Posts Tagged ‘Democratic Republic of Congo’

Apr
28

Waterhole project in Zimbabwe -By Peter Riger reporting from Zimbabwe

Posted by in Africa,Carnivores,Endangered Species,Field Research,Painted Dog,Peter's African Adventure '11

The Houston Zoo’s Director of conservation, Peter Riger is visiting our wildlife conservation partners Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe.  He hopes to identify more ways the Houston Zoo can provide support to this community based conservation project.  Click here or scroll down to read his previous post.

Monday, April 25th we headed into Hwange National Park to get a better look at the wildlife and some issues revolving around the development of large numbers man-made waterholes which the park pumps water up into (using pumps run by diesel fuel) from the water table 100 feet below the surface. The idea stemmed from the thought that this would make wildlife more accessible to tourists visiting the park but in reality, it has changed the diversity of species visiting the waterholes. For example, elephants dominate the waterholes and most other animals are either chased from or are forced to hang around the edge of the brush waiting for elephants to leave. This is good for elephants but not favorable for other species who have to move more often to find these resources. The constant access to water may have also increased the elephant population unnaturally to where there is an overabundance in the park itself. At one waterholes today we observed 12 female elephants with 9 calves which would seem a highly disproportionate ratio for a herd of elephants.

We set up a time lapse camera at one waterhole to start looking at abundance and diversity of species using the space and hopefully expand to a number of other locations this year.

Other species in the park we came across today included Lesser Kudu, Cheetah, Steenbuck, Impala, hornbills, Crowned Crane, Marabou Stork, Duiker, Slender Mongoose, Giraffe, Zebra, Jackal, Baboon and Lion as well as a few Baobob Trees.

By Peter Riger

Stay tuned for more wildlife conservation reports from Peter Riger in Zimbabwe.

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Mar
16

Dought Nkomo, from Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe, is having a great time at the Houston Zoo.

Posted by in Africa,Carnivores,community-based conservation,Conservation,Doubt and Xmas,Endangered Species

The Houston Zoo has the privilege of hosting two very special guests from Painted Dog Conservation in Zimbabwe.  Xmas Mpofu and Dought Nkomo are with us for the next two weeks (March 14-25).  We agreed to set up a capacity building opportunities in four different departments at the Zoo for these PDC employees.

Dought has been having a wonderful time with our facilities team so far!  He is very excited about the skills he is gaining from the talented staff.  He helped create some fake bamboo for the chimp enclosure two days ago and was amazed with how real it looked.  So far, he has assisted with building a shed and helped with some construction on the new Cougar exhibit. He is fascinated by all of the machines and materials we use here.

When he finnished work yesterday he said, “I am having great fun at the Houston Zoo.  Everyone I have spent minutes with is welcoming and makes me feel at home. The staff at the Zoo are free to share information they have and I am surprised to note that most of them are multi-talented, even the facilities maintenance team can go and work at the enclosures.”

Come out to the Zoo and meet Dought, Xmas and Dr. Greg Rasmussen as they share stories of how they are saving the African wild dog in Zimababwe on March 23 at 7:00 pm.  Purchase you tickets here .

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Jan
29

How to Capture an Amphibian Call

Posted by in amphibians,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas,What You Can Do

Last Friday, Houston Zoo Conservation Staff accompanied an enthusiastic HZI volunteer and Rice graduate student, Cassidy Johnson, and her father, J. Johnson, to their families amazing 2,500 acre property to set up recording devices to capture the calls of amphibians, and hopefully, the elusive and rare Houston toad!

The Johnsons and Amphibian Conservation Manager, Paul Crump, look over maps of the property to decide the best ponds to install the frog recording devices

Cassidy’s father came up with this impressive contraption himself. When an animal makes a noise (in this case, hopefully a frog) the recording device turns on and records the sound.

Cassidy and her father hike a “froglogger” up into a tree near a pond.

He can later download the files and hear what is hopping around his ponds! Bravo to the Johnsons for caring about amphibians on their property!

With a 2,500 acre property ATV’s are a must to get around from site to site. Did I mention it was 40 something degrees? It was freezing!

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Dec
28

Breaking News! Mountain Gorilla Population Increase

Posted by in Africa,Animal Origins & Fun Facts,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla

photo courtesy S. Kaufman

The population of critically endangered mountain gorillas living in Africa’s Virunga Massif has grown by 26.3%  to approximately 480 individuals in the past seven years according to the newly released results of the 2010 mountain gorilla census. The last mountain gorilla census of the Virunga region in 2003 estimated a total of 380 animals. The Virunga Massif encompasses national parks in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Some 302 additional mountain gorillas live in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which was not included in this year’s census.

“These amazing results show how the team work of three countries and multiple NGOs collaborating on mountain gorilla conservation has been truly effective,” says Dr. Mike Cranfield, Director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP). “Not only is the census news great, it’s also a measure of the success of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project’s ability to save gorilla lives in field as well as the dedicated efforts of other organizations and the national park authorities.”

The Houston Zoo is proud to support the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Prorgam One Health Program. To read more go to:

http://www.gorilladoctorsblog.org/field-blog/2010/12/7/mountain-gorilla-population-in-virunga-increases-by-incredib.html

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Dec
16

Mountain Gorilla Holiday Shopping

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Conservation,Field Research,Gorilla

That’s right – you can give the Gift of Gorilla this holiday season through the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project’s Orphan Guardianship program.

MGVP’s Gorilla Doctors care for four critically endangered orphaned Mountain Gorilla patients; Ndakasi, Ndeze, Maisha, and Kaboko. You can directly support their vital on-going medical care  by becoming their Gorilla Orphan Guardian™.

Your Guardianship includes a unique downloadable photo certificate of your chosen gorilla to proudly display and enjoy on your computer’s desktop.

Go to http://www.gorilladoctors.org/orphan-guardianship.html for more information

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Dec
14

Zoos Unite to Save Endangered Apes Part 2

Posted by in Africa,Borneo,Chimpanzee,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla,orangutan

Yesterday we highlighted the Ape Conservation Initiative so today we would like to show you who the zoo association funds will support:

The following projects were funded by the Ape TAG Conservation Initiative with a total of $411,250:

1) Establishment of a National Chimpanzee Disease and Health Monitoring Programme based at Budongo Conservation Field Station, Uganda

2) The Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative: Preserving the bonobo (Pan paniscus) in the Salonga National Park through holistic conservation, Democratic Republic of Congo

3) Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade in Central Africa, The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA); Cameroon

4) Protection and monitoring of Grauer’s gorillas, Gorilla beringei graueri, in the lowland sectors of Kahuzi Beiga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo

5) Assessing chances of survival of the orang-utan in man-made landscape: the future of the species? Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

6) Ketambe Reforestation and Ecotourism Development Initiative (KREDI), Orangutan Information Centre (OIC); Sumatra, Indonesia

7) Long-term ecological research and conservation of Cao Vit gibbon in China

8) Population mapping of gibbons Kalimantan, Indonesia: Correlates of gibbon density and vegetation across the species range, Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo

In addition to the eight projects, a percentage of the funds are dedicated for ape sanctuaries in Africa and Asia.  Sanctuaries play an important role in ape conservation, particularly through their efforts in law enforcement and conservation education.

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Sep
24

Okapi Conservation: Democratic Republic of Congo

Posted by in Africa,Animal Origins & Fun Facts,community-based conservation,Featured,Field Research

On one of our animal department blog sites there was recently a post about Okapi enrichment at the Houston Zoo. But what is an Okapi?

Okapi are the only living relative to the Giraffe yet has stripes on its legs like a Zebra. Scientists did not know about the Okapi until around 1900. Okapi are only found in one place, the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.

The Okapi Conservation Project is located within the Ituri Forest, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ituri Forest covers 175,000 square kilometers of lowland tropical forest and contains some of the most important closed canopy rainforest and species diversity in the world. This program was initiated by Gilman International Conservation with the objective of eliciting support for the conservation of the wild okapi from zoological institutions managing okapi in zoos around the world.  Okapi ambassadors in zoos help instill awareness of the rapid destruction of rainforests and generate financial support for the preservation of okapi habitat in the Ituri Forest of the Congo River basin. 

The Houston Zoo is a supporter of the Okapi Conservation Project and you can visit our resident Okapi across from the Elephant exhibit. For more information on the zoo’s wildlife conservation program you can link here.

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Jul
01

Mountain Gorilla: Follow along at your own pace

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla

From here on out we ask you to follow along on the Gorilla Doctors blog or even their Facebook page and immerse yourselves in the day-to-day lives of the staff and Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Today we introduce you to Dr. Fred Nizeyimana,, an in-country field veterinarian from Uganda, on a visit to one of the Mountain Gorilla groups.

“Today I went for routine health check of the Nyakagezi group. The group was in the place closer to Sabinyo base. We found the group feeding on bamboo shoots and vines. The group was fine and healthy. I observed all the 9 gorillas and they were feeding normally. All the Silverbacks were feeding and moving together. The Blackback were the ones that trailed the group but not far from the others. Group composition: Mark (dominant Silverback), Bigingo (old Silverback), Mafia (young Silverback), Ndungutse (Blackback), Rukundo (Blackback), Inshuti (adult female), Inshuti’s baby and an un-named adult female and her baby. Their dung was normal. Parameters like breathing rate and rhythm observed physically were within normal limits. Musculo-skeletal and integument systems, no wounds observed.”

We all have responsibilities in our day-to-day lives. Theirs are to monitor and protect the world’s remaning population of Mountain Gorillas.

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Jun
30

Mountain Gorilla: Summer Reading

Posted by in Africa,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla

If you are not visiting the Houston Zoo, swimming in a pool or going to the beach – you are most likely locked inside with air conditioning turned on. I understand completely, they tell us the official start of summer is June 21st but it has been ascorching hot for 6 weeks and we are tired of it already.

So add this to your summer reading list – that’s right reading, something us older folks did “back in the day” of 3 television channels which were black and white. The horror! Actually it was horrible as we did not have books like this to read.

GORILLA DOCTORS: SAVING ENDANGERED GREAT APES by Pamela S. Turner. GORILLA DOCTORS: SAVING ENDANGERED GREAT APES written for children age nine to twelve was named an American Library Association Notable Book, a National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Book, and is the winner of the Flora Stiglitz Straus Nonfiction Award and the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award. Half of all royalties from the sale of the book go directly to Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. -the same program we have been gorilla blogging about the past few days.

There are a number of reasons to get this book. It has great photographs, a fantastic story about wildlife veterinarians who literally make house-calls in the forest-many who you are meeting through the blogs, and it supports the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. Can’t get out of the house for fear of melting in the Houston sun? Easy enough then, you are already on the computer so just link here “Gorilla Doctors” and pop over to Amazon for the book.

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Jun
28

Mountain Gorilla Blog

Posted by in Africa,Endangered Species,Field Research,Gorilla,What You Can Do

Two weeks ago, one of the Gorilla Doctors field veterinarians, Dr. Eddy Kabale, posted an update on two Mountain Gorilla orphans, Ndeze and Ndakasi who were transferred from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a facility in Senkwekwe at Rumangabo, DRC about 6 months ago. You can watch a short video of Ndeze and Ndakasi’s move to Senkwekwe back in December here.

Dr. Eddy Kabale is the groups Democratic Republic of Congo in-country Field Veterinarian. Eddy’s duties include monitoring Grauer’s gorillas (eastern lowland gorillas) as well as mountain gorillas—and caring for the orphans.

Yesterday I mentioned that the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) was a field project – treating wildlife in their natural habitat. Although never intended, MGVP has also taken the duel role of having to care for and manage confiscated orphan gorillas. Sadly, poaching and illegal trade have resulted in the confiscation of mountain and Grauer’s gorillas in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MGVP's Orphan Guardianship Program

In their lovely home, Ndeze and Ndakasi are enjoying a fresh, suitable and cleaned environment with very little pollution compared to Goma. They are taking enough fresh forest food and they are still discovering new forest food items. They enjoy playing, climbing, rolling over and are progressively getting use to their new home, and are behaving normally.

Nevertheless, even in this healthy state, they continue with the quarterly preventive medicine program that includes visual and physical examinations and a de-worming program for Ndeze and Ndakasi.

So how do you perform a check-up on a gorilla? On May 11, 2010, Dr. Arthur, the ICCN veterinarian and I visited Ndeze and Ndakasi for their quarterly health check. We found them to be very active, playful, running, rolling over on grass, climbing on us very often and showing a degree of their satisfaction! We took the opportunity to start lesson teaching the little gorillas to be comfortable with stethoscope, syringes and needles. We will progress to getting them to accept injection as part of this activity. 

I used a sterile syringe without a needle for this training session; Ndeze and Ndakasi played with the syringe with no fear. After that I took another sterile syringe with sterile needle on it, and a second syringe filled with honey (they LOVE honey!). I offered them the honey and when they ate it I pricked them in the arm, one after another. Because they had honey as a reward for accepting the injection, no one ran – they gave me a positive reaction! After this lesson I put in the syringe the indicated dose of Ivermectin for their quarterly de-worming and gave it directly in mouth to Ndeze and Ndakasi, they continued even lapping drug on the empty syringe. Success – they took their medicine, they accepted some small pricks in their arms and left Ndeze and Ndakasi with a very good memory!

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