SPRING 2016: ISSUE 48
WILDLIFE
MAT TERS
Education Special
Why education is a vital part of wildlife survival
Wildlife Artist of the Year London June 28-July 2
Returning to the Mall Galleries for a glorious 9th year - beautiful wildlife art supporting conservation
d on sp s re risi us c lp ino he rh p.9 se e ee ea th S Pl to
FIGHT . PROTECT . ENGAGE
The magazine of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation - saving endangered mammals in the wild www.davidshepherd.org
WHO’S WHO Founder/President:
David Shepherd CBE FRSA Honorary Vice Presidents:
Mark Carwardine, Saba Douglas-Hamilton, David Gower OBE, Gary Lineker OBE, Simon King OBE, Mandy Shepherd Trustees:
Lady Melanie Lamb, Nigel Colne CBE, Christopher Cowdray, Nigel Keen, Fiona Luck, Bruce Norris, Andre Pienaar, James Rountree Christopher Oliver, Lady Melanie Lamb,
Trading Company Directors:
Welcome to
Wildlife Matters
Chief Executive: Sally Case Head of Finance: Mary Nugent/Lizzie Ball Head of Brand & Communications: Vicky Flynn Fundraising & Policy Manager: Georgina Lamb Trading Co-ordinator: Lisa Langridge Communications Assistant: Luke Judd Office Manager: Natalie Archer Education Manager: Jo Elphick Accounts Assistant: Marianne Watts Wildlife Artist of the Year: Nina Neve TigerTime Manager: Vicky Flynn Community Fundraiser: Marianne Watts Conservation Advisor: Mark Carwardine Education Advisor: Andrew White DSWF Office, Gallery & Trading Company: Saba House 7 Kings Road Shalford Guildford, Surrey GU4 8JU Tel: 01483 272323 Email: dswf@davidshepherd.org Websites: davidshepherd.org & tigertime.info Charity No.1106893 Company No. 4918392 CAF ‘Give as you earn’ No. 001604. VAT Reg No. 414001815
Print: Pensord Press Limited Editorial & Design: Vicky Flynn, DSWF Cover Image: Children in Zimbabwe courtesy Molly Feltner
Keeping in touch: Help us cut costs DSWF’s monthly eNewsletter keeps you up-to-date with all our latest news, events and offers and we also provide Wildlife Matters in an online format. If you would like to receive either communication in this way please email your full details to dswf@davidshepherd.org so that we can switch you from printed to digital communications. Or call us on 01483 272323. Keeping print costs down helps us put even more funds into conservation. You can also follow DSWF and TigerTime on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter @theDSWF @theDSWFgallery @TigerTimeNow
With the pupils of Spratton Hall School at the 2016 Global Canvas event at the Natural History Museum in March
If there is one event in the DSWF year that I hate to miss it is the Global Canvas Art and Poetry competition finals held at the Natural History Museum. Every year since 2004 children from as young as four years old have been entering and showing everyone just how passionate and talented they are! 2016 was no exception. The new format that we introduced last year has meant an exciting new era of collaboration not just among the children in one class but across the whole school community. Seeing entries from all over the world including Hong Kong and Kenya were wonderful reminders of how important, and how universal, the need to raise awareness for wildlife survival is. I was left speechless by much of the creativity on show this year, you can read more about the event and its winners on page 10. The main theme of this edition of Wildlife Matters is education and its importance in our fight to protect endangered wildlife. Without education how can we possibly hope to understand why animals and plants are so important to our own survival? From the education programmes we fund in the UK, across Africa and to the Russian Far East, we are hugely proud of what the teams achieve. In
Zambia alone we reach over 5,000 children a year and in Zimbabwe our long-standing support of the Iganyana Bush Camps has not only provided 10,000 children with environmental education but a deep sense of respect for wildlife too. You can read more on page 12. Another DSWF event that I always look forward to is Wildlife Artist of the Year. The shortlist in 2016 is simply outstanding and you will have the chance to browse and buy beautiful, original wildlife art that helps fund our work at the Mall Galleries, London SW1 from June 28 - July 2. You can find more details on the back cover. Presales will be available on the website at www. davidshepherd.org from the middle of June so don’t miss out. It is a great pleasure to me that the Foundation combines art and education so seemlessly into its fundraising for endangered wildlife. What better way to protect what we love than through the beauty of words and pictures? You’ll find an amazing selection of events, including our annual Wildlife Ball at the Dorchester, from page 18 on. I do hope to see you later this year at one of our events that help celebrate and protect this wonderful, wonderful world.
2 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
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Inside this issue
An exciting year ahead CEO Sally Case
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10 24 CONTENTS p.5 Pangolin’s join the DSWF family p.7 The painted dog finds new fans with Valentine Day poll p.9 Rhinos in crisis - we look at the issues and appeal for help p.10 Education, education, education, five pages of inspiring stories p.24 Looking forward to the 2016 Wildlife Artist of the Year event at the Mall Galleries in London, SW1 June 28 - July 2
Flamboyant in Bloom by Radka Kirby - one of this year’s stunning originals that will be on sale at the Mall Galleries in June
A very warm welcome to the Spring 2016 edition of Wildlife Matters. The world of conservation never stands still, and while work in one part of the world yields positive results for one species, another threat can appear elsewhere that needs urgent attention. Here at DSWF we are proud of our history of responding quickly and effectively to these threats and making a vital difference where and when it is needed. Pangolin are the most trafficked mammal on the planet at the moment; taken for their meat and scales to be used in traditional medicine. In the last 15 years it is estimated that over one million of them have been illegally killed for this trade. As numbers of Asian pangolins have plummeted, African countries have had their native pangolins targeted by poachers. In Zambia, law enforcement groups have seen a dramatically escalating trend of pangolins being found in the contraband of those arrested in the last few months, and they alerted us to the crisis. In response we have launched a new Pangolin Protection Programme you can read more about it on page 5. This is just one of a number of exciting developments to our programme of protection. Also launching this year is a new lion protection initiative in Uganda, where the lion populations are showing worrying signs of a widespread disease, as well as facing threats from those illegally hunting them for their skin and bones, You can read more on page 8. In the past year we have also been able to provide additional funding for the Assam dog squad in India to purchase a much needed vehicle to deploy their dogs quickly in response to increased poaching threats in the area, and support the purchase of an aeroplane and pilot to provide vital aerial support in Zambia. All of these achievements have only been possible with the generous help of our supporters, so a huge thank you to you all. I hope you enjoy reading about our work in more detail, and rest assured that for every challenge to wildlife that appears, we will redouble our efforts to find a solution. With your help we will ensure the natural heritage of our planet is protected for future generations.
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News Derek Francis Derek Francis 1924-2016 We are sad to announce the passing of long standing supporter Derek Francis. It was an honour for us all to have known him. His love for wildlife and the world that surrounded him was both infectious and inspiring. As a passionate conservationist and wildlife photographer he travelled the world to the countries he so dearly loved and fought to protect. Along with his wife Susie, he visited DSWF’s elephant project in Zambia and tiger and rhino projects in North East India, and subsequently donated generously to both. Derek was a keen and celebrated endurance rider, starting this new adventure in his 70’s and becoming the oldest man in the UK to compete in the world of endurance horse racing. Derek was a loyal and very dear friend to both the Shepherd family and DSWF and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. In memory of Derek we promise to continue our fight to save and protect the wildlife he so dearly loved.
New ‘Jumbo Spec’ product is set to help Africa’s elephants DSWF has teamed up with Guildfordbased MEACO, specialists in dehumidifiers, humidifiers and air purifiers, to help support Africa’s elephants. The company has named its latest high-spec dehumidifier after one of the orphan elephants, Zambezi, currently being cared for by the DSWF supported Elephant Orphanage in Zambia. “We were looking to add some character to one of our bestselling products and it seemed fitting that the new DD8L with its jumbo spec and its thirst for water should be named after an elephant,” says Chris Michael, director of MEACO. Wildlife artist and long-term supporter of DSWF, Jonathan Truss, came up with a cartoon sketch of Zambezi to form part of the digital control and packaging for the new product.
MEACO’s Chris Michael with DSWF CEO, Sally Case and the new DD8L dehumidifier
Commenting on the partnership, which sees £2 per unit donated to DSWF, CEO Sally Case said: “It’s a really different partnership for us and one that we hope provides benefits for everyone involved. It’s great to have the support of a local company that, like us, has impact on a global scale.”
Fundraising success in Bermuda Proving that DSWF has a truly global reach the team ran a series of high-level events in Bermuda this February and raised over $98,000 for endangered wildlife. The events, which included a special dinner and a lecture on leadership by General (Ret.) Stan McChrystal and General Sir Graeme Lamb, proved hugely popular. "In the light of the current levels of global instability this unique insight focused on challenging leadership and drawing lessons from their collective experiences in the theatre of war to address the current conservation crisis in Africa," explains CEO, Sally Case. “We’d like to extend heart-felt thanks to the Generals for their amazing commitment to wildlife protection and for giving their time so generously for this event, to Trustee Fiona Luck who helped organize the events and to all the people who supported us so passionately.”
Money matters We have just reached the end of the 2015-2016 financial year and income raised by the Foundation is expected to total £1.4 million with donations and legacies at £930,000 and event and activity income at £470,000. Charitable activities in the year are expected to total £740,000 and with healthy carried forward reserves the strategic plan to continue to increase charitable spending further into future years is well on track. The Foundation concentrates its focus on field projects where even limited funding makes a very real difference to the survival of wildlife, their habitat and for the benefit of rural people who share their environment. Emphasis is placed on long term support to allow projects to become self-sustaining where possible. All funding of these projects goes through a rigorous application and reporting process. It has become evident that with the increased levels and sophistication of wildlife crime, working on the ground in conservation whilst still vital is not enough. Our Trustees have taken the decision to commit more money than ever before to funding cross border investigation,
enforcement programmes and campaign work on reducing consumer demand for wildlife products. After a couple of years of successful fundraising we were fortunate to have additional funds available to offer to our projects. We asked for proposals for one off capital funding – something that we can rarely offer as we focus on long term operational costs. We have been able to fund some very innovative and impelling proposals which are described in the magazine in the project reports. We hope to bring you more exciting stories as these projects develop. Charitable giving by country/sector 2015/2016 Zambia
Mongolia / Kyrgyzstan
Zimbabwe
Russia
Namibia
Thailand
Uganda
Cross border / demand reduction
India
Education
4 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
Saba Douglas-Hamilton joins DSWF as new Honorary Vice President TV presenter and anthropologist, Saba Douglas-Hamilton, has joined DSWF as an Honorary Vice President. The appointment cements a life-long relationship and shared passion for the protection of wildlife between the DouglasHamilton and Shepherd families. “I am honoured to be one of DSWF’s Honorary Vice Presidents. The long-term alliance between our families, Save the Elephants (STE ) and DSWF goes back many, many years. This appointment brings us closer together at a time when, more than ever before, wildlife needs strong alliances to protect it,” said Saba.
Chodoba: A tragic loss It is with a great sadness and a sense of loss that we announce the unexpected death of Chodoba, one of the orphaned elephants we supported in Zambia, who had been living wild in Kafue National Park for the past four years. The news arrived as we went to press and post-mortem results were still awaited. Our thoughts are with the team who nurtured him so well and for so long giving him a life he would not otherwise have had. See more on this story at www.davidshepherd.org
New vehicle for Zambia
“We are thrilled to welcome Saba on board,” said CEO, Sally Case. “With Africa’s wildlife in crisis this collaboration signals our commitment to work with other charities and experts in the field for the survival of iconic species like the elephant. Our joint support to protect Zambia’s elephants is just one example of our shared passions.”
Pangolins join the DSWF family Often referred to as scaly anteaters, pangolins are pre-historic looking mammals which many people have never heard of. Even experts know relatively little about them. They are the only mammal to be completely covered in scales - apart from their soft underside which they protect by rolling up into a ball when threatened. It is these scales which drive a voracious trade in the East, with consumers believing them to cure a wide range of ills, there’s a luxury price tag attached to pangolin meat too. Pangolin bear the unhappy honour of being the most trafficked mammal in the world, by quite some way compared to other endangered species; over one million are believed to have been illegally traded in the last decade alone.
Of the eight species of pangolin four are found in Asia and four in Africa. In 2008 only two of these were threatened with extinction - today all eight sub-species are under significant threat from the illegal trade. In Zambia there has been a dramatic increase in the number of pangolin confiscated from those arrested, with 10 cases in the last two months of 2015, and six already this year. As ever, these numbers are likely to represent only the very tip of the iceberg. In response to this urgent need, DSWF has funded the establishment of a Pangolin Protection Programme, which will support a local awareness campaign to counter the sudden trend in taking these animals. This will operate alongside increased funding for wildlife crime prevention in key areas and specialist rehabilitation units to return seized animals back to the wild. For most, a veterinary check and 24 hour period of rest is all that they need, but for young or underweight animals a longer period of care is required including daily three hour walks in the bush so they can learn how to catch ants and other insects to eat with their long sticky tongues. “The pangolin is under serious threat with species of Asian pangolin reduced by nearly 90 percent in the last 20 years. We have to act now to save African pangolins before they too are faced with the same threat of extinction,” says CEO DSWF, Sally Case.
Generous support from the Boyes’ Will Trust through their executor, Roger Henderson QC, has helped the team in Zambia secure a much needed 4x4 vehicle. The sturdy, second-hand Toyota is perfect for travelling the 6-8 hour journey on dirt roads between the elephant nursery in Lilayi and the release site in Kafue, with plenty of space to take provisions of milk powder, veterinary supplies plus food and other resources that the volunteers need. The vehicle will be first used for the elephant behaviour study to help volunteers observe the interactions between the release herd and the local populations of wild elephants. For more on volunteering opportunities in Zambia see: www.wildzambia.org
GlobalGiving ‘seal of approval’ DSWF is delighted to have been awarded the 2015 GlobalGiving Vetted Organization Badge in recognition of our work with GlobalGiving. Being a vetted organization means that DSWF has been through GlobalGiving's rigorous due diligence process ensuring that we are performing our work in a transparent and accountable manner, that we are running the projects as described and that we meet local requirements for registration with local governments.
SUPPORT PANGOLIN SURVIVAL
"This award is a real badge of honour proving once again that we are a trusted and reputable wildlife conservation charity," says CEO, Sally Case.
You can support pangolins online at: www.davidshepherd.org/project/ pangolin-protection-programme/ or call us to make a donation on 01483 272323
You can find out more about our current project with GlobalGiving at: https:// www.globalgiving.org/ projects/help-save-tigersin-the-wild/
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Zambia
Raising awareness and funds for wildlife rescue, education and park protection
There is a strong bond between the keepers and the orphans and it is important not to cut that bond too soon
Rescue and relocations: the continuing journey back to the wild A rescue and the translocation of two elephants have made it a busy start to the year for the elephant orphanage team in Zambia. In January they were called to the rescue of a small calf found stranded on an island in the Lower Zambezi. Emaciated and stressed the orphan gave the team a worrying start when he had to be supported with IV fluids and intensive care on his second night at the nursery facility.
Photo courtesy Jo Hallett
“It is quite common for the rescued elephants to hit a post-rescue slump but Muchichili needed round the clock attention,” explains Project Manager, Rachael Murton. “To assist him, the keepers had to help him drink fluids from a bucket and selected the softest grass for him to eat but, within a week of good nutrition in a safe and comfortable home, he settled down and started to recover.”
Muso (Musolole) - were experiencing a new adventure of their own. Weaned and ready for the next part of their journey back to the wild, they were moved from the nursery near Lusaka to the release facility in Kafue National Park in March. “While Muso happily followed his milk bottle into the truck, Bezi had different ideas and had to be given an additional sedative and then lifted in,” explains Rachael. Despite a flat tyre and 14 long hours on the road, the elephants remained calm and were off-loaded straight to the stables where food and sleep awaited.
Muchi, as he is affectionately known, is now thriving, grazing and browsing normally and finishing his milk bottle within a matter of seconds. His only issue is being accepted by Nkala who was the ‘baby’ until Muchi’s arrival.
The following morning, realising that there were newcomers in their midst, the rest of the release herd ran across the paddock to investigate. While Muso respectfully interacted with his new surrogate siblings. Bezi was shy, trying to isolate himself from the herd. But, by the time the orphans went out for their daily walk, both Muso and Bezi were in the middle of the herd.
While the two youngsters settle their differences with the support of the keepers, two of the older elephants - Bezi (Zambezi) and
It wasn’t until the keepers, Aaron and Victor who had accompanied the orphans from the nursery, went to lunch that Muso became a
little distressed; pacing the boma looking for the keepers who had been with him since his rescue. “His behaviour clearly demonstrated the strong bond between the keepers and the orphans, and the importance of not cutting that bond too soon,” adds Rachael. “Aaron and Victor will stay with Muso and Bezi until they have settled in properly and feel at ease with their new herd.” It is thanks to the generous support of DSWF donors that these elephants have been rescued and can now prepare for a life back in the wild. So, huge thanks to everyone who has donated and for helping to make the dream of the wild another step closer.
STOP PRESS: The recently completed pan-African aerial elephant survey has revealed a population of c.21,000 elephants in Zambia higher than originally thought. More significantly, the populations that are thriving are found in the areas protected by the DSWF funded GRI team; true testament to the effectiveness of their work. The GRI Elephant Orphanage Project (EOP) operates in partnership with IFAW and DSWF and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife
6 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
Zimbabwe
CITES update:
Ivory, rhino and tiger trade
Anti-poaching and community outreach to save the painted dog
After a positive standing committee debate on ivory in January, we are cautiously optimistic that strong proposals will be lodged to better protect African elephants. Even the most positive news on the rates of illegal killings of elephant is dire; although ivory poaching may have peaked in 2011 the current levels remain unsustainable or African elephant populations. The recent commitments by both President Obama of the USA and President Xi Jinxing of China to bring about a ‘nearly complete’ closure of their domestic ivory markets is unprecedented news. The USA, EU, Niger, Uganda, Kenya and India were amongst many countries that spoke out powerfully against any trade in ivory at the committee meeting earlier this year; China, long-standing and vocal proponents of both domestic and international ivory markets, were noticeably quiet as this debate unfolded. This sets the scene for a positive debate when countries meet in September, with a growing sense that these steps might just mark the beginning of the end for the ivory trade. The recent discovery of a further 34 poached rhino carcasses in Namibia meant that 2015 became the worst year on record for the species, with nearly 1,350 illegally killed for their horn. News is awaited from South Africa as to whether they will seek international permission to legalise the trade in rhino horn, while conservationists desperately warn that allowing one off sales of ivory in 1999 and 2008 stimulated such demand that elephants have been in crisis ever since. The call to trade rhino is driven by those who will profit most from the sales - it simply is too great a risk. The often forgotten trade in tiger parts remains the subject of detailed debate and discussion on the international stage. While an international trade ban is in place for tiger parts, for some time now CITES has required all range countries to reduce intensive tiger breeding operations as well as requiring regular reports on numbers of tigers held in captive breeding establishments, wild tiger populations and trade controls. The levels of information provided remain largely inadequate and debate continues as to exactly what should be provided - perhaps somewhat missing the point that with so few tigers left in the wild a much greater international commitment is needed to save them. All eyes are now on South Africa and the discussions set for September.
Photo courtesy William Burrard-Lucas
As we went to press we were awaiting news of which member countries will lodge proposals seeking changes to the rules on trading key species of endangered animals. Every three years the member countries of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) hold their Conference of Parties where the key decisions are made. For the conference to be held this September in Johannesburg, the deadline for lodging applications is 27th April.
The painted dog is Africa’s most endangered & most overlooked carnivore
Supporting Africa’s ‘underdog’ Calling one of Africa’s supreme hunters an underdog may seem a little misguided but, in the popularity stakes, the painted dog is just that. Now one of Africa’s most endangered carnivores these amazing pack animals were once wide-spread across the continent. Today, persecuted, snared, shot and poisoned only about 4,000 survive in increasingly isolated pockets. One of the biggest populations lives in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe where DSWF has been funding conservation work to protect the dogs since 1995.
More about painted dogs:
In a recent Valentine’s Day poll DSWF teamed up with Arkive.org to try and boost some affection for the painted dog, asking wildlife lovers to vote for their favourite ‘unloved’ species.
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Over 80 conservation charities were asked to nominate a species that they believed is unloved or overshadowed by other species.
To show your love for Africa’s painted dogs why not make a donation that supports the rescue and rehabilitation of the dogs and provides education programmes to engender respect and understanding among the people who live with the dogs as their neighbours in Zimbabwe.
“The painted dog sprang to mind immediately,” says DSWF Communications Manager, Vicky Flynn. “These amazing pack hunters fail to excite the same affection as elephants and big cats so this seemed a great opportunity to boost the profile of these very special animals.” After a week of social media campaigning DSWF were thrilled when the dogs took fourth place in the list.
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Painted dogs are social and form packs of around ten individuals, but some packs can include more than 40 dogs The packs are headed up by an alpha male and his female who mate for life They are opportunistic predators and hunt medium-sized prey such as gazelles In a sprint, they can reach speeds of more than 44 miles per hour They take it in turns with child care, looking after the pups while others hunt Threats to their survival include accidental and targeted killings by humans, viral diseases like rabies and distemper, habitat loss and competition with larger predators like lions
You can donate online at www.davidshepherd.org or by calling us on 01483 272323. 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted. Thank you.
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A series of new DSWF capital grants have been boosting support to our projects in the field. In Thailand £7,000 is going toward the renovation and expansion of the park protection office which is currently in a state of disrepair.
Fight . Protect . Engage
Thailand
Once renovated, it will become the central controlling office for park protection across the Eastern Forest Complex in Thailand. It will also serve as the site of the park protection and ranger training work already supported by DSWF.
“This is the site of the DSWF funded ‘Protecting Tigers through Professional Development for Park Rangers’ project - a practical and replicable park-based approach to conserving threatened tigers and ungulate populations in one of Thailand’s key forest complexes,” explains FREELAND’s Tim Redford. “Improving park protection from this expanded office will aid our understanding of poaching and consequently responses will be better organised and conservation of tigers and biodiversity in this World Heritage Site will be improved.” We look forward to bringing you updates in the next edition of Wildlife Matters.
Uganda
New lion research project gets underway
The plight of Uganda’s lions is being brought into the spotlight by a new DSWF funded project. The two year programme to investigate and protect lion populations in two key wildlife areas, kicked off this spring. “Little is known about the lions in the Southern Murchinson Falls Conservation Area which may well be the largest population of lions in the country,” says Mike Keigwin who will oversee the project. “In Kidepo Valley National Park, in the northeast of the country, the lion population is vulnerable to disease and the animals are in bad condition.” The project aims to determine the size and ranges of Uganda’s lions and evaluate the threats to them. A number of lions will also be collared and assessed by vets to better understand the disease that is effecting them. We’ll bring you updates from the project and an exciting addition of our adoptions in the autumn edition. To help support Uganda’s lions please call us to donate on 01483 272323.
Ten things DSWF is doing to protect rhinos ... 1. Fighting the rise in wildlife crime by funding critical undercover and investigation work. 2. Protecting rhino populations by gathering valuable data. 3. Engaging people in Vietnam to dispel misconceptions about rhino horn and to reduce demand. 4. Supporting the brave men and women who make up our antipoaching teams in India and Africa by providing equipment, training and salaries. 5. Funding a team of dogs for the antipoaching dog squad in India as part of a zero tolerance approach to wildlife crime. 6. Supporting efforts to reform poachers through alternative livelihood programmes. 7. Training the judicial authorities in India to increase the conviction rate of poachers and smugglers. 8. Providing additional funding for improved security in Namibia’s national parks. 9. Engaging local people in rhino range countries to encourage a more positive attitude toward rhinos. 10. Delivering awareness raising education programmes to help inspire the next generation of wildlife conservationists.
Urgent Appeal Please help us protect precious rhino populations The shocking truth that rhino poaching rose by 9000% in South Africa alone between 2008 and 2014 illustrates the urgent need to protect this gentle herbivore from the greed and corruption of the poachers and illegal traders. By supporting our appeal you are helping to fund anti-poaching patrols, educational awareness, demand reduction and undercover investigations into criminal networks - all working to protect wild rhino populations. We are hugely grateful to those of you who have already responded to this appeal and, for those who would like to support it, you can donate either online at:
www.davidshepherd.org or call us on 01483 272323
THANK YOU 8 100% of all donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no costs deducted
Experts estimate that if we continue with the current rate of losses then within five to ten years the species will be lost in the wild
Rhino Crisis According to grim new figures released by researchers from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the mass slaughter of rhinos in Africa has increased for the sixth year in a row. At least 1,338 of the iconic animals were killed for their horns in 2015 making it the greatest loss in a single year since an intense wave of poaching began in 2008. The IUCN blames continuing demand from South East Asia - where rhino horn is wrongly believed to have medicinal properties - fed by increasingly sophisticated international crime networks.
Photos courtesy of Mark Carwardine
Commenting on their findings, Dr Richard Emslie, of the IUCN’s African Rhino Specialist Group, said: “Any increase in poaching is alarming but there are some positives. When poaching started to escalate in 2008 we saw year after year of exponentially increasingly poaching. But over the last couple of years we’ve seen a decline in the rate of increase.” Dr Emslie describes this as “an encouraging trend” and highlights how South Africa has managed to reduce the number of rhinos slaughtered from 1,215 in 2014 to 1,175 last year. But success in one area can lead to further poaching elsewhere and while South Africa can point to a slightly improved picture, other countries have seen sharp increases in losses.
Protecting the desert adapted black rhino and India’s one-horned rhino
According to the new data, the number of rhinos killed in Namibia has quadrupled in just the last two years while losses in Zimbabwe doubled over the same period. “For many years, Namibia enjoyed an almost poaching free environment,” says DSWF CEO, Sally Case. “But now no country is safe and we have to be equipped to guard against the increasing threat, not just in Africa but in India too.” Experts estimate that if we continue with the current rate of losses, then within five to ten years the only rhinos left will be in very strictly controlled captivity scenarios and the species will be lost in the wild. After a previous collapse in rhino numbers during the 1960s a concerted effort, which was backed by determined governments and generous funding, saw populations restored. But this crisis is seen as more serious and therefore harder to tackle because of the sheer aggression and growing sophistication of the poaching gangs, fuelled by the high price for rhino horn on the black market. “Wildlife crime is the fourth largest global illegal trade after drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking and rhino horn is one of the world’s most expensive commodities, fetching about c.£40,500 per kilo on the black market,” explains Sally Case.
“To counter this war against the rhino we have to continue to support our wide-range of protection programmes. From anti-poaching patrols and undercover investigation work to dispelling misconceptions about rhino horn to drive demand reduction in user countries DSWF has been tackling the rhino crisis across Africa and Asia since 1994 and we refuse to give up.” While arguments continue over the best way to protect the world’s dwindling rhino numbers - from legalizing the trade to de-horning and synthetic alternatives - all eyes will be on the CITES convention, set up to combat the illegal trade in endangered species, that meets in Johannesburg in September. As Wildlife Matters went to press news was awaited from South Africa as to whether the country will seek international permission to legalise the trade in rhino horn. Conservationists are working hard to draw the world’s attention to the fact that allowing the one off sales in stockpiled ivory in 1999 and 2008 stimulated so much demand for ivory that elephants have been in crisis ever since and it could be a similar outcome for rhino too. It is a fate that rhinos are ill-equipped to bear and with the call to trade in rhino horn driven by those who will profit most from the sales it is simply too great a risk to take for the survival of the species in the wild. Additional source material: BBC News
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Global Canvas - Inspiring young minds since 2004
Education matters
Inspiring young people to become the conservationists of the future is core to what we do. Across Africa and Asia we work to create understanding among children of every age and demographic and in the UK our education programme reaches 85 schools a year. These pages celebrate that work and the children and educators who inspire us all!
South Farnham School pupils with their wonderful display
Our annual Global Canvas Art & Poetry Competition has been inspiring young minds since 2004. With the theme of ‘Wild Wonders’ the 2016 entries were vibrant, thought-provoking and beautifully presented. “The standard was so high that choosing the winners was extremely hard,” says DSWF Education Manager, Jo Elphick. For David Shepherd, guest speaker - author and illustrator - Jonny Lambert and event sponsor Lesley O’Mara, choosing their personal favourites from an ‘outstanding’ shortlist that included entries from Kenya, Hong Kong, the UAE and France proved a challenge
David with pupils from Perrott Hill
“They were all worthy winners,” said David, “But for my personal choice there was something about Spratton Hall’s ceramic giraffe (pictured below) that I just simply loved!” The overall winners were StThomas of Canterbury School, Fulham who created the five key DSWF species as Chinese dragon-style puppets. Joining them on the podium were Spratton Hall and South Farnham School in joint second and Perrott Hill and Aldro School in joint third. Hangleton Primary picked up the Jonny Lambert personal choice award and Ripley Court won the O’Mara Books choice. Congratulations to everyone who took part, you were all outstanding!
Don’t forget, we are asking you to choose the title for 2017 - send your suggestions to jo.elphick@davidshepherd.org by June 17th.
Walsall Woods pupils with David Shepherd
Pupils and teachers from Lovelace Junior arrive
Spratton Hall students with one of their ceramic animals
Aldro school arrive at the Natural History Museum
Hangleton were thrilled to win the Jonny Lambert award
St Thomas of Canterbury pupils with their fabulous winning entry
Hall Grove pupils with their colourful entry
THANK YOU We would like to thank our event sponsors M&S and Michael O’Mara books, all those who donated prizes including Little Tiger Press and Stuart Stevenson and all the children, teachers and parents for creating such magical works.
10 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted, donate today
... nurturing tomorrow’s conservationists For DSWF education is a core part of its work. Park protection and anti-poaching work in tandem with community outreach and education to create an holistic response to the issues facing endangered wildlife and the people who share their landscapes. “As well as supporting education programmes overseas, one of DSWF’s key drivers is to spread awareness among UK-based school-aged children to help them develop an understanding and appreciation of wildlife, both at home and abroad,” explains DSWF Education Manager, Jo Elphick. “Our goal is for children to grow up to be tomorrow’s conservationists with a deep love and understanding of the natural world.” Jo visits schools throughout the UK tailoring assemblies, lessons and workshops for children aged four to 18 discussing everything from endangered wildlife to sustainability and the environment. “With our founder’s roots so firmly in art we also encourage children to take part in our annual Global Canvas Art & Poetry competition,” says Jo. “The competition’s collaborative format brings whole schools together to express their concerns for, and to celebrate, the natural world.” With entries from across the UK and around the world the annual competition creates a vibrant heart to DSWF’s education work (see page 10). “Further afield we fund education programmes as part of projects in Africa and Asia where children live in close proximity to the animals that we strive to protect,” adds Jo. “The children in these areas could grow up to be
wildlife guardians so it’s important for them to understand why conservation matters.” In Zimbabwe, where formal education is often disrupted, the Bush Camp at the Painted Dog project has welcomed 10,000 children over the last ten years. They spend four days learning about conservation and the wildlife in their area. “They leave reluctantly enthused about what they have learned, spreading the message back to their villages,” says Jo. “Some recent pupils were instrumental in bringing a poacher to justice after they found snares while walking in the bush, and two recently appointed members of the anti-poaching unit had both attended the Bush Camp in 2005.” “Even in the snowy outreaches of Mongolia and the Russian Far East we fund eco-camps where children come to learn about the enigmatic snow leopards and Amur tigers that they share their homes with and in India, the ‘Rhino and Tiger Goes to School’ team visit over 75 schools on the fringes of Kaziranga national park to help them learn about the amazing animals that they live close to,” adds Jo. “We’re proud of our holistic approach to conservation, engaging young minds at grass roots right up to the United Nations where we fight to protect wildlife on the world stage at CITES. Our hope is that the children we meet absorb a passion for wildlife and become the wildlife guardians of the future.”
Above; Education Manager, Jo Elphick during an art workshop at Ripley Court School Below: Children in the Russian Far East learn about conservation and environmental issues as part of the DSWF funded eco-programme
For more information about the work of DSWF see: www.davidshepherd.org or contact Jo via email: jo.elphick@davidshepherd.org
“Look deep into nature, and then you’ll understand everything better,” Albert Einstein
Wildlife Matters Issue 48
11
Education matters
In Assam
In Mongolia
In Russia
Since 2007 the Nature Orientation Programme has been engaging children from the fringe villages around the national parks. Students are selected from those below the poverty line, children of human-wildlife conflict victims and children from areas most effected by poaching or close to ecologically important sites.
Awakening awareness and appreciation for nature and wildlife among children in a key conservation approach in Mongolia. DSWF funds eco-camps and nature clubs to inspire young people to have a better understanding of the protection required to conserve snow leopards and their habitats.
The aims are to create awareness about wildlife conservation, to nurture a group of enthusiastic young conservationists who spread the message of conservation to their families and societies in general and to help develop skills for taking up conservation efforts in the future.
During the summer months field teams lead outdoor eco-camps where 10-14 year olds are immersed in exploration, discovery and teambuilding exercises. Over 1,100 children have participated in these programmes.
DSWF funds a broad range of ecological education and outreach programmes at schools, kindergartens, universities and eco-centres in the Primorsky Krai region of the Russian Far East. The goal is to foster a positive attitude to endangered wildlife and nature conservation among young people and to increase their environmental awareness and participation in conservation activities.
Many are reluctant to attend but once at the camp they never want to leave!
“Before attending camp I saw only rocks and rocks and now I notice everything and realise how beautiful it all is,” Sanj, 12.
us to reach 300 students £50 Allows with ‘Rhino Goes to School’
£68
Helps send one child on a five day eco-camp
Educating local people is critical to the protection of the Amur tiger. Every year between 25-28,000 children from 115 schools attend DSWF funded eco-classes. “Having been to the eco-centre for various events I have decided to be a ranger so I can catch poachers and illegal loggers,” Volodya, 15.
£35
Pays for a month of resource materials & equipment
Please help us fund education programmes across the UK, Africa and Asia by donating at www.davidshepherd.org
“In the end we will only conserve what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” Baba Dioum , who was a Senegalese forestry engineer when he addressed the IUCN in 1968
In Thailand
In Zambia
In Zimbabwe
In Thailand, DSWF helps fund educational awareness activities in schools that are adjacent to protected areas where tigers live.
Each month the team in Zambia visit 14 schools in Lusaka providing a conservation education guide to the teachers and activity books to the students. In 2015, 420 children were involved in the intensive conservation education programme and 3,768 more visited the Elephant Nursery in Lilayi to see the orphan elephants and learn more about the role of elephants in the environment and wider economy of the country.
The Children’s ‘Iganyana’ Bush Camp opened in 2004 and has welcomed over 10,000 students. The aim of the residential camp is to teach children conservation concepts, ecological relationships and the value of biodiversity along with an appreciation of painted dogs and the role they play in ecosystems. It also works to inspire an emotional attachment to the beauty and complexity of nature.
In Kafue National Park 25 schools, equating to 1,000 children a year, also take part in the conservation education programme. The team also run an annual art competition to tie in with DSWF’s Global Canvas event, along with creative and essay writing competitions to engage as many children as possible.
DSWF funding means that the programme is free to all grade six students from the 19 primary schools in the area. The four day programme reaches more than 800 children a year and recently two former pupils were recruited to join the Painted Dog Conservation anti-poaching unit.
In a 2015 survey 99% of the students reached showed a positive attitude to wildlife; 95% wished to participate in further conservation outreach activities; 64% said they actively apply their new knowledge in their daily lives and 96% agreed that they felt that wildlife and environmental protection was everyone’s responsibility. In 2015 the programme reached 3,035 students and 123 teachers in 29 schools. The team is now working with teachers to develop local curricula for a ‘Teachers for Forests’ project.
£5
buys materials for an endangered species workshop for 90 children
£3
pays the delivery of an environmental lesson in Kafue
£60
pays for one child to attend a four day bush camp
Please help us fund education programmes across the UK, Africa and Asia by calling 01483 272323 to donate
Education matters Why wildlife education matters ...
“We will change as a community thanks to the environmental education we receive,” Headman from Kakuse Community, Zambia
“I'm curious to learn new things. At the ecoclub we study the birds, plants, observe the traces of animals. We understand what is good and what is bad for the environment. Every year we plant cedars. I feed the birds. We learn to value nature and care for every living thing. It is my true passion,” Anna, 9 years old, Russia
“At the Bush Camp we were told how damaging snares were to wildlife and when I went home and found a snared painted dog I ran to tell the village elder and he helped find the poachers,” Tendai, Zimbabwe
“Before I came to camp I never even noticed plants and grasses but from now on I will see them and be interested in them,” Sanj, Mongolia
“The children really enjoyed the visit from DSWF. My class love anything to do with animals and would still be talking about them now, if they weren't already at home in bed!” Viv, UK teacher
“It gives children the opportunity to see and understand our wildlife and to realise that conservation creates jobs including tourism that will bring money into the country and the economy will grow.” Kelvin Chanda, Education Officer, Zambia
“The children come to an understanding of the causes of environmental problems, personally participate in their solution and prevention, consciously form the shape of their future life which is sometimes different from the life of their parents.” Galina Maksimova, head of Uragus eco-centre in Terney district, Russia
Photos on the education pages courtesy GRI, Phoenix Fund, SLT, Aaranyak, Molly Feltner, FREELAND
“I didn’t know there were five species of rhino - now I do and they are all worth protecting” Tarun, Assam
Kyrgyzstan
Research, anti-poaching and community programmes to protect the snow leopard
Innovative programme creates important new space for snow leopards In March 2016, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation partnered with Snow Leopard Trust (SLT) to pilot a new conservation programme in Kyrgyzstan: turning a hunting concession, where ibex were commercially hunted, into a co-managed nature reserve. Kyrgyzstan is one of the most important snow leopard conservation range countries, it ranks fifth in the world for snow leopard population (200-400 cats) and fourth in terms of habitat. Mountains dominate the landscape and over 75 per cent of the country is snow leopard habitat. One of the other most important factors in making Kyrgyzstan a high priority for snow leopards is its geographical location as the possible connection between the northern snow leopard populations in Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan to the rest of the range countries to the west and south. With ibex being one of the most important prey species for snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan the team are now focusing on a 100m2 former hunting concession in the northern Tian Shan Mountains called Shamshy. Shamshy is home to ibex, and seasonal populations of argali (mountain sheep) and wolves. It lies within a large snow leopard landscape and has the potential to become a key part of the home ranges of several snow leopards if its wild ungulate population can be increased. Shamshy’s ibex used to be hunted commercially but now, through this programme, hunting will no longer be allowed. Instead, the former hunting concession will be co-managed by the government, conservation NGOs, and local people as a wildlife reserve. “No hunting licenses will be sold and rangers will patrol the area to make sure that there’s no
hunting at all,” explains SLT’s Siri Okamoto. “The team will also work with local people in the surrounding region to initiate communitybased programmes and strengthen their support for conservation.” The area will also be used for research, education and limited eco-tourism, and nature camps for local children are on the agenda for the coming years. This innovative, new programme has been made possible by a partnership between the Snow Leopard Trust, Snow Leopard Foundation Kyrgyzstan, and the Department of Hunting and Natural Resource Management under the State Agency for Environment
Protection and Forestry of the Kyrgyz Republic. DSWF is helping launch the programme with key improvements and upgrades to the infrastructure of the reserve, support for rangers, and essential equipment like trap cameras for research. “Since 2011 there has been amazing progress for snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan with special agreements signed to further the establishment of a nation-wide ranger rewards programme to increase the capacity and recognition of the country’s Protected Area staff,” adds Siri. “Now, with an agreement in-hand for managing this hunting concession, we are fully confident that all political support is in place to make this project stable - in fact the government is very keen to test this model, so the pressure and impetus is coming from them as much as us.” We look forward to bringing you updates from this very exciting new development in snow leopard conservation over the coming months.
Trap cameras have been set up to assess the wildlife potential of the reserve - two initial photos show wild boar and lynx. More to come soon!
Wildlife Matters Issue 48
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Russia
Anti-poaching and educational awareness to protect the Amur tiger
Cinderella’s story brings hope to Russia’s rare tigers There aren't many happy stories in wildlife conservation but the tale of one Amur tiger captured our hearts this winter.
On May 9, 2013 Cinderella was released in the Bastak Nature Reserve. Monitored closely for the first few weeks good news started to flow. She had been seen hunting successfully and hopes were high for her continued survival. In January 2014 camera traps pictured Cinderella and a male Amur tiger - she had met her Prince Charming! Roaming free in a protected area, hunting successfully and seen in the company of other tigers, Cinderella's story seemed too good to be true. "Last December we received a camera trap photo of Cinderella with two young cubs," says CEO, Sally Case. "Having followed the story of this little, lost cub from the beginning, seeing her healthy and free and as a mother has been one of the most rewarding tiger conservation stories we've been part of. "Thank you to all DSWF and TigerTime supporters who contributed to the international appeal for funds to save Cinderella in 2012/13 and to all the experts in Russia and around the world who worked so tirelessly to make what could have been a sad end for an orphan into something closer to a fairy tale." But, this is not the end of Cinderella's story. With two small cubs to protect through the freezing Russian winter she will need all her skills to keep them alive and the unfailing protection of the rangers who brave sub-zero temperatures to keep the poachers at bay.
A tiger’s tail - pictures from the bottom: Cinderella when she was rescued in February 2012; preparing her for release in May 2013; her distinctive frostbitten tail caught on camera trap in 2014; December 2015 seen with two small cubs at the start of the Russian winter
Please help us continue this amazing story of survival by supporting our work in the Russian Far East. With as few as 450 Amur tigers left in the wild protecting them has never been more important.
Loss and liberty... The rescue of another three orphaned Amur cubs this winter has once again raised awareness of the need to step-up protection of these rare animals. In late December a 4-month-old tiger cub was found after a farmer raised the alarm. Emaciated and searching for food she had been attacked by dogs but a group of specialists were soon at the scene to rescue her. Following reports that three cubs had been seen together two more cubs were found in January. Sadly, their exposure to the cold without their mother and prolonged starvation meant that, although every effort had been made to save them, they did not survival. Despite the sad loss of her sisters and her mother, the surviving cub is doing well and is currently in an outdoor enclosure and hunting rabbits on her own. “The Phoenix Fund has been helping the Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintroduction of Tigers to rehabilitate tiger cubs since its establishment and we are thankful to DSWF for its support of the Centre’s work,” says Sergei Bereznuk of Phoenix. “ We hope that the young tigress will quickly recover and repeat the success story of Cinderella.” With two other tigers also returned to the wild in 2014 monitoring has shown that they are now in close proximity to one another and there is hope that they will soon start to breed. Funding adequate park protection for them and their forest homes and maintaining our anti-poaching work is, as ever, paramount to the ongoing survival of these precious and charismatic big cats.
Please help us continue this vital Amur tiger protection and rehabilitation work by donating online at davidshepherd.org or by calling us on 01483 272323 - Thank you.
16 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
Images courtesy of Phoenix Fund and WCS
In February 2012, a tiny Amur cub was found orphaned in the wild; suffering from frostbite she lost the end of her tail as a result. Aged about 5 months and exhausted by her ordeal her chances of survival were slim. But, with expert help and generous donations from DSWF and TigerTime supporters, Cinderella (Zolushka in Russian) began to recover. She grew strong and healthy and was taught to hunt and it was decided that she would be ready for release back into the wild in the spring of 2013.
India
Anti-poaching, community outreach, education and undercover investigation
Kaziranga roars to top of tiger table It’s been a mixed start to the year for Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Along with news that it has the highest density and the third highest population of tigers in India, comes the sad report that a sixth rhino has been killed in the park already this year. Paradoxically it is the presence of the rhino - a far easier target for poachers than the elusive tiger - that help create such a flourishing tiger population in this very special place. According to research carried out in 2014 by the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Tiger Conservation Authority the tiger density in Kaziranga is 12.72 per 100 km2, followed by the Jim Corbett National Park (11) in Uttarakhand and Bandipur National Park (10.28) in Karnataka. The park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and a tiger reserve in 2007, covers an area of 860 km2 and is rich in rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. This is the first time that a central report has named Kaziranga as having the highest density of tigers. It is estimated
that Kaziranga has 113 adult tigers with a carrying capacity - the maximum number that can be supported by the environment - of c.141. Early results from an extensive camera trap exercise carried out in 2015 by park authorities suggests there may be as many as 120 tigers in Kaziranga. “This is great news for Kaziranga and is indicative of the rich biodiversity and health of the reserve,” says DSWF CEO, Sally Case. “For the last 22 years DSWF has funded anti-poaching and community outreach projects to help protect the precious wildlife and biodiversity of this unique eco-system. This latest news is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in protecting Kaziranga and of our supporters continuing generosity.” LATEST NEWS: Statistics published in April, bringing together data from the IUCN and other national surveys, points to a rise in the world’s wild tigers suggesting there are now close to 3,900. While this may be down to improved surveying methods it remains positive news for tiger lovers.
Dog update Thank you to everyone who supported our appeal to fund a third anti-poaching dog in Assam this winter. These amazing dogs help track down poachers and gather vital evidence to convict them. The funds are now in but the difficult job of finding the right puppy is now underway. We’ll update you as soon as we have more news!
Bengal tiger courtesy of Arka Ghosh
‘Save the Phantom’ works to protect Assam’s leopards As leopard habitat shrinks there are an increasing number of encounters between humans and leopards
An increasing number of leopards straying into Guwahati - the capital city of Assam - in search of prey or driven by habitat loss is becoming a disturbing phenomenon, writes Debobroto Sircar of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
A series of awareness camps in priority conflict sites were carried out to sensitize and educate communities on the issue and led to the formulation of the state’s first ever female volunteer response teams.
As leopard habitat shrinks there are more encounters between humans and leopards. Stealthy by nature, the leopards try their best to avoid humans but, unfortunately, panic among residents at the sight of a leopard - mostly triggered by misconceptions and the media portraying them as ferocious beasts - is posing a grave threat to their existence.
The project also included local students who took an oath not to harm any wildlife and to work for the conservation of the environment. Students were also appointed to spread the conservation message while the project team organized media workshops to curb negative reporting about leopards and liaised with the forest department to ensure ex gratia relief is provided to the victims.
WTI, along with DSWF and the Assam Forest Department, supported young conservationist Mr. Mridul Bora to address the issue by initiating a new project: Human Leopard Conflict Mitigation through Community Participation in Guwahati with the slogan ‘Save the Phantom’.
As a result, two separate instances of leopards entering human habitation have recently been managed by the local community without any harm to locals or leopards.
Wildlife Matters Issue 48
17
Get involved!
Community Fundraising
What would you do for wildlife? Why not join our team of Wildlife Warriors and take on a fundraising challenge. We have lots to choose from ... Surrey Three Peaks
Saturday 23 July DSWF has teamed up with Advocate Events and Cranfold Physio to bring you the opportunity to fundraise for endangered wildlife while walking the wonderful Surrey Hills. You can choose between 7, 13 or 26 miles. A £10 non-refundable deposit books your place and you must commit to a raise a minimum of just £150.
RideLondon Surrey 100 2016
Sunday 31 July Our bond places for the Surrey 100 are now full but if you would like to take part in the Surrey 46, a brand new 46 mile event in 2016 for novice and younger cyclists (16-18 yrs) or if you would like to take part in the Surrey 100 Peloton event, aimed at teams of four do get in touch.
Annual Golf Day
Friday 23 September This great event takes place at the Wildwood Golf and Country Club in Alfold, Surrey and combines some of the best things on earth! Golf, good food, great entertainment and a brilliant cause! Individuals and teams welcome.
Swim Serpentine 24-25 September
Be part of this new two-day open water festival in the heart of London and raise funds for wildlife.
Kilimanjaro Challenge
Tuesday 20 - Friday 30 September At 5,895m Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. Spectacular views, huge glaciers and beautiful ice formations are your reward for your physical and mental endeavour. Interested? See the contact details below.
The Great Ethiopian Run
16 - 21 November Join this six day African experience and run 10km in the highest city in Africa - Addis Ababa.
Getting Involved for Wildlife
If you’re up for any of the challenges or maybe have one of your own, call or email Marianne on 01483 272323 marianne.watts@davidshepherd.org
Our LONDON MARATHON marvels Our fabulous 2016 London Marathon team were preparing to pound the streets of London on April 24 as this edition of Wildlife Matters went to press. The team includes six time marathon veteran Kay Belcham and Nadia Gibbs as the culmination of her 30 gruelling challenges for DSWF. Good luck to our fantastic DSWF team - we’re looking forward to hearing your marathon stories.
Kay Belcham, Sophie Persey, Tim Miller, Joyce Gibson, Ian Gardner, Trevor Orman (and the daughter who persuaded him to run for DSWF) Tertia Rollason & Nadia Gibbs
Jumbo drive will help protect Africa’s elephants Over three days this July, Amanda Butler, Regional Volunteer Fundraising Ambassador for Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, and her husband, Barry are hoping to complete a jumbo sized sponsored drive to raise funds and awareness for wildlife. They will be visiting an elephant named 'watering hole' for every 1,000 elephant killed illegally each year and plan to visit 35 establishments (35,000 elephants) around England, covering a distance of over 1,000 miles.
Amanda and Barry will not be alone as they will be taking Jambo, Amanda’s one metre high elephant to make sure people spot them en route! If you would like to find out if they are visiting your local ‘watering hole’ please contact Amanda at ambassadorfordswf@yahoo.co.uk They would love to see any DSWF supporters and perhaps you could help organise some publicity or a collection for them too.
Wall’s no barrier when fundraising for tigers! Good luck to Suzi Robinson who will be walking the 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall between April 27 and May 2 to raise funds for the amazing tigers that DSWF works to protect in Kaziranga, Assam (see page 17).
"Walking the length of Hadrian's Wall is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Having finally got around to it, this felt like a great opportunity to raise some funds for charity and I couldn't think of anything better than helping to support the fantastic work of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation."
Good Luck Suzi!
Join the Global March Val Green, Regional Volunteer Fundraising Ambassador for Scotland, is once again marching for elephants, rhinos, lions and tigers in Edinburgh on September 24. This global initiative is held at major towns and cities across the globe. “We know the pro trade side are lobbying hard and we want to use every tool in the box to give a voice to the animals and stop the trade,” says Val. “Whatever help DSWF supporters can give, at any UK venue, would be so gratefully received.” Last year, marches were held in Exeter, London, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Birmingham so if you would like to show your support and get involved, please contact Val at dswfa.scotland@gmail.com
18 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
Thank you
To all the amazing people who raise awareness and funds for wildlife and attend our events... Since April 1, 2015 the efforts of our Ambassadors and Wildlife Warriors have raised over £25,000 providing vital support to endangered wildlife across Africa and Asia. Add to this funds raised by schools and TigerTime supporters and the totals are terrific! From cream teas to mind-blowing physical challenges there are SO many ways to help protect the precious wildlife that we all love. So why not get involved today. (Apologies if we’ve missed anyone, do send in your stories!)
A fairway to raise funds A group of 34 golfers enjoyed a great day out in October and raised £3,000 at DSWF’s annual golf day. Sponsor FireBird Brewing Co certainly helped keep out the cold by providing halfway refreshments of locally brewed beers and golfers enjoyed a prize giving supper in the Clubhouse with entertainment by jazz singer Claire Bender. Book your place for the 2016 event TODAY! Call 01483 272323.
“The bridge is 440ft high, that’s 1,437 steps up ladders to the top, then the same back down the other side. All I can say is it was worth conquering my fear of heights for DSWF!” says Paul.
Stowe School backs the AMUR tiger As Stowe School’s charity of the year the Foundation was THRILLED when we received over £4,500 for our Amur tiger project in Russia. The funds will help protect these amazing animals - the biggest of the big cats - and their forest home in the Russian Far East. See page 16 for the latest updates. A huge thank you to all the pupils, teachers and parents who contributed to this brilliant total - it really will make a difference to tiger survival.
A VOICE for tigers Singer Tamsin Ball is continuing to raise funds for tigers by performing at venues across the South West. With over £2,000 raised to date she’s hoping for more when she sings in Barnstaple High Street on July 15 & August 13 - 11am to 3 pm. Support her if you can!
Tigers benefit from tattoo business A South Kirby business has given a £1,035 boost to our TigerTime campaign. Jungle Tattoo Supplies, which uses a tiger as its emblem, raised money by donating 1% of sales in 2015. Tony Pearson said: “We believe that you can make the world better, whatever your place in it. We are proud to support such a great cause to help wild tigers flourish.”
T-shirts for tigers get celebrity boost A huge thank you from DSWF and the TigerTime team to lead singer of rock group Young Guns who decided to turn his support for our tiger campaign into an amazing fundraiser. Teaming up with US clothing company, Born and Bred, Gustav Wood designed a raglan sleeve shirt that raised over £300 for tigers. We even managed to persuade a few of our other TigerTime supporters to join in the promotion including MelanieC (former Spice Girl), Gemma Atkinson (actress), Nigel Barker (America’s next Top Model) and Adam Garcia (dancer and actor). Left: Teaming up for tigers: MelanieC, Gustav Wood, Gemma Atkinson & Nigel Barker
Working with students for World Wildlife Day Five MA Graphic Design Students at the University of the Creative Arts, Epsom teamed up with DSWF to create an animated short film to raise awareness for World Wildlife Day. "It was an eye-catching and thought-provoking film that enjoyed over 7,000 views across our social media channels,” says DSWF Communications Manager, Vicky Flynn. “Thank you to Gagan Kattaya, Noottara Bhumiwat , Xia Li, Yuxuan Guan and Vidhi
Huge thanks to Paul Crago and his son Charlie (above) who took on the two and a half hour climb to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge last November raising £380 for DSWF.
Suneja for giving their time and talent to the project.” You can view the film online at www. davidshepherd.org
Despite pulling a hamstring and hobbling about on crutches, young Alisha Brassington and her friend Harriet Wilket, rescheduled their sponsored 5km walk in Shropshire to complete it on November 28, raising £376 for the orphan elephants. A keen conservationist, Alisha has been appointed DSWF’s first Junior Ambassador. Kate McGowan and Keri Nicholls raised £240 by organising a concert at for their school house (Aberdeen) at Ardingly College. “The concert featured girls from Aberdeen House playing and singing songs (organised by the heads of Aberdeen music Catherine and Amy) and in the middle me and Keri gave a 5 minute talk about the importance of conservation, certain endangered animals and what DSWF does,” Kate told Wildlife Matters. Continuing their wonderful support, St Catherine’s School raised a further £625 for the Elephant Orphanage, specifically for the recently rescued Muchi (see page 6), at their annual 6th Form Dinner Dance. Thank you! Thank you too to Julia Tremain who raised a delicious £527 from a charity curry buffet in support of our tiger projects. “I was nervous about hosting a paid event at home but if anyone is thinking of doing it just go for it! It’s worth it especially for such a great cause,” says Julia. ZAMBEZI Support Don’t forget to support Chaz Powell as he attempts his epic walk of the Zambezi River (1,600 miles) starting this summer. Please support this record-breaking effort raising funds for DSWF. You can sponsor him at: https://www.justgiving.com/WalkingTheZambezi/ THANK YOU
Wildlife Matters Issue 48
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SPECIAL edition Augustus adoption h c u m So t s u j r o f
£35
Something special for little tigers everywhere! We’ve teamed up with Little Tiger Press and award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Catherine Rayner, to celebrate a very special birthday. Catherine’s adorable tiger Augustus is ten in 2016 so to mark the occasion we are offering special edition Augustus adoptions that help protect wild tigers through our DSWF tiger projects in India, Thailand and Russia.
Pack photo for illustration purposes only
The special adoption comes with: • • • • • •
A signed and mounted open edition print of Augustus drawn exclusively for the adoption by Catherine Rayner A copy of the 10th Anniversary edition of Augustus and his Smile (RRP £10.95) A cuddly tiger toy A fact sheet about tigers An Augustus activity sheet An adoption certificate
All smartly packaged in an Augustus branded bag. At just £35 + £2.50 p&p (UK) this is a wonderful gift for the tiger lovers in your life. To order please call us on 01483 272323 or go online to order at www.davidshepherd.org The original Augustus adoption sketch by Catherine Rayner will be for sale, along with other originals by Catherine, as part of our Week of Wildlife Art at the Mall Galleries, London June 28 - July 2 - see the back page for event details.
Don’t forget our wonderful range of adoptions! We have elephants, rhino, snow leopards and painted dogs all looking for good homes! Each pack comes with an exclusive sketch by either David or Mandy Shepherd and lots of great information about your chosen animal AND an optional soft toy. You can find ALL our adoptions including Augustus on our website at:
www.davidshepherd.org
20 100% of donations marked for specific projects in the field go in full, with no administration costs deducted
Events
Events are an important part of our fundraising and provide the perfect opportunity for us to meet our fabulous supporters. We hope to see you all soon...
Petworth House Antiques Fair Friday 6 - Sunday 8 May 2016 Join the Antique Dealers Fair in the grounds of historic Petworth House, Sussex this May.
Sparkling & Unpredicatable Tuesday 10 May 6.30 -8.30pm Burgh House, Hampstead With 20 bestsellers between them masters of their craft, Jane Fallon and Lisa Jewell, come together in the stunning surroundings of Burgh House to share the secrets of how to write a bestselling novel. Find out more about their latest books and what it takes to create believable characters, pacy narrative and gripping reads.
The event is being held in a purpose built marquee by the Upper Pond and visitors to the fair may also enjoy free admission to Petworth House and Park with a ticket or fair programme during the three day event.
Ticket price: £20.00 including a glass of bubbly.
As its nominated charity, the event will be raising funds for DSWF.
Book online at www.davidshepherd.org/newsevents/ or Call 01483 272323 today!
Signed copies of Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon and The Girls by Lisa Jewell will be available to buy on the night.
Admission is £10 on the door but Petworth Park Fair has kindly provided complimentary e-tickets for DSWF supporters (donations welcome) Download and print off the complimentary ticket and present to the stewards on the day by going online at: www.davidshepherd.org/news-events/
Wildlife Artist of the Year 2016 Tuesday 28 June - Saturday July 2
Our stunning annual celebration of wildlife art returns to the Mall Galleries, London for its 9th year. Browse and buy from a wide selection of original art and sculpture from this year’s Wildlife Artist of the Year shortlist. PLUS original works from our award-winning guest artists, illustrator Catherine Rayner, sculptor Nick Mackman and wildlife photographer Andy Skillen. Entrance is by donation and all proceeds help support DSWF conservation projects. See back cover for more details.
More Events For a host of exciting challenge events from the London Marathon to a gentle walk through the Surrey Hills to our annual golf day - all raising funds for endangered wildlife, see page 18.
Wildlife Ball
Book now... The Dorchester, Park Lane, London For ticket enquiries and bookings please call: Friday November 11, 2016 01483 272323 or email: dswf@davidshepherd.org Members: £200 Non-members: £220 Table of 12: £2,400 Platinum Package with VIP reception & premier table for 12, £5,000
Spots on Gold
Karen Laurence-Rowe Original watercolour 56cm x 38cm £1950
All Karen Laurence-Rowe watercolours are framed, please call 01483 272323 for delivery options and cost.
Blue Protection
Karen Laurence-Rowe Original watercolour 78cm x 51cm £1950
Art matters shop.davidshepherd.org
Reticulated Gold
Karen Laurence-Rowe Original watercolour 51cm x 78cm £1950
You can view and buy the art shown here - and a huge selection of other great wildlife art - online at shop.davidshepherd.org or call us to order on 01483 443852
22 Don’t forget our online shop has a huge collection of David Shepherd prints and work by other artists shop.davidshepherd.org
Art matters shop.davidshepherd.org
Leopard Study
Julie Rhodes Limited edition mounted print 30cm x 30cm £35 plus postage
Baby Giraffe
Julie Rhodes Open edition mounted print 26cm x 26cm £20 plus postage
Blossom and Birds
Follow Your Nose
Julie Rhodes Open edition mounted print 26cm x 26cm £20 plus postage
Seems Friendly
Richard Newby Open edition print 70cm x 50cm £55
Richard Newby Open edition print 75cm x 45cm £58
Samburu Leopard Karen Laurence-Rowe Original watercolour 51cm x 78cm £1950
Rusty Bombus Terrestris Patricia Rozental Original graphite drawing 21cm x 41cm £185 plus postage
Two Birds
Richard Newby Open edition print 70cm x 50cm £62
Rusty Bombus Sylrarum Patricia Rozental Original graphite drawing 21cm x 41cm £185 plus postage
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Wildlife Artist of the Year . . Mall Galleries London SW1 June 28 - July 2
ORIGINAL ART supporting endangered wildlife DSWF is proud to host the ninth annual wildlife art exhibition and sale featuring:
Wildlife Artist of the Year
The 2016 shortlist from seven categories, Animal Behaviour; Urban Wildlife; Hidden World; Wings, Feathered or Otherwise; Into the Blue; Vanishing Fast; Earth’s Beautiful Creatures
Plus work by special guest artists Sculptor Nick Mackman, Illustrator Catherine Rayner and Wildlife Photographer, Andy Skillen
Private View
Monday 27 June - 5.30pm - 9pm With special guests - invitation only
Public Viewing and Sales
Tuesday 28 - Saturday 2 July 10am - 5pm (4pm Saturday)
Full details are at www.davidshepherd.org
Images: main picture Fading Giant by Stefano Zagaglia Above L to R: courtesy of 2016 shortlist artists - Chung Shek, Amber Tyldesley, Michael Fitzgerald, Nick Oneill, Sevina Yates
This exhibition is generously supported by: Mr and Mrs Covey, Tilney Bestinvest, Barlow Robbins Gary Hodges, Simon Trapnell and The Artist magazine