News
NEWS
FLASH!!
Have you ever wondered
what it is like in the African bush? Now you can see for yourself,
watch and listen to the wildlife on our new webcam! (To
watch, click here)
Latest Events:
* We have 2 new elephant ambassadors! We began
monitoring CH54 “Nathan” early May, on his journey from
the Selinda spillway in the Kwando corridor of northern Botswana
into the Okavango Delta. In June, CH55 “Rosy” joined
our herd of monitored elephants. She is on Chief’s Island
within the Okavango Delta, where we are looking at the impacts elephants
are having on vegetation and how it effects other wildlife.
* Dr. Mike Chase gave presentations on “The Current Status
of Elephants and Wildlife in Northern Botswana: Results of a Dry
Season Aerial Survey” to the Botswana government,
hosted by the Botswana Tourism Organization and
another at the Kalahari Conservation Society annual
event. Guests included the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and
Tourism, Kitso Mokaila, the Deputy Permanent Secretary E. Moabi,
the acting Director of the Department of Wildlife & Tourism
N. Nagafela, the Chiefs of the Chobe, Ngamiland, and Okavango areas,
and other key stakeholders, researchers, and media.
* We are pleased
to announce the latest EWB scientific publication, which has been
accepted by the African Journal of Ecology, and now in press: Dr.
Mike Chase and Prof. Curt Griffin, Elephants of south-east
Angola in war and peace: their decline, re-colonization and recent
status. Watch for our announcement of how to attain this
publication.
* In May, EWB
hosted four undergraduate students from the University of
Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, accompanied by their
Professor, Rachel DeMotts, as a part of a newly established field
school that aims to complement classroom learning, in affiliation
with the Environmental Policy and Decision-Making Department. Together
we conducted a week-long field exercise in Chobe National Park to
collect data on elephant herd structure to help assess population
growth and recruitment rates. The team assessed over 40 herds, identifying
information such as age, sex and distinct characteristics on almost
450 individual elephants.
* Recent
articles were published about EWB’s projects
and research: Ngami Times “Massive drop in Delta
Wildlife”, The Botswana Gazette “Catastrophic
Loss of Wildlife in the Okavango”, Guardian UK Newspaper
“Drought and poachers take Botswana’s natural wonder
to brink of catastrophe” D. Smith, Mmegi Newspaper
“Okavango Delta in catastrophic wildlife loss”,
Mail & Guardian “Okavango wildlife threatened”
D. Pinnock, Zambezi Traveler June 2011 “Chobe is Botswana’s
Wildlife Stronghold” K. Landen. To Download some of these
articles (click here)
* EWB joined
the San Diego Zoo’s Classic Safari to Botswana’s Treasures
tour group on safari, exploring Chobe National Park. The trip was
successful and Dr. Chase discussed elephants, EWB’s research
and San Diego Zoo’s support in conservation activities in
Botswana with the group.
* We have received
a grant from the Tropical Forest Conservation Fund (TFCF)
from Forest Conservation Botswana to begin a study on the “Status
of Wildlife Populations and Land Degradation in Botswana’s
Forest Reserves.” Field activities will commence this
season!
Upcoming
Events:
* Elephants Reintroductions. Dr.
Mike Chase has recently taken on a supervisorial role over two now
captive elephants to be released back into the wild into the Okavango
Delta. The elephants are an adult cow and her juvenile daughter that
have been part of an elephant-back ride safari operation. At the time
of their release, they will be fitted with satellite collars to monitor
the elephants’ progress as they adjust to their new environment.
* Elephant Collar Retrievals. This
month we are gathering our “collaring team” to fly and
track several of our elephant ambassadors. Through this extensive
exercise, we hope to retrieve satellite collars from 7 of our monitored
elephants, whose battery life in their units are scheduled to expire.
At this time, we will redeploy a second collar on CH37, known as
“Naledi”, to collect data on his interesting movements
between the Makgadikgadi salt pans and the Okavango Delta, as part
of our long-term monitoring program.
* The Botswana Management Association
(BWMA) is graciously hosting a semi-formal dinner in Maun on July
21st, for Dr. Mike Chase to give a presentation on EWB’s recent
aerial results on the status of wildlife in northern Botswana.
* Look for upcoming articles featuring EWB!
August editions of Getaway Magazine “The Wonder of Elephants”
by Don Pinnock, and Africa Geographic “View from the Top”
by Mike Chase & Kelly Landen
Blog
page: Elephant Conservation and Research with EWB
For immediate updates, elephant research and stories from the field,
please visit our Blog, the latest Blogs include:
•
Great Tigermoth Botswana Safari
• Nathan’s Legacy
• Elephant Herd
Assessments by Puget Sound Students
• Aerial Survey
Presentation Held in Maun
Latest Posted Reports and Maps, can
be viewed and downloaded on our Downloads Page,
(click here):
* “Chobe is Botswana’s Wildlife Stronghold”
K. Landen. Zambezi Traveller
* “Drought
and Poachers take Botswana’s natural wonder to brink of catastrophe”
David Smith. Guardian UK
* “Okavango wildlife threatened” Don Pinnock.
Mail & Guardian
*Elephant Movement
Maps for Mar, Apr, May, June 2011
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has no Boundaries!”
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NEWS
Botswana
Wildlife survey analysis is complete! Watch for the final reports!
(click here)
NEW!!!! Vist the webcam, see elephants LIVE in the middle of Africa
(click
here)
Please visit our Blog
(click here)
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