World Giraffe Day - 21 June 2014

Come on guys let’s stick our neck out this giraffe day in support of this initiative.

Rothschild Giraffe at Paraa Safari lodge by John Gibbons 

Remember to send Marasa Africa (www.marasa.net)  your best Giraffe photos to support this worthy initiative to highlight the plight of the noble giraffe.

Marasa Africa lodges Chobe and Paraa Safari lodge official supporters of the initiative wants to share your photos to raise awareness of the threatened Rothschild giraffe within Murchison Falls national park. The Park is the ancestral home to the Rothschild Giraffe one of the more threatened subspecies of giraffe. The park is home to around 70% of the remaining population of this subspecies that is threatened by encroachment and human animal conflict. Best photos of the day also receive a free massage from either Paraa or Chobe Safari lodge located within the park. If you are at any of these lodges for the next week, make sure not to miss out! 

World Giraffe Day is a new and exciting initiative of GCF to celebrate the tallest and longest-necked animal on the longest day or night (depending on which hemisphere you live!) of the year – 21 June!

Not only is it a worldwide celebration of these amazing and much loved animals, but an annual event to raise awareness and shed light on the challenges they face in the wild. By supporting World Giraffe Day you can help to support giraffe conservation efforts in the wild that will ultimately help to secure the future of this amazing creature in Africa. With only less than 80,000 giraffe remaining in the wild, the time is right to act NOW!

Rothschild's giraffe is one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies, with only a few hundred members in the wild (Estimated at around 1300 individuals remain) . Also known as the Ugandan giraffe around 70% of the remaining giraffe of this subspecies can be found in Murchison Falls national park in Uganda

While giraffes in general are classified as Least Concern, Rothschild's giraffe is at particular risk of hybridisation, as the population is so limited in numbers. Very few locations are left where Rothschild's giraffe can be seen in the wild, with notable spots being Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya and Murchison Falls National Park in northern Uganda.

 Rothschild's giraffe is easily distinguishable from other subspecies. The most obvious sign is in the colouring of the coat, or pelt. Where the reticulated giraffe has very clearly defined dark patches with bright-whitish channels between them, Rothschild's giraffe more closely resembles the Masai giraffe. However, when compared to the Masai giraffe, Rothschild's subspecies is paler, the orange-brown patches are less jagged and sharp in shape, and the connective channel is of a creamier hue compared to that seen on the reticulated giraffe. In addition, Rothschild's giraffe displays no markings on the lower leg, giving it the impression of wearing white stockings.

Rothschild Giraffe at Chobe Safari lodge in Uganda by John Gibbons 

 Another distinguishing feature of Rothschild's giraffe, although harder to spot, is the number of ossicones on the head. This is the only subspecies to be born with five ossicones. Two of these are the larger and more obvious ones at the top of the head, which are common to all giraffes. The third ossicone can often be seen in the center of the giraffe's forehead, and the other two are behind each ear.They are also taller than many other subspecies, measuring up to six metres tall.

Are you a GiraffeSpotter? The official launch will be 19 June 2014 in time for World Giraffe Day! Check out www.giraffespotter.org

Premier Safaris on a Rothschild fact finding Safari  

GCF has a new and exciting Conservation Research Volunteer opportunity coming up in our Rothschild's giraffe project in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. Ideally, we are looking for an experienced field researcher who will be available for a 6-months period starting in 2014.

Send your giraffe photos to corne@marasa.net in the week to follow and participate in creating awareness globally!

Support Giraffe links:

www.giraffeconservation.org  

“Against all odds”

In Uganda a country that can only be described as a microcosm of Africa where you encounter active volcanoes, deserts, amazing jungles, huge lakes and sprawling grassland savannahs I also stumbled onto an almost unbelievable story of survival.

Visitors to the Murchison Falls National Park will be awed, inspired but also saddened by their encounters of the resident lion prides of this truly wild and amazing park in the great lakes region of Eastern Africa.

I first became aware of this on-going battle that epitomises the human animal conflict that silently exists in almost every conservation area around the globe when I heard the story of Clarence. Now an aging male lion “Clarence” has had his share of hardships but defied all odds in what can only be described as one of the most inspiring tales I have come across in Africa. 

  Clarence in coalition with his brother fondly referred to as Bernie by the guides ruled the park for many years ruthlessly dispatching upcoming rivals, even killing the male of a rival pride in the area before disaster struck the brothers in 2011. Clarence got caught in a poacher’s snare that left him with a life-threatening injury on its hind leg. The kings, of the well-known six-member pride, had been limping in pain following the snare incident that led to a fracture in the limb. The field staff of Uganda wildlife authority (UWA) had observed that the fracture was evident and very serious, as the lower limb was hanging and only held by a small ligament. 

UWA took the courageous yet unusual decision to intervene as part of their fight against the on-going losses due to poaching in the park. Dr Atimnedi in an effort to save Clarence performed the first amputation on a wild lion in the park removing the lower part of him leg in a procedure that lasted approximately an hour. This led to the start of an unparalleled survival story of a very unusual pride of lions.  This saga led me to take a keen interest in these lions that showed an incredible will to survive and adapt against all odds. 

Not only did “Bernie” take over the leadership from his once more dominant brother, he also showed incredible compassion not often documented in male lions, by supporting and hunting for his now vulnerable disabled brother.  The females in the pride adjusted to this new very unique dynamic and ensured the survival of the pride.   

Other lions in the park suffered a similar fate in the never ending human conflict but showed the same resilience. One female was trapped in a particularly nasty device referred to as a wheel trap and had to undergo an amputation in order to save her life. A second lion from the same pride was caught in a wire snare and was able to free herself and healed but shows signs of impairment due to the injuries.

Both Pamela (the female with the amputated limb) and Wako (snare victim) survived and is still regularly encountered in the park.  Sadly Bernie died about four months ago when he was suffocated due to a snare caught around his neck. 

 The good news came when one of Premier Safari’s tour operators visited the park recently and encountered Clarence “the 3 legged lion of Murchison’s” as he is now known amongst the visitors. Not only was he healthy and moving around with the pride, he was actually mating and ensuring the enduring spirit of this special pride lives on to write the next chapter of this very special groups of lions. We can all learn a lot about hardship and an incredible will to survive from these lions. Against all odds the pride survives proving once again “africa is not for the weak at hart”.

The problem remains in Murchison’s Falls National Park: 

Poaching remains a major challenge in Murchison Falls, Uganda's largest national park, according to the Conservation Area Manager.

Some of the poachers are armed, while others use wire snares that either kill the targeted animals or injure other game indiscriminately. The park also accounts for the largest remaining population of Rothschild Giraffe (approximately 75% of the remaining giraffe of this sub-specie can be found in the park)   

  

What is being done? 

The Wildlife conservation society together with Uganda Wildlife Authority and other role-players such as Uganda Conservation Foundation and Marasa Africa lodges in Uganda are involved in a concerted effort to conserve and ensure the future of this majestic wildlife area to ensure that future visitors can experience the wildlife of this park. 

Most recent campaign:    

 Marasa Africa, a member of the Madhvani Group of Companies, one of the largest private-sector groups in East Africa, joined Uganda Conservation Foundation in supporting and creating awareness through their marketing efforts of World Lion Day that took place on the 10^th of August 2010, a day that was celebrated around the world to call attention to the endangerment of the King of Beasts.  On the day, the Marasa properties in Uganda – Chobe Safari Lodge; Paraa Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge, also donated $1.00 for each room night at their lodges to the UCF to ensure conservation through Action programmes that provide practical support to revitalise and protect natural habitats, biodiversity and also helps protect lions in the national parks from poachers. This will also benefit the vulnerable tree climbing lions in ishasha -guests of the lodges were also informed and invited to donate to the UCF.

With Ugandan marine ranger posts at both Semanya and at Paraa, the UCF is able to specifically target snare-setting lion poachers who come across Lake Albert. UCF director Patrick Shah says “Our continuing program of building land and marine ranger posts in Murchison Falls Conservation Area will further reinforce our efforts and have a direct effect on lion welfare.”

Travel to Uganda:  

Below is some links to the role players in Uganda, experience the pearl of Africa with informed experienced partners. Uganda needs to be added to your “bucket list” if it’s not already there. Where else will you meet the largest remaining population of the endangered population of mountain gorillas, followed by a adventurous water safari down the white Nile.  

·         Marasa Africa lodges in the National parks - www.marasa.net

·         Premier Safaris – East Africa Travel provider – www.premiersafaris.com

 

Conservation support in Uganda

·         Uganda Wildlife Authority – http://www.ugandawildlife.org/

·         Uganda Conservation Foundation - http://www.ugandacf.org/

·         Giraffe conservation Foundation - http://www.giraffeconservation.org/

·         Wildlife conservation society - http://www.wcs.org/where-we-work/africa/uganda.aspx

Rothschild giraffe research kicks off in Uganda

Murchison’s Falls National park at the centre of new Rothschild giraffe research effort

A new research project is being launched in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park to research, document and perform genetic analysis on the Rothschild’s giraffe, the tallest creature on earth, dapper in white knee socks (no spotting on the lower leg), and notable for its grace, winsomeness and beautiful patterning. Of the nine recognized giraffe sub-species, the Rothschild’s is one of the most imperilled, with fewer than 1100 individuals remaining in the wild. It has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and as being of high conservation priority. Murchison Falls National Park is home to the last endemic population of this once abundant animal, all other surviving populations have been reintroduced, and often in areas where they never were originally.

The project is spearheaded by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and will be led by their conservation scientist Dr. Julian Fennessy, a Namibia-based Australian who is also Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG), and fellow GCF trustees and researchers Andy Tutchings, a Germany-based British national and Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, and Stephanie Fennessy, a Namibia-based German, both also members of the GOSG. Working closely with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, the team’s local-based researcher will be Henry Opio from the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre.

Despite low population figures and its endangered status, little is known about the Rothschild’s giraffe in the wild, an issue that must be addressed to develop and implement effective conservation strategies. To this end, the Project seeks to provide the first scientific review of the Rothschild’s ecology, behaviour and habitat requirements in Uganda; essential information for the development and implementation of meaningful conservation initiatives. These include the provision of technical support and funding, data sharing and results for a comprehensive approach to giraffe conservation.

The group will be hosted by Marasa Africa at their Paraa Safari Lodge located near the Nile crossing inside the Murchison Falls National Park. Located high on the river bank the lodge overlooks one of nature’s best kept secrets, the River Nile, on its journey from its source at Lake Victoria to join Lake Albert. It is inside the park where it is suddenly channelled into a gorge only six meters wide, and cascades down the rocks into a white water inferno 48 meters below. When standing on top of the falls the earth literally trembles as one is only a few feet away from one of the world’s most powerful flows of water.

 

For the last stage of the initial data collection the research team will move to the Chobe Safari Lodge widely known in Uganda for its Giraffe sightings close to the lodge. Located in the Murchison Falls National Park, this Five Star lodge is undoubtedly the gem in Uganda's crown of tourism destinations. The breath-taking panoramic views, coupled with the sounds of the River Nile's magnificent rapids, sets the scene for an adventure that will impress even the most discerning of visitors.

Chobe Safari Lodge offers a unique opportunity to sample the wildlife, birds, flora and fauna; all in an area of the park that has yet to be discovered. This area of Murchison Falls National Park is ideal for fishing, and will revive this newly refurbished lodge to become one of the best fishing destinations in Africa.

Information regarding the project from Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF)

http://www.giraffeconservation.org/index.php

Once free ranging across western Kenya, southern Sudan and Uganda, the Rothschild’s giraffe has been almost totally eliminated from much of its former range. Despite the low and steadily declining figures across all Rothschild’s giraffe populations, there has never been any scientific study of the Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda and its natural range – even though this (sub)species is heavily represented in captivity internationally. In Kenya, all known wild populations of Rothschild’s giraffe have been extirpated by agricultural development with remnant populations now confined to national parks, private reserves and other protected areas where they have been trans located. These remaining populations are isolated from one another and unable to interbreeding.

The vulnerability of the Rothschild’s giraffe is highlighted by recent phylogenetic studies. There is considerable uncertainty surrounding the geographic and taxonomic limits of giraffe (sub)species, but it has preliminarily determined that G. c. rothschildi is separate and distinct from other giraffe (sub)species, having split from other giraffe around 0.27 million years ago. The Rothschild’s giraffe therefore represents a unique genetic lineage that should be afforded the highest priority for conservation of giraffe biodiversity, in particular the only natural and viable population in Murchison Falls National Park.

The programme will begin in the field in August 2013 although considerable desktop research and development has already begun. It aims to establish a long-term research initiative in Uganda coordinated by local Ugandan researchers in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and GCF:

·         To develop the first long-term research initiative on the only natural and viable Rothschild’s giraffe population.

·         To provide the first ever scientific review and country-wide status assessment of Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda.

·         To collect giraffe DNA material for on-going genetic analysis and research of the giraffe species.

To identify the key ecological requirements of the Rothschild’s giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park so that new areas can be identified as recommendations for future translocation and establishment of new populations.

To provide scientific input and support to the development of a national conservation strategy for Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

For more information on the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), go to: www.giraffeconservation.org . For information about Marasa Africa or reservations at Paraa Safari Lodge or Chobe Safari Lodge, contact www.premiersafaris.com or go to their website at www.marasa.net

If you’re interested in arranging a Safari to the region contact resevartions@premiersafaris.com