AFRICA NEEDS LIONS

August 2012

On the afternoon of 13th July 2012 ALERT's Chief Operating Officer signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Republic of Burundi to jointly manage five protected areas within the country; the Ruvubu & Rusizi National Parks, and the Forest Reserves of Bururi, Vyanda and Kigwena. Part of the agreement includes the reintroduction of lions to the country.

The small country of Burundi has long had a strong relationship with the lion, its image appearing on the nation's coat of arms.

The kings of Burundi, prior to becoming a republic in 1966, were given a title of Ntare, Mwezi, Mutaga and Mwambutsa in rotation. Every fourth king had the title Ntare, which means lion. The Kingdom of Burundi was founded during the middle of the seventeenth century by Ntare Rushatsi; Rushatsi meaning “hairy lion”. The last king of Burundi was Ntare V Charles Ndizeye who reigned from 1 September until 28 November 1966.

Records of the last lion of Burundi are lost in history although rumours of the occasional feline visit from neighbouring Tanzania exist. In 2011 the first of many meetings and discussions started to bring the symbol of Burundi back to its landscape using ALERT's responsible development approach to conservation, and late in the afternoon of the 13th of July the agreement was signed.

The Parties to the agreement are: African Lion & Environmental Research Trust, represented by our Chief Operating Officer, David Youldon Ministry of Water, Environment, Land Management & Urban Planning, represented by Hon. Minister Jean-Marie Nibirantije Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Posts and Tourism, represented by Hon. Minister Victoire Ndikumana

The agreement shall be implemented through ALERT with the National Institute for the Environment and the Conservation of Nature and the Burundi National Tourism Office.

The agreement is of course much more than the reintroduction of lions. Such action shall require a major restoration of Burundi's protected areas including the reintroduction of many species that are indigenous to the country, many of which were lost along with the nation's lions. Burundi is also seeking to establish itself as a major destination for tourism and believes that our approach will deliver the desired conservation and development objectives.

The two national parks that will fall under this joint management and restoration initiative are Ruvubu and Ruzisi. The former covers 508km2 in the east of the country. The Ruvubu river (meaning hippo) runs through the reserve of rolling hills and flood plains. Rusizi is in the north west of the country and includes a beautiful delta that runs to the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

In the south of the country lie the forest reserves of Bururi, Vyanda and Kigwena - these days they are fragmented from each other by development. These forests are home to an ecologically important population of chimpanzees and ALERT has been asked to jointly manage these reserves to better protect the remaining chimps with a view to re-establishing links between them to ensure a more genetically viable chimpanzee population.

ALERT is extremely proud and excited to have signed this agreement, and looks forward to working with the people of Burundi, and many other partners, as we move forward to re-establish the natural heritage of this beautiful country.

ALERT staffer Rae Kokes had an idea, to display a few images of lions in her home town of Leeds. That idea grew into the event “Africa Needs Lions”, a photographic exhibition with special guests in the Victoria Quarter of the city. Early on the 6th August a group of volunteers arrived to help set up the exhibition of lions within the African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program, taken by renowned photographer Chris Weston. As the shops began to close the final preparations for the evening event were made and over 230 guests arrived to enjoy the display and learn about the challenges facing lions in the wild.

ALERT Patron Sir Ranulph Fiennes was guest of honour and spoke passionately about how significant the lion is to all peoples on our planet, and how urgent action is needed to ensure the species endures in the wild. ALERT founder, Andrew Conolly, and our C.O.O. David Youldon were also present, as was Chris Weston who had offered his incredible images for sale. Volunteers helped throughout the event by serving drinks, selling merchandise and raffle tickets and of course selling the photographs. A local African dance act entertained the guests, a motorcycle emblazoned by our logo was displayed and a specially created film was broadcast. One our technical directors, Dr Pieter Kat, was also able to join us and urged guests to act now to help save the African lion. The event was a huge success and raised both funds for ALERT and awareness of the need for urgent action to ensure the future of the African lion.

Thank you to all those who helped sponsor and organize this event, including: Chris Weston Ward Hadaway Law Firm (http://www.wardhadaway.com/page/index.cfm) Starbeck (http://www.starbeck.com/) Kuoni Travel (http://www.kuoni.co.uk/en/services/kuonistores/pages/kuonileeds.aspx) Grammar School at Leeds (http://www.gsal.org.uk/) Travel Counsellors (http://travelcounsellors.com/) ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) (http://www.icaew.com/) Lance Taylor Frantz Kokeš Tim Mileusnic Helen Clapham John Bade - Victoria Quarter Don Percival Frantz Kokeš Angela Kokeš Trish Powell Marie Thomas Theo & Ivan Troev Nathan McConnell Mickey Channings Claire O'Neill Margaret O'Neill Jackie Abell Lorna Harvey Denise Williams Gillian North Katie Alexander Karen Lovatt

Opposite page: Main photo: ALERT patron Sir Ranulph Fiennes Inset: Event organiser Rae Kokeš This page: Main photo: ALERT founder Andrew Conolly addresses the event’s guests Insets, from top: Rae and ALERT C.O.O David Youldon with volunteers who helped organize and run the event Below: Guests enjoy a Leeds-based African dance troupe Bottom: Guests listening to the events’ speakers

This month we began to delve further into the question of “what is instinct?” Instinct is a term often frowned upon by academics, as being able to determine, explain or even understand what instinct is, is very complex. Most agree that any taxa and individual animal will demonstrate instinctive behaviours such as to feed, mate, fight, etc; those basic behaviours required for survival. But what about those behaviours that are more complex? the instinct to be social, to defend resources, to play or to avoid and/or understand what a competitor is?

Within the Ngamo release site, the pride is yet to encounter competitors such as hyena. Hyena pose a formidable threat to lions and are often considered their mortal enemy. Research upon those lion prides and hyena clans in the wild have provided further insight into the battle between the two species, and what is known as kleptoparasitism. Both lions and hyenas will scavenge from one another however success at this is mainly dependent upon the ratio of one species to the other. The Ngamo pride has never encountered a hyena nor heard one call, as far as we know. Since their release our captive-born pride members have displayed all those instinctive behaviours as demonstrated by wild prides, but what about reaction to competitors? Is this something to be learnt? Or is the fear and hatred of their mortal enemies embedded within their instinct? To test this theory we conducted a playback study using a series of hyena calls, consisting of one hyena calling, or “whooping” and a series of laughing calls, often heard when hunting and/or feeding upon prey.

With all pride members present, a vehicle was parked out of sight outside the release site with speakers to play the calls. As the playback was sounded all the lions instantly sat up to attention. All stared hard in the direction of the calls before Milo led Nala followed by Phyre, AT1, Narnia, the cubs, Kwali, Ashanti and Kenge towards the source. Once they reached the fence line all the curious cats sat listening until silence fell again over Ngamo. At this point the strong reaction from the pride raises more questions than it answers: did the lions recognize the call to be that of a carnivore, a predator or a competitor? Did they recognize the call to be of hyenas feeding therefore an opportunity for them to scavenge? Did they even understand what a hyena was?! Either way, their response indicated a level of understanding or the dreaded word ‘instinct’.

On the 1st of August the pride, except Nala, was resting by waterhole one, not having the energy to move after their zebra feast the day before. Clearly settled for the rest of the day, the team knew where to find them when returning for the afternoon research session for another experiment.

So far their behaviour to playbacks has been on par with what is expected, but to ensure that they are not just reacting to any noise that is not usually heard, the team played classical music to them. Within moments of the music playing Nala, who had joined the others, lifted stared in the direction of the music. The other females, Milo and the cubs were also vigilant. Nala began to slowly saunter closer. Kwali followed, then AT1, the cubs, Ashanti, Phyre, Milo, Narnia and Kenge. After moving approximately 35 metres the pride quickly lost interest and once again lay down and relaxed.

Although the music did evoke a reaction, it seemed the lions were only mildly curious this time, rather than displaying a territorial response. On this occasion the lions moved at a slow pace, no roaring was heard and settled down much quicker than with lion or hyena playbacks. This experiment seems to indicate that the pride understand the difference between potential competitors and just different noises that they have never heard before. This is only a pilot study and we intend to test the pride's reactions more thoroughly over the coming months. Narnia searches for the hyena

Does community involvement in conservation provide an alternative

to fortress conservation? here

The Daily Pride Alan brings Triple C to Mkoba…!

Community gardens

Through ACT we support three gardens within Monde community in Victoria Falls designated to people

living with HIV and AIDS. Garden users are allocated a piece of land in which to grow crops. We assist in the preparation of the land and help with the planting of seeds, providing seedlings and chemicals for insects. However the water wells are located some 2km away and water is carried by hand in buckets. We’ve installed a pipeline from one of the wells to a reservoir built next to the crops helping to ensure better growth.

Antelope Park’s Penya and Paza, made their first “big” kill on the

23rd July’s morning walk. Following a hunt on giraffe, Penya spotted something else of interest in some bushes nearby… before the rest of the walk had a chance to find out what, the distress calls of a wildebeest were heard. Walking mate Paza arrived to find Penya already with a firm grip around a sub-adult wildebeest’s neck, but it was Paza who - after a lengthy battle between hunter and hunted - eventually dispatched the wildebeest.

The 4Cs were also showing off their hunting prowess last

month making their first kill since returning to the Park for encounters. Within minutes of the encounter starting, Chobe and Chete were stalking, and it didn’t take long for the boys to cotton on. As 30 wildebeest broke into a blind panic, Chobe zeroed in on one adult female wildebeest. As she and Chete struggled to control the powerful animal, Chundu rushed into assist and helped them finish the job. With the task completed all within three minutes of leaving their enclosure for the evening – the four set down to well-deserved feast.

Trees for Zambia

Zambia has the second highest deforestation rate in the world, primarily due to woodland conversion to agriculture and harvesting for charcoal production.

In July our partners Lion Encounter Zambia entered a partnership with Greenpop, a Cape Town-based social enterprise dedicated to greening under-greened areas and combatting deforestation in Southern Africa. Greenpop plants trees on behalf of companies, groups, travellers and individuals wanting to invest in a greener future and improve the lives of communities in under-greened areas. On top of planting trees, they strive to make eco-consciousness accessible, fun and popular so that a green movement is inspired.

In July 2012, Greenpop launched an exciting reforestation and conservation education programme in Livingstone, planting just over 4,000 trees in the area in just three weeks. During the three-week Livingstone-based project Lion Encounter hosted a tree planting day within a deforested area of the Dambwa Forest, approximately 800m from the Dambwa Release Site. The Greenpop and Lion Encounter teams joined forces to plant 883 indigenous trees in a single day which the Lion Encounter team will continue to care for.

Alan McNicoll explains why he’s back to help The Midlands Boys’ Orphanage

“One Saturday morning in May 2011, I visited an orphanage in Mkoba. The Midlands Boys Orphanage had lost their support and was in desperate need of assistance. Determined to help, I went home to Scotland and raised funds. Thanks to the Dundee Church of Christ, Just Do It Theatre Group and Helen Court, another previous volunteer, as well as several other donors we raised US $3,000, enough funds to make a difference to the lives of these kids. I had some ideas of what I wanted to do, but wanted to discuss these with Question, the founder of this orphanage.

June 10th 2012, I returned to Antelope Park, had a discussion with Question to find out the needs and made my plan. As well as providing some essentials I wanted to give them "fishing rods instead of a fish", so to speak. Something that would help them provide their own income. We purchased a new large chest freezer as well as a new cooker.

The “fishing rods” were to be chickens, Cobra floor polish and candle making supplies. The day old chickens that we purchased would be reared as broilers and sold. We needed to provide food as well as vaccinations for all the birds and so Question, a Norwegian volunteer called Morton and I picked up 100 tiny day old chicks from the supplier in town and paid for another 100 to arrive in two weeks. I also bought a good generator for them as the electricity cuts out frequently. We purchased all the materials for candle making. The locals in Mkoba have to travel to town for them and so they will be a good seller in this community. Cobra floor polish is also widely used. I chose the name for their new fledgling business TRIPLE C. (Chicken, Cobra Polish & Candles).

The kitchen and prep areas needed a good coat of paint and so Cody, Sarah and I spent a morning painting. On my last Friday I went into town and bought kitchen utensils and many other small things that were much needed.

My last Saturday and it was party time at the orphanage. I got there early so I could help prepare. The kids had a super time. Roast chicken, sausages, rice and tomato and cakes and ice cream cones all served by the seven volunteers who came. There was dancing to the music blaring out from the speakers. I had bought balloons to decorate the place. They had a great time with the volunteers.

It was sad to leave them as this is the last time I will see them this year. I will be back next year though and will keep in touch with them. I hope that TRIPLE C will prosper and produce some good money to help fund the work of the orphanage, at least to cover the basics.

Bringing water to Zambezi National Park

The Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe is divided into two areas; north and south of the Kazungula Road. The area to the north has sufficient natural water supply from the Zambezi River and a spring line, however the southern section is dry with no natural water points. The consequent concentration of animal species in the north during the dry season exerts ecological pressure as well as focussing tourist vehicles, putting strain on the Park’s road system and accelerating soil erosion. The justification by the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) for creating an artificial water source for conservation related reasons are:

1. The provision of water to small mammals with limited home ranges which have to move during the dry season as they cannot feed in this Southern area with no local water.

2. If water is supplied in the Southern section more tourists will do their game drives here thereby relieving the Northern section of pressure.

3. The water point will attract bigger mammals thus spreading habitat use more evenly across the Park. This is a World Heritage Convention requirement where mega herbivore populations should be spread evenly across the Park in order to spread their impact of use.

4. The Northern section of the Park is situated close to human settlements and as such poaching and wildlife / human conflict pressure is severe, particularly during the dry season when game is concentrated in this area due to the lack of water in the Southern ranges. A more even spread of game within the Park could alleviate poaching and conflict levels.

Cont’d…

ALERT, through our CCWA division has formed a partnership with ZPWMA and Lion Encounter to renovate a waterhole at Chamabondo Borehole 3 within the Zambezi National Park, including the installation of a pump. Such action will ensure adequate water supply in the southern ranges of the Park during the dry season (March to November), alleviating ecological stress in the northern section of the Park, the current source of water for most animals.

At the moment the pump has been installed and the pan is filling - it will eventually burst over the border and flood the natural pan around it, hiding the man-made pan to create a natural look to the area

Some antelope and elephant have already been seen using the new waterhole.

To enhance the tourist facilities and encourage visitors to the Park to explore more than just the more popular northern sections, the existing dilapidated viewing platform will be renovated to ensure that it is safe for visitors. The platform directly overlooks the site of the waterhole and will provide excellent game viewing opportunities.

Game counts using road transect surveys will be conducted in both the northern and southern ranges of the Park to assess the impact on game movement. Data collected will be provided to the Park’s ecologist for comparison against historical data collected on game movement held since the 1970s

The 30th July was not a day for the feint-hearted as ex-volunteer Mickey Channings and former Livingstone Animal Management intern Helen Garbett abseiled the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in aid of ALERT.

Mickey said: “Helen and I both enjoyed our day, despite the weather not being the best… and my little crisis just after we started! They decided to send us down together, but I ended up having to go down next to the lift shaft - which was a bit disconcerting when the wind blew! Then my right glove got caught up in the rope pulley section which meant I had to take it off and try to feed it through where it was stuck! I didn’t feel unsafe, and mange to eventually release myself calmly, but it meant I did the abseil with no glove which was a bit painful. Nevertheless, I still really enjoyed it, and the views were spectacular – I even managed to look down! We were supported by family and friends – which was much appreciated.”

You can continue to support Mickey and Helen’s fundraising efforts at:

www.justgiving.com/Michaela-Channings and www.justgiving.com/Helen-Garbett

Having been released into Dambwa at less than three-and-a half years old – and turning four over July, Zulu (and his pride) is only just reaching maturity. With adulthood comes new responsibilities, and with this, the introduction of a new repertoire of behaviours. Over the last few months we’ve seen an increase in the frequency with which Zulu is scent marking; a form of advertisement of his ownership of the territory. There’s also been a notable increase in the occurrence of a display called Flehman, whereby the lion grimaces so that a scent can pass over an olfactory organ in the roof of the mouth; this is often performed by males to assess reproductive status in females. Before Zulu can do anything about that, he needs the females to be receptive and in oestrus.

On the 26th we found the pride scattered around waterpan 3. Not long after our arrival Loma began to call softly. Standing, Zulu went over to her and appeared to begin to mount her. No mating occurred and Loma wriggled out from under him before rubbing up against him with tail aloft and moving five metres. Zulu sniffed the spot where she had been resting and grimaced, passing scent over the Jacobson’s organ. Showing no further interest in her, and with Loma neither displaying any signs of oestrus or interest in Zulu, we can only assume he mis-read the signals.

By the 27th the pride had relocated to the East to Tsavo. We first caught sight of Zulu, at first glance alone. But shortly after, Rusha came marching round a clump of trees and beelined in for a greeting. Normally, Zulu and Rusha are thick as thieves, but this morning Zulu appeared to have other things on his mind and slapped Rusha to the ground. As the pride’s largest female, she’s used to getting her own way. But as Zulu stood over her and puffed out his chest, she submitted instantly rolling on her back.

Early on the 3rd August, the pride was back at pan 3, but not for long. Kela and Kwandi seemed distracted by something and sitting with ears pricked and eyes scanning, they soon led the pride off to investigate. Coming to rest again at pan 2, Kwandi eventually picked up on something of interest in the Acacia boundary. Re-starting the move North, one by the pride followed. Kela is often the last lion to move, so as everyone else filed past she remained rooted to the spot until Zulu moved up to her and was about to greet her. Changing his mind at the last moment he sort of half mounted her. Again, as with Loma the previous week there was no mating, but Kela certainly seemed happy with the attention as she greeted him before walking off to join the move, flicking her tail in the air repeatedly as she went.

ALERT through its Conservation Centre for Wild Africa (CCWA) division is seeking funding for equipment to enhance the effectiveness of this collaborative study between the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), affected communities, Lion Encounter Zambia and ALERT.

Based in Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park the program focusses on elephant population monitoring. It aims to:

i) Monitor elephant populations within and around the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park that will facilitate improved management plans to be implemented to conserve the species.

ii) Understand better modalities and causes of conflicts between communities and elephants seek ways to mitigate such conflict.

iii) Promote the importance of elephant presence to stakeholders with particular respect to ecological function and tourism generating potential.

iv) Capacity building to increase the effectiveness of the Park’s staff to manage elephant populations.

Current challenges faced in achieving the project’s aims include a lack of technical equipment to improve efficiency, the impact of the project and quality of data collected as well as insufficient funds to cover basic expenses. The project findings are disseminated via a variety of means, including progress reports to all stakeholders to evaluate and review progress.

We are looking for funding to establish a dedicated program that will then be sustained through an on-going commercial program by inviting paying volunteers to assist in data collection. Download a full information pack here

ALERT would like to thank the following individuals and organisations who have contributed financially or in-kind, or who have encouraged others to support our programs over this past month:

Jackie Abell Siobhan Adeusi Roz Ainsworth Rachel Balasuriya Michaela Channings Mindy Cohan Miss K Cooper Sarah Crowther Darrell Desouza Karla Devine Sabine Diederichs Wilhelmina Drost Karen Everest Louise Fiennes Ali Fleming Helen Garbett Vicki Geddes Angie Gethin Yvonne Gordon Eric Grant Marian Hall Ben Healey Louise Homan-Lake Paul Ireland F Jamieson CF Karol Simone Karol Sarah King Elena Klipitch Susan Lawson Lisa Luscombe Lisa Macnaughton Steve Marshall Elizabeth McCahill Helen Miller Heather Millington David Liyasu Mohammed Neil Munroe Christine Naegeli Faye Newton Claire O’Neill Ms Richards DJ Riezebos

Tilda Petersson Issiah Sakhabuth Nikki Sherwood Anne Marie Skodje T Szpiro Carl Undery Margaret Undery Derek Watts Michael Watts Helen Wilderspin Tony Willison Stacey Wlodarek