AUTUMN 2012: ISSUE 41
Wildlife MATTERS
Wildlife in Crisis
The escalation of poaching threatens many of the species we protect - find out how we are working to save them
New Prints for 2012 From three generations of the Shepherd family and guest artist Nathan Bye exclusive to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Extraordinary People The amazing and wonderful things that DSWF supporters do for wildlife!
Fulfilling the Art of Conservation THE MAGAZINE OF THE DAVID SHEPHERD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION SAVING CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MAMMALS IN THE WILD www.davidshepherd.org
Welcome to Wildlife Matters
WHO’S WHO
Patron: HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO Founder/President: David Shepherd CBE FRSA Honorary Vice Presidents: Mark Carwardine,
David Gower OBE, Gary Lineker OBE, Simon King OBE, Mandy Shepherd Trustees: Nigel Colne CBE, Christopher Cowdray, Nigel Keen, Bruce Norris, Andre Pienaar, Richard Powles, Avril Shepherd, Melanie Shepherd Trading Company Directors: Christopher Oliver, Bruce Norris, Mary Nugent Chief Executive: Sally Case Finance Director: Mary Nugent Operations Director: Sally Wilson Fundraising: Catherine Gilmartin Administrator: Natalie Archer Trading Manager: Lisa Langridge PR & Communications: Vicky Flynn Education: Kim Hale Events: Kay Roudaut Accounts Assistant: Marianne Watts Wildlife Artist of the Year: Nina Neve TigerTime: Chantelle Henderson Conservation Advisor: Mark Carwardine Education Advisor: Andrew White DSWF offers a monthly eNewsletter keeping you up-to-date with all our latest news, events and offers - if you would like to receive it please email your details to dswf@davidshepherd.org DSWF Office, Gallery & Trading Company: Saba House 7 Kings Road Shalford Guildford, Surrey GU4 8JU Tel: 01483 272323 Email: dswf@davidshepherd.org Website: www.davidshepherd.org & www.tigertime.info Charity No.1106893 CAF ‘Give as you earn’ No. 001604.
Company No. 4918392 VAT Reg No. 414001815
Print: Kingsley Print Ltd Editorial & Design: Vicky Flynn, DSWF Cover Image: Winter’s Embrace by Nathan Bye. See page 20-21 to buy this beautiful image as a print or Christmas card in support of DSWF
Inside this issue ... Welcome & Orphan Appeal 2&3 Project Funding 4&5 Zimbabwe – Painted Dog Conservation 6 Zambia – Elephant Orphanage and Park 7 Protection Namibia & South Africa – Black Rhino 8&9 Thailand & India – Rhinos and tigers 10&11 Tiger Time & Russia - Saving the tiger 12&13 Wildlife Tails – Education matters 14&15 Mongolia – Snow Leopard update 16 China and Vietnam – Moon bear rescue 17 Uganda update 18 CITES – tackling wildlife crime 19 Buy art, originals and collectibles 20&21 Wildlife Artist of the Year 22&23 How you can help 24&25 Events Diary 26 Thanks to some extraordinary people 27
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Welcome to
Wildlife M
If I were asked to sum-up 2012 with just one word it would be ‘proud’; proud of how Britain faced its critics and put on one of the greatest Olympic and Paralympic Games ever; of how we all, as a nation, threw ourselves behind the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and became a truly united Kingdom.
I was also immensely proud of our fifth Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition (more on page 22 & 23) which was a triumph both in terms of the quality of the art and the amount we raised for wildlife. I’m already looking forward to an equally magnificent 2013! And, although it’s a few weeks away, I know that I will glow with pride at our black-tie event at the Dorchester on November 23rd because of the brilliant opportunity it offers to raise awareness and funds for our projects. Of course, I have always been proud to be British and I was delighted to be the first artist ever to receive the True Englishman Award from the St. Georges Day Club earlier this year. But, above all, I am proud of you, the Foundation’s loyal supporters. Even in these testing economic times you have risen to the challenge and given what you can to save the endangered wildlife we all love so passionately. But, the facts remain stark and your continued support is needed more than ever before. Since the beginning of the year over 381 rhino have been killed in South Africa for their horn; an estimated 100 elephants die every day because of their ivory and tigers and snow leopards continue to be hunted for their coats and body parts.
A proud moment; presenting the top prize of £10,000 to Karen Laurence-Rowe at the this years’ Wildlife Artist of the Year event at the Mall Galleries in London with chairman of the judging panel, Mark Carwardine
Having worked closely with Melanie for more than seven years Fundraising Director, Jill Inglis, has also decided that this is an appropriate time to move on to her own new opportunities. I know that the team at DSWF share my admiration of what they have achieved and wish them both well in their new roles. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the Foundation’s new CEO, Sally Case, who joins us from the RSPCA where she was head of prosecutions. I am certain that she too will do us proud!
Without your amazing and generous contributions to the work of the Foundation the dire statistics and the potential impact on the environment would be so much worse. So my sincerest thanks to you all. Finally, one thing that has made me exceptionally proud is the way that my daughter, Melanie, has led the Foundation as its CEO for the last 22 years. She has worked long and tirelessly, and with extraordinary drive through difficult times, to raise funds and awareness for wildlife. I know she is looking forward to being a trustee and advisor and remaining fully engaged especially with the projects that she is so passionate about.
After 22 years at the helm Melanie Shepherd (left) is handing the reins to Sally Case who became CEO this October
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Welcome to Wildlife Matters
e Matters * ** Night Safari *
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Kensington Palace London
The unity of purpose as generated by the Olympic Games is just what we need if endangered wildlife is to survive the constant pressure that mankind places upon it.
Friday 23 November 2012 * * The Dorchester Ballroom, London *
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Join us for a sparkling black tie evening for wildlife generously hosted by London’s prestigious Dorchester Hotel with David Shepherd and celebrity friends *
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Tickets:
£200 per person £180 for DSWF members £1800 for tables of 10 includes 4 course dinner & fine wines
Call us today to buy your tickets! 01483 272323
Saving Endangered Wildlife
You can make a donation at any time either through one of our direct appeals or to any of the projects featured in this edition of Wildlife Matters. Simply call the office on 01483 272323 or donate online at: www.davidshepherd.org 100% of donations marked for a specific project will go in full with no administration costs deducted.
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* Support our Orphan Appeal It’s unimaginable to think that every day thousands of young animals are left orphaned by poachers. But sadly, it is fast becoming commonplace as the demand for ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts escalates and the value put upon illegal wildlife products rockets.
SUPPORTING THE FOUNDATION
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DSWF Patron, HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO
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Without the continued and united help of dedicated supporters, like you, the Foundation would be unable to maintain its vital work, and the wider environment would suffer.
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Saving the elephant, rhino or tiger is about so much more than saving a single animal. The loss of one species has a massive impact on the wider environment. The interdependence of species and their environments is too important to ignore. That is one of the reasons why saving large mammals is so crucial to the well-being of the planet as a whole.
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Thank you to everyone who has already responded to our Orphan Appeal. Your donations are hugely important in the fight to save these vulnerable animals.
This edition of Wildlife Matters carries the stories of Mosi - an orphaned elephant (see page 7) and Cinderella - an Amur tiger, (see page 13) both in dire need of your support if they are to be returned successfully to the wild where they belong. Please help us stop this senseless killing; to support the anti-poaching teams whose work is fraught with danger and the rehabilitation facilities that help return the victims of wildlife crime back to the wild. You can donate to the appeal by calling the office on 01483 272323 or online at www.davidshepherd.org.
An orphaned baby rhino being prepared for transport to a rehabilitation centre in South Africa
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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Funding Matters - How and where we spend your donations
How and w spend your Since its inception 28 years ago, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation has given away £5,760,000 directly in grants to our field projects and invested a further £1,330,000 on important education and advocacy. Our education programme promotes global conservation issues to future generations, here in the UK and overseas, and our Wildlife Artist of the Year and Global Canvas projects are vital aspects of this work. All the projects featured are longterm DSWF programmes. The Foundation also has an emergency fund to respond to wildlife crises.
5% 14%
Uganda
Funding anti-poaching operations and waterways law enforcement projects to protect elephants and other wildlife in and around the Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks.
Zimbabwe Painted Dog Research Project Page 6
Working with local communities to save one of Africa’s most important populations of African painted dogs, as well as other wildlife, through anti-poaching operations, education programmes and outreach projects. Zambia
Park Protection, Anti-poaching and Elephant Orphanage Project
Page 7
Funding park protection through antipoaching operations and ranger training and the development of Zambia’s first elephant orphanage to rescue, rehabilitate and release orphaned elephants.
Namibia Page 8
64% 17% Conservation
64%
Education & Information
14%
Fundraising
17%
Governance
5%
South Africa Page 9
Black Rhino Monitoring Project
Funding park expansion, translocation, protection and monitoring of breeding populations of critically endangered black rhino in several protected wild areas in South Africa.
Page 19
100% of all donations you send, marked for specific projects in the field, go in full with no administration costs deducted.
Save the Rhino Trust
Funding essential monitoring of black rhino and rare desert elephant, anti-poaching operations and support for local community outreach programmes.
CITES
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Waterways Protection Project
Page 18
International Trade in Wildlife
Funding enforcement initiatives and lobbying against illegal trade and unsustainable legal trading in wildlife species.
Thank you to all our supporters without whom these projects could not survive
d where we ur donations
Russia Page 13
Amur Tiger Project
Saving the last Amur (Siberian) tigers through anti-poaching operations and community education programmes in the Russian Far East.
China
Page 17
Bear Rescue Project
Funding the rehabilitation of bears rescued from the horrifically cruel bear bile farms in China and Vietnam and supporting work to end this barbaric trade.
Mongolia
Snow Leopard Project
Page 16
Funding anti-poaching, monitoring, research and community programmes in Mongolia to save the last surviving snow leopards.
Fighting the illegal trade in tigers Page 19
Tackling the consumer end of illegal wildlife markets by successfully persuading millions to stop buying wildlife products, supporting London’s fight against the illegal trade through ‘Operation Charm’ and supporting EIA’s investigative work. Thailand Page 10
Thap Lan Tiger Project
Funding enforcement training and community projects to secure the future of Thailand’s’ wild tiger populations.
India
Page 11
Kaziranga Rhino and Tiger Project
Funding essential communication networks, patrol boats and supplies for anti-poaching operations in Assam’s key wildlife parks to protect some of the last surviving Indian rhinos, tigers and wild elephant populations. India
Page 11
Wildlife Crime Monitoring Project
Funding undercover investigations to expose and stop the illegal smuggling of rhino horn, tiger bones and ivory through Assam and across its borders. India
Page 10
Rapid Action Project
Funding rapid emergency aid enabling immediate response to wildlife crises throughout India.
Full information and latest news on all our projects is available at www.davidshepherd.org Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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ZIMBABWE: Painted Dog Project
Teach your children well... Tendai’s story
An orphan, Tendai lives alone with, and cares for, her widowed grandmother. Life is tough but Tendai is an bright child with a devastating smile. An older school friend told her wonderful tales of the Bush Camp, of three hot meals a day, electric lights, water that runs from a tap and stairs that take you as high as the tree tops and she started to count the days until her visit.
Photos courtesy of PDC and Andrew White
When the PDC Bush Camp vehicle arrived to collect her and her 33 class mates, Tendai could hardly contain herself. Her excitement grew when, during the relatively short drive, she saw a giraffe - a first for the whole class! Her four days at the Camp flew by but what she loved best was her role as the painted dog, Eyespot, in a play she performed for the rest of the class. The play, called Teach Your Children Well, draws parallels between the lives of painted dog pups whose father is killed in a snare and that of orphaned children. Tendai could relate to it well. The game she enjoyed most was the connectivity game which illustrated, and made all the participants state, what they could do to protect painted dogs. Eyespots father had died in a snare and Tendai promised that she would stop the poaching in her village. She was sad to leave the Bush Camp, but keen to tell her grandmother all about her visit.
The next morning Tendai and her best friend, Nomusa, set off to the nearby forests where their excited chatter was soon cut short by the sound of a young kudu struggling in a snare. Tendai cried out in horror and started to run for home - not in fear but in a desperate bid to get help. Nomusa hesitated, afraid that the poacher would be angry with them and worried that the people in the village always needed meat. Tendai shouted at her friend, asking her if she had learnt nothing from the Bush Camp. Did she not understand that a painted dog could as easily be caught and killed in that snare and that no one eats painted dogs? Did she not understand that painted dogs need to eat kudus to survive and that there was plenty of meat in the butchers? Persuaded, the girls ran to Tendai’s uncle Shadrack who was reluctant to interfere. Like Nomusa, he was afraid of what the poacher would say but Tendai persisted and they headed off to the village head - a kind old man who had toiled long and hard in his fields. Tendai was relentless and the village head called his two sons and together they strode out, with Tendai leading the way. They soon arrived at the scene and approached the kudu slowly. It was exhausted from its struggle but seemed unharmed. The men grabbed the kudu by its horns and cut the wire snare to set it free. It ran a short distance before stopping to look back before finally running away. Tendai was delighted! Together they searched the forest and found 15 more snares and, recognising the footprints, they arrested the poacher in the evening and turned him in to the police.
Tendai had kept her promise to the painted dogs to stop poaching in her village. This is the power of the Bush Camp. It reaches the soul of many children and changes lives. It teaches about the devastating impact of poaching. Above all it teaches how one individual can make a difference.
The PDC Children’s Bush Camp is in danger. These tough economic times are impacting us all. PDC has to consider cutting back on the Bush Camp programme or the equally important AntiPoaching programme. Tendai has shown that an individual can make a difference. You can too by supporting DSWF. Thank you. HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by donating to the project either online or by calling 01483 272323 or by adopting Three Spot - see page 25 for details.
6 100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Photos courtesy of Game Rangers International and Pam Keeble
T
endai Nyathi is a 12-year-old girl living in Gundwane, a rural village on the border of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Her school is one of the 17 primary schools that are part of the DSWF supported Iganyana Children’s Bush Camp - a flagship programme for the Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) project.
ZAMBIA: Elephant Orphanage and Park Protection Project Funded by DSWF, Game Rangers International (GRI) is dedicated to wildlife conservation in Zambia through four vitally important projects: Park Protection & Enforcement Operations, the Elephant Orphanage and the Conservation Awareness and Community Outreach Programmes. Here’s the latest news from Zambia ...
New Elephant Nursery Opens in Lilayi
Mosi Rescue
Another orphaned elephant has been rescued in Livingstone near Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. “Initially too feisty and nervous to be approached, Mosi was given supplies of fresh water and food and monitored constantly as a pride of four lions had moved into the area proving a risk to his safety,” explains Rachael Murton. The rescue team soon swung into action and, due to Mosi’s size (119cm to the shoulder), he was tranquillised, captured and loaded into a transport crate for the 11 hour journey. Since Mosi is almost at weaning age, it was decided to take him directly to the Kafue Release Facility to join the older orphans. Despite his poor condition Mosi has settled into life in Kafue and is already joining the other elephants on their daily walks. He loves his milk feeds and is currently leading the herd back in the evenings keen for his next bottle.
The new Elephant Nursery near Lusaka is developing rapidly with the elephants expected to move in as Wildlife Matters went to press! Initiated in August 2011, when a young elephant was too sick to be moved to the remote location of the Release Facility in Kafue National Park, it provides easier access to vets and medical supplies and is now home to six orphans. Initially, the project used stable space at the Lilayi Game Park but, with thanks to funding support from DSWF and LaFarge Zambia, the new nursery started to be built. Circular in design, it is capable of housing eleven young elephants and has a raised inner deck where the keepers can maintain a watchful eye over their babies as they sleep. A four metre high viewing deck that overlooks a mud hole also provides safe viewing opportunities for visitors.
David (right) welcomes the Vice President of Zambia, His Excellency Dr Guy Scott to the new Elephant Nursery
The team has been eager to move into the new facility and were honoured to welcome David Shepherd at the end of September, along with the Vice President of Zambia, His Excellency Dr Guy Scott for the official opening. “It was a hugely memorable visit,” says David. “Seeing the Nursery become a reality is so wonderful. We certainly couldn’t have done it without all our fabulous DSWF supporters.”
On his trip, David also had the opportunity to meet HRH The Princess Royal and tell her more about the Foundation’s work - pictured above with CEO of GRI, Sport Beattie and Mandy Shepherd
Community Outreach Updates by Britius Munkombwe, Community Outreach
The Mosi rescue team included wildlife vet Ian Parsons, volunteer Pam Keeble, head elephant keeper at Kafue Lasick Kapeshi, volunteer Phoebe Sneddon and EOPs Rachael Murton
Photos courtesy of Game Rangers International and Pam Keeble
THANK YOU!
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supports GRI’s work in Zambia especially Toyota, Sun International and Bushtracks. We couldn’t do it without you! Special thanks to British Airways for their continuing and invaluable support
Adopt an Elephant! The perfect gift for you, your family, your friends and for wildlife ...
For nature conservation and projects such as the Elephant Orphanage to work successfully it is not enough just to save an elephant’s life - whole communities have to be engaged and benefit from the project in order to support it. With this in mind GRI runs a Community Outreach Programme that supports projects such as cattle health, human/wildlife interactions and medical clinics. Two recent projects - sustainable fishing on Lake Itezhi-tezhi and cattle dipping with the local farmers - were both warmly welcomed. The dipping exercise, conducted for 2,000 head of cattle and benefiting 32 farmers who believe wildlife brings parasites to their animals
and makes their lives more difficult, helped create better understanding and working relationships with the local communities. Welcomed by Honourable chief Musungwa (centre) watches as the local Chief, Britius Munkombwe (right) hands over cattle dipping chemicals in the Basanga area the long term vision is to ensure that the project becomes a benchmark in changing the mind-set of local people so that they appreciate the benefits derived from wildlife, both directly and indirectly.
For only £32 you can adopt Chamilandu, one of the orphaned elephants now living at the Kafue Release Facility. One of the only females, Chamilandu is the loving matriarch who keeps all the other orphans in line! Adopt her and you will help to fund the rescue, rehabilitation and release of all the orphans in our care. It’s the perfect gift for Christmas! See page 25 for details.
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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NAMIBIA: Black Rhino
Of calves, collars and cameras As the threat to wild rhino intensifies we catch up with the Save the Rhino (SRT) team in Namibia - where the remoteness of the landscape helps protect the precious black rhino - and discover that it’s not all doom and gloom... By Sue Wagner, Simson Uri-Khob and Bernd Brell
SRT’s Northern team, led by Lesley Karutjaiva, was sent out in search of Tuesday who had not been seen for more than a year. This skilful team of trackers were very happy to find her as Simson Uri-Khob had feared the worst for Tuesday and her calf both because of Tuesday’s age and condition and the fact that they had not been seen for so long. “I was amazed to see the calf looking so healthy and now I know the calf will make it,” Simson said.
MEET TUESDAY...
a remarkable rhino
Tuesday is almost 40 years old and SRT, with the help of long-standing support from DSWF, has been monitoring and protecting her all her life. She’s been a brilliant breeder and has produced no less than seven calves - four females and three males. Her first calf was born in October 1984 and thereafter her calving intervals were approximately every three to four years with her subsequent calves born in March 1990, October 1994, March 1997, March 2001, January 2004 and then a six year gap with her last calf born in November 2010. Black rhino calves generally spend a minimum of two to two-and-a-half years with the cow in
Tuesday is unmistakable because of her unusual horn shape which seems to be a distinguishing feature of her family. Both her sister and mother had similar shaped horns. SRT congratulates Lesley’s team on a job well done and thanks DSWF for their on-going support of SRT’s trackers. With such dire news about rhino poaching over 381 have been poached this year to date in South Africa - it is so heartwarming to be able to report these breeding successes. With your continued support we hope to be able to bring you this great news as generation after generation of rhino calves are born and thrive!
Rhino births make daily tracking worthwhile SRT has been celebrating the sighting of no less than five new rhino calves in the past four months. Two of the cows who produced calves recently are Hoagedi and Inka. Hoagedi was born in September 1993 making her nearly 19 years old. She has produced three calves. Her first, a female called Pensi, was born in June 2004 and her second, Harry, was born in March 2008. Earlier this year, SRT trackers were very excited to find her with a third calf, a male. It is estimated that he was born in March 2011. The sighting of Inka’s calf (pictured above) was somewhat unusual as the calf was very young – probably only a few days old. It is rare to see such a tiny calf as the mothers usually keep them very well hidden from predators in the early months and even our seasoned trackers have difficulty finding them. The mother, Inka, was born in November 2001 so is almost 11 years old and had her first calf, a male called Icarus, in 2009. The new, as yet unnamed calf, is also a male.
Photos courtesy of SRT Namibia
Foot collaring and stealth cameras aid rhino monitoring
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SRT has been pioneering some new tools in the monitoring of rhino in Namibia. In August they assisted Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism by fitting satellite tracking ‘foot collars’ also known as ‘ankle bracelets’ - to rhino in the Kunene region (above right). This trial will help the team monitor rhino in remote regions but how successfully the signals are received from the mountainous terrain remains to be seen. Stealth cameras are also proving to be a cost-effective tool in monitoring rhino in some of SRT’s more inaccessible areas, especially where low densities of rhino occur. Saving the cost of tracking teams the cameras are capturing photos and video footage increasing the teams knowledge of rhino in the area and capturing transgressions by some self-drive tourists too!
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Photos courtesy of Lucky Mavrandonis, Sue Downie
a specific part of her home range before being weaned. The calf becomes well orientated, learning the whereabouts of water, mountain succulents and other food sources. The cow weans the calf and then moves out of the area to another part of her home range to give birth to her new calf. The weaned calf may join up periodically with the cow and new calf. These visits are not prolonged and the sub-adult rhino returns to the area which is familiar to it.
SOUTH AFRICA: Black Rhino
T P O D A help
and Dundi no in the e rhi save th e page 25 wild. Se details. re for mo
SASHA a survivor’s story by Lucky Mavrandonis and Sue Downie
Photos courtesy of Lucky Mavrandonis, Sue Downie
Sasha has an amazing story which began when she was moved from Namibia to South Africa in March 2003 with two other black rhinos, a young sub-adult female and a bull. After a couple of weeks in holding bomas, which allowed the rhinos to adapt to different conditions and browse, Sasha surprised everyone by giving birth to a tiny female calf. Unfortunately Sasha and her calf were separated during the cold night and there was concern that the calf would be rejected. The calf, named Thandi, was flown by helicopter to a rehabilitation facility. Sadly mother and baby were never reunited. Sasha and the other two rhinos were moved to a small 400 ha. enclosure and got on with their lives in a new home. Two years later the three rhinos were moved to a larger area and, while she was immobilised, a transmitter for tracking her was implanted into her horn. Luckily the exercise was complete when she unexpectedly
woke up, scattering about twenty people and it took another thirty minutes to recapture her. Sue got it all on video and at no time was any person, vehicle or the helicopter hurt or damaged!
rehabilitation centre at one day old) is now living in the wild and made Sasha a grandmother when she gave birth to a calf in October 2010. This is another remarkable story on its own, making all Sasha’s traumas worth the effort.
Three months later Sasha gave birth to her second calf, another female we called Nonny, which is an abbreviation for a word meaning ‘lucky’. She was lucky for several reasons; lucky to be born safely after her mum received three doses of immobilising drug, lucky that she could roam free and stay with her mother, and we were lucky because she was a female.
We wanted to share Sasha’s story with you because, even though you may never see a black rhino in the wild and they may have no meaning or relevance in your day-to-day life, these magnificent ancient vegetarians deserve a life on this planet. Rhino horns don’t belong on a wall or in a misguided pharmacy. They belong on a healthy rhino living in its natural habitat.
Sasha and Nonny met the resident rhino, adapted to the new area and they have been able to be wild rhinos again with minimal interference from people. Today, more than nine years since arriving in South Africa, Sasha has had five calves, three females and two males, and Thandi (sent to the
Please continue to help us save Sasha and all her kind.
Our sincere thanks to DSWF and all its supporters for your contribution to help all endangered wildlife, including these precious rhinos.
Rhino Update 2012 ... 2012 has been another horrendous year for the rhino. As Wildlife Matters went to press there were reports that 381 rhinos had been killed in South Africa since January -100 in less than two months. The current rate of slaughter is likely to mean that the final tally this year will pass 2011’s 448 animals. The devastating escalation in poaching is blamed on increasing black market demand for rhino horn where it is worth more than its weight in gold with some sources quoting figures as high as £41,000 per kilo. While many heightened security measures have failed to stop the criminal syndicates that officials say are responsible for the killing, DSWFs monitoring and security measures continue to keep the rhinos in our projects safe, with no reported loses to date.
“The situation is dire and it is almost impossible to put into words how angry this futile waste of life makes us,” says DSWF’s Melanie Shepherd. “That people continue to believe in the curative powers of a substance that is made of keratin (the same material that makes our own hair and finger nails) is preposterous and we will continue to work hard to change attitudes and save the rhino.”
The DSWF supported rhino projects continue to provide excellent protection for the animals in their care. PLEASE continue to support us in this desperate fight for rhino survival. Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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INDIA & THAILAND: Rhino and Tigers
Managing human-elephant conflict by Vivek Menon, CEO of the Wildlife Trust of India It was a casual remark by Wildlife Trust of India’s (WTI) trustee Dr. P.C Bhattacharjee (PCB) that led to the birth of the novel idea of the DSWF supported Grain for Grain scheme in 2005. During a visit to the park a local villager came wielding a machete in anger demanding compensation for his crop that had been destroyed by elephants the night before. Luckily, the villager only vented his anger on a forest department signboard but PCB made a passing remark that the elephant did not pick the man’s pocket so why should he be given money? The elephant took their grain so rightfully only grain should be given in return. The idea stuck and the Grain for Grain scheme was born as a means to protect the interests of the locals as well as the elephants. Launched for communities living at the fringe of Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary in the northeast
THAILAND:
Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh the scheme provides relief to farmers and helps reduce retaliation against the elephants. In May this year, in an event hosted by WTI and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, DSWF supported the distribution of 10,000 kilograms of grain to 100 farmers as compensation for the crops they had lost to elephants. Apart from providing relief, the scheme also acted as a way to improve the relationship between the local Forest Department and villagers. It is measures like the Grain for Grain scheme that help alleviate further strain in the relationship. It is one of several projects on human elephant mitigation that DSWF supports. From installing electric fences, generating awareness on critical issues, to equipping and training guards in elephant and tiger reserves to looking at the welfare of individual animals, DSWF has proven that the often quoted
Letting grain take the strain between farmers and elephants - and a paddy field destroyed by elephants
The tigers we know so well Despite the monsoon, tiger surveys and camera trapping continues as normal in Dong Phayayen, Thailand. With most of the tigers becoming well known to the team they are always eager to see them again - to know they are safe and well. “Despite the rains the poachers do not stop,” explains Tim Redford of DSWF supported FREELAND. “In fact, they appear regularly and predictably, such as before major holidays and when seasonal contract work on farms is completed - when the rice is growing the poachers return. For many poaching is the only supplementary source of income they know.”
Striding out; one of the tigers regularly caught on camera by the FREELAND team
proverb “a stitch in time saves nine” holds true and continues its vital commitment to save wildlife in India.
As part of the fight against poaching FREELAND’s community outreach team presented its tiger conservation message to thousands of children in schools around Dong Phayayen in the first eight months of 2012 and met hundreds of villagers.
“The younger generation seem to understand the conservation message and the general perception is that they will not follow in their parents illegal footsteps. But, for some older, forest-hardened folks they feel it is their right to take what they want, even though they know it is breaking the law,” adds Tim. This is where the anti-poaching patrols become crucial and, to assist with tiger protection, DSWF has been supporting the enforcement training and field equipment to ensure that the rangers have everything they need to protect the tigers that the team is starting to know so well.
“Please keep the support coming,” says Tim. “Protecting this crucial tiger population is as important as ever.”
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A tiger’s life is always on the edge - they have to remain constantly vigilant. Apart from the constant threat of poachers tigers have to defend their territories and this is when they are most likely to sustain a life-threatening injury. Often, after two males have been recorded by camera traps at the same location and time, we see that one or both are wounded - injuries range from small scratches to large open wounds. Amazingly all seem to heal rapidly, often without leaving a trace. Recently, in Thap Lan, we were horrified to see that one of the males familiar to us had apparently lost an eye. We recorded him
with an eye closed, possibly missing, and not long after that he disappeared altogether. An injury such as this would affect his binocular vision and ability to judge distance, essential to successful Camera traps give us an invaluable glimpse at tiger behaviour and health hunting. Luckily, after three months he and although he was the loser of that particular re-appeared, this time with the eye open and battle for his territory he survived for us to tell apparently normal. We can only assume that it his tale. was an injury that healed naturally
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Photos courtesy of Aaranyak
Images courtesy of WTI and FREELAND
A tiger’s life caught on camera
KAZIRANGA: Rhino and Tigers
Enough is Enough
Conservation groups protest against rhino killings
At the end of a hard day, Jorba’s handler, Anil Das, helps him across the river in Kaziranga
Forty conservation groups held a sit-in protest against the Forest Department’s failure to act over the recent rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park, Assam - the last stronghold of the one-horned Indian rhino
The news from Kaziranga is dominated by the floods this year. Forming a critical part of the rich alluvial landscape that makes the National Park in Assam so special, the annual flood has, for centuries, shaped the ecosystem. Rarities like the Bengal tiger and one-horned Indian rhino share the park with over 30 other endangered species. This year the floods were the worst in living memory and brought with them a higher than normal death toll of animals and people including 17 rhino (of which six were poached) and 512 hog deer. No tiger deaths were recorded. “Flood is a normal phenomenon in Kaziranga and an important part of the ecosystem,” says Bibhab Talakdur of DSWF supported conservation group, Aaranyak. “The loss of animals is shocking in a human context but the floods form part of the natural selection taking infants, juveniles, the old and diseased, which in turn enriches the ecosystem.” While the floods provide vital landscape management, the poaching of six rhinos (four in one week) that were forced from the park by the floods has caused uproar culminating in a sit-in protest by forty Assamese conservation groups, including Aaranyak, on October 1st.
previous spell of poaching that took place in June 2012,” says Aaranyak’s Firoz Ahmed who took part in the protest in Assam’s capital, Guwahati. “The forest department has miserably failed to engage the support of people in the fringe areas in helping with conservation efforts and assisting with the gathering of intelligence to arrest poachers.”
Jorba - the DSWF funded sniffer dog working for the K-9 dog squad - was instrumental in assisting the forest officials in Kaziranga to arrest 18 suspected culprits involved in wildlife crime between January and early May this year. He was able to track the scent from the scene of the crime for as far as 8km away and helped unearth vital clues.
The protesters raised a number of demands including: the building of high land shelters for flood-hit animals; strengthening the intelligence network; filling current vacancies for frontline staff; recruiting local people as rangers; establishing better coordination with adjoining forest departments; setting up more, properly manned and equipped anti-poaching camps; better conviction rates of poachers; bringing Karbi Anglong (the vulnerable corridor area where rhinos are being poached) under the jurisdiction of the KNP authorities and setting up a dedicated veterinary centre in the Park.
With water covering much of the park during the monsoon season Jorba moved to Guwahati with his handler, Anil Das. Together they attended an eight day training course before returning to the field in October.
“We now need to concentrate on securing these demands and increasing the wildlife corridors from the park so that distressed animals can safely move out to find shelter,” adds Bibhab. “Current corridors are under huge pressure from human development which blocks open spaces and prevents the animals from moving out to higher ground to the south of the park; this, and all of the demands made by the protesters, are something that your continued support will help us address.”
Thank you to everyone who supports Jorba and his handler. With additional funds DSWF could help expand this vital crimebusting team.You can donate by calling DSWF on 01483 272323 or online at: www.davidshepherd.org
Supreme Court Ruling As Wildlife Matters went to press we were waiting for news from India’s Supreme Court concerning the total tourism ban in the core zones of India’s tiger reserves. While management of tourism is necessary, a complete ban could spell disaster for the tiger, other wildlife in the parks and the locals who rely on tourism for a living. Follow the story online at www.davidshepherd.org
Photos courtesy of Aaranyak
“The Kaziranga National Park (KNP) authorities have not learnt any lessons following the
Jorba increases crime-busting success
Working together, non-government organizations and locals joined forces to help rescue wildlife during this year’s floods. Left to right: A baby rhino rescued from the flood waters in Kaziranga; part of the flood team and a rescue in action
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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TIGERTIME Update
Chinese remain evasive as TigerTime petitions for change ... Thank you to everyone who signed our bantigertrade.com petition which was hand delivered to the Chinese Embassy in London with a fantastic 115,000 people joining our call to bring an end to all tiger trade in China. “We are determined to push for a zero tolerance policy to be applied to all trade of all parts and derivatives from tigers and other protected Asian big cats from all sources,” says TigerTime Campaign Executive, Chantelle Henderson. “And, although the response we received from the embassy was largely generic, we will not stop in our fight to save the tiger.” Petitioning the Chinese, both directly and through other political channels including regular meetings with government special advisors and at international conferences such as CITES (see page 19), is just one aspect of the campaign that the TigerTime team will continue to work on in partnership with the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). “The Chinese are often evasive but we have to continue to apply the right pressure at the right time if we have any hope of bringing about change,” adds Debbie Banks of EIA.
Outside the political arena, raising awareness and funds to support our anti-poaching and protection work in Russia, India and Thailand remains crucial and, with its unique mix of social media campaigns and community fundraising, TigerTime has built a strong platform from which to progress. “Please help us keep up the pressure by signing our www.bantigertrade.com petition and telling your friends and family to do the same,” says Chantelle Henderson.
132,000
the number of people signed up to bantigertrade.com “It is a shocking fact that there are only 3,200 tigers in the wild. TigerTime works incredibly hard to fund vital field projects in India, Russia and Thailand which will help to save the wild tiger. To continue this work, TigerTime needs your help. Please sign www.bantigertrade.com and give as much as you can to this extremely important cause.”
Deborah Meaden
Dragon’s Den Investor and Entrepreneur
Fashion Fundraiser Bags £10,000
YOU CAN ALSO HELP BY: * Donating online or by text - for more details see www.tigertime.info - or by calling the office on 01483 272323 * Downloading the fundraising pack and organizing your own community fundraising event * Adopting Zhorik the Amur Tiger (see page 25) * Following us on Twitter and Facebook (details below) * Buying TigerTime goodies at www.tigertime.info * Spreading the word!
New York based fashion designer, Emre Erturk, donated a one-off, hand-painted pleather handbag to raise funds for TigerTime (pictured above with actress Abi Titmuss) and brought in an amazing £10,000! If you have any fundraising ideas please get in touch with the team on 01483 272323.
New celebrity supporters join TigerTime
“Losing the wild tiger would be unforgivable. We need people power to save it! Please get behind this fabulous initiative. Whatever you do, wherever you live, your voice matters. Every signature makes the campaign stronger.” Paul McCartney
Help us save the tiger!
If you haven’t signed up, please do it today and ask your friends to do the same. It costs nothing and takes only 30 seconds of your time. Together, we can save the tiger in the wild.
www.tigertime.info
www.facebook.com/tigertime www.twitter.com/tigertimenow
www.tigertime.info
12 100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Photos courtesy of Inspection Tiger, WCS and the Phoenix Fund
Images courtesy of the celebrities and Rowena Chowdrey
Joining Sir Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais and Joanna Lumley among others, the latest celebrities to lend their support to the TigerTime campaign include TV presenter and biologist Liz Bonnin, king of spin Darryn Lyons, bands Sick of it All and Young Guns, actor Peter Egan, TV vet Zara Boland and Dragon’s Den investor, Deborah Meaden. See them all at www.tigertime.info
RUSSIA: Amur tiger
A Cinderella Story? A young tigress named Cinderella is currently being prepared for her return to the wild in Primorsky, Russia. But, a lack of funding may leave this story without a fairytale ending... This year a new rehabilitation centre for Amur tigers and other wildlife finally opened its doors in Primorsky in the Russian Far East with its first resident being a young Amur tigress named ‘Cinderella’. The young orphaned tigress had been found in freezing conditions and would not have survived for long on her own. Aged about five months she was so exhausted that she could be easily handled. Her foreleg and tail were frostbitten and, according to the vets, if she had not been rescued that day, she would have died the next. The cub weighed about 35 lbs. Cinderella spent three weeks in quarantine under the constant watch of vets in an improvised shelter specially constructed by wildlife specialists. Then, once she began to recover and gain weight, discussions about releasing her back into the wild began. A unanimous decision was made to transport Cinderella to the rehabilitation centre to be taught hunting techniques starting with small animals like hares and badgers before moving on to hunt sika deer. During this training the tigress would be completely isolated from people, to help her develop a fear of humans.
Within a few days she settled in, enjoying the cool den made of rocks giving her shelter on sunny days and cooling down in a small pond. Animal care staff are now keeping an eye on all her movements from an observation tower and via online video from cameras installed along the perimeter of the enclosure. She quickly learned to hunt hares and is now gaining the skills to hunt deer. Sadly, Cinderella still suffers from sciatic nerve damage which causes shooting pains up and down her left hind leg. The vets are doing their best to find a cure and to increase her chances of a successful release back to the wild. But, for now, Cinderella will stay in the centre this winter. It is hoped that she will be released in early spring 2013.
Please help Cinderella survive the winter by donating to her care through our
CINDERELLA APPEAL
either online at www.davidshepherd.org by calling the office on 01483 272323 or you can text donate by texting ELLA12 £10* to 70070
“We desperately need funding for her care over the winter if she is to have any chance of a return to the wild,” says Irina Burtseva of the DSWF supported Phoenix Fund. “We are keeping our fingers crossed and hope that Cinderella will improve her hunting skills and be well enough for release next year.”
(*or £5 if you prefer)
THANK YOU
Far left: too weak to put up a fight, Cinderella is now on the road to recovery
Photos courtesy of Inspection Tiger, WCS and the Phoenix Fund
Left; raising awareness through education and outreach continue to be a mainstay of the work supported by DSWF in the Russian Far-East and this year’s Tiger Day was bigger and better than ever
Tiger Family Wiped Out Eight Amur tiger skins were seized from a local resident in the Russian Far East this August. Among the skins were two eight weeks old cubs leading specialists to believe that hunters killed a whole tiger family. The loss is devastating as there are only an estimated 8-10 adult Amur tigers living in the Lazovsky Nature Reserve from which the tigers probably originated. Along with the skins, police found 230 ginseng roots, 97 bottles of vodka, 150 cartridges and about $115,000 in cash. The culprit, who allegedly
bought the goods from poachers to sell on in China, now faces a heavy fine or a twoyear jail sentence. A similar seizure in April alarmed conservationists. “We are facing a tough fight against poachers,” says Sergei Bereznuk, Director of the DSWF supported Phoenix Fund. “Your help means that DSWF can fund our vital anti-poaching teams. For the sake of the Amur tiger, please continue your support.”
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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Thank You for Your Support! Message from our Captain Dear Young Friends I am sure that you were as inspired as I was by the amazing success of our Olympic Games this summer; not just by the athletes but by everyone involved in organising and running this spectacular event. I know I am not alone in feeling incredibly proud to be a part of it all. It just goes to show what can be achieved when we all work together towards a common goal. I’m equally inspired by all the fundraising activities you have been involved in and it is clear to me that saving endangered wildlife is as important to you as it is to me.
Pupils at Bramley Infant School were thrilled to receive a visit from Victoria Molchanova from the Phoenix Fund in Primorye in the Russian Far East. They are currently raising money for an animal adoption by holding a series of fundraising events this year.
A huge thank you also to Mrs Phipps and Connor for their continuing support. Connor and his granny raised £70 from their sale of Connor’s artwork and granny’s knitted toy animals as well as sending us regular cheques from money collected in DSWF money boxes.
Our life-size tiger made another appearance at the Normandy Fete in June where £120 was raised from the tombola stall with toys and sweets kindly provided by Barbara Emery, a long-time supporter and volunteer with DSWF. Becky was the lucky winner of our “Guess The Name of The Tiger” competition with her chosen name: HOPE, an optimistic name for this beautiful, critically endangered animal.
Monkton Park School in Wiltshire held a mufti day earlier this year following a visit by Kim Hale and sent in a much appreciated donation of £192.
Now that you are all back at school and busy with a hundred and one activities, I hope that you will remember to enter the 2013 Global Canvas competition. I always look forward to seeing the wonderful winning artwork and to reading your poems.
Hannah Ames from Gosden House School chose DSWF for her fundraising initiative in April this year, raising £32.95 from the sale of toys and books on her stall. The event was attended by other pupils of the school, parents and teachers.
Keep up the good work... WILDLIFE NEEDS YOU!
Well done Hannah!
On 28th September, Sutton House in Lord Wandsworth College, showed their support for Tiger Day, celebrated across Russia on 30th September, by holding a fundraising day. Pupils dressed in stripy, tiger-themed outfits, to raise awareness of the plight of this critically endangered big cat. Thank you Sutton House and everyone who took part in this fundraising event.
Gary Lineker, OBE Captain of Young Friends
SHOCKING
TIGER FACTS
All the wild tigers on earth would fit onto one football pitch. Tiger parts are used for decoration or in Chinese medicine. Even whiskers are thought to be a cure for toothache. They aren’t...
SHOCKING ELE FACTS 35,000 elephants are poached in Africa each year for their tusks. The demand for ivory comes mainly from China and Vietnam where it is used for decorative items such as carvings.
Find out more online at: www.davidshepherd.org
DSWF’s FREE information packs are available to schools on reques 14
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Conservation magazine inspires young minds
GLOBAL CANVAS ART & POETRY COMPETITION
Now that the new school year has begun we hope that you will find time in your busy schedules to put brush to canvas and pen to paper to enter our annual art and poetry competition. 2013 will be a special year as it is our 10th Global Canvas competition. The theme is ‘Fragile Future’ and the focus, as in previous years, will be on threats to our planet and the wildlife with whom we share it. For more information about how to enter see our website: www.davidshepherd.org or call us on 01483 272323.
The winning team pictured here with the Mayor and Mayoress of Broadstairs and Rachel Buffrey from the local Kent Business Enterprise
On July 17th pupils from Dane Court School, Kent, presented their ideas for a childrens’ conservation magazine. This was the culmination of four days’ project work inspired by teacher Andrew White, to help raise awareness of the plight of critically endangered mammals and the work that DSWF does to save these animals from extinction. The pupils conducted interviews, engaged in market research and used their combined IT skills to come up with original advertising campaigns and impressive mock-ups of their wildlife magazines. We hope to feature the winning team’s magazine online in our education website soon.
TIGER DAY DSWF organized a Tiger Day event on Shalford Green (opposite DSWF’s office) on 30th September - the same day as Tiger Day in Russia. Local children took part in a variety of tiger-themed games and activities designed to celebrate the tiger and help raise awareness and money to save it! This is set to be an annual event so look out for information on this fun day on our website and be part of the celebration at the end of September 2013!
David Shepherd and his wife, Avril, were delighted, as ever, to welcome the category winners of the art competition to their lovely home at the end of May (pictured right). The children were thrilled to look around David’s studio and see so many beautiful and inspiring original paintings and to pick up some valuable painting tips.
ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE PROJECT, ZAMBIA Education advisor, Andrew White (pictured above) recently returned from a visit to the Elephant Orphanage Project where he spent time at the release centre in Kafue National Park, home to six young elephants; the facility at Lilayi where the youngest elephants are taken after their rescue and Inyanga School where he joined Kate Brill, who’s in charge of the education programme. He took with him a colour printer, sports equipment and art materials, all kindly donated by supporters of the Foundation. While he was in Zambia another baby elephant was rescued and is now doing well at the nursery facility in Lusaka. See our website for updates!
GET INVOLVED!
There are ambitious plans to expand the education programme to provide a well-resourced centre where local schools can come to learn about conservation at our gallery in Shalford. If anyone would like to help make this dream come true by donating money for educational equipment please let us know! Alternatively you could sponsor Andrew White’s Cycle Zambia event through www.cyclezambia.co.uk
Photos courtesy of Michael Vickers, Andrew White, Pam Keeble, Phoenix Fund and Kim Hale
at: org
Closing s entrie date for 25! January
request - so do tell your teachers - see the website for more details! Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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MONGOLIA: Snow Leopards
Nadia Tserennadmid Mijiddorj - leading efforts in Mongolia to work with communities to safeguard some of the most important snow leopard habitat in the country
Where people & wildlife live peacefully
Photos by Emmanuel Keller and courtesy of Snow Leopard Trust
Mongolia is known for its vast, beautiful landscapes and the warm, generous nomadic herding families who call these remote areas home. Traditionally, nomadic communities have been able to coexist with wildlife but today the demand for Mongolia’s mineral resources is rapidly increasing, placing development pressure on traditional livelihoods, nomadic culture and on the country’s wildlife. Out of this ongoing struggle comes a story of incredible success that has brought conservationists and local herders together to safeguard some of the most important snow leopard habitat in the country.
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For many years Wildlife Matters has carried stories from the long-term snow leopard study taking place in the Tost Mountains of Mongolia’s South Gobi. The Tost Mountains are excellent snow leopard habitat; population surveys have revealed 19 cats, and many mothers with cubs have been photographed. This summer the research team also discovered active wild den sites - a first in snow leopard science. (See panel story right) While the research forms an important part of the work that DSWF supports, protecting the wild spaces in which the snow leopards live is equally important. And, with mining (mostly coal) being so lucrative for the Mongolian government - contributing nearly 30% to GDP
- maintaining the integrity of mountain pastures for both pastoralists and wildlife is key. With this goal in mind, the team has been working with herders and government officials to try to protect the Tost Mountain landscape from mining disturbances.
“You have saved our motherland and at the same time many herders’ lives and livelihoods” Nadia Tserennadmid Mijiddorj, the Snow Leopard Trust’s Conservation and Education Manager in Mongolia, who has been leading this effort, says: “This has been a long and arduous process. Over 32 exploratory licenses currently overlap with the area that we are trying to protect. Learning how to successfully partner with government officials, how to gain credible information about mining plans and the pressures they may pose, and keeping the community informed, engaged and leading the effort has been challenging. However, we never gave up. The spirit and drive of the individuals, organizations, ministry leaders and community members to protect this beautiful land of the snow leopard has remained strong and resilient.” In 2010, the community won a big victory when their application to make land around
the Tost Mountains into a Local Protected Area was approved by the Mongolian government. Thanks to DSWF support, they were able to help facilitate the application process, which essentially placed restrictions of mining within the 6,500 sq km region (more than twice the size of Luxembourg). In June 2012, Nadia and her team travelled to the South Gobi Provincial Centre and Ministry offices in order to convince the Steering Committee Chair to sign a letter recommending that the National Government approve a proposal to upgrade the Tost Local Protected Area to a ‘National Reserve,’ a status offering even greater protection against development. Nadia shared information about the rich biodiversity of the area and the importance of the habitat for birds and plants, as well as argali and ibex, which play key roles for snow leopards. The Protected Area also includes mountains that are rendered sacred by the local community and contains ancient rock paintings and water sources. Herders have been using this landscape for centuries and it tells their life stories as well as the stories of their great-great grandparents. Currently the area sustains the livelihood of over 200 families, many of whom helped pioneer our Snow Leopard Enterprises handicraft programme - a snow
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
CHINA & VIETNAM leopard conservation programme DSWF has supported since its inception. One hour after her presentation Nadia’s proposal letter was approved; a critical stage towards turning the Tost Local Protected Area into a National Reserve was successful! Moments later Nadia received a call from one of the elders from the Tost region to say that he was so grateful to be fully engaged in the process and expressed his thanks on behalf of many other herders. He said “… you people have saved our motherland and at the same time many herders’ lives and livelihoods”. “His words inspire us to continue,” says Nadia. “Although the mission is not complete and trickier stages await us, we won’t give up. We are so happy to bring the herding communities’ voice to the decision making level, to become a bridge for the community while simultaneously conserving the habitat of the endangered snow leopard. All we want to do is keep this beautiful land pristine where people and wildlife can live peacefully.” We are grateful to DSWF and Wildlife Matters readers for making all this possible. DSWF has supported Snow Leopard Enterprises in the South Gobi since 1997, our long-term snow leopard study since 2008, and is a key partner in our efforts to work with communities towards greater land stewardship and snow leopard conservation throughout Mongolia. Together, we CAN make a difference.
Continuing the campaign to end bear bile farming met with doctors at the event and provided information on the cruelty involved in the bear farming industry including the potential health risks for patients through infected bile.
Shandong doctors signing pledges not to use bear bile - image courtesy of Animals Asia
Following February’s national outcry in China against bear bile farming, Animals Asia (AA) is delighted to say that their work to bring this evil practice to an end continues to gather pace in both China and Vietnam. “The official use of bear bile has always been as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicine. However, thanks in large part to our provision of scientific data from health checks and post mortems carried out by our vet teams, we are seeing a large number of traditional practitioners and pathologists prepared to state publicly that they will no longer use bear bile in their medicines,” says AA’s CEO, Jill Robinson. At the 8th Shanghai International Forum of Infection Control (SIFIC) in June, over a thousand doctors signed a pledge not to prescribe bear bile to their patients after AA
Many doctors and hospital directors are now keen to work closely with Animals Asia to spread awareness of the issues and signed a pledge card that states: “As a doctor, I care about the health of my patients and I sympathize with the situation of black bears. I will join Animals Asia’s campaign and will not prescribe bear bile products to my patients in the future.” Toby Zhang, China External Affairs Director, at AA says: “It is greatly encouraging that doctors are signing this pledge not to prescribe bear bile in the future, and we hope this will help lead to the end of bear bile farming in China.” Later that month, Animals Asia and the Korean Animal Welfare Association launched a joint campaign to end the cross-border trade of bear bile from China to South Korea. Every year, 300,000 South Korean tourists visit bear bile farms in China and 30% of these purchase bear bile and take it back to South Korea, despite its import being illegal. The campaign is working with local travel agencies to inform the public not to purchase bear bile or bring it into South Korea and to discourage tour companies from including bear farm trips on their itineraries.
Vietnam Rescue
For the first time ever researchers have located and filmed snow leopard cubs in their den sites. Having tracked snow leopards in Mongolia’s South Gobi desert since 2008 using GPS radio collars, this was an amazing moment. for the SLT research team. “Snow leopards are so rare and elusive that people often talk about them as ‘ghosts’ of the mountains,” says Brad Rutherford, Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Trust. “This is the first documented visit of a den site with cubs and, thanks to the video, we can share it with the world.”
You can view the video at: www.davidshepherd.org/news-events
JOI N US
Join us at the Royal Geographical Society for DSWF’s annual talk onThursday October 18th.This year we’re teaming up with Animal’s Asia and EIA for ‘Healing without Harm’ looking at the trade in animal parts and what is being done to stop the suffering.Tickets only £15! Call 01483 272323 for more details and tickets
Adopt Beau the Moon Bear and help her and her rescued friends enjoy a long and pain-free life. DSWF offers five fabulous animal adoptions that make the perfect Christmas present for wildlife lovers. For more information see page 25 or www.davidshepherd.org
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
Photos courtesy of Animals Asia
First time on film!
Earlier this year a young male bear, who had languished for years in the backyard of a private household (pictured) was successfully rescued. According to the owner, he purchased the bear as a 7kg cub in 2002 and admitted extracting bile intermittently for his own use. The owner decided to hand the bear over voluntarily due to his own increasing age and difficulty caring for the bear as well as recognition that it is becoming no longer acceptable to keep wild animals.
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UGANDA: Anti-poaching
The Murchison Falls crisis project: taking action against the poachers When the Uganda Wildlife Authority asked the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) to expand its support into Murchison Falls National Park, the team wondered whether it was a step too far for such a small organization. But, after visiting Tom Obong, the Head Warden in Murchison, both Michael Keigwin (Founder of UCF) and Bruce Norris (Trustee of DSWF) discovered such a high level of poaching that they were compelled to just get on with it. Tom described how a 40-man, three day ranger patrol had returned with over 1,100 snares when earlier in the year two containers full of snares and gin traps had already been emptied. The gin traps were the type that take four men to set and are powerful enough to break a buffalo’s leg. By June 2012, both containers were full to the top again.
“This is one of Africa’s top National Parks, utterly spectacular and I am struggling to equip and distribute my rangers to counter these issues.”
The warden’s desperation to regain control was clear as he described ‘elephants with no trunks, lions with three legs, and carcasses, lots of carcasses’. “This is one of Africa’s top National Parks, utterly spectacular and I am struggling to equip and distribute my rangers to counter these issues,” he said. Issues include a surge of poaching that is destroying key species like elephant, giraffe and lion populations, not to mention the many hippo, antelope, fish and buffalo that rarely get reported.
Images courtesy of UCF
Driven to act UCF and UWA have once again teamed up and with the support of DSWF and their amazing supporters, Tom will use every penny to build ranger posts in key areas to help counter poachers head on in those areas. At the same time UCF is establishing a veterinary department in Murchison that will be able to help snared animals within a matter of hours, cutting the reaction time by days.
Pictured from top: snares collected by the rangers, one of the powerful gin traps that takes four men to set and ground breaking at the Pakuba Ranger Post Right: an elephant with a snare injury to its back leg - it is unlikely to survive
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“With the help of DSWF, UCF is also building the Pakuba Ranger Post and Marine Station, providing permanent accommodation for 12 rangers in the delta region of Murchison Falls. This facility will house one of the boats and four of the marine rangers - putting boots on the ground in horribly exposed areas.” In addition, UCF will be supporting the Veterinary Response Unit with a laboratory, to help store equipment and drugs, carry out field diagnosis and treatment of injured animals and support teaching. This is a first and will be invaluable to the Murchison Falls management team. “Between now and December, we will have built the Pakuba Ranger Post and have it operational. We will also be providing all of the ranger posts with bicycles to enable the rangers to react to situations more quickly. Once we have done that - we can then get on with building the Mupina and Kololo Ranger posts,” adds Mike.
Thank you to all DSWF supporters who are helping to fund this vital work enabling the rangers to square up to well-armed poaching gangs and to provide rapid response to injured animals. We couldn’t do it without you.
“UCF has already helped provide an anti-poaching motorbike, refurbished a Land Cruiser as the Veterinary Units’ response vehicle, donated two patrol boats and engines and trained ten marine rangers for boat operations. These are all essential means of speeding up the response time over the 5000km² area, “ explains Mike Keigwin.
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
CITES: Working to stop the trade
Tiger Fire and Tail Spins...
At a time in our history when the human threat to wildlife is spiralling out of control much of our hopes rest on the positive actions of the international community. At the CITES Standing Committee in Geneva this summer tensions were high. Rhino deaths are at the highest ever recorded; entire families of elephants had been gunned down in Cameroon in January and the continued reluctance of the Chinese to provide timebound reporting requirements on tiger farms meant that there was much to be discussed...
While the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) reported on all the positive actions taking place to save wild tigers they closed with an alert to CITES Parties over the ‘mushrooming’ of tiger farms, not just in China but across South East Asia. India followed expressing concerns over the lack of reporting on action to phase out tiger farms and over the growing stocks of tiger skins, bones and carcasses that are piling up in freezers on tiger farms. It pointed out that CITES adopted a Decision in 2007 calling for an end to tiger farming but there has been inadequate reporting.
Image courtesy of Save the Tiger Fund
India asked that a deadline be agreed by which Parties must report on actions to end tiger farming and actions taken to ‘consolidate and destroy’ stockpiles. CITES, India insisted, must be prepared to address noncompliance. It was time to get tough. China responded saying that the illegal trade was well controlled, that it doesn’t allow trade in tiger bone for medicinal purposes, that is hasn’t seen any evidence of trade from farmed tigers and it is not aware of tiger farms affecting wild tiger conservation. There was no mention of its legal skin trade. The UK, on behalf of the European Union, stepped in to support India’s suggestion regarding time-bound reporting requirements and suggested that the forgotten cats of Asia – leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards and
Asiatic lions – be governed by the same reporting requirements. Egypt called for demand reduction campaigns that would make the use of tiger parts unfashionable; Israel urged CITES to ensure that tiger farms were phased out as outlined in Decision 14.69 and an illustration of how clearly China is undermining Decision 14.69 by proactively encouraging the
“
Having put the right information in the right hands at the right time there was nothing left to do – it was down to the governments to fight it out.
“
Debbie Banks, lead campaigner at EIA (our partner NGO on the TigerTime campaign) was in Geneva:
registering, labelling and sale of skins of captivebred tigers was given. The GTI stepped in with an offer of $100,000 for a thorough investigation of the tiger farm situation pushing the Chinese delegation into a tailspin! Having put the right information in the right hands at the right time there was nothing left for the NGO’s to do – it was down to the governments to fight it out. And, after a couple of tense hours, we had an agreement that the CITES Secretariat will send a Notification to Parties reminding them of their reporting obligation, to enable a full assessment at the 16th CoP next
March. The Notification should stress that the reporting requirements relate to all Asian big cats and should also stress the need for information relating to compliance with Decision 14.69 by requesting: • That all Parties with intensive operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale fully implement Decision 14.69 in respect of the number of breeding operations and also the total number of tigers • All Parties declare stockpiles of captive-bred or confiscated tiger body parts and derivatives along with actions proposed to ‘deal with’ the stockpiles. Between now and March let’s hope that these reporting requirements bear fruit and that all the passion and tension of CITES is turned into positive action to save the tiger.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. For more information and a full report on the Geneva meeting see www.cites.org
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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DSWF Shop - Art for Survival
Our Gallery a great place to shop! Do come along to our new gallery in Shalford, Surrey which hosts a variety of exhibitions and events. Visit us for a wonderful collection of wildlife art, including original artworks, prints and sculpture from David Shepherd and other leading wildlife artists. The gallery also features a fantastic range of jewellery, cards, animal adoptions and gifts with profit from all sales supporting our conservation projects.
Simon King’s Wildlife Whisperer 2013 calendar Fantastic calendar from DSWF Honorary Vice President, Simon King OBE, featuring a selection of awe inspiring wildlife images from around the world. £10 plus £4.95 p&p to mainland UK
The gallery is regularly rehung to showcase a wide variety of styles and themes with special exhibitions tying into DSWF events including: 1 October - African Autumn 19 November - A Celebration of Steam with David Shepherd 18 February - Wildlife Photography to support Cycle Zambia Check the website at www.davidshepherd.org for other events at the gallery.
We are open from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturday. You’ll find us at: Saba House, 7 Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8JU. Call 01483 272323
Jeremy Houghton Prints Stunning sporting prints from the BT Olympic Artist for London 2012 Jeremy Houghton. Choose from a selection of exciting sporting topics including sailing, horse racing, rowing and skiing - all 300x200mm £95 print only + £4.95 p&p to mainland UK - £150 framed - available from the gallery only
An Award winning collection of an iconic British Artist’s work
THE
DAVID SHEPHERD ARCHIVE COLLECTION
To order any of the featured works, or for further information, call DSWF on 01483 272323 or email dswf@davidshepherd.org
Over 120 pictures selected by David from his life’s work Published as fine reproductions onto archive paper and hand bound in a Limited Edition Book of only 1000 copies price £2,500 The book contains a total of 123 pictures including many new or rarely seen paintings covering the more than five decades of the Artist’s career.
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The full version of this DVD with additional material V is included with every copy of the book N T O
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Apply now for your book and receive a complimentary Limited Edition Print ‘Tiger Haven’ and a DVD on David and this book
THE DAVID SHEPHERD ARCHIVE COLLECTION is published in one World Wide Limited Edition of only One Thousand Copies each one numbered and signed by the Artist himself. For more details or to order your copy now please contact: £100 donated to Gateway Publishing Ltd: www.gatewaysark.co.uk DSWF for every or ring Chris Andrews on: +44 (0)1865 723404 copy sold
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This Limited Edition Archive Book of the Artist’s work was awarded the
2011 SPEAR’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDINGLY PRODUCED BOOK IS
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“This collection is a very rare opportunity indeed, it is the sort of book that is usually only published to commemorate an artist’s work long after he is gone. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to choose and present my own selection from my life’s work”
AT E
The David Shepherd Archive Collection
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Serengeti Friends
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This DVD shows a selection of the scenes filmed with David Shepherd and the craftsmen involved in producing
The David Shepherd Archive Collection by Gateway Publishing Ltd, PO Box 2031, Sark, GY10 1PB Publisher, Chris Andrews 15 Curtis Yard, North Hinksey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0LX Tel: +44 (0)1865 723404 Fax: +44 (0)1865 725294 Email: info@gatewaysark.co.uk Web: www.gatewaysark.co.uk
Christ on the Battlefields
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Valiant Take Off
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Serengeti Friends
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Christ on the Battlefields
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First Wildlife Painting
UB AY P G AT E W
Crewe Works from Life, a Standard 9F No. 92011
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HOW TO ORDER
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Log on to www.davidshepherd.org/shop to see our fabulous collection of prints and original works of arts by David Shepherd and other leading wildlife artists. The DSWF Trading Company Ltd is the world’s leading authority on the work of David Shepherd and the most trusted source for buying and selling his work.
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
NEW
Shade by David Shepherd
DSWF Shop - Art for Survival
prints from three generations of the Shepherd family Exclusive to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Limited Edition Print of 200 available mounted or canvas. Image size 152 x 152mm Canvas £100 - Mounted £80 plus £7.50 p&p to mainland UK.
Orphans by Mandy Shepherd Limited Edition Print of 200 Image size 210 x 170mm Mounted £55 plus £4.95 p&p to mainland UK.
Crowned Cranes by Emily Lamb
Limited Edition Print of 50 available mounted or canvas. Image size 406 x 406mm Canvas £80 - Mounted £65 plus £9.95 p&p to mainland UK Pre-order now for dispatch early December
Christmas Cards, Prints & Notelets Give a gift to wildlife this Christmas by choosing from DSWF’s new Christmas cards!
The Wildlife Collection by David Shepherd A fabulous new notecard collection, two cards each of four designs (shown above) with envelopes in a beautiful presentation pack. Each card is 140 x 140 mm and is left blank for your own greeting A perfect Christmas gift only £9
PERFECT GIFT!
Miniature pewter rhino in special gift box
£39
+ £4.95 p&p
Help save the Rhino! Sweet baby rhino in pewter with wooden box featuring the DSWF logo. Approx. 3cm wide by 3.5cm high. Wooden box approx. 5cm². £39 + £4.95 p&p to mainland UK
Christmas Card Winter’s Embrace by Nathan Bye This fabulous image by Wildlife Artist of the Year 2012 entrant Nathan Bye is the perfect choice for Christmas. £4.50 per pack of 10 cards (card size 148x105mm) Greeting: ‘With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year’.
Open Edition Print Winter’s Embrace
Image size 270 x 210mm - Mounted £35 plus £4.95 p&p to mainland UK
Postage & Packing for cards & notelets
£2.95 for five packs or under. Please call 01483 272323 for postage rates over five packs or for overseas orders.
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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Wildlife Artist of the Year
Animal Friend’s Chris & Elaine Fairfax with David Shepherd
Animal Friends Insurance teams up with DSWF to nurture young artistic talent DSWF is delighted to announce that Animal Friends Insurance will be sponsoring the ‘Young & Wild’ category in our annual Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition. The Young & Wild category was the idea of David Shepherd’s artist granddaughter and competition judge, Emily Lamb and in 2012 it attracted a strong field of entries from talented young artists. It is hoped that the additional incentives that Animal Friends’ support brings to the competition will help engage an even wider and equally strong field of promising young talent. “Animal Friends Insurance is offering two £500 prizes in the Young & Wild category plus an additional £5,000 to each winner to donate to the DSWF conservation project of their choice. This additional incentive further strengthens the reward and recognition that the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition offers young artists,” explains David Shepherd.
Triumph on
The fifth Wildlife Artist of the Year was better than ever...
The category winners will also be in contention for the competition’s top prize of £10,000 and the coveted overall title ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year’. Chris Newnham, Marketing Manager at Animal Friends Insurance, said: "We’re really excited to be involved with the competition, it’s a great way for young artists to showcase their work to the world and support the wonderful conservation projects that the Foundation supports in Africa and Asia."
Young & Wild is open to artists aged 17-25. For more details on how to enter see the back page.
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Top: Rothschild Mirage by Karen Laurence-Rowe - 2012 Wildlife Artist of the Year overall winner; Above: Huddle of Pups by Nick Mackman - winner of the Go Wild category; Octopus by Bill Prickett - winner of the 3D category; Egret by Madeline Mackay - winner of the Young & Wild category Below: Spoilt for Choice by Stella Mays - winner of the Wildlife in Action category
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Wildlife Artist of the Year 2012
on the Mall With a record number of entries the judges had an incredibly hard time selecting just 150 pieces for this year’s Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. The bar had certainly been raised and, as the shortlist was hung, there was a buzz of expectation that this would be the best year yet.
astounding young talent. In 2013 this category is being sponsored by Animal Friends Insurance, who are putting up not only the prize money but adding £5,000 for the winners to donate to DSWF projects of their choice. This generous support will add to the already strong sales and vital funds that the event raises for wildlife.
The Mall, dressed for the Jubilee celebrations, was awash with colour and excitement that spilled into the gallery for the opening night as artists and art and wildlife lovers jostled to view and buy the amazing work on show.
“That year on year we can put on such an inspiring exhibition that helps promote artists and supports wildlife is in no small part thanks to all the wonderful artists and buyers who share our passion for wildlife and art and, of course, the hard work of the DSWF team,” adds Melanie Shepherd. “We hope that 2013 will be an even better year with even more amazing wildlife art helping to support our vital conservation projects.”
“It is always thrilling to see the Mall Galleries space transformed by wildlife art and to meet the fabulous artists and their families,” says David Shepherd. “It was a triumph!” The overall winner, an atmospheric picture of Rothschild Giraffes by Karen Laurence-Rowe, entitled ‘Rothschild Mirage’ (above) was a firm favourite with the crowds as well as the judges. And the new ‘Young & Wild’ category for 17-25 year olds was hugely popular, attracting some
Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013 will be at the Mall Galleries 3-8 June. For details of how to enter see the back page or online at www.davidshepherd.org
From top: Precious Cargo by Sara Butt, Adam Binder’s Leopard, Elephants by Radka Kirby - winner in the Wildlife Category Below: The Voice of Angels by Corinne Dupeyrat and Below left: Langdale by Sevina Yates - winner in the Wild Places category
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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How you can help
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Leave a legacy for wildlife
WIN
Leaving money to DSWF in your will is a way of ensuring that your love of wildlife can continue into the future. In the past, money bequeathed to us has been used to support our elephant orphanage in Zambia, fund veterinary care for injured painted dogs and provide a fantastic conservation centre for children bordering the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe (pictured). This year more than £100,000 has been left to us by wildlife lovers to safeguard future generations. Of course, we know you must take care of your loved ones first, but if you can leave something
“We share this fragile world with all creatures, please don’t leave their survival to chance - make a will and leave a lasting legacy for future generations” Dame Judi Dench to DSWF we promise that we will use your gift as efficiently and effectively as possible to protect endangered mammals in the wild. For more information about leaving a legacy, please visit our website: www.davidshepherd.org or call to speak in confidence to Mary Nugent on 01483 272323.
a David Shepherd original in this year’s raffle!
If you have ever dreamed of owning an original David Shepherd painting now’s your chance with the 2012 DSWF raffle. For just £2 you could be the winner of this beautiful miniature oil painting of David’s favourite subject. There are other great prizes too and all proceeds help to save endangered mammals. For tickets please call the office on 01483 272323. A legacy helps save wildlife for generations to come ...
Other ways to give ... This year, DSWF has teamed up with EveryClick and GiveasyouLive to raise more money for our work. Use the EveryClick search engine to search online and you will automatically raise money for us. Go to EveryClick.com and click on the fundraising button for more information and to register.
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For all you online shoppers out there, Giveasyoulive. com allows you to shop at all your favourite stores at all the usual prices, while raising money for our work. Visit the Giveasyoulive website, register your support and get shopping – all in the name of wildlife; do you need a better excuse!
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Images courtesy of Andrew White, Emmanuel Keller, PDC, iStock, WCS
If you just can’t afford to give us any more money right now, how about raising money for DSWF without it costing you a thing? Just go about your daily online business while raising money for your favourite good cause.
0 0 0 , 5 2 £ WiN for wildlife with Unity Charity Lottery
How you can help
New this year is our partnership with the nation’s charity lottery scheme, Unity - a lottery with a difference because DSWF will receive 50p from every £1 entry you make on our behalf.
By joining up with Unity, DSWF gains access to a new source of funds at no extra cost to us, while players have the chance to get something back for their support.
For as little as £1 per week you will receive a unique 6-digit Unity lottery number which remains yours for as long as you play. Then, every Saturday the lucky winners are selected and notified via the Unity website with cheques arriving shortly after the draw. Six matching numbers in the correct sequence will win you a total prize of £25,000, with other cash prizes available on a weekly basis.
To find out more visit the Unity website at
www.unitycharitylottery.co.uk
If you choose to register, please play in our name – David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. The more people play, the more money we make, so please tell families and friends about this exciting new opportunity.
Thank you & good luck!
Zhorik – a life worth saving ADOPT Zhorik and his friends
and you will help us fund vital antipoaching and protection programmes to help them and their wild cousins survive.
Adoptions are just £32
Images courtesy of Andrew White, Emmanuel Keller, PDC, iStock, WCS
Zhorik being transferred to the safety of the Utyos Rehabilitation Centre
Unfortunately, not all rescued animals can be released back after rehabilitation. Unable to fend for themselves, some will spend their lives in captivity. The sad story of DSWF’s new adoption tiger, Zhorik is no exception.
natural forest where he will remain safely for the rest of his life. He owes his life to the skill of the surgeons and generous donations from local people and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s Adopt an Animal programme.
Zhorik was rescued from a Russian circus after an infected injury meant that his keepers could no longer afford his veterinary treatment. Taken to the Utyos Rehabilitation Centre, Zhorik is now recovering from a series of life-saving operations and lives in a protected area of
“We are grateful to everyone who supports our tiger conservation projects but we are in desperate need of your support to give Zhorik a settled and peaceful life. Every Amur tiger is precious – every donation vital,” says Irina Burtseva.
They make excellent gifts and provide a full year of support. Adopt Zhorik the tiger, Dundi the Rhino, Chamilandu the Elephant, Three Spot the Painted Dog or Beau the Moon Bear and give them all the gift of a happy life.
Call us on 01483 272323 or go online at www.davidshepherd.org
Wildlife needs you and there are lots of way that you can help... * BECOME A MEMBER *
* LEAVE A LEGACY *
Sign up and receive some great special offers!
A gift in your will ensures a future for wildlife
* DONATE *
From our new gallery in Shalford & online at
If you donate to a specific project we guarantee that 100% will go in full with no administration costs deducted!
* BUY ART *
www.davidshepherd.org Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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Events Matter
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*What’s On...
Events form a hugely important part of DSWF’s work by helping to raise not only funds but also awareness of our projects in the field. Over the next twelve months we have a wide variety of events many involving talks and exhibitions with David Shepherd and other celebrity guests. For more information about any of the events listed please see our website at www.davidshepherd.org or call us at DSWF on 01483 272323. We look forward to seeing you.
OCTOBER 2012 ‘Healing without Harm’ Annual talk at the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington Gore, London Thursday18th October In partnership with Animals Asia meet David Shepherd, Mark Carwardine, Jill Robinson - CEO of Animals Asia - Debbie Banks of EIA and Kaicun Zhao a representative of the Traditional Chinese Medicine community to look at what is being done to stop the trade in animal parts and promote alternative ingredients. Doors open at 6.15pm Tickets £15 - by phone on 01483 272323 or online at www.davidshepherd.org
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Night Safari *
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Join us for a sparkling black tie evening for wildlife generously hosted by London’s prestigious Dorchester Hotel with David Shepherd and celebrity friends
DECEMBER 2012 * *
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Tickets:
£200 per person £180 for DSWF members £1800 for tables of 10 includes 4 course dinner & fine wines Christmas Raffle Draw
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Buy from a large selection of wildlife art including original paintings and limited edition prints, memberships and endangered animal adoptions, cards and gifts. It’s also your last chance to buy raffle tickets giving you the chance to win a David Shepherd original (see page 24). Plus our popular ‘Wardrobe for Wildlife’ - buy good as new fashion with all proceeds going to save endangered wildlife.
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Meet David and ask him to sign those extra special presents at our fabulous Christmas Shopping Day at Cranleigh Village Hall.
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Cranleigh Christmas Sales Day Cranleigh Village Hall, Surrey 10am - 4pm Saturday 10th November
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* Friday 23 November 2012 The Dorchester Ballroom, London
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NOVEMBER 2012
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Friday 14th December
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Call us today to buy your tickets! Your chance to own a David Shepherd original 01483 272323 - buy your tickets in time!
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DECEMBER 2012
Friday 14th December Annual Raffle Draw. Your chance to win a David Shepherd original plus other fabulous prizes. See page 25 for full details.
INTO 2013... Childrens’ Global Canvas Competition Thursday 7th March Exhibition and talks at the Natural History Museum, London for all shortlisted finalists. Find out more about the competition on page 15 or online: www.davidshepherd.org
Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013 Monday 3rd - Saturday 8th June Join us for our fabulous annual wildlife art showcase at the Mall Galleries in London. View and buy the shortlisted Wildlife Artist of the Year finalists plus great art from supporting artists. For more on this year’s event and how to enter see pages 22-23 and 28.
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Mandy Shepherd Exhibition The Tryon Gallery, 7 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AL Tuesday 27th November Friday 7th December
A fabulous exhibition of original, sensitive watercolours from Mandy Shepherd at the Tryon Gallery in London.
Mandy is kindly donating one of her pieces to support the Foundation.
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for all your design and printed material requirements For all enquiries call 01784 430533 or visit www.kingsleyprint.co.uk
100% of all donations you send marked for specific projects in the field go in full with no administration costs deducted
Thank You Matters
Thank you! The team at DSWF would like say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has run, jumped, cycled, walked, climbed, baked and donated to help raise funds to save endangered wildlife. Your marathon efforts are vital in raising awareness and funds for tigers, elephants, rhino, painted dogs, snow leopards and moon bears - we couldn’t do it without you so please keep up your brilliant work! Thank you to*: our London marathon runners Christopher Harkin, Georgina Weston, Robin Simson, Dan Jeffery, Charlotte Hobden and Emily Lamb; Jack Kinross who ran 107km of the Sydney Coastline barefoot, Michael Mehta who competed in the Cross du Mont-Blanc and Joanne Humphreys who climbed Ben Nevis all for TigerTime; Marian Mascall who skydived for the elephants in Uganda; Tim Miller who crossed the Scottish Highlands by foot, bike and kayak; Jane Sanders-Smith and Matt Coverdale who collected donations in lieu of wedding presents and Emma and Jerry Ranger who climbed Mont Blanc, summiting on Emma’s 21st birthday.
to raise funds for the orphaned elephants - see www.cyclezambia.co.uk - and a John O’Groats to Lands End challenge on horseback too! More info to come.
As Emma points out “as a small charity, I knew that any money I raised would really make a difference. DSWF does such fantastic work and it’s great to be associated with them.” And there are more great sporting challenges in the pipeline for 2013 with our education advisor, Andrew White, cycling through Zambia
Top: Steve Miller on the cycling leg across the Scottish Highlands Above: Jack Kinross and Below: the Wardrobe for Wildlife team
We couldn’t do it without you! From the top; Emma and Jerry Ranger on top of Mont Blanc; Charlotte Hobden, Robin Simson and Emily Lamb on the Mall in this year’s London Marathon; Andrew White preparing for his Cycle Zambia Challenge in 2013 and below, staff say thank you to DSWF volunteers at their annual picnic
Joanne Humphreys and Michael Mehta climbing mountains to raise funds for TigerTime
Photo courtesy of Vera Simonsson, Baffinbabes.com
you can. message from the mountains
* apologies to anyone we’ve left out - do let us know in words and pictures how you’ve been supporting us - we’d love to feature you in Wildlife Matters and online! You can email us on dswf@davidshepherd.org
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GET INVOLVED!
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Call Natalie on 01483 272323 if you’d like to run in the 2013 London Marathon or cycle in Ride London 100 for DSWF
Wildlife Matters Issue 41
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Wild Dog Pups by Nick Mackman
Call for entries 2013: www.davidshepherd.org
Enter the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s annual ART COMPETITION - help save wildlife
Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013
Seven categories to suit all artistic styles and mediums Endangered Wildlife, Wild Places, Wildlife in 3D, Wildlife in Action, Wild Life, Go Wild and Young & Wild (the Young & Wild category is kindly sponsored by Animal Friends Insurance) Expert judges include David Shepherd, fellow artists, conservationists and art critics.
N0 I W0,00day!
Fishing Eagle courtesy of Davina Bosanquet
ÂŁ1Enter To
Entry from now until January 2013 For full details and rules please see www.davidshepherd.org or call 01483 272323