The little things.

Okay, okay, all jokes aside. In all seriousness I have to admit that the animals that I read about as a kid, that I fell in love with at the zoos, and formed a relationship with on my first big adventure in Namibia do exist in a complex, beautiful, and often overwhelming part of the world, and lately, I've been feeling pretty discouraged about their future in Africa.

In order to preserve and protect the creatures I care so deeply for, I've been trying to learn everything I can about African nations: their histories, their current status, their needs, their cultures. The more I learn about Africa, the more I discover about the entire world, and I have to say, I don't like what I'm finding. I am not naive enough to think that I could even begin to "fix" the problems that the people of Africa and the world's most powerful politicians have not been able to solve, but how can I even help to facilitate positive change when the magnitude of issues I will come up against are so great and complex?

It's easy to think this way. That's exactly what Paul Loeb discussed in an interview with Idealist. 

Cynicism is the corrosive acid that says, “Why bother? Nothing that I’m going to do will matter.” Cynicism mocks the idealist. It’s different from saying, “I disagree with you about tax policy.” The cynic is the person who says that this work in its entirety is futile. 

Imagine if Nelson Mandela or Susan B. Anthony thought this way! So how do we avoid cynicism? How do we avoid drowning in the evils of international politics or the challenges of global climate change? 

We take it one day at a time. 

Paul calls on nonprofit organizations to remind their staff that their work is worth something and appreciated, and his advice for individuals? When you've lost a political, social, or environmental battle, simply go back to something that nourishes your spirit and recharge.

I've been volunteering for the Kasese Wildlife Conservation and Awareness Organization for awhile now. I haven't been doing anything major, just updating their Facebook and Twitter accounts, trying to raise awareness about this organization's amazing work in Uganda. In the meantime, learning about the conflicts in the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda is enough to make my head spin. Well, Asaba called me last week to tell me a little story... 

He told me about a good friend of KWCAO that raises money for them almost every year. The first year he raised $2,600. The third year, he promised friends and family to dye his hair in order to raise money - $4,004 worth. The fourth year he had no campaign, but set out again on his fundraiser. He asked his usual donors and new friends to give whatever they could, whether it's 10 dollars or 100. Here and there he collected, and he handed Asaba a $5,050 check this year. Asaba couldn't believe it. $5,050 can go so far in Uganda! They got to talking, and Mike told him a story of one of his donors that wrote him a check for $100, but then Mike told this donor about a post he had seen on Facebook about KWCAO's office manager. After the donor heard about this young woman, he wrote a new check, changing his donation. So even though I consider my contribution to this group to be small, Asaba excitedly told me that it's because of my efforts that this donation went from 100 to 500 dollars. And it's people like Mike, who go the extra distance, that help this organization make a big difference in Uganda and for its wildlife. 

I'm thankful for the reminder that people like Asaba and Mike provide: that every little bit really does make a difference. It's important to be informed about the world, but don't let that information stop you from acting.

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Professionals in African Wildlife Conservation Reception - Lucky Me!

Last Thursday, the World Affairs Council of Oregon and Oregon Wild hosted 13 wildlife conservation professionals from 9 different countries in Africa who were touring America with the International Visitor Leadership Program. The purpose of their visit was to strengthen ties with organizations and supporters in America to unite against poaching and illegal wildlife trade. 

At first I looked around for Namibia's representative, knowing I would have plenty to discuss with him. Unfortunately, I discovered he was unable to attend this event. I wasn't sure where to begin, not having as much of a connection with the other countries' representatives. I decided to sit down and just observe for a bit, perhaps take notes on how to best introduce myself, when the woman next to me said hello.

We chatted for awhile about which organizations we were here with. She asked if I had volunteered with Oregon Wild, seeing my "Keep Oregon Wild" sticker in hand. I said no, but I'm a big supporter of their work. She replied that she was the Conservation Director's wife and asked if I would like to meet him. 

Perfect! A place to start (not to mention Oregon Wild just happened to open up a position that has my name all over it, fingers crossed). After talking with him about how he got involved with this event, what all Oregon Wild does, and how much respect he has for my boss at the Center for Biological Diversity (boosting my confidence in my upcoming application), it was time to get a bite to eat.

Choosing a random seat next to Mr. Ramalefo of Botswana, we discussed predator-livestock conflict over sweet potatoes and chicken. That's my kind of meal. Finally, it was time to formally introduce everyone and hear brief presentations.

Steve Pedery began with Oregon Wild, pointing out that the problems in conservation we face here are not too different than those in Africa. After bringing back wolves from the brink of extinction, we are still in a constant fight with ranchers and hunters to keep them protected.

Then came the first African speech by a national park official from Zimbabwe. He talked about their parks, their rhino, pangolin, and painted dog populations, and their partnerships between the private and public sectors. Then he mentioned their struggles.

People are looking after the rhino, and not after the people trying to protect them. These men are not military trained, but war-like combat is what they face. They have limited resources, little time with their families, and no incentive to keep at it. They need to feel like they've achieved something."

I, in a super selfish, privileged American kind of way, can relate to that feeling. I wanted to tell him about the Thin Green Line team. There are people who care, people who hear you.

Next up, Zambia. He echoed the plea for the rangers and took it a step further. What many people don't know about these armed poachers is who they are funded by, and who they are funding. Many times, these activities are feeding terrorist organizations. Why else would they risk their own lives for a rhino horn? And of course, there is always the issue of habitat degradation. As resources are used, human wildlife conflict grows.

The third speech was given by my dinner buddy, and while he seemed a little quiet person to person, he provided a powerful ending to the presentation.

"I am not here to tell you the sad story of Africa. I am here to tell you about the successes we've had, not only as Botswana, but as people."

Immediately, I'm on the edge of my seat. He spoke about legislation coming into agreement with science more often, and the Transfrontier Conservation Area which was agreed upon and is managed by five different countries. There are wildlife management courses in college, and an academy in Botswana for law enforcement where they discuss wildlife crime.

Though we have successes, there are still challenges."

We need to figure out a way to actually use the bit of training our wildlife rangers have received in the field.

We need to include our communities in our efforts to preserve wildlife so they are not enticed by money to support poaching.

We need to teach children about wildlife management, (at this point I wanted to stand up and cheer, but I sat there silently scribbling down every word, beaming about my involvement with KWCAO who is doing just that) and take them to our national parks, most of which they have never been to, even though they live so close.

We need to get media on our side and ask them to stop advertising poaching. By repeatedly saying over and over how much a horn is worth, and what poachers get from a single rhino, and how many elephants are killed a day, we do nothing but add fuel to the fire.

Law enforcement cannot do it all."

With a little bit of time left in the evening and my head bustling with questions, I spoke with as many of the men as I could. They were all so friendly, eager to make connections and hoping in general that the people they meet on this trip around America will be inspired to act. While all I can do for now is blog, I sincerely hope they achieved what they came here for: international cooperation to fight illegal wildlife trade.

They all asked when I was going to come visit them in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana...

"Soon." I said. "Very soon."

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Rest in Peace, Rhino Champion.

I am very lucky. With frequent reports of declining numbers of rhinos and elephants across Africa, falling as victims to poaching, I realize just how lucky I am. At Etosha National Park I got to see black and white rhinos and bull elephants and their calves interact together. 

Normally, I would never regard these magnificent giants as "cute", but there is nothing in this world more adorable than seeing an elephant calf playfully sneak up on a rhino calf at the waterhole, only to be spooked and flare his ears when the rhino turns around, and, to the elephants surprise, is not another elephant. 

Having experiences like these, I am all the more saddened to hear that Anna Merz, founder of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and champion of black rhino conservation, passed away at age 81 earlier this month. Stories like hers, ones where someone saw a problem and had the drive and courage to act on it,  ones where the more difficult path was chosen rather than the easy one, renew my ambitions when I'm feeling discouraged. 

I would write about how incredible this woman was, what she's done for rhinos, and how I look up to her, but I think this article in the NY Times covers it all. Check out her inspiring story here. 

Rest in peace Mrs. Merz. Thank you for everything you did for rhinos and for people like me, who will never forget the first time they saw one. 

To continue Anna's mission, you can help protect rhino's by donating to the Lewa Conservancy. 

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Invasive fish cause big problems in fresh and saltwater systems.

If you live on the East coast of the U.S. or on islands in the Caribbean Sea, maybe you remember seeing signs such as this one to the left. The lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific region, was introduced to Florida's waters in the early 90's, most likely a result of the aquatic pet trade, and flourished rapidly. Due to their defensive venomous spines, coloration, habitat generality, low parasite load, efficient predation, rapid growth, and high reproductive rates, they pose high threats to reef and other ecosystems and have already been shown to reduce recruitment of native reef fish by up 80 percent*. 

Numerous studies have launched to measure just how badly they will take a toll on the ecosystem. Campaigns were launched to make people aware that they are edible, because who better to wipe out an unwanted species than humans? 

But then again the more people are around the more they wreak havoc. Here's a picture of a gigantic goldfish....

...found in Lake Tahoe. Another introduction from an aquarium. Check out the article. 

In the case of the giant goldfish, researchers believe they may actually be harming lake clarity by fueling algae growth with their waste. When biologists find warm water fish during surveys, they remove them."

Moral of these stories: Don't dump your aquarium fish into lakes and oceans!

Yikes. 

*REFERENCES: 

Albins, M., Hixon, M. (2011) Worst case scenario: potential long-term effects of invasive predatory lionfish (Pterios volitans) on Atlantic and Caribbean coral-reef Communities. Environ Biol Fish 1-7-7

Hixon, M., Albins, M., Redinger, T. (2009) Lionfish invasion: Super predator threatens Caribbean coral Reefs. NOAA Research

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My ideal backyard.

Last week I was at a game night with a group of friends. While the others yelled at each other during intense battles of Settlers of Catan, I had gotten distracted by a stack of "question" cards. I love these kinds of games. They're meant to be conversational pieces for a group, but I silently read them to myself and pondered  what my response would be to both the intellectual questions and the silly ones. 

One question in particular caught my attention and reminded me of some news I would like to share here that is perhaps a bit old, but significant nonetheless...

If you could have any one view from your backyard, what would you want it to be?

First, a broad question like this needs to be clarified. When it says "any", it means ANY. That is, even if it's not physically, politically, or geographically possible. 

Many scenes raced through my mind. I immediately eliminated city skylines, or any sort of civilization for that matter; I'm a nature girl. I then started thinking of the world's most iconic natural wonders, places often seen in magazines like National Geographic or featured on Planet Earth. There is so much beauty in this world, so many places to see. But ultimately, my heart will always belong to Africa.

I thought about the valleys of Damaraland where desert elephants, leopards, and baboons frequently roam...

I thought about the water hole at Etosha National Park where I could observe the most spectacular displays of interspecific behaviors...

And I thought about places I haven't been, but have heard so much about. Perhaps a more classic African scene like Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro or the Serengeti would be the ultimate backyard.

The options in Africa are endless and each unique, but what is the most magical place? Is there a place that shows both harshness and tranquility? Where it can be a struggle to survive and then bursting with life, never letting me forget how wonderful nature can be?

Of course!

   The Okavango Delta. 

Situated in the basin of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, this delta goes from wasteland to wonderland every year when the floods wash down from the highlands of Angola, bringing with it the most diverse concentration of wildlife in the world.

"Nowhere on our planet earth is the lifegiving power of water so clearly demonstrated." David Attenborough, BBC's Planet Earth



Yes, witnessing this miracle every year in my backyard would be ideal. Thankfully, the presidents of Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe considered this land just as precious as I. On August 18, 2011, they signed a treaty forming the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) which is a 444,000 km^2 area designated for conservation (and therefore ecotourism), and it's the largest of its kind in the world. This region includes the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, and numerous national parks, with the goal to:

 “Sustainably manage the Kavango Zambezi ecosystem, its heritage and cultural resources based on best conservation and tourism models for the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities and other stakeholders in and around the eco-region through harmonization of policies, strategies and practices.”

I may not be able to build a house there, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

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