As all of you know I wanted to use this blog to document the process of my internship. However, I have now been told that this is not possible. So, sadly I am unable to do so publically. Hoewever, I will be keeping a private log of all my activities and hopefully one day (maybe at the end of my internship) I will post all of the things up.
I will still be posting a few enteries when I can but they will be regarding other things of interest rather than the internship. So, dont stop popping back!
Sorry!
Thanks for reading!
Sunday 20 October 2013
Sunday 13 October 2013
Moving out...
Sunday
As my first day at Chester zoo is closing in I am in the process of moving from Manchester where I live with my partner to Chester. I have spent the weekend packing up and saying a temporary goodbye to friends as well as my cat.
I have packed up all the essentials including multiple winter jackets as there is a definite chill in the air.
I have yet to meet any of my housemates or the interns at the zoo. I hope to make lots of friends and have a feeling its going to be a challenging yet rewarding year.
I am aiming to arrive around 4pm to the house and my current flatmate in Manchester has kindly agreed to drive me and my stuff to Chester. Thank god or else I would have to cart my stuff on a bus, train, tram and then another bus!
Arriving and initial thoughts...
I have finally managed to get to Chester and have moved all my stuff into my room. I have met all my flatmates which include Amy, Laura, Kalisha and Mark who all seem lovely. After meeting the many animals at the house which include :
This all means lots of new names and faces to remember which at the moment seems a little daunting but with time Im sure ill be rattling them all off.
After a little dinner the 5 of us watched Rio the movie and snacked on Haribo, Gummy bears and popcorn with a cup of hot tea in the other hand after a long day of travelling and unpacking.
I'm really excited to receive my uniform tomorrow and officially be part of the Chester zoo intern cohort!
Its a 6:00 wake up time tomorrow so I must get to bed. I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them up.
Thanks for reading!
As my first day at Chester zoo is closing in I am in the process of moving from Manchester where I live with my partner to Chester. I have spent the weekend packing up and saying a temporary goodbye to friends as well as my cat.
I have packed up all the essentials including multiple winter jackets as there is a definite chill in the air.
I have yet to meet any of my housemates or the interns at the zoo. I hope to make lots of friends and have a feeling its going to be a challenging yet rewarding year.
I am aiming to arrive around 4pm to the house and my current flatmate in Manchester has kindly agreed to drive me and my stuff to Chester. Thank god or else I would have to cart my stuff on a bus, train, tram and then another bus!
Arriving and initial thoughts...
I have finally managed to get to Chester and have moved all my stuff into my room. I have met all my flatmates which include Amy, Laura, Kalisha and Mark who all seem lovely. After meeting the many animals at the house which include :
- Four dogs - a GSD, a Golden Retriever, a Collie and a standard Wire-haired dachshund
- 4 cats, 2 chinchillas
- lots of tortoises (30 at the moment – 7 different species)
- 2 Parma wallabies
- 1 sheep
- 2 cockatoos
- an axolotl
- 2 bearded dragons
- 1 Leopard gecko
- a couple of Cuban Tree frogs
- over 25 chickens
- a Tenrec
- a rabbit
- 7 Blue Spiny Lizards
- a couple of budgies
- a huge number of exotic rodents, mostly Acacia Rats, Spiny mice and Harvest Mice
This all means lots of new names and faces to remember which at the moment seems a little daunting but with time Im sure ill be rattling them all off.
After a little dinner the 5 of us watched Rio the movie and snacked on Haribo, Gummy bears and popcorn with a cup of hot tea in the other hand after a long day of travelling and unpacking.
I'm really excited to receive my uniform tomorrow and officially be part of the Chester zoo intern cohort!
Its a 6:00 wake up time tomorrow so I must get to bed. I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them up.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday 9 October 2013
Update...
Firstly, I would like to apologise to any of you who have been revisiting my Blog and have been disappointed but the lack of new content. I have been without a laptop for ages as my house got burgled and it has taken a while to find a good deal and take the steps towards buying it.
Society for Abandoned Animals
I have filled my time volunteering whilst looking for a job for the past month whilst still killing time, waiting for my internship at Chester zoo to start. I volunteer at the Society of Abandoned Animals in Stretford. Its a great charity!
They have a range of animals including cats, dogs and rabbits. If you are thinking about adoption please have a look at their website. They have many many many BLACK cats which I found very surprising. I made a comment to the staff and they said that people feel it is unlucky to adopt a black cat. I know the superstition but never thought it would be so noticeable, especially in Manchester which is meant to be one UK cities with the most cultural diversity.
I myself have a black cat called Shacko ( my partner named him after a games character-typical) and I have to admit that despite him being difficult to see in the dark, I wouldn't change a thing.
He is such a loving cat and always wants to snuggle with you, especially if you feed him Whiskers. He loves playing fetch and hide and seek as well as tag - I have to admit hes a strange cat, maybe he thinks hes a dog?
He can also be quite comical and makes funny faces when he hears strange noises or meets new people. In this picture however he looks a bit scared.
A cat is a great addition to any home no matter what colour it is!
All their animals available for adoption are on their website http://www.saarescue.co.uk/ouranimals but you can also give them a call and ask if you are looking for a specific type of animal.
History
If you are interested in the history of the SAA have a look here- Id rather not repeat the same information.
http://www.saarescue.co.uk/about-us
Get Involved!
If you are an animal lover with a few hours to spare why not do something productive? Like most charities the SAA needs as much help as it can get. What better way to spend a morning or afternoon than interacting with adorable kittens and fuzzy rabbits? The staff are lovely and are very eager to help with questions you may have. Overall, it is a lovely environment to work in as the volunteers are very friendly and many have been volunteering there for many years.
On Mondays I work with rabbits and on Tuesdays I work with the cats. Work includes cleaning out the pens and socialising (in other words cuddle time!). All animals are fully vaccinated and micro chipped. They also go through a quarantine process when they first arrive at the SAA. They are very well looked after.
Alternatively
If you can not donate your time why not donate to the society using the following link :http://www.saarescue.co.uk/donate
Why not also sponsor a pen to help the volunteers with cleaning supplies and food supplies to keep the pen running.
Donations of food are also accepted at the society!
Find out more here: http://www.saarescue.co.uk/donate
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Society-For-Abandoned-Animals/143558398990664
Twitter: https://twitter.com/saarescue
New developments at the SAA
The SAA have some new developments in the cat department which is great and can also provide you with an insight into how they operate. You can find out about the cat plans here http://www.saacats.com/
Why not start with this short video which includes a quick tour. http://www.saacats.com/videos.html
SO get involved, every little helps!!
Have you ever adopted an animal? Have you ever worked at a animal sanctuary? Have you ever visited the SAA? Let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading!
Society for Abandoned Animals
I have filled my time volunteering whilst looking for a job for the past month whilst still killing time, waiting for my internship at Chester zoo to start. I volunteer at the Society of Abandoned Animals in Stretford. Its a great charity!
They have a range of animals including cats, dogs and rabbits. If you are thinking about adoption please have a look at their website. They have many many many BLACK cats which I found very surprising. I made a comment to the staff and they said that people feel it is unlucky to adopt a black cat. I know the superstition but never thought it would be so noticeable, especially in Manchester which is meant to be one UK cities with the most cultural diversity.
I myself have a black cat called Shacko ( my partner named him after a games character-typical) and I have to admit that despite him being difficult to see in the dark, I wouldn't change a thing.
He is such a loving cat and always wants to snuggle with you, especially if you feed him Whiskers. He loves playing fetch and hide and seek as well as tag - I have to admit hes a strange cat, maybe he thinks hes a dog?He can also be quite comical and makes funny faces when he hears strange noises or meets new people. In this picture however he looks a bit scared.
A cat is a great addition to any home no matter what colour it is!
All their animals available for adoption are on their website http://www.saarescue.co.uk/ouranimals but you can also give them a call and ask if you are looking for a specific type of animal.
History
If you are interested in the history of the SAA have a look here- Id rather not repeat the same information.
http://www.saarescue.co.uk/about-us
Get Involved!
If you are an animal lover with a few hours to spare why not do something productive? Like most charities the SAA needs as much help as it can get. What better way to spend a morning or afternoon than interacting with adorable kittens and fuzzy rabbits? The staff are lovely and are very eager to help with questions you may have. Overall, it is a lovely environment to work in as the volunteers are very friendly and many have been volunteering there for many years.
On Mondays I work with rabbits and on Tuesdays I work with the cats. Work includes cleaning out the pens and socialising (in other words cuddle time!). All animals are fully vaccinated and micro chipped. They also go through a quarantine process when they first arrive at the SAA. They are very well looked after.
If you can not donate your time why not donate to the society using the following link :http://www.saarescue.co.uk/donate
Why not also sponsor a pen to help the volunteers with cleaning supplies and food supplies to keep the pen running.
Donations of food are also accepted at the society!
Find out more here: http://www.saarescue.co.uk/donate
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Society-For-Abandoned-Animals/143558398990664
Twitter: https://twitter.com/saarescue
New developments at the SAA
The SAA have some new developments in the cat department which is great and can also provide you with an insight into how they operate. You can find out about the cat plans here http://www.saacats.com/
Why not start with this short video which includes a quick tour. http://www.saacats.com/videos.html
SO get involved, every little helps!!
Have you ever adopted an animal? Have you ever worked at a animal sanctuary? Have you ever visited the SAA? Let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading!
Thursday 22 August 2013
Meeting David Attenborough
In early March I worked at the BBC Africa Event as a server- this was my part time job whilst I was at university. This BBC Worldwide event was hosted at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. As I served the food round to my designated table of guests- I was determined to try and spot David Attenborough in the crowd. I wasn't told whether he was at the event or not but I was eager to meet him even if it meant only handing him his three course meal and saying 'Enjoy'. The event was beautifully decorated, the large screens displayed various scenes from the BBC Africa Series. I had just finished watching the series as my flat mate, Tracey, and I were eager followers of his work and loved watching his documentaries and collecting his books- they made part of our hang out sessions and often our shopping trips.
Although the episodes are no longer available on BBC iplayer there is a gallery of great shots from each episode:
*More pictures can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010jc6p/galleries
There are also some short clips available at :http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010jc6p/clips
For those of you who love nature and have not watched them- shame on you! Just kidding I would highly recommend them. The series was fantastic and one of the parts I looked forward to was the behind-the-scenes footage at the very end of each episode. This footage was about the camera work that went into filming each of the series. They always gave me such appreciation for the work that went into them and the dedication that the camera men had whilst filming them- sometimes living in baron lands for weeks on end just to capture 6 seconds of footage or a glimpse of an animal. I felt great admiration for their work and as I looked around the room I knew these were not only people who were passionate about their work but also very skilled individuals who could one day have an influence on my career. I have considered a career in documentaries, as reading David Attenborough's books such as Life on Air or Life stories has shown me the amazing experiences that broadcasting can lead you to experience.
My eyes darted around the room all night but I was unable to spot him- I was deeply disappointed. It was my own fault I got my hopes up all by myself. I went home to my flatmates and told them about the whole ordeal. Whilst listening to me ramble on about not meeting him my flatmate Gemma did a quick Google search and told me that he was opening Wakefield Museum and was doing a book signing for the Africa Series Book he released on the 9th of March.
She sent me the site :
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/News/PressReleases/news/PR4024.htm.
The article mentioned he would be doing a book signing if ''time permitted''. I was worried that there wouldn't be but began planning my trip regardless.
After the speeches and the reveling of the plaque, David Attenborough sat in the reception area and the book signing began. We had a number of books we wanted him to sign but were limited to 1 each due to the size of the crowd so I picked what I thought was most relevant to the occasion, the Africa book.
After the book signing we decided to go and visit the musuem...
The Wakefield Musuem hosts a special exhibit dedicated to the work of Charles Waterton's and his accomplishments which shows a variety of taxidermy animals such as this rather funny looking owl.
There are also a few fun things to do in the museum such as the children's area. BUT you can also play dress up which is always fun no matter how old you are! There were even people dressed in crocodile onsies.
Overall, meeting David Attenborough was an unforgettable experience as I had finally met the man that had given me so much inspiration and admiration for nature.
Have you watched the Africa series? What do you think of it? Have you ever met David Attenborough? If so,I would love to hear about it. Share your experience in the comments bar!
Thanks for reading.
Although the episodes are no longer available on BBC iplayer there is a gallery of great shots from each episode:
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| "Kalahari'' Episode released: 2 January 2013. |
 |
| "Savannah" Episode released:9 January 2013 |
 |
| "Congo" Episode released: 16 January 2013 |
 |
| "Cape" Episode released:23 January 2013 |
 |
"Sahara" Episode released: 30 January 2013
|
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"The Future" Episode released: 6 February 2013
|
*More pictures can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010jc6p/galleries
There are also some short clips available at :http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010jc6p/clips
For those of you who love nature and have not watched them- shame on you! Just kidding I would highly recommend them. The series was fantastic and one of the parts I looked forward to was the behind-the-scenes footage at the very end of each episode. This footage was about the camera work that went into filming each of the series. They always gave me such appreciation for the work that went into them and the dedication that the camera men had whilst filming them- sometimes living in baron lands for weeks on end just to capture 6 seconds of footage or a glimpse of an animal. I felt great admiration for their work and as I looked around the room I knew these were not only people who were passionate about their work but also very skilled individuals who could one day have an influence on my career. I have considered a career in documentaries, as reading David Attenborough's books such as Life on Air or Life stories has shown me the amazing experiences that broadcasting can lead you to experience.
My eyes darted around the room all night but I was unable to spot him- I was deeply disappointed. It was my own fault I got my hopes up all by myself. I went home to my flatmates and told them about the whole ordeal. Whilst listening to me ramble on about not meeting him my flatmate Gemma did a quick Google search and told me that he was opening Wakefield Museum and was doing a book signing for the Africa Series Book he released on the 9th of March.
She sent me the site :
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/News/PressReleases/news/PR4024.htm.
The article mentioned he would be doing a book signing if ''time permitted''. I was worried that there wouldn't be but began planning my trip regardless.
To say that I was excited would have been an understatement. I ran to Tracey's to tell her the good news and she was determined to get the day off work. The days dragged on as we constantly reminded each other that we were soon to meet David Attenborough himself and did a mini celebratory squeal.
On the 8th of March we left Liverpool and traveled to Huddersfield by train where we stayed the night at my partner's house. The next morning we woke up early and quickly got the bus from Huddersfield to Wakefield. We arrived at the museum and there were a few people already there and we were able to secure a spot quite near to the stage. The article stated that
"he is only able to spend a short time at the museum and interest is expected to be high, not everyone may be able to see the TV celebrity"
 |
Trying to pass the time...
|
 |
| waiting and waiting and waiting... |
As we waited and waited the crowd grew and grew and the musuem was filled with 600 people. He was to be opening the museum at 1:20 pm and time was dragging. After checking the time every five minutes,1:20 pm finally got a bit closer and I got more and more excited.
After several introductions and pleasantries David Attenborough finally walked onto the stage. He told a story about Charles Waterton, an English naturalist and explorer who was the first person in the UK who bought a bird sanctuary. David Attenborough also spoke about the soap factory nearby that were destroying the natural habitat that Waterton had created.
I discovered first hand what it was like to be in the presence of a TV presenter. As he narrated he was very expressive with both his facial expressions and his hand gestures -which are all part of what make him so interesting to listen to both on TV and in real life. Below are a series of images that capture that passion behind his speech.
 |
| The expressions of David Attenborough |
The Wakefield Express captured his opening speech where he revealed a plaque.
During his speech he said: “I congratulate you that you have a far sighted local authority that has built a wonderful place like this in these difficult times. I am particularly pleased that a space has been found to celebrate Charles Waterton. He is not as widely celebrated as he should be, for he is a very distinguished citizen and his achievements should be celebrated - he is getting his proper due here.”
You can watch the video here:
http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/see-sir-david-attenborough-s-opening-speech-at-wakefield-s-new-museum-in-full-1-5502007After the speeches and the reveling of the plaque, David Attenborough sat in the reception area and the book signing began. We had a number of books we wanted him to sign but were limited to 1 each due to the size of the crowd so I picked what I thought was most relevant to the occasion, the Africa book.
After the book signing we decided to go and visit the musuem...
The Wakefield Musuem hosts a special exhibit dedicated to the work of Charles Waterton's and his accomplishments which shows a variety of taxidermy animals such as this rather funny looking owl.
There are also a few fun things to do in the museum such as the children's area. BUT you can also play dress up which is always fun no matter how old you are! There were even people dressed in crocodile onsies.
Overall, meeting David Attenborough was an unforgettable experience as I had finally met the man that had given me so much inspiration and admiration for nature.
Have you watched the Africa series? What do you think of it? Have you ever met David Attenborough? If so,I would love to hear about it. Share your experience in the comments bar!
Thanks for reading.
Sunday 18 August 2013
World Orangutan Day - 19th of August 2013
I first fell in love with orangutans when I went to Chester zoo in 2011 on a university trip which made part of our BSc in Biology. During my visit I had the chance to watch a baby orangutan playing with an adult which I assumed was its mother.
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| The baby orangutan playing with its mother |
Since then I have always been interested in them and watched the american series, Orangutan Island on Animal Planet which sadly was discontinued. The show follows the day to day activities of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project in Borneo which was founded by Lone Drøscher Nielsen and shows the lives of several orangutans with very unique personalities. It traces the challenges that orphaned orangutans face towards independence and community living so they can be relocated and released into the protected orangutan island.
Born in Denmark, Lone Drøscher Nielsen is a wildlife conservationist and an ambassador for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. Her career in conservation began whilst she was volunteering at Aalborg zoo at the age of fourteen. She has dedicated her life to the conservation of orangutans and permanently moved to Borneo in 1996 to live among them. She is an amazing woman who works tirelessly to save the orangutans and this is very clear from watching her shows. She has a deep connection to the orangutans and some may say she loves them as if they were her children.
''It was the forest I fell in love with at first. But my love for the orangutans soon followed."
If you are interested in learning more about her or following her work check out her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lonedroscher
So, today is World Orangutan Day!
This year, 2013, is the first time this day has ever been celebrated and there is a special website dedicated to the occasion - http://www.worldorangutanday.org/ and of course a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/WorldOrangutanDay so make sure you check that out too.
The day aims to increase awareness of the dangers that the orangutans face due to deforestation caused by the Palm oil industry. On the other hand, It aims to celebrate the work and accomplishments so far.
Why protect the orangutans?
We need to protect the orangutans not only because they are cute...I mean come on look at those faces!
BUT also because between 1992-2000 the Sumatran orangutan population declined by more than 50% with only an estimated 7,000 animals left in the wild. The Sumatran orangutan is not alone! The Bornean orangutan population fell nearly 43 % in the past decade and estimates place their population at about 45,000 animals. Since the last population estimates were done, deforestation rates have continued to climb which means the actual populations could be well below these.
What is the point of the World Orangutan Day?
According to the World Orangutan Day website these are the Wishes they hope will come true when we all help a little bit on World Orangutan Day.
1. New baby bottles for all the little ones at Borneo Orangutan Survival
2. Fund the rescue of 4 wild orangutans trapped in a concession by Orangutan Foundation
3. New tires for the rescue vehicles at Centre for Orangutan Foundation
4. Plant 10 hectares of degraded forests in Gunung Leuser National Park with Orangutan Information Centre
5. Release more orangutans with Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme
6. Support the care of orphans at Yayasan IAR.
Approximate costs to make the Wishes come true - USD$25,000The official website is :
http://www.worldorangutanday.org/
So lets keep them smiling!
How you can help?
http://www.worldorangutanday.org/take-action.html
1. DONATE
Some of the public have donated already and the total this morning is $1,460! Why not help us reach our goal of $25,000?
You receive your own 'Thank You certificate' when you donate to the participants in World Orangutan Day!
100% of your donations go direct to the rescue organisations listed on this page. We DO NOT take anything from it so please donate generously from the heart!
www.forests4orangutans.org/
If each of you do this, we can raise over $3000 from this page alone!Forests. For Orangutans. Forever.#WorldOrangutanDay
SO!
Tomorrow in celebration of World Orangutan Day, we asking everyone who likes this page to donate just $1 (or £1 or €1) to Orangutan Land Trust, to help give orangutans a future in the wild where they belong.
http://www.forests4orangutans.org/donations/
For more information on Palm oil and the company and products that contain palm oil visit: http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php
3. ADOPT an Orangutan
4. Become a Palm Oil Activists
If you love orangutans and want to take action to protect them then join the movement of Palm Oil Activists and demand that the snack food industry break the link between their products and orangutan extinction!
Take action with Rainforest Action Network. It's simple just email PalmOilAction@ran.org and we'll send you everything you need to pressure snack food companies!
To find out more visit http://www.ran.org/palm-oil
5. Join the FACEBOOK EVENT!!
Bring your friends even if you have to stick 'em all in a wheelbarrow and let's put on a massive show love for orangutans and the people that protect them!
We are talking to corporate donors for this event and its important that they know that a whole lotta people care about orangutans.
Join here and be sure to bring your friends!
We are talking to corporate donors for this event and its important that they know that a whole lotta people care about orangutans.
Join here and be sure to bring your friends!
Want to show the orangutans how much you love them? Why not create a sign saying so?
Take a photo of yourself holding a card that says " I LOVE Orangutans!" and share it on the official facebook page for World Orangutan Day !
7. Make a stand!
Help create legislative protection for orangutans!
Sign and share the petitions we have set up asking our governments to protect orangutans against conventional palm oil!
Take Action here! http://www.worldorangutanday.org/palm-oil-petitions.html
8. Fund raise
Why not pair up with a friend and help fund raise for the Orangutans? You could even make it a competition between you as to who can raise the most money? This can be a fun way to spend the day bonding as well as getting involved in a great cause. You could even get your local school involved.
9. Pass the message on...
- Tell your grocery store or supermarket
That you are concerned about products in the store that contains palm oil.
Download this postcard, enter your contact details and leave it with store management or if they have a suggestion box, drop it there. Do this every chance you get!
Download this fact sheet from Rainforest Action Network in case your grocer is unaware.
-Tell your friends, family and colleges!
You can download images to share here...http://www.worldorangutanday.org/spread-the-love.html
Have you contributed to a good cause before? If so, what was it? Do you have a favorite animal day? If so, what is it? Let me know.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday 17 August 2013
The Last Rhinos
I have recently been reading a book called ''The Last Rhinos''. Although I don't tend to read much, this one really appealed to me. Partly due to my upcoming internship at Chester Zoo where I will be closely working with rhinos and partly because I thought I should immerse myself more into topics of conservation.
There are millions of reviews for it however, there is a website (http://thelastrhinos.com/) dedicated to the book.
There are several different covers for the book:
The website mentioned above provides what I consider an accurate summary of the story faced by Lawrence Anthony.
''When Lawrence Anthony learned that the northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the very brink of extinction, he knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to go extinct. In The Last Rhinos, Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals.
The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them. The northern white rhino’s last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino.
An inspiring story of conservation in the face of brutal war and bureaucratic quagmires, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.''
There are millions of reviews for it however, there is a website (http://thelastrhinos.com/) dedicated to the book.
There are several different covers for the book:
''When Lawrence Anthony learned that the northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the very brink of extinction, he knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to go extinct. In The Last Rhinos, Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals.
The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them. The northern white rhino’s last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino.
An inspiring story of conservation in the face of brutal war and bureaucratic quagmires, The Last Rhinos will move animal lovers everywhere.''
These are a few of the quotes from his books which often sum him up as a person and his values and ideas on conservation.
I would personally highly recommend it and I really enjoyed the book. Although I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of rhino content the book clearly highlights the bureaucracy which runs profoundly throughout Africa as well the many other challenges that African conservationists face. His very personal and very deep connection to the animals in his reserve in particular one elephant called Nana is even clearer than the messages he conveys throughout his book. Although the book does contain biographical elements it simultaneously depicts the challenges and the importance of rhino conservation through his personal journey. As a reader the book is very emotional, especially for animal lovers. Many a times I sat late at night/early morning crying either with joy, sadness or astonishment, sometimes a mix of all three.
He established a conservation group, The Earth Organization in 2003, and his efforts lead to the establishment of two new reserves, the Royal Zulu Biosphere in Zululand and the Mayibuye Game Reserve in Kwa Ximba, aimed at providing local tribe people income through wildlife tourism.
Throughout his book he often describes his unique process of 'clearing his head' where he drives off into the reserve in search of his favorite elephant, Nana. A few moments with her restores his faith and consolidates his commitment during challenging periods. His passion was the bush and the animals he protected in Thula Thula. He cared deeply for each of them and when poaching encroached into Thula Thula he seemed more determined to save the rhinos.
He has won several awards including:
Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Last-Rhinos-Powerful-Species/dp/0283071702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350917039&sr=8-1
Waterstones
:http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/lawrence+anthony/graham+spence/the+last+rhinos/8973136/
or any other book store.
If you are travelling to South Africa I would recommend that you go and visit Thula Thula to have a look at what Lawrence Anthony's work has accomplished and those who lives he has so deeply touched.
http://www.thulathula.com/en_location.aspx
Thanks for reading.
"I have never understood the saying 'To think outside the box.' Why would anyone sit inside of a box and then think outside of it. Rather just get out of the box."
"There is more to life than just yourself, your own family, and your own kind."
"I don't think I have a mission in life. I just want to hold together the values that are important to us as human beings. The name of the game is to survive, and we can't survive without the plant and animal kingdoms."
"Our inability to think beyond our own species, or to be able to co-habit with other life forms in what is patently a massive collaborative quest for survival, is surely a malady that pervades the human soul."
"The green movement has become tainted with extremism and intemperance resulting in lack of credibility. It needs new direction, new priorities and new leadership."
"Workable solutions for Earth are urgently needed. Saving seals and tigers, or fighting yet another oil pipeline through a wilderness area, while laudable, is merely shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic."
"Man's cultural and traditional links to nature that used to be passed down, generation to generation, have become lost in a sea of 'civilization', bureaucracy and technology."
"The prophets of doom are already saying it is too late, that the crude and uninformed impact of man on the planet's life systems is just too great and that we don't have enough time to turn it all around. I don't happen to agree, but I do know that we are entering the end game. That unless there is a swift and marked change in our attitudes and actions, mankind could well be on its way to becoming an endangered species."
"This time around it may not be a natural phenomenon; it may be ignorance and neglect of the natural world will prove to be our undoing."
"'Ethics' is the key theme. Ethics are essential to establish a granite moral code as an environmental lodestone."
"Thankfully the Earth has an incredible capacity to sustain life, so perhaps something can still be done about it."
I would personally highly recommend it and I really enjoyed the book. Although I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of rhino content the book clearly highlights the bureaucracy which runs profoundly throughout Africa as well the many other challenges that African conservationists face. His very personal and very deep connection to the animals in his reserve in particular one elephant called Nana is even clearer than the messages he conveys throughout his book. Although the book does contain biographical elements it simultaneously depicts the challenges and the importance of rhino conservation through his personal journey. As a reader the book is very emotional, especially for animal lovers. Many a times I sat late at night/early morning crying either with joy, sadness or astonishment, sometimes a mix of all three.
Lawrence Anthony
LAWRENCE ANTHONY is the author of three books:
- Babylon's Ark
- The Elephant Whisperer
- The Last Rhinos
He established a conservation group, The Earth Organization in 2003, and his efforts lead to the establishment of two new reserves, the Royal Zulu Biosphere in Zululand and the Mayibuye Game Reserve in Kwa Ximba, aimed at providing local tribe people income through wildlife tourism.
Throughout his book he often describes his unique process of 'clearing his head' where he drives off into the reserve in search of his favorite elephant, Nana. A few moments with her restores his faith and consolidates his commitment during challenging periods. His passion was the bush and the animals he protected in Thula Thula. He cared deeply for each of them and when poaching encroached into Thula Thula he seemed more determined to save the rhinos.
He has won several awards including:
- The Global Nature Fund, Living Lakes Best Conservation Practice Award, for “A remarkable contribution to nature conservation and environmental protection.”
- The Earth Day medal presented at the United Nations by the Earth Society for his rescue of the Baghdad Zoo.
- The Earth Trustee Award.
- The US Army 3rd Infantry, Regimental medal for bravery in Iraq during the Coalition invasion of Baghdad.
- The Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship for outstanding contribution to the ideals of Rotary.
- The IAS Freedom Medal.
- The Umhlatuzi Mayoral Award for Outstanding Community Service.
- Member of the governing council of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science
- International membership, the Explorers Club of New York.
- At a presentation in Washington, DC in March 2009, respected international journalist Tom Clynes named South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony amongst his six most impressive and influential people in a lifetime of reporting. Other names on the list include such luminaries as Sir Edmund Hillary
He is an incredible man! I have recently discovered he died on the 2nd of March 2012, aged 61, of a heart attack.
New York Times:
IOL News:
Throughout his book he talks about wife Francoise Malby, who unconditionally supported him even when he went on the immense task of negotiating with the Lord's Resistance Army, a terrorist group renowned for their violence and child soldiers. His death is a great loss to the conservation world, he was clearly loved by both family, friends and animals.
After his death, elephants came to mourn their loss confirming that the deep connection was not one sided. The facebook page says:
''Tonight at Thula Thula, the whole herd arrived at the main house, home to Lawrence and I. We had not seen them here for a very long time. Extraordinary proof of animal sensitivity and awareness that only a few human can perceive. And Lawrence was one of them. Thank you for your wonderful messages. Lawrence's legacy will be with us forever at Thula Thula.''
His work has been inspirational to current conservationists and aspiring conservationist just like me.
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| Lawrence Anthony and his wife Francoise. |
His legacy continues through his wife Francoise Malby and his two sons Dylan and Jason.
I hope that having read this blog you have also found Lawrence to be inspirational, if not at least interesting. Please pick up a copy of The Last Rhinos which can be bought from....
Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Last-Rhinos-Powerful-Species/dp/0283071702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350917039&sr=8-1
Waterstones
:http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/lawrence+anthony/graham+spence/the+last+rhinos/8973136/
or any other book store.
If you are travelling to South Africa I would recommend that you go and visit Thula Thula to have a look at what Lawrence Anthony's work has accomplished and those who lives he has so deeply touched.
http://www.thulathula.com/en_location.aspx
Thanks for reading.
Tuesday 13 August 2013
I have recently graduated from university and the summer months have been an up and down roller coaster. Before graduation I spent seven weeks travelling and working. I started with 5 days in Lisbon, Portugal where I made some new friends. When I found out that Lisbon had a zoo I was really excited to go and visit it, although I was hoping that the zoo wasn't dilapidated as seeing captive animals in unsuitable conditions really angers and upsets me.
LISBON ZOO
My trip to Lisbon Zoo was amazing! We got the metro down town which was surprising easy and affordable. The metro stopped just outside the zoo at Jardim Zoologico which makes it really accessible.
As we approached the zoo I noticed a nice touch just under the highway bridge which I have never seen at any other zoo and thought it was rather well done- although some may consider it graffiti?. I'm not too keen on the chimpanzee behind the bars though.
The zoo itself is huge and I was impressed with their collection of animals. I have to say its one of the best zoos I have been to.
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| Map of the Lisbon ZooThis is the website if any of you are interested in going to the zoo. http://www.zoo.pt/site/index_en.php
At the entrance of the Zoo are a few parrots who squawk at you as you walk through. This frightened the living day light out of me although I'm sure they were only trying out their hospitality skills and were welcoming me to the zoo.
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The first thing I discovered when I looked at the map was the monorail that hangs high in the sky and offers amazing views of the zoo and all their enclosures which you can ride till your hearts content as its free with the entrance fee! Note that it is not for the faint hearted as the picture below shows, its rather high off the ground.With the abundance of animals at Lisbon Zoo it is difficult to decide where to begin. Taking a ride on the monorail first thing gives you an idea of how large the zoo really is and lets you preview and prioritize the animals you really want to see.
BEFORE you do this have a look at the times of the dolphin shows as these are not to be missed. These are also seal feeding times which you should try and attend. Information can be found with a member of staff at the entrance.
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| The Lisbon Zoo Monorail |
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| The lazy lion enclosure. |
The Lisbon Zoo is home to a range of animals including mammals (even lazy kangaroos and adorable koalas), reptiles (an extensive collection of snakes-which give me the creeps), amphibians, arthropods and of course exotic birds.
Below are a few snapshots of some of the animals at the Lisbon zoo. The tiger featured in the center shot had an amazing intensity in his stare. He stood frozen in the same position for about 2 minutes staring at me and then slowly walked away and went back to lounging. He (assuming its a he) was beautiful and this special moment despite its brevity was highly moving.
It's an unsettling thought that these tigers are critically endangered and their populations are diminishing rapidly.
The dolphins are a special sight. The dolphin and seal trainers have clearly worked hard training them even though some of them looked really young. The show itself happens 3 times a day and last about 45 minutes, all are in Portuguese but even if you don't understand the local language the show is quite a spectacle, with lots of tricks and flips.
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| Panoramic view of the dolphin show area. |
The second of the most precious moments is captured to the left. The tenderness she showed to her tiny baby was amazing to watch, despite the bars. She was so caring and nurturing, cradling her baby gently in her arms. It's great to see successful breeding in captivity. 
Lisbon zoo is not just an animal sanctuary but it also aims to educate its visitors with clever educational signs that allow it visitors to visualise their messages like this fun display of arm lengths. My partner and I decided to put them to the test and see how far we could reach!
Lisbon zoo not only has a huge variety of animals to look at but the monuments are in keeping with the Lisbon city. I am unsure as to whether these are man made or whether they were originally part of the old Lisbon city (perhaps someone could tell me?).
The best aspect of the Lisbon zoo and what sets it apart from other zoos that I have visited throughout the years is it's layout and its high regard for their visitor's visibility. For example, the bear enclosure has a glass platform that hangs over into the bear's enclosure. This makes the visitor feel like they are in the enclosure and are able to interact with the bears. Another example is the seal's enclosure. The glass panels along the entire enclosure allow you to watch the seals swim even when they are underwater and gives you an appreciation of their agility and speed.
A third example is the chimpanzee's enclosure where the mischievous creatures climb, swing and play all day long whilst the older ones get some spare me time to chew on some leaves (top left).
The chimpanzee enclosure is huge and to understand just how expansive it is, a viewing deck allows you to take it all in.
On our way out we stopped at the photo booth to collect our picture that was taken by a member of staff just after the dolphin show.
Here is a short summarizing video of some of the sights at Lisbon Zoo:
The mission of the zoo is..
Here is a short summarizing video of some of the sights at Lisbon Zoo:
*Please play this in youtube, as I can't seem to make it any bigger.
The mission of the zoo is..
" to develop and promote a park, zoo and botanical both as a center for conservation, breeding and reintroduction in the natural habitat of endangered species, through scientific research and environmental enrichment programs. "
Overall, my experience of the Lisbon zoo was truly rewarding, well worth the visit and the entrance fee. I can only imagine the satisfaction and the excitement gained from working as part of the zoo keeping team to achieve their mission!! I was so impressed that perhaps my future in zoo keeping could one day continue at Lisbon zoo.
If you have been to Lisbon zoo, do share your experience. If you have any questions please ask, i will gladly reply as soon as I can.
Thanks for reading!
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