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We Need Your
Help |
African wild dogs face the threat
of extinction because of human persecution and habitat loss.
With your support, the AWD
Conservancy is working with communities in one
of the most bioculturally rich regions on earth to find
ways for wild dogs and people to co-exist.
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Making a Difference |
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| Our thanks to the Mohamed bin Zayed
Species Conservation Fund and private donors for supporting
the AWD Conservancy's education and training efforts, and biological
survey work. |
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| Teacher's
Workshop in Masalani |
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| Kim
explains the food chain |
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| As part
of the ongoing AWD Conservancy initiative in the region, Dr.
Bob Robbins and Dr. Kim McCreery led a workshop on wild
dog natural history and the vital role carnivores play in
maintaining healthy ecosystems. Primary schoolteachers and headmasters
from 10 districts attended. Interactive teaching techniques
were used to engage participants and demonstrate how such tools
can be useful in the classroom. A wild dog documentary also
was shown, followed by a question and answer period. This was
the first time a workshop of this kind has ever held in the
region. |
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| Schoolmasters
and teachers play the web of life game |
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| The web
of life game was taught at the workshop as a technique to
enable teachers to teach students about how microorganisms,
plants, and animals, including people, are interconnected. This
simple game, designed to be instructive and fun, demonstrates
how, as natural links are broken, entire ecosystems can collapse.
Packets of teaching materials were distributed to all participants.
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The
workshop was well received. Participants gave the practical
biology lessons very high marks and said the lessons could
be easily applied in the classroom. Such much-needed low-tech
teaching methods hold promise in primary schools in rural
and remote communities, and, we think, in big cities as well.
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Training of Educational
Program Manager |
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| Bob
updates Hussein's computer skills |
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| With more computer
skills, Hussein is now playing a greater role in this community
project and was recently hired full time as the education
program manager. In his travels, he will be showing a CD documentary
about wild dog family life to school children and villagers.
The documentary dispels myths about this endangered species
and informs viewers about its natural history. Hussein also
will be visiting the classrooms of schoolteachers that attended
the workshop to find out how lessons learned there are being
applied. |
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| The
Biological Survey Continues |
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survey work continues and includes the biodiversity
hotspot convergence zone in the North Eastern and Coast
provinces. We are now visiting communal lands along the west
side of the Tana
River and in the coastal area to identify where wild dogs
still survive, and what and where conflict exists between
people and carnivores. Travel to these areas can be difficult
and time-consuming, with weather conditions and logistical
challenges setting the pace.
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| Location
of survey region (outlined in red)
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Our
ultimate goal is to cover 100,000 sq km
extending from the Meru
National Park complex to the Indian Ocean, and from the
Somalia border to Tsavo
East and Tsavo
West national parks. This large-scale survey will provide
the first systematic scientific information on the status,
distribution, and abundance of wild dogs in this historically
neglected region, identify potential linkages for "hotspot"
dogs with known populations in parks and reserves, and assess
the scope and scale of human/carnivore conflict. This information
is essential for regional wild dog conservation planning as
part of a local, national, and international effort to protect
this endangered species. |
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| Survey
region (outlined in red)
in relation to national parks and reserves |
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need your help to keep our work moving forward. Your
donation of any amount is important. If you can't afford to
make a contribution, please help by spreading the word about
our work through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and email: |
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Drought
and Famine in the Horn of Africa |
| The Horn
of Africa is confronted with the worst drought in many years
with no relief in sight. Somalia has been the hardest hit. An
estimated 1,500
refugees cross daily into Kenya to enter the Dadaab Refugee
Camp. Aside from Somalia, the camp also hosts refugees from
Ethiopia, the DRC, and Sudan. Some of those that arrive have
walked a number of weeks with little food or water. |
| Somalia
has been without an effective central government since President
Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. The country is racked
by conflict from terrorists and homegrown warlords. The number
of refugees leaving Somalia for Kenya presents a humanitarian
challenge of global proportions. |
If you would like to help, the following is a list of some
the charitable organizations to contact:
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| Dadaab
is in Kenya's North Eastern Province |
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Camp settlement at Dadaab |
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Clothes collected to donate to
new arrivals |
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| The
Effect of Drought on Wildlife |
The drought in the Horn of Africa is having
a detrimental
effect on wildlife in Kenya. Because pastoralism is the
predominant way of life in the North Eastern Province, the
drought has resulted in a large-scale displacement of people
to areas in which water can be found for households and livestock.
The Tana River is the only perennial water source in the region.
The number of livestock now using this river and surrounding
countryside is truly staggering and poses a threat to wildlife
because of competition for dwindling resources. |
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| Pastoralist
with cattle |
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Tana
River |
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Please consider
supporting the African
Wild Dog Conservancy in its efforts to save one of
the world’s most endangered carnivores. Whether a gift
in the name of someone you care about or for yourself, your
support really can make a difference. Thank you. |
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Courtesy of the Chicago Zoological Society |
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Help Save
African Wild Dogs without Spending a Penny! |
| How many times a day do you search
on the Internet? Well, if you use the GoodSearch search engine,
you can help the African Wild Dog Conservancy
protect this endangered species. Just go to www.GoodSearch.com
and type "African Wild Dog Conservancy" in the "enter
your favorite charity or school here" field at the top
of the page. After that, you can use the search box or just
download the GoodSearch toolbar
here. For every Internet search you make, one penny
will go to the Conservancy. Please help us spread the word.
Too few people know about the plight of this remarkable canid.
Your cyber-pennies really can make a difference! |
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About
the AWD Conservancy |
| Started
in 2001, the African Wild Dog Conservancy
is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to working with
local communities, and national and international stakeholders,
to conserve wild dogs through scientific research and education. |
| For
further information, email us at:
| lycaonpictus@awdconservancy.org |
| or write to us at
the following address:
| African Wild
Dog Conservancy
208 N. California Ave.
Silver City, NM 88061 USA |
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