats from attacking their livestock.
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It’s important work, for which Killian has won the Trophee de Femmes environmental prize from the Yves Rocher Foundation. The award recognises outstanding women the world over in the field of environmental protection and nature conservation. And there are trophies to be had here on Ongos game farm too, for a leopard has been lured into our camouflaged box trap. The volunteers, who have contributed £1,690 (US$2,676) towards land costs for this two-week expedition, are both exhilarated and terrified. The animal is quickly sedated and we
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Saving the Leopards | SilverKris - The Travel Magazine of Singapore Ai...
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work alongside Killian to weigh and collar her, to take blood and fur samples, and determine her age. When she awakes, she will be released into the bush. For now, this feline beauty – her eyes like bright, faceted jewels – lies inert, shaded from the midday heat by an acacia tree. This creature has put into context for me the effort it takes to conserve a threatened species, and reminded me of the tension that simmers endlessly between man and beast.
CREATURE COMFORTS DOLPHIN Earthwatch’s Red Sea Dolphin Project off Egypt’s coast maps the distribution and preferred habitat of the 15 species of dolphin that have already been identified in this rich marine locale, and determines how best to conserve them. www.earthwatch.org
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SLOTH BEAR MORE
World Expeditions organises trips to Agra Bear Sanctuary and Bannerghatta National Park Sanctuary in India where rescued sloth bears, once forced to “dance” for money, are rehabilitated. www.worldexpeditions.com GIANT PANDA Participants of Real Gap’s China Giant Panda Conservation project at Lou Guan Tai Forest Park in Xi’an work alongside the endangered animals’ keepers, assisting with their everyday care. www.realgap.com
What’s your favourite way of sharing your travel photos? Uploading them on the go from my phone to Facebook
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Posting them on Instagram Using my digital camera and uploading them in an online album Waiting till I get home so I can have them printed and displayed in albums or photo frames LEAVE A COMMENT
I don’t like sharing my travel photos
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06/01/2013 12:23