‘United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on May 24 heard testimony about the immense scale of the illegal trade in wildlife products, amounting to up to $10 Billion annually. \r\n\r\nAt the U.S. Senate Hearing, testimony regarding the clear connection between global insecurity and a surging ivory and rhino horn trade was heard by Senator John Kerry. Witnesses included Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton (Founder, Save the Elephants), Mr. John Scanlon (Secretary-General of CITES), and Tom Cardamone (Managing Director, Global Financial Integrity).\r\n\r\nDr. Douglas-Hamilton testified that elephants are currently being killed at nearly the same rate as the 1980s, prior to the ivory ban.\r\n\r\nHe noted that since 2007, illegal ivory seizures in Kenya have risen 800 percent and that Chinese nationals are involved in 90 percent of ivory seizures at the country\’s airports.\r\n\r\nThe profits from this illicit trade help to fund insurgent groups, terrorists, and organized crime. \r\n\r\nWe\’ve gone from 13 rhino illegally killed in South Africa in 2007 to 448 illegally killed in 2011, and the numbers are up to 220 already this year, putting us on track for illegal killings up to 600.\r\n\r\nFull Article: U.S. Senate Hearing: Elephant Killings, Ivory Trade Undermining Global Security\r\n\r\n’,’U.S. Senate Examines Illegal Ivory Trade’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’u-s-senate-examines-illegal-ivory-trade’,”,’\nhttp://annamiticus.com/2012/05/25/us-senate-hearing-ivory-trade-undermining-global-security/’,’2012-12-26 23:25:34′,’2012-12-26 20:25:34′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=778′,0,’post’,”,0),(779,7,’2012-05-30 21:52:44′,’2012-05-30 18:52:44′,”,’Mary with Iris Hunt’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-iris-hunt-2′,”,”,’2012-05-30 21:52:44′,’2012-05-30 18:52:44′,”,778,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/elephant-mary-iris-hunt-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(6,7,’2012-04-19 11:09:49′,’2012-04-19 08:09:49′,’\r\n\r\nThe Story of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is as full of color, romance and memorable incident – both human and animal – as any of the classic Out of Africa sagas.\r\n\r\nYet it\’s never been told.\r\n\r\nOne day, perhaps. But in the meantime, the following outline covers some of the highlights of the founding and almost 50 years of development of this African heritage conservation project for the preservation of endangered wildlife in Kenya.\r\n\r\nAt the heart of the project is the ANIMAL ORPHANAGE, a privately owned and funded facility, unique in East Africa, for the care and rehabilitation of young, abandoned, sick or otherwise vulnerable animals and their eventual return to the wild.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt all began like this… Two young Americans met up in East Africa for the first time in 1964. They were in Kenya, their country of choice, for no good purpose other than to enjoy themselves. Do a Teddy Roosevelt – go off on wild adventurous safaris in the bush, hunting and fishing, and collecting themselves a bag of the fabled \”Big Game\” trophies.\r\n\r\nKenya was newly independent of British colonial rule and under the Republic\’s founding President, \”Mzee\” Jomo Kenyatta, they found the reborn \”Black African\” land both a warm and welcoming place – and of beauty beyond description.\r\n\r\nThey bonded closely over the course of their Safaris into the wildest parts of Kenya. But the thrill of hunting soon began to wane. What they came to realize was that the sheer pleasure and personal reward they received from the African \”bush\” experience were not from the destruction of wildlife but from feelings of wonder and exhilaration at its very existence in a timeless natural environment.\r\n\r\nFrom that point, they made a pact to do what they could to protect and preserve the animals.\r\n\r\nIt was at first a day-dream, but over time they began to talk more seriously about the possibility of owning a small private part of the wild, with no other agenda than to fulfil their commitment.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt would eventually happen. They found a stretch of pristine rangeland and so began what would be a lifetime\’s work of developing the first project of its kind in \”Black Africa\” – The Mount Kenya Game Ranch.\r\n\r\nThe two friends and partners in the enterprise were film actor William (Bill) Holden and TV personality, Don Hunt.\r\n\r\nThe Ranch In their search for the ideal location, they were joined by Julian McKeand, former professional hunter turned game warden, and Iris, a German-born art and Africa enthusiast who would later become Don\’s wife.\r\n\r\nThey eventually found their perfect site – 1,216 acres of rough marginal rangeland nestling in the foothills of Mount Kenya, surrounding the world-famous Mount Kenya Safari Club. Owners Jim and Betty-Ann Nicholsen were elderly and finally tiring of a hard life of subsistence on a small annual wheat crop and a few sheep they ran on the land. They were ready to sell.\r\n\r\nThe deal with the Nicholsens was duly done and the farm acquired. Dean Johnson, a well-known U.S. Attorney and Bill\’s close friend and mentor, joined the group to oversee the legalities.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTogether they agreed to Don\’s idea for the concept of their corporate logo, which symbolized the core purpose of the project that would remain the one constant over the ensuing decades of development and ever more diverse activities on the Ranch. It featured the elusive Bongo of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare forests – the rarest, most threatened and, some say, most beautiful of the African antelopes.\r\n\r\nFrom day one, for all the partners, Kenya would remain \”Timeless Africa\”. It would take up many hours of deep and meaningful musings around the campfire on safari, or, more soberly, at breakfast at the ranch, watching the snowy peaks of Mount Kenya gleaming in the early light.\r\n\r\nThe farm was all but devoid of wildlife. It bordered dense forest land and the Mount Kenya National Park, where traditionally, animals had been hunted for meat – but also, increasingly at the time, poached for illegal trade in horns and skins. The game warden and his staff did all they could to contain the onslaught of commercial poaching.\r\n\r\nIncreasing human settlement posed a further threat to wildlife and people alike. What were once traditional migratory routes for the game became \”conflict zones\” and the animals were seen as trespassers to be chased off or shot. The conflict has yet to be resolved.\r\n

The Work Begins

\r\nBill went back to Hollywood to make movies to provide much of the initial investment needed to begin development of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch towards its ultimate objective- the preservation of endangered wildlife and its regeneration, where indicated, through selective breeding programs.\r\n\r\nDon and the others stayed on to get the work started and, from the outset, he and Iris spent much time on safari, moving animals out of areas earmarked by the government for resettlement of the poor and landless.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBill joined the couple whenever he could, never losing his youthful enthusiasm for life in the wild- the wilder the better, including the always hazardous capture operations.\r\n\r\nJulian stayed behind to supervise development of the ranch infrastructure and to deal with the new African government authorities in Nairobi.\r\n\r\nPresident Jomo Kenyatta himself – the well-loved founding \”Father of the Nation\” -took an immediate and lasting interest in the project. He often directed Don and his crew to particular areas of human-wildlife conflict, seeking their help in the translocation of vulnerable animals. He took much pleasure in initiating a program to assist in the re-stocking of wildlife parks in other African countries, for which he was later inducted into The International Conservation Hall of Fame.\r\n\r\nSlowly the Ranch filled with rescued wild animals and, whenever a surplus of stock accumulated, some of the animals would be sent not only to African reserves, but also to established, carefully vetted zoological parks in the U.S.\r\n\r\nMany of these animals would form the nucleus of breeding herds, from which, in due course, viable family groups could be returned to their original habitats where the species had been depleted to the point of local extinction.\r\n

Iris\’s Menagerie

\r\nWhile Don occupied himself with the main operations, Iris found herself more and more required to take responsibility for the young, often sick and dying wildlife casualties of the pressure zones in Kenya and elsewhere on the continent.\r\n\r\nThese were \”orphans of the wild\” in need of a new home – of care and resuscitation in the safe environment of the Ranch.\r\n\r\nAs the menace of poaching grew, so the flow of motherless orphans onto the Ranch increased to the point that Iris\’s home and garden could no longer double as a refuge for wild baby animals. She then set herself the task of building a permanent facility from what had been Betty-Ann\’s old chicken coops.\r\n\r\nThe wildlife waifs – mostly guests, but also a few permanent residents – were thus provided with a new home and compound, which she named, formally, The Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIris then drew on the experience of game scouts, game wardens, vets, and others to refine the care program, which included training a staff of African keepers and developing \”survival diets\” for the most-at-risk infant orphans. One of her early supporters and advisers was the well-respected Kenyan National Park Warden Bill Woodley.\r\n\r\nNeighbors and visitors soon became used to seeing Iris with a baby elephant or giraffe or brood of baby cheetah in tow – or most memorably for some – a boisterous scamp of a young chimp in her arms.\r\n\r\nOften, wherever possible, the orphanage \”graduates,\” a never-ending stream of them, would be returned to their natural homes all across Africa.\r\n\r\nOne inflexible principle Iris has always applied in the running of her project is that none of the animals would ever be treated, assigned or consigned to anyone as pets. Her strong view has been that, no matter how endearing they become, they would all remain as nature intended – wild animals, free in particular of human anthropomorphic sentiment.\r\n\r\nIn any event, the process of rehabilitation and release is never easy. But it is the consistent aim of the Ranch and Orphanage – and the success rate among Iris\’s \”bush graduates\” clearly attests to the fact that she and her team are, as she puts it \”at least on the right track.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhereas the saving of a few orphans may not count in the overall picture of conservation, it plays a primary part in how much attention and respect we should pay to nature and the environment as a whole. Since Iris started the Animal Orphanage, she has invited more than 100,000 African students to visit and take part in its conservation programs. Neither the Mount Kenya Game Ranch nor the Animal Orphanage is a charity or trust. Nor does either one provide salaried employment for its owners or directors. The dedicated staff get paid, but no one else.\r\n\r\nVisitor tickets to the Orphanage have helped. But the receipts have never been nearly enough to meet the costs. The facility has been funded from the start through money earned not begged or otherwise solicited as donations.\r\n

A Memorial to Bill

\r\nThe sudden tragic death of Bill Holden in 1981 was a great shock for Don and Iris and an irreplaceable loss for the partnership. But the couple recommitted themselves to the project and continued to meet most of the cost over-runs from their own personal earnings and savings.\r\n\r\nThey joined with actress Stefanie Powers in contributing to the creation of a unique permanent memorial to their close friend through the fulfillment of his long-standing wish to draw the new generations of young Africans into the cause of preserving their own natural heritage. He\’d had in mind a structured program of encouragement, information and education and it was for this purpose that the William Holden Wildlife Education Center was conceived and developed.\r\n\r\nDon and Iris donated the land for the Education Center and the investment finance was provided by Stefanie and the legions of people who had valued what Bill Holden had given them, either personally or through his accomplished work.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe facility was duly constructed and, since 1982, the student intake from Kenyan Schools for its program of short courses has built up to a total of 7,000 a year.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSome time after the inception of the project, Stefanie joined the Mount Kenya Game Ranch Board of Directors. She has remained deeply involved in the Foundation, but also frequently works with Iris and the staff of the Orphanage, helping in whatever way she can.\r\n\r\nAlong with Iris, she has almost a religious conviction that all creatures have a right to a secure life on the planet and that humans, the dominant species at the top of the food chain, have a duty to ensure that African wildlife – not exclusively, but in particular – continues to share the earth\’s natural resources in its natural environment.\r\n

Future Plans

\r\nThe Mount Kenya Game Ranch/Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is now a recognized and significant link in the world-wide network of conservation organizations.\r\n\r\nThe most remarkable of the Conservancy\’s exotic stock are:\r\n

\r\n
• A breeding herd of the rare mountain bongo, now extinct on Mount Kenya, which forms part of a program to return the species to the wild.
\r\n
• A breeding herd of 30 very rare white zebra, offspring of the last of their kind, rescued from extinction many years ago in the arid northern Kenya range. these are now the only specimens of their kind left alive in Africa.
\r\n

\r\nIt is currently home to some 28 species – around 1500 animals – all of which are the progeny of the individuals and small family groups rescued from threatened wildlife range and forest areas under the direction of the Kenya Government in the seventies and eighties.\r\n\r\nKenya has come a long way in the field of conservation, with its various Tourism & Wildlife Services still maintaining the largest land area in Africa given over exclusively to wild flora and fauna.\r\n\r\nMount Kenya has been recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site and with a renewed commitment made by the new government of President Mwai Kibaki, it will almost certainly remain a primary world ttraction for the present and hopefully for future generations.\r\n\r\nAs always, the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy will make its contribution, not least with a main objective of restocking the forest parks with its own emblematic Bongo Antelope.’,’History of Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,’The Story of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is as full of color, romance and memorable incident – both human and animal – as any of the classic Out of Africa sagas.\r\n\r\nYet it\’s never been told.’,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’about-mount-kenya-wildlife-conservancy’,”,”,’2016-04-27 17:32:54′,’2016-04-27 14:32:54′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=6′,30,’page’,”,0),(10,7,’2012-04-19 11:27:16′,’2012-04-19 08:27:16′,’Conservation The Protection, preservation, and careful management of natural resources and of the environment. \r\n\r\nConservationist A person who advocates or strongly promotes preservation and careful management of resources and of the environment. \r\n\r\nFamous Conservationists Noah\r\n\r\n

\r\n
• Noah
\r\n
• John James Audubon
\r\n
• Theodore Roosevelt
\r\n
• Bernhard Grzimek
\r\n
• George Adamson
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• Jane Goodall
\r\n
• We at the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy
\r\n
• And Potentially YOU!
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\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe host in excess of 7,000 Kenyan children and their teachers at the Orphanage every year. Our aim is to ignite a spark in the minds of the children through their first encounter with wild animals, hoping that it may later fan into a guiding light in their lives. \r\n\r\nIn that way, we feel the Orphanage at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is contributing significantly to the fostering of a new African generation of Conservationists. \r\n\r\nOur very special thanks go out to those countless individuals who also contribute to the cause of conservation worldwide. If you, yourself, are not actively involved already, there are of course, many ways you can become so. \r\n\r\nOne of these is to associate formally, either corporately or individually, with the work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Here\’s how you can give a gift of real, lasting value to your loved ones, associates, clients or Even to yourself: ‘,’Conservation’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’conservation’,”,”,’2012-05-31 00:24:21′,’2012-05-30 21:24:21′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=10′,40,’page’,”,0),(12,7,’2012-04-19 11:30:10′,’2012-04-19 08:30:10′,”,’Mary the Elephant and Don Hunt’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’don-mary’,”,”,’2012-04-19 11:30:10′,’2012-04-19 08:30:10′,”,6,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/don-mary.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(13,7,’2012-04-19 11:34:49′,’2012-04-19 08:34:49′,”,’Speedy the Tortoise at Animal Orphanage’,’Lessons at the Conservancy\’s animal Orphanage’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’tortoise’,”,”,’2012-04-19 11:34:49′,’2012-04-19 08:34:49′,”,10,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tortoise.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(14,7,’2012-04-19 11:38:16′,’2012-04-19 08:38:16′,’D. Bunge, Wildlife Manager, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy:\r\n\r\nAs a young Kenyan boy growing up on the slopes of Mount Elgon National park, I wanted to work with wildlife. \r\n\r\nAs a university student at Moi University studying Wildlife Management, I looked forward to a career in Wildlife Conservation.\r\n\r\nFor me, the Mountain Bongo Repatriation and the other Conservancy Projects are a dream come true. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGame Ranch Lifestyles: \r\n\r\nA Paradise Found \r\n\r\nAdjacent to the Mount Kenya Game Ranch lies a unique and spectacular enclave of exclusive residences. \r\n\r\nA very private estate nestled into the foothills of Mount Kenya boasts panoramic views across the mighty forests of the Mount Kenya National Park to the majestic snow covered peaks of \”Kerinyaga,\” God\’s Mountain. \r\n\r\nWe have called this stunning estate Mawingu, Kiswahili for Clouds. \r\n\r\nA privileged few residents call it home \r\n\r\nUnlike \”theme park re-creation\” this un-spoilt paradise reflects the true adventure of life in Africa…. \r\n\r\nThe founders of William Holden\’s famous African ranch have all built homes here. \r\n\r\nSadly our friend and co-founder Bill Holden passed away before he could realize his own dream home in the clouds. \r\n\r\nBut not before he and his partners stocked their ranch with more than a thousand endangered wild animals of 26 species. \r\n\r\nRare Pygmy Hippos \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey built hidden fences, planted hundreds of trees, spectacular flowers and planned exclusive residences for a few of their affluent friends seeking a piece of paradise. \r\n\r\nStefanie Powers keeps her polo ponies here \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat was in the 1970\’s \r\n\r\nIt was not until 1985 that the \”Mawingu\” estate became a reality and the first residence was built for our friend, famous Hollywood producer Robert Halmi. \r\n\r\nBob Halmi spent every moment he could at his home in the clouds, often commuting from New York, he would bring along his famous friends from the world of film and stage. \r\n\r\nSoon Stefanie Powers built her own impressive home. Many famous friends followed, from the U.S., from England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Australia etc. making for a truly international little community. \r\n\r\nToday Mawingu is a small international community of people that have fallen in love with Africa. They enjoy the luxury of their own homes while here and as a base for Safari with adventure on their doorstep. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt is an ideal high altitude clear air climate, temperatures vary only slightly with highs between 75 and 80 all year round. \r\n\r\nGame Ranch resident Julian McKeand \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLazy Days Around the Pool \r\n\r\nSoaking up sun can be enjoyed most of the year but for the more energetic there\’re plenty of activities and relaxing diversions on offer: \r\n

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• Tennis at the Club
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• Golf next door
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• Lawn bowling
\r\n
• Horse Safaris
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• Polo
\r\n
• Mountaineering
\r\n
• Hiking
\r\n
• Fly fishing for trout in the clear mountain streams
\r\n
• Sport flying and gliding
\r\n
• Helicopter Safaris
\r\n
• There is adequate rainfall to delight the gardening enthusiast
\r\n
• …and so much more
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\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are no pests and the only wildlife around here is that of the more enjoyable kind: Antelopes, Zebras, Monkeys, Gazelles, even Buffalos and of course plenty of Leopard and Elephant in the surrounding forest. There are no snakes to speak of (they prefer the hotter climes and lower altitudes) and no bugs or mosquitoes. \r\n\r\nImagine: No one needs screens on their doors and windows. \r\n\r\nNights are always cool and log fires guarantee a cozy atmosphere. Kenya can really offer all 4 seasons at once. \r\n\r\nFor the photographers and artists amongst us, the whole of Africa with her unique light, flora and fauna beckons right on our doorstep. \r\n\r\nWatching the full moon cast a spell over the mountain has become a cocktail ritual we enjoy with fascination, over and over again. But with modern technology now available there is of course Satellite TV, the might of the Internet, and all other gadgets available to those that enjoy them. \r\n\r\nOur only neighbor is the famous Mount Kenya Safari Club, another William Holden creation. It\’s our local where things often get lively at night. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRecently \’the Club\’ has changed hands and is now managed by the experts from Fairmont Hotels, an international company specializing in the management of 6 star resorts. \r\n\r\nA major $15,000,000.00 renovation is under way. The theme and goal is not to change but to bring back the Club to its former glory, recapture the atmosphere of luxury and adventure, but with all the modern state of the art conveniences at close hand. \r\n\r\nThis will of course include a spa, a beauty parlor and opportunities to shop. The adjacent Mount Kenya Art Gallery is a treasure trove. \r\n\r\nPhilippe Cauviere, Manager of the Safari Club delights in helping to plan our private parties in our own homes, or banquets at the Club. He\’ll do up a romantic picnic basket for two with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail as your 50th birthday party for 200 guests. \r\n\r\nThe Club has several bars, casual and gourmet dining, conference facilities, a business center and most importantly a friendly concierge who will efficiently take care of all your heart\’s desires. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur closest little town where we get all our supplies is Nanyuki a mere 6 miles down the hill. Nanyuki has grocery stores, butcheries, and banks; postal, Internet and courier services; hardware stores and garages; a well equipped private hospital, and even an airfield with regular scheduled flights taking only 35 minutes travel time to Kenya\’s capital city of Nairobi. \r\n\r\nMost houses are staffed locally, there is no shortage of loyal well trained live-in housekeepers, cooks and gardeners to look after the flowers and grow your own organic vegetables. The Ranch itself is fenced and has excellent security. \r\n\r\nFor travel some of Mawingu\’s residents prefer to charter their own aircraft and some use the Game Ranch airfield for convenience. The Bettarellos boast that they have dinner at their home in Milano and breakfast on their terrace overlooking Mount Kenya…. \r\n\r\nAround the holidays things in our neck of the woods get lively. Most residences are owner occupied and there is usually plenty of young folk around. \r\n\r\n\r\nDaily visits to the Animal Orphanage become a favorite with children and animal lovers alike. Here they help the keepers feed the baby animals and provide love and companionship to our temporary charges. \r\n\r\nWith all the choices of Safaris in the immediate area and the unique beaches of the azure blue Indian Ocean at close reach, everyone\’s family wants to visit this little paradise whenever they can. \r\n\r\nImagine yourself in the warm African sunshine, recharging your batteries in the perfect peace and harmony of a timeless natural environment. \r\n\r\nLater after a stunning sunset many hours of meaningful musings spent around a warming fire… or more soberly at breakfast watching the snowy peaks of Mount Kenya gleaming in the early light of another perfect day in Africa. ‘,’Mt. Kenya Game Ranch’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’mt-kenya-game-ranch’,”,”,’2012-04-22 08:37:44′,’2012-04-22 05:37:44′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=14′,99,’page’,”,0),(16,7,’2012-04-19 11:45:43′,’2012-04-19 08:45:43′,”,’Mawingu at the Mt. Kenya Game Ranch’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mawingu-1′,”,”,’2012-04-19 11:45:43′,’2012-04-19 08:45:43′,”,14,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mawingu-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(17,7,’2012-04-19 11:48:46′,’2012-04-19 08:48:46′,’\r\n\r\n\r\nIn 2004 American Zoological Institutions joined hands with the Bongo Species Survival Plan in returning 18 of their Zoo bred bongo with Kenyan ancestry to the soil of their origin.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEleven baby bongo have since been born to that herd kept in the safety of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\nIn May we welcomed the first of the \’second generation\’ born to the repatriated American \”grandmothers\” as a part of the Conservancy\’s bongo rehabilitation to Mount Kenya program.\r\n\r\nSome of the births this year were sired by our magnificent Conservancy bred bull \”NOAH.\”\r\n\r\nAll our young bongo are raised with as little human interference as possible. The Conservancy has a team of trained and dedicated staff that keep a watchful eye as these new mothers are encouraged to raise their young in a relative natural environment.\r\n\r\nThey make sure that plenty of fresh browse is available for the animals as well as fresh water, minerals and other veterinary requirements are met when necessary.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile a small group of mature bongo have entered an advanced stage towards rehabilitation. They are kept in a forest wilderness area where they encounter other wild animals. A natural stream provides fresh mountain water and the vegetation is the same as they will find after their eventual release. We make contact with humans rare and unpleasant so as to rekindle their instinctive fear of man needed for survival in the wild.\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy\’s Bongo Rehabilitation program was named amongst the three most important wildlife projects worldwide in 2006 (by AZA)\r\n\r\nWe are grateful to all our supporters the world over without whom this project could not progress. The success of this program is directly dependent on your sponsorship.’,’Wildlife Rehabilitation’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’wildlife-rehabilitation’,”,”,’2013-01-04 20:55:33′,’2013-01-04 17:55:33′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=17′,20,’page’,”,0),(18,7,’2012-04-19 12:01:33′,’2012-04-19 09:01:33′,”,’Bongo Family at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-family’,”,”,’2012-04-19 12:01:33′,’2012-04-19 09:01:33′,”,17,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo-family.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2860,7,’2013-01-04 03:14:31′,’2013-01-04 00:14:31′,”,’Students at Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’students-mount-kenya-wildlfe-conservancy-105′,”,”,’2013-01-04 03:14:31′,’2013-01-04 00:14:31′,”,6,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/students-mount-kenya-wildlfe-conservancy-105.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(21,2,’2007-08-04 22:08:12′,’2007-08-04 19:08:12′,’Here is a painting by Denis Murphy of one of my cousins.’,’Painting of Cheetah by Wildlife Artist Denis Murphy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’painting-of-cheetah-by-wildlife-artist-denis-murphy’,”,”,’2007-08-04 22:08:12′,’2007-08-04 19:08:12′,”,492,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/denis_murphy_spotted_sphinx_cheetah1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(22,7,’2007-08-08 21:42:17′,’2007-08-08 18:42:17′,”,’Bat Eared Fox watching Television’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bat-eared-fox-watching-television’,”,”,’2007-08-08 21:42:17′,’2007-08-08 18:42:17′,”,517,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/fox_television.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(23,7,’2007-08-08 21:59:34′,’2007-08-08 18:59:34′,”,’Fox watching lions on Television’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’fox-watching-lions-on-television’,”,”,’2007-08-08 21:59:34′,’2007-08-08 18:59:34′,”,517,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/fox_television_lions.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2858,7,’2013-01-04 03:27:30′,’2013-01-04 00:27:30′,’‘,’Children pix’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,’password’,’children-pix’,”,”,’2013-11-08 23:01:44′,’2013-11-08 20:01:44′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=2858′,0,’post’,”,0),(27,7,’2007-08-19 22:17:03′,’2007-08-19 19:17:03′,’Our two rhinos at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.’,’Our Mt. Kenya Conservancy Rhinos’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’our-mt-conservancy-rhinos’,”,”,’2007-08-19 22:17:03′,’2007-08-19 19:17:03′,”,25,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/kenya_rhinos.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(28,7,’2007-08-19 22:20:50′,’2007-08-19 19:20:50′,”,’Our Mt. Conservancy Rhinos’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’our-mt-conservancy-rhinos-2′,”,”,’2007-08-19 22:20:50′,’2007-08-19 19:20:50′,”,25,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/kenya_rhinos_2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(37,7,’2007-09-19 21:13:29′,’2007-09-19 18:13:29′,”,’Knut the Polar Bear’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’knut-the-polar-bear’,”,”,’2007-09-19 21:13:29′,’2007-09-19 18:13:29′,”,36,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/polar_bear_berlin.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(38,7,’2007-09-19 21:20:47′,’2007-09-19 18:20:47′,”,’Knutmania at Vanity Fair’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’knutmania-at-vanity-fair’,”,”,’2007-09-19 21:20:47′,’2007-09-19 18:20:47′,”,36,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/knut_polar_bear_cub_german_vanity_fair.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(40,7,’2007-10-26 07:44:46′,’2007-10-26 04:44:46′,”,’Grevy-Burchell cross’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-hybrid’,”,”,’2007-10-26 07:44:46′,’2007-10-26 04:44:46′,”,39,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/zebra_burchell_grevy.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(41,7,’2007-10-27 21:10:48′,’2007-10-27 18:10:48′,”,’Big Mama Rhino’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’big-mama-rhino’,”,”,’2007-10-27 21:10:48′,’2007-10-27 18:10:48′,”,42,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/rhinocerous_big_mama_10-07.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(43,7,’2007-10-27 21:12:22′,’2007-10-27 18:12:22′,”,’Ron Surratt implants transmitter’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’ron-surratt-implants-transmitter’,”,”,’2007-10-27 21:12:22′,’2007-10-27 18:12:22′,”,42,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/bongo_transmitter.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(44,2,’2007-11-16 23:45:55′,’2007-11-16 20:45:55′,’Churchill Manitoba’,’churchill_manitoba.jpg’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’churchill_manitobajpg’,”,”,’2007-11-16 23:45:55′,’2007-11-16 20:45:55′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/churchill_manitoba.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(45,2,’2007-11-16 23:46:26′,’2007-11-16 20:46:26′,’Polar Bear / Dog’,’polar_bear_dog.jpg’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’polar_bear_dogjpg’,”,”,’2007-11-16 23:46:26′,’2007-11-16 20:46:26′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/polar_bear_dog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(46,2,’2007-11-16 23:46:52′,’2007-11-16 20:46:52′,”,’Polar Bear Hug’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’polar-bear-hug’,”,”,’2007-11-16 23:46:52′,’2007-11-16 20:46:52′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/polar_bear_dog_hug.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(48,2,’2007-11-25 00:37:36′,’2007-11-24 21:37:36′,’Give One / Get One – Laptops for third-world children’,’Laptops’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’laptops’,”,”,’2007-11-25 00:37:36′,’2007-11-24 21:37:36′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/give-one-get-one-laptop.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(50,7,’2007-12-23 06:36:28′,’2007-12-23 03:36:28′,”,’Xmas’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’xmas’,”,”,’2007-12-23 06:36:28′,’2007-12-23 03:36:28′,”,49,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/mount_kenya_christmas.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(52,7,’2008-01-01 23:01:27′,’2008-01-01 20:01:27′,”,’Brandy the Caracal Cat in a bathtub’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’brandy-the-caracal-cat-in-a-bathtub’,”,”,’2008-01-01 23:01:27′,’2008-01-01 20:01:27′,”,51,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/caracal_lynx_bathtub.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(53,7,’2008-01-01 23:05:03′,’2008-01-01 20:05:03′,”,’Hyrax baby tower’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-baby-tower’,”,”,’2008-01-01 23:05:03′,’2008-01-01 20:05:03′,”,51,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/hyrax_baby_tower.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(54,7,’2008-01-01 23:12:45′,’2008-01-01 20:12:45′,”,’Duiker baby’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’duiker-baby’,”,”,’2008-01-01 23:12:45′,’2008-01-01 20:12:45′,”,51,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/duiker_baby.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(55,7,’2008-01-01 23:29:25′,’2008-01-01 20:29:25′,”,’Laughing Hippos’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’laughing-hippos’,”,”,’2008-01-01 23:29:25′,’2008-01-01 20:29:25′,”,51,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/laughing_hippos_kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(56,7,’2008-01-03 10:41:17′,’2008-01-03 07:41:17′,”,’Warthog Chucky dribbling milk’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’warthog-chucky-dribbling-milk’,”,”,’2008-01-03 10:41:17′,’2008-01-03 07:41:17′,”,51,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/warthog_chucky_milk.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(58,7,’2008-01-04 09:43:15′,’2008-01-04 06:43:15′,”,’Kenya Flag’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-flag’,”,”,’2008-01-04 09:43:15′,’2008-01-04 06:43:15′,”,57,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/kenya_flag.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(60,7,’2008-01-13 21:49:36′,’2008-01-13 18:49:36′,”,’Bongo Hamsini’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-hamsini’,”,”,’2008-01-13 21:49:36′,’2008-01-13 18:49:36′,”,59,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/bongo_kenya_hamsini.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(62,7,’2008-01-22 18:32:13′,’2008-01-22 15:32:13′,”,’Moon in January’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’moon-in-january’,”,”,’2008-01-22 18:32:13′,’2008-01-22 15:32:13′,”,61,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/moon_january.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(63,7,’2008-01-22 18:32:38′,’2008-01-22 15:32:38′,”,’Sunrise in January’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’sunrise-in-january’,”,”,’2008-01-22 18:32:38′,’2008-01-22 15:32:38′,”,61,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/sunrise_january.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(66,7,’2008-01-30 21:39:12′,’2008-01-30 18:39:12′,”,’Wasiwasi and newborn son’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’wasiwasi-and-newborn-son’,”,”,’2008-01-30 21:39:12′,’2008-01-30 18:39:12′,”,65,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/wasiwasi_and_son.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(68,2,’2008-02-11 09:05:45′,’2008-02-11 06:05:45′,”,’Lion in the Mara’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mara-liongif’,”,”,’2008-02-11 09:05:45′,’2008-02-11 06:05:45′,”,67,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/mara-lion.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(70,7,’2008-03-01 16:33:40′,’2008-03-01 13:33:40′,”,’the-lion-and-the-lamb.doc’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’the-lion-and-the-lambdoc’,”,”,’2008-03-01 16:33:40′,’2008-03-01 13:33:40′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/the-lion-and-the-lamb.doc’,0,’attachment’,’application/msword’,0),(72,7,’2008-03-01 16:53:55′,’2008-03-01 13:53:55′,”,’Speedy Kofi’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’speedy-kofi’,”,”,’2008-03-01 16:53:55′,’2008-03-01 13:53:55′,”,71,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/speedy-kofi.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(73,7,’2008-03-01 17:05:35′,’2008-03-01 14:05:35′,”,’Speedy Kofi sharing’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’speedy-kofi-sharing’,”,”,’2008-03-01 17:05:35′,’2008-03-01 14:05:35′,”,71,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/speedy-kofi-sharing.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(74,7,’2008-03-01 17:22:53′,’2008-03-01 14:22:53′,”,’Speedy Kofi’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’speedy-kofi-2′,”,”,’2008-03-01 17:22:53′,’2008-03-01 14:22:53′,”,71,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/speedy-kofi1.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(75,7,’2008-03-01 17:41:24′,’2008-03-01 14:41:24′,”,’Kenya crisis breakthrough’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-crisis-breakthrough’,”,”,’2008-03-01 17:41:24′,’2008-03-01 14:41:24′,”,71,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/breakthrough.gif’,0,’attachment’,’image/gif’,0),(76,2,’2008-05-03 19:13:35′,’2008-05-03 16:13:35′,”,’Martial Eagle’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’martial-eagle’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:13:35′,’2008-05-03 16:13:35′,”,77,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/martial_eagle.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(78,2,’2008-05-03 19:20:37′,’2008-05-03 16:20:37′,”,’Chucky the Warthog with Fundi’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chucky-the-warthog-with-fundi’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:20:37′,’2008-05-03 16:20:37′,”,77,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chucky_warthog_fundi.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(79,2,’2008-05-03 19:27:05′,’2008-05-03 16:27:05′,”,’Chuck Warthog’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chuck-warthog’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:27:05′,’2008-05-03 16:27:05′,”,77,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/teaching_chucky_warthog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(82,2,’2008-05-03 19:29:29′,’2008-05-03 16:29:29′,”,’Chucky the Warthog’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chucky-the-warthog-3′,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:29:29′,’2008-05-03 16:29:29′,”,77,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/chucky_warthog_meets_friends.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(83,2,’2008-05-03 19:42:34′,’2008-05-03 16:42:34′,”,’Miss Piggy meets Chucky Warthog’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’miss-piggy-meets-chucky-warthog’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:42:34′,’2008-05-03 16:42:34′,”,84,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/miss_piggy_chucky_warthog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(86,2,’2008-05-04 22:37:58′,’2008-05-04 19:37:58′,”,’Baby Bongo Antelope’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’baby-bongo-antelope’,”,”,’2008-05-04 22:37:58′,’2008-05-04 19:37:58′,”,85,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/baby_bongos_2008.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(88,2,’2008-05-04 22:56:02′,’2008-05-04 19:56:02′,”,’Zebra Baby’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-baby’,”,”,’2008-05-04 22:56:02′,’2008-05-04 19:56:02′,”,87,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/zebra_baby_1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(89,2,’2008-05-04 22:57:37′,’2008-05-04 19:57:37′,”,’Zebra, Buffalo, and Warthog at the Conservancy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-buffalo-and-warthog-at-the-conservancy’,”,”,’2008-05-04 22:57:37′,’2008-05-04 19:57:37′,”,87,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/zebra_buffalo_warthog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(90,2,’2008-05-04 22:58:42′,’2008-05-04 19:58:42′,”,’Zebra with Children’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-with-children’,”,”,’2008-05-04 22:58:42′,’2008-05-04 19:58:42′,”,87,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/zebra_children.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(91,2,’2008-05-04 22:59:14′,’2008-05-04 19:59:14′,”,’Zebra with Warthog’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-with-warthog’,”,”,’2008-05-04 22:59:14′,’2008-05-04 19:59:14′,”,87,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/zebra_baby_warthog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(92,2,’2008-06-06 23:42:54′,’2008-06-06 20:42:54′,”,’Bongo Antelope stripes’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-stripes’,”,”,’2008-06-06 23:42:54′,’2008-06-06 20:42:54′,”,93,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bongo_23.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(94,2,’2008-06-06 23:43:23′,’2008-06-06 20:43:23′,”,’Bongo Antelope horns’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-horns’,”,”,’2008-06-06 23:43:23′,’2008-06-06 20:43:23′,”,93,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bongo_horns.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(95,2,’2008-06-06 23:44:14′,’2008-06-06 20:44:14′,”,’Bongo Antelope color’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-color’,”,”,’2008-06-06 23:44:14′,’2008-06-06 20:44:14′,”,93,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bongo_24.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(96,2,’2008-06-06 23:44:49′,’2008-06-06 20:44:49′,”,’Bongo Antelope size’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-size’,”,”,’2008-06-06 23:44:49′,’2008-06-06 20:44:49′,”,93,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/bongo_25.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(99,2,’2008-08-10 02:48:23′,’2008-08-09 23:48:23′,”,’William Holden with Don Hunt’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’william-holden-with-don-hunt’,”,”,’2008-08-10 02:48:23′,’2008-08-09 23:48:23′,”,98,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/wildlife_conservancy_10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(101,2,’2008-08-13 03:07:43′,’2008-08-13 00:07:43′,”,’Barack Obama’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’barack-obama’,”,”,’2008-08-13 03:07:43′,’2008-08-13 00:07:43′,”,100,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/barack_obama.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(103,7,’2008-08-31 04:57:32′,’2008-08-31 01:57:32′,”,’Big Mama Rhino’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’big-mama-rhino-2′,”,”,’2008-08-31 04:57:32′,’2008-08-31 01:57:32′,”,102,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/rhinocerous_big_mama_10-07.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(108,7,’2009-01-15 22:02:46′,’2009-01-15 19:02:46′,”,’Newborn bongo Malia’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-malia’,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:02:46′,’2009-01-15 19:02:46′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-malia-3.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(109,7,’2009-01-15 22:03:18′,’2009-01-15 19:03:18′,”,’Newborn bongo Malia’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-malia-2′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:03:18′,’2009-01-15 19:03:18′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-malia-4.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(110,7,’2009-01-15 22:03:48′,’2009-01-15 19:03:48′,”,’Newborn bongo Malia’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-malia-3′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:03:48′,’2009-01-15 19:03:48′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-malia-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(112,7,’2009-01-15 22:07:18′,’2009-01-15 19:07:18′,”,’Newborn bongo Malia’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-malia-5′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:07:18′,’2009-01-15 19:07:18′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-malia-11.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(113,7,’2009-01-15 22:08:51′,’2009-01-15 19:08:51′,”,’Newborn bongo Sasha’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-sasha’,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:08:51′,’2009-01-15 19:08:51′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-sasha-3.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(114,7,’2009-01-15 22:09:21′,’2009-01-15 19:09:21′,”,’Newborn bongo Sasha’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-sasha-2′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:09:21′,’2009-01-15 19:09:21′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-sasha-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(115,7,’2009-01-15 22:10:04′,’2009-01-15 19:10:04′,”,’Newborn bongo Sasha’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-sasha-3′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:10:04′,’2009-01-15 19:10:04′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-sasha-5.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(116,7,’2009-01-15 22:10:29′,’2009-01-15 19:10:29′,”,’Newborn bongo Sasha’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo-sasha-4′,”,”,’2009-01-15 22:10:29′,’2009-01-15 19:10:29′,”,107,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bongo-sasha-4.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(120,7,’2009-03-15 12:26:03′,’2009-03-15 09:26:03′,”,’Sasha in the spotlight’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’sasha-in-the-spotlight’,”,”,’2009-03-15 12:26:03′,’2009-03-15 09:26:03′,”,119,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/sasha-in-the-spotlight.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(121,7,’2009-03-19 16:39:16′,’2009-03-19 13:39:16′,”,’It\’s a Wrap!’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’its-a-wrap’,”,”,’2009-03-19 16:39:16′,’2009-03-19 13:39:16′,”,119,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/its-a-wrap.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(122,7,’2009-03-19 19:17:04′,’2009-03-19 16:17:04′,”,’Streaks of Sunlight – or a Bongo?’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’streaks-of-sunlight-or-a-bongo’,”,”,’2009-03-19 19:17:04′,’2009-03-19 16:17:04′,”,119,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/streaks-of-sunlight-on-a-bongo.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(125,7,’2009-03-30 14:11:58′,’2009-03-30 11:11:58′,”,’Chilling even from afar’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chilling-even-from-afar’,”,”,’2009-03-30 14:11:58′,’2009-03-30 11:11:58′,”,124,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/march-24th-at-754pm.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(126,7,’2009-03-30 21:04:20′,’2009-03-30 18:04:20′,”,’Mount Kenya covered in smoke’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-covered-in-smoke’,”,”,’2009-03-30 21:04:20′,’2009-03-30 18:04:20′,”,124,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/march-24th-at-330pm.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(128,7,’2009-04-26 20:12:39′,’2009-04-26 17:12:39′,”,’Painted by Nature’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’painted-by-nature’,”,”,’2009-04-26 20:12:39′,’2009-04-26 17:12:39′,”,127,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/painted-by-nature-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(129,7,’2009-04-26 20:14:03′,’2009-04-26 17:14:03′,”,’Revival’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’revival’,”,”,’2009-04-26 20:14:03′,’2009-04-26 17:14:03′,”,127,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/revival-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(141,7,’2009-05-14 23:37:18′,’2009-05-14 20:37:18′,”,’Testing the Ground’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’testing-the-ground’,”,”,’2009-05-14 23:37:18′,’2009-05-14 20:37:18′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/testing-the-ground.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(142,7,’2009-05-15 00:21:29′,’2009-05-14 21:21:29′,”,’Freedom 1′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-1-2′,”,”,’2009-05-15 00:21:29′,’2009-05-14 21:21:29′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-1-ok.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(143,7,’2009-05-15 00:22:03′,’2009-05-14 21:22:03′,”,’Freedom 2′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-2-2′,”,”,’2009-05-15 00:22:03′,’2009-05-14 21:22:03′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-2-ok.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(144,7,’2009-05-15 00:22:37′,’2009-05-14 21:22:37′,”,’Freedom 3′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-3-2′,”,”,’2009-05-15 00:22:37′,’2009-05-14 21:22:37′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-3-ok.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(145,7,’2009-05-15 20:35:08′,’2009-05-15 17:35:08′,”,’Freedom 4′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-4′,”,”,’2009-05-15 20:35:08′,’2009-05-15 17:35:08′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-7.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(146,7,’2009-05-15 20:35:35′,’2009-05-15 17:35:35′,”,’Freedom 5′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-5′,”,”,’2009-05-15 20:35:35′,’2009-05-15 17:35:35′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-8.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(147,7,’2009-05-15 20:35:58′,’2009-05-15 17:35:58′,”,’Freedom 6′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’freedom-6′,”,”,’2009-05-15 20:35:58′,’2009-05-15 17:35:58′,”,130,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/freedom-9.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(193,7,’2009-10-05 19:41:11′,’2009-10-05 16:41:11′,”,’Dog adopts pig as its own’,’ Motherly love: Baby piglet feeds on its new surrogate mum’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’dog-adopts-pig’,”,”,’2009-10-05 19:41:11′,’2009-10-05 16:41:11′,”,192,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/dog-adopts-pig.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(194,7,’2009-10-05 19:48:11′,’2009-10-05 16:48:11′,”,’mother-dog-baby-pig’,’Nose place like home: The baby piglet nuzzles up to its new mum’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mother-dog-baby-pig’,”,”,’2009-10-05 19:48:11′,’2009-10-05 16:48:11′,”,192,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mother-dog-baby-pig.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(195,7,’2009-10-05 19:50:21′,’2009-10-05 16:50:21′,”,’pot-bellied-piglet’,’Feeding time: Piglet\’s new canine mother has no problem providing milk for the youngster’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’pot-bellied-piglet’,”,”,’2009-10-05 19:50:21′,’2009-10-05 16:50:21′,”,192,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/pot-bellied-piglet.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(196,7,’2009-10-05 19:51:59′,’2009-10-05 16:51:59′,”,’mother-of-the-year’,’Mum of the year? Quite possibly.’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mother-of-the-year’,”,”,’2009-10-05 19:51:59′,’2009-10-05 16:51:59′,”,192,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mother-of-the-year.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(242,7,’2009-10-17 18:57:04′,’2009-10-17 15:57:04′,”,’premature-baby-deer’,’A deer you can hold in your hand!’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’premature-baby-deer’,”,”,’2009-10-17 18:57:04′,’2009-10-17 15:57:04′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/premature-baby-deer.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(243,7,’2009-10-17 18:59:06′,’2009-10-17 15:59:06′,”,’preemie-baby-deer’,’Rupert weighs just over one pound’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’preemie-baby-deer’,”,”,’2009-10-17 18:59:06′,’2009-10-17 15:59:06′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/preemie-baby-deer.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(244,7,’2009-10-17 19:00:58′,’2009-10-17 16:00:58′,”,’newborn-deer-rupert’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-deer-rupert’,”,”,’2009-10-17 19:00:58′,’2009-10-17 16:00:58′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/newborn-deer-rupert.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(245,7,’2009-10-17 19:02:21′,’2009-10-17 16:02:21′,”,’rupert-deer-sleep’,’Asleep: Rupert takes 40 winks. How sweet eh? ‘,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’rupert-deer-sleep’,”,”,’2009-10-17 19:02:21′,’2009-10-17 16:02:21′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/rupert-deer-sleep.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(270,7,’2009-11-21 15:58:06′,’2009-11-21 12:58:06′,”,’Old Friend Noah’,’Stately even after a mud bath’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’old-friend-noah’,”,”,’2009-11-21 15:58:06′,’2009-11-21 12:58:06′,”,262,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Old-Friend-Noah.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(277,7,’2009-11-21 16:12:15′,’2009-11-21 13:12:16′,”,’Noah & Msituni 1′,’Noah & Msituni\’s Mating Behavior ‘,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’noah-mating-behavior-2′,”,”,’2009-11-21 16:12:15′,’2009-11-21 13:12:16′,”,262,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Noah-mating-behavior-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(278,7,’2009-11-21 16:14:14′,’2009-11-21 13:14:14′,”,’Noah & Msituni 2′,’Noah and Pregnant Msituni’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’msituni-1′,”,”,’2009-11-21 16:14:14′,’2009-11-21 13:14:14′,”,262,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Msituni-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(295,7,’2009-11-22 10:11:55′,’2009-11-22 07:11:55′,”,’Male Baby Bongo’,’Noah\’s Progeny’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’male-baby-bongo’,”,”,’2009-11-22 10:11:55′,’2009-11-22 07:11:55′,”,262,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Male-Baby-Bongo.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(350,7,’2009-12-19 10:44:58′,’2009-12-19 07:44:58′,”,’Bush Baby Tile’,’Bush Baby Tile for our young Tykes’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bush-baby-tile’,”,”,’2009-12-19 10:44:58′,’2009-12-19 07:44:58′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Bush-Baby-Tile.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(352,7,’2009-12-19 11:02:59′,’2009-12-19 08:02:59′,”,’Platinum Tile’,’Tile for our Platinum Friends’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’platinum-tile’,”,”,’2009-12-19 11:02:59′,’2009-12-19 08:02:59′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Platinum-Tile.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(354,7,’2009-12-19 11:21:46′,’2009-12-19 08:21:46′,”,’Colobus Monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’colobus-monkey’,”,”,’2009-12-19 11:21:46′,’2009-12-19 08:21:46′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Colobus-Monkey.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(361,7,’2009-12-19 11:47:31′,’2009-12-19 08:47:31′,”,’Baby Bongo Antelope’,’I\’m a Bongo – adopt and name me!’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’profile-picture’,”,”,’2009-12-19 11:47:31′,’2009-12-19 08:47:31′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Profile-Picture.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(388,2,’2009-12-20 21:37:59′,’2009-12-20 18:37:59′,’I am an adorable Bushbuck’,’Young Bushbuck’,’I am an adorable Bushbuck’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’i-am-an-adorable-bushbuck’,”,”,’2009-12-20 21:37:59′,’2009-12-20 18:37:59′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/I-am-an-adorable-bushbuck.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(389,2,’2009-12-20 21:38:03′,’2009-12-20 18:38:03′,’I am a very active Hartebeeste’,’Hartebeeste’,’I am a very active Hartebeeste’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’i-am-a-very-active-hartebeese’,”,”,’2009-12-20 21:38:03′,’2009-12-20 18:38:03′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/I-am-a-very-active-hartebeese.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(391,2,’2009-12-20 21:38:06′,’2009-12-20 18:38:06′,’I am a young Sykes Monkey’,’Baby Sykes Monkey’,’I am a young Sykes Monkey’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’i-am-a-young-sykes-monkey’,”,”,’2009-12-20 21:38:06′,’2009-12-20 18:38:06′,”,348,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/I-am-a-young-sykes-monkey.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(401,7,’2010-01-25 18:54:50′,’2010-01-25 15:54:50′,”,’Major & Mrs. Betterton’,’Full of Joy & Wonder – Major & Mrs. Betterton visiting our Animal Orphanage’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’betterton-2′,”,”,’2010-01-25 18:54:50′,’2010-01-25 15:54:50′,”,400,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Betterton-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(415,7,’2010-08-26 20:36:59′,’2010-08-26 17:36:59′,”,’Bongo with satellite transmitter’,’One of our handsome bulls earmarked for release wearing the radio transmitter that will record his movements and can be tracked on the Internet via Satellite from anywhere in the world!! After 1 year of tests it has proved reliable. Ron Surratt of the International Bongo Foundation has arranged for the donation of new revised transmitters that will be smaller and sit better on the bongo’s horn to avoid accidental loss in the bush. Much will be learned from these initial releases.’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-satellite-transmitter’,”,”,’2010-08-26 20:36:59′,’2010-08-26 17:36:59′,”,414,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bongo-satellite-transmitter.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(425,7,’2011-03-04 21:48:14′,’2011-03-04 18:48:14′,”,’Newborn Bongo: \”Miss Kate\”‘,’Newborn Bongo: \”Miss Kate\”‘,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’miss-kate-middleton-bongo’,”,”,’2011-03-04 21:48:14′,’2011-03-04 18:48:14′,”,420,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/miss-kate-middleton-bongo.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(427,7,’2011-03-04 21:50:04′,’2011-03-04 18:50:04′,”,’Miss Kate is growing quickly’,’Miss Kate is growing quickly’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’miss-kate-middleton-bongo-2′,”,”,’2011-03-04 21:50:04′,’2011-03-04 18:50:04′,”,420,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/miss-kate-middleton-bongo-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(431,7,’2011-03-20 23:48:35′,’2011-03-20 20:48:35′,”,’Destination Magazine Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’destination-magazine-mount-kenya’,”,”,’2011-03-20 23:48:35′,’2011-03-20 20:48:35′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/destination-magazine-mount-kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(432,7,’2011-03-20 23:58:41′,’2011-03-20 20:58:41′,”,’Students at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’students-at-mount-kenya’,”,”,’2011-03-20 23:58:41′,’2011-03-20 20:58:41′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/students-at-mount-kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(433,7,’2011-03-20 23:59:13′,’2011-03-20 20:59:13′,”,’Zebra with Warthog’,’Animal Orphanage residents’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra-with-warthog-2′,”,”,’2011-03-20 23:59:13′,’2011-03-20 20:59:13′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/zebra-with-warthog.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(434,7,’2011-03-21 00:01:20′,’2011-03-20 21:01:20′,”,’William Holden Wildlife Foundation’,’Classroom at WHWF’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’educational-classroom’,”,”,’2011-03-21 00:01:20′,’2011-03-20 21:01:20′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/educational-classroom.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(438,7,’2011-03-21 00:15:27′,’2011-03-20 21:15:27′,”,’Biogas’,’Energy from Biogas’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’biogas’,”,”,’2011-03-21 00:15:27′,’2011-03-20 21:15:27′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/biogas.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(439,7,’2011-03-21 00:16:17′,’2011-03-20 21:16:17′,”,’Stefanie Powers with Rana’,’Stefanie Powers and Rana’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’stefanie-powers-rana’,”,”,’2011-03-21 00:16:17′,’2011-03-20 21:16:17′,”,429,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/stefanie-powers-rana.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(457,7,’2011-04-28 18:51:43′,’2011-04-28 15:51:43′,”,’Ms Kate and her little sister’,’Ms Kate and her little sister all set for the royal wedding of her namesake’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’miss-kate-wedding-1′,”,”,’2011-04-28 18:51:43′,’2011-04-28 15:51:43′,”,456,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/miss-kate-wedding-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(458,7,’2011-04-28 18:51:46′,’2011-04-28 15:51:46′,”,’Bea with Ms. Kate get ready at the Animal Orphanage’,’Bea with Ms. Kate get ready at the Animal Orphanage’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’miss-kate-wedding-2′,”,”,’2011-04-28 18:51:46′,’2011-04-28 15:51:46′,”,456,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/miss-kate-wedding-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(464,7,’2011-05-01 18:16:36′,’2011-05-01 15:16:36′,”,’Bea, dressed as a bride herself, feeding Ms Kate!’,’Bea, dressed as a bride herself, feeding Ms Kate!’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bea-feeding-bongo-miss-kate’,”,”,’2011-05-01 18:16:36′,’2011-05-01 15:16:36′,”,463,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bea-feeding-bongo-miss-kate.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(465,7,’2011-05-01 18:16:38′,’2011-05-01 15:16:38′,”,’Getting ready for the party…’,’Getting ready for the party…’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-getting-ready-for-party’,”,”,’2011-05-01 18:16:38′,’2011-05-01 15:16:38′,”,463,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bongo-getting-ready-for-party.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(472,2,’2011-12-30 22:44:31′,’2011-12-30 19:44:31′,”,’Cheetahs at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetahs-in-kenya’,”,”,’2011-12-30 22:44:31′,’2011-12-30 19:44:31′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cheetahs-in-kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(473,2,’2011-12-30 22:58:13′,’2011-12-30 19:58:13′,”,’Newborn Bongo Antelope’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-newborn’,”,”,’2011-12-30 22:58:13′,’2011-12-30 19:58:13′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/bongo-antelope-newborn.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(482,2,’2011-12-31 18:56:41′,’2011-12-31 15:56:41′,”,’Colobus Monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’colobus_monkey_suzanne_dugan’,”,”,’2011-12-31 18:56:41′,’2011-12-31 15:56:41′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/colobus_monkey_suzanne_dugan.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(484,2,’2011-12-31 19:02:51′,’2011-12-31 16:02:51′,”,’Newborn Bongo Antelope’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-newborn-th’,”,”,’2011-12-31 19:02:51′,’2011-12-31 16:02:51′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/bongo-antelope-newborn-th.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(485,2,’2007-07-29 02:51:19′,’2007-07-28 23:51:19′,’Click here for the Green Pages where you\’ll find a treasure trove of African wildlife stories, and many related articles. ‘,’Green Pages’,”,’pending’,’open’,’closed’,”,’green-pages’,”,”,’2012-04-22 08:37:20′,’2012-04-22 05:37:20′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?page_id=3′,99,’page’,”,0),(486,5,’2007-07-01 02:59:43′,’2007-06-30 23:59:43′,’My Dear Friends, in Kenya, rain is usually concentrated in two brief periods during the year. Oddly, this first half of the year it has been almost one long stretch of rain, denying the usual drought its disastrous effects.\r\n \r\nNever have we seen so much green for so long.\r\n\r\nFewer animal orphans resulted. The vegetation around us has been regenerated almost overnight. Once again there is plenty of green grass and browse for the animals. The trees look alive and healthy with a new dress of shade-giving foliage.\r\n\r\nHere at the Orphanage we used the time to make repairs and improve the facility. The older holding pens have had a makeover keeping in mind foremost the animals\’ needs.\r\n\r\nOliver, our boisterous orphaned little Buffalo had to be banned from the general open area. He insists on furthering his fighting skills on what he considers his peers: our human guests!! The result were some cuts and bruises on our very tolerant keepers. He is now earmarked for an early re-introduction into an adult herd so he can rethink his identity before it is too late.\r\n\r\nKaren our original bushbuck now has a family of 4. All were sired in the wild. Each time, Karen, a former orphan herself returns to introduce her newborn. She stays and spends time raising the calf in the safety of the orphanage, before she once again leaves for the wild. She makes us all feel proud.\r\n \r\nMost recently our young caracal cat (African Lynx) has again given birth to two kittens. She was closely watched as she refused to raise her last litter and injured them. This time she devoted all her new learned motherly skills on only one of the kittens, abandoning the other.\r\n\r\nMama Duma came to the rescue and you can read the touching story on this page.\r\n\r\nBut folks, the BIG news just came with the dawn of this morning May 29th:\r\n\r\nWe have our first second generation baby bongo born to the \”American herd,\” a great milestone marking the success in the ongoing project to return the magnificent Bongo Antelope to Mount Kenya. See the article Baby Boomers in the Bush Drums section.\r\n\r\nAs I write this, unexpectedly as they came, the rains have left us overnight. It feels strangely like typical February days: bright sunshine and a strong gale blowing from the North East… but wait this is almost June, something seems terribly wrong. The mountain stands crystal clear and suddenly almost bare of snow, as if arrogantly backing Al Gore\’s grisly predictions. The rivers that border the Conservancy still swollen yesterday, have receded already, a timely reminder of the urgency to preserve what\’s left of our environment and all creatures within.\r\n\r\nBy saving and restocking the Mount Kenya National Park with some of its lost game populations we strive to help preserve the biodiversity of this unique ecosystem.\r\n\r\nIn those areas set aside for conservation flora and fauna must be considered paramount if we are to save our own kind as a species on this earth.\r\n\r\nIt is time for man to cease to conquer, but give way to nature to insure our own second place in this chain of earthly survivors.\r\n\r\nThis month we invite you to renew your memberships to remain part of this important ongoing effort. Your support now will mean so much for so many. Help us to make the future of our last remaining wilderness and the wildlife within less uncertain.\r\n\r\nAs I look up on this magnificent Mountain in whose shadow I was born I appeal to you to support all the creatures that need your help.\r\n\r\nWithout the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage even I would be history!!’,’Chaircat\’s Letter July 2007′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-drought’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:12:17′,’2012-12-26 19:12:17′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=5′,0,’post’,”,2),(487,5,’2007-03-01 02:03:09′,’2007-02-28 23:03:09′,’My Dear Friends, for those of us that are born optimists, 2007 has started well.\r\n\r\nUnusual amounts of heavy precipitation may have caused some havoc in parts of East Africa, but for us here at the Conservancy the rain has had some very positive results. The vegetation is once again very lush and thick, the way it has not been for many years.\r\n\r\nBirdlife is abundant. There have been comparatively few orphaned animals brought in, probably due to the fact that the rain has allowed nature to feed her own.\r\n\r\nOur big New Years gift has been an unusual award: The esteemed American Association of Zoos and Aquariums every year carefully studies wildlife efforts all over the world. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy has been placed third on their list of…\r\n\r\n\”Top Ten Wildlife Conservation Success Stories of 2006\”\r\n\r\nMuch work has gone into the Bongo breeding for rehabilitation program. All of us here are mighty proud and honored over the recognition by the AAZPA.\r\n\r\nBongo News Updates Page\r\n\r\nIn my own world (of Cheetahs) there is as yet not too much progress to report.\r\n\r\nSome years ago declining Cheetah populations prompted well intentioned worldwide conservation bodies to impose international laws to stop the \”trade\” in Cheetahs and their skins. While all of this has focused positive attention on the plight of the Cheetah, it has also resulted in some negative aspects.\r\n\r\nScientists tell us that many years ago the Cheetah population went through a genetic tunnel, meaning that all Cheetahs became as closely related as brothers. Due to their poor reproductive abilities following this decline the species came to the brink of extinction. Through the efforts of Cheetah conservation, the picture has improved somewhat. But especially in East Africa the future of these beautiful animals is far from secure.\r\n\r\nCheetahs Although it is agreed there is only one species of Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) with no subspecies, some scientists are totally opposed to mixing the South African with the East African Cheetah. We are not qualified to form an opinion on the merits of this highly specialized genetic intelligence. The practical result of this resistance to captive breed from other secure stock could be disastrous for the East African Cheetah.\r\n\r\nIn layman\’s terms these are the facts:\r\n\r\nSouth Africa, where Cheetah breeding has been most successful, does not encourage export for breeding of their captive born Cheetah. (Some say they have however exported Cheetahs to the Arab block?).\r\n\r\nIn Namibia, Cheetahs are very well preserved due to the efforts of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. In fact they are doing so well that the Namibian Government has forbidden captive breeding there, because they have too many cheetahs turned stock killers already. Export however once again is not allowed or encouraged following international regulations and/or opposition to inter-African breeding. Talk about a catch 22!!\r\n\r\nThe Chaircat To the north of us, Somalia has long struggled to control the exploitation of the shrinking populations of game there. Many animals have been confiscated and ended up in well run facilities in Dubai, where by sheer numbers successful breeding has taken place. To the best of our knowledge none have been released or repatriated to Africa. Rehabilitation to Somalia of course would at this time not make much sense for obvious reasons. Rehabilitation the northern Ranchlands of Kenya is the obvious answer. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is ready and willing to participate. Let us hope that the International bodies who have successfully stopped the exploitation of Cheetahs will now see the merits in allowing the translocation of a breeding nucleus to assist the East African populations. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is ready to start a breeding – for rehabilitation program.\r\nOn a more cheerful note, our talented web designer turned travel writer Chuck Cavanaugh. has joined us here to see our the operations of the Conservancy first hand.\r\n\r\nAt first Chuck, a \”big city boy,\” was apprehensive about the merits of life in Africa. There is an old Swahili saying: \”Once you have drunk the waters of Africa you will return to drink again.\” I think we have a convert and made a friend for life!!\r\n\r\nThis month two of the Conservancy\’s Trustees have been invited to give a helping hand to the plight of the Asiatic Lion in India, by sharing their knowledge at a symposium there.\r\n\r\nIris will speak about the important role of a wild animal shelter in Conservation. Don\’s expert advice is sought following successful translocations of species and rehabilitation back to their natural habitats. Both consider this invitation a great honor and a tribute to the achievements of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\nIt seems my friends, our work is gaining international recognition!\r\n\r\nWishing you all a wonderful spring, I remain…’,’The Chaircat\’s Letter of March 2007′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetah-genetics’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:26:17′,’2012-12-26 19:26:17′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=6′,0,’post’,”,0),(488,5,’2006-12-01 02:08:25′,’2006-11-30 23:08:25′,’My Dear Friends, with the holiday season in full swing and the New Year on the doorstep I have much good news to report.\r\n\r\nAt long last it has now been confirmed that one small group of Bongo still survives on Mount Kenya. The group are reported to live in a remote area of dense forest, almost impenetrable to man. They have managed to remain hidden there undetected for almost ten years. The Conservancy\’s work to breed the mountain bongo for the eventual return to Mount Kenya is progressing well and now becomes more important than ever.\r\n\r\nResearch is ongoing and we will keep you informed in our bongo rehabilitation segment.\r\n\r\nThe other good news I have for you concerns our striped friends, the rare white Zebra. A group of 50 of these magnificent animals gets to celebrate the New Year in the freedom of Mount Kenya National Park where their ancestors are reputed to have roamed. The release of this first group comes after thirty years of selective breeding of these rare beauties. It is a milestone to celebrate at our Conservancy.\r\n\r\nHere at the animal orphanage we have seen our share of positive changes and improvements. Mores space has been allocated to accommodate more orphans. The kitchen had a makeover. Under Drs. Sayers\’ and Murugi\’s guidance and Fundi\’s supervision our distinctive care programs for individual species of orphaned or injured animals has been streamlined and facilities improved.\r\n\r\nA new home has been constructed to accommodate the porcupines (Shamba raiders now in rehab!!) Meanwhile several of our orphanage \”graduates\” have successfully been released back to the wild. Several new orphans were rescued and settled into their safe heaven.\r\n\r\nRecent arrivals include several \”bottle babies\” keeping us busy.\r\n\r\nIt is a joy watching our devoted animal caregivers turn a frightened motherless starved and listless little wild animal into the happy and delightful youngsters romping the greens at the Orphanage.\r\n\r\nOur very own new Cheetah enclosures have been upgraded to suit our needs better and improve chances of our as yet unsuccessful attempts of \”starting a family\”.\r\n\r\nWe are now able to move between four different areas. Summonsed by the charms of the ever graceful Cheetah \’Diana\’ we are able to visit when called upon, and feline favors are now more frequently granted to Bill and myself, so-to-speak! Watch this space for more \’intimate\’ announcements. (If need be we too may have to turn to Namibia to adopt!!)\r\n\r\nOn behalf of all our friends here at the Animal Orphanage, be it human, primate, feline, equine, striped, spotted or even \”quilled,\”, we wish all our family of friends and supporters a wonderful holiday season in the hopes that the New Year will shower us all with peace, love and success.’,’The Chaircat\’s Letter of December 2006′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’wild-bongo-mt-kenya’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:27:21′,’2012-12-26 19:27:21′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=7′,0,’post’,”,0),(489,5,’2006-04-01 02:09:07′,’2006-03-31 23:09:07′,’My Dear Friends, I must apologize for my prolonged absence…\r\n\r\nLately developments here the animal Orphanage have seen me literally pushed into the background. I have not been privileged to share the affections of our lovely female Cheetah Isis. For some time now, preference and visitation privileges have favored the handsome Cheetah \”Sultan.\”\r\n\r\nSadly for her, Isis has equally rejected the Sultan\’s advances. After all, his beauty is only spotted skin deep. At last they have permitted us back to visit and enjoy female feline companionship on a regular basis again. Lately there is talk of settling other female replica near us. The accommodations are almost ready and we are most excited about the prospects. Meanwhile, we look forward for you to visit us at our Sanctuary here at the Orphanage.\r\n\r\nHis films have in the past focused on the Conservancy\’s progress and drawn attention to the need to rehabilitate this unique magnificent Antelope to their rightful ancestral home on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, our new neighbors managing the Mount Kenya Safari Club are the famed Fairmont Hotels and Resorts group. Already we have met and befriended many of their talented leaders, a group of passionate, charismatic professionals whose mission is to:\r\n\r\n\”Celebrate Kenya and provide services that enrich the experiences and turn moments into memories for our guests.\”\r\n\r\nA motto after my own heart!\r\n\r\nAnd with that my dear friends, I leave you to enjoy a truly Kenyan story where courage, love and determination overcame insurmountable obstacles and paved the way to freedom for many of the countries much loved gentle giants.\r\n\r\nAnd it all started here at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy\’s Animal Orphanage!’,’The Chaircat\’s Letter of April 2006′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-safari-club’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:44:02′,’2012-12-26 19:44:02′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=8′,0,’post’,”,0),(490,5,’2005-11-20 02:11:02′,’2005-11-19 23:11:02′,’Christmas is almost here! November is a very special month in Kenya.\r\n\r\nOur short rainy season started early this year, and very welcome after the devastating drought of the first 6 months which cost the lives of many of our older friends in the animal world.\r\n\r\nIn-between the storm clouds, God\’s mountain reveal itself dressed in white, as if to prepare for the festive season ahead. The Conservancy is green and sparkling with dew and clusters of color from the wild flowers and shrubs. The early rain has brought an abundance of colorful tropical birds as well, all chattering with the message of plentiful food for all.\r\n\r\nOur feature story for the holidays: The Last Wilderness, describes one of the most beautiful parts of Kenya, a harsh and hot place of rugged beauty, seldom seen by the average visitor. This is one of the few places left on earth where the vast herds of game still roam freely.\r\n\r\nBut back to the birds… of another kind: Our friend and supporter Tim Lapage reports on his airborne Safari of 2004. A unique trip of adventure from Ethiopia to the Cape of Good Hope at the \”bottom of Africa\” piloting his own plane with precious cargo: Read all about it in our section: Safari Sampler.\r\n\r\nIn our own world here at the Conservancy there\’s good news too. We have seen 4 new baby bongos born so far this year. If my big amber eyes don\’t fool me, I would say, eyeing the bongo herd nearby every early morning, that we can with certainty expect to have two more additions before the year is out. It is wonderful to see the young at play, knowing that their future will be in the dense Mount Kenya forests where their ancestors once roamed.\r\n\r\nAs for us, the spotted Sphinx Diana, Bill and myself, and our visiting friend Sultan, we have been busy sorting out our own \”private lives and territories\” in our new breeding bomas. As yet there is no special announcement to be made, but believe me, we are working on it!!\r\n\r\nWe wish all our friends and supporters from all over the world a very happy holiday season. Your continued support is essential to our survival in the wild.’,’The Chaircat\’s Letter of November 2005′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’chaircat-letter-2005-november’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:47:57′,’2012-12-26 19:47:57′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=9′,0,’post’,”,0),(491,5,’2007-07-31 02:18:10′,’2007-07-30 23:18:10′,’Did you hear about Oskar the cat that spends time with patients on their deathbed in the nursing home? It\’s been on all the news lately.\r\n\r\nNo one can figure out how Oskar knows who’s about to depart and who will be around for a while in the geriatric nursing home where he \”works.\”\r\n\r\nAs a member of the cat family I must say I don’t understand what all the fuzz is all about.\r\n\r\nOf course we know such things.\r\n\r\nAnd of course we care. We are cats are we not?\r\n\r\nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6917113.stm‘,’Cats just know things…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’cat-at-deathbed’,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:20:58′,’2012-07-23 21:20:58′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=10′,0,’post’,”,0),(492,7,’2007-07-31 02:42:59′,’2007-07-30 23:42:59′,’Our friend Denis Murphy the famous wildlife Artist just visited our Green Page:\n\nwww.animalorphanagekenya.org/members\n\nHere\’s what he had to say:\n

I had a look at the green page with the story of the two Brandys. She is too adorable for words.\n\nAnd the picture of the \”injured\” policeman is priceless.\n\nAs to the previous two babies being eaten, I have heard about this happening in various animals including dogs & the explanation was that it occurs if the young are born with a defect. (We once adopted a baby rock pigeons that had been repeatedly thrown out of the nest by the mother.\n\nLater, when it could fly, it kept colliding with things and we discovered it was blind in one eye.\n\nDenis

\nDenis is of course a great friend and supporter of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. His famous wildlife paintings include many of our animals and are seen in collections the world over.\n\n\n\nMore paintings by Denis Murphy‘,’Wildlife Artist Denis Murphy’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’wildlife-artist-denis-murphy’,”,”,’2013-04-18 23:31:32′,’2013-04-18 20:31:32′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=11′,0,’post’,”,0),(657,7,’2012-04-22 08:59:32′,’2012-04-22 05:59:32′,’\r\n\r\nColorful walls of tiles honor our donors at the Conservancy\’s animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nThese tiles are specially hand painted to your specs and permanently mounted. We often have visitors discovering names of friends, children remembering their first visit, or a surprise placed here for eternity for your loved ones. Additionally your name will also appear as a donor on this website. (unless otherwise instructed)\r\n\r\nThe donation you make to have your own tile will directly benefit our conservation programs and honor you for life.\r\n\r\nThe following categories of tiles are available:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n$ 200 \”Green friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, and a green tile bearing your name. The tile will be permanently mounted on our wall of \”green friends\” at the animal orphanage. Your name will also feature as a green friend on our website.\r\n\r\nOur \”green\” friends come from all over the world! \r\n$ 500 \”Golden Friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, as well as the Conservancy\’s prestigious embroidered badge. A golden tile bearing your name (or a name of your choice) will be permanently mounted on our wall of \”golden friends\” at the animal orphanage. Your name will also feature as a golden friend on our website.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n$ 1000 \”Platinum Friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, as well as the Conservancy’s prestigious embroidered badge. A platinum tile bearing your name (or a name of your choice) will be permanently mounted on the wall of our \”platinum friends\” at the animal orphanage. Your name will also feature as a platinum friend on our website.\r\n\r\n$ 10,000 \”Wildlife Guardian\”. Tile and family or corporate membership. This includes your membership certificate and several of the Conservancy\’s prestigious badges for your family members. A large prestigious \”Ivory\” tile in a name of your choice will be permanently mounted at the Conservancy\’s animal orphanage wall of special \”Wildlife Guardians\” and also appear on our website. (In the case of a corporate tile, an appropriate advert can be placed on the donor page of our website for 1 year.)\r\n\r\n

For the young ones : $ 100 bushbaby tile

\r\n\r\nThe perfect gift for the budding Conservationist\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSocial responsibility can be taught at any age, the younger the better.\r\n\r\nHere at the M.K. W.C. we believe in involving even the youngest in a fun way to preserve their rich heritage of nature.\r\n\r\nThe animal orphanage hosts more than 10,000 Kenyan students and many more children free of charge each year. We appreciate your help and involvement.\r\n\r\nNow you can purchase a special \”bushbaby tile\” in the name of a favorite child. The tile will be permanently mounted on the \”bushbaby\” wall at the orphanage. Children from all over the world participate. Many return years later to find their names as one of our friends!\r\n\r\n[button type=\”big\”] Click here to Order Tile[/button]\r\n\r\n\r\nOur family of \”golden\” friends continues to grow.\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nOur impressive group of platinum friends\r\n
‘,’Get Your Own Tile’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’get-your-own-tile’,”,”,’2020-01-23 08:59:35′,’2020-01-23 05:59:35′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=657′,20,’page’,”,0),(495,2,’2011-12-31 19:02:53′,’2011-12-31 16:02:53′,”,’Cheetahs in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetahs-in-kenya-th’,”,”,’2011-12-31 19:02:53′,’2011-12-31 16:02:53′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cheetahs-in-kenya-th.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(496,2,’2011-12-31 19:08:03′,’2011-12-31 16:08:03′,”,’Newborn Bongo Antelope’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-antelope-newborn-med’,”,”,’2011-12-31 19:08:03′,’2011-12-31 16:08:03′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/bongo-antelope-newborn-med.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(497,2,’2011-12-31 19:09:48′,’2011-12-31 16:09:48′,”,’Cheetahs in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetahs-in-kenya-med’,”,”,’2011-12-31 19:09:48′,’2011-12-31 16:09:48′,”,469,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cheetahs-in-kenya-med.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(498,7,’2012-01-12 03:19:32′,’2012-01-12 00:19:32′,”,’Wildlife Manager Peter Fundi with Education coordinator Michael Nganga’,’Wildlife Manager Peter Fundi with Education coordinator Michael Nganga Taking a break at the orphanage.’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’michael-nganga_peter-fundi’,”,”,’2012-01-12 03:19:32′,’2012-01-12 00:19:32′,”,519,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/michael-nganga_peter-fundi.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(499,7,’2012-01-12 03:22:30′,’2012-01-12 00:22:30′,”,’Enthusiastic students\’ first encounter with wild animals at the orphanage.’,’Enthusiastic students\’ first encounter with wild animals at the orphanage.’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’students-at-wildlife-conservancy’,”,”,’2012-01-12 03:22:30′,’2012-01-12 00:22:30′,”,519,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/students-at-wildlife-conservancy.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(500,7,’2012-01-12 03:24:56′,’2012-01-12 00:24:56′,”,’A close encounter with the largest of wild birds: An African Ostrich’,’A close encounter with the largest of wild birds: An African Ostrich’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera’,”,”,’2012-01-12 03:24:56′,’2012-01-12 00:24:56′,”,519,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/kenyan-school-children-ostrich.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(501,7,’2012-01-12 03:26:17′,’2012-01-12 00:26:17′,’Students at the Orphanage meet a common ancestor face to face: Colobus monkey at the orphanage’,’Students at the Orphanage meet a common ancestor face to face: Colobus monkey at the orphanage’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-2′,”,”,’2012-01-12 03:26:17′,’2012-01-12 00:26:17′,”,519,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/kenyan-school-children-colobus-monkey.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(510,7,’2012-01-26 22:07:00′,’2012-01-26 19:07:00′,”,’Leopard trapped at Mt. Kenya’,’Leopard trapped at Mt. Kenya’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-3′,”,”,’2012-01-26 22:07:00′,’2012-01-26 19:07:00′,”,509,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/trapped-leopard-kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(513,7,’2007-07-31 22:28:23′,’2007-07-31 19:28:23′,’Here\’s is a video of a battle between buffalos, lions and crocodiles at Kruger Park in South Africa!\r\n\r\n‘,’Battle at Kruger’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’battle-at-krueger-park’,”,”,’2012-12-21 20:44:49′,’2012-12-21 17:44:49′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=14′,0,’post’,”,4),(514,7,’2007-08-03 01:32:30′,’2007-08-02 22:32:30′,’We LOVE to hear from our visitors and supporters!\r\n\r\nTo us your words are the encouragement and incentive to strive harder towards our goal of beating extinction at the finish line.\r\n\r\nHere\’s another short excerpt of a recent letter received that we\’d like to share:\r\n\r\n

If a picture tells a thousand words then those taken by your many visitors must fill entire storybooks already.\r\n\r\nIt\’s so incredibly peaceful that it is dangerously easy to forget why \”Iris\’ Ark\” was brought to life in the first place, but it is such a great encouragement to see that the majority of your visitors understand that these amazing creatures live there for so much more a reason than mere entertainment.\r\n\r\nThank you for allowing me to visit the Conservancy and Orphanage. I will treasure those days with Jane and \”the guys\” forever.\r\n\r\n(signed) LILLY

\r\n\r\nAnd here is another letter:\r\n\r\n

I wanted to express my gratitude for Iris Hunt\’s story about Mary the Elephant. I recently found this article as I was researching pictures of elephants on the internet for a painting.\r\n\r\nWhen I first moved to Los Angeles a little over a year ago there was a photography show called Ashes and Snow. The photos are large sepia prints depicting the sacred relationship between animals and people. Beautiful pictures of elephants were among the first images I saw. The gallery was dark and full of people and suddenly I found myself crying looking at these elephants. This had never happened to me before and it was overwhelming. The photos of the other animals were also beautiful but every time I saw the elephants my eyes filled with tears. The feeling was of awe, sadness, and joy looking at them. Your story about Mary brought all of those emotions back for me to experience again.\r\n\r\nStorytelling has always been important for human beings and good stories are of critical importance as our world is changing. Stories fertilize the imaginations of humanity and give us the freedom and strength to believe that we can accomplish anything. Thank you for sharing your true story, it inspires me.

\r\n\r\n‘,’\”Chickensoup\” rewards’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’support-mt-kenya-wildlife-conservancy’,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:18:33′,’2012-07-23 21:18:33′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=15′,0,’post’,”,1),(517,2,’2007-08-08 21:56:02′,’2007-08-08 18:56:02′,’Today there\’s news that TV is bad for babies!!\r\n\r\nI fully agree, we critters never had TV.\r\n\r\nExcept for the spoilt bat-eared Fox \”Brit\”\r\n\r\nShe was already addicted to watching a young age, but she only watched animal shows.\r\n\r\nHer favorite was a video of ME the Cheetah running!!\r\n\r\nThe Lions frightened her.\r\n\r\nDo your animals watch TV??\r\n\r\nWhat do they watch?\r\n\r\nTalk to me, I will send a free animal video to the best response!!\r\n\r\n\r\n’,’The Wildlife Channel’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’bat-eared-fox-watching-tv’,”,”,’2012-12-21 21:00:31′,’2012-12-21 18:00:31′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=21′,0,’post’,”,0),(518,5,’2007-08-14 15:13:22′,’2007-08-14 12:13:22′,’Last night I had a dream.\r\n\r\nI dreamt that a new party wanted me as their symbol.\r\n\r\nBecause I never change my spots, they said. I had to consider this very carfully because I already serve as Chaircat on the board of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. So I asked them what this new party was all about.\r\n\r\nI had heard about such things. Here in Kenya they used to have a cockerel for one party and a donkey for another.\r\n\r\n The donkey is popular because they use it in America too. Then an African, the mighty elephant was given the job of symbol for another party. It didn\’t mean too much because the only African American presidential hopeful there did not join the party with the African elephant. He went for the donkey. The incumbent there stands with the elephant. Maybe because his name suggests that without him even the mighty elephant cannot survive. It\’s all very complicated.\r\n\r\nObviously the position of a party symbol is an honor that could be a disaster in the making, so I asked many questions.\r\n\r\nThe party, they said, was not political. It was not religeous either. It didn\’t even belong to any one country. The members could be of any race or species from worms to elephants and apes to humans. All had a right to live on earth but only in the order allocated by voting. Each species\’ voting power had to do with how  much food they represented to other species and how much they consumed. An interesting concept but it left me way down the food chain as a major consumer. Humans also did not do too well but promised to compete more honestly. I remember the honey bee was so outstanding they almost offered her the position of symbol.\r\n\r\nThen I woke up and realized it was only a dream. Maybe you can finish the dream for me.’,’I had a dream…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-political-party-symbols’,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:20:37′,’2012-12-26 19:20:37′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=24′,0,’post’,”,0),(25,2,’2007-08-19 16:44:58′,’2007-08-19 13:44:58′,’The Kenya Wildlife Service Intelligence has advised our Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy to be on the outlook for poachers. They have credible evidence that \”dealers\” are in the area. They may be recruiting poachers and target specific animals, such as Rhino for their horns or spotted cats for their skins\n\nLast month, only 30 miles away a Rhino and five Elephants fell pray to poachers. Only the slaughtered carcasses minus horn and tusks were the grisly evidence found in the bush.\n\nDuma Duke, our \”Chaircat\” is scared! He and Bill and Diana are on high alert and ready to fight off any possible intruders should it come to that. But meanwhile Bunge, our Wildlife Manager has laid on extra armed security. Every evening, the Conservancy\’s Rhino willingly walk to the safety of their night quarters, led by their own designated game scouts.\n\nWe are proud to have such dedicated and able staff safeguarding the animals\’ lives!\n\n‘,’Alarming news’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-poachers’,”,”,’2007-08-19 16:44:58′,’2007-08-19 13:44:58′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=25′,0,’post’,”,2),(33,2,’2007-08-20 17:50:06′,’2007-08-20 14:50:06′,’Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present:\r\n

OBAMA

\r\n

That is what we unanimously named our latest arrival bongo baby boomer No. 9.

\r\n

Born at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, OBAMA comes with an American background (his dam was raised at the San Diego Zoo) and Kenyan roots of course, his sire is a native Kenyan born bongo named Noah.

\r\n

OBAMA will join the group of Kenya born bongo earmarked for release to re-establish bongo on Mount Kenya where they once thrived. The project is undertaken by the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and supported by the American Association of Zoological Parks (Bongo SSP).

\r\n

We do hope the Senator from Illinois will be pleased and lend his support to this globally important wildlife and nature conservation project.

\r\n

 

\r\n

 

‘,’OBAMA it is!’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-named-obama’,”,”,’2012-12-21 20:57:06′,’2012-12-21 17:57:06′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=33′,0,’post’,”,4),(34,7,’2007-09-11 00:26:41′,’2007-09-10 21:26:41′,’It seems that our giant friends, the Elephants are getting out of control\n\nA few days ago the gatekeeper at our William Holden Education Center had the surprise of his life. While he was busy washing the Education Center\’s six-wheeler he was alerted by an unusual noise and hurried to his post at the entrance gate. There he was greeted by a huge mature bull Elephant who was whiling away the afternoon looking over the fence into the center\’s grounds.\n\nOn sighting the alarmed guard the Elephant leisurely went on his way walking up the road towards the forest, not unlike a nosey neighbour pretending he wasn\’t really spying.\n\nAn excited bunch of village kids followed at a safe distance.  Our visitor never looked back. Seemingly acutely aware of the impression made he decided not to take the scenic route to his forest home but instead to brave the wooden bridge over the troubled waters of the Nanyuki river where it borders the Wildlife Conservancy.\n\nA hush went over the by now sizable crowd. Only recently the bridge had been declared unsafe for lorries weighing far less than our heavy friend intent on keeping his feet dry.\n\nHe had not heard about such things and without a moment\’s hesitation he carefully crossed. The timbers creaked beneath him but before they could give way Jumbo was safely on the other side where the green foliage of the Mount Kenya Forest invitingly swallowed up all evidence of this unusual visit.\n\nBut why not, I say. Forever humans have gone to google the animals in their \”natural habitat\”.  Time for change I say!’,’Elephant Encounter’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-visitor’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:23:26′,’2012-12-26 20:23:26′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=34′,0,’post’,”,0),(36,7,’2007-09-19 20:53:13′,’2007-09-19 17:53:13′,’Did you hear about the delightful little Polar bear born at the famous Berlin Zoo nine months ago? His mother , unfortunately rejected him at birth. It happens in the best (animal) families.\n\nThe little bundle of white fur was raised on a bottle and once they could confirm his survival they aptly named him Knut. The much loved cuddly little bear has become a celebrity overnight overshadowing his human counterparts successfully. (And he doesn\’t even have spots!). The kids love him, his round the clock keepers are crazy about him and the press can\’t get enough pictures and videos of him.\n\n\n\nSome Animal activists however are up in arms. They say he should have been left to die. He will never be a \’real Polar bear\’ they argue. He should be killed for his own good demanded one ringleader.\n\nKilled for his own good…. Excuse me?\n\nKnut meanwhile has grown fond of croissants and other such delights and his keepers got strict: No more junk food and more exercise they ordered. After all he had to pose for his star photo session with Annie Leibivitz. He even made the cover of the European edition of Vanity fair!\n\n\n\nMeanwhile school children are campaigning outside the zoo, outraged at the discussion of a lethal injection demanded by the animal activists. Finally the Zoo announced they had no intention of putting down their most prized exhibit.\n\nAnd so Knut lives on, destined to become a mascot for an international environment conference next year. He is to stand up for the anticipated fate his wild cousins may face if the worlds ice cap continues to diminish at the present rate.\n\nThis is not just about one animal or one species. Knut will be instrumental in focusing on the plight of all wild animals faced with the loss of their habitat worldwide.\n\nHow would he have been off better dead, I ask you!’,’Cute Knut on a diet!’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’cute-knut-on-a-diet’,”,”,’2007-09-19 20:53:13′,’2007-09-19 17:53:13′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=36′,0,’post’,”,3),(39,2,’2007-10-26 07:41:02′,’2007-10-26 04:41:02′,’Some 1000 feet below the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy on the vast plains of the Laikipia plateau, this very unusual Zebra was photographed by our friend Jane McKeand.\n\n\n\nIt may look regular to the untrained eye, but on closer examination all agree: this appears to be a cross between the two subspecies of Zebra: the smaller common or Burchell’s Zebra and the much larger Grevy’s Zebra.\n\nIf so, this is a significant first! Although the herds of both subspecies are sometimes seen together, no one here remembers ever having seen a cross. Although the scientists have always insisted that it is possible for all equines to mate, the two very distinctly different kinds of Zebra did not like one-another’s stripes, if you will. \”Social preference\” it was called.\n\nThey preferred to keep their relations within their own specific kind.\n\nThe Zebra pictured here appears to be pregnant. If so it would mean that the result of this cross is not sterile (as would be the case mule) as one may have expected. We are keeping a keen eye and welcome any further observations you may have made.\n\nWatch for a detailed report on our Conservancy Members Green Page in December.’,’Zebra Watch’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebra_hybrid’,”,”,’2007-10-26 07:41:02′,’2007-10-26 04:41:02′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=39′,0,’post’,”,2),(42,2,’2007-10-27 21:13:19′,’2007-10-27 18:13:19′,’This week marked a big step forward in the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy\’s Bongo rehabilitation to Mount Kenya project.\n\nWe welcomed once again Ron Surratt, chairman of the U.S based Bongo Species Survival Program, our partners in this important conservation project. This time he was able to bring the long awaited satellite transmitter and attached it to the horns our magnificent bull Burukenge.\n\n\n\nWhy don\’t you use \”chips\” everyone cried. Chips are the latest in tiny communication devices that can be embedded in the flesh of an animal to send back radio signals. But the system does require a human monitor, the sort we have all seen in documentaries, riding a jeep and holding an antennae to pick up these signals when in the close vicinity of the animal.\n\nIt makes exciting footage, but it is far from practical when you think of the thick impenetrable mountain jungles where these rare antelopes are to be re-established.\n\nThere still is of course old fashioned telepathy…\n\n\nWhile our team was working with the bongo silently so as not to cause added stress to the animal, our Rhino Big Mama however had already received the message. She rushed up to the site from a mile away to be \”the first to know\” what exactly was going on. If animals could only talk or sign they would be a great help. Maybe Monkeys could be trained to keep an eye on the Bongo and report back. Could that be in the future?\n\nThe device young Burukenge now wears \”reports\” to a satellite. Information of the animals\’ movement can be received through Google and enables a researcher sitting comfortably a continent away if need be, to follow and record and analyze the animals steps.\n\nIf successful, Burukenge will be the leader of a first small group of Bongo in training for a 2008 wilderness release. Data collected are invaluable in telling us much of the movement and fate of this first group and will pave the way for subsequent releases.\n\nI must admit, my memory failed me when it came to the melodic Kiswahili name \”Burukenge,\” but Bunge, our Wildlife Manager, reminded me that it means: Monitor Lizard. What a weird name for a Bongo, you think. But now I remember: He was born in 2002 to our cow \”Kidogo\” (small one), and he preferred rolling on the ground to standing for most of his first few days in this world. \”Burukenge\” was what the keepers named him and it stuck.\nBut now time is ripe for an adult name for this magnificent five year old Bull with such a brilliant future.\n\nHow about YOUR name, as in \”Burukenge SMITH\” ?\n\nThere is no doubt that this bull will make world headlines as he is destined to be the first to set foot on his ancestral home of Mount Kenya after an absence of his forefathers there for many years.\n\nWith a meaningful donation to help the project along he could take your name out there to be the star of one of the world\’s most important conservation projects.\n\nFor details of the adoption of Burukenge or other animals please send us a message by use of the Contact Form.\n\nWith your help we have once gain come one step closer to realizing this dream.’,’Google goes for Bongo’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’transmitter_wildlife_locator_surratt’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:00:32′,’2012-12-26 21:00:32′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2007/10/27/transmitter_wildlife_locator_surratt/’,0,’post’,”,0),(47,7,’2007-11-16 23:56:07′,’2007-11-16 20:56:07′,’The photographer was sure that he was going to see the end of his huskies when the polar bear materialized out of the blue, as it were:\n\n\n\n\n\nMore pictures and a narrative concerning this fascinating and beautiful inter-species encounter here: Animals at Play‘,’Polar Bear Hugs’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’polar_bear_hugs_dog’,”,”,’2007-11-16 23:56:07′,’2007-11-16 20:56:07′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2007/11/16/polar-bear-hugs/’,0,’post’,”,0),(49,7,’2007-12-23 06:33:46′,’2007-12-23 03:33:46′,’Kenya is in the midst of election fever. The next ten days are public holidays here.\n\nBut not so at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy where the interests of wildlife are paramount.\n\nThanks to our dedicated wardens and keepers sacrificing their own holiday, the animals will benefit from their special care all through the season.\n\n2007 has seen great achievements at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\n

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• More than 75 captive bred and otherwise extinct white zebras have been released and can now be seen roaming in the wilderness of the Mount Kenya forests.
\n
• A total of 54 needy wild animals have been treated and/or rehabilitated at the refuge of our animal orphanage.
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• Our bongo breeding program has just been graced with the 49th birth and counting….
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• The first test group of bongo for release have been identified and work to fit satellite radio transmitters is progressing well.
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• Our Cheetah breeding program is ongoing. We hope of more success in 2008.
\n

\nLike a candle in the wind, we need your support to keep the flame alive.\nTogether we can make a difference.\n\nWishing you and yours a happy holiday season in the hopes that the New Year will bring all that your heart desires.\n\nThank you for your continued support.\nDon and Iris Hunt\nwith Donald Bunge, Peter Fundi, JaneOyugi\nand all of us here at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.’,’Chiristmas in Kenya’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-christmas’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:04:00′,’2012-12-26 21:04:00′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2007/12/23/49/’,0,’post’,”,0),(51,7,’2008-01-01 23:31:04′,’2008-01-01 20:31:04′,’Karibu means welcome in Ki-swahili (you knew that of course)\n\nAfter some trying days for Kenyans following the Dec 27 elections here, all seems to be quieting down with the dawn of a New Year.\n\nAt the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, where the interests of our wildlife are paramount we have felt none of the clashes and unrest that have rocked some parts of Kenya.\n\nThe men and women that work here looking after the animals and the land are culturally as diverse as the animals are different. We are proud to report that we are all still the best of friends here, men, women, beast and all!\n\nThis is what the animals have taught us: In order to survive each creature has to have his or her rightful place and space that allows for respect for one to another.\n\nSometimes this proves a little complicated…\n\n\n\nbut, as was the case with Brandy in the tub, a little diplomacy helped put her firmly back in her place.\n\nOften quarters get a little crowded, but team spirit prevails even if we have to double up\n\n\n\nThere are those that always find reason to shout\n\n\n\nand others are just plain pigs\n\n\n\nWhich makes the rest of us roar with laughter.\n\n\n\nHere\’s wishing you all a happy New Year blessed with peace and love for all God\’s creatures.\n\nGreetings from all the folks and beast at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.’,’Karibu 2008…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’karibu-2008′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:34:10′,’2012-12-26 20:34:10′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/01/01/karibu-2008%e2%80%a6/’,0,’post’,”,3),(57,2,’2008-01-04 09:38:54′,’2008-01-04 06:38:54′,’First I must report that in our neck of the woods peace prevails.\r\n\r\nIt is reassuring to know that all our staff and keepers without fail have shown their commitment to look after the animals in our care come what may.\r\n\r\nYesterday the Kenyan President called a press conference in order to explain that his first concern is that of the safety of all of Kenya’s citizens.\r\n“We are all Kenyans” he said.\r\n\r\nHe explained to the press that security must be restored before any marches or mass meetings can take place in the name of peace. Once citizens are assured safety to go about their daily business he promised to address demands for further talks. He advised those with complaints to seek justice in the courts.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, fanned by international attention battles in the slums continue and it is unclear exactly what is happening there. There are many good Kenyan poor families that are forced to live on the edges of those slums and risk becoming innocent victims of those that emerge with grisly intent. Some pay the ultimate price caught in the middle of unsettled disputes and frustrations brought on by a desperate few.\r\n\r\nWe are confident that peace will return soon to this beautiful land Kenyans proudly call \”God\’s country.\”\r\n\r\nAll of us here at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy are safe.\r\nWe are united in our vote for “pro life” for all gods creatures.\r\nBy our actions we hope to demonstrate the sincerity of all Kenyans committed to peace.\r\nWe thank you for your support. It means a lot at this difficult time to have you as our friends.’,’News from peaceful Mount Kenya’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’news-from-peaceful-mount-kenya’,”,”,’2012-12-21 20:55:06′,’2012-12-21 17:55:06′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/01/04/news-from-peaceful-mount-kenya/’,0,’post’,”,0),(59,2,’2008-01-13 12:21:30′,’2008-01-13 09:21:30′,’Our slightly delayed New Years gift:\n\nA healthy male baby bongo finally made his grand entry.\n\nThe arrival of \’Hamsini\’ marks the 50th Mountain Bongo to join the herd at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, earmarked for re-introduction to the wild.\n\nWe expected the birth to take place around the first of January. but as it were, world attention was focused on less joyous incidents in Kenya.\n\nIt was almost as though the mother bongo was waiting for calm amd peace to return to give her own big event the importance it deserves.\n\nSo today we introduce to you:\n\nHamsini, (which means \’fifty\’ in Kiswahili ) born last night, January 12, 2008.\n\n\n\nDelivery was difficult as the little bongo had overstayed its normally expected gestation period, he had continued to grow in the safety of his mother\’s womb.\n\nWith our team watching her closely the mother bongo finally managed the birth with a little of our help which she accepted calmly, gratefully.\n\nAfter a good night\’s quiet and uninterrupted rest for mother and young, both are fine this morning. Hamsini was observed having a first drink from \”Mom\”.\n\nMother and young can be seen in the animal orphanage\’s suni sanctuary, where they will stay to be pampered for a little while before rejoining the herd.\n\n(You can adopt Hamsini as your own sponsored member of this herd of rare mountain bongo) ….. Just add one or more zeros to his number….\n\n(A donation of $500.00 and up will benefit the herd and bring us closer to the goal of re-populating Mount Kenya with this rare and exquisite species of antelope)’,’Mount Kenya celebrates…..’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-bongo’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:02:13′,’2012-12-26 21:02:13′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/01/13/mount-kenya-celebrates/’,0,’post’,”,2),(61,2,’2008-01-22 08:48:42′,’2008-01-22 05:48:42′,’I got up early this morning, awakened by bird song. I jumped out of bed thinking it must be late. But when I looked outside it was still dark. And yet, the birds were up.\n\nAnd then I saw it, the full moon illuminating the western sky, descending slowly toward the edge of the ranch.\n\nI grabbed the camera and rushed off in the car, out into the bush still hidden by the night.\n\nStriped and white zebra mingling with reedbuck, bushbuck and eland antelope in my view briefly as I come up on the plain, there is that magnificent moon again, lower now.\n\n\n\nIn the east the sky takes on color as it gets lighter by the minute and the mountain stands watch as the moon sinks below the trees racing the life giving sun still hidden by the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya.\n\nThe bush is still dark and I am alone and I am not afraid.\n\nA herd of buffalo slowly makes its way down to the dam to drink, standing out now against the violet sky.\n\nI don\’t know what today will bring, what you will read in the papers about Kenya or what images they will show on TV. And I hope that you will not believe everything because: here I am alone in the African bush and I am not afraid.\n\nThis much I know: The people of Kenya stand united for peace and whatever stands in their way they will overcome.\n\nTomorrow there will be another splendid moon and another and another conquering the darkest nights.\n\nThe moon is very low now slipping through the clouds, striped, hiding, losing to the life-giving sun.\n\nWe will be watching over the animals and the nature around us to preserve for a better future, another moon, another reason for the birds to sing their wake-up songs early, celebrating the dawn of another beautiful day in Africa.\n\nThank you for your concerns.\n\nYour support means so much to every peace-loving Kenyan and to all of us here.\n\n‘,’Meanwhile back at the ranch…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-game-ranch’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:03:50′,’2012-12-26 21:03:50′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/01/22/meanwhile-back-at-the-ranch/’,0,’post’,”,2),(65,2,’2008-01-29 13:27:59′,’2008-01-29 10:27:59′,’Another beautiful day here at Mount Kenya and another delightful surprise: Barely two weeks after the grand entrance of Bongo baby No. 50, here now is No. 51!! He was born to \”Wasi-wasi\” which, losely translated means crazy (as in nervous). That is indeed the reason why I don\’t yet have a decent picture of the cute little baby antelope, I didn\’t dare risk Wasi -wasi to disembowel me with her horns. Bongo, normally quite calm and shy can also be very dangerous. Wasi-wasi especially is quite capable to stand there like a tame animal one moment and attack the next if she were to perceive danger for her young. It is this quality that will ultimately insure their survival in the wild we hope.\n\nIn any case congratulations are due: Wasi-wasi presented us with a beautiful little male. Here\’s your chance to name and adopt!! Just contact us.\n\n\n\nMeanwhile the new baby and mother have joined Hamsini and her mother in the suni sanctuary. We are sure the two little ones will become buddies for life, – a life that will eventually see them roaming free in the wilderness of Mount Kenya.\n\nWhile there is still unrest in some pockets of the nation we are happy to report none of this is taking place anywhere near us. I have yet to meet a single Kenyan that is not horrified by past events. Everyone we know is united in the resolve that peace should prevail at any cost. Kenyans are concerned what the world must think of them. They want you to know that in the majority they are the most friendly, jolly and tolerant people you have met, not the rowdies engaged in senseless battles that do not have anyone\’s support . A yearning for peace to return to this land is what is now uniting Kenyans from all over. There is much hope and confidence in the air. Watch this space for updates.’,’Life goes on…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’newborn-bongo’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:02:06′,’2012-12-26 21:02:06′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/01/29/life-goes-on-2/’,0,’post’,”,1),(67,2,’2008-02-11 09:12:01′,’2008-02-11 06:12:01′,’Another 2008 baby bongo! A fine strong young male was born to the Conservancy\’s dam \”Liz\” bringing the total number to 52.\n\nI won\’t bore you with another picture. Its just so exiting, we are barely in the second month and have 3 healthy baby bongos already. The odd bit is: they are all males.\n\nThey will be a rare and handsome trio carrying within them insurance for the future of the elusive mountain bongo.\n\nYou can now adopt your very own bongo online with a one click donation. For a little more you may even name your own bongo. Just imagine a wild bongo on majestic Mount Kenya carrying your name! Click here to make the world\’s greatest gift to yourself and your loved ones and watch a little bongo grow in the safety of your sponsorship.\n\nadoption.animalorphanagekenya.org\n\nNo doubt the trio will form an outstanding group of age mates before they split up to pursue what nature demands:\n\nCherchez la femme!!\n\nBut will all three succeed? There are only so many females to go around. How can we produce more \”girls\”? Haven\’t got that figured yet!! Maybe Dr. Betsy Dresser can help out. Betsy is the leading scientist of the Audubon Society\’s CREW (Center for Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife). She is also a long time friend and supporter who has worked with us on bongo embryo transplants. She and her team actually managed to harvest a viable bongo embryo and transplant it into an eland antelope host mother who gave birth to a healthy baby bongo after the normal gestation period.\n\nScientists claim this technology is the answer to future prevention of extinction of species. Already Dr. Dresser has a \”frozen zoo\” to prevent extinction of some of the most endangered animals. Betsy tells us much research remains to be done to perfect the method of multiplication by way of embryo transplants into host mothers of more common species. Meanwhile, well, we\’ll just have to revert and rely on the \”old fashioned way.\”\n\nWhich is of course is what makes the work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy more important now than ever!\n\nDespite all that you may have read and seen on TV, the recent political unrest in Kenya has left our area untouched. All is peaceful. But we desperately need your support as we see very few visitors, most have been frightened away by distorted media coverage and well-intentioned travel warnings.\n\nIn fact the few tourists that are actually touring the country at this moment tell us that they found everything along their route to be tranquil and the people wonderful in their plight to please the few visitors we get. They report, that the game parks feel like true wilderness, you barely see another vehicle. This then my friends is the time to come and see this wondrous country.\n\n\n

…peace in the Maasai Mara

\n\nThe animals too are enjoying this total privacy. One couple told me that they saw a pack of 12 hyenas hunting and actually attacking an elephant!! So this is the only kind of close combat you can expect in Kenya\’s wilderness. It sounds so fabulous, so like it was in the \”old days,\” when tourists were scarce. More folks than ever before manage to photograph the big five: elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard.\n\nFor the rarest, seldom seen animals such as the bongo, suni, caracal, white zebra, and more, you can always visit us at the Conservancy.\n\nQuite obviously, this is the time to come and experience what this country really has to offer.\n\nSee you here soon I hope!’,’All\’s Quiet’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’alls-quiet’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:03:43′,’2012-12-26 21:03:43′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/02/11/alls-quiet/’,0,’post’,”,0),(71,7,’2008-03-01 17:26:09′,’2008-03-01 14:26:09′,’Two days ago the political situation in Kenya was still hopeless. Suddenly with lightening speed at the eleventh hour a solution was found, a deal was struck, and rapidly the sun appeared, flooding light down the end of the tunnel.\n\n\n breakthrough….\n\nDr. Kofi Annan, here to help the opposing sides negotiate, managed to get them to go together without conflict or incongruity and sign a pact which promises a better future. They have agreed to a power sharing government but more importantly they have agreed that the events we saw in January are not to be repeated. Ever.\n\nEveryone is joyful at the news, almost forgotten are the differences, for now the yearning for assured peace is paramount.\nA great wave of warm feelings goes out to Kofi Annan who did not waver in his resolve to bring the warring parties together. In gratitude game scouts in the Maasai Mara even named a new born Rhino calf \”Kofi\”. Cute!\n\nBut wait, this is a \”white\” Rhino. Of course \”white\” does not refer to its color, it only identifies it as the wide lipped Rhino, different from its smaller cousin the black Rhino, indiginous to Kenya.\n\nHere at the Conservancy we wanted to take the hint and name one of our own after the great peacemaker to mark the joyous occasion. All the animals were called to a meeting chaired by yours truly, (I am still the Chaircat).\n\nThe council of animals decided that although they sport record long horns not seen elsewhere, our own Rhinos have little in common with Kofi the man and therefore did not deserve the honor of carrying his name.\n

\n
• Rhinos, (the blacks more so than the whites) are more known for their ferociousness than their intelligence. (Not so Kofi the man)
\n
• They can be highly dangerous when disturbed. (Not so Kofi.)
\n
• They are loners when adult and stay away from others of their kind, (meeting only to mate). (Not so Kofi).
\n
• When they do meet one another they fight often to the death, mostly over territory. (Not so Kofi).
\n

\nAfter much debate the council of animals voted unanimously that the honor should go to our own \”Speedy\” the XL Aldabra Tortoise. Speedy has so much in common with the famous man Kofi. We could not deny the obvious similarities;\n

\n
• He\’s old and wise and has weathered many storms.
\n
• He\’s not really from Kenya but said to have African heritage.
\n
• Unhasty, he advances slowly and he carefully calculates his every move.
\n

\n\n\nour own \”Speedy Kofi\”\n\nAnd yet when circumstance demands this guy can move with tremendous speed and maneuver his way safely and brilliantly through the most difficult situations. But most importantly he\’s every ones respected friend. So with great fanfare we announce :\nSpeedy the Tortoise will henceforce be honored with the name of :\n\n \”Speedy Kofi\”\n\n\n\nSpeedy Kofi : \”sharing\” power\n\nAnd with that my friends, we count the days until you visit us here at Mount Kenya.’,’Speedy Kofi’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’peace_deal_kenya_kofi_annan’,”,”,’2008-03-01 17:26:09′,’2008-03-01 14:26:09′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/03/01/speedy-kofi/’,0,’post’,”,1),(77,2,’2008-05-03 19:17:14′,’2008-05-03 16:17:14′,’It could have been any other day or point in time and this little piggy would have gone unnoticed only a few days into his life, the shadow of death already upon him.\n\nMinute and vulnerable, he was forcefully separated from his mother and siblings.\n\nThe pair of mighty martial eagles that have been spotted now for a few days signal the onset of baby season for warthog families. The prolonged drought has forced many expectant hog families to leave their parched savannah homes for the still relatively healthy pastures of the mountain slopes. Here they compete with the rest of the game living under the protection of the MKWC and we wonder how long the food will last with the added burden.\n\n\nAs the martial eagles patiently wait in the trees, their powerful eyes focus on the warthog dens. A few days after giving birth the\n\nsow gets ready to move her new litter to confuse nocturnal Jackals and foxes. She is not aware of the imminent danger from the sky. With his over 2 meters of wingspan the eagle descents silently casting a sudden shadow over this happy family outing. By the time the sow sounds the alarm and her piglets scatter, the powerful claws of the mighty bird have already grabbed one of their number and in one hasty swoop the bird and its prey are airborne – the spectacle of nature is over in seconds. This is how inexperienced mothers lose inexperienced piglets. When she stops to count noses one or more fugitives are already out of her earshot and unaware of her call. By night the jackal, the smaller cats, or the fox will find the easy meal.\n\nNot this time, as one of our alert game scouts found the lone piglet squeaking for help he became its saviour and delivered it unharmed to Fundi at our animal Orphanage.\n\nOur loyal friend and Conservancy supporter Chuck Simmons came through at once with a significant sponsorship for the comical piglet, hence named: \”Chucky\”\n\nChucky has already dutifully taken up his position as Orphanage clown endearing himself to all he meets. Not unlike most parents that see their own children as smarter and nicer, I must say, \”I think this one is different, he really is smarter!!\”\n\nHe not only follows Fundi all day, he also delights in greeting those of us he can already identify, such as my blue car for instance which sends him racing up to the gate to greet me.\n\n\n

I think we have a winner: \”World’s smartest mini hog!!\”

‘,’Lucky Chucky, or the Hog of the Blog?’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’lucky-orphan-warthog’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:17:14′,’2008-05-03 16:17:14′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/05/03/lucky-chucky-or-the-hog-of-the-blog/’,0,’post’,”,0),(84,2,’2008-05-03 19:43:22′,’2008-05-03 16:43:22′,’I don\’t know if this means anything, but for us, April has been the \”month of the pig.\”\n\nNo sooner had young Chucky settled in, another came along.\n\n\n\nThis one is a 3 months old bush pig. The medium size one amongst the three wild pigs found in Kenya. The largest, of course you knew, is the elusive giant forest hog.\n\nThis little piggy was actually found by our equestrian amazon friend Rose Caldwell.\n\nOn one of her daily outings on the slopes of Mount Kenya her horse shied away from some crows busy picking at \’something\’ in a ditch. Rose moved closer only to discover a tiny newborn and terrified piglet about to be assassinated by the crows sharp beaks.\n\nShe managed to scoop it up just in time and walked it back to the safety of their farm house. It would be unusual for crows to go after a bushpig even a small one but, trapped as it was in a ditch they saw their chance. No one knows what happened to \”mom.\” No doubt she was no longer around, because not only would she have managed the crows she would most certainly have had a go at Rose\’s mare\’s legs in defence of her young.\n\nRose reared the little pig on an infant bottle filled with milk, egg and sugar and the little bundle thrived, grew and soon made digging up the garden her favourite sport. So much that inevitably trouble brewed in the Caldwell household and to avoid total destruction not only to the beautiful garden but also their many years of happy marriage, the Caldwells decided it was time Piggy went somewhere she would meet creatures more her match and be prepared for a future in her ancestral wilderness home. That is how she came to us.\n\nShe is yet too young for return to the wild and must stay a few months longer before she begins her eventual journey back to the wild. Meanwhile she has exchanged digging for chasing the other orphans who jovially tolerate her antics. Our little Buffalo \”Bella\” is however specially taken with her and they are beginning to bond. One thing is for sure: Bella will always be bigger than the Ms. Piggy and that fact of life, she will probably continue to respect!\n\nMs. Piggy is looking for your sponsorship in fostering or adoption…\nadoption.animalorphanagekenya.org‘,’Chucky meets Ms. Piggy!’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’chucky-meets-ms-piggy’,”,”,’2008-05-03 19:43:22′,’2008-05-03 16:43:22′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/05/03/chucky-meets-ms-piggy/’,0,’post’,”,0),(85,2,’2008-05-04 22:40:07′,’2008-05-04 19:40:07′,’These are some of the latest youngsters born to the resident herd of Bongo bred at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\n\n\n\nOnly separated by a few months in age, these young animals have formed a friendship that will last for life.\n\nAs seen here, only one \”teenage\” female is \”in charge.\” While the mothers browse in relative peace nearby, the young play and romp as they should. Only previously seen in eland and impala, it is amazing that bongo will adopt the same (sensible) system. Because of the impenetrable forest that wild bongo once populated on Mount Kenya, very little of their behaviour was known until they could be studied in their semi-wild environment of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\n\nBongo bred at the Conservancy are earmarked for future release on Mount Kenya their ancestral home. Watch this space for updates.\n\nIf you would like to become part of this exiting and unique conservation project with your donation, click here:\n\nHelp support the Wildlife Conservancy\n\nFor more details of the Bongo rehabilitation back to the wild program click here:\n\nBongo Updates‘,’Out & About : Meeting Don\’s Baby Boomers’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-baby-boomers’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:35:18′,’2012-12-26 20:35:18′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/05/04/out-and-about-meeting-dons-baby-boomers/’,0,’post’,”,0),(87,2,’2008-05-04 22:51:57′,’2008-05-04 19:51:57′,’I didn\’t want to tell you, at first, about the little bundle of bones the local senior game warden placed in our care about two weeks ago.\n\n\n\nHe had received word from a (northern) Maasai that a zebra foal had followed his cows into his \”manyatta\” (a Maasai traditional homestead). The Maasai people are known for their benevolent ability to respect wildlife, sharing what little grazing there is for their live stock with zebras and other wild grazers and tolerating even the king of beasts, the lion on their turf.\n\nThe Maasai herdsman narrated the story, how only 2 days ago he had witnessed 2 lionesses making a kill of a zebra mare. Then, \”the king\” male lion who had been observing from a distance, claimed his right to feast first on the still warm and twitching Zebra, with the lionesses dutifully waiting their turn.\n\nThe whole commotion of the chase of course had totally unsettled his herd of cows who had fled in panic in every direction.\n\nUnnoticed in the excitement, a zebra foal no more than two days old, had been swept up in the flight of the cows. Unable to locate her slain mother the confused little foal had followed the cows as they gathered for the trek home. Once united with their herdsman they entered the manyatta, a safe enclosure giving them protection from the predators at night. That\’s when the odd one out was first noticed, now feeling quite safe amongst the warm assuring bodies of other larger animals even though they did not have stripes on their pelts. The Maasai herdsman just left the little one there and went to consult with the elders. When it was time to milk the cows, a little was spilled on a hollow stone for the foal who, following the lead of the calves, licked it up.\n\nLeft to chance, the foal might even have leaned to nurse from a cow if that had been permitted. But the council of elders decided it was better to send a message to the Government Game Warden than risk being accused of having killed the mother themselves.\n\nAnother day had passed before the familiar green land rover appeared and game scouts swiftly grabbed the foal and, holding it in their arms for the long journey back across the plains, finally delivered it to Fundi at our animal orphanage.\n\n\n\nDomestic motherless foals are difficult to rear under any circumstances, let alone wild striped ones. Muraya, one of our animal attendants, offered to find donkey milk in the village, although I wondered what donkey would let you milk her! He of course returned empty handed (and bruised!!). Fundi agreed to \”donate\” his sleep for the first ten days to fed the little one on our special formula in a nursing bottle throughout the days and nights.\n\nSo far all the fuss and care has paid off: now, 2 weeks later, our foal has gained a little weight, getting stronger each day and with it boosts our hopes for its survival.\n\n\”Helping\” of course is the never tiring \”Chucky\” the mini hog, and Bella the little buffalo, who, by example, has persuaded the foal to try some alfalfa leaves.\n\n\n\nEach night these three unmatched creatures cuddle up together, having made their choice from all the other orphans around them.\n\n\n\nNature certainly has its ways to adapt and insure survival when the need is greatest.\n\nYour help and support is indispensable for the continued success of the rehabilitation to the wild programs of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and animal orphanage.\n\n\”Striped Velvet\” can be adopted, even named: click here for details:\n\nadoption.animalorphanagekenya.org‘,’Striped Velvet’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’orphan-zebra-kenya’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:24:37′,’2012-12-26 20:24:37′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/05/04/striped-velvet/’,0,’post’,”,0),(93,2,’2008-06-06 23:45:12′,’2008-06-06 20:45:12′,’10 May 2008 – Ajabu\’s big day. In the lush surroundings of her beautiful forest home at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, she has chosen this day for the arrival of her firstborn.\n\nNature sees to it that, instinctively, mother and young will always find each other but how do we, their human caretakers, tell them apart, you might ask? Is it their horns – beautifully long or sometimes not yet visible? Does their coat set them apart – a whole palette of an enthusiastic painter? Do the stripes give them away? Well, it is a combination of these features that give every one of our protégées their unique identity.\n\nOur Wildlife Officer Fundi has opened the family album for you promising to make you a Bongo expert.\n\nSTRIPES\nBongo have between 8 to 14 vertical white stripes on either side. The Bongo in the picture seem to look identical. However, the keen observer may have spotted 12 stripes on the right bongo and only 11 on the left, an important clue…. but how do we distinguish bongo with the same number of stripes? Have you noticed that the first stripe on the right bongo is barely visible whilst the second and third stripe on the left bongo cross half way? There you are!\n\nHORNS\nAll bongo grow ivory tipped horns that may reach up to 40 inches. In young bongo, these are not yet visible and only develop with age. Let’s look at the pictures. The horns twist at the same angle but do you notice the difference? Well spotted, the horns of the bongo on the left almost seem to touch whilst the horns on the right bongo leave a wide gap. Perhaps, as the horns grow, these too will touch one day but as with all features, no set of horns is alike. Of course once you know your bongo family, you can easily recognize them from their facial features as well – just see how different these two are!\n\nCOLOR\nRanging from the lightest chestnut to the deepest russet, bongo are easily identifiable by their brilliant coat darkening with age in males. An artist’s dream, the color nuances are seemingly endless. Do you notice the color of the young bongo on the right being much lighter than that of her mother on the left? When fully grown, the size may no longer be an indicator. The different shades of brown will forever be a \”telltale.\”\n\nSIZE\nThe largest of the forest antelopes, the average bongo weighs up to 400 kilos and reaches a height of up to 4 feet. Couldn’t the two adorable bongo toddlers in the picture be twins – their coats almost identical? Their stripes? Hard to count, aren’t they? If it wasn’t for their different build no one could tell that the Bongo on the left is 4 months older than its cousin. There you are, another hint!\n\nNow that you have mastered the art of telling our bongo family apart, we’ll let you in on a little secret: Ajabu’s girl may darken in colour, she will grow magnificent horns, but she will always carry the name she is waiting for you to give her.\n\nBecome one of the privileged few to give the offspring of this rare antelope family a name registered in the International Bongo Studbook and be part of her incredible journey through photos and regular updates?\n\nAre you ready to name \”your\” girl? This link will make you her guardian angel:\n\nadoption.animalorphanagekenya.org\n\nFor more news on our very successful Bongo Repatriation Program visit this link: bongo.animalorphanagekenya.org or this blog for regular updates.’,’A Bongo Kaleidoscope – as observed by Lilli’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mountain-bongo-kenya’,”,”,’2012-12-25 03:33:45′,’2012-12-25 00:33:45′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/06/06/a-bongo-kaleidoscope-%e2%80%93-as-observed-by-lilli/’,0,’post’,”,0),(97,2,’2008-07-24 19:27:01′,’2008-07-24 16:27:01′,’Here\’s another totally amazing footage.\r\n\r\nWe used to hear, over the years stories often told by the old game wardens and the white hunters, over campfire drinks. Then, the next morning nobody was clear if it was the African magic or the drink, but could what we heard really have happened that way?\r\n\r\nBut then, if you read old books written by colonial officers giving otherwise not so exciting accounts of their years spent \”taming the wilderness,\” you can also find such stories. Of course, no one ever had a camera ready at such moments, only one\’s photographic mind graced by more or less fantasy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNowadays the naturalist gets a grant to lay in waiting with the latest equipment at the ready to record odd moments. But as mankind evolves, so must the animals change with circumstance. When game was plentiful, easy to stalk, would the leopard have bothered with a crocodile? I would love to have seen the rest of the story!’,’Leopard vs. Crocodile’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’leopard-vs-crocodile’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:56:51′,’2012-07-23 19:56:51′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/07/24/leopard-vs-crocodile/’,0,’post’,”,0),(98,2,’2008-08-10 02:48:43′,’2008-08-09 23:48:43′,’Today we woke to the grisly news that an American Tourist had been stabbed to death on the streets of Beijing. He was there for the Olympics, strolling down the street with friends. Had it happened elsewhere in the world the news would surely not have traveled so fast.\n\nAnother day, another time: Peking in the late 1960\’s. Our friend Bill Holden had been waiting anxiously to obtain a visa to see China for years. At this early stage only his fame and his impeccable reputation for honest reporting had persuaded the Chinese authorities to grant a visit. He and his traveling companion were to be accompanied by one of their official guides throughout his visit. Furthermore the route that wanted to take was denied. He was ordered to visit only certain sites as seen fit by the then government there.\n\nStill, Bill thought it would be a start, to break the ice. Surely, he thought, once there he could charm his way into their hearts and he would at least get a glimpse at the real China. But it was not to be.\n\nThe guide was cautious to answer questions and the virtual curtain imposed could not be parted to reveal what he knew must lie beyond. On his last day in Peking, one last walk, one last attempt at breaking the barrier, suddenly a man appeared in front of them and with lightening speed stabbed Bill in the chest. The guide jumped to shield Bill\’s companion. As Bill felt the sudden blood warm his chest coloring his shirt crimson the would be assassin was caught by guards appearing from nowhere and led away swiftly. All of it happed so fast that Bill\’s companion was hardly aware what had happened.\n\nThere was no panic. Bill noticed the few Chinese on the street rapidly disappearing as if a silent command had directed them to do so. Then he himself was whisked away to hospital.\n\nThe diagnosis confirmed what he already felt: No vital organ had been hit. What he did not know was the extend of his luck as the blade had missed its target by millimeters.\n\nPolice and officialdom arrived to question and brief the traveler about this unfortunate incident. The Chinese did not give away what bothered them most, the life almost lost or public embarrassment and its consequences. Bill refused to press charges. He was not given any idea who the culprit was or what may have motivated him. In fact nothing more was ever heard of the man.\n\nAs for Bill, wound bandaged he returned to Hong Kong the next morning as scheduled.\n\nAs the purposely inflicted injury healed Bill never saw himself as a victim nor did he bear any kind of grudge. The one thing that bothered him for the rest of his life was that he was never able to find out what the possible motivation could have been behind deviltry.\n\nWhen news leaked out he was questioned by the U.S. State department for details.\n\nHe begged them not to make a mountain of what he considered a molehill as he felt any charge would stand in the way of a freer China that he believed was surely to come.\n\nSoon after Bill joined us in Kenya where we were busy planning the future of the newly established Mount Kenya Game Ranch. Making his way through the Far East he rescued two Gibbons that had been confiscated from poachers. He felt they reminded him of the most beautiful poetic pair in the world and promptly named them \”Margo and Rudi\” after the world famous ballet dancers Margot Fontaine and Rudolf Nuriyev.\n\nMargo and Rudi lived with Bill for a while and then he turned them over to my care and they were amongst the first inhabitants at the Orphanage. But that\’s another story.\n\n(Our sincere condolences go out to the family of the recent stabbing victim in Beijing)’,’A Sad Day for China’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’a-sad-day-for-china’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:29:41′,’2012-12-26 20:29:41′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/08/10/a-sad-day-for-china/’,0,’post’,”,0),(100,2,’2008-08-13 03:02:36′,’2008-08-13 00:02:36′,’All the world is fascinated with the competitive American elections.\n\nFor the very first time an African American is the nominee for the democratic party: Senator Barack Obama. Kenya is a-buzz with speculation, discussion and bets. After all, Obama\’s Dad was a genuine Kenyan, in fact, his Grandma still lives in a village in Western Kenya.\n\nMany of us here follow every bit of news we can get, so we came across an article written by one Nancy Benac, (Associate Press Writer) that is making its appearance in newspapers this week. In it she compares the decorative aspect of the offices of the two nominated candidates. We are informed Obama\’s office has \”a fresh clean look to it,\” \”carefully choreographed\” with \”not many knick-knacks.\” The accompanying photograph shows a side table with a good old fashioned \”Rungu\” on it.\n\nMs. Benac, the Associated Press Writer identifies it as a \”tiger-beating stick from his grandmothers village in Kenya.\” Why would they have a \”tiger beating stick\” in a village in western Kenya? Hardly!\n\nIt reminds me of a public notice I saw in a government office in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1965, that announced that the hunting and killing of tigers was strictly forbidden under the laws of Somalia. It proved to be the only law that was never violated there.\nWhy? There are no tigers in Somalia to hunt, not any more than there are tigers in Kenya.\n\nThere are no tigers, never were, on the African continent Ms. Benac. Tigers belong to that other mass of land to the east, remember?\n\nAs for the rungu in the good Senator\’s office: It\’s a traditional African weapon, a throwing club traditionally cut from hardwood bushes or roots that have especially strong knots. It is probably mostly seen used by the warriors of the colorful Maasai tribe of Kenya and Tanzania. No self respecting traditional pastoralist would be caught out in the bush without one, it has so many uses in self defense (bar tiger beating) and hunting, even lion hunting although the Maasai possess more suitable and lethal home made weapons for this pursuit. Young boys training to be warriors have rungu throwing competitions until they become so proficient that they can hit small object such as a small mammal or bird at great distance.\n\nBut there is another equally important function for the rungu. It is a ceremonial status symbol giving the bearer the aura of great importance. (Past President Moi of Kenya carried one made of ivory and gold wherever he went). The rungu is often given in honor to a speaker of great importance as a sign of respect. Which is probably why Senator Obama received one in his Grandma\’s home village when he visited there some time ago. Kenyans are proud that it has a place of honor in his office. If the rungu does make it to the White House… we hope NOT as a \”tiger beating tool\”!!’,’A Tiger in the White House??’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’tiger-white-house’,”,”,’2013-04-18 23:30:54′,’2013-04-18 20:30:54′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/08/13/a-tiger-in-the-white-house/’,0,’post’,”,1),(102,7,’2008-08-27 02:39:05′,’2008-08-26 23:39:05′,’Last night an attempted murder took place on the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\n\nA gang came in shortly after midnight and fired some shots.\n\nThe Conservancy\’s security force acted swiftly. Within minutes Peter Fundi the Orphanage\’s superintendent (who sleeps in the Orphanage \”just in case\”) was first on the scene. After securing the immediate surroundings and making sure none of our men were hurt, his next move was to check on our pair of Rhinoceros.\n\n

The Rhino Big Mama has been shot and slightly wounded

\n\nRhino as you probably know are an endangered species. They are hunted for their horn which brings thousands of $$$$$ when exported to the East where they may become dagger handles or ground into \”medicine\” said to have aphrodisiac powers.\n\nThis is precisely why we have trained our pair, although they are wild and free ranging by day, at night they are rewarded with sugarcane when they return to their \”safe-house.\” This is a corral opposite the Orphanage and close to our security force. Fundi had last checked on them before retiring late that night and all was well.\n\nThe Rhino had vanished. So had whoever fired the shots.\n\nMeanwhile, Bunge, the Wildlife Manager and David McConnell who heads our Wildlife Education Center had joined Fundi and the men in a search across the Ranch. They had to be careful as they knew they could now be the assassins targets. Several hours went by. Finally the brave men managed to locate the two precious animals, even in the darkness of the African bush. They had traveled some distance, but to everyone\’s relief, they appeared to be safe and sound. Although confused and refusing to go back to the scene of the attack, at least they were alive.\n\nOur men were joined by armed scouts from the Kenya Wildlife Service. One group stayed in the bush guarding the bewildered animals for the remainder of the night.\n\nHelp from a neighboring farm had by now arrived. They brought with them their team of trained bloodhounds and handlers.\n\nThe dogs were given the scent of the still fresh footprints of the gang near the Rhino corral. Led by Bunge the team followed the eager dogs. They ran towards the forest and then uphill on the heavily forested mountain slopes. The dogs did not tire until they had found a group of people huddled up at a place called Ontuleli several hours later.\n\nPolice were called in and took away the suspects who carried a rifle, a G3.\n\nMeanwhile David McConnell, the head of our Wildlife Education Center went to check on the Rhino at first light. Although they appeared to be okay, in the early morning light he was able to see that one, the female, hat a gunshot wound in her shoulder. She did not appear to be in any pain.\n\nDon Hunt, traveling overseas for medical treatment was swiftly contacted and has been on the phone ever since. Under his direction security has been further tightened.\n\nEventually the animals calmed and could be persuaded to return to their corral, following the keepers whom they know and trust. Tomorrow the female Rhino will be immobilized and removal of the bullet will be attempted by the vets.\n\nThat\’s all we know for now folks. The Kenya Police will establish if the bullets matches the suspects rifle. Meanwhile they are doing their own investigations to establish who may be behind all this. Let us hope that this time the culprits will end up behind bars and further tragedies can be averted.\n\nDon and I would like to thank all involved for their dedication and swift and brave response. Without their help these Rhino might have become yet another poaching statistic.\n\nWatch this space for more news when we have some.’,’A sad day for Wildlife’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’rhinocerous-sad-day’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:16:46′,’2012-12-26 20:16:46′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/08/27/a-sad-day-for-wildlife/’,0,’post’,”,0),(105,7,’2008-09-15 22:24:02′,’2008-09-15 19:24:02′,’We waited a little longer to be sure:\n\nBig Mama, our record-horn Rhino has recovered well from her gunshot wound.\n\nThe Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) vets decided against removing the bullet at this time to give her time to recover from the shock of the ordeal.\n\nAlthough KWS recommended the horn be cut off to remove the temptation it poses to would-be poachers, we have not done so. We feel that the culprits must be prosecuted and punished as a deterrent.\n\nJustice as always takes its time. Two suspects have been charged but are out on bail.\nMeanwhile the Rhinos remain under heavy guard.\n\nThe episode caught us \”on Safari\” in the U.S., but we are now on our way home to make sure all possible is done to have a positive outcome.\n\nMore Rhino pictures soon.’,’Rhino Update’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’rhino-update’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:29:34′,’2012-12-26 20:29:34′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/09/15/rhino-update/’,0,’post’,”,1),(106,7,’2008-11-29 08:02:36′,’2008-11-29 05:02:36′,’Here\’s a video of Killer Whales vs. a Penguin.\n\nSee if you can guess which side wins?\n\n‘,’Wildlife can be just FULL of surprises’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’wildlife-full-of-surprises’,”,”,’2008-11-29 08:02:36′,’2008-11-29 05:02:36′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2008/11/29/wildlife-can-be-just-full-of-surprises/’,0,’post’,”,1),(107,7,’2009-01-15 21:56:03′,’2009-01-15 18:56:03′,’A great New Years gift awaited us on January first:\r\nBongo mother \’Baraka\’ gave birth to a healthy female calf during the night.\r\n\r\nMother Baraka (Kiswahili for BLESSING) was one of the first group of bongo calves born to the \’native American\’ mothers that were returned to Kenya.\r\n\r\nFour days into 2009 another little \’girl \’ bongo joined her. Her mother carries the proud name \”Miss Kenya,\” first born on Kenyan soil of American Heritage!!\r\n\r\nAll of us here take great pride in naming the two new bongo after two other delightful young girls of true Kenyan heritage that have made world news lately:\r\n\r\nMalia and Sasha, the charming young daughters of President Barack Obama.\r\n\r\n

Photos by long time Conservancy supporter Jane McKeand who was there just after the two \”girls\” made their entrance into the world!

\r\nBreeding during 2008 has brought our entire herd up to 62 animals. This constitutes the largest bongo herd anywhere in the world. Although this is an impressive number. Last year the bongo have produced predominantly male calves, no less beautiful but not as desirable when it comes to breeding programs.\r\n\r\nThe arrival of the two pretty female calves signifies \”the change\” we were hoping for and what more apt names then Malia and Sasha.\r\n\r\nAll through the recent hardships our country Kenya has remained committed to conservation of the mountain bongo.\r\n\r\nVery soon now we hope to return the first group of Mountain bongo to their original habitat on Mount Kenya where they have become extinct. This will be the \”world premiere\” of a release back to the wild of any mountain antelope, ever!\r\n\r\nWith your help we hope to make the first release a reality this \”year of change\” to celebrate conservation as a global affair and the African-American cooperation as a shining example of what is possible if we all believe.\r\n\r\nYour participation and help is crucial. Donations of money help with food for the Bongo breeding group (now numbering 64!). We also have to find funds to pay the dedicated staff that insure their well being. Then there are the VET bills, fencing and maintenance of breeding areas, patrol cars and petrol for anti poaching and the list goes on!!\r\n\r\nYou could also participate/help by spreading the word to your friends. Maybe Your company would like to place an ad on our blog? Maybe you know of a fund that would be interested in supporting the Conservancy\’s work with a grant? Remember it is all about the future of our planet for us, and generations to come.\r\n\r\nTo find out how your donation can help Contact Jane at the Conservancy.\r\n\r\nadoption.animalorphanagekenya.org‘,’Change Indeed…’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongos-named-malia-sasha’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:42:41′,’2012-07-23 19:42:41′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/01/15/change-indeed-a-great-new-years-gift-awaited-us-on-january-first-bongo-mother-baraka-gave-birth-to-a-healthy-female-calf-during-the-night-mother-baraka-kiswahili-for-hope-was-one-of-the/’,0,’post’,”,0),(117,2,’2009-02-27 21:54:34′,’2009-02-27 18:54:34′,’Not long ago, our much-respected Chaircat Duma Duke discovered a look-alike of one of the Animal Orphanage\’s residents in a photo from faraway North America. A critter gone astray?\r\n\r\nAlways a devoted reporter, he decided to investigate himself and soon the news broke – Duma Duke is traveling. …and the tittle-tattle from Mount Kenya, the voices of Africa?\r\n\r\n7,000 miles from home, our farseeing Chaircat lent his desk to his trusted friends who ensure that the bush drums continue. Here are some interesting news that just reached us from wintry America:\r\n\r\nThe critter looking so much like his African friend, the Reedbuck, introduced herself to Duma Duke as a member of the extensive Whitetail Deer Family.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBack in Africa, the land of antelopes to which the Reedbuck belongs, a deer is little known so how would you tell them apart? \r\n\r\nOur curious Chaircat finds the answer surprisingly simple: through their imposing headgear.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou see, antelopes call theirs horns. Most females except in Reedbucks and all males carry these permanently. This mostly hollow structure consists of keratin, similar to fingernails. It grows as a single beam from its base up and out forming interestingly twisted shapes.\r\n\r\nOur look-alike, the deer, carries antlers, a solid bony appendage of his skull growing from the tips up. Very few females have this privilege. This unusual and often multi-branched formation is shed every winter and re-grows from late spring to be ready for the next mating season.\r\n\r\n…but some deer are called \”buck\”? Bamboozled! It\’s merely a name given to the male deer of North America. Without its antlers, the temporarily bareheaded Whitetail Deer only reminded Duma Duke of his young Reedbuck friend at Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Travel with open eyes and you will become a scholar – with this old Swahili saying in mind, our devoted Chaircat continues his travels.

‘,’Overheard at the Chaircat\’s Office’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’whitetail-deer-reedbuck’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:15:17′,’2012-07-23 19:15:17′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/02/27/overheard-at-the-chaircats-office/’,0,’post’,”,0),(118,2,’2009-03-06 00:44:04′,’2009-03-05 21:44:04′,’As the ardent Kenya lover knows, the country that straddles the equator enjoys distinct seasons influenced by the monsoon – two wet and two dry periods.\r\n\r\nDuring the course of the year, the monsoon\’s low pressure belt moves between its northernmost point over Arabia and its southernmost point over Zambia. As it travels between these two extremes, the low pressure belt passes over Mount Kenya between Mid-March and June, then again from October to December dispensing much needed rain.\r\n\r\nIn January and February, however, while the low pressure area is situated over its southern extreme, it drives predominantly north-easterly winds across Mount Kenya. Unable to carry along moist air from the Indian Ocean, it results in the lowest rainfall of the year.\r\n\r\nThe green pastures of our conservancy, home to some 1,500 animals, give way to dry grass. Even the smallest uneaten leaf is longing for the occasion drop of rain, a mere 37 millimeters last month.\r\n\r\nThe dry seasons at Mount Kenya follow the same rites of passage –  cool nights reaching 40 degrees Fahrenheit give way to steadily rising temperatures reaching their peak, 85 degrees Fahrenheit, by noon. By then, the morning dew has been consumed by the merciless rays of the sun.\r\n\r\n\r\nFamous botanist Olov Hedberg has given this fluctuation in temperatures the aphorism \”winter every night and summer every day.\”\r\n\r\nOn Saturday afternoon, however, we were treated to a spectacle of a very special kind. As the clouds wrapped themselves around Mount Kenya unusually low, all eyes turned skyward in anticipation of much needed rain. Slowly at first, it arrived in big drops sweeping over man and beast. It flowed downhill in little trickles forming puddles that the thirsty soil drunk greedily.\r\n\r\nAt any time of the year, precipitation is vital to the survival of Mount Kenya\’s fauna and flora. Lacking it, the wildlife at our Conservancy relies on its caregivers to supplement the daily food ratio with expensive hay. Sadly, the rising demand has resulted in a simultaneous increase in cost and, once again, we turn to you, our loyal friends for support.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs if to remind us of her presence, the sun soon peeked through the clouds. 2 hours after the rain had started, nature treated us to a spectacular rainbow.\r\n\r\nWe are hopeful that the subtle green that has appeared within hours of the rain means renewed life in the weeks to come and so we continue to search for rain clouds over Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nPlease will you consider making a donation towards food for the animals in our care? The following link will guide you: www.animalorphanagekenya.org/donate‘,’A Gift of a Very Special Kind’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’gift-of-a-very-special-kind’,”,”,’2012-12-11 22:34:07′,’2012-12-11 19:34:07′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/03/06/a-gift-of-a-very-special-kind/’,0,’post’,”,1),(119,7,’2009-03-24 15:46:47′,’2009-03-24 12:46:47′,’January 2004 in retrospect: The BBC amongst other reputed television networks reports the return of 20 of Africa’s rarest and most elusive antelope, the Mountain Bongo, to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\n\n\n\n5 years on – January 2009: In anticipation of a first wilderness release later this year, a BBC film crew has returned to Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy to film Mountain Bongo for a 3-part natural history series about Kenya. As the film rolls, we follow the crew around with our own camera and bear witness to a very special reunion.\n\nIt’s 6.30 in the morning. Whilst guests at the adjacent Mount Kenya Safari Club are still sleeping, our Wildlife Officer Fundi is directing a dark green Land Cruiser across the Conservancy, many pairs of eyes on us. Initially, we were reluctant to allow visitors into this remote forest area where our bongo are being conditioned to survive in the wild without any human interference.\n\n\n\nYears ago, Mount Kenya was home to numerous herds of Mountain Bongo. Since 1995, none have been sighted on Mount Kenya. They may be have become extinct due to population pressure and pursuant poaching in the National Park, brought under control only recently.\n\nThe BBC and Kenyan film crew understand the sensitive nature of this endangered species. They come to highlight the many years of preservation and captive breeding at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and to increase public awareness of the ongoing efforts to re-establish the bongo in its natural habitat.\n\nAs President Obama’s daughter Sasha is making her first steps in the spotlight, her namesake at our Conservancy is getting her own first taste of fame. Unsure of the lens pointed at her, she carefully circles the camera. Its highly experienced operator is so unobtrusive that mother “Miss Kenya” continues to graze within an arm length of him. A bongo with her newborn calf, in the distance, the sun is rising over Mount Kenya – a vision that has motivated us throughout the years has become a reality.\n\n\n\nLead by Fundi, we follow the film team deeper into the forest where the steep terrain and dense undergrowth make progress difficult. Here, only trained eyes can make out the camouflaged coat of the bongo whose white stripes resemble streaks of sunlight breaking through the bush.\n\nDespite expert tracking, patient waiting and a powerful zoom lens, some of the bongo remain invisible. Never before have bongo been filmed in their natural habitat. Our efforts to turn captive born bongo back into wild animals appear to have born success – this first group of bongo earmarked for release already avoids human contact and seems ready for the last stage of their rehabilitation back to the wild.\n\n\n\n5 years have past since the BBC’s first filming, a journey that has seen our initial small herd of bongo increase to 62. More than 43,000 Kenyan students have since seen this magnificent antelope and learned that the survival of this unique and rare species lies in their hands.\n\nBongo will continue to fascinate anyone who has ever laid eyes on them. Hopefully in the near future they will once again roam the land of their ancestors. Shy and elusive but their sightings will be rare. Meanwhile Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage continues to offer visitors the opportunity to view younger animals bred there and destined for future releases.\n\nAdoption Program‘,’The BBC captures our Bongo’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’the-bbc-captures-our-bongo’,”,”,’2013-04-18 23:31:11′,’2013-04-18 20:31:11′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/03/24/the-bbc-captures-our-bongo/’,0,’post’,”,0),(124,7,’2009-04-10 15:10:57′,’2009-04-10 12:10:57′,’A week ago: When the silhouette of Mount Kenya appeared against the soaring flames of extensive wildfires on the mountain it became clear that mother nature was being brought to her knees.\n\n\n\nSimultaneously, eight other forests in Kenya were burning ferociously destroying over 70,000 acres of forest, a damage estimated at over $ 4 million. No-one could put a value on the potential loss of some of the world\’s most endangered species.\n\nWeeks of hot weather without rain had parched the vegetation, easy food for hungry blazes that were being hurried along by strong winds. In most cases, signs pointed towards illegal charcoal-burners and beekeepers as the cause of the fires.\n\n\n\nUnbeknown to us at that time: the moorlands above Kenya\’s last indigenous forest would be ablaze for another 6 days before finally burning out. The fires severely threatened the homes of elephants, leopards, antelopes and countless other animals. Many of the mountain\’s white zebras were bred and born at our Conservancy and released into the seemingly invincible wilderness.\n\nThe combined forces of the Kenya Wildlife Service, Forest Service, local communities and our own team ensured that man and beast on the slopes of Mount Kenya stayed out of harm\’s way at all times.\n\nWhile a truly spectacular sight at night, the fires are a vivid reminder of the volatile nature of Kenya\’s most important watersheds. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy together with our William Holden Education Center aims to prevent this through ongoing education of all the surrounding communities.’,’Kenya on Fire’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-on-fire’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:03:32′,’2012-12-26 21:03:32′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/04/10/kenya-on-fire/’,0,’post’,”,0),(127,7,’2009-04-30 17:09:09′,’2009-04-30 14:09:09′,’Wildfires are known to be one of nature\’s most destructive forces but is the charred and lifeless vegetation that remains a poignant ending or a fascinating new beginning?\r\n\r\nMiraculously, a brilliant spectrum of colours can be seen from afar within weeks. Hundreds of species of wild flowers and plants have reappeared on Mount Kenya dispersed by wildlife and birds, one dazzling colour fading into another.\r\n\r\nDeep-blue Gentians compete with rocket-shaped Red-Hot Poker. The pale yellow flowers of the Sugar Bush shake hands with red-coloured African Gladiola. Erica, radiant in pink, add yet another shade, and dwarf shrubs and tussock grasses have made a home in gaps neglected by pole-like Giant Lobelia.\r\n\r\nThe recent fires have swept across the grasslands so rapidly that many deeper running plant roots have been left undamaged. Exposed to sunlight interrupted by periods of rain, the mineral-rich soil now offers ideal conditions for dormant seeds to germinate and grow.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA new floral generation has painted an incredible picture that truly tells a thousand words.\r\n\r\nDid you know that magnificent Mount Kenya is a World Heritage Site?’,’A Picture Painted by Nature’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’painted-by-nature’,”,”,’2012-12-14 01:25:18′,’2012-12-13 22:25:18′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/04/30/a-picture-painted-by-nature/’,0,’post’,”,0),(130,2,’2009-05-14 23:39:17′,’2009-05-14 20:39:17′,’The call of the Kenya Wildlife Service reached us at 6.30 a.m. – three Hartebeest, commonly also known by their melodic Swahili name Kongoni, will be arriving at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy within the hour. These are no ordinary Hartebeest, however. They are Lelwel or more commonly known as Mount Kenya Hartebeest, a subspecies quite rare these days.\r\n\r\nThe Hartebeest is often referred to as the clown of the plains. We like to think the Mount Kenya Hartebeest are much prettier, both in their more russet colour and their longer horns placed close together giving the animal a fashionable slender appearance.\r\n\r\nOne month of careful preparation for this special moment is coming to an end as the safari-green truck is winding its way across the grassy plains of our Conservancy. Three of these rare creatures already live at the Conservancy. They were rescued in unrelated incidences some time ago.\r\n\r\nHere on the slopes of mighty Mount Kenya, these six beautiful creatures unite for the first time., one step closer to the goal of breeding them to prevent extinction. We mark the occasion with a new story for you, one that began at a ranch not far from here.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nEarly in 2008, the bush drums could be heard loud and clear: \”Solio\”, a 60,000-acre cattle and wildlife ranch in Kenya\’s Rift Valley, allocated 15,000 acres of its land to the government to help them with re-settlement of refugees and other landless people.\r\n\r\nThe news was significant. Suddenly, the refuge for seven of Kenya\’s most popular species of wildlife had become a potential target for poaching. The task at hand was enormous – nearly 3,000 animals urgently needed relocating to national parks and/or private land across Kenya.\r\n\r\nAmongst those, and particularly endangered, were a number of Lelwel Hartebeest. Three of these long-legged antelopes easily recognisable by their unique narrow head have now found a safe haven at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy to join 3 others already in residence there.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTheir relocation to our Conservancy recognises our continuous commitment to conserving Kenya\’s precious wildlife and gives our resident Hartebeest ladies the chance to produce much longed for offspring. Watch this space for our first baby news!!\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, why not become a fan of our six original Kongoni? How? Find out here‘,’Morning News from Mount Kenya’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’morning-news-from-mount-kenya’,”,”,’2013-04-18 23:25:04′,’2013-04-18 20:25:04′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/2009/05/14/morning-news-from-mount-kenya/’,0,’post’,”,0),(192,2,’2009-10-05 19:54:38′,’2009-10-05 16:54:38′,’Chaircat Duma Duke came across this story of inter-species adoption:\n\nA giant farm dog and a tiny piglet cuddle up as if they were family after the baby runt was dismissed by its own mother.\nSurrogate mum Katjinga, an eight-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, took on motherly duties for grunter Paulinchen – a tiny pot-bellied pig – and seems to be taking the adoption in her stride.\n\nLonely Paulinchen was luckily discovered moments from death and placed in the care of the dog who gladly accepted it as one of her own. Thankfully for the two-week old mini porker, Katjinga fell in love with her at first sight and saved her bacon.\n\n\n\nAnd the unlikely relationship has made the wrinkly piggy a genuine sausage dog. In these adorable images Paulinchen can even be seen trying to suckle from her gigantic new mum.\n\nThe two animals live together on a huge 20-acre farm in Hoerstel, Germany, where Katjinga\’s owners Roland Adam, 54, and his wife Edit, 44, a bank worker, keep a pair of breeding Vietnamese pigs.\n \n\n\nProperty developer Roland found the weak and struggling piglet after she was abandoned by the rest of her family one evening after she was born.\n\nHe said: \”The pigs run wild on our land and the sow had given birth to a litter of five in our forest.\n\n\”I found Paulinchen all alone and when I lifted her up she was really cold. \n \n\n\n\”I felt sure some local foxes would have taken the little pig that very night so I took it into my house and gave her to Katjinga.\n\n\”She had just finished with a litter of her own, who are now 10 months, so I thought there was a chance she might take on the duties of looking after her. \n\n\”Katjinga is the best mother you can imagine. She immediately fell in love with the piggy. Straight away she started to clean it like it was one of her own puppies.\n\n\”Days later she started lactating again and giving milk for the piggy. She obviously regards it now as her own baby.\”\n\n\n

The Chaircat Comments:

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We have witnessed many such \”strange liaisons\” at our animal Orphanage. In the animal word, race plays no role.\n\nFriendships are formed between the most unlikely species. Animal mothers often \”adopt\” the less fortunate, the needy without prejudice and remain close and loyal for the rest of their lives. There are many lessons to be learned in the animal kingdom!

‘,’Interspecies Adoption’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’interspecies-adoption’,”,”,’2009-10-05 19:54:38′,’2009-10-05 16:54:38′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=192′,0,’post’,”,0),(3788,8,’2019-10-20 09:56:00′,’2019-10-20 06:56:00′,’Everybody calls him ‘The Elephant Man’ not knowing where it all started.\r\n\r\nJames Moraya a.k.a ‘The Elephant Man’, woke up to undertake his normal duties and on that fateful day, 16th April 2004. He had been assigned to support a team of eight that was fencing the wilderness area for the Mountain Bongo.\r\n\r\nThe first order of this mission was to drive out the herd of Elephants that consisted of two cows, two calves and a massive bull, from the area that was to be fenced. The area was densely vegetated with “ngoja kidogo” thorns and the only way through them was to follow the elephant’s tracks.\r\n\r\nAnd so the operation began. \r\n\r\nThey had carried some tins and rods to scare the Elephants away. They would hit the tins using the rods to make loud and irritating noises and with that the Elephants gave in and went out guarded by the male bull at the back.\r\n\r\nLittle did the team know that the bull was only escorting the herd and come back to face them. The bull charged back at them and this time ready to risk it all despite the distractions by the team as they shot in the air with the double barreled shot gun. \r\n\r\nWith its acute sense of smell it traced its way back to where Moraya was and that’s when all hell broke loose. The Elephant tossed him up by his stomach twice and once he hit the ground, it left him for dead. The rest of the team knew he was no more… at least not after that deadly toss by a charged Elephant.\r\n\r\nAs that was happening, the team called for support on Radio and guess who the first to respond was? – Our dying Moraya. He whispered asking them to be keen as the bull was still near. The team was at that point so worried about his wellbeing that they decided to continue with the rescue mission, tracing their way through the “ngoja kidogo” thorns to where Moraya was.\r\n\r\nJust like humans, animals too have instincts and can tell when in danger. Perhaps driven by intuition or just perfect timing, the Elephant walked away and luckily giving way for Moraya’s rescue.\r\n\r\nOn getting to where Moraya was lying, the team was shocked on how he was still alive and breathing with his intestine pouring out. Wondering how they could help, they though quickly and on their feet and resolved to use a r-shirt and an improvised a stretcher to carry him to a waiting ambulance to take him to Cottage hospital in Nanyuki town.\r\n\r\nHe underwent a 6 hours surgery and from the doctor’s report, he had a perforated diaphragm, a collapsed lung and a hole in his stomach.\r\n\r\nIn under one year, Moraya was able to beat the odds and had regained enough strength to go back to doing what he loves most. And that’s how he acquired the name, ‘The Elephant Man’.\r\n \r\nAs we celebrate Mashujaa Day, here at the Conservany we celebrate our very own Shujaa, Moraya -The Elephant Man, for the notable work he continues to do towards the conservation of wildlife at the conservancy. \r\n\r\nThe story of how he acquired his name is one that shows his bravery, optimism and will to live even in the face of adversity. He says his endless love for animals is what has kept him going, so much so he has created special bonds with the animals at the orphanage. He knows each one of them by name and how to signal them to do things. For instance, he has a special clap that alerts the Bongos its feeding time and they would come running. \r\n\r\nThe next time you visit the Animal Orphanage, make a point of spending a few minutes with him as he’s always happy to share his story and the rescue stories of the animals he deeply cares for.\r\n’,’Celebrating James Moraya a.k.a ‘The Elephant Man’.’,”,’inherit’,’closed’,’closed’,”,’3785-revision-v1′,”,”,’2019-10-20 09:56:00′,’2019-10-20 06:56:00′,”,3785,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/3785-revision-v1/’,0,’revision’,”,0),(262,7,’2009-11-23 15:08:18′,’2009-11-23 12:08:18′,’\”He who has done his best for his own time has lived for all times\” – fitting words of wisdom by famous poet Schiller for the Bongo Boy who quietly left us this summer but will forever remain very special to us.\r\n\r\nNoah – once bright chestnut colored, his coat darkened with age. Almost black at the end, Noah\’s presence, like that of his famous namesake, was synonymous with continued life.\r\n\r\nAt the age of 3 he presented us with his firstborn, Karen, and over the years several brothers and sisters followed. Interestingly, in his prime, Noah seemed to have had a knack to add girls to his brood. In later years, the boys followed.\r\n\r\nHis offspring made him the proud grandfather of 14 adorable Bongos, every single one adopted by well-wishers from around the world. Did old Noah sense how much joy his amber-eyed family with their unmistakably big ears brought to everyone?\r\n\r\nSome of his progeny have become famous in their own right: \”Obama\” whose namesake has since become President of the United States, \”Hamsini\” (ki-swahili for 50) marks the 50th bongo birth at the Conservancy and a true milestone, and a girl named after the special day she was born on, \”Valentine\”.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDuring his retirement Noah received special attention from his caregivers who understood the complexity of his age and ensured that his last years were comfortable. His home in the safety of the Conservancy looked out on Mount Kenya and the virgin forest where some of his offspring are being conditioned for release to the home of his ancestors, Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\n[c\r\n\r\nIn the wild, nature knows little “retirement”: to ensure the wellness of the herd, the old and the weak instinctively leave the group to face an uncertain death alone. They mostly fall prey to predators even before a natural death. Survival of the fittest – an intrinsic force of nature ensures that the herds are kept strong and healthy in order to multiply and thrive with no “burden” to slow them down or endanger their young. In captivity, receiving ultimate nutrition and care, Bongos have been known to live up to 19 years.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNoah was bred and born at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch under the watchful eyes of the Hunt Family. He was, at first, a shy and weak calf, and it was soon apparent that his mother’s milk had dried up. Kevin Hunt (Don’s son) took him home where he thrived under the care of Lydia, his wife. Feeding him on her own formula the little fellow not only thrived but grew into one of the most handsome big bulls ever seen.\r\n\r\nAs the “posterboy” for bongo conservation he became the famous envy of many a hunter, zoo directors and animal buffs from all over the world came to admire him.\r\n\r\nNoah remained with us until the end of his life. He is sadly missed by all who met and knew him. His genes continue on, visible in his very handsome progeny.\r\n\r\nNoah was immortalized long ago when he was chosen to adorn the official poster of our Bongo Repatriation Programme.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBecome a member of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and Noah, the \”posterboy\”, is yours for FREE as a desktop background image.’,’Goodbye Jolly Good Fellow’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’goodbye-jolly-good-fellow’,”,”,’2013-04-18 23:29:42′,’2013-04-18 20:29:42′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=262′,0,’post’,”,1),(348,7,’2009-12-20 21:48:31′,’2009-12-20 18:48:31′,’This year it was to be different – that gift of real, lasting value for your special someone. After all, Christmas is the season of giving…\r\n\r\nA mere few days away from prominently displaying your find under the Christmas tree it becomes painfully clear that you\’ve left it too late again – or did Father Time play tricks on you?\r\n\r\nSuddenly, on what was supposed to be an idle weekend, you are faced with the familiar dilemma: another CD but which one did you buy last year? …a box of chocolates then but would someone else revert to the same emergency purchase?\r\n\r\nOr, wait, how about a lasting gift of life…..to show you care, make a difference in the lives of our countless orhan animals waiting to be returned to their ancestral home: The African bush.\r\n\r\nHere\’s how it works:\r\n\r\nFor the young-at-heart who forever wonder whether there\’s a Father Christmas after all.\r\n\r\n* Adopt a homeless animal\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nHonor a loved one with his/her very own tile on our famous \”Wall of Tiles.\”\r\n’,’Father Christmas really lives on Mount Kenya’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’father-christmas-really-lives-on-mount-kenya’,”,”,’2013-01-04 21:06:40′,’2013-01-04 18:06:40′,”,0,’http://animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=348′,0,’post’,”,0),(400,7,’2010-01-25 19:05:24′,’2010-01-25 16:05:24′,'(An excerpt from his letter with kind permission of Major Betterton)\r\n\r\nI attach pictures of my late wife taken during her recent visit to the animal orphanage. I think they show far better than I can express in words the effect of our visit and subsequent involvement with your organization. I don\’t think they show a woman who was very ill, terminally ill in fact, but instead show someone who is full of joy and wonder from being where she was. \r\n\r\nShe was very proud of us becoming members of the Conservancy and her doctors confirmed that what happened there in Kenya improved her condition and extended her life in a very positive way.\r\n\r\n\r\nI know that this has nothing to do with the stated purpose of your work but I wanted you to know that, at least in my opinion, not only do you make an important contribution to the wildlife, environment and culture of Kenya but offer the possibility of enhancing the life of everyone who comes into contact with your organization and is open to hearing your message. If you can gain any benefit from using any or all of these pictures, or any of my comments, in any of your promotional or informational material, please feel free to do so.\r\n\r\nMichael S. Betterton\r\nMajor USAF RET\r\n\r\n‘,’In Memory of Suzanne’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’a-tribute-in-memory-of-suzanne-bender-petersen-betterton’,”,”,’2012-12-25 01:34:20′,’2012-12-24 22:34:20′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=400′,0,’post’,”,0),(414,2,’2010-08-26 20:38:22′,’2010-08-26 17:38:22′,’Our first release of 10 Bongo that had been planned and worked on for the last two years has once again been postponed.\r\n\r\nTwo days before the actual release, with all preparations, staff and equipment \”at the ready\” the Kenya Wildlife Service advised us that they wished to postpone the first release until they could clarify some technical issues.\r\n\r\nThe KWS had received correspondence from a Dr. Jake Veasey (Woburn Abbey Safari Park, U.K.) and others, speculating that any release of captive bred bongo could somehow jeopardize the genetics of any bongo remaining in the wild. This was based on the assumption that a very small number of bongo (estimated at max 15) may have survived in the vast and dense forests on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nThe KWS called for another meeting of the bongo Task force to resolve these issues. \r\n\r\nDuring the meeting in July the KWS stated that they would hold on the release until genetic testing could be done. Mike Prettejohn of the Bongo Surveillance Project stated that the estimated numbers of any surviving bongo are speculative and most likely high. This meeting was followed by a \”bongo workshop\”. The workshop was attended by many stakeholders and a full report is in preparation. Issues such as security, genetics, species interaction, status review, vision and targets were discussed amongst others.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe meetings were also attended by Dr. Jamie Ivy the well known Population Biologist/Geneticist of the Zoological Society of San Diego as well as Ron Surratt, Chair, Bongo Species Survival program and President, International Bongo Foundation as well as Dr. Tom De Maar, DVM (Brownsville Zoo) Wildlife Veterinarian, who worked in Kenya for many years.\r\n\r\nDr. Ivy offered expertise that any small group of remaining wild bongo could only benefit and would not be jeopardised genetically in the unlikely event \r\n\r\nDr. de Maar answered questions relating to disease issues putting any reservations and assumptions in this regard to rest.\r\n\r\nDr\’s. Reillo and Estes expressed their desire to do extensive studies on genetics on worldwide bongo populations and are in the process of securing funding for a project that would take several years and be carried out under the umbrella of their Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in the USA.\r\n\r\nThe American Association of Zoological Parks and the Bongo Species Survival Program are ready and in favour of a first release. They have offered and acquired new bongo satellite transmitters and much valuable information could be gathered following a release as had been planned.\r\n\r\n

Where does this leave the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy?

\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy has successfully saved and bred up a large herd of bongo. The plan to release groups of up to 10 animals per year has temporarily been delayed but will continue in due course in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Services.\r\n\r\nWe feel the single most pressing issue is that of security of the animals to be released.\r\n\r\nWe believe in the scientific approach and value the studies to be done.\r\n\r\nHowever since it has been shown that no danger from a scientific standpoint is valid, MKWC will continue with captive breeding under the guidance of Dr. Jamie Ivy and others.\r\n\r\nTo sum up, in the words of Dr. Betsy Dresser, world famous scientist, and Sr. Vice President and Director, Audubon Nature Institute Center for Research of Endangered Species, \r\n\r\n

\”There are many, many examples of herds or groups that have dropped to low numbers and built right back up again and are doing just fine. I really believe that DNA is a lot more hearty than we give it credit and able to revive itself in populations.\”

\r\n\r\nMKWC fully supports the efforts and commitment of the Kenya Wildlife Service to secure the release sites from poachers and the encroachment of\r\ncivilisation and much progress has been made in this aspect. \r\n\r\nOur education programs spearheaded and funded by our William Holden Wildlife Foundation will continue to make a difference in the education of the local area inhabitants adjacent to the Mount Kenya forest to assure their support in saving this magnificent specie.\r\n\r\nThe owners of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch have saved and bred bongo antelope since 1970 entirely with private funding of its directors, until the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy was formed to take over in 2004.\r\n\r\nTo carry on our projects continued funding is urgently needed. It is used solely to benefit the animals and their rehabilitation to their ancestral habitat on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nTogether we can do that!!\r\n\r\nDonations may be made online from this page:\r\n\r\nwww.animalorphanagekenya.org/donate.php‘,’Bongo Release News Flash’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mountain-bongo-news-release’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:29:06′,’2012-12-26 20:29:06′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=414′,0,’post’,”,0),(420,2,’2011-03-01 23:37:53′,’2011-03-01 20:37:53′,’One night late last year high on the Mountain above us, secret romance did its magic.\r\n\r\nPrince William proposed to his long time love Kate Middleton and she gracefully accepted to become his future Queen of England. \r\n\r\nThat same night a baby bongo was born, (almost within earshot of the lone lovers, we like to think).\r\n\r\nWe named the beautiful little antelope \’Miss Kate\’ in honor of the future queen of England.\r\n\r\n\’Miss Kate\’ will remain here in the safety of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy until she reaches breeding age and her own suitable \”Prince\” can be selected. \r\n\r\nIt is hoped that together they will one day roam free and raise their own young in the wilderness of the Mount Kenya Forests where their ancestors once roamed.\r\n\r\nPlease support our bongo rehabilitation program. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou can join our international family of friends by becoming a member of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. \r\n\r\nYou can even adopt your own live bongo or any of our needy animals to sponsor their care and release. \r\n\r\nAll donations are used solely for the care of the animals. That is our pledge!\r\n\r\nThe Founders and Trustees of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy have pooled their resourses for more than 40 years to save the flora and fauna of Mount Kenya for our future generations.\r\n\r\nPlease join us!\r\n\r\nwww.animalorphanagekenya.org/donate \r\n\r\nA charitable Kenyan Trust and a registered U.S. nonprofit Corporation\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n’,’The Magic of the African Night’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’the-magic-of-the-african-night’,”,”,’2012-12-21 09:15:01′,’2012-12-21 06:15:01′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=420′,0,’post’,”,0),(429,7,’2011-03-21 00:11:17′,’2011-03-20 21:11:17′,’Here is an article published in the March, 2011, edition of East Africa\’s Destination magazine, written by Juliet Barnes.\r\n\r\n\”In the vast savannahs of Africa there is a dimension of time and space that is an echo of our own beginnings and which reminds us that we were not born initially to live in the concrete jungle\” -William Holden\r\n\r\nSnakes Suffer Too. Poor old puff adders – nobody likes them. I felt a shard of pity when I heard that they\’re supposed to live in hot, dry areas, but nowadays they\’re being found on the forested slopes of Mount Kenya. Like us, snakes are victims of climate change. I looked at the stuffed puff adders, amongst many other specimens at The William Holden Wildlife Foundation\r\n\r\nEducation Centre: The African monarch is more palatable because it\’s beautiful, but actually it\’s also poisonous – other butterfly species mimic it so they don\’t get snapped up by predators either. Nature is indeed a stage for a myriad of miracles. However this intricate ecosystem on Africa\’s second highest mountain, also a World Heritage Site, is – as the puff adders prove – under very serious threat. William Holden Wildlife Fund Education Centre.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThis Centre inspires school children (aged 11 and up), from all over Kenya, irrespective of background, to think about conservation. It\’s not open to the public, although representing Destination I was hosted by Administrator David McConnell and shown around by Michael Ng\’ang\’a, Educational Coordinator. This conservation guru imbues these youngsters with knowledge and wisdom, his lectures tailored to age and background. This unique educational experience is mainly conducted in the great outdoors, supplemented with talks and films in the impressively stocked library/ lecture theatre.\r\n\r\nDay groups combine activities at the Centre with visiting the nearby Animal Orphanage. The more comprehensive three day programme adds in campfire discussions and quizzes, treasure hunts around the nature trail, a game drive in the Centre\’s four wheel-drive vehicles (including the popular six-wheeler), a weather station visit, and activities like tree-planting, cleaning up litter, or dismantling snares. Older kids climb a hill, studying vegetation zones and the uses of indigenous plants. Groups bring food and bedding, otherwise the entire experience, including cooking facilities, washrooms and spacious dormitory tents, is free.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHowever this is no frivolous picnic on Mount Kenya; alcohol and cigarettes are banned, and groups must partake in the programme. Before leaving they clean up. Afterwards they\’re expected to write up their observations.\r\n\r\nMy kids did the three day visit and came back preaching conservation. They\’d stroked a baby bongo and met llamas (No way! I thought. Ha! Perhaps we should listen to our kids…) Like the other 10,000 plus youngsters who visit annually, or benefit from the Centre\’s outreach programmes, they learned valuable lessons to carry with them into adulthood in an ever challenging world where the destruction of natural resources is spiralling our planet into crisis.\r\n\r\n

Recycling and Conserving

\r\n\r\nThis was about the only two days in the year the WHWF wasn\’t fully booked, so it was relatively quiet, apart from the shouts of red-chested cuckoos from the treetops. As we toured the attractive, well-maintained buildings and grounds, I learned about combatting climate change (which we can all do at home) and Mount Kenya\’s crucial importance. Nature is artfully designed to work in harmony, but bring in one factor and it all goes amiss. A sign in a glade on the nature trail directs you to open a door to see the environment\’s greatest enemy. You find yourself gazing in a mirror!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFirst we toured the wetland that recycles all the camp\’s waste water, emerging in the last pond having been cleaned by plants and filtered through stones. I was shown a simple biogas plant converting llama dung (more on llamas later) – although cow dung is better – into cooking gas. One parent expressed much gratitude after his daughter forced him to make biogas at home. Every youngster also makes an eco-friendly briquette: gently squeezing and moulding a ball made of soaked sawdust, waste paper, dry grass, leaves and charcoal dust, then dried into a cheap, slow-burning fuel alternative that emits minimal smoke. Michael invented his own briquette press.\r\n\r\nThen there\’s a solar water boiler – a black kettle hung in a reflecting cone, tilted to catch the sun\’s rays; a bush fridge and solar box oven. Youngsters also learn the importance of composting, separation of waste and recycling.\r\n\r\nThe nature trail winds through unspoiled forest alongside the clear, glacier-fed Nanyuki River. There\’s information on everything from soil quality to climate change. All groups plant a tree and harvest seeds for the nursery, taking seedlings back to school. They\’re also shown organic farming: there are trout ponds, ducks, geese and rabbits and vegetable gardens with space and water-saving examples in sacks and tyres. Across the fence denuded land beside Kaloleni village reminds us of this forest\’s fragility: we\’d seen butterflies, birds, monkeys and two rare, wild black river duck. The other side of the fence supports nothing.\r\n\r\n

Movie Stars and History

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nActress Stefanie Powers is the driving force behind the WHWF Education Centre. Best remembered co-starring with Robert Wagner in Hart to Hart (which earned her five Emmy award nominations), she\’s still starring, mainly on stage nowadays. Stefanie\’s nine-year love affair with actor William Holden kept her close to Kenya. A year after he died in 1981, Stefanie opened this Centre on land donated by the Hunts, fulfilling Holden\’s dream. In her autobiography One from the Hart, she writes: \”I see his legacy in the animals he helped to preserve and the people whose lives he bettered.\”\r\n\r\nHolden\’s love affair with Kenya began when he first visited in 1964. He met a fellow big game hunter, Don Hunt, well known in America for his children\’s educational TV show. Both realising the importance of protecting Africa\’s animals, they bought land and founded the Mount Kenya Game Ranch in 1967 – the first in Kenya. Don also met his future wife, German-born Iris, in Kenya. Heavy poaching in the 70\’s prompted their rescuing and translocating of many vulnerable species with the blessing of Kenya\’s first President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The ranch offered safe sanctuary, while surplus stock were exported to zoos in the USA and to other African reserves. When Iris\’s house and bedroom became too full of rescued creatures in need of expert care, she started the orphanage.\r\n\r\n

Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

\r\n\r\nIn 2004 the Game Ranch became the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Separate from the WHWF, albeit working together side by side, this 1,200 acre sanctuary is still home to Stefanie Powers and Don and Iris Hunt, as well as 1,500 animals – some 28 species. Reserved for the breeding and rehabilitation of wild animals, it\’s not open to the public.\r\n\r\nWe drove around in the evening light, watched over by Mount Kenya\’s peaks, the glaciers elusive behind a shifting wreath of cloud. There\’s only one white rhino left after \”big muma\” was machine-gunned by a gang hell-bent on getting her horn.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHappier news was the golden-eyed, white zebras; early British explorers reported these ghostly creatures on the Leroghi Plateau near Maralal. Later a couple more were sighted on Mount Kenya and zoologists labelled them Albinistic Sports.\r\n\r\nAs poaching escalated, the Hunts captured the four remaining white zebra from Leroghi and moved them to their game ranch where they bred well. Now over 100 have now been released on the mountain and future plans include releasing more up north.\r\n\r\nThere are non-indigenous, rescued animals too: two pygmy hippo who yawn for a cookie from Iris, an elderly zebroid (horse-zebra cross) – one of the original pack animals used on Mount Kenya and South American llamas. These crazy-looking creatures (I just love the toothy stare), woolly relatives of our camel, were originally donated by Don\’s brother and have bred so well that 12 have been donated to Kenyan universities in the highlands. Amongst their many uses, they are wonderful pack animals, used for scaling the high Andes. The kids at the WHWF Centre actually get to walk with them!\r\n\r\n

The Animal Orphanage

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAbove all this isn\’t a zoo, Iris emphasises, but a temporary home for creatures with special needs. Over 1,000 animals have already been released back into the wild. We were accompanied by Peter Fundi, currently working on his thesis (he\’s been studying bongo for a decade so he\’s THE bongo \”fundi\”). Iris introduced me to the animals as if they were her kids. Some are – she\’s raised a variety of babies including a rhino, lion cubs, Mary the elephant – today living in Tsavo with her own babies, Batian the cheetah who became a film star and Max, a baby chimpanzee. We were followed closely by Fundi\’s \”baby\” – a three month old impala, who only survived because Fundi slept beside her. \”It\’s not a nine to five job,\” Iris emphasises. Indeed the Hunts had to live in Tsavo for months to successfully rehabilitate Mary.\r\n\r\nSome released orphans return, like the caracal who has been released three times – now being prepared for release further away. Karen the bushbuck, whose mother was eaten by a leopard, has been resident for six years: she leaves to find mates, but returns to her comfort zone to give birth.\r\n\r\nKaren and her two grown babies, who haven\’t left yet either, were happily playing chase with a baby bongo in the evening sun. Other animals, like the monkeys, are released in family groups. Meanwhile they\’re breeding: a Colobus nursed her baby and a Pattas monkey restrained hers from coming too close to us. Patricia the ostrich looked on as I met the world\’s first \”mangaboon.\” A crested Mangabey, confiscated in Zurich, made friends with a baboon and this was the result! Things that wouldn\’t happen in the wild happen here: three cheetahs, abandoned cubs who were hand-raised, ignore the Mount Kenya Hartebeest. Romeo the porcupine tolerates Matata, half-whitenosed monkey and half-Sykes, who steals his food. The bush pig wants a scratch. Sokoke wild cats mew for their dinner. The whole place takes on the slightly surreal feeling of an incredibly cosmopolitan, blissfully happy boarding school.\r\n\r\n

The Bongo Project

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI met Kate, a beautiful young bongo, named in honour of Prince William\’s engagement. William Holden called bongos the \”stars\” of the Mount Kenya ecosystem. A big, dark male, with impressive horns, wanders by. Fundi says he\’ll grow to over 450 kg. \”Aren\’t they beautiful?\” Iris echoes my thoughts. \”They used to be all over Mount Kenya…\” I notice her pendant is painted with a bongo.\r\n\r\nBack in the 1970\’s, after studies indicated a drastic decrease in bongo populations, 20 animals were sent by the Hunts to the USA to breed. In 2004, when bongos had become officially endangered, the first group arrived back home. After settling back in they bred successfully in special designated areas within the conservancy, slowly encouraged to become wild again. Several years later this was named one of the world\’s top ten Most Successful Conservation Projects, focussing worldwide attention on the importance of Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nNow there are over 80 bongos, with the first group ready to be released back into the Mount Kenya forest. Don\’s vision is to have 400 wild bongos back on the mountain in ten years time.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Money Matters

\r\n\r\nAt the WHWF Centre a plaque acknowledges donors – including Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Martina Navratilova, Paul Newman and Robert Wagner. The orphanage has \”tiles\” displaying similar. Youngsters in Kenya, whether from private or government schools, benefit from their generosity. Iris assured me that these outfits are transparent – true music to any Kenyan\’s ears: every cent of every donor dollar goes back in. \”William Holden\”, Iris smiled, \”used to be sent off to do a film when we needed a new tractor.\” They pay their Kenyan staff, but everyone else (international staff) does it for love. But why is it always up to foreign donors? Kenya is surely reaching a place where we are able to give back – to join in protecting our natural resources. Isn\’t it time we gave back to our priceless natural heritage?\r\n\r\nClick Here to make a Donation Online\r\n\r\n

Outreach

\r\n\r\nThe WHWF Education Centre also runs outreach programmes for rural schools and communities. Their Bongo Outreach Programme targeted 61,000 people in 2009: many didn\’t even know this endangered antelope existed.\r\n\r\nDavid took me to two of the five government schools where the WHWF have built libraries and kitchens. At Guara Primary it was heartening to see the spotless building housing offices, a lecture hall and a library with the emphasis being on conservation. Wathituga Primary had an older, more established library, creatively decorated with maps, charts and posters. They also had a kitchen with an innovative environmentally friendly cooking pot.\r\n\r\n

Facing the Future

\r\n\r\nFlying back to Nairobi, via Loisaba and Samburu, I had the chance to see the desperate drought below. A former lifeline, the Ewaso Nyiro River, fed by Mount Kenya\’s streams had dried up. Here was a horrifying reminder of the importance of educating the next generation so they can endeavor to repair a frail future.\r\n\r\n

Useful Info

\r\n\r\nGetting There\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Animal Orphanage and William Holden Wildlife Fund Education Centre are situated beside the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club. Urgent assistance with funding is required.\r\n\r\nMount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy\r\nTel: +254 62 32788 / + 254 20 239 7751\r\nWebsite: www.animalorphanagekenya.org \r\nDonate: donate.animalorphanagekenya.org\r\n\r\nAccommodation:\r\nFairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club \r\nTel: +254 20 226 5000 \r\nEmail: Kenya.reservations@fairmont.com\r\nWebsite: www.fairmont.com\r\n\r\nVisit Destination magazine‘,’Article in Destination magazine’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-destination-magazine’,”,”,’2013-01-05 01:11:00′,’2013-01-04 22:11:00′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=429′,0,’post’,”,0),(2965,7,’2013-01-05 01:13:22′,’2013-01-04 22:13:22′,”,’Iris Hunt, Bongo, Mount Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-14′,”,”,’2013-01-05 01:13:22′,’2013-01-04 22:13:22′,”,1257,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/iris-hunt-bongo-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(456,2,’2011-04-27 18:57:46′,’2011-04-27 15:57:46′,’\n\n\n\nA little more than 6 months ago we named this little new born baby bongo \”Ms Kate\” at the Animal Orphanage.\n\nShe has since stolen all of our hearts with her beauty and totally loving personality. The royal wedding fever has not missed the slopes of Mount Kenya, so Bea, Fundi and the keepers are organizing a \”feast\” for all the animals to celebrate!! \n\nNo better time than this to let your imagination run wild and make a donation towards a free future for these beautiful creatures. \n\n
\n’,’Celebrating the Royal Wedding at Mt. Kenya’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’celebrating-the-royal-wedding-at-mt-kenya’,”,”,’2012-12-21 09:14:50′,’2012-12-21 06:14:50′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=456′,0,’post’,”,0),(463,7,’2011-05-01 18:21:30′,’2011-05-01 15:21:30′,’While over 60 million viewers delighted in watching the royal English wedding, we were having a bit of fun with our own Ms. Kate and her friends at the Animal Orphanage.\r\n \r\nDo you have a \”Prince for Ms. Kate,\” you asked.\r\n\r\nWhile Prince William and his beautiful bride followed their heart, but there’s no such luxury in the animal world. Not unlike in mankind\’s own ancestry, \”good breeding\” is regulated by science concerned with \”lineage.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStill, we do have a handsome young bongo in mind, But until they meet she will continue to delighting us all with her graceful beauty and exceptional good nature.\r\n\r\nTo help insure her future you can donate to Ms Kate\’s \”trousseau\” benefiting the bongo rehabilitation back to the wild program\r\nat the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy with a click of your mouse:\r\n’,’Our Miss Kate on the Big Day’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-miss-kate-wedding-day’,”,”,’2012-12-21 09:14:40′,’2012-12-21 06:14:40′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=463′,0,’post’,”,0),(469,2,’2011-12-30 23:00:44′,’2011-12-30 20:00:44′,’Dear Friends,\r\n\r\nIt has been an exciting long year!\r\n\r\nDuma Duke has not been too talkative of late. Exercising his well-earned right of seniority, he prefers to laze around, showing off his still impressive magnificence.\r\n\r\nHe and siblings are up early each morning on their high \”throne\” overlooking all the other residents of the Orphanage and the Conservancy\’s plains beyond.\r\n\r\nNot quite expected so soon, our \”New Years\’s baby\” arrived a few days early… this precious fawn, born on Christmas day is our newest and as yet very shy baby bongo. Instinct demands the infant antelope to stay hidden, safe where \”Mom\” left it in some bushes in the suni sanctuary. For now only \”mom\” is aware of its sex. We do not interfere and let ultimate privacy ensure the well-being of the precious new born. \r\n\r\nSoon though curiosity will win and the new arrival will join the other youngsters.\r\n\r\nWe are now feeding 80 bongo and counting.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile this is an overwhelming sight and signifies great success, it also presents great problems in the pocket book. Animal feeds alone have doubled in price over the last 12 months. So have costs of vet care, fuel, man power and everything else. We are budgeting with great care and our senior staff and keepers have been wonderful not demanding double pay as so many other striking workers all over the country.\r\n\r\nThe good news is that the rains have been plentiful and Kenyans expect a bumper harvest. For the Conservancy that means lots of grass for our free ranging animals. \r\n\r\nThe excellent rains also give the forest a chance to recuperate from the recent drought, making conditions perfect for a scheduled release of our bongo onto Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nWe are ready! Working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service there have been numerous delays. The main hold up is that the Wildlife Service has not felt comfortable with ensuring the safety of the animals once they are beyond our own care. They need to reinforce their anti poaching patrols and there is talk of further fencing sections of Mount Kenya. It all makes great sense to wait until conditions are improved in that respect.\r\n\r\nThe future looks bright although the long wait brings other challenges. To continue with our successful breeding of this vanishing species, more \”bomas\” for their safekeeping have to be constructed, increasing amounts of food have to be purchased, vaccinations and veterinary care doubles. More dedicated keepers have to be found and trained and financial help is desperately needed to continue with the project.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, we are happy to report that the white Zebra we rescued and saved from extinction are now successfully re-established in the vast forests of Mount Kenya and can often be seen grazing on the glades.\r\n\r\n\r\nSimilarly, many of our breeding troupes of Colobus monkeys are now well established and once again thriving in the forest above. Some of them return time after time to visit their relatives still at the orphanage, much to the delight of our own human visitors.\r\n\r\nMany more orphans, too many to mention have been treated and released this year. Some of them have returned, insisting that the orphanage is their rightful place and we do not deny them to come back into the home of their choice. This is why you may see some animals in residence at their old place in the Orphanage even after release to the wild.\r\n\r\nThis year we also celebrated Bwana Don\’s eightieth birthday. Blessed with good health he\’s still the first up every morning touring the Conservancy and actively involved assisting and directing our Wildlife managers with their tasks.\r\n\r\nMama Duma has been battling some health issues but with great success, and is happy to report that she\’s back \”at it\” and will assist \’Duma Duke\’, the talking cheetah on this page to update you more often.\r\n\r\nAs you make your New Years plans and resolutions, please don\’t forget your four legged friends at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy and Orphanage. \r\n\r\nLike countless generations before them, freedom to roam their ancient habitat on Mount Kenya must be ensured for all, including mankind.\r\n\r\nTheir future is in our hands. Help us to continue to lead the way and remain a shining light in the world of wildlife conservation.\r\n\r\nWishing you continued health and the warmth of love in your heart,\r\n\r\nfrom \r\nMAMA DUMA and BWANA DON (aka Don and Iris Hunt) \r\nand all of us here at the\r\nMount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,’Year End Newsletter 2011′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’newsletter-2011′,”,”,’2013-04-16 03:55:29′,’2013-04-16 00:55:29′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=469′,0,’post’,”,0),(519,2,’2012-01-12 03:28:58′,’2012-01-12 00:28:58′,’Schools are back and already a number of lucky students started off the year with a visit to our animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nThe majority of Kenyan kids have no opportunity to see the wealth of wildlife their country has to offer. They may live in cities or remote rural areas. Most of them would normally have no access to the game rich areas. There are of course no Zoos and a trip to the game park is out of reach for most families.\r\n\r\nMany years ago, Bill Holden and the Hunts started inviting area schools to visit the animal orphanage at their Mount Kenya Game Ranch. The children had a wonderful time. From there grew our educational programs. Later we founded the William Holden Wildlife Foundation in order to carry on the educational programs in earnest and in the memory of our friend and partner Bill Holden. Chaired by Stefanie Powers, the Foundation has grown into the premier wildlife educational facility for visiting Kenya students in the region.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe highlight of course remains a visit to the Conservancy and the Orphanage.\r\n\r\nHere the kids get to \”touch and feel\” whatever species of indigenous wildlife are in our care at the time. The program has made a major impression on most of the part tacking students… so much so that some of them become involved in Conservation as they enter their professional lives. \r\n\r\nOne example is Peter Fundi, who still works as a Wildlife Manager at the Conservancy when he is not away at University working on his masters degree.\r\nHe has based his dissertation on the bongo rehabilitation program, in which he has been involved from the start. We can\’t wait to see him graduate….\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMeanwhile the Conservancy has also taken interns and helped facilitate their studies. Julia was one such enthusiastic volunteer that gave up some of her holidays to learn about wildlife at the Conservancy. We just received this letter from her Mom:\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMay I take this opportunity to update you on Julia. She has applied universities and already has received a few conditional offers, including from the university of her first choice – the Imperial College in London. She is very happy with these offers, and very motivated to study hard to obtain the points that are required for the Imperial College. In all applications, she has chosen the subjects related environmental conservation as planned. Her experience in Mount Kenya has been extremely precious in deciding her future path. The real exams are conducted in May, so she has quite an extended period of hard work. We are confident that she has a determination and commitment required to get through this important stage of her life.\r\n

(Signed: Tomoko Nishimoto)

\r\n\r\nTo her and all you enthusiastic young people out there: we wish you all the best and don\’t give up on your dream!‘,’Kenyan School Children\’s First Encounter with Wildlife’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-school-children-meet-wildlife’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:56:47′,’2012-12-26 20:56:47′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=490′,0,’post’,”,0),(509,2,’2012-01-26 22:07:28′,’2012-01-26 19:07:28′,’For the last few months our game scouts have found a number of remains of some of our free ranging animals. The tell tale signs of leopard could be seen in the vicinity of the kills.\r\n\r\nFootprints revealed there were at least 3 or more different leopards that visited the Conservancy regularly. Of late, they had taken up permanent residence at this most convenient \”dinner table\”. \r\n\r\nThey obviously had discovered a favorite gourmet food provider: easy to catch gazelles, Llama, even one baby bongo fell prey. Meanwhile, at the adjacent Mount Kenya Safari Club leopard sightings were reported by guests, confirming just how bold these intelligent hunters had become.\r\n\r\nThat did it. Muraya, one of our keepers and expert at trapping, went to work. Within a week he was able to catch a magnificent female and her two adult male cubs in a trap in 3 separate nights.\r\n\r\nThey were speedily sent of to a National Park near us, but not near enough for them to return. \r\n\r\nThe release took place at the same spot so the family could be united again. Having had the \”luxury\” life feeding of our plentiful and unaware wildlife they need to forget the easy life and go back to hunting for a living. \r\n\r\nStill we are thrilled to see the leopard population on the increase on Mount Kenya!\r\n’,’Leopards Galore’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’leopards-galore’,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:58:30′,’2012-12-26 20:58:30′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/blog/?p=509′,0,’post’,”,0),(747,7,’2012-04-22 09:30:32′,’2012-04-22 06:30:32′,”,’Blog’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’blog’,”,”,’2012-08-01 03:09:49′,’2012-08-01 00:09:49′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=747′,80,’page’,”,0),(523,7,’2012-04-20 15:32:46′,’2012-04-20 12:32:46′,”,’Animal Rescue’,’Animal Orphanage at Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’animal-rescue’,”,”,’2012-12-24 04:36:59′,’2012-12-24 01:36:59′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=523′,99,’page’,”,0),(529,7,’2012-04-20 16:27:48′,’2012-04-20 13:27:48′,”,’Bongo Baby Boomers’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-baby-boomers-med’,”,”,’2012-04-20 16:27:48′,’2012-04-20 13:27:48′,”,17,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo-baby-boomers-med.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(530,7,’2012-04-21 09:36:47′,’2012-04-21 06:36:47′,”,’Mary the Elephant with Iris Hunt’,’Mary the Elephant with Iris Hunt’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-iris-9′,”,”,’2012-04-21 09:36:47′,’2012-04-21 06:36:47′,”,523,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant-iris-9.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(532,7,’2012-04-22 07:48:06′,’2012-04-22 04:48:06′,’Farmers Find a Whiff of Chili Pepper Sends Pachyderms Packing and Saves Corn Crops\r\n\r\nBy ANGELA HENSHALL – Link to Full Article\r\n \r\nMIKUMI VILLAGE, Tanzania\r\n\r\nSnap. Crack. Pop.\r\n\r\nThat\’s the sound of an African elephant with a dangerous case of the munchies crashing through underbrush at 25 miles per hour.\r\n\r\nSaid Longwa, a 52-year-old farmer and father of nine, used to face down crop-raiding elephants with nothing but a flashlight. Others in Mikumi village would beat tin cans or light fires; some exploded homemade pipe bombs. But the sound and fury didn\’t deter the largest land mammals on Earth from staging nightly assaults on fields of corn and watermelon.\r\n \r\nDuring the worst period of crop raids several years ago, charging elephants killed three people from Mr. Longwa\’s village, in the Morogoro region in central Tanzania, more than 118 miles from the coastal capital of Dar es Salaam. \r\n\r\nWhen the elephants visit Mr. Longwa\’s cornfield these days, they screw up their long noses and trumpet in consternation.\r\n\r\nMr. Longwa has treated his fence with chili mixed with engine oil-a preparation that adheres to the fence, even in heavy rain. \”They will mull it over and often circle two to three times,\” the farmer says of the elephants that approach his fence. \”But once they get a real whiff of the chili, they snuffle and sneeze.\” And leave the scene.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA successful campaign against poachers-and the expansion of national park land-has seen a rise in the elephant population in parts of east Africa. Meanwhile, more farmers are settling nearby in search of fertile land. The result is a rising number of face-to-face meetings between man and elephant.\r\n\r\nThe encounters, in turn, have spawned an industry of elephant whisperers, or fundi, as they are known in Swahili-each with his own homegrown remedy for keeping pachyderms at bay. \r\n\r\nBirds and insects cause crop damage, too. But they don\’t consume 660 pounds of food in 18 hours, as big elephants tend to do. Herds of 15 to 20 can quickly wipe out an entire field and obliterate all the work of a subsistence farmer.\r\n\r\nAfrican elephants also can be very sneaky.\r\n\r\nCrop raiders tend to work as teams-typically involving three to five elephant family members. Farmers say a lone elephant will scout for tasty, ripe crops. The next night, the scout returns with ravenously hungry reinforcements. \r\n\r\nWildlife experts ruled out some proposals, such as electric fences. They worried fences would prevent wildlife migration. And maintenance and generator costs struck them as too high.\r\n\r\nEnter Lucas Malugu, a young expert in elephant behavior and psychology at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute who came up with the chili concoction after researching elephant repellents.\r\n\r\nIn 2006, he started a two-year research project to study crop-raiding on the western boundary of the Serengeti, the national park Tanzania shares with Kenya. Pachyderms, he discovered, had developed a penchant for maize, as corn is called here.\r\n\r\nThe farm crops often taste better than dry grass and contain more calories, thereby luring elephants from national parks into farms. The more delectable the crop the worse the damage; maize and watermelon topped the menu.\r\n\r\nResearchers demonstrating the use of chilli bricks at Rwamchanga village in the Mara region in Tanzania.\r\n\r\n\”It was an epidemic,\” said Mr. Malugu of the elephants in the Serengeti. \r\n\r\nEven though elephants don\’t eat cotton and tobacco, they trample through these cash crops anyway. The raiding increases sharply during harvest times and in a drought. Between 2007 and 2009, about 60 districts in Tanzania reported serious conflicts between elephants and people, according to government figures. \r\n\r\nFollowing consultation with colleagues in neighboring Zambia, and talks with local farmers, Mr. Malugu hit on his chili strategy. It came to him after observing the reactions of elephants after they get the slightest whiff of the stuff.\r\n\r\nElephants don\’t see well, but they have very sensitive noses. When elephants want to assess a situation, they lift their trunks into a so-called snorkel maneuver, says Mr. Malugu.\r\n\r\nWildlife experts began testing the chili solution in several areas of the country. Nongovernment organizations, including World Society for Protection of Animals, World Wildlife Fund and Unesco Rapid Response, have stepped in with funding and with help training farmers. \r\n\r\nThe farmers themselves remained skeptical through the initial stages of the program. \”We didn\’t believe it would work,\” says Mr. Longwa, the maize farmer in Mikumi. \”When we looked at the size of the elephant… we thought the chili fence is just too simple.\”\r\n\r\nYet weary farmers in Mikumi village were ready to try alternatives to round-the-clock crop surveillance. Soon villagers began noticing elephant footprints stopping abruptly at the edge of chili fields and tracking back to other plots. One farmer says he watched an elephant pause at the fence and then try to reverse through it holding his trunk up in the air to avoid the stink.\r\n\r\nMore than 31 villages, in at least four areas of Tanzania, are now using chili fences, according to the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. Most are now equipped with \”an elephant toolbox\” to build the fencing and instructed in maintenance, and there are hopes the strategy will be rolled out nationally. \r\n\r\nAnticipating that elephants will adjust to the chili, however, and no longer be warded off by it, experts such as Mr. Malugu are studying still other methods. One possibility is putting radio collars on problem elephants.\r\n\r\nAnother promising method is bees.\r\n\r\nElephants don\’t like being stung by bees flying up their noses. African elephants are known to avoid acacia trees occupied by honey bees, so villagers in the south of the country are now constructing lines of beehives spaced around fields. When an elephant crosses these lines, says Mr. Malugu, villagers \”shake the hive and release the bees, sending the elephants running.\”‘,’Elephants Now Think Twice About Midnight Snacks in Tanzania’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephants-chili-peppers’,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:01:25′,’2012-12-26 21:01:25′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=532′,0,’post’,”,0),(533,7,’2012-04-22 07:46:23′,’2012-04-22 04:46:23′,”,’Elephants repelled by chili peppers’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephants-chili’,”,”,’2012-04-22 07:46:23′,’2012-04-22 04:46:23′,”,532,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephants-chili.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(534,7,’2012-04-22 07:47:34′,’2012-04-22 04:47:34′,”,’Researchers demonstrating the use of chilli bricks at Rwamchanga village in the Mara region in Tanzania.’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephants-chili-2′,”,”,’2012-04-22 07:47:34′,’2012-04-22 04:47:34′,”,532,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephants-chili-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(536,7,’2012-04-22 08:23:03′,’2012-04-22 05:23:03′,’

The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

\r\n

• was formed as a non- profit Trust under the laws of Kenya in 2004

\r\n

The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy USA

\r\n

• was established as a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization under the laws of the United States in 2005

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The Board of Trustees

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1) Chairperson: Ms. Nyawira Kariuki

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2) Trustee : Jane McKeand

\r\n\r\n\r\nJane McKeand is the widow of one of the Conservancy\’s founders, Julian McKeand. She serves on the Conservancy board since his untimely death. She is a keen and accomplished photographer, widely travelled in Africa. She is a past Chairman of the Kenya Horticultural Society as well as serving as a Trustee of the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital. She has lived in Kenya since 1970 and at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch since 1979.\r\n\r\n

3) Trustee: Mr. Ron Surratt

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4) Trustee Ms. Margaret Mbaka

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5) Trustee: Mr. Florian Schoeller

\r\n\r\n\r\nFlorian Schoeller, born in Germany in 1974, was educated in Germany and the USA. He is a partner and CEO of the Scope Group, Berlin. As a dedicated conservationist, Florian visits Kenya and the M.K.W.C. as often as he can. He fundraises for the Conservancy in Germany and Europe.\r\n

6) Trustee: Mr. Oliver Barton

\r\n \r\n

\r\n

The Team

\r\n\r\n\r\nDonald Bunge : Technical Advisor to the Board and Conservatory Manager\r\nRonald Masibo : Security Manager\r\nJames Wachira : Finance Officer\r\nBeatrice Koskei : : Secretary to the Board, Public Relations and Administration Officer\r\nSamuel Njuki : Conservation Education and Research Officer\r\nEric Mwenda : Wildlife Officer\r\nJaphet Muthuri : Maintenance Officer\r\n\r\nOther dedicated staff include: orphanage attendants, animal keepers, maintenance staff, security staff, game scouts, gardeners, and last not least our dedicated interns.\r\n\r\n\r\n

Goals

\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

Our Pledge

\r\n

\r\n
• To work together with our donors and circle of friends to preserve the environment and the wildlife within.
\r\n
• To rescue, nurture and rehabilitate all wild creatures that need our help.
\r\n
• To ensure that all donor funds are used for the purpose they were intended for.
\r\n

\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn a recent meeting with Kenya Wildlife Service officials about the future releases of bongo back to Mount Kenya, the question of further funding was put to the board of the M.K.W.C.\r\n\r\nIt was pointed out to them that the Hunt family privately already spent over $2,000.000.00 on saving and breeding bongo in order to return them to the wild of Mount Kenya as a gift to the people of Kenya.\r\n\r\nIt was also pointed out to them that no member of the board receives any remuneration, expenses or any other form of payment whatsoever. Our work and efforts are voluntary and donated.\r\n

The Future

\r\nIt is our collective hope that the Conservancy and its work will go on forever. In time a younger set will hopefully take over and to continue to develop the goals of the M.K.W.C.\r\n\r\nWe do look for change in the hopes that the next generation will come with the means to relieve us of the responsibilities when we can no longer do it all.\r\n\r\nShares in the Mount Kenya Game Ranch (owner of the land) must go on to be managed by like minded conservationists of independent means interested in continuing the ongoing work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nProceeds from donations directly benefit the Conservancy\’s goals, aiding the ongoing projects.\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Board Feels a Strong Responsibility

\r\nAs with any charitable effort a common concern is making sure that the donations actually make an impact, rather than being whittled down by bureaucracy and overheads.\r\n\r\nWith a wealth of combined business experience, the hands-on board of the Conservancy is actively involved in its efficiency in terms of turning money into action. The board feels a strong responsibility towards our donors.\r\n\r\nOverheads are kept to a minimum and donated money is channeled to what it was intended for: the survival of the animals and conservation of nature.’,’About Mt. Kenya Wildlfe Conservancy’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’about-mt-kenya-wildlife-conservancy’,”,”,’2019-11-28 09:55:40′,’2019-11-28 06:55:40′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=536′,10,’page’,”,0),(3793,8,’2019-11-28 09:55:40′,’2019-11-28 06:55:40′,’

The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

\r\n

• was formed as a non- profit Trust under the laws of Kenya in 2004

\r\n

The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy USA

\r\n

• was established as a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization under the laws of the United States in 2005

\r\n

The Board of Trustees

\r\n

1) Chairperson: Ms. Nyawira Kariuki

\r\n

2) Trustee : Jane McKeand

\r\n\r\n\r\nJane McKeand is the widow of one of the Conservancy\’s founders, Julian McKeand. She serves on the Conservancy board since his untimely death. She is a keen and accomplished photographer, widely travelled in Africa. She is a past Chairman of the Kenya Horticultural Society as well as serving as a Trustee of the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital. She has lived in Kenya since 1970 and at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch since 1979.\r\n\r\n

3) Trustee: Mr. Ron Surratt

\r\n

4) Trustee Ms. Margaret Mbaka

\r\n

5) Trustee: Mr. Florian Schoeller

\r\n\r\n\r\nFlorian Schoeller, born in Germany in 1974, was educated in Germany and the USA. He is a partner and CEO of the Scope Group, Berlin. As a dedicated conservationist, Florian visits Kenya and the M.K.W.C. as often as he can. He fundraises for the Conservancy in Germany and Europe.\r\n

6) Trustee: Mr. Oliver Barton

\r\n \r\n

\r\n

The Team

\r\n\r\n\r\nDonald Bunge : Technical Advisor to the Board and Conservatory Manager\r\nRonald Masibo : Security Manager\r\nJames Wachira : Finance Officer\r\nBeatrice Koskei : : Secretary to the Board, Public Relations and Administration Officer\r\nSamuel Njuki : Conservation Education and Research Officer\r\nEric Mwenda : Wildlife Officer\r\nJaphet Muthuri : Maintenance Officer\r\n\r\nOther dedicated staff include: orphanage attendants, animal keepers, maintenance staff, security staff, game scouts, gardeners, and last not least our dedicated interns.\r\n\r\n\r\n

Goals

\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

Our Pledge

\r\n

\r\n
• To work together with our donors and circle of friends to preserve the environment and the wildlife within.
\r\n
• To rescue, nurture and rehabilitate all wild creatures that need our help.
\r\n
• To ensure that all donor funds are used for the purpose they were intended for.
\r\n

\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn a recent meeting with Kenya Wildlife Service officials about the future releases of bongo back to Mount Kenya, the question of further funding was put to the board of the M.K.W.C.\r\n\r\nIt was pointed out to them that the Hunt family privately already spent over $2,000.000.00 on saving and breeding bongo in order to return them to the wild of Mount Kenya as a gift to the people of Kenya.\r\n\r\nIt was also pointed out to them that no member of the board receives any remuneration, expenses or any other form of payment whatsoever. Our work and efforts are voluntary and donated.\r\n

The Future

\r\nIt is our collective hope that the Conservancy and its work will go on forever. In time a younger set will hopefully take over and to continue to develop the goals of the M.K.W.C.\r\n\r\nWe do look for change in the hopes that the next generation will come with the means to relieve us of the responsibilities when we can no longer do it all.\r\n\r\nShares in the Mount Kenya Game Ranch (owner of the land) must go on to be managed by like minded conservationists of independent means interested in continuing the ongoing work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nProceeds from donations directly benefit the Conservancy\’s goals, aiding the ongoing projects.\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Board Feels a Strong Responsibility

\r\nAs with any charitable effort a common concern is making sure that the donations actually make an impact, rather than being whittled down by bureaucracy and overheads.\r\n\r\nWith a wealth of combined business experience, the hands-on board of the Conservancy is actively involved in its efficiency in terms of turning money into action. The board feels a strong responsibility towards our donors.\r\n\r\nOverheads are kept to a minimum and donated money is channeled to what it was intended for: the survival of the animals and conservation of nature.’,’About Mt. Kenya Wildlfe Conservancy’,”,’inherit’,’closed’,’closed’,”,’536-revision-v1′,”,”,’2019-11-28 09:55:40′,’2019-11-28 06:55:40′,”,536,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/536-revision-v1/’,0,’revision’,”,0),(3596,8,’2015-12-23 16:05:15′,’2015-12-23 13:05:15′,’It has been an exciting year for us at the Animal Orphanage.\r\nOn behalf of all the animals that have found shelter with us, we thank you very much for your encouragement and support.\r\nThe year 2015 saw us:-\r\n

\r\n
•  Release our orphanage star – Lupita the baby giraffe to              Oljogi    Conservancy (visitwww.animalorphanagekenya.org/lupitasrelease).
\r\n

\r\n

\r\n
• Newborn, orphaned, and needy animals found their way to the      safe haven of our Animal Orphanage. We received:-\r\ni. Two baby Cheetahs\r\nii. A baby Leopard\r\niii. Two baby Ostriches
\r\n
• Eight (8) mountain bongos were born. This has brought up the number of bongo taking part in our very successful breeding for repatriation program.
\r\n

\r\nAs our family size grew so did the operating costs; Food supplies and veterinary care for the increasing numbers of animals in our care remain a major concern.\r\nFor this reason, we are reaching out to our Friends and supporters like you to help us to continue leading the way and remain a shining light in the world of wildlife conservation.\r\n\r\nAs you make your New Years plans and resolutions, please don\’t forget the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\nOur Wish List\r\n

\r\n
1.  10 by 10 km fence funding:- In order achieve the objective of    repopulating the Bongo ranges;we are working currently with Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest to secure a concession of up to 10 by 10km land in the forest. This is intended to cut the costs of upkeep and raise wild Bongo ready for release. This nonetheless comes with another hefty cost of about Kshs. 100million ($ 1,000,000) for fencing.
\r\n
2. Improvement of the holding facilities: – The animal orphanage continues to receive needy young animals especially from the Kenya Wildlife Service. It now hosts a total of 28 different species with 122 individual animals. We strive to put back animals that are deemed fit to their natural habitat while the orphanage continues to give a second chance of living to the rest that cannot. We have been working to ensure their physiological and psychological needs are met. This is achieved through improving the holding facilities to meet international standards for holding animals in captivity. At the moment, a number of small but pertinent improvements have been made on the existing facilities. Here, we are critically in need of funds for:-\r\na) Improvement of the pygmy hippo holding facility at a cost of Kshs. 117,000 ($ 1170)\r\nb) Construction of a holding facility for Azizi the leopard from the Samburu County at a cost of Kshs. 638,000($6380).\r\nAny help towards these projects, however small will be appreciated. It is our commitment and responsibility to see that every penny you so kindly donate is spent towards the intended purpose.
\r\n

\r\nWe sincerely thank you in advance for your generosity.\r\n

\r\n ‘,’2015 End of Year Letter’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’3596-2′,”,”,’2015-12-24 12:13:33′,’2015-12-24 09:13:33′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3596′,0,’post’,”,0),(3588,8,’2015-11-02 14:05:14′,’0000-00-00 00:00:00′,’TTtth\n\nTwelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\n\ng\n\nTwelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she w\n\n \n\nTwthelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\n\nas again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\nTwelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\n\nwelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home. Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it. Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\nw\n\nTw\n\nTwelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\n\nelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!\n\nelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a bush heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby. He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his shuka, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\n\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\n\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home.  Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Cheetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it.  Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\n\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because that local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\n\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude. He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy.\n\nTo differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh.\n\nA few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!’,’Baby Cheetahs find their new home’,”,’draft’,’open’,’open’,”,”,”,”,’2015-11-02 14:05:14′,’2015-11-02 11:05:14′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3588′,0,’post’,”,0),(3541,8,’2015-02-11 11:46:56′,’2015-02-11 08:46:56′,”,’20150117_130605′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’20150117_130605′,”,”,’2015-02-11 11:46:56′,’2015-02-11 08:46:56′,”,3540,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/20150117_130605.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3542,8,’2015-02-11 11:47:59′,’2015-02-11 08:47:59′,”,’20150117_125053′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’20150117_125053′,”,”,’2015-02-11 11:47:59′,’2015-02-11 08:47:59′,”,3540,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/20150117_125053.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3543,8,’2015-02-11 11:49:08′,’2015-02-11 08:49:08′,”,’20150117_130213′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’20150117_130213′,”,”,’2015-02-11 11:49:08′,’2015-02-11 08:49:08′,”,3540,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/20150117_130213.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3544,8,’2015-02-11 11:50:02′,’2015-02-11 08:50:02′,”,’20150117_130349′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’20150117_130349′,”,”,’2015-02-11 11:50:02′,’2015-02-11 08:50:02′,”,3540,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/20150117_130349.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(538,7,’2012-04-22 08:23:14′,’2012-04-22 05:23:14′,”,’Goals of the Conservancy’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’goals’,”,”,’2012-09-06 23:32:51′,’2012-09-06 20:32:51′,”,536,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=538′,10,’page’,”,0),(542,7,’2012-04-22 08:23:44′,’2012-04-22 05:23:44′,”,’Conservancy Advisory Board’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’advisory-board’,”,”,’2012-09-06 23:34:02′,’2012-09-06 20:34:02′,”,536,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=542′,30,’page’,”,0),(544,7,’2012-04-22 08:24:28′,’2012-04-22 05:24:28′,’This page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….\r\n\r\n

Our Mission

\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Game Ranch was founded in 1967 by the late William Holden, Julian McKeand and Don and Iris Hunt. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGoals of the Game Ranch /Conservancy are: To set aside land for the purpose of conserving rare and endangered species in order to establish safe gene pools. (Apart from the Government operated National Parks no such facility existed in East Africa at the time.)\r\n \r\nThe Ranch land itself was a mixed live stock and wheat farm, with very little or no game on it. The first task was to securely game fence the land of 1200 acres and let it go back to natural Mount Kenya bush and forest. Dams were established and indigenous flora preserved. Some private roads and a private airfield were built as well as staff accommodations, an animal orphanage and other animal holding facilities. Vehicles and farm equipment were purchased, a self contained mobile bush camp and Kenyan capture team was trained and mobilized by the partners. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBack at the ranch an animal orphanage was established and overseen by Don and Iris Hunt. It was the only privately funded facility available to care for injured, orphaned or endangered animals and prepare them for eventual release back into the wild.\r\n\r\nIn 1970 the founding father of Kenya, President Kenyatta asked the Game Ranch capture unit to assist in capturing wildlife in Kenya for re-stocking programs in Ghana, Nigeria and other African countries.\r\n \r\nAs poaching increased in Kenya, the Game Ranch capture program was encouraged to save wildlife by capturing in areas where poaching was decimating wildlife. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAs more wilderness areas in Kenya came up for settlement the Game Ranch\’s capture team was again called in to capture/rescue countless wild animals. For this legal capture licenses were obtained from the Government and paid for.\r\n \r\nSome of the rescued animals from these areas were sent to Europe and the United States as well as African countries for breeding programs.\r\n \r\nOthers were rehabilitated at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and formed the first breeding stock. Here they began to thrive, protected and safe from poachers and the encroachment of civilization.\r\n\r\nMany species were saved. A good example is the mountain bongo which later became extinct on Mount Kenya except for the herd bred at the Game Ranch and the offspring of the animals that had been sent out of the country now increasing dramatically.\r\n \r\nIn cooperation with the Kenyan Government the Ranch financed and assisted in many Kenyan as well as inter-African game translocation projects.\r\n \r\nFollowing the death of William Holden in 1981 Don and Iris Hunt purchased his shares from his estate and continued to operate the Game Ranch, financing it with their own resources.\r\n \r\nIn 1984 Stefanie Powers was invited and appointed a Director of the Game Ranch. \r\n\r\nIn 2004 the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy was formed as a Kenyan non profit Trust established under the laws of Kenya.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Conservancy now manages all of the Ranch\’s wildlife conservation and education programs. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOngoing breeding programs for release include the shy and elusive suni antelope, the colourful colobus monkeys, patas monkeys, the magnificent and rare mountain bongo antelope and the rare white zebra. A cheetah breeding facility has also been built and efforts there are ongoing.\r\n\r\nThe list of rehabilitated \”orphanage graduates\” continues to grow!\r\n \r\nThese programs are supported by sponsors from Kenya, Europe, Asia, and the United States. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy\’s bongo rehabilitation program has received worldwide attention.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt has focused attention on the need for conservation and resulted in the United Nations citing Mount Kenya as a world heritage site.\r\n \r\nAll wildlife experts, managers and staff at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy are Kenyan citizens.\r\n \r\nThe trustees and Directors of the Conservancy do not receive salaries or wages, allowances or expenses of any kind. They simply donate their services without any benefit whatsoever.\r\n \r\nThe wilderness breeding areas under the care of the Conservancy are not open to the general public or tourists. They are managed for breeding and rehabilitation purposes.\r\n \r\nLast year more than 15,000 visitors came to the Conservancy\’s animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nMore than half of these visitors were Kenyan students hosted free of any charge. \r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy aims to prevent extinction by breeding rare and endangered species for rehabilitation to their ancestral wilderness homes.\r\n\r\n

Current projects include:

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
• The mountain bongo rehabilitation to the wild program is now well under way with the first small group of bongo earmarked for a first test release. The entire herd at the Conservancy now number 70 bongo antelope with more births expected.
\r\n
• Continued breeding of the rare white zebra for re-establishment in their original homes on Mount Kenya and the Leroghi plateau.
\r\n
• More than 100 white Zebras have already been released and are now established at Mount Kenya National Park.
\r\n
• Continued care of orphaned and otherwise needy animals for rehabilitation to the wild.
\r\n
• Continued wildlife education programs for Kenyan students.
\r\n
• Assistance to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
\r\n

\r\nThe work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy benefits Kenya and Kenyans in many ways.\r\n\r\nThe bongo rehabilitation program has captured the attention of wildlife conservation worldwide. It has focused attention on the importance of saving the Mount Kenya ecosystem.\r\n \r\nOur student education programs have benefited thousands of young Kenyans.\r\n \r\nThere is an increased interest for eco-tourism to the area following the world wide attention on the plight of the Bongo and the white Zebra in the Mount Kenya wilderness, benefiting the local population as well as Kenyan Tourism overall.\r\n\r\n‘,’What We Do’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’what-we-do’,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:06:50′,’2013-01-06 00:06:50′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=544′,20,’page’,”,0),(546,7,’2012-04-22 08:24:46′,’2012-04-22 05:24:46′,’This page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Game Ranch was founded in 1967 by the late William Holden, Julian McKeand and Don and Iris Hunt.\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nGoals of the Game Ranch /Conservancy are:\r\n\r\nTo set aside land for the purpose of conserving rare and endangered species in order to establish safe gene pools. (Apart from the Government operated National Parks no such facility existed in East Africa at the time.)\r\n \r\nThe Ranch land itself was a mixed live stock and wheat farm, with very little or no game on it. The first task was to securely game fence the land of 1200 acres and let it go back to natural Mount Kenya bush and forest. Dams were established and indigenous flora preserved. Some private roads and a private airfield were built as well as staff accommodations, an animal orphanage and other animal holding facilities. Vehicles and farm equipment were purchased, a self contained mobile bush camp and Kenyan capture team was trained and mobilized by the partners.\r\n \r\nBack at the ranch an animal orphanage was established and overseen by Don and Iris Hunt. It was the only privately funded facility available to care for injured, orphaned or endangered animals and prepare them for eventual release back into the wild.\r\n \r\nIn 1970 the founding father of Kenya, President Kenyatta asked the Game Ranch capture unit to assist in capturing wildlife in Kenya for re-stocking programs in Ghana, Nigeria and other African countries.\r\n \r\n\r\nAs poaching increased in Kenya, the Game Ranch capture program was encouraged to save wildlife by capturing in areas where poaching was decimating wildlife.\r\n\r\nAs more wilderness areas in Kenya came up for settlement the Game Ranch’s capture team was again called in to capture/rescue countless wild animals. For this legal capture licenses were obtained from the Government and paid for.\r\n \r\nSome of the rescued animals from these areas were sent to Europe and the United States as well as African countries for breeding programs.\r\n \r\nOthers were rehabilitated at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and formed the first breeding stock. Here they began to thrive, protected and safe from poachers and the encroachment of civilization.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMany species were saved. A good example is the mountain bongo which later became extinct on Mount Kenya except for the herd bred at the Game Ranch and the offspring of the animals that had been sent out of the country now increasing dramatically.\r\n \r\nIn cooperation with the Kenyan Government the Ranch financed and assisted in many Kenyan as well as inter-African game translocation projects.\r\n \r\nFollowing the death of William Holden in 1981 Don and Iris Hunt purchased his shares from his estate and continued to operate the Game Ranch, financing it with their own resources.\r\n \r\nIn 1984 Stefanie Powers was invited and appointed a Director of the Game Ranch.\r\n \r\nIn 2004 the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy was formed as a Kenyan non profit Trust established under the laws of Kenya.\r\n \r\n

Founder Trustee are:

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nDon Hunt		Chairman/Trustee
Paul Ndungu		Trustee
Iris Hunt		Trustee
Florian Schoeller		Trustee
Jane McKeand		Trustee

\r\n \r\nThe Conservancy now manages all of the Ranch’s wildlife conservation and education programs.\r\n \r\nOngoing breeding programs for release include the shy and elusive suni antelope, the colourful colobus monkeys, patas monkeys, the magnificent and rare mountain bongo antelope and the rare white zebra. A cheetah breeding facility has also been built and efforts there are ongoing.\r\nThe list of rehabilitated “orphanage graduates” continues to grow!\r\n \r\nThese programs are supported by sponsors from Kenya, Europe, Asia, and the United States. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’s bongo rehabilitation program has received worldwide attention.\r\nIt has focused attention on the need for conservation and resulted in the United Nations citing Mount Kenya as a world heritage site.\r\n \r\nAll wildlife experts, managers and staff at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy are Kenyan citizens.\r\n \r\nThe trustees and Directors of the Conservancy do not receive salaries or wages, allowances or expenses of any kind. They simply donate their services without any benefit whatsoever.\r\n \r\nThe wilderness breeding areas under the care of the Conservancy are not open to the general public or tourists. They are managed for breeding and rehabilitation purposes.\r\n \r\nLast year more than 15,000 visitors came to the Conservancy’s animal orphanage.\r\nMore than half of these visitors were Kenyan students hosted free of any charge.\r\n \r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy aims to prevent extinction by breeding rare and endangered species for rehabilitation to their ancestral wilderness homes.\r\n \r\n

Current projects include:

\r\n \r\n

• The mountain bongo rehabilitation to the wild program is now well under way with the first small group of bongo earmarked for a first test release. The entire herd at the Conservancy now number 70 bongo antelope with more births expected.
\r\n
• Continued breeding of the rare white zebra for re-establishment in their original homes on Mount Kenya and the Leroghi plateau.
\r\n
• More than 100 white Zebras have already been released and are now established at Mount Kenya National Park.
\r\n
• Continued care of orphaned and otherwise needy animals for rehabilitation to the wild.
\r\n
• Continued wildlife education programs for Kenyan students.
\r\n
• Assistance to the Kenya Wildlife Service.

\r\n \r\nThe work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy benefits Kenya and Kenyans in many ways.\r\n\r\nThe bongo rehabilitation program has captured the attention of wildlife conservation worldwide. It has focused attention on the importance of saving the Mount Kenya ecosystem.\r\n \r\nOur student education programs have benefited thousands of young Kenyans.\r\n \r\nThere is an increased interest for eco tourism to the area following the world wide attention on the plight of the Bongo and the white Zebra in the Mount Kenya wilderness, benefiting the local population as well as Kenyan Tourism overall.’,’Our Mission’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’our-mission’,”,”,’2012-12-14 02:17:20′,’2012-12-13 23:17:20′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=546′,10,’page’,”,0),(550,7,’2012-04-22 08:26:35′,’2012-04-22 05:26:35′,’ \r\n\r\nThis page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….\r\n\r\nThe Animal Orphanage at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is a unique facility to give orphaned, injured, neglected, abused or frightened wild animals a second chance. The orphanage provides shelter and professional care with the goal to release these creatures back into the wild where they belong.’,’Animal Rescue’,’The animal orphanage at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is a unique facility to give orphaned, injured, neglected, abused or frightened wild animals a second chance. The orphanage provides shelter and professional care with the goal to release these creatures back into the wild where they belong.’,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’the-animal-orphanage’,”,”,’2013-01-04 20:50:53′,’2013-01-04 17:50:53′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=550′,30,’page’,”,0),(552,7,’2012-04-22 08:26:55′,’2012-04-22 05:26:55′,’This page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….‘,’White Zebra Rehabilitation’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’white-zebra-rehabilitation’,”,”,’2012-12-18 05:15:47′,’2012-12-18 02:15:47′,”,790,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=552′,40,’page’,”,0),(554,7,’2012-04-22 08:27:14′,’2012-04-22 05:27:14′,’\r\n\r\nThis page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….\r\n\r\n

The William Holden Wildlife Education Center

\r\n \r\nWilliam Holden was not only known for his many achievements as an actor and Hollywood film star.\r\n \r\nIn his private life he was driven by a curiosity that kept him travelling around the world for many years.\r\nFinally when he visited Kenya he fell in love with the country, its people and its nature and specially the wildlife.\r\n \r\nHe teamed up the Julian McKeand, an ex professional hunter, naturalist and Game Warden, and Don and Iris Hunt, exotic animal specialists.\r\n \r\nTogether they built the Mount Kenya Game Ranch for the purpose of breeding and preserving endangered species.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHolden and Hunts\’ future plans included the establishment of an education center as a part of their Ranch, where Kenyan students could learn about wildlife. It was a project especially important to Bill Holden. He was in the midst of drawing up architectural plans for the education center when he passed away unexpectedly in 1981.\r\n \r\nMany of Bill Holden\’s influential and famous friends wanted to help financially so that Holden\’s dream could be realized.\r\n \r\nIn 1982 the William Holden Wildlife Foundation was formed in his honour, with the purpose to work and assist in Kenya with the wildlife education of its youth.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nHolden\’s companion of many years, Stefanie Powers took over as chairman of the Foundation, with Don as Vice Chairman and Iris Hunt, Deane Johnson and Julian McKeand as Directors.\r\n \r\nDon and Iris Hunt donated 15 acres of their land to be used as the site of the education center.\r\nTogether the team build a unique education facility that today is visited by over 10,000 students annually, free of charge to them.\r\n \r\nThe education center also operates an outreach program, build libraries in schools and generally assists needy schools with a view to environmental education.\r\n \r\nThe facility is operated with a Kenyan administrator, graduate Kenya educator and librarian, and other Kenyan staff.\r\n \r\nStefanie Powers, when not working in films or on stage, continues to support and gather funds for the Foundation\’s Education Center. She visits whenever possible and takes a keen personal interest.\r\nThe Hunts and the McKeands continue to donate their time and expertise to oversee day to day operations at the center.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy hosts the center\’s students free of charge on a daily basis.\r\n\r\nSince its establishment, the William Holden Education Center has become a model educational facility reaching all over Kenya. Many other wildlife oriented organizations have since noted the positive impact of the center. They have inspired and motivated to further wildlife and environmental education in their own locations.\r\n \r\nWith the help of his partners in Kenya and friends around the world, William Holden\’s dream has become a reality.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ‘,’Education’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’wildlife-education’,”,”,’2013-01-04 20:47:29′,’2013-01-04 17:47:29′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=554′,50,’page’,”,0),(571,7,’2012-04-22 08:32:35′,’2012-04-22 05:32:35′,’\r\n\r\n \r\n

What does it all mean?

\r\n[one_half]\r\n\r\nConservation: The Protection, preservation, and careful management of natural resources and of the environment.\r\n\r\nConservationist: A person who advocates or strongly promotes preservation and careful management of resources and of the environment.[/one_half][one_half_last]Famous Conservationists\r\n\r\n[/one_half_last]\r\n\r\n The Orphanage at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is contributing significantly to the fostering of a new African generation of Conservationists.\r\n\r\nWe host in excess of 10,000 Kenyan children and their teachers at the Orphanage every year. Our aim is to ignite a spark in the minds of the children through their first encounter with wild animals, hoping that it may later fan into a guiding light in their lives.\r\n\r\nOur very special thanks go out to those countless individuals who also contribute to the cause of conservation worldwide. If you, yourself, are not actively involved already, there are of course, many ways you can become so.\r\n\r\nOne of these is to associate formally, either corporately or individually, with the work of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.\r\n\r\n\r\nHere\’s how you can give a gift of real, lasting value to your loved ones, associates, clients or even to yourself:\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Member of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy:

\r\nA single donation of $50 will make you one of our supporting members. You will receive this online membership certificate suitable for printing and framing.\r\n\r\nJoin our worldwide circle of friends by becoming a member of the distinguished Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy…\r\n\r\nOr give a membership to a friend as a unique and lasting gift. \r\n\r\n[/one_half_last]\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Friend and Get Your Own Tile

\r\n Colorful walls of tiles honor our donors at the Conservancy\’s animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nThese tiles are specially hand painted to your specs and permanently mounted.\r\n\r\nWe often have visitors discovering names of friends, children remembering their first visit, or a surprise placed here for eternity for your loved ones.\r\n\r\nAdditionally your name will also appear as a donor on this website. (unless otherwise instructed)\r\n\r\nThe donation you make to have your own tile will directly benefit our conservation programs and honor you for life. The following categories of tiles are available:\r\n

Our Worldwide Circle of Green Friends

\r\n $150 \”Green friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, and a green tile bearing your name. The tile will be permanently mounted on our wall of \”green friends\” at the animal orphanage. Your name will also feature as a green friend on our website.\r\n\r\n[one_third_last][box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDonation of US$\r\n\r\nand more Includes Membership plus: you receive your membership kit; plus a permanent green tile bearing your name placed at the Wall of Tiles at the Conservancy\’s Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n

\r\n

[/box][/one_third_last]\r\n

Our \”Green\” friends come from all over the world!

\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Golden Friend of Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy:

\r\n $500 \”Golden Friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, as well as the Conservancy\’s prestigious embroidered badge. A golden tile bearing your name (or a name of your choice) will be permanently mounted on our wall of \”golden friends\” at the animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nYour name will also feature as a golden friend on our website.\r\n\r\n[one_third_last][box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDonation of US$\r\n\r\nand up You receive your membership kit (all of the above) plus your own permanent golden tile at the Wall of Tiles at the Conservancy\’s Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n

\r\n

[/box][/one_third_last]\r\n

Our Worldwide Circle of Golden Friends

\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Platinum Friend of Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy:

\r\n $1000 \”Platinum Friend\” tile and membership. This includes your certificate, as well as the Conservancy\’s prestigious embroidered badge. A platinum tile bearing your name (or a name of your choice) will be permanently mounted on the wall of our \”platinum friends\” at the animal orphanage.\r\n\r\nYour name will also feature as a platinum friend on our website.\r\n\r\n[one_third_last][box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDonation of US$\r\n\r\nand up You receive your own permanent Platinum tile at the Wall of Tiles at the Conservancy\’s Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n

\r\n

[/box][/one_third_last]\r\n

Platinum Friends of the Conservancy

\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Wildlife Guardian of Mt Kenya Wildlife Conservancy:

\r\n $10,000 \”Wildlife Guardian\”. Tile and family or corporate membership. This includes your membership certificate and several of the Conservancy\’s prestigious badges for your family members. A large prestigious \”Ivory\” tile in a name of your choice will be permanently mounted at the Conservancy\’s animal orphanage wall of special \”Wildlife Guardians\” and also appear on our website. (In the case of a corporate tile, an appropriate advert can be placed on the donor page of our website for 1 year.)\r\n\r\n[one_third_last][box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDonation of US$\r\n\r\nand up You receive a Lifetime Membership plus your own prestigious large tile at the Wall of Tiles at the Conservancy\’s Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n

\r\n

[/box][/one_third_last]\r\n\r\n\r\n

Become a Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy Bush Baby:

\r\n[two_third]\r\n\r\n

Bush Babies from around the world join hands

\r\n\r\n[/two_third]\r\n\r\n\r\nAn ideal opportunity to show a child the way to participate in conservation and learn how he/she can make a difference. A certificate in the young supporter\’s name will be mailed.\r\n\r\n\r\n

Adopt any of Our Orphans

\r\nAdopting an animal in our care is the most rewarding experience imaginable!\r\nYour adoption fee will help us care for your special animal and provide shelter, care and food for him/her and playmates.\r\nA wild animal adoption makes a great gift to a loved one as well!\r\n

Animal Adoption and Fostering program

\r\nAll of the animals in our care benefit from your adoption. The fee helps pay for their individual care, veterinary expenses, nutritional needs and wilderness adaption training.\r\nWe encourage our friends to remain involved in particular animals\’ lives by becoming their \”guardian angel.\”\r\n\r\nOr order an adoption in your child\’s (or friend\’s) name, the most perfect life giving and lasting gift!\r\n

For a one time donation of $ 100 :

\r\n

\r\n
• You may foster any one of our orphaned animals for one year.
\r\n
• You receive a certificate with the animal\’s photo, identifying you as a foster parent.
\r\n

\r\n

For a one time donation of $ 200:

\r\n

\r\n
• You can adopt any one of the animals in our care for two years.
\r\n
• You will receive an adoption certificate in your name with the animals photo.
\r\n
• You will receive periodic updates on \”your\” animal\’s welfare.
\r\n

\r\n

For a one time donation of $ 500:

\r\n

\r\n
• This makes you the life long guardian of your chosen animal.
\r\n
• The animal will be known by a name of your choice
\r\n
• You receive a \”Guardian Angel\” certificate
\r\n
• You receive a detailed history, general information and periodic update on the progress of \”your\” animal.
\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Commemorative Giving

\r\n Giving to preserve nature makes for a rewarding memory in honor of a loved one.\r\n\r\nTell us what you would like to do…\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Corporate Giving

\r\nWe welcome your input and ideas. Tell us what you would like to do as a part of your corporate social responsibility.\r\n\r\nDonating to save wildlife warms everyone\’s heart.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A Word About Volunteers

\r\n We are honored to get so many offers of help by volunteering. Unfortunately we can only accept voluntary work from student interns from Kenyan institutions such as local Universities.\r\n\r\nThe Kenya Government policy is very clear here, there are no permits issued for foreign volunteers. The Conservancy usually accommodates Kenyan volunteer interns as much as that is possible.\r\n\r\nYou can usually find an intern working alongside our experienced keepers at the Orphanage or out in the field.\r\n\r\nMany of our volunteer interns move on to jobs in related fields after graduation. Their work at the Conservancy creates a lifelong respect for wildlife and the environment. Most remain our life long supporters.\r\n\r\nThe photo is of a young Kenyan intern learning wild animal care.’,’How You Can Become Involved’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’how-you-can-become-involved’,”,”,’2017-07-09 22:13:22′,’2017-07-09 19:13:22′,”,10,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=571′,20,’page’,”,0),(3576,8,’2015-11-02 11:32:24′,’2015-11-02 08:32:24′,’Twelve months ago, a maasai herder while waiting for the rains to stop under a tree heard a mewing voice. He keenly listened and slowly walked towards the sound and there it was; a little frightened, eyes closed-so as to hide and heavily rained on baby.He looked keenly and “this must be a cat” he thought. He lifted her gently, covered her with his blanket, took her to his home, placed her by the fire place intending to keep her warm and fed her with cow milk. She survived on cow’s milk for months.\r\nShe would accompany her ‘guardian angel’ every time he went herding until months after when things changed and he had to be left at home when the ‘guardian angel’ went herding.\r\nShe grew up to be a very playful girl and one day, she did what Cheetahs do best. Guess what? She killed one kid (goat) and remember this was in a Maasai home. Her guardian angel was so mad that he wanted her no more. He went to the local administration and reported that there was a Ch\r\neetah that had killed his goat and if no action was taken, he would have to kill it. Keeping such an animal at home is against the law so the best option for him was to lie so as to avoid trouble.\r\nThat turned out to be a lucky day for the poor girl because the local administration contacted KWS rangers who picked\r\nher and took her to Maralal Game Reserve.\r\n\r\nAfter a few weeks at the Game Reserve under Mr. Jackmann, she was again lucky to get a company; a beautiful male was brought in from South Horr. A herder found him in the bush, took him home and locked him in a manyatta. Here, he lived a bad life and hence his harsh attitude.He lived in a very dark locked room and would get a meat bite after days. The KWS rangers must have gotten the information through ‘bush drums’ and right away ambushed the boma to rescue the poor guy. To differentiate the two, the Keepers named the girl Neten, a maasai word meaning the first one and the boy was named Lesoro, a maasai word meaning Harsh. A few months after, the KWS contacted us requesting if we could accommodate them, we were happy to help and here they are in there new home!!’,’Baby Cheetahs find their new home’,”,’publish’,’closed’,’closed’,”,’baby-cheetahs-find-their-new-home’,”,”,’2015-11-02 14:18:17′,’2015-11-02 11:18:17′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?page_id=3576′,0,’page’,”,0),(3579,8,’2015-11-02 10:43:01′,’2015-11-02 07:43:01′,”,’P1010065′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’p1010065′,”,”,’2015-11-02 10:43:01′,’2015-11-02 07:43:01′,”,3576,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010065.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3573,8,’2015-11-02 11:49:44′,’2015-11-02 08:49:44′,’\r\n\r\nAzizi the baby leopard in our was seen wondering all alone. She seemed to have been abandoned by the family before she could hunt on her own. She started wondering into the community human settlement killing livestock. She would have been killed but luckily, it was reported to the KWS. She was trapped and brought here at the age of about 6 months.’,’Azizi the Baby Leopard’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’azizi-the-baby-leopard’,”,”,’2015-11-02 11:49:44′,’2015-11-02 08:49:44′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3573′,0,’post’,”,0),(3562,8,’2015-07-08 12:45:41′,’0000-00-00 00:00:00′,”,’Baby Leopard finds a home’,”,’draft’,’open’,’open’,”,”,”,”,’2015-07-08 12:45:41′,’2015-07-08 09:45:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?page_id=3562′,0,’page’,”,0),(3563,8,’2015-07-08 12:39:39′,’2015-07-08 09:39:39′,”,’P1010075′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’p1010075′,”,”,’2015-07-08 12:39:39′,’2015-07-08 09:39:39′,”,3562,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010075.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3564,8,’2015-07-08 12:39:49′,’2015-07-08 09:39:49′,”,’P1010077′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’p1010077′,”,”,’2015-07-08 12:39:49′,’2015-07-08 09:39:49′,”,3562,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010077.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3570,8,’2015-09-18 11:33:07′,’2015-09-18 08:33:07′,’\r\n\r\nAn unplanned “romantic encounter “between our rescued olive baboon when she was still a teen and a  related ‘visitor’ in transit from west Africa (a male golden bellied mangaby), resulted in their unusual “lovechild”.\r\n\r\nWe termed her to be a “Mangaboon”, probably the only one in existence.\r\n\r\nGeological separation and social preference are deemed the main causes why these two species would normally never mate.\r\n\r\nBaboons are often hunted as “convicted” shamba raiders.\r\n\r\nThis often results in babies becoming stranded an orphaned.\r\n\r\nWe attempt to build family groups for successful release back to the wild.\r\n\r\nThis often proves difficult as semi domesticated animals of this size could become a danger to man.’,’Safari the rare Mangaboon’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’safari-the-rare-mangaboon’,”,”,’2015-09-18 11:33:07′,’2015-09-18 08:33:07′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3570′,0,’post’,”,0),(3571,8,’2015-09-18 11:28:18′,’2015-09-18 08:28:18′,”,’Safari’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’p1010017′,”,”,’2015-09-18 11:28:45′,’2015-09-18 08:28:45′,”,3570,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010017.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3574,8,’2015-09-18 11:44:06′,’2015-09-18 08:44:06′,”,’P1010061′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’p1010061′,”,”,’2015-09-18 11:44:06′,’2015-09-18 08:44:06′,”,3573,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010061.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3577,8,’2015-11-02 10:41:32′,’2015-11-02 07:41:32′,”,’Baby Cheetahs write up’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’baby-cheetahs-write-up’,”,”,’2015-11-02 10:41:32′,’2015-11-02 07:41:32′,”,3576,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/Baby-Cheetahs-write-up.docx’,0,’attachment’,’application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document’,0),(3580,8,’2015-11-02 11:11:27′,’2015-11-02 08:11:27′,”,’P1010022′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’p1010022′,”,”,’2015-11-02 11:11:27′,’2015-11-02 08:11:27′,”,3576,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010022.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3581,8,’2015-11-02 11:13:33′,’2015-11-02 08:13:33′,”,’P1010015′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’p1010015′,”,”,’2015-11-02 11:13:33′,’2015-11-02 08:13:33′,”,3576,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/P1010015.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3582,8,’2015-11-02 12:23:48′,’2015-11-02 09:23:48′,’ The Kenya Revenue Authority proposed us  for their CSR and donated animal feeds and veterinary medicine for our animals. The event was attended by amongst others the KRA Board Directors; Ms. M’mkindia and Mr. Kariithi, county government officials and a KWS official.\r\n\r\nOur four legged family members were represented in the event by \’Kos\’ the monkey who was keen to ensure that all visitors signed our visitors book.\r\n\r\nIn the past, most of its support has been from overseas and and we believe  that this set a bench mark for the corporate Kenya to follow the KRA initiative, consider involvement on a corporate level as a part of social responsibility and thus support the preservation of our world heritage site; the magnificent Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\n ‘,’Kenya Revenue Authority \” Tax Man\” supports our efforts!!’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya-revenue-authority-tax-man-supports-our-efforts’,”,”,’2015-11-02 12:27:34′,’2015-11-02 09:27:34′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3582′,0,’post’,”,0),(3583,8,’2015-11-02 12:14:56′,’2015-11-02 09:14:56′,”,’DSCN6144′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’dscn6144′,”,”,’2015-11-02 12:14:56′,’2015-11-02 09:14:56′,”,3582,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/DSCN6144.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3584,8,’2015-11-02 12:15:28′,’2015-11-02 09:15:28′,”,’_DSC1281′,”,’inherit’,’open’,’closed’,”,’_dsc1281′,”,”,’2015-11-02 12:15:28′,’2015-11-02 09:15:28′,”,3582,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/DSC1281.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3585,8,’2015-11-02 12:26:14′,’2015-11-02 09:26:14′,’ The Kenya Revenue Authority proposed us  for their CSR and donated animal feeds and veterinary medicine for our animals. an event attended by amongst others the KRA Board Directors; Ms. M’mkindia and Mr. Kariithi, county government officials and a KWS official.\n\nOur four legged family members were represented in the event by \’Kos\’ the monkey who was keen to ensure that all visitors signed our visitors book.\n\nIn the past, most of its support has been from overseas and and we believe  that this set a bench mark for the corporate Kenya to follow the KRA initiative, consider involvement on a corporate level as a part of social responsibility and thus support the preservation of our world heritage site; the magnificent Mount Kenya.\n\n ‘,’Kenya Revenue Authority \” Tax Man\” supports our efforts!!’,”,’inherit’,’closed’,’closed’,”,’3582-autosave-v1′,”,”,’2015-11-02 12:26:14′,’2015-11-02 09:26:14′,”,3582,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/3582-autosave-v1/’,0,’revision’,”,0),(3518,7,’2014-07-12 00:58:12′,’0000-00-00 00:00:00′,’

\n
• Dr. & Mrs. R.B. Scheffer USA
\n
• Dieckmann Family USA
\n
• Debbie & Chris Logan USA
\n
• Yukio & Akiko Shimamura Japan
\n
• Somnath, Sumita, Someli Ghosh India
\n
• Dhiren & Manisha Jotangia Kenya
\n
• Skoug Family USA
\n
• Svetlana, Vlad, Vadim Samoylenko Russia
\n
• Naman & Ayaana Kothari India
\n
• Colin Pitson & Helen Lang Australia
\n
• Shloka, Satvik, Sandhya, Subhas Kamath India
\n
• Diana Chiao USA
\n
• Alexandra Docherty & Mark Davis Scotland
\n
• Robert Klamkin USA
\n
• Rahul Trivedi India
\n
• Gagan Margat India
\n
• Courtney, J.P, McKenzie, Mac, Carly, Ellie McClear USA
\n
• John De Luca USA
\n
• Rachel Buckley USA
\n
• Catherine, Natalie & Veronika Lirtsman (Mary A. Smith) USA
\n
• Jesse & Betty Lin Taiwan
\n
• Chang Family USA
\n
• Mardy Ying & Lillian Chang USA
\n
• Satake Reika Japan
\n
• Tatsuo Shirane USA
\n
• Robbie Johnston & Helen Cross N. Ireland
\n
• Akshavi Raj & Akansha Raj Dubai
\n

‘,”,”,’draft’,’open’,’open’,”,”,”,”,’2014-07-12 00:58:12′,’2014-07-11 21:58:12′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/?p=3518′,0,’post’,”,0),(573,7,’2012-04-22 08:32:56′,’2012-04-22 05:32:56′,”,’Our International Circle of Members’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’our-international-circle-of-members’,”,”,’2012-04-22 08:49:03′,’2012-04-22 05:49:03′,”,10,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=573′,30,’page’,”,0),(575,7,’2012-04-22 08:33:42′,’2012-04-22 05:33:42′,’ \r\n\r\nWe are honored to get so many offers of help by volunteering. Unfortunately we can only accept voluntary work from student interns from Kenyan institutions such as local Universities.\r\n\r\nThe Kenya Government policy is very clear here, there are no permits issued for foreign volunteers. The Conservancy usually accommodates Kenyan volunteer interns as much as that is possible. \r\n\r\nYou can usually find an intern working alongside our experienced keepers at the Orphanage or out in the field.\r\n\r\nMany of our volunteer interns move on to jobs in related fields after graduation. Their work at the Conservancy creates a lifelong respect for wildlife and the environment. Most remain our life long supporters.\r\n\r\nThe photo is of a young Kenyan intern learning wild animal care.’,’A Word about Volunteers’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’a-word-about-volunteers’,”,”,’2012-10-14 02:32:00′,’2012-10-13 23:32:00′,”,10,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=575′,40,’page’,”,0),(577,7,’2012-04-22 08:34:02′,’2012-04-22 05:34:02′,”,’True Animal Stories’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’true-animal-stories’,”,”,’2012-09-08 23:32:49′,’2012-09-08 20:32:49′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=577′,50,’page’,”,0),(579,7,’2012-04-22 08:34:20′,’2012-04-22 05:34:20′,”,’Fun Stuff’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’fun-stuff’,”,”,’2012-11-03 19:28:25′,’2012-11-03 16:28:25′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=579′,60,’page’,”,0),(581,7,’2012-04-22 08:34:41′,’2012-04-22 05:34:41′,”,’Bush Drums’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’bush-drums’,”,”,’2012-07-22 21:19:07′,’2012-07-22 18:19:07′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=581′,10,’page’,”,0),(583,7,’2012-04-22 08:34:59′,’2012-04-22 05:34:59′,”,’Safari Sampler’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’safari-sampler’,”,”,’2012-12-21 04:08:05′,’2012-12-21 01:08:05′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=583′,0,’page’,”,0),(585,7,’2012-04-22 08:35:18′,’2012-04-22 05:35:18′,”,’African Recipes’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’african-recipes’,”,”,’2012-07-28 01:01:12′,’2012-07-27 22:01:12′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=585′,30,’page’,”,0),(587,7,’2012-04-22 08:35:38′,’2012-04-22 05:35:38′,”,’Kiswahili Lessons’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’kiswahili-lessons’,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:12:19′,’2012-07-23 22:12:19′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=587′,40,’page’,”,0),(591,7,’2012-04-22 08:36:47′,’2012-04-22 05:36:47′,’\r\n\r\nA single donation of $50 will make you one of our supporting members. You will receive this online membership certificate suitable for printing and framing.\r\n\r\nJoin our worldwide circle of friends by becoming a member of the distinguished Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy…\r\nOr give a membership to a friend as a unique and lasting gift.\r\n\r\n[button type=\”big\”] Click here for your online membership[/button]’,’Membership’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’members’,”,”,’2012-10-14 02:33:00′,’2012-10-13 23:33:00′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=591′,60,’page’,”,0),(624,7,’2012-04-22 08:56:46′,’2012-04-22 05:56:46′,’\r\n\r\n

Game Ranch Lifestyles: A Paradise Found

\r\n\r\nAdjacent to the Mount Kenya Game Ranch lies a unique and spectacular enclave of exclusive residences. A very private estate nestled into the foothills of Mount Kenya boasts panoramic views across the mighty forests of the Mount Kenya National Park to the majestic snow covered peaks of \”Kerinyaga,\” God\’s Mountain. We have called this stunning estate Mawingu, Kiswahili for Clouds.\r\n\r\n

A Privileged Few Residents Call it Home

\r\n\r\nUnlike \”theme park re-creation\” this un-spoilt paradise reflects the true adventure of life in Africa…. The founders of William Holden\’s famous African ranch have all built homes here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sadly our friend and co-founder Bill Holden passed away before he could realize his own dream home in the clouds.

\r\n\r\nBut not before he and his partners stocked their ranch with more than a thousand endangered wild animals of 26 species.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey built hidden fences, planted hundreds of trees, spectacular flowers and planned exclusive residences for a few of their affluent friends seeking a piece of paradise. \r\n\r\nThat was in the 1970\’s It was not until 1985 that the \”Mawingu\” estate became a reality and the first residence was built for our friend, famous Hollywood producer Robert Halmi.\r\n\r\nBob Halmi spent every moment he could at his home in the clouds, often commuting from New York, he would bring along his famous friends from the world of film and stage.\r\n\r\nSoon Stefanie Powers built her own impressive home. Many famous friends followed, from the U.S., from England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Australia etc. making for a truly international little community.\r\n\r\nToday Mawingu is a small international community of people that have fallen in love with Africa. They enjoy the luxury of their own homes while here and as a base for Safari with adventure on their doorstep.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt is an ideal high altitude clear air climate, temperatures vary only slightly with highs between 75 and 80 all year round.\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are no pests and the only wildlife around here is that of the more enjoyable kind: Antelopes, Zebras, Monkeys, Gazelles, even Buffalos and of course plenty of Leopard and Elephant in the surrounding forest. There are no snakes to speak of (they prefer the hotter climes and lower altitudes) and no bugs or mosquitoes.\r\n\r\nImagine: No one needs screens on their doors and windows. Nights are always cool and log fires guarantee a cozy atmosphere. Kenya can really offer all 4 seasons at once.\r\n\r\nFor the photographers and artists amongst us, the whole of Africa with her unique light, flora and fauna beckons right on our doorstep. Watching the full moon cast a spell over the mountain has become a cocktail ritual we enjoy with fascination, over and over again. But with modern technology now available there is of course Satellite TV, the might of the Internet, and all other gadgets available to those that enjoy them.\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mt. Kenya Safari Club

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur only neighbor is the famous Mount Kenya Safari Club, another William Holden creation. It\’s our local where things often get lively at night.\r\n\r\nRecently \’the Club\’ has changed hands and is now managed by the experts from Fairmont Hotels, an international company specializing in the management of 6 star resorts.\r\n\r\nA major $15,000,000.00 renovation is now complete. The new face of the Club is stunning and has captured its former glory, the atmosphere of luxury and adventure, but with all the modern state of the art conveniences at close hand.\r\n\r\nThis will shortly include a spa, a beauty parlor and opportunities to shop. The adjacent Mount Kenya Art Gallery is a treasure trove.\r\n\r\nNiall Cowan is the enthusiastic young General Manager at the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club. He and his artist wife Susie and little daughter Tara are delighted to be here and have become popular members of our \”neighborhood.\” Niall and Susie are dedicated supporters of wildlife and conservation and you can often find Tara helping to feed animals at our adjacent Orphanage.\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nNiall delights in helping to plan our private parties in our own residences at Mawingu with the same ease as banquets at \”The Club.\”\r\n\r\nHe\’ll do up a romantic picnic basket for two with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail as your 50th birthday party for 200 guests.\r\n\r\nThe Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club now serves gourmet fare in their dining room for breakfast, lunch and Dinner, but the Chef is always game to prepare special meals to your hearts desire. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Club\’s \”ZEBAR\” is where the action is at night.\r\n\r\nYou can follow their news on FB/Fairmont Mount Kenya safari Club and on Twitter @FairmontMtKenya.\r\n \r\nOur closest little town where we get all our supplies is Nanyuki a mere 6 miles down the hill. Nanyuki has grocery stores, butcheries, and banks; postal, Internet and courier services; hardware stores and garages; a well equipped private hospital, and even an airfield with regular scheduled flights taking only 35 minutes travel time to Kenya\’s capital city of Nairobi.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMost houses are staffed locally, there is no shortage of loyal well trained live-in housekeepers, cooks and gardeners to look after the flowers and grow your own organic vegetables. The Ranch itself is fenced and has excellent security. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor travel some of Mawingu\’s residents prefer to charter their own aircraft and some use the Game Ranch airfield for convenience. The Bettarellos boast that they have dinner at their home in Milano and breakfast on their terrace overlooking Mount Kenya….\r\n\r\nAround the holidays things in our neck of the woods get lively. Most residences are owner occupied and there is usually plenty of young folk around. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDaily visits to the Animal Orphanage become a favorite with children and animal lovers alike. Here they help the keepers feed the baby animals and provide love and companionship to our temporary charges.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWith all the choices of Safaris in the immediate area and the unique beaches of the azure blue Indian Ocean at close reach, everyone\’s family wants to visit this little paradise whenever they can.\r\n\r\n\r\nImagine yourself in the warm African sunshine, recharging your batteries in the perfect peace and harmony of a timeless natural environment.\r\n\r\nLater after a stunning sunset many hours of meaningful musings spent around a warming fire… or more soberly at breakfast watching the snowy peaks of Mount Kenya gleaming in the early light of another perfect day in Africa.\r\n\r\nFor more information about \”Lifestyles\” please contact us by using the Contact Form below.\r\n\r\n‘,’Game Ranch Lifestyles’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’game-ranch-lifestyles’,”,”,’2013-01-04 23:10:51′,’2013-01-04 20:10:51′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=624′,80,’page’,”,0),(626,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,”,’Home’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’home’,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=626′,1,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(627,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,”,’About’,’About Mt. Kenya Wildlfe Conservancy’,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’627′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=627′,2,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(628,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’628′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,536,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=628′,4,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(630,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,”,’The Advisory Board’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’630′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,536,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=630′,3,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(631,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’631′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=631′,6,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(632,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’632′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=632′,7,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(633,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’633′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=633′,8,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(634,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’634′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=634′,12,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(635,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’635′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,790,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=635′,11,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(636,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:49′,’2012-04-22 05:55:49′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’636′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=636′,13,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(637,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,”,’History’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’637′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=637′,5,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(638,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,”,’Conservation and You’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’638′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=638′,14,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(640,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’640′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,10,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=640′,15,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(643,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’643′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=643′,22,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(644,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’644′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=644′,38,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(645,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’645′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=645′,39,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(646,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’646′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=646′,49,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(647,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’647′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=647′,50,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(648,7,’2012-04-22 08:55:50′,’2012-04-22 05:55:50′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’648′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,579,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=648′,51,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(1717,7,’2012-10-24 20:05:09′,’2012-10-24 17:05:09′,”,’Commemorative Giving’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’commemorative-giving’,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1717′,19,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(655,7,’2012-04-22 08:58:37′,’2012-04-22 05:58:37′,”,’Contact’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’contact’,”,”,’2012-04-22 08:58:37′,’2012-04-22 05:58:37′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=655′,90,’page’,”,0),(654,7,’2012-04-22 08:57:22′,’2012-04-22 05:57:22′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’654′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=654′,54,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(659,7,’2012-04-22 09:00:05′,’2012-04-22 06:00:05′,’\r\n\r\nAdopting an animal in our care is the most rewarding experience imaginable!\r\nYour adoption fee will help us care for your special animal and provide shelter, care and food for him/her and playmates.\r\nA wild animal adoption makes a great gift to a loved one as well!\r\n

Animal adoption and fostering program

\r\nAll of the animals in our care benefit from your adoption. The fee helps pay for their individual care, veterinary expenses, nutritional needs and wilderness adaption training.\r\nWe encourage our friends to remain involved in particular animals\’ lives by becoming their \”guardian angel.\”\r\n\r\nOr order an adoption in your child\’s (or friend\’s) name, the most perfect life giving and lasting gift!\r\n

For a one time donation of $ 100 :

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• You may foster any one of our orphaned animals for one year.
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• You receive a certificate with the animal\’s photo, identifying you as a foster parent.
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For a one time donation of $ 200:

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\r\n
• You can adopt any one of the animals in our care for two years.
\r\n
• You will receive an adoption certificate in your name with the animals photo.
\r\n
• You will receive periodic updates on \”your\” animal\’s welfare.
\r\n

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For a one time donation of $ 500:

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\r\n
• This makes you the life long guardian of your chosen animal.
\r\n
• The animal will be known by a name of your choice
\r\n
• You receive a \”Guardian Angel\” certificate
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• You receive a detailed history, general information and periodic update on the progress of \”your\” animal.
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\r\n[button type=\”big\”] Click here to Adopt an Animal[/button]’,’Adopt Any of our Orphans’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’adopt-any-of-our-orphans’,”,”,’2012-10-14 02:26:04′,’2012-10-13 23:26:04′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=659′,30,’page’,”,0),(661,7,’2012-04-22 09:00:36′,’2012-04-22 06:00:36′,’We welcome your input and ideas. Tell us what you would like to do as a part of your corporate social responsibility.\r\n\r\nDonating to save wildlife warms everyone\’s heart.\r\n\r\n[button link=\”../contact\” type=\”big\”] Contact Us[/button]’,’Corporate Giving’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’corporate-giving’,”,”,’2012-10-14 01:45:54′,’2012-10-13 22:45:54′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=661′,40,’page’,”,0),(664,7,’2012-04-22 09:01:06′,’2012-04-22 06:01:06′,’\r\n\r\nGiving to preserve nature makes for a rewarding memory in honor of a loved one.\r\n\r\nTell us what you would like to do…\r\n\r\n[button link=\”../contact\”] Contact Us[/button]’,’Commemorative Giving’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’commemorative-giving’,”,”,’2012-10-19 21:35:19′,’2012-10-19 18:35:19′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=664′,50,’page’,”,0),(1716,7,’2012-10-24 20:05:09′,’2012-10-24 17:05:09′,”,’Animal Adoption’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’animal-adoption’,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1716′,18,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(1619,7,’2012-10-14 01:18:32′,’2012-10-13 22:18:32′,”,’Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy Membership’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mkwc-membership’,”,”,’2012-10-14 01:18:32′,’2012-10-13 22:18:32′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mkwc-membership.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1719,7,’2012-10-24 20:18:09′,’2012-10-24 17:18:09′,”,’A Word about Volunteers’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’a-word-about-volunteers’,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1719′,21,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(1718,7,’2012-10-24 20:18:09′,’2012-10-24 17:18:09′,”,’Corporate Giving’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’corporate-giving’,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1718′,20,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(675,7,’2012-04-22 09:09:10′,’2012-04-22 06:09:10′,’

The Saving of Baby Karen

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As Told by our Animal Orphanage Keepers

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] On the Second of September (2002) one of the workers at Mr. Hunt\’s house was frightened by a strange noise, coming from the surrounding bush. He was frightened and wondered if it could be a large snake making such a cry. The next day, hearing the cry again, he reported to Peter the Manager. Peter sent his little boy Lorian to go with the game scout Kingori to investigate. \r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n

It All Began Like This…

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFollowing the sound they wondered what animal this could be. Ten year old Lorian had no fear and went straight through the bush towards the sound. And there she was, a little frightened bundle of red fur all curled up and with her ears flat and eyes closed so as to hide.\r\n\r\nGently Lorian tried to lift her to her feet. Now he realized this minute creature was a baby buck. Lorian remembered what he had learned at the Orphanage. He lifted her gently letting her \”hide\” her head. They returned to the orphanage with the baby, sending a quick Radio message to Peter.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile Peter rushed to the scene and found what he had suspected. Some distance away, the grisly remains of the Mother Bushbuck. There were the tell tale signs of a struggle and the footprints of a leopard.\r\n\r\n

How the baby escaped is a miracle that nature plays over and over again.

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSensing danger the mother buck would have let out a sharp whistle, an instant command for the young to drop out of sight and stay hidden and quiet and wait for her call of release. Only then the mother would have taken flight, so as to lead the carnivore as far away from her baby as she could, before facing her killer for whom she was no match.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSuch is nature. The young, instinctively stayed silent, waiting for the mother\’s call that never came.\r\nOnly the next day, when it could no longer survive on its own and growing too weak to fend off danger did the little fawn call out.\r\n\r\nLucky little fawn. Once in the Orphanage our experienced keepers took over. She did not take long to learn to drink from a bottle. Overcome by loneliness and need she quickly made friends with the hand that fed her.\r\n\r\nA few days later a family from Nairobi came to visit the Orphanage. A little girl and her brother fell in love with the baby fawn and they spent most of the afternoon with her and returned the following morning. Sensing trust in each other the two young creatures, one human and one animal made friends giving the orphan the confidence to live in her new environment. That is how the fawn became \”Karen,\” named after the little girl, and her famous name sake Karen Blixen, authoress of \”Out Of Africa,\” who also wrote of a young bushbuck she befriended.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur fawn Karen displays instinctive behavior as she licks the tortoise. Her choice of friend however, proves her lack of \”learned behaviour.\”\r\n\r\nIn the wild, her mother would have prevented (taught) her from making such an \”unsuitable\” friend. In contrast, the young Bongo Antelopes born at the Ranch and raised normally by their mothers recognized the bushbuck as their \”cousin,\” signified by their intense interest in the new baby.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Update 2008

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat was in 2002. Now, 6 years later Karen is still a frequent visitor to the orphanage where she was raised after her rescue.\r\n\r\nShe produced a number of offspring, all conceived in the wild but born, by Karen\’s own choice… in the safety of the Orphanage where she herself reared them.\r\n\r\nKaren is free to come and go as she chooses. It makes us very proud grandparents indeed when she, time after time, returns to present her latest offspring.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTwo of them have decided to make the orphanage where they were born, their home, at least for now: A beautiful young female calf and her older handsome brother. \r\n\r\nThey are often joined by their mother Karen who continues to \’disppear\’ in search of the amorous attentions of the wild bushbuck nearby.\r\n\r\nSeeing the happy trio here free and close-up is a treat for everyone: Bushbuck are uncommon in zoos, and shy by nature, they are rarely seen in the wild.\r\n\r\n

Captured !! This is the killer that made Karen an orphan

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt was a real menace – on a deadly rampage at the Ranch for several months. We lost numerous young antelope and many precious llama babies to this wily leopard\’s predation.\r\n\r\nTraps were set, but the animal seemed much too smart to be drawn. Then finally it happened. She made a fatal error of judgment and went into one of the hidden, baited lures.\r\n\r\nA young and beautiful female leopard.\r\n\r\nWe then called the Kenya Wildlife Service, which responded immediately, sending in an experienced, capable squad of Rangers to deal with the still dangerous animal. In due course, they transported her to Meru National Park where she was released back into the wild, well out of harm\’s way from any human retribution for her natural predatory lifestyle.\r\n\r\nShe is now free in a beautiful environment, protected for life.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\n

Some facts about the Bushbuck

\r\n\r\n(TRAGELAPHUS SCIPTUS)\r\n\r\nA midsize colorful antelope that occurs all over (Sub Saharan) Africa, but is seldom seen, shy hiding from predators in dense bush or forests, near water\r\n\r\nFemales and fawns are reddish to brown with stripes and spots arranged in more artistic designs in West Africa (Harnessed Antelope). The male only has horns and becomes a dark brown as he ages.\r\n\r\nBushbuck are active mainly at night, when they eat leaves and soft grass, but also flowers and fruits from trees that have been raided by monkeys.\r\n\r\nThe bushbuck has been observed to be the only solitary non-territorial Antelope in Africa. After a gestation period of more than 6 months, a single young is dropped (up to twice a year) and usually near the rainy season to ensure a good food supply. The fawn stays hidden for several months, but will remain with the mother at least 6 months or much longer.\r\n\r\nSocial behavior includes grooming, licking, and nose to nose contact.\r\n\r\n[/box]’,’Saving Baby Karen’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’saving-baby-karen’,”,”,’2013-01-03 03:14:43′,’2013-01-03 00:14:43′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=675′,0,’page’,”,0),(677,7,’2012-04-22 09:09:32′,’2012-04-22 06:09:32′,’

To Hear a Lion Roar

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On Safari in Kenya\’s Maasai Mara

\r\nby our loyal supporter Juliane Polster\r\nphotographs by Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] \r\nFor me, \”Leo,\” the famous MGM Lion has always been synonymous with the most awe-inspiring sound of the wild that is until I realized: \”Leo\” was born in captivity…\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMany years later and thousand of miles away, we have left a cloudy Nairobi behind us following the footsteps of Leo\’s ancestors. In less than an hour, the vast expanse of one of the world\’s most famous game reserves appears below us – we are in the heart of the Maasai Mara.\r\n\r\n\r\nIt is hard to imagine that this sweeping grassland is a mere 200 kilometers away from Kenya\’s buzzing capital. During the next 3 days, our keen and hugely knowledgeable driver will cover with us hundreds of kilometers of Africa\’s untamed beauty.\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nFor now, we are en route to our temporary home advertised as \”tented camp\” near a seasonal river where our only neighbors are hippos submerged some feet below the surface. Our hosts are the Maasai whose land is held in trust as a national reserve from which the local community is receiving a direct benefit. To treat wildlife as a valuable renewable resource is a new idea to these people who, although proud of their hunting skills, have nevertheless always lived in harmony with their surroundings. \r\n\r\nOur tents appear briefly in the distance but blend into the landscape perfectly. Our luxury temporary home in the bush is a far cry from most people\’s basic concept of a camp, yet it is easy to imagine the entire accommodations fit for 10 safari-hungry visitors leaving very little trace of its existence when removed.\r\n\r\nThe driver\’s trained eyes spot a family of cheetahs hidden behind a nearby bush. We watch in silence as the braver ones visibly familiar with the warmth of the engine settle on the bonnet of our Landcruiser. Our cameras balanced unsteadily on top of its roof, we are assured by our Maasai guide that it is past their feeding time..\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is no better way to understand the Maasai way of living than to learn it here, from these people who have never left the Mara\’s boundaries. We feel vulnerable yet safe in our temporary home away from home. Unlike the larger tourist camps nearby here there is no fence to separate or protect us from the surrounding wilderness.\r\n\r\nIt is nevertheless a surreal experience to eat fillet steak under the starriest of skies served by a half-naked warrior dressed in his traditional Maasai robe. He senses my amazement and I see the twinkle in his eyes when he confesses to wearing American boxer shorts.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAn hour later, chilly by now – shooting stars appear closer and seemingly never ending. The powerful searchlight of our car focuses on a bush ahead of us and it seems to come to life – bushbabies, their reflective eyes briefly giving away their presence. \r\n\r\nEarlier, we heard the trumpeting voice of the elephants crossing the river near the camp entrance. Now, in bed, we are reminded once again that very little remains between us and the largest mammal on earth and our imagination plays tricks on us. The sights and sounds of an African night – the Maasai whose spear caught the light of our torch is standing guard motionless.\r\n\r\nIt\’s July, the time of the Great Migration, one of nature\’s true wonders. Throughout the month, troops of wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes assemble on the open grassland of the Mara in search of dry weather grazing. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFrom an escarpment near the camp we see the procession gather un-orchestrated at first, until on our last day when we see the troops form a single line. Soon now, one animal will take the lead to march towards the one major challenge along their journey – crossing the Mara River. \r\n\r\nCrocodiles barely visible lie in wait for their prey between the tree trunks along the riverbed. The leader\’s diving into the stream signals the rest to follow. In October, the route will take the herd back into the Serengeti where the circle of life begins again – time for a new generation.\r\n\r\nAt noon and not far from the frantic race: safari chairs under the shade of a tall tree – a picnic straight from \”Out of Africa\” brings the sounds of Mozart played on an ancient gramophone to our minds.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNo safari is complete without an alfresco evening meal under a lonely umbrella acacia. From our hill, we watch the Maasai bring home their cattle while the sun sets over their land in the most surprising colors of purple and orange.\r\n\r\nOur safari has taken us on an incredible journey to the home of Kenya\’s most famous inhabitants: eland, impala, gazelles, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras and of course the \”Big 5\” once the ultimate prize for trophy hunters – elephants, rhinos, buffalos leopards, – and lions…\r\n\r\nFrom the darkness of the Mara plains we hear a lion roar – a sound much deeper than imagined. This is the true call of the wild, a call that \”Leo,\” the MGM Lion never heard.\r\n\r\n‘,’To Hear a Lion Roar’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’to-hear-a-lion-roar’,”,”,’2012-10-23 16:36:59′,’2012-10-23 13:36:59′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=677′,0,’page’,”,0),(679,7,’2012-04-22 09:09:50′,’2012-04-22 06:09:50′,’

Brandy for Breakfast

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The Story of an African Caracal Cat

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] \r\nWhen I think of Brandy it is of a reddish golden color of soft clean warm fur, a subtle purr and the luxury of unconditional love and confidence.\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn a beautiful morning in March, the 15th to be precise – 2007; Peter Fundi called from the animal orphanage: \”Mama Duma, the big Caracal Mama has two kittens, please come.\”\r\n\r\nI found our young female African lynx at the orphanage with two minute furry copies. Her record as a mother had been disastrous the first time.\r\n\r\nAlmost before our eyes, she had eaten both her young before we could rescue them.\r\n\r\nNobody knows for sure if this happens in the wild. Very little is known about the African Lynx in the bush at all. Shy and elusive these magnificent cats move mostly at night. They frequently change \”dens,\” especially when young are involved.\r\n\r\nThis time we watched the nervous mother with binoculars from a distance giving her ultimate privacy to minimize any stress, but ready to interfere if she attempted to hurt the young.\r\n\r\nBy mid morning she had carried away one kitten to a new location.\r\n\r\nWe observed anxiously, hoping that she would collect her second kitten as well but in the next 48 hours she did not come back for it.\r\n\r\nWhile she nurtured the favorite the second kitten was left cold and uncared for in the spot it had been dropped at birth.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTogether with Don and Fundi we made the decision: The abandoned kitten had to be taken away in order to survive. \r\nAnd so, overnight, I suddenly found myself back in the baby business.\r\n\r\nBob Zmuda of Comic Relief fame – The HBO telethon Charity show; \r\nhappened to be visiting us at the Orphanage and was with me when I went in to the enclosure to relieve the caracal mother of her neglected baby. I quickly handed the tiny bundle of fur to Bob to hold.\r\n\r\nIt gave me time to do a quick check on the other favored kitten that was with \”mom\” huddled on the other side of the pen.\r\n\r\nThe mother did not take kindly to such an attempt to interfere with her chosen one. While she had completely forgotten her second born she defended her precious one fiercely.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe thought did occur to me that I could probably switch them if need be. I wanted to establish the sex of the kittens in order to make sure we saved a female if there were a choice.\r\n\r\nI hastily grabbed the warm kitten from behind the snarling mother while we kept her occupied with a bone. Immediately the lively young started screeching. It was a male.\r\n\r\nI hurried to return it to the mother who has started to panic and was ready to kill the \”catnapper\” (me). In a flash she came flying to the spot I had just vacated as I slammed the door from the den behind me.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nI took the near-lifeless, already cold little kitten home, holding it close to my body for the warmth it badly needed. I started it on a little warm milk from an eye dropper and much to my relief he took it without a fight.\r\n\r\nThis I repeated every two hours so that the new unusual food could be digested slowly and would not cause the system too much of a shock.\r\n\r\nThe main concern of course was that more than likely the kitten had received no nourishment at all from the mother since birth, depriving it of the much needed colostrums so necessary to protect the young from any diseases in infancy.\r\n\r\nI could have done with a little \”brandy for breakfast\” myself for all those sleepless nights.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEventually the listless little tyke came to life, suddenly as if reborn. The first thing he did was hiss at me even though his eyes were still closed.\r\n\r\nA few days later when he did open his eyes the hiss became a snarl. As if he was horrified: \”A human mother with yellow hair!!\”\r\n\r\nFinally, nature stirred the little creature to accept his only chance for survival. The rufus little bundle of fur accepted its fate and sealed the deal with a lick to my face. When he passed her first stool successfully I felt he had been given a chance at life and I named him \”Brandy.\”\r\n\r\n

There had been another Brandy in my life…

\r\n\r\nMany years before, the first, rescued from poachers in Somalia, was forcefully smuggled aboard a banana boat in my basket when we were evacuated from Somalia in what seems ages ago. She was so small that I could not leave her behind.\r\n\r\n William \”Bill\” Holden joined us on safari in Somalia, here capturing the rare and endangered Somali wild ass.\r\n\r\nAt the time we had also loaded crates containing some rare animals we had gathered to form survival groups: Rare Dibatag Antelope, Speke\’s Gazelle, Soemmerring\’s Gazelle, Guenther\’s Dik Dik and a few rescued formerly mistreated wild animals.\r\n\r\nAll were destined for our Game Ranch back in Kenya when a sudden border dispute made it impossible for us to transport the animals to safety. Somalia was getting more unstable by the day. When air traffic ceased altogether we took the hint and hitched a ride on a Banana boat bound for Naples, Italy.\r\n\r\nReluctantly, but sufficiently \”motivated,\” the portly Italian Captain agreed to let his boat double as a little Noah\’s Ark in the name of conservation.\r\n\r\nWe hurriedly cabled Dr. Franco Cunio of the Naples Zoo, an old friend and supporter of our work. He agreed to give a new home to the animals at sea.\r\n\r\nThe Banana boat did not dock, rather the crates of Bananas were ferried out to sea on an unstable barge and then lifted by crane into the sea going vessel.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile Don was busy dealing with the authorities to put their stamp on the various documents required for legal translocation of the animals, I raced around the surrounding countryside to line up what little fodder I could find in the parched Somali desert. We needed food for a 21 day journey for the 27 animals we planned to take along.\r\n\r\nBrandy the little baby lynx came along everywhere, strapped to me mostly. There was no time to waste. The boat was sailing in two days – with or without us.\r\n\r\nLoading of the animals in their crates was scheduled for the last day, after the Bananas had been hoisted onto the boat, stashed below, and the holds closed.\r\n\r\nThat day the usually balmy calm of the Indian Ocean turned unruly as dark storm clouds gathered. I will never forget the agonizing moments as each crate waved uncontrolled in the air between the barge and the Banana boat, only held by the uncertain ropes dangling from the boat\’s own crane. As the vessel rolled in the rough seas the arm of the crane bobbed up and down and even the heavier crates became three dimensional swings fluttering like paper in the wind.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMy heart stood still every time a crate landed with such a thump on the boat. We were certain there had to be broken legs or worse.\r\n\r\nDon and I were lifted aboard last. Immediately the ships engines were started, the ships horn sounded and our journey began with a very difficult first day.\r\n\r\nIt was late night by the time we had checked, fed, watered and cared for all the animals in their crates. Luckily none were for the worse physically. All seemed exhausted from the stress of such an undertaking and the rocking of the boat soon lulled them to sleep for a much needed rest.\r\n\r\nBrandy the Lynx was, of course, installed in our cabin and soon made herself at home there. She delighted in the new playground where you could slide from one end of the small cabin to the other on the polished wooden floor and then back again as the boat rolled the other way. When the weather calmed towards dawn, all of us were fast asleep and finally on the way to the safety of Italy, although in the wrong direction geographically!\r\n\r\nI had only been able to bring a little milk and meat for Brandy. With my limited knowledge of the Italian language I set off, clutching the tiny beautiful Lynx, to go beg her food from the ship\’s Italian cook. Whether he was an animal lover or not, Brandy could melt anyone\’s heart, I was sure. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMama mia… and how it worked! Soon the captain\’s own special filet steak was ground up (without his knowledge of course) and Brandy lived like a queen.\r\n\r\nWhile the kitten thrived to everyone\’s delight, there were other unusual activities going on – also without the Captain\’s knowledge!\r\n\r\nWe had made friends with the ship\’s First Officer who could speak a little English. He allowed us to build some makeshift pens so that we could routinely exercise the animals out of their crates as long as the ocean was calm.\r\n\r\nBut the food I had gathered in a hurry proved not enough for all, nor of sufficient variety. But wait… this was a banana boat! Banana skins have a very high nutritional value, and most animals like them.\r\n\r\nSo, in cahoots with the first officer, we made sure the Captain had plenty of vino at Dinner and as soon as he retired the first Officer led us to the closest hold we could raid for bananas. Night after night we hauled crates of them up on deck and peeled the fruits, discarded the bananas into the ocean, and fed the skins to the grateful hungry animals. Soon the crew joined in helping us and everyone except the drunken Captain knew of our thievery in the night.\r\n\r\nFinally on arrival in Sicily where most of the bananas were to be offloaded the Captain discovered a huge shortage. \”Bastards\” he said, You can\’t trust these Sicilians!\”\r\n\r\nRight, he was from the north, Brindisi, where people were honorable. The 3 thieves agreed hastily.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the end all our animals reached the port of Naples in top condition. The banana skins had done their magic. Even Brandy had grown a lot in the 21 days we were at sea, thanks to the Captain\’s steak.\r\n\r\nDr. Franco Cunio greeted us at the dockside to enthusiastically receive the small collection of unique animals he would host for a while. He cooed over the rare Dibitag and lively Gazelles.\r\n\r\nBut Brandy stole his heart at once and he said he would foster her until we could make arrangements to fly her to Kenya.\r\n\r\nI felt safe leaving Brandy in his qualified care for a while.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately soon after we had left Naples he informed us that, despite all the best care at his own home, Brandy had been found dead of unknown cause one morning. I was heart broken.\r\n\r\nA year later mutual friends told us that the famed Dr. Cunio was these days always seen in the company of a beautiful young strong adult African Lynx that followed him everywhere. The Lynx, they said, was called Brandy.\r\n\r\nI did not have the heart to call him on his white lie. After all, hadn\’t we stolen more than 100 crates of Bananas for the love of some animals? It was good enough that my little lynx had found such a happy home.\r\n\r\n

Once the Four-Hourly Feeds Became Routine

\r\n\r\n… and the eye dropper had been exchanged for a small nipple on a doll bottle, Brandy II was growing fast.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHe recognized my voice instantly and became lively whenever I was around. The moment I left the room, he would crawl back to his basket and onto the hot water bottle where he fell instantly asleep.\r\n\r\nThere must have been instant \”growing periods\” when I wasn\’t looking, it seemed he was bigger every time I picked him up. With each bottle he seemed to grow stronger and more energetic. Soon I had to find him a \”buddy\” to snuggle up to.\r\n\r\nThere were choices. Jack Hanna, when he last visited us, had left behind a suitcase full of stuffed toy animals for the less privileged children that often visit the Animal Orphanage. I had greedily kept behind a few of those toys, just for cases like this.\r\n\r\nAt first it was the stuffed hyena that Brandy fancied. Something about the spots seemed to fascinate him. But that love soon gave way to the black seal – that was the toy that the kitten found most accommodating for wrestling matches and simulated attacks. The seal could be killed over and over.\r\n\r\nBut the one toy that finally won Brandy\’s heart was the furry monkey. He became the \”doll\” in his fantasy. Like a child he seems to see the toy as a live creature. There are periods of play and periods of nurturing when he will thoroughly \”groom\” the monkey and lovingly cuddle up to him.\r\n\r\nBrandy does not like to be left alone… whether it is a short while or longer, we are always greeted with great enthusiasm and even tail wagging!! Indeed this cat wags his tail like a dog whenever he is very happy, much to our delight.\r\n\r\nThe he tears off down the hallway and disappears, a signal that he wishes to be chased. He can hide himself without a trace and often will only reveal his location when called. Tail wagging, he will come scampering out at the sound of his name. All very un-cat-like!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBrandy, for now has his own garden that he can access through a small gated hole in the wall. He loves exploring the outdoors, but instinct forbids him to venture far unless I stand guard to protect the young life against dangers such as predator bird.\r\n\r\nWe are fascinated in watching this little wild predator grow up before our eyes. Never have I learned so much about an animal without actually observing it in the wild.\r\n\r\nCaracal cats have rarely been studied and are almost never seen in the wild by the casual visitor. Most are strictly nocturnal (except in very cool regions). They are shy and elusive and move their quarters almost nightly. Adults live as solitary animals and meet only for mating.\r\n\r\nA mother will nurture her young for up to but no more than one year, at which time they become adults and will start living on their own.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe name \”Caracal\” came from the Turkish word \”karakulak\” meaning \”black ear.\”\r\n\r\nOne source states that the Caracal was once \”tamed and trained for bird hunting\” in the Middle East and India! Brandy is proof that you\’d hardly need to train a caracal for any kind of hunting.\r\n\r\nHis body and legs are beginning to take on a slender shape, with the hind legs noticeably longer than the front legs. This, as he demonstrates to us daily, comes in handy for giant leaps up into the air.\r\n\r\nLater she will utilize these leaps to jump up to 10 feet to catch even large birds that have just become airborne after the cat\’s chase.\r\n\r\nCaracals are the largest of the small cats. They are intelligent efficient hunters and the fastest runners of all the smaller cats as well. They are agile tree climbers but only do so to escape danger or hide a kill, in the same manner as a leopard.\r\n\r\nWhen we watch Brandy, he does indeed remind us of a leopard. He has begun to walk the typical leopard walk. His front legs still un-proportionally large for his slender frame, almost bent outward at the shoulder, head held low, his body takes on an upward slope caused by the longer back legs.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe tufted black ears are equipped with a number of special muscles to enable them to move separately in every direction to detect minute noises and movement, they seem in constant motion as he concentrates.\r\n\r\nHis paws though are the most fascinating tools. In play I get plenty of opportunity to examine their function. They are perfect tools for life in the bush. From velvety tubby soft paws that enable him to move silently they can suddenly extend to double their size. With claws extended they are strong and can injure badly, and their grip becomes iron clad.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, with claws withdrawn the paw serves as a touching tool for everything new. With the claws only lightly extended they become \”magnets\” for anything porous he wants to pick up. Brandy can hold and caress his monkey toy friend lovingly. Even I have learned to trust his touching my face with those lethal weapons – turned gentle touch!\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\nThere will of course come a time in his life when he will have to fight for his survival. Without a mother to teach him, instinct already directs him to exercise those powers by fiercely defending a favorite treat such as a chewing bone.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSuddenly our cuddly kitten turns into a nightmare of an attack cat. She snarls and growls and threatens attack, so much that we have joked of getting her counseling for \”anger management.\” But the reality is that this is a wild animal and his natural behavior demonstrates that no one should mistake him for a \”pet.\”\r\n\r\nBrandy is only 3 months old now. Already he has demonstrated that he can and will make it in the wild, even without a mother \”teaching\” him how to hunt or survive.\r\n\r\nWe plan to let him grow up in the relative safety of our own immediate surroundings but at the same time let him fully develop his instinct.\r\n\r\nAll that\’s left for the missing mother to teach would be how to find the prey and when to kill. I am confident that his very healthy appetite will direct his brain to work that out as well when the time comes that we begin to feed him less.\r\n\r\nRight now, and for some time he will need the balanced diet and supplements we supply to make that body strong enough to take on the challenges that await him down the road.\r\n\r\nBrandy\’s brother that was left with the mother did survive. She continues to raise him and both are now calm. He has grown strong and is already considerably heavier than Brandy. Remember when we rescued Brandy I took a minute to sex the kittens?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou may have guessed: our Brandy of course is a girl!!! That is why it became so important to save her life as a future breeder.\r\n\r\nBut with \”her\” frisky mischievous and prankish behavior, and particularly \”her\” strength and bravery, we automatically referred to Brandy as \”he\” and it stuck!\r\n\r\nBut she can also be highly intelligent, gentle, cunning but caring and she has a great sense of survival, so she\’s a doll after all….’,’Brandy for Breakfast’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’brandy-for-breakfast’,”,”,’2013-01-04 21:10:20′,’2013-01-04 18:10:20′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=679′,0,’page’,”,0),(681,7,’2012-04-22 09:10:10′,’2012-04-22 06:10:10′,’

Feagan: The Fat Female Fox

\r\n

An African Christmas Fable

\r\n…as told to Iris Hunt by the Cheetah Duma Duke\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] Once upon a time Mount Kenya was the mightiest of all the mountains in Africa.\r\n\r\nViolent earthquakes and fire streams of molten lava from volcanic eruptions changed the earth\’s crust for millions of years. As the earth parted to form The Great Rift Valley, a spouting and out-pouring of molten rock from the depths formed the huge mass that was to become Mount Kenya.[/box]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAfter the volcanoes spat fire for the last time, the mountain cooled. It had grown so tall that ice and snow had covered its cone, reaching far into the Equatorial sky. Mount Kenya\’s frosty summit then towered over the massive Alps in Europe. What in time would become its mighty brother to the south, Kilimanjaro, was not even born.\r\n\r\nFor the next few millions of years, the sun shone mercilessly on the King of Mountains, so much so that the ice began to shift with such force that the crater walls crumbled and fell into fields of stony scree below. Melting ice, rain and fire all took their toll.\r\n\r\nSo, like old folks, the ancient mountain began to shrink until one day the peaks fell below the much younger twin summits of Kibo and Mwenzi on Kilimanjaro. All that remained on Mount Kenya was its volcanic plug – a core of treacherous, sharp-edged spikes sticking up like a sore, broken tooth.\r\n\r\nThe ice now nestled between them and formed mighty glaciers that fed many rivers and streams running off its massive shoulders, providing a permanent cascade of water onto richly fertile soil around the base. On the upper slopes of the great mountain were enormous fields of great Alpine flowers and heathers giving way to tangled thickets of bamboo reaching into lush forests thickly carpeted with ancient stands of Cedar and Podo, Wild Fig and African Olive.\r\n\r\nMany wild animals roamed these forests, so impenetrable at first that only the king-sized Elephant was able to move through the tightly knitted fiber of the foliage. But like giant bull-dozers, they made tunnels and tracks that the other animals were able to use to get around in increasing numbers.\r\n\r\nThere were no people then. It was only about 10,000 years ago that the fiercest of all predators, Man, arrived on the mountain. Or rather it was Woman, the original native \”Eve,\” who looked up to the mists parting on the peaks with wonder and disbelief as it dawned on her that this must be the home of the great God she called Engai.\r\n\r\nShe and her descendants respected his sacred domain on Mount Kenya and left it undisturbed for thousands of years.\r\n\r\nChristian missionaries came and went and in time all the children came to know of the mystical home of Father Christmas somewhere in the mist of the snowy peaks.\r\n\r\nBut to this day the secret has been guarded and kept by the wild creatures of the forest.\r\n\r\nFather Christmas, a.k.a. Santa Claus has since become a figure of wide-eyed enchantment for local children, especially as the day draws near for him to come down the mountain, bring them presents and take the seasonal spirit of giving and goodwill all over Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is really only the animals in the Orphanage and their wild friends in the forest and beyond who know for sure where Father Christmas lives.\r\n\r\n

Fox Story

\r\n\r\nOn the sun-swept plains at the foot of the mountain, there once lived a female Bat Eared Fox named Feagan.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHer family of seven lived mostly underground. The young were allowed out of the burrow only in the mornings or evenings to be warmed by the sun, or under the veil of darkness. They would all then go out onto the open plains to forage for a dinner of insects, small rodents, berries or anything they could find that pleased their palate.\r\n\r\nIf it was too hot, the large surface of their oversized ears served to lose excess body heat. If it was too cool the bushy furry tail could be wrapped around the small body like a fur coat.\r\n\r\nThe Foxes seldom ventured into the forest above the plains. For one, it was too cold. But the main reason lay in the danger it held. For it was known to be the home of the Leopard, their biggest enemy. Surely, from his watching perch in the tree, no Leopard would let such a tasty meal as a little defenseless fox pass under his nose. The wind rustling the leaves in a constant flickering of light and shadow on their spotted coats made them invisible, even to the sharpest foxy eyes. Yet, they were everywhere.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen Feagan was small, the careful mother Fox was kept her safe from both the Leopards and the ever-threatening birds of prey, the great raptors, circling over the forest canopy. \r\n\r\nShe taught her young daughter to put her huge ears close to the ground to listen for tasty insects that could be dug up. Together, they soaked up the rays of the sun to keep them warm through the night.\r\n\r\nFeagan learned to move silently on her tiny delicate feet, to sneak up without a sound on an unsuspecting lizard or baby bird. But she had an especially sweet tooth and was exceptionally greedy, so in the season of the ripening berries, she wandered far longer and further than the others to satisfy her craving. At these times, she would eat much too much and grew fatter and fatter. Her little belly hurt as it swelled up and her fur coat split at the seams.\r\n\r\nAll the Foxes and all the animals on the land below Mount Kenya, called Laikipia, made fun of little lump of an animal, calling her \”Feagan the Fat Female Fox.\”\r\n\r\nAfter one particularly rich meal of groundnuts and fat tasty nightcrawlers the greedy Fox decided it was time go up to the house of Father Christmas and ask him if he would please give her a new, larger fox-fur coat. As \”payment\” in return, she would offer to help take his loads of gifts down the mountain.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nClever as she was she would run ahead unseen at night through the lighter undergrowth and home to her home on the plains. She would hide his gifts in her den underground way before Santa could get there. He had to wait for daylight to fly down the mountain, he had no GPS!!\r\n\r\nSo, the little fox thought, Father Christmas would recognize her as an especially handy helper, seeing that she did have far more local knowledge than his team of mini-human elves.\r\n\r\nFeagan dreamed that night of her return home, looking so glamorous in her new coat that all the animals crowded round her enviously with the most handsome bachelor Foxes, falling to their knees to propose. She awoke with a start from the delicious reverie, her little mouth watering at the thought of tucking into all that chocolate in Santa\’s bag of gifts.\r\n\r\nIf only she knew where he lived. That was the only problem, as she saw it in the cold light of dawn.\r\n\r\nShe tossed and turned for a while, thinking about it, until she could bear it no more. Her mind made up, she quickly got out of bed and, without sound, sneaked off into the gloom of the mighty forest jungle.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt once the forest animals sensed a fox entering their domain, but little Feagan – fat though she was for her size – was also agile, moving fast and unseen through the undergrowth on a determined progress up the mountain.\r\n\r\nIt was not long before she reached the Mount Kenya Game Ranch. And it was there, on her way across a stretch of sunlit grazing land, that she decided to approach a non-violent group of Bongo and ask directions from these wise antelope who must know the area well. The Bongo, in turn, were curious to learn what the fat little bat-eared creature was up to.\r\n\r\n\”Tell me where Father Christmas lives,\’ the fox said rather cheekily.\r\n\r\nBut the big bull Bongo shook his head. \”We\’ll help you, if you\’ll help us,\” he replied rather sternly.\r\n\r\nPatiently he explained how it was that, outside the ranch their kind had become extinct as there were no more Bongo left anywhere on Mount Kenya. His small herd was protected and well cared for on the Ranch and it was hoped that one day they might be able to return to their native habitat in the deepest part of the forest to re-establish themselves in their former kingdom. In the meantime, they asked all visitors and friends of the Ranch to contribute to their care.\r\n\r\n\”Make a donation,\” he said, \”no matter how small, and I\’ll tell you where to find Father Christmas.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut generosity to other animals was something the young Feagan still had to learn. She wasn\’t prepared to part with so much as a mite and scampered off – none the wiser, but undaunted.\r\n\r\nThat was a mean spirited and greedy Fat Female Fox, it was decided by a Council of Elder Animals on the Ranch who met straight away to discuss the incident. They still wondered what exactly she was up to and ordered a \”volunteer,\” Sunny the Suni, the smallest and swiftest of the Antelope, to catch up with her and find out more. A buck Duiker named Dickie said he would follow her in support.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe two little Antelopes duly came across fat little Feagan while she was taking a fox nap. They woke her up and the Duiker said:\r\n\r\n\”We want to know why you\’re looking for Father Christmas.\”\r\n\r\nBut the canny fox wasn\’t saying anything.\r\n\r\n\”OK,\” Dickie the Duiker intervened… \”But why are you being so mean and greedy? We know where his house is – and we\’ll tell you, if you\’d just be kind enough to give something back. Just a small contribution, that\’s all we\’re asking, to help all the animals on the Ranch.\”\r\n\r\nHis appeal again fell on big but stubbornly deaf ears. Mean little Feagan made her excuses and swiftly departed for the hills.\r\n\r\nBack at the Council, the Elders were rightly annoyed when they heard what had happened. They immediately got word to a Bush-pig at the far end of the Ranch who could intercept the Fox on her route up the mountain.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen he sighted her, snorting ferociously, he burst out of the bush to frighten her. But Feagan knew that Bat-Eared Foxes were not part of a Bush-Pig\’s diet and defiantly stood her ground.\r\n\r\n\”Porky pig,\” she addressed him rudely with the same question, thinking only of her objective. \”Tell me where Father Christmas lives.\”\r\n\r\n\”Never,\” spluttered the pig, taken aback. \”Not unless you make a donation to – \”\r\n\r\nBut the fox cut him short, spinning on her tail. \”Never,\” she thought meanly, as she again took off at high speed towards the upper slopes of the mountain.\r\n\r\nShe had been somewhat foolishly brave in standing up to \”Porky.\” If he hadn\’t been so surprised by her pip-squeak insolence, he might well have given her a jab in the rump with the sharp end of a tusk. In any event, the cheeky Fox wasn\’t feeling at all brave when, after crossing over the boundary of the Ranch, she found herself in denser and darker forest.\r\n\r\nUntil then, she had never seen a Leopard. Now she could sense his closeness and was fearful he would see her, lying in wait on a high branch of a tree for an incautious passing bite of supper. With that awful thought in mind, she continued on her course as fast and stealthily as she could, driven by fear and the selfish greed that had so upset the Ranch animals.\r\n\r\nNor had they finished with her yet. The Council decided she must be given a lesson on her mean-spirited attitude and assigned the mission to the Head Buffalo in the forest, communicating as usual by a relay of the tick birds that habitually perch on his massive shoulders.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn due course, the big buffalo did as he was asked, planting himself in the path of the little Fox, lowering his fearsome boss, snorting and stomping the ground. But he was no Leopard, and again Feagan was not impressed.\r\n\r\n\”I want to know where Santa Claus lives,\” she said rudely.\r\n\r\nThe buffalo looked up puzzled, slightly confused by the brash little tyke. \”I\’ll tell you, but only if – \”\r\n\r\nFeagan well knew what was coming and pretended to stare back at some imminent danger. And then, as the great head came up sniffing the air to determine what it might be, the nifty little Fox darted between his hoofs and shot away before he realized she was gone.\r\n\r\nNow the animals really had their dander up. \”We\’ve just got to stop this pesky, greedy little beast,\” they fumed, deciding to send in an equivalent Centurion tank for the purpose – a wild rhino. But they were confounded. There were a few survivors of the species on the Ranch, but out in the wild of Mount Kenya they had long since been shot or speared to extinction by poachers.\r\n\r\nEven if Feagan had been aware of what the outraged Bongo and the others had in mind, she wouldn\’t have been too worried anyway. Callow youth that she was, she thought that rhino were stupid animals, unpredictable maybe, but no danger to her.\r\n\r\nNor did she give a fig about their so-called \”extinction\” on the mountain, or any other species for than matter – except, of course, her own. That was the concern of others and, right then, all she cared about was getting herself a new fur coat. The animals on the Ranch could \”go whistle\” for a donation from Feagan \”The Smart Little Fox.\”\r\n\r\nThe Council then hit on another plan, an excellent idea from the wise old bull Bongo. \r\n\r\nA colony of black and white Colobus monkeys had recently been cared for on the Ranch, but had now been released back into the wild – their natural forest habitat in the area where Feagan was then located by the scouting birds.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMonkeys are primates, closely related to humans. The Fox would surely know that some humans could be far more dangerous, sneakier predators than any other animals, even the Leopard. Maybe, the Council thought, the bad little beast will show some respect to the Colobus.\r\n\r\nFeagan was duly tracked down and confronted. \”We can show you where Father Christmas lives,\” the big male Colobus said. \”Just make a contribution to the care of our little brothers still up there in the Animal Orphanage.\” He pointed in the direction of the Ranch.\r\n\r\n\”Not a chance,\” the mean little fox barked back. \”They\’re your problem – not mine.\”\r\n\r\nThe monkeys argued their point cleverly, as they would do, being primates. But perversely stubborn as well as mean, Feagan was having none of it. \”Just leave me alone,\” she snapped. \”Go look after your own kind. They\’re nothing to me.\”\r\n\r\nAnd so it went on for a while, the Fox rude as well as defiant, until the Colobus finally gave up and swung off in the trees to report back to the Council.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere the animals decided to make a last attempt at facing down the intractable little creature, and who would have more chance of doing that, finally, than the mightiest and wisest of them all, the Elephant? They would send in the gentle giant to use his regal authority to instill a proper sense of values into the Fox. If the great Pachyderm couldn\’t persuade her to do \”what\’s only right,\” the Council concluded, \”then whoever could?\”\r\n\r\nIt was a big mother Elephant who finally loomed over the diminutive Fox on the forest trail, peering down the length of her long trunk not unkindly, but majestically.\r\n\r\nNow Feagan had seen Elephants before when they passed by the door to her den on the plains and she knew all about their trunks. She made her self pitifully small, as a foxy idea came into her mind\r\n\r\n\’Tell me where Father Christmas lives,\’ she squeaked appealingly.\r\n\r\n\”Of course, my dear,\” the Mother Elephant replied in her sonorous, educated manner of speaking. \”I will even carry you up to his house myself if you would only be good enough to show just a little care for animals other than yourself. Just a token donation would be appreciated.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\”Yah Yah,\” the Fox yelped back. Or it might have \”Yah Boo!\” The surprise retort was anyway exceedingly rude. And so was Feagan\’s swift, sharp passing nip at the carelessly dangling trunk as she darted through the great animal\’s legs.\r\n\r\n\”Ouch!\” The Elephant trumpeted at the pain of the sneaky bite on a sensitive place. She swiveled round as fast as she could, but Feagan was long gone, swallowed up by the thick of the forest. Mightily pleased with herself, of course, chuckling over having literally \”out-foxed\” the biggest and brainiest of all the animals.\r\n\r\nShe was not further challenged as she made her way towards the upper reaches of the mountain, except by birds arriving in relays to track her course. There were flights of brilliantly colorful Turacos, Starlings and Orioles and squabbling Parrots, but they stayed overhead and the Fox paid them no attention as she emerged out of the forest onto the high Alpine moorlands.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nUncultured as she was ungenerous, Feagan wasn\’t in the least interested in the extraordinary beauty of a landscape she\’d never seen before. The little philistine Fox rushed on through clumps of tussock grass, totally ignoring the amazing flora – unique Giant Lobelias, huge bushes of everlasting Helichrysums and beautiful bouquets of Irises and Larkspur.\r\n\r\nThen, suddenly, she was finally stopped in her tracks, startled by a loud flapping noise as a big, razor-billed raptor settled above her on a rocky outcrop. It was the huge predatory Lammergeier Vulture, who really did relish small foxes – as Feagan had learned very well from her mother. Now she was really scared as the Vulture relayed the familiar message from the Council.\r\n\r\n\”I have to tell you,\” the raptor eyed her menacingly, \”that I\’ll take you safely to where Father Christmas lives, but only if you pledge support for the animals at the Orphanage. Do that now, or – \”\r\n\r\nBut Feagan didn\’t wait to hear what the awful \”or\” might be. She darted into a bunker of rocks and stayed there for many hours until hungry, as well as bored, the Vulture flew off to attend to the business of supper elsewhere. But not until she was quite sure the dreadful bird had abandoned the idea of dining locally did the Fox venture out of her rocky hide and set off again up the mountain, now racing against time.\r\n\r\nThe sun was then low in the sky; the shadows grew longer and the air got chillier by the minute. The Fox felt her ears hurt from the icy wind and hurried further up toward the peaks, ignoring the small forests of exquisite of wild Protea with their beautiful blooms glistening in hundred shades of delicate pink in mellow, roseate light of the late afternoon.\r\n\r\nShe got her first glimpse of an ice-field, called the Lewis Glacier, after passing through a chilly, foggy area knows as \”The Gate of Mists.\” This has got to be where Santa lives, she decided.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nContinuing her foolishly rapid ascent, unaccustomed as she was to the thin mountain air she could hardly breathe now. What she didn\’t know was that the lack of oxygen at these heights could badly affect even the cleverest animals\’ judgment in the most disastrous ways. \r\nConfused now by a strange, piping voice that called her headlong rush to a halt, she looked up and hazily saw a big Rock Hyrax sunning himself in the last, slanting rays of the day on his frosty perch.\r\n\r\nHer wits slowly returning, Feagan remembered once being told that no other mammal lived above the Rock Hyrax on Mount Kenya.This would be the last chance she\’d have to get local help and advice from an animal that must know, for sure, where Father Christmas was to be found.\r\n\r\nBut the high-flying Mountain Chat had already circled the peaks telling everyone the story of the greedy Fox and so the Hyrax was ready for her turning up in his territory. They duly went through question and answer ritual he was expecting, but – uncaring to the last – the Fox flatly refused to donate so much as a peanut or a worm to the cause of wildlife conservation.\r\n\r\nBut finally she would get the hard lesson she deserved. Up at 14000 feet in the oxygen-starved domain of the Saint of Christmas charity, she made her fatal misjudgment as the Hyrax tricked her befuddled brain.\r\n\r\n\”All right, my friend,\” he said with a sigh of pretend resignation. \”See that cave over there? The one with the icicles hanging in front of it?… That, my fat little fox, is where Father Christmas lives.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt was almost dark as Feagan entered the gloomy cave, exhausted and hungry. A huge squadron of bats appeared from nowhere, buzzing round her head like a swarm of locusts. She ducked and dived, but then stopped, perked up by a sudden inspiration. \”Great,\” she thought, \”I\’ll have one of those crazy bats for dinner.\”\r\n\r\nAnd with that she started a series of leaps in the air, tail held high in elegant pose, poised to swat her intended prey to the ground. But she\’d forgotten, or didn\’t know, about their marvelous sonar defense that automatically steers the blind flying rodents away from any solid objects in the air. No way could they be downed with anything but nets.\r\n\r\nSo they had a high old time, zooming clear of Feagan\’s futile swishing and swatting and then shrieking with laughter when at last she collapsed exhausted on the foul, guano-splattered floor. Some of the ruder teenagers chanted \”Funny, Fat, Filthy Fox\” and dropped well-placed deposits on the split and otherwise tatty old coat she wanted so desperately to replace.\r\n\r\nMost of the bats soon tired of the sport and flocked up to rest for a while dangling upside down from the rocky rafters of the cave. But a few stayed in the air to keep an eye on the Fox, who, less hassled, slowly began to recover her senses.\r\n\r\nShe sniffed the air and picked up the delicious scent of chocolate, or so she thought. It was irresistible and so, swallowing her pride, she called out politely to a passing bat.\r\n\r\n\”Excuse me,\” she said, \”This is where Father Christmas lives – isn\’t it? Please, I\’ve got to know.\”\r\n\r\n

Breaking News

\r\n\r\nThis just in, straight from the Cheetah\’s mouth:\r\n\r\nA meeting just ended between the Council of Forest Animals and Father Christmas. The Chaircat Duma Duke confirmed that the secret about Father Christmas is safe.\r\n\r\nFurthermore it was resolved that all humans that make their contribution by ordering a two year green page subscription, can be trusted with the secret. Proceeds from your subscriptions benefit all the animals at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch. Many of them have found new homes in the freedom of the mountain.\r\n\r\nFor every Subscription you order between now and Christmas, the Chaircat will share with you the secret of where Father Christmas really lives. If you want to find out where Father Christmas lives on Mount Kenya:\r\n\r\n\r\nThe bat, having had her fun with the fox, was good enough be honest. \”No\” he said, \”but he stopped here to rest on his way taking presents down to the animals in the Orphanage. Sorry about that.\”\r\n\r\nBut silly Feagan thought he was lying, trying to fool her. Convinced by the lingering scent of Santa\’s chocolate she was convinced she had reached her goal. He couldn\’t have gone. And with a withering look at her tormentor\’s grinning face, she rushed off into the darkest depths of the cave to finally get what she\’d traveled so far and perilously to find…\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut she was never seen or heard of again.\r\n\r\nDuma Duke has it on good authority that Santa Claus actually took pity on the greedy fat female fox Feagan. Never one to give up on spreading peace on earth, Father Christmas did stop at that same cave on his way back up the mountain. He had only one gift of Chocolate left in his sack, and with it he hoped to persuade the Fox to change her ways. She was very weak and grateful when he finally appeared. Feagan promised that never again would she ignore her fellow animals with such arrogance, never again would she get so greedy that she almost lost her life.\r\n\r\nFather Christmas saw to it that she gained strength before her long journey back into the animal kingdom. As she had by now lost a lot of weight her old coat fit perfectly and her eyes were shiny with excitement and pride when she left that cave.\r\n\r\nAnd if she didn\’t die she lived happily ever after on the plains below the majestic old snowcapped massif that is Mount Kenya.\r\n \r\n\r\nPostscript: The \”model\” for all the photographs was, of course our much loved bat eared Fox \”Brit.\” ‘,’Feagan the Fox’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’feagan-the-fox’,”,”,’2013-01-06 04:11:21′,’2013-01-06 01:11:21′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=681′,0,’page’,”,0),(683,7,’2012-04-22 09:10:29′,’2012-04-22 06:10:29′,’

Against All Odds

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Mary\’s Story • The Elephant We\’ll Never Forget

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”info\”]\r\nSomewhere roaming the vast wild-lands of Tsavo in Southern Kenya,\r\nThere\’s an Elephant who carries with her part of my heart.\r\nI haven\’t seen her for many years now, but I think of her often\r\nWondering if there\’s any truth about Elephants \”never forgetting.\”\r\nWondering in particular, if she might remember how it was with us\r\nAt the perilous start of her life – a chance ill-matched pairing\r\nOf a substitute mother and lost waif of a child? I\’ll never know…[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe year is 1975 Kenya is still a young republic – just 12 years on from its New Age rite of passage to Uhuru – \”freedom\” – from British colonial rule.\r\n\r\nIts first President, Jomo Kenyatta, is a figure of immense stature. He towers over the country, The Mzee – a wise, tough African greybeard – beating the air with an emblematic fly-whisk to make the point of an endlessly repeated rallying cry. Harambee, he harangues the crowds. \”All pull together\” – Black, Brown and White – towards his objective of a stable, disciplined \”home-grown\” democracy in the new Kenya.\r\n\r\nOnly the future would tell how strong this young Nation would prove facing the winds of change that now sweep the continent.\r\n\r\nWe too are oddly unaware of the magnitude of changes and challenges facing us.\r\n\r\nOur friend, movie actor and conservationist Bill Holden, is back in Kenya to join us for a safari. Our mission is to help the fledgling wildlife authorities carry out a realistic survey of the impacts of the slaughter in the once game-rich \”Northern Frontier District.\”\r\n\r\nThe President himself is concerned, along with the world of conservationists at large. Demonstrably so, since he seeks our advice and assistance in countering the combined threats of the criminal plunder of a priceless national resource….\r\n\r\nThe Insurgents in the region have a political agenda, laying claim to parts of Kenya\’s sovereign territory and aiming to destabilize the thinly-stretched provincial administration. But they are also driven by greed. With the price of ivory still soaring, the rogue bands of Shifta, as they\’re called – \”bandits\” or \”brigands\” – are increasingly turning their modern, high-powered weapons on the defenseless elephants.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt first they restricted their operations to the far north where they were unlikely to be intercepted as they carried their loot to waiting ivory merchants across the border close to the coast. But with the elephant herds drastically reduced in these areas, the gangs are now more boldly raiding south down the eastern side of Lake Turkana as far as the important wildlife reserves of the Samburu district.\r\n\r\nIt is this open expanse of dry bush-land around the Mathews mountain range that we\’re now transecting for the survey. And, as on many previous safaris, we both see and sense the effects of the insidious war of attrition on the wildlife – Elephants in particular.\r\n\r\nIt\’s clear that there is a significant reduction in their numbers overall. The once great herds of a hundred or more have also broken up into much smaller groups and there is marked change in the behavior of the animals. In the past they would normally be unfazed by the approach of the safari vehicles. But now they are clearly nervous and sometimes aggressively \”spooked\” as soon as we appear in their line of vision.\r\n\r\nWe set off from camp at first light and, after a while, go off-track to investigate an ominous circling of vultures. Suddenly we come onto to an appalling, grizzly scene. A full-grown female Elephant lies slaughtered, bloody holes gouged out on either side of her trunk where the tusks have been crudely hacked out of the flesh of her cheeks.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNo one speaks. The stillness is interrupted only by whirring buzz of flies over the barely dried, clotting blood. Vultures\’ wings, flapping overhead, cast dark flickering ghostlike shadows as the hideous birds descend and fight for front position. They jostle aggressively, waiting for the moment to move in and start tearing on the soft parts of the carcass.\r\n\r\nThe scene of the murder of this majestic animal is horrific – unspeakably so, as we silently approach to determine exactly how she had been killed. We count 37 bullet holes in the one side of the head and body fully exposed to view.\r\n\r\nShe never had a chance, obviously gunned down in a hail of fire, and I feel intense shame for my own kind – the human low-life, Shifta no doubt, capable of such an act of primitive savagery.\r\n\r\nBefore anyone speaks, we discover another carcass nearby. A young bull, fallen onto its knees, brought down in its tracks in another summary execution. We then find a third slaughtered Elephant – and another. Four in all.\r\n\r\nWe are close to a track and see fresh tire marks. They must have come in a vehicle just before dawn. Almost certainly they used spotlights to illuminate the shadowy shapes of the huge bodies moving silently through the low desert bush. With no danger to themselves, they would have moved within range and opened up with their automatic weapons. A callous, easy, atrocious massacre.\r\n\r\nI am sickened by the sight of it all, emotionally drained and physically inert. But then something makes me walk back to the lifeless body of the female matriarch we saw first. I look again and see that the teats between her front legs are swollen with milk.\r\n\r\nBut before I can alert the others, there\’s a shrill, high pitched scream. The bush parts as a tiny baby Elephant rushes at me in a brave attempt to drive me off the prostrate mother. Her trunk and chest are splattered with blood and there\’s a glistening of sweat from erupting glands on the side of her face.\r\n\r\nBut she\’s unsteady on her feet as she charges and nearly falls, which triggers an instinctive defensive reaction from Don and Bill. Instantly the three of us grab the baby, stop the rush, but struggle to maintain a hold on her heavy, threshing body. It\’s not easy. The little animal is screaming with rage at what she must perceive as her mother\’s killers and there\’s a perilous moment as Bill is knocked to the ground.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut three of our African crew jump in to help and, with Bill immediately back in the fray, we quickly manage to restrain her. Shock drains the calf\’s remaining strength and we can feel her legs tremble as she finally becomes calm.\r\n\r\nIt\’s all happened in a few moments of adrenalin rush for us. But at what cost to the traumatized infant elephant, we will have to wait to find out. I take the chance to do a quick, superficial check and am relieved to see there\’s no obviously injury on her trunk or anywhere else. The alarming blood on her body is evidently her mother\’s.\r\n\r\nThere\’s no telling, of course, what exactly happened when the assassins struck sometime in the hours before dawn. But it\’s likely that they would have first carried out their killing spree, downing the four adults in the family group, then chasing off the little calf as they returned to her mother to hurriedly chop out the tusks. In the interim, in panic and confusion, the infant would have would have rubbed up against the prostrate body, smearing herself with blood oozing from the mothers wounds.\r\n\r\nOnce the gang had departed the scene, she would have returned and tried desperately to \”wake\” her mother and expended more energy in keeping the ever-menacing vultures at bay. Hence her weakened state at the point of the charge.\r\n\r\nNow her trembling calm, almost catatonic, is seriously worrying. I\’m well aware that shock can be a sudden killer, as with humans, and I fear the worst for this baby Elephant – motherless orphan as she is now.\r\n\r\nIt doesn\’t take long to persuade Don and Bill to call off the safari there and then. I see doubt in their eyes, but they know it has to be done. The prospects are not good, but we must get the tiny calf back to the Ranch as fast as we can if it\’s to have any chance of survival.\r\n\r\nThey immediately start work on digging out a ramp so that the baby can be more easily loaded into a backed-up Land-Rover. It\’s a tricky job, but eventually she\’s safely installed and with her head lying across my lap as we head off for Nanyuki.\r\n\r\nI\’m grateful to the men for giving it a try against the odds. And as if to will a positive outcome, with the light fading out a day I would never forget, I make a vow that, if she lives, my new charge would some day be returned to a natural life in the wild so summarily and cruelly cut short.\r\n\r\n

An Odd Love-Match

\r\n\r\nIt was truly love at first sight. Motherly instincts overruled common sense and forged the ill-matched bonding of surrogate mother and orphaned Elephant that night on the journey back to the Ranch.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe poor creature sucked vainly on my hand much of the time and my heart sank when I felt only the beginnings of erupting molar teeth in the back of her mouth. She still had baby hair on her torso and although she was bulky in the body, I knew that – as with children – size is no certain measure of age. The critical indicator in this case was the still nascent molars.\r\n\r\nIt was too early to be sure, but the chances were that she wouldn\’t be able to digest the kind of semi-solid foods I\’d previously given to Elephant calves above six months old. They had been fine on a diet of milk porridge with vitamins, minerals and soft grass, etc.\r\n\r\nWe\’d see, but I\’d tried before with younger baby Elephant, as others had. The seemingly insuperable problem was the infant feed, with no substitute formula yet produced for mother\’s milk.\r\n\r\nWe reached the Ranch well after dark and an indoor pen at the Orphanage was hastily made ready. Cold was a factor at the higher altitude on the slopes of Mount Kenya – at around 7,000 ft., compared the baby\’s warmer climes in the north of 3,000 ft. or so. We compensated by putting three layers of straw on the ground and fixing up an overhead heater.\r\n\r\nBut still she looked forlorn lying in the corner of the pen and I decided to spend the night with her. I wasn\’t to know that this would be just the first of many anxious, sleepless nights we would spend cuddled up together.\r\n\r\nOut in the wild new-born baby Elephants are very vulnerable creatures and are constantly fussed over, not just by their mothers, but by the entire family.\r\n\r\nIt starts at the moment of birthing, when the older females of the family form a circle around the mother to protect and assist her delivery of the baby, deposited on the ground and immediately washed by many solicitous trunks. Until mother and baby are imprinted on each other, the \”grandmas\” and \”aunts\” are in constant attendance, watching that the infant doesn\’t wander off and gently nudging it back to mother when it does start to stray.\r\n\r\nShould there be any hint of danger, the family immediately forms a protective laager around the mother and child. The radiated warmth of the collective ring of bodies also helps regulate the calf\’s body temperature, which in the first few weeks it can\’t do itself.\r\n\r\nThroughout that first night at the Orphanage, I kind of simulated the laager, wrapping my new charge round with blankets warmed with hot water bottles. There was no point in messing about with milk formulas – she was stressed enough. What she most needed at that point, I determined, was rest and reassurance.\r\n\r\nBut I did mix up an \”energy drink\” for her, just glucose and water, and she clearly relished the sweet liquid, sucking it off my hand and, later, tentatively and gently from the large teat of my \”Buffalo Bottle.\”\r\n\r\nDon and Bill came to check on me, bearing sustenance – a drink, some food and my own set blankets. They didn\’t even try to persuade me to go to bed.\r\n\r\n

Trial and Error

\r\n\r\nOver the next few days the little Elephant put up a brave show herself. It was as if she knew her life was in our hands and tried her utmost to respond positively, encouragingly even, to her new family\’s efforts to meet her critical needs for nutrition, warmth and emotional support.\r\n\r\nBut it was all trial and error over the ensuing weeks. There were no text-books – no points of reference at all – on whatever it was, art or science, that was needed to keep a motherless infant elephant alive. No one in the world knew for sure how it might be done.\r\n\r\nAt first she seemed to thrive, gathering strength from a feed of a weak mix of formula milk we gave her whenever she wanted it. She was also happy to be out and about in the sun during the day and took to following me around all over the Orphanage.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBy then I had brought in three extra staff for the routine work, assigning two of our best animal men to help me with the infant\’s care. Between us – Nelson, Gitonga and I – kept her company and under surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.\r\n\r\nShe had altogether pampered, round-the-clock protection, including from the risk of too much powerful Equatorial sun on her delicate baby skin. We applied a caking of mud as a \”sun-blocker\” and encouraged her to seek out the shade in the heat of the day. Later, when the air turned chill, she would be wrapped around with her equivalent \”cuddle blanket.\”\r\n\r\nAlthough there was no way to fix her age with any certainty, I observed that she seemed to be at, or perhaps just over, the point of transition from total infant vulnerability. There was still short, sensory baby hair covering her trunk, but her ears, which would have been almost transparent at birth, were darkening significantly. My estimate was that she was then between three and four months\’ old.\r\n\r\nShe seemed fairly steady on her feet on her perambulations round the Orphanage, which was also an encouraging sign. But at the same time, she hadn\’t, as yet, got her coordination right with the long, floppy appendage of her trunk. She would wave it about wildly at some exciting happening or other, occasionally trip over it when she wasn\’t watching her step, and suck on it like a big thumb or dummy comforter when she started to feel sleepy.\r\n\r\nAt one stage she delighted herself by managing, finally, to pick up small sticks and stones, and gaily tossing them around kept her amused for hours. But as for the serious business of the trunk – sucking up water for life-giving transport to the mouth – the baby was still seriously short of the requisite skills.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nShe was a total charmer, of course. Beguiling to both staff and visitors and showing a doe-eyed, ever-endearing special affection for me. Whenever I fed her, she would delicately twine a loving trunk around some preferably naked, more tactile part of my body. Or she would reach up, drape the damp proboscis round my neck, and draw my head down for a nuzzly kiss on the cheek. All this with a vocal accompaniment of all manner of grunts, squeaks, sighs and the like, usually followed by a rumbling \”purr\” which she\’d taught us was her \”most happy\” sound.\r\n\r\nBut she was also liberal with her affections, clearly regarding all of us at the Orphanage as \”family,\” notably Don and the two full time keepers. If she didn\’t exactly remember \”Uncle Bill\” – who knows? – she certainly showed she was pleased to see him whenever he flew in to visit her. He had also succumbed to her charms\r\n\r\nAs time went on, slowly and with some trepidation, I increased the strength of her formula milk diet, knowing that this is where the trouble could start. On the basis of experience – mine and others – I was aware that very young baby elephants invariably have trouble digesting these preserved fatty milk mixes, which should also have increasingly more nutritional substance in them to maintain steady growth in the calf.\r\n\r\nBouts of diarrhea can be expected at some stage, often so severe as to result in dehydration and serious risk of infection. Antibiotics will normally effect initial improvement in the condition, but as the cycle is repeated, the danger is that calf will lose more and more of its natural stomach flora until it weakens, irremediably, and dies. I was determined that, one way or another, it wasn\’t going to happen to my orphaned ward.\r\n

A Precedent called \’Eleanor\’

\r\nThere were two people I could immediately consult – good friends and neighbors, Bill and Ruth Woodley. Both had long experience and expertise in the care of wild animals, including baby elephants… And one in particular, a young female, who did survive and went on to achieve international distinction.\r\n\r\nHer story starts in 1961 when Bill Woodley was Senior Park Warden for Kenya\’s twin mountain parks, Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares. The colonial Governor at the time was Sir Patrick Renison, who had asked Bill to take him on up north on safari together with his wife, Lady Eleanor.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey were in Samburu one day, when two baby elephants were spotted stranded on one side of a sand lugga, turned into a roaring river in a flash flood. They wouldn\’t be able to cross until the torrent subsided, by which time their family group might well have moved on.\r\n\r\nBill and his team went to the rescue, assisted enthusiastically by his eminent guests. The babies were duly captured, a male and a female, but it was thought too risky to try reuniting them with the herd. Bill decided to bring them straight down to his base at Nyeri, where Ruth immediately took charge. She named the one \”Patrick\” and the other \”Eleanor.\” Bill estimated them to be approximately 18 months of age.\r\n\r\nSadly they lost the male, but Eleanor thrived in Ruth\’s care for more than a year. As she grew, Eleanor was even invited and taken to visit Government House (now State House) the official Residence, at the request of the Governor and her namesake. It was then decided the growing calf needed more space than they could provide and, by arrangement with fellow Warden David Sheldrick, she was taken down to the more \”commodious\” and climatically more suitable location at Voi in the hot, dry south-east of Kenya.\r\n\r\nDavid had built an extensive complex there for his operations in the vast Tsavo East National Park. He had both the space and facilities, and he and his wife Daphne were delighted by the arrival of Eleanor.\r\n\r\nThe burgeoning young elephant was already well used to people – healthy, happy and affectionate – and, under Daphne\’s meticulous care, Eleanor blossomed over the years to become a familiar stately matriarch at Park Headquarters.\r\n\r\n

QED! The Formula Works

\r\n\r\nBut with regard to my own particular need for counsel on infant elephant rearing, Ruth Woodley was the oracle. She came up with what turned out to be a brilliant suggestion. Why not, she mused, try a special formula recently developed for human infants unable to tolerate animal fats?\r\n\r\nWe then took advice from several pediatricians and the consensus recommendation was for a branded product, in which otherwise standard animal fats had been substituted with natural vegetable oils from soya beans, sunflowers and palms. The formula seemed promisingly rich in both proteins and carbohydrates, supplemented with plenty of vitamins and minerals.\r\n\r\nI decided straight away to give it a try, acquired a stock of the formula and introduced the calf to her new diet – starting with a weak mix and very slowly increasing the strength. Working on past experience, I figured that by hurrying things along too much, the result was likely to be two steps forward and three back. Much patience and carefully monitoring was called for.\r\n\r\nAs before, it was trial and error – but necessarily so, since no reliable data on the composition of a mother Elephant\’s milk were then available. Again, I was hopeful at first – she seemed to be doing fine. But then disappointment struck when the dreaded diarrhea started.\r\n\r\nThis time – no antibiotics, I decided! The formula feed was also suspended, replaced with kaolin and rice water with the aim of firming up the stool. I also fed her the original fall-back solution of glucose, but now with an additional boost of electrolytes, minerals and vitamins. I knew there were plenty of these ingredients in an adult elephant\’s diet, especially Vitamin C, and although there was no precise laboratory analysis, I just presumed they would be there in abundance in the mother elephant\’s milk as well.\r\n\r\nThere was a worry, though, that the baby\’s system might still not be able to process the crushed-up pills with which I laced the liquid feed. So, for insurance, I tried her on effervescent Vitamin C tablets with calcium and magnesium – and she loved those, sucking on them like a child on fizzy sherbet sweets.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn any event, something in the feed concoctions was working, because sores on the inside of her mouth began to abate and, happily, the luster again appeared in her eyes. The diarrhea was also checked to a degree, so I again started her on a slowly augmented milk formula. To be sure I\’d have enough supplies for the \”duration,\” whatever that might be, I then imported supplies in bulk from Europe, including multivitamins vitamins that also pleasingly fizzed in her mouth.\r\n\r\nThere were a few more scares, but actually more ups than downs. It worked, finally. The formula DID substitute for mother\’s milk. We\’d cracked it! Or to be fair and accurate, Ruth had cracked it, and she and Bill were frequent visitors to check how the baby was doing. They gave me much encouragement and were clearly pleased to see our little boisterous Elephant thriving.\r\n\r\nForget all the sleepless nights, all the agonizing…I was convinced we were finally winning, It had all been worth it.\r\n\r\n

The Best Christmas Ever!

\r\n\r\nIt was time to name the Elephant Don favored \”Mary\” after his mother in the States who had regularly relayed maternal advice and encouragement from the other side of the globe. \”Gramma\” Hunt, as she was known to all, had been confident all along. \”Stick at it,\” she\’d said in effect. \”You\’ll work it out in the end.\” She well deserved to have the newest family member named for her.\r\n\r\nSo Mary it was. Then, suddenly, it was Christmas. The time had flown since her arrival in the Orphanage and there she was, six months on – hale, hearty and getting more playfully boisterous by the day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMary and other matters around the Ranch had diverted us from any advance festive preparations, which this year were to be a haphazard, last minute affair. But Don produced a truly memorable \”gift\” for me, or anyway a \”treat,\” by bringing Mary up to the house to join us for her first Christmas on Mount Kenya – or anywhere on earth, of course.\r\n\r\nShe was soon best mates with the dogs out in the garden, literally having a ball with them – batting a small football up and down a water furrow. She also remembered her old trick of picking up and scattering small objects – rubber toys in this instance – and had the excited dogs running all over the place to retrieve them.\r\n\r\nI took time to put up a beautiful tree. But I might have known..! Illuminating the glittering decorations proved a fatal attraction for the large, childlike house-guest who, in one unguarded moment, demolished the whole thing, sending lights, baubles, bells and the Christmas fairy flying in all directions.\r\n\r\nShe still got a treat at the festive lunch. Just this once, a slice of chocolate cake – or perhaps it was two. In any event, she was instantly a would-be \”chocoholic,\” and could sniff out the cake wherever it was hidden.\r\n\r\n

Educating Mary

\r\n\r\nInto the New Year, the register of guests at the Orphanage grew longer as more animal waifs and strays were brought in. The good-natured elephant welcomed them all, especially those prepared to join in the fun of mock charges and chases.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWilliam, a young giraffe, became her all time favorite. The two made an odd, but inseparable pair of best friends. As the Twiga got taller, he needed to go walkabout to find and feed off the tender buds on the tops of thorn trees and the junior ndovu was his constant companion. A \”right royal\” couple, William & Mary, (namesakes, of course, of their former Britannic Majesties.)\r\n\r\nOnce she discovered where our house was, it was frequently on the itinerary for her own wandering \”constitutionals.\” As much as we loved her, an elephant in the living room – even a small one – was courting disaster (vide the Christmas tree.) It took a fair bit of head-shaking, finger-wagging and suchlike reprimands to stop her silently sneaking up on me.\r\n\r\nMary had no understanding of her own size. When she accidentally stepped on my foot one day I had a terrible time getting her to move, ending up with a sorely squashed toe. It was the moment for more lessons in elephant comportment around the more delicate animal species, but how to do it? How would I teach proper ladylike behavior to this happy little gentle giant of a clown?\r\n\r\nPondering the Problem and getting not very far, I just waited for inspiration…And it happened one day, when I saw her standing unsteadily on uneven ground. I gave her hefty shove – the kind of footballer\’s shoulder charge she liked to dish out to me. That did it! Over she toppled, much to her surprise and evident pique at the loss of dignity.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA salutary lesson, as it transpired. For my size, I had maybe shown I was as strong as her real mother would have been. Or maybe she just got the point. In any event, from then on I got more respectfully \”filial\” nudges than barges from the chastened, wiser young Elephant.\r\n\r\nWe adopted the same sort of tutorial approach for the correction of other potentially hazardous misdemeanors. Like when she tried to hijack brooms from the keepers, for instance – another favorite amusement – she found herself \”at the other end of the stick,\” so to speak, warding of a faceful of bristles. It was more an undignified affront than an irritation, of course, but anyway effective. No more chasing after the utensils for the staff!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAnd no more flinging buckets for fun, either – another of the object lessons. They come back at you, she learned, this time with a faceful of water!\r\n\r\nInstead, we gave her regular, less lethal toys and, having got the message, she dutifully – and soon happily – played with those. In fact she came to cherish her collection of rubbery sticks, rings, tires, etc, inventing her own \”tricks,\” which she found as rewarding as they were fun. So long as they did threaten to hurt any other creature, human or otherwise, her antics always drew praise and occasional treats from her keepers.\r\n\r\nOf course, being the gregarious, sociable Mary, she wouldn\’t be content with solitary games all the time. She expected all her animal friends to come play with her on demand – especially football, once she\’d got the hang of it. The funny thing was, many of them earnestly tried to have a go, though none ever became as skilled a dribbling full-back as the talented little Elephant.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTime went on and, conscientiously, she kept learning \”what was what\” – in particular what was a firm \”NO-no!\” And one of those, emphatically, was rushing out to greet our landing on the airstrip after being away for a while. The warm sentiment was appreciated, of course, but I was terrified she\’d make it onto the strip before the plane did, or onto the parking lot before I had time to switch off the engine.\r\n\r\nBut in the end we made it through the perilous, two-year-old \”toddler\” phase without serious injury to all or any. Then one day, soon after her third birthday, the long awaited tusks I\’d felt growing internally finally sprouted from under her lip.\r\n\r\nThey would grow handsomely over the years she would still be with us at the Orphanage.\r\n\r\n

\’Her Excellency\’

\r\n\r\nMary would also become a great ambassador for her own kind, both as a point of reference for the naturally gentle nature and intelligence of the African Elephant and, more importantly, a focal point of public attention to the plight of the species, still under serious threat from relentless poaching for Ivory in Africa.\r\n\r\nShe graciously received countless visitors to the Orphanage – some of them Very Important Persons, from Royals to film stars, Heads of State to the world\’s most eminent animal scientists. But the fact is that she showed a marked preference for \”fun\” parties of children – and in that, like everything else, she was well indulged. The Orphanage was then hosting well over 5,000 local school-children a year on wildlife awareness \”field trips\” we\’d organized.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMary was always the star of their visit, of course and she was unfailingly amiable and gentle with them all – with the smallest kids especially, allowing them all to crowd round, stroking, patting and poking at will. It was though she understood that in the case of children and wild animals, \”familiarity breeds conservation,\” or at least positive appreciation.\r\n\r\nFor this reason, more than anything else, we were in no rush to dispense with her \”services to the cause\” by returning her to the wild where she belonged. So long as she remained a role model for the youngsters, a kind of benign educator, we always thought to give her just another year. And then a little longer…\r\n\r\nUntil suddenly, almost overnight, she was so big that we knew it was time.\r\n\r\nTime for me to carry out the vow I\’d made to Don, Bill, myself – and to the infant Mary herself – on that long, heart-stopping first night of the journey down from Samburu.\r\n\r\nIn the end, if she lived, she would be free one day to roam her natural habitat for what, we could only hope, would be the rest of her natural life.\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/true-animal-stories/mary-an-elephant-story-part-2/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 2 of this story[/button]’,’Mary: An Elephant Story’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mary-an-elephant-story’,”,”,’2013-01-05 05:25:02′,’2013-01-05 02:25:02′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=683′,0,’page’,”,0),(685,7,’2012-04-22 09:10:47′,’2012-04-22 06:10:47′,’\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]The remote northern area of Tsavo National Park is where Danny and Nana Woodley made their home for many years. As a Game Warden/Pilot risking his life every day, Danny helped to protect the vast herds of elephant and many other species of game that still roam this land which they called:\r\n\r\nThe Last Wilderness[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\nStory and photographs courtesy of Nana Grosse-Woodley (PART I)\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the cold and windy pre-dawn hours when you are still in the phase of really deep sleep, constant and penetrating screams drag you out of your vivid dreams. Reaching for your watch it shows 5:30am. It is the yellow-necked and crested Francolins announcing and celebrating the beginning of yet another day in Tsavo.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJust as the sun begins to rise and the hill behind you is still covered in mist, the white-headed Buffalo Weaver is trying his best to persuade you to come out of your tent, by sitting right in front of it and singing his song. And the Drongo, sitting on a branch just next to the tent, is imitating the Starlings\’ song. Looking at him closer, he is actually hopping up and down whilst singing, as if to show what great effort he is undergoing to imitate other birds\’ songs.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen you finally give in and leave the tent, the Buffalo Weaver is right there, sitting by your feet and looking at you with his head slightly tilted to the side, asking for bird seeds, which he will defend vigorously – in good old Buffalo fashion – against any other birds.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the way to the mess tent, the little Drongo will bomb-dive your back to catch the flies that are sitting on your shirt enjoying the wind shade. And then – on a clear day – you can see Kilimanjaro\’s peaks majestically showing above the Yatta Plateau.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSitting by the campfire, it is still so cold, that you almost want to put on a sweater, but then you only have to think about the hot temperatures ahead to opt for enjoying the cold for as long as it lasts. As you are sipping your hot cup of coffee, the sun is slowly climbing above the hill and you can feel it warming your skin.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe colors change into warmer and brighter shades. Slowly, slowly more birds are flying in, landing by the birdbath, picking a few seeds and loudly announcing their presence – the Starlings always being the last ones, as if they were too vain to show themselves in the cold light not reflecting their colors appropriately.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are no other noises to be heard than those of Nature.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNo man made noise is polluting the atmosphere.\r\n\r\n

\r\nYou are in Ithumba, Northern Area of Tsavo East National Park. An area of 9000 sq km., separated from so-called civilization to the west by the 270 km long Yatta Plateau, split from the southern Park by the Galana River, and wild to the East due to its harshness.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt is Kamba country, always has been, as no one else seems to be tough and strong enough to live here.\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nIthumba is the Kamba word for "clay" referring to the soil coming from Ithumba hill, used for making clay pots. Nevertheless, the Kamba never settled at the hill itself, as they believe, that there are bad spirits living here. And, in fact, at times you can hear those spirits raging from up the hill. It is the noise of an angry dragon spitting fire, or translated into our world and language, the noise of a skyscraper collapsing; but either way, it is a noise, that you will never ever forget again once you have heard and experienced it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhether it is the bad spirits or just the wind roaring through a big gap in the rocks on top of the hill or whether the wind is that spirit – who knows.\r\n\r\n

\r\nNow, what to do with this beautiful day?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo many options, but so little as the sun will soon start preparing for her best show with all her strength, getting so hot that we will have to surrender into the shade of the mess tent. You will have no choice, but to render yourself to the Kamba-frame-of-mind and to give in to that overwhelming lethargic feeling. There is absolutely no way of fighting it. The only way to pull through this time of day, without a serious sense of humor failure, is to sit back enjoying it for what it is, whilst the sweat is running down your skin. Soon the sweat bees and Tsetse flies will arrive as well, testing your patience to the very limits….\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf we get going early in the morning, while it is still cool, we could go for a walk along the Tiva River. Enjoy the impression of being the very first person walking along its banks with Doum Palms moving in the wind. Meandering through the deep and wet sand, alongside old trees exposing their long roots all the way down the riverbank into water and holding the humongous Hammerkops\’ nests.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFollowing the river, is a constant flow of anxiety, as with every bend, you do not know, what you will encounter this time, but at the same time you are too curious to turn back! Whether it is just going to be the prettiest white beach-sand bank, that you have ever seen, or whether you will suddenly find yourself amidst a whole herd of Buffalos, that came down for a quick drink.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWatching out for all those numerous hoof and paw prints left in the damp sand, you will suddenly realise, that the apparent peace is false, that the area is actually teaming with animals. Even if you do not often see them "personally," they are there in their thousands and not only the friendly and pretty ones… The reputation of the Tiva Lions is well known – the hardiest and most aggressive, forever hungry and most skilled to bring down even difficult and large prey such as buffalo; the typical image of man-eaters; the mane-less, pale grey and not very attractive nor trust-worthy looking lions. The ones that watch you from their hideouts, whilst you don\’t even know that they are there.\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere is an outline of something rather large in the sand, just on the other side. Approaching it, it turns out to be the outline of a huge lion that had been resting here. Lying in proper cat manner – the front legs stretched out forward and the back legs comfortably lying to one side.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs there are no other paw marks than the ones of this lion, it probably was a male. The head had been resting on the cool sand, but something must have got his attention, may be even annoyed him, as the tail has been slashing from side to side with enough strength to leave rather deep marks. How long ago? Was it us disturbing him? Where is he now? Is he just up the bank in that dense thorn bush watching us?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt can easily happen, that you are walking along and suddenly get growled at, although you have not seen anything move – it is a lioness, hidden in the thick vegetation with her cubs; but at least she gave a warning and allowed us to back off cautiously!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou might also be lucky enough to experience that amazing sight of Elephants digging in the riverbed for water. Watching a big Elephant cow digging and finally enjoying a drink, then, there is something else moving underneath her – it is her calf that has been there all along, but had been completely hidden, as the hole is so deep, that it had swallowed the entire calf.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nApart from being the absolute bird paradise, there also is a sacred Kamba site on the Tiva, at Mukoka, hidden in a little Tamarind tree forest.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe old Wakamba-Wazee are well known for their special powers and witchcraft throughout the world. This is one of the sites they have used for centuries.\r\n\r\n

\r\nThe old men come here, from all directions and from far away, to meet for their sacred gatherings, celebrating their traditional rituals, such as persuading the rains to break, and also to give sacrifices.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOr we could climb Kiasa Hill, located along the Lugards – Ithumba road, an hour\’s drive from camp.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n"Kiasa" in Wakamba means "the big one, that stands on its own" and it does do its name full justice being a huge hill standing out for miles.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWith hardly any vegetation on it, it is a bare and smooth rock formation.\r\n\r\n

\r\nNext to Kiasa is an old and rusty VW Bus with "Air France" written on it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRumors have it, that back in the good old adventurous days, an Air France flight crew decided to go on Safari in the Northern Area. Six very pretty stewardesses, their two flight captains and a driver, neither one of them had ever been to this area before.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAs they were driving along and passing Kiasa, they were ambushed by Shifta (bandits), who appeared out of nowhere. They must have been shot up, as the bullet holes are still visible at the back of the bus. When the next human being came across this scene, there was no one to be found, no sign of people whatsoever, not even bodies. No one ever saw or heard of them again.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRumor has it that some time later, in a far-off village almost at the Somali border, a whole generation of light-skinned children appeared…! But this has never been verified.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt the foot of Kiasa is an old waterhole, which is fed by the rock catchments area – a foot high wall around the base of Kiasa, collecting the rainwater running down the rock. If we are lucky, there might still be enough water in it for a quick bath to wash off the sweat.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGetting to the top of the hill, is hard and sweaty work, but you will be rewarded with a spectacular view over the vastness of the area. Standing on top of Kiasa\’s rather narrow ridge, feels like being on top of the world! To the West, you are looking onto the Yatta Plateau, almost appearing small from up here! To all the other sides you are overlooking miles and miles of everything – the wilderness of the Northern Area with all its beauty, as far as your eyes can see. And, what your eyes can reach, is still only a tiny section of the entire area. For people, who are scared of heights, the view from that particular top of the world might be just a little bit too overwhelming…\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOr we can make our way up Ithumba hill, which always manages to deceive keen climbers. Being on the ground, Ithumba does not look too high and difficult to climb, but wait, the climb is full of surprises! Through vegetation so thick, that it seems impenetrable, and over so many loose rocks with probably more than one Puff Adder resting underneath them, that every step has to be chosen very carefully, and the climb, in addition, turns out to be much steeper than initially thought.\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nJust before reaching the summit, you are walking, or should I rather say tiptoeing, through a whole forest of Sansevieria. Standing as tall as a man and as thick as a man\’s arm!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAll the bigger the reward when you finally reach the top. There are the most beautiful flowers, Baobab, Tamarind and Terminalia trees in such abundance that you wonder how they got up there in the first place, and how they can grow on just rock surface.\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nSitting on a rock, all the way up at the top, next to a Baobab tree, the Baboons, who always seem to pick the most scenic and comfortable spots, start barking, announcing and giving away the intruders.\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nIt is an entirely different world up there; completely detached from everything else, a world on its own – pure peace and undisturbed wilderness.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLooking down into the various little valleys around the base of Ithumba, all with their individual Flora-jungles, even the hundreds-of-years-old Baobab Giants look like little bonsais from here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf you then cup your hands behind your ears and direct your hearing straight into one of those valleys, the noises of Nature present themselves unmuffled – the Weaver\’s chattering, the Baboon\’s bark, the Guinea fowl\’s metallic rattling, the Cricket\’s chirping, the Francolin\’s squeal, the Bushbuck\’s bark, the Dove\’s cooing, the Dik Dik\’s whistle, the Parrot\’s screeching, and may be even an Elephant\’s trumpeting.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThese noises become so intense, that you start feeling dizzy and overwhelmed; realising that your surrounding is absolutely packed with life and it is actually you, who is the intruder.\r\n\r\n

\r\n’,’The Last Wilderness’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’the-last-wilderness’,”,”,’2012-12-20 01:17:32′,’2012-12-19 22:17:32′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=685′,0,’page’,”,0),(687,7,’2012-04-22 09:11:05′,’2012-04-22 06:11:05′,’

This Seductive \’Brit\’ is One Foxy Lady

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Story of an African Bat Eared Fox

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”box\”]\r\nIn the league of funny-looking creatures with odd evolutionary adaptations, there\’s a small mammal up there along with the preposterously long-nosed elephant or the ladder-necked giraffe. The Bat-eared fox – the \”Princeling\” of the animal kingdom.\r\n\r\nI\’ve had a female of the species for years and, like any other, she has – perforce – no anthropomorphic characteristics. Except she certainly has…\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\nOf All the Animals that have passed through my life, my little fox with the big ears – still very much around – is one of the most intriguing.\r\n\r\nI had always wanted a chance to raise one of these more curious of small African mammals, to watch it closely – also in the context of the various mysteries around the charismatic character of the fabled, foxy \”Reynard.\” A breed of medieval tricksters, who were always in trouble but always able to charm their way out of any retribution…. And don\’t they just!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI remember, in my early childhood, reading tales of the cunning, sly, pestiferous little \”thief in the night,\” who also always managed to outsmart most other creatures. (Maybe with the exception of predatory humans in pink coats, tootling hunting horns) It was all anyway intriguing enough to get my child\’s attention, sparking the imagination and leading to dreams so vividly real that I\’ve never quite forgotten them.\r\n\r\nMy first encounter with a fox was probably the preserved skin of one species or another draped around my mothers\’ shoulders. I shudder to think of it, even now – why it should have been so fashionable to hang a dead animal around your neck. But there it was, in mothballs, in a drawer we cleared out after her funeral.\r\n\r\nNostalgic old photographs also recall the memory. Faded, sepia (fur-coloured) pictures of the self-styled \”elegant Ladies\” of thankfully long gone years, usually puffing out large, matronly chests and proudly displaying their (dead) foxes.\r\n\r\nI had to remind myself that preservation of the world\’s flora & fauna, rare or otherwise, was not a common priority in those days and that little thought, in particular, was given to the plight of animals considered most useful to man when deceased.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFox-fur feels wonderful, of course, and you can\’t help but stroke its silky sheen. But believe me, it\’s as true with the fox as with anything else in life: there is nothing like the real thing.\r\n\r\nIn books I read later on stirring expeditions across the Arctic, there were always descriptive passages about lone foxes following the explorers and befriending them in strange and mysterious ways. It was almost as though the humans and animals had need of one another on their harsh, lonely safaris across the vast tracts of white wilderness.\r\n\r\nThe fox\’s spoor, incidentally, is easy to read, one of the hunters in the family informed me. There is always a straight line through the middle of the paw marks in the snow – etched out by the trailing \”brush,\” of course. All foxes have thick tails that sweep along the ground, unlike any other canine out there, I also learned.\r\n\r\nFour Years Ago, almost to the day as I write, one of our keepers at the Orphanage called me on the radio for help. It was Muraya, struggling to find the English to describe some very small creature that someone had just dropped off. Something furry he couldn\’t identify.\r\n\r\nWhen I got there, Muraya\’s large caring hands opened to reveal a truly tiny creature with big ears. Together we examined the hairy little pup. After a while, Don joined us, clearly with an idea of what it might be. But not offering an immediate clue, Muraya took a guess: \”A baby hyena?\”\r\n\r\nI had raised both striped and spotted hyenas and remembered fondly their intelligence, even at a very young age. Could be, I thought – there was definitely a similarity here. But wait, the ears were all wrong. The little mite had the small flat nose of most canine pups… But those ears? Stuck way out and far too large for the little pinched up face of whatever it was.\r\n\r\nSomewhat oddly, there were white markings on the rounded backs of the twitching lugs that I imagined could have been taken for predator\’s eyes from anything hungry that might be sneaking up on it. A device of nature, therefore, protecting the rear of this vulnerable, mini-mouse-like creature.\r\n\r\nAnd then it dawned on me. A bat-eared fox!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon nodded; he had guessed as much, although not a hundred percent sure. But I willed it to be – finally – a fox!!\r\n\r\nOn further examination we determined it was female, a fact we were more sure of at that point than of the species. Another thing immediately evident was that one of her paws was encrusted with dirt and dried blood. A bad injury.\r\n\r\nOnly then did we get around to asking how the little creature had got here. Muraya said a Mzungu (\”white man\”), further qualified as an Askari (\”soldier\”) had dropped it off. We gathered he\’d found it on a night exercise around Archer\’s Post, an arid,, scrubby region 80 miles or so to the north, where the British Army camped every year for routine desert manoeuvres.\r\n\r\nHe\’d had it for three days in his pack, we also learned. But evidently not knowing what to feed it, he\’d shared his survival ration of chocolate, which he\’d pre-chewed and the pup greedily licked. (As she would, in dire need of more or less any kind of liquid and soft pap.)\r\n\r\nThe young soldier had heard about the Animal Orphanage (close to the Army base at Nanyuki) and had hiked up to us to give the animal a chance of staying alive. Maybe he was relieved to off-load it, or had no further real interest. He had left in a hurry before his sergeant could detect his absence.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMuraya wasn\’t quite able to communicate the man\’s name. Only a kind of phonetic reproduction which sounded like nothing English to us , so we just referred to the much-appreciated donor as \”The Brit\”.\r\n\r\nThat, of course, was the least of my concerns at the time. Obviously the little fox couldn\’t survive on chocolate. But then again, she obviously had!.\r\n\r\nAnd what of the injured foot? There was no sign of infection, just the hard crust of dried blood and dirt, which I thought best left alone until it peeled away naturally and revealed the damage underneath.\r\n\r\nThe \’Foxling,\’ I decided, was definitely way too small to live at the Orphanage. She would need a lot of nursing and general care if she was to survive and fend for herself. A perfectly good reason, I told myself, to take her home, placing her in my lap as I drove. She didn\’t move, no doubt transfixed with fear of her new, alien (at that point \”chocolate-less\”) handler.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOnce at the house, I gently placed her on the rug to see if she could walk. But she still didn\’t move. Just sat there, mournfully watching me with dark, luminous, mysterious eyes.\r\n\r\nSome time later, I went off to the kitchen to look through my supply of dolls\’ bottles & nipples, hoping she would take some milk. But the moment I returned, I glimpsed a small blob of fur on three legs, hobbling frantically across the floor, only to freeze and collapse the instant she saw me. I reached down to pick her up and with lightening speed she bit my hand, drawing blood.\r\n\r\nNot so defenceless after all, I thought painfully. Clearly I had to learn how to handle the little minx without coming to further harm.\r\n\r\nFeeding was not much of a problem. She took to the bottle greedily – driven, as she was, by the irresistible survival instinct. For a warm, snug \”starter home,\” I emptied out a high drawer, lined it with old towels laid over a hot water bottle. Lucky for her, our American Eskimo dog, Mr. Simba, was out \”on business\” while I was settling her in and was none the wiser when he returned.\r\n\r\nWith her belly full of warm milk, the baby fox fell asleep instantly. All fine, therefore, until four hours later on the dot, Mr. Simba came rushing into my office in a state of some agitation. I followed him to the chest of drawers from which a fairly loud whimpering could be heard.\r\n\r\nI cautiously took out the little fox and let the dog sniff her. Good fellow that he was, Mr Simba was reliably tolerant of the \”weird\” creatures I would bring home on occasion – \”the good, the bad & the ugly,\” as he rated them, always delighting in letting me know his \”opinion\”. He would either wag his tail with approval, or, at other times, give me \”the look!\”\r\n\r\nIn the case of the pip-squeak \”canid,\” as it is technically, he seemed more interested than he had been in most other baby animals. Who knows? Maybe he recognized a distant cousin?\r\n\r\nThe baby fox returned his friendly interest by haughtily ignoring his presence, obviously at that stage only the next meal mattered to her fragile existence.\r\n\r\nIt was Mostly Bliss, however, among the various species in the house. We all got on with our lives & relationships, jointly & severally, and also fairly harmoniously.\r\n\r\nFor the smallest of the menagerie, life at that stage was a fairly limited routine of feeding, running around a little, and sleeping a lot. Also routinely she \”nipped,\” when she felt like it. My hands were a mess of superficial scars as she continued to \”get me,\” ungratefully, with her piercing canines when I wasn\’t watching.\r\n\r\n\”What\’s its name,\” one of my friends asked, and spontaneously – not thinking – I said: \”Brit\” Such a caring person of that nationality had originally saved her life, so why not? Brit it was – and remained.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nShe was soon very much part of our lives. Everybody, including the dog, took turns in providing entertainment for the spoiled little beast throughout her waking hours.\r\n\r\nLike me, Mr. Simba also learned the hard way that you don\’t turn your back on a sly, cunning, loveable little brat of a fox, ready to nip you in the rear at every opportunity. By the time he whipped around to teach her a lesson, Brit was either gone or pretending, disarmingly, that she\’d been otherwise innocently occupied.\r\n\r\n\”That wasn\’t me\” was the clear message and Mr Simba regularly fell for it, or at least pretended to.\r\n\r\nAs she grew the ears seemed to grow twice as fast. Her face also changed, the snubby-puppy nose extending itself, Pinocchio-style, to a delicate point. A dark robber\’s mask also formed around the eyes, giving her a kind of racoon look.\r\n\r\nA minor domestic problem was that Brit had decided her toilet hygiene would follow ours in terms of location and duly did it, \”smellily\” on the bathroom floor when no one was looking. While I pondered how to work that out, Don tried an experiment, making a cat-style sandbox to see if she would use it before she made \”our\” bathroom unliveable.\r\n\r\nShe duly did, rather unexpectedly given the inborn cussedness. As soon as she saw the \”sand-tray\” (as it was, convenient to her size), she knew exactly what it was for. Promptly started to perform in it, tidily if nothing else – and still does to this day, so long as it is placed in a \”private spot.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven so, it was time she went outside more often. Also, hopefully to find alternative amusements to her regular \”playful\” tricks on dogs and humans, or sacking out on a sofa watching other animals on TV!\r\n\r\nAnother, more curious diversion, was that she would often scratch the floor and then hold one ear to the boards. Bemused for a while, I finally realized she was doing her instinctive \”thing,\” listening for termites, the preferred food of the species.\r\n\r\nShe was out of luck, though. Not much hope of getting to any favourite morsels under the thick, red cedar floors & walls of the house. But the realization of what she was up to was a timely reminder that I should see about finding her some wild food.\r\n\r\nDon was persuaded to knock a small hole in the wall of her favourite room, which gave her unlimited access to her own piece of garden without danger from cars and the rest of our large dogs. But the demanding little Brit wouldn\’t go out unless I stood guard. Then she would play \”hunt the bugs\” for hours, but without – poor thing – finding much to get her teeth into.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut the problem was quickly solved. The Game Scouts took time to gather a supply of fresh insects every day and \”release\” them back into her patch of \”wild.\” Now she was all set – happily hunting and wolfing them down with great satisfaction.\r\n\r\nPresumably they gave her the nutrients missing in the food we could provide – bits of chicken, fish, meat, milk and fruits. Or for treats, there\’s cheese – and chocolate, of course, her never-forgotten original sustenance from the soldier\’s survival kit.\r\n\r\nIf, say, I get down behind a sofa in the house, it\’s not long before she\’s in there. Ears turning separately like two periscopes, she simply stands still in the middle of the room listening for my ever-so-hushed breathing. She hears it, of course, whereupon I\’m instantly found.\r\n\r\nA favourite, purely recreational hunting game is \”hide and seek,\” at which Brit is a skilled & wily player. She dashes off and disappears without a trace, staying under cover, rarely easy to find. When I do eventually spot her – no kind of sporting loser – she takes off on a victory circuit, after which it\’s my turn to hide.\r\n\r\nAnother show of vain glory from the victor and the unequal game begins anew.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nQuick & Nimble though she was, little Brit still limped badly and was often in pain. Over time, the bloody crust on her injured paw had fallen away and under it emerged what I\’d feared. All the bones of her toes seemed irreparably mashed and mangled.\r\n\r\nOne evening, we met an American up on safari on Mount Kenya and invited him to the house for \”sun-downer\” drinks. He was a well-known osteopathic-paediatric surgeon and I debated with myself for a while on whether or not to seek his eminent opinion on Brit\’s behalf.\r\n\r\nI was aware, of course, that most doctors, lawyers and other professionals hate to be pumped for free advice on social occasions. But after a few convivial drinks, I found the courage to forget mere etiquette and broach the subject of the injured paw. The fact notwithstanding, of course, that it was a veterinary matter well outside his field of surgical expertise with small humans.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut I needn\’t have worried. He was altogether gracious about it and actually became quite interested in a novel, small, bat-eared fox in the course of his examination. He related her condition to that of very young babies with similar injuries and told us that, generally in these cases, he & his colleagues do nothing at all in terms of repair surgery.\r\n\r\nNormally, they choose to let Nature mend broken bones in her own way and, in Brit\’s case, felt that the foot would right itself (or near enough) over the course of time and natural healing. It could be that the patient sensed a reason for an unaccustomed show of gratitude to the examining doctor and chose not to bite him. A signal event in itself.\r\n\r\nAlso a salutary event as it turned out. By the time Brit was fully grown a couple of years later, we\’d more or less forgotten about the foot. The expert prognosis had proved correct and the sturdier fox\’s paw was near enough \”right as rain.\” Or not quite that, since – during the actual seasons of rains in Kenya – we see she\’s now and again bothered a little by arthritis\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the Course of Time, the growing & thriving fox became even more trusting and, if anything, more imperiously commanding of \”affection on demand,\” a mutual give & take in the form of grooming.\r\n\r\nClearly great for a fox, judging by her contented, even sensuous reaction, although whatever it is she\’s giving out to me, the \”nipping & tucking\” – or maybe imaginary nit-picking – is still not too great on my relatively hairless human skin.\r\n\r\nNor, in the same way, am I altogether taken with another of her self-serving amusements. A more boisterous, grown-up game of \”play-fighting,\” in which she jumps high into the air, letting out fearsome, threatening growls, and – like any other fox in flight or fight – catches my arm on the way down. It always results in a bloody forearm, with Don & friends doubting my sanity.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf she\’s not engaged in this kind of ruffian affray, the little vixen is off doing her innate \”thief-in-the-night\” stuff, swooping on things and bearing them off to the den. Nothing animate, of course. It\’s shoes, socks, pens, specs – more or less anything I\’ve used or put down without a thought, as you do. They\’re gone – swiped \”lifeless\” – like surrogate prey. She\’s never more in her element, as it were.\r\n\r\nBath-time is altogether the opposite; never more out of her natural environment and nothing more appalling to one of Nature\’s more finicky creatures on matters of personal care. She would normally have had a proper mom to administer a proper saliva (\”lick & spittle\”) clean up. But getting dumped in sudsy water is simply beyond the pale.\r\n\r\nIt takes two strong men, usually Don and another, to hold the feisty little fox, squirming and squealing in outrage until I can administer the sponge bath, which she clearly considers \”attempted murder.\”\r\n\r\nAt the end of operation, we all know to \”watch out.\” The bedraggled spitfire doesn\’t hesitate to dive and deliver a furious, well placed bite or two. Quite contrarily, however – true to her (some say female) type – she\’s all \”sweetness & light\” when she\’s dried and feeling great. It\’s almost as if she\’s moved to show a little grateful affection for once.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA Friend and renowned natural scientist, Dr Richard Estes, came to visit. He had never seen a bat-eared fox up close, and this rare specimen, Brit, gave him ample opportunity for study.\r\n\r\nDick watched her nibble – grooming me. \”You know what,\” he said, bemused. \”This fox thinks you are another fox.\” An observation I took as a great compliment coming from one of the world\’s leading authorities on wild animal behaviour.\r\n\r\nAfter all, it would have been an ideal relationship and what I\’d hoped for. Me, that is, thought of by my charge as an oversized, strange mutation of her carnivorous ancestry of wolves and belied by her vulpinus behaviour : \”foxy\” most times as the occasion demands.)\r\n\r\nAt these times too, she\’s capable of some show of possessive even jealous miff should Don or let alone my beloved dog \”Mr. Simba\” interfere.\r\n\r\nWhat, in this regard, is actually going on in that inscrutable, Machiavellian mind, I\’ll never know. But I suspect she\’s probably just congenitally \”foxy,\” cute enough to manipulate me in modes of behaviour to her liking and advantage.\r\n\r\nWith due respect to my learned friend, Dick, I think that Brit is far too perceptive to consider me a \”sister\” fox. She has figured out that I can be made to deliver, on command, whatever she cunningly communicates she wants and needs for survival. Specifically, the classic Freudian imperatives of food, shelter, affection and care from a human seduced into providing these basic \”vulpine rights,\” if you will.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWho ever knows these deeply psychological things? What I do know, however, is that, more than any other wild animal I\’ve raised, this one knew at a very young age how to help herself to the necessities of life.\r\n\r\nIt took almost two years before young Brit started to return some affection. Now, getting on a bit, she will sit with me for hours when she wants to be warm and close. She enjoys having her ears or belly rubbed and will sometimes lick my hand in gracious response.\r\n\r\nBut at other times, female again, she will flatly reject any overtures of affection, even growl with her eyes closed when she\’s not in the mood. (I\’m sure, if she could, she\’d mumble something about having \”to wash her fur.\”)\r\n\r\nAs the mood takes her, she\’ll follow me around the house and has started to \”talk\” a great deal. Obviously I can\’t pretend to understand a guttural grunt or squeak of Ki-Fox (as I can with Ki-Swahili), but most of the time I get the gist of what she\’s on about.\r\n\r\nShe has a special harmonic of three soft, melodic notes for wanting bugs, for instance. If dinner is late, we\’ll get a virtuoso up-the-scale squeaky \”reminder\”. There\’s a litany of minor chords for other wants – company, amusement, or a clean toilet tray. \”Sick\” is a soft low moan.. And so on…\r\n\r\nAnother thing is that when she sees us packing suitcases, we get various descending whines from some sad \”tristesse etude\” in her head until she retreats to her den and sulks. Just like a dog.\r\n\r\nWhen we return, we are treated to the greatest reward: A mad performance , skittering all round the house, up & down (leaping & falling), ending up on her back in total submission, her beautiful brush, wagging out of control.\r\n\r\nAfter all that, she returns to type. She attends the unpacking, eyeing anything that\’s new and interesting, craftily \”nicking\” whatever she can which we must ultimately retrieve from her den.\r\n\r\nI Never Had in Mind to keep this happy, hugely diverting wild animal as a pet.\r\n\r\nI would say that, wouldn\’t I? But it\’s a fact.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nShe has retained a wonderful, essentially natural, free spirit. Adult now, in beautiful condition, her seasons are regular and she\’s clearly ready to start her own family. And we\’d like nothing better for her, of course. We\’ve been casting far & wide to find her a sturdy bat-eared mate and, when we do, I\’m sure she\’d have no trouble in switching primary attention to her own kind. The ultimate aim would be to return the whole \”family Brit\” to a rightful place in the wild.\r\n\r\nOut on her own, her chances at survival would be virtually none. Even if she were to be freed close to an occupied den, it\’s unlikely that she\’d been welcomed in and would almost certainly bolt from the strangers. The only way, really, is for her to go out there eventually with the security of an accustomed mate and their brood around her. One day, hopefully.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, she has us! Second-best, as I said. But who again knows? Maybe she\’s temporarily \”externalising\” the mothering instinct and is sly-eying me, waiting to see if I\’ll produce her a surrogate litter!\r\n\r\nSome wait. Some hope!\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

About Bat-eared Foxes (Otocyon megalotis)

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• The bat-eared fox is the only canid to have more or less abandoned mammalian prey in favour of insects, which nowadays make up much of its diet – termites & grasshoppers in particular. If there\’s anything added, it would be the occasional small bird or lizard, or more likely eggs and fruit.
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• Although retaining the \”fox\” appellation, in fact the animal is not closely related to the mainstream Vulpes family. Scientists now assign bat-eared foxes to a sub-family of their own: Otocyoninae, and recent studies have shown them to be more closely related to wolves and jackals than foxes.
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• Natural enemies include cheetahs, lions, leopards and hyenas as well as the larger raptors to which – at only 4- 5 kg. – they are easy prey.
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• The typical den may be home to several females with one or more males sharing. Between two and five pups are born to each female and are raised communally in the polygamous family. Some of the yearlings then set off to find their own mates, although mother and female young often stay together until the next litter.
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• Bat eared foxes are distributed in two main populations – in East Africa, where they favour grassy plains & open woodlands, and in the arid zones of South-west Africa.
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• The species is not considered to be endangered, although they are hunted for the fur. Until recently, they were quite plentiful in East Africa until we noticed, recently, there were far fewer reports of sightings. Some speculate that, as with the hunting dog, they may have succumbed to a canine distemper epidemic.
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[/box]’,’Foxy Lady’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’foxy-lady’,”,”,’2013-01-02 03:57:15′,’2013-01-02 00:57:15′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=687′,0,’page’,”,0),(689,7,’2012-04-22 09:11:34′,’2012-04-22 06:11:34′,’

A Star is Born

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The Story of Batian the Cheetah

\r\n\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box] \r\nFor a golden 13 years I could not imagine life without Batian, my second best friend after the first \”Bwana\” of the house, my husband Don. To us, the handsome cheetah was a much loved adopted member of the family.\r\n\r\nTo our partner at the ranch, Bill Holden, and other Hollywood luminaries, Batian was a true, born and bred, African \”Star\”.[/box]\r\n\r\nOne bright morning in the seventies, Don woke me up with an unusual surprise in a burlap bag.\r\n\r\nThe dogs knew right away there was something obviously alive in that sack. But on opening it up, I saw they were fussing over nothing more menacing than four wriggling bundles of scruffy fur, tiny scraps all of them, barely recognizable as Cheetahs. The cubs still had their eyes closed and looked more like a hapless litter of puppies still wet behind the ears.\r\n\r\n\”Where\’s the mother\” I enquired?\r\n\r\nDon told me she had been shot as a stock killer on a neighboring sheep farm the day before.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMuch to his consternation, the farmer had found that the dead Cheetah was in milk. Full of remorse, he sent out his entire labor force to look for her babies.\r\n\r\nThey had been found around dawn that morning. One of the trackers had heard a faint mew as he passed a rocky outcrop. And there they were – a mournful quartet of tiny Cheetahs, huddled together in the early morning cold.\r\n\r\nThe cubs were then gently \”bagged\” and brought straight up to Don and I at the ranch. \”Tell them I\’m sorry,\” still somewhat rueful, he\’d told his men.\r\n\r\nFour newborn Cheetahs! My mind raced. They were going to be a handful; that was for sure. Obviously I couldn\’t hope take the place of their natural mother, but at that point the simple objective was just to keep them alive and that much I was determined to do…\r\n\r\nBut where and how to start? Still in my dressing gown, I emptied out an antique Zanzibar sea chest and lined the bottom with a thick pad of towels wrapped round a hot water bottle. They would be warm and snug in there: An altogether fine – not to say highly decorative, first \”den.\” The big, strong box bound and filigreed with polished brass, was not only an admired handiwork of times past, more importantly, with it\’s heavy lid it\’s precious cargo would also be safe from inquisitive potential enemies such as my inquisitive boisterous dogs.\r\n\r\nWell housed, the question was then how they might be fed?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat\’s always the critical issue, of course, whenever any infant waif is brought in. It can happen at any time, so I\’m never without a contingent supply of baby milk formula in the house and some mini-feeding bottles, \”purpose-built\” for playing with uncomplaining baby dolls rather than inevitably disapproving baby animals. I filled four of them with a very weak solution of the formula and hoped for the best.\r\n\r\nI\’d had previous experience raising very young Cheetah, notably up in Somalia in the 60s.\r\n\r\nDon and I were asked by the Prime Minister of the time, Mohamed Egal, to help him with a project to rescue the species from total extinction in his wild and harshly barren country. Our brief was to capture as many young Cheetahs as we could and bring them to safety.\r\n\r\nThere were very few left. Most of the population had been slaughtered by poachers supplying the lucrative \”skin trade\” – and, more particularly, in those days, an evidently insatiable demand from an irresponsible fashion trade, influencing women to dress themselves up as wild cats.\r\n\r\nBut over time, an increasingly vocal lobby of protesters would slowly get their point across in a campaign that was to become the first ever high impact advertising campaign against the wanton, callous destruction of Africa\’s wildlife:\r\n\r\nA ravishing model, shown wearing an exotically fashionable cheetah coat was used to demonstrate graphically the imminently famous slogan: \”Looks better on a Cheetah.\”\r\n\r\nOvernight the line was etched on the conscience of society in general demonstrating that there\’s no conceivable human replication of the wild beauty and sleek elegance of the wild Cheetah.\r\n\r\nCheetahs were once widespread across the vast wilderness savannahs of Somalia. But the dry, trackless lands could never be effectively policed and once the wholesale slaughter of the animals got started, there was no way the authorities of the impoverished nation could stop it.\r\n\r\nIt was in facing the inevitable – when the Cheetah population in Somalia was clearly approaching the point of no return – that Prime Minister Egal made his \”last ditch\” intervention. His summons to us meant being away from Kenya and our own projects at the Ranch for weeks on end. Quite a commitment, but accepted with hardly a moment\’s hesitation.\r\n\r\nFrom the start, the rescue of the last Somali Cheetah was a priority for Don, his team and myself – and it would remain that way until the operation was finally wound up. By then our friend, Mohamed Egal, was satisfied that his immediate objective had been achieved.\r\n\r\nHis longer-term aim – more a distant dream – was that one day Cheetahs would be reintroduced into his country and establish a viable population. At that time, breeding the animals in captivity had yet to be accomplished, but with the advance of science a break-through was expected. Some of the young Cheetahs we had brought in, both male and female, were therefore dispatched to leading Zoological Parks in the US and Europe where there were real prospects of successful breeding.\r\n\r\nA number of orphaned cubs had inevitably come my way, mostly confiscated from illegal traders and often in very poor shape. In most cases, I had been able to revive the badly abused infant cheetah and, over a few months, build up their strength to the point that they could be sent overseas to join their compatriots at the prospective breeding stations.\r\n\r\n

Never, however, had I been given care of babies so young as the newly-acquired litter of four.

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey could not have been more than a few days old as their eyes stayed firmly shut. But at least, they appeared to be generally healthy, although I put off naming them for a while since they were still too vulnerable to be given identities until their prospects of survival had visibly improved.\r\n\r\nI\’d learned to sex very young cats during my time in Somalia, which is in fact not all that easy to do for anyone with an untrained or inexperienced eye. But, with my brood, I determined that three of the cubs were female and the other male, although – notwithstanding the barely perceptible gender difference – they all looked exactly the same.\r\n\r\nI began to take both biological and \”biographical\” notes, but found there was no sure way of telling them apart, especially the girls. For which reason, even before they opened their eyes, off came a tuft of hair at the end of one of the girl\’s tails to mark her. Another had a bit of scruff hair cut off her neck, and so on….\r\n\r\nSo far so good. But the big obstacle to progress still had to be sorted – none of them would take a bottle feed. It would then take me most of the next two days and nights to win the battle of the rubber teats. They wanted the milk, but not delivered via any synthetic nipple!\r\n\r\nUntil, miraculously on the third day, just as my own patience began to wear thin, one after another they got the message and began sucking greedily.\r\n\r\nHaving relieved that initial worry, another occurred almost immediately: Diarrhea caused by the unfamiliar diet.\r\n\r\nAs a change from getting regularly soaked in spilt milk, I was then getting soiled by their copious messes every time I tended them. Luckily the smell of milky waste is not too noxious and with the help of kaolin powder I managed to stabilize the stools.\r\n\r\nAll was then fine for the time being, with a routine established of four feeds every four hours throughout the night. Fine for them, that is. When the last of the four was served, it was almost time to start over with the first. All I ever got over those early nights was, literally, the odd, fitful cat-nap.\r\n\r\nOften either the cubs or I fell asleep half way through the feed. Don had offered to help, but I never had the heart to wake him. And so, for the time being I set up a nocturnal camp in the lounge, pitched near the Zanzibar chest.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat remains especially vivid in my memory are the vigils through the wee small hours, but on the fourth day I was rewarded. Half dozing, eyes bleary, my attention was distracted from the suckling male on my lap to a particularly luminous night sky above the terrace outside.\r\n\r\nAt an altitude of around 7,000 feet, the air is thin and crystal clear, which somehow creates the illusion of magnifying the stars, or drawing them in towards you. The senses beguiled, slipping into sleep, I could almost reach up and touch the ceiling of brilliant stars.\r\n\r\nMy gaze was fixed, for I don\’t know how long, on the wondrous birth of the Morning Star, twinkling in tiny prisms and increasingly brilliant as it slowly ascended over the vast dark shoulder of Mount Kenya, its brilliant pin-sharp light mesmerizing, unforgettable.\r\n\r\nOr so was the reverie I recall that night, which ended with a wakeful start when my attention finally wandered back to the cub. No longer gulping down the milk, his small body was still. Dead or asleep? One or the other, until it suddenly registered that his eyes were open.\r\n\r\nFor the first time, he was gazing up at me, albeit still through narrow slits. But the tawny, glowing eyes between the lids were fixed steadily on mine, the look altogether calm, benign and apparently contented. Nor was there the slightest twitch of dissent as – also contentedly – I stroked the soft furry crown of his head.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe other three Cheetahs also began slowly to open their eyes over the next few days. But it was the little male that had me transfixed, his own bright, round eyes fully open, watching my every move as if entranced by the wonder of his new-found vision and the \”wonderful\” alien creature who, seemingly – he might have sensed, who knows? – had endowed him with it.\r\n\r\nIt was love at first sight – for him and me both!\r\n\r\nI named him Batian because he woke up to life in the reflected light of the ancient mountain, whose topmost spike of snow and ice was itself named for the revered Maasai Chief Batian, who had once ruled the ancestral land of his birth.\r\n\r\nSlowly the story got out: Iris has four little Cheetahs!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMy friends all wanted to come over and see them. But I had to be careful. At that precarious stage, they could be at risk from feline enteritis which will kill domestic cats, if not vaccinated, and most certainly baby Cheetah with no natural immunity to the disease.\r\n\r\nThe cubs were as yet too young to vaccinate and I was determined to avoid any possible chance of exposing them to the deadly virus. That meant keeping all other felines out of our lives for a while – most rigorously, domestic cats and, perforce, their owners who could conceivably bring the enteritis bug into the house on their clothing.\r\n\r\nOn reflection, I was probably way too fussy, which may have offended a few of the good friends and neighbors, although any affront they might have felt was short-lived. More importantly, my Cheetahs lived through the vulnerable early weeks until they were big enough to vaccinate\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBatian was then attaching himself to me for all his waking hours, following me around everywhere I went. I might have found that a nuisance, but not at all. He was already entirely imprinted on my affections and could do no wrong, not then or ever.\r\n\r\nIt wasn\’t quite the same with the girls. Batian was altogether more robust than his sisters and soon clearly stood out from them, both physically and in terms of personality – more independent, and a little \”stand-offish.\”\r\n\r\nWhen the females scratched and fought each other, he distanced himself from the unseemly juvenile squabbling, as if above it all. Until, that is, I started them all on the carnivorous diet. It was every bit the messy free-for-all I knew it would be.\r\n\r\nI\’d watched wild Cheetahs teaching their cubs on several occasions. The mother would make a kill and lead the young to the gazelle after she had disemboweled it. The little ones would instantly dive into the gaping cavity and eventually emerge covered with bloody gore and, very soon after, by a crawling mass of flies.\r\n\r\nI decided the best place for their first \”meat-fest\” was our bathtub. Blood-bath though it might turn out to be, but at least the mess wouldn\’t be paddled all over the house and the clean up would be easier in one place.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut, again, I was not altogether prepared for the baptism in blood of four cubs at once. The instant they scented the raw meat, they laid into it. Laid into each other as well, with a fierce battle breaking out although there was plenty of choice \”carnage\” for them all.\r\n\r\nThis time, my little Batian gave over playing aloof. He was in there \”fighting like a lion,\” so to say – and won, of course!\r\n\r\nWhen the last female collapsed with exhaustion, like the star he was about to become, Batian claimed the rest of the spoils – as is right – and ate his fill in sublime comfort. Also, the thought occurred… in the smug, haughty manner of the dominant male of any species.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt took a while before proper manners were observed and we could feed them separately, in a civilized fashion, out of their own individual dishes. Batian remained \”in charge,\” but resumed his aloof pose and airily kept his distance. The clear indication was that he preferred my company to that of his siblings.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe adoration – if that\’s what it was for him – was mutual. I let him tag along with me, leaving the girls to play with each other for much of the time. They were not going to grow up exactly wild, of course, but maybe, I thought, with minimal human contact, they\’d have a better chance to make it out there on their own one day.\r\n\r\nWith young Batian, it was clear he would never take easily to a tough, unpampered life in the bush. He was already far too taken with being adored, played with. and most of all, admired and photographed.\r\n\r\nFrom the outset, the camera loved Batian and he loved the camera. Whenever I pointed a lens at him, the eminently photogenic young Cheetah would arrange himself in a fetching \”pose,\” sitting still, looking at me with those limpid, amber eyes and purring contentedly.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHe was still at the tender age of just two months, when \”talent spotted\” by a visiting journalist, *John Eames, whose professional-looking camera immediately caught the cub\’s attention. John, then editor of the renowned wildlife magazine, Africana, (for The World Wildlife Fund) also has a quirky, whimsical way with the captions, recording on this occasion …\”a very fierce-looking Batian about to do his atavistic carnivore thing on the photographer.\”\r\n\r\nBut unconvinced by the menace of the advancing ball of spotted fluff, he bravely stood his ground and took, head on, the picture that put the young Cheetah on his first magazine cover.\r\n\r\nBarely born, but we already had a \”star,\” I thought!\r\n\r\nRightly, as it would transpire over the rest of his long and celebrated life.\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/true-animal-stories/batian-a-star-is-born-part-2/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 2 of this story[/button]\r\n\r\n*P.S. John Eames, now retired, is of course the same that continues to generously donate his services as editor to this page for the benefit of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.’,’Batian: A Star is Born’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’batian-a-star-is-born’,”,”,’2013-04-23 23:49:27′,’2013-04-23 20:49:27′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=689′,0,’page’,”,0),(691,7,’2012-04-22 09:11:53′,’2012-04-22 06:11:53′,’

Lions in My Lap

\r\n

A Story of Orphaned Lions

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] I have had Lions in my life for all the 40 years I\’ve lived in Africa. In my lap many times as endearing, defenseless orphans. In the wild as the most awesome of the predatory killers, living in perfect harmony with their environment. In my imagination – in many mixed images – in the course of reading the interwoven history of Art and Humanity.\r\n\r\nA recent article in a Nairobi paper attracted my attention. It recounts the \’ordeal\’ of a city family of six camping at Tsavo National Park when they felt they were \’under attack\’ from a pride of Lions.\r\n\r\n(It doesn\’t happen. – Or, there again, it did once!)[/box]\r\n\r\nLions have had a fascination for Man since pre-historical times. It seems somewhat of a tall story that the hot-blooded predators of the African plains should have been seen roaming Europe during the Ice Age. But they must have been there at the time, or thereabouts, since the ancestral forms of these magnificent animals are depicted in some of the cave drawings of the \”Old Stone Age\” Paleolithic period, between 10,000 to 30,000 B.C.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLions \”resurrected from the dead\” is a story recorded in the Book of Moses and there was also something of a worshipful Lion cult evident in the hieroglyphics and decorative art of the Ancient Egyptians.\r\n\r\nThe Pharaohs kept tame Lions as a symbol of power and sometimes took them into battle for the same reason – to inspire awe and dread in the minds of the opposition in a little pre-emptive psychological hype. In Phoenicia and Mesopotamia (now Iraq), the animals were held to be sacred.\r\n\r\nLater, the ancient Greek and Roman scribes, notably Aristotle and Pliny, clearly drew on the antique wealth of Lion mythology to extol their \”real life\” virtues. Grand Admiral Pliny, for instance, cited a common belief that the big cat – a fairly efficient killer in reality…\”Never harms women or babies unless it is from extreme hunger.\”\r\n\r\nThe beast was similarly found to be \”magnanimous\” in the early encyclopedias of natural history. The 16th century biologist, Konrad Gesner, ascribed near-human qualities to the generally \”peaceful and mild Lion,\” romantically overlooking the animal\’s previous savage history of dispatching Christians in the bloody \”circuses\” of pagan Rome.\r\n\r\nIn the history of modern traveling circuses, from the 18th Century onwards, there are any number of episodes of a performing Lion pouncing on its \”tamer\” in a moment of inattention and tearing him to pieces – occasionally with a horrified audience looking on.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStill the Lion remains the most \”noble of beasts, certainly for the British, back to \”Richard the Lionheart.\” It is still everywhere emblazoned on their heraldic devices, including rampant on the Queen\’s coat of arms and couchant on shirts of the England football squad.\r\n\r\nIt\’s the same in many other countries, with the Lion the symbol of majesty in place remotely north from its natural kingdom, for example in Scotland, Norway and Denmark.\r\n\r\nYet its closest royal association will always be in Africa with Haile Selassie. the revered former ruler of Ethiopia and current \”Rasta\” spiritual leader. He always had Lions roaming freely about his palaces and his own proudest title was, fittingly for the truly great Emperor-King: \”The Lion of Judah.\”\r\n\r\nToday in Africa there are many tales of folkloric truth and superstition about the majestic animal that old tribal fabulists still tell and embroider with each telling.\r\n\r\nElsewhere in the world – also to this day, as ever in history – the \”magnanimous\” Lion continues to lend its image to admiring leaders of men as the symbol of their own mighty courage, strength and power – be it real, imagined or aspired to.\r\n\r\nBut the most historically gothic of Lion horror stories is told in Man-Eaters of Tsavo, an all-time popular True Tale of the African Bush.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt\’s an exotic, graphic book that did much to put \”newly discovered\” Kenya on the map of Imperial Victorian imagination at the acquisition of the territory as a British Crown \”Possession\” in the late 19th century.\r\n\r\nIt happened during construction of the Uganda Railway linking Mombasa to the little known shores of Lake Victoria to beat the advances of the equally keen German Kaiser there.\r\n\r\nThe \’lunatic line to nowhere\’ as it was nicknamed, was delayed for ten months due to the unprecedented killing spree by a pair of rampaging man-eating Lions.\r\n\r\nSomehow these extraordinary Lions avoided all baited traps and ambushes, one becoming so unconcerned that it took to boarding the train to get at its cowering victims and haul them off into the bush. A total of 26 Indian railway workers and an uncounted number of Africans were taken along with one European family – a man, his wife and two children, dragged out of a tent and eaten.\r\n\r\nThe two Lions came to be seen as supernatural by the railway work force . Many may also have been somewhat skeptical that mortal humans would ever dispatch them. But the fearful \”demons\” were finally tracked and summarily \”exorcised,\” one by one, by the hunters\’ heavy caliber bullets.\r\n\r\nThey were still talking about it as if it happened yesterday, when I first came to Kenya in 1963, some 40 years later.\r\n\r\nAt that time there was also \”Born Free\”, of course. The great romance of the Lioness Elsa and the Adamsons, George and Joy, was already world famous. And since then, the saga has become imprinted on the Pantheon of immortal human-animal stories through countless reprints of the book, movies and TV shows.\r\n\r\nRightly so in some ways, not least because Elsa has remained a fitting memorial to the outstanding dedication to wildlife conservation of the early Game Wardens in Kenya – and George Adamson was truly one of the greatest – as well as a symbol of his talented wife\’s crusade to save and preserve Africa\’s wild heritage.\r\n\r\nAt the same time, there has been more than a little legend-making over the years – some \”dissembling\” of the truth – about the raising of the orphaned lion cub and her eventual freeing back into the wild.\r\n\r\nShe may have become a supernatural incarnation of natural grace and nobility to Joy – as she would write – but Elsa was also a real, live, natural-born Lioness. Always a dangerous predator, which skittishly killed one of the Adamsons\’ camp-site cooks during the \”rehabilitation\” phase when he failed to produce her food on time.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn our own experience over the years in Africa, never once did Don and I feel truly at risk (nor \”under attack\”) from these intelligent animals for which man is only a threat, not a natural prey. Obviously Elsa\’s unprovoked attack on the cook was an exception, but not inexplicable. Who can say for sure that it was an \”attack\” at all, for instance? It could have been an accident, with a tame creature unaware (or momentarily unmindful) of her own deadly force, strength and instincts.\r\n\r\nIn the case of the running amok of the Man-eaters of Tsavo, though, we will never know.\r\n\r\nInevitably Don and I have had more than a few \”adventures and excitements\” with wild Lions in the bush. Several times, we had them in camp at night. Awakened by their sudden silence, we watched them circling our tents, sniffing us out.\r\n\r\nWe have also stalked lions with a camera, only to find that they, in turn, were following us once they were on to our game, driven by curiosity and instinctive survival strategy.\r\n\r\nI have a small library of books written by early European \”explorers\” and the big game hunters that followed them into Kenya, including the \”big bag\” presiding eminence of Teddy Roosevelt. They also inevitably had a story or more to tell about Lions. But as diverse as these were – also in terms of \”actuality\” – they had one thing common:\r\n\r\nAn unstinted admiration for the \”beauty, bravery, intelligence, ingenuity and endurance of these mighty cats of the African plains.\”\r\n\r\nAs I said at the outset there have been several Lions in my life. The most recent were a couple of baby cubs we took into care at the Orphanage two years ago, in 2002.\r\n\r\nWe received a call for help from the Wildlife Department in Nairobi. The two cubs had been found abandoned in the Maasai Mara…Could we take them?\r\n\r\nWe enquired about their age and condition and were told: \”They\’re very small and tame.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon and I consulted. We have learned the hard way about all that\’s involved in fostering Lion cubs. You raise the cuddly little tykes and, before you know it, they\’ve stolen your heart – or something of the sort. But then they grow at an alarming rate and at the ever-demanding teenage phase, it\’s a full-time job to keep them entertained – not to speak of keeping them fed. The quantities of raw meat dished out before they\’re satisfied become increasingly enormous.\r\n\r\nEventually you begin frantically casting around for an idea of how, you can safely launch them out into what should be their real world.\r\n\r\nEvery day the time-clock ticks more insistently, reminding you that the hour approaches to say \”good-bye\” to your long-stay board & lodgers – as hard as that\’s going to be. But soon, you decide, finally. As soon it\’s practical and good for the young Lions – but not soon enough!\r\n\r\nIn this case, the decision was made easier by the fact that a neighboring couple had been bitten by the \”Lion bug,\” thereafter developing what would be a chronic case of \”Lionitis.\”\r\n\r\nAt that time, they hadn\’t been long in Africa, but had already become enamored with the wildlife, with a special fascination for wild Lions. They spent endless hours in the Game Parks trailing, watching and learning all they could about the big cats.\r\n\r\nThey also knew about the Orphanage, of course, and had taken note of the fact that, not infrequently, wild young Lions cubs are brought to us that would not survive without temporary shelter or were otherwise at risk.\r\n\r\nThe couple then spent a fortune building an extension to their home as a \”state of the art\” facility designed for the care of orphaned Lions. It was entirely speculative and philanthropic – just in case, by chance, a Lion or two, should be in need of a temporary home, they would be happy and ready to help out.\r\n\r\nDon and I thus had our good neighbors in the back of our minds when we contemplated taking in the two \”small and tame\” cubs abandoned in the Mara. We told the Wildlife Department: \”Yes,\” sent a car to Nairobi and waited with some excitement and curious anticipation for its return later that day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut it wasn\’t two sweet, docile little cats that emerged from the dog carrier box on arrival. Far from it. These were two very cross, very unhappy cubs, evidently greatly irritated by the long car journey and not at all pleased at being handled by the human species that had inflicted it on them.\r\n\r\nThey immediately retreated into the far corner of the boma we had prepared for them at the house, glowering menacingly in our direction. Anyone who tried to approach was snarled at in no uncertain terms, little paws thumping the ground, claws extended.\r\n\r\nIt was evident, though, that physically they were in a sorry state. By the look of the scruffy fur on their thin little bodies, they were suffering sorely from the lack of a mother\’s care.\r\n\r\nWhen was it, we wondered, that they had lost her? When had the cubs been picked up? How long had they been \’in transit,\’ acting so wild.\r\n\r\nThere were no answers. At that point all we knew from the Wildlife people was what we knew already – that authorization had been given to send them up to the Orphanage once it had been established we\’d take them… Plus the additional information that a Maasai herdsman had stumbled across them and brought the waifs to the Game Scouts. But that was about all.\r\n\r\nWe guessed they were around two months old, clearly frightened as well as weak, but still in defiant stand-off mode in the corner of what they had yet to realize was safe sanctuary. They were not about to surrender – not even to their fundamental need for food. Every attempt to put any near them resulted in yet another display of hissing and spitting aggression.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI noticed that they had scars on their paws. Another question: Had they been hit with sticks? Almost certainly, I figured. Just to pick up two cubs of their size, even hapless orphans, would not have been possible without some measure of painfully enforced co-operation.\r\n\r\nIt would have been their first encounter with Man, inevitably unleashing a fierce instinctive reaction from the cubs – still Lions for all they were helpless infants.\r\n\r\nIn pondering my own position vis-à-vis my uncooperative charges, I concluded that I would have to revert to my old stand-by strategy: When nothing else worked with a wild animal that was not amenable to my care, I just had to wear them down with patience. So there I sat stubbornly in the boma, 12 feet from them, as close as they would allow me to get.\r\n\r\nA good book got me over the first few hours of the following day. I then tried edging closer. But every time I made a move, the lion-hearted little scraps responded with brave mock charges – instinctive valor before a discretionary retreat further to the rear of the pen.\r\n\r\nClearly, I had to take it very slowly. It then got very uncomfortable sitting out there in the mid-day heat, so Don brought out a large sun-hat, the sight of which prompted renewed panic for the two little cats.\r\n\r\nEventually, we all fell asleep on the grass. When I woke they were staring at me. They had actually come closer – thinking their tormentor was dead, maybe, or to investigate the \’submissive\’ posture. Who ever knows what\’s ever what with Lions?\r\n\r\nIn any event the first step on my \”road-map to peace\” had been taken. I was winning the war of patient attrition and we were at the point of \”dialogue.\” Or at least they had stopped protesting at any cautious advance I made.\r\n\r\nLater that day I tried to push a dishful of tasty \”slurp\” in their direction – a mix of milk and bloody minced meat. But what would have been their first meal in days was met with such a thump of a well placed paw that the dish somersaulted and splattered us all with the odious-looking, pinky-white mess.\r\n\r\nWell now, at least if nothing else, I must have smelled more tolerable, or so I optimistically hoped. Finally, on the third time of trying, the dish was not instantly swiped away.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStill they didn\’t go near the food. They were warily eyeing it from a distance by the time I left them well after dark. I needed to eat, if they wouldn\’t, I wasn\’t about to hang around all night waiting for a couple of ungrateful, cussed kittens to make up their minds, I thought, feeling guilty already.\r\n\r\nIn fact the cubs didn\’t eat that night. But the dish had been disturbed and clearly they\’d investigated what was the \”very best\” we could offer in place of their natural diet in the wild at that age.\r\n\r\nHappily, however, it was as though suddenly hunger had won over fear and blown away resistance. As if they had decided that if the measly milk and mince in the unfamiliar form of a dish was all that was going, they\’d better make the best of it themselves and get to it. Which they did the next day – voraciously.\r\n\r\nGenerally they were much calmer. They still wouldn\’t let me touch them and I couldn\’t make any incautious move as I approached with the food. But once I\’d withdrawn to a safe distance, they pounced on the dish and slurped up the mess of potage with lightening speed.\r\n\r\nInevitably most of it landed in the grass and on their bodies. But at least we\’d reached an understanding – essentially their subconscious or instinctual understanding that what I was considerately, if gingerly, giving them was sustenance and survival.\r\n\r\nFrom then on things between us improved hourly. In a few days the cubs had been taught to eat in a more properly mannered fashion and were even cajoled into playing \”rope\” and other games.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSoon I was permitted to pick them up by the scruff of their necks without too much protest. At which stage in the relationship, I could finally get down to the \”mother\’s\” business of picking off the ticks and sponging down their ratty coats.\r\n\r\nAfter a while, all my other work began piling up as the Lions were taking up most of my time. Patti, a friend and zoology student intern at our William Holden Wildlife Education Center volunteered as co-Lion sitter. But Patti was again not immediately accepted by the cubs. She had to patiently put in roughly the same time as I had before they declared her \”safe territory\” and started jumping all over her.\r\n\r\nThey took particular delight in playing with her long, thick, auburn hair. So much so that I wondered – \”anthropomorphically,\” of course – whether they could have any recollection of what their \”dad\” might have looked like. Not inconceivably, he could have been one of the regal black-maned Lions for which the Maasai Mara is famous.\r\n\r\nSlowly, the cubs became more tolerant of humankind, and downright fond of Don and myself as well as Patti, as we all took turns putting in many hours in feeding and amusing them.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nUltimately, with the ticking of the time-clock and contemplation of their future, we made a call to Europe to contact our \”Lion friendly\” neighbors. As expected, they were elated with the prospect of taking over care of the young Lions for a while and undertook to return to Kenya as soon as possible to meet them.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, the cubs\’ condition continued to improve, with their sleek bodies visibly building up rippling muscles and growing overall. They also returned the pampered love and affection we gave them. What had started out as snarling, moth-eaten little monsters had turned into young, still essentially wild cats that, for the time being, would literally eat out of our hands.\r\n\r\nLike the Adamsons, we would obviously prefer them to be \”free\” in the wild where they were born – in an ideal world, that is, and if it were a realistic prospect for these two. It wasn\’t at that time and we could think of no \”second best\” solution than to entrust them to the care of the committed and kindly neighbors.\r\n\r\nThey had a magnificent purpose-built home waiting for them, and I felt good about that. But, as always, also a little sad when the day finally came to introduce the young Lions to their new \”foster parents.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, but also not surprisingly, they did not look at their beautiful new home with human eyes. All they would know was that, once again, it was humans who had taken them out of their, if not \”natural,\” then well-accustomed and happy environment. They reverted to their old aggressive snarling and charging at the strangers as we tried to settle them into their new quarters.\r\n\r\nBack to square one. Again we had two very sad, almost depressed, little Lions on our hands.\r\n\r\nI felt a little remorse at being the cause of their misery. But I also knew – and they would find out in time – that it was a good move, and the right one, for their immediate future.\r\n\r\nPatti and I managed to calm them and after a few days they began exploring their spacious, not to say luxurious \”pad.\” There were separate sleeping quarters, a small pond to splash in, a huge outdoor area for their energetic cats\’ play and many trees, even a couple of large rocks to climb.\r\n\r\nNothing was too good for them – no expense spared. Their benignly generous \”guardians\” brought in three keepers for round-the-clock care and even hired a vet to oversee their general health and administer medications should any be needed. Spoilt for care and attention they certainly were.\r\n\r\nThe Lions\’ den even housed a kitchen with a fridge and cooker where their meat could be kept and warmed up. An adjacent storeroom was stocked with supplies of vitamins, cod-liver oil, calcium and bone meal, amongst other supplements. And, of course, plenty of \”Lion proof\” toys.\r\n\r\nAside from returning them to their natural habitat, obviously, I couldn\’t imagine a better life for them.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAs expected, it didn\’t take too long for the Lions to \”habituate\” themselves, evidently finally content with the new environment. They soon started exploring, climbing the trees and inventing games with each other.\r\n\r\nI had to persuade myself to stop visiting them. For safety concerns, among others, the plan was that their close physical contact with humans would be slowly withdrawn.\r\n\r\nThe Lions duly grew into the superbly fit and well-proportioned young adults they are today. Without question, they have benefited greatly from the ultimate in care they\’ve been given in a safe environment. It\’s unlikely that any Lion in the wild could be in better physical condition.\r\n\r\nIt is not inconceivable that, at some point, a \”Born Free\” project could be considered for them. There is still time and it would be feasible. Lions are indeed the wonderful intelligent brave and magnificent animals we love.\r\n\r\nBecause of their size, strength and predatory instinctive reactions, realistically they can be very dangerous to man when removed from their natural environment.\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, the world has changed since George Adamson\’s day. The wilderness has shrunk and there is no easy way back out there.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

Post script:

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe aim of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy is to protect wildlife in its natural habitat.\r\n\r\nWhenever possible orphaned animals are returned to the wild.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n[/box]’,’Lions in My Lap’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’lions-in-my-lap’,”,”,’2013-01-10 00:25:49′,’2013-01-09 21:25:49′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=691′,0,’page’,”,0),(693,7,’2012-04-22 09:12:13′,’2012-04-22 06:12:13′,’

Patas Monkey Hanky Panky

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Do animals fall in love? Have you ever wondered? Well, I have.

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n\r\nThis is a story that starts several years ago when a Patas Monkey came to lodge with us at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n\r\nThey\’re very rare in Kenya but there is still a small colony of them spread out on the large cattle Ranches just north of Nanyuki, You can sometimes see them sitting on fence posts by the side of the road as if they\’re watching the cars go by or were waiting for a bus.[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nActually it is usually the dominant male of the troupe who is doing the fence sitting ministerially surveying the scene while the rest of the monkeys forage around in the morning sun. The big fellow is watching out for any signs of imminent danger to his family from Cheetahs, Hunting Dogs, or maybe Hyenas, although they are less likely to be around during the day.\r\n\r\nEven a Jackal could be a menace, sneaking up to snatch a baby playing in the tall grass. From the above, danger lurks from the great raptors who can spot a baby monkey from hundreds of feet in the sky. Should a youngster wander too far from the troupe the elegant predator will launch a lightening fast swoop and in full flight, sink its powerful talons into the hapless monkey and swoop it away.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe bird is well clear of the rest of the Patas Monkey group by the time they are squawking alarm and rushing to the baby\’s aid. They are left milling about, screaming and chattering in both fear and rage.\r\n\r\nBut more often than not, the patriarchal \”look out\” on guard will see or sense a threatening presence and let out a shrill warning call that sends the babies scampering back to their mothers. Most of the troupe will then flee in unison, bolting up to the high canopy of the nearest tree. Any youngsters, too small or slow to keep up will try to hide belly down in the tall grass. They will not make a sound or move until they get the \”all clear\” call from the more experienced elders.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPatas, as most primates, are omnivorous. They eat leaves, roots, seeds and fruits, but will also feed on insects, eggs, small lizards, and birds they steal from the nests. All these things are plentiful on the savannah lined by acacia woodlands. The monkeys will indulge themselves all day, only retreating at nightfall to sleep in the safety of the trees.\r\n\r\nAs wilderness areas shrink and human habitat increases, the monkeys also adapt. Farms or plantations are powerful attractions to them and once hooked on the plentiful supply of \”easy pickings\”, a troupe can seldom be persuaded to leave. A farmer may lose his entire crop to troupes of monkeys demanding their \”rightful share.\”\r\n\r\nIn desperation the farmer may resort to chasing the \”pests\” away, but rarely with lasting effect. In the end he may set traps, hoping the cries from trapped victims will send the rest packing off back to the wild where they belong.\r\n\r\nThat is how it happened that Ms. Patas arrived at the Animal Orphanage…\r\n\r\nShe had been trapped by a farmer, and the Wildlife Department concluded that to release this single female long after her troupe had left would be to condemn her to certain death. Without her extended family around her, she would have no protection and would inevitably fall prey to some predator or other in no time at all.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPoor Ms. Patas was a sad site, all alone in her new home. But as luck would have not for too long. A few months later another Patas was brought into the Orphanage – an adolescent male in a small cage, who had been someone\’s \”pet\”. He\’d outgrown his \”cute\” appeal for the owner, or so we were told, and obviously human habituated as he was would have no chance sent back on his own into the wild.\r\n\r\nMs. Patas thus had a prospective boyfriend. We first introduced them in adjoining enclosures and they soon struck up a friendly acquaintance. Relieved of loneliness they soon found ways of touching each other through the wire mesh.\r\n\r\nAfter a while, of course – for the purpose of furthering romance – we let them get together opening just a small section of the fence so there was an optional retreat for either one should it transpire that nature had not intended them for each other.\r\n\r\nWe continued to feed them separately to avoid any domestic squabbles over \”material matters\”.\r\n\r\nBut the male monkey would have none of it. Raised in a human family without a primate for a role model, he could not know his new position of alpha male entitled him to the best bits of food first. On the contrary, , he would gather up as much food as he could carry in his arms and walk upright through the hole in the fence and present the bounty to impress Ms Patas. She in turn played coy, bashfully ignoring his gallantry.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut things between them progressed nonetheless. Eventually they were into mutual fur grooming, which became soothing of a ritual to the evident satisfaction of the young male in particular. He\’d make the opening moves, stroking and petting her a little, and then, once she responded, lay back and let her do all the grooming work…\r\n\r\nIf she minded being thus \”taken advantage of,\” she didn\’t show it.\r\n\r\nSoon the two of them were \”cohabiting\” in the one boma. It was Ms. Patas who was clearly in charge of the affair, making positive advances, a signal that was never lost on the male.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne morning some six months later we saw the female holding something close to her chest. It turned out to be a tiny new Patas Monkey, the most endearing, ugliest little scrap of a thing you could imagine. \”Dad\” was very proud and protective, especially when the baby had a camera lens pointed at her. He would immediately move in front of it and obscure the view.\r\n\r\nNo more long grooming sessions for him for a while – his mate had her hands full.\r\n\r\nMr. Patas however remained solicitous and affectionate and less than one year later another little \”Red Hussar\” made its appearance. We named the pair Hanky and Panky.\r\n\r\nThey\’re still playing together as I write, happily watched over by the proud parents.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMr. and Mrs. Patas, it seems, have settled down to regular family life. \”Mr.\” no longer brings \”Mrs.\” any food, it is now routinely shared \”conjugally\”.\r\nThe males\’ demands for grooming are getting more frequent and sessions are longer dutifully obliged by his mate. In turn he is playing his role as family protector more aggressively these days, showing his fearsome canines in a \”threat-yawn display whenever we enter his territory to clean up.\r\n\r\nHe invariably does it when I want to take a picture of his handsome lordly self, obviously considering the camera some kind of potential danger. He could of course knock it out of my hand with one swipe if he wanted to get serious, but he has never actually had a go at the apparatus or me for real.\r\n\r\nAs Hanky and Panky grew less dependent on their mother, she became \”broody\” again and, in due course, produced a third addition to the family. A wrinkled little infant Patas soon grew into a scruffy looking carrot top, drawing a somewhat startled exclamation at the sight of him from an early visitor. \”Zoff\” was the spontaneously eloquent expression – and the name stuck.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nZoff was an independent little monkey from the start, wandering away from close maternal oversight much earlier than his siblings had done. They, in fact, have so far ignored their youngest sibling. He may have to wait for the next delivery from the parents before he gets a playmate. Mr. Patas is very mature now, still cutting an imposing figure. But Mrs. P. is showing signs of middle age.\r\n\r\nAs for the aloof seemingly superior Hanky and Panky… they\’re growing fast.\r\n\r\nTheir faces are more expressive than that of any other species of monkeys I have known. They clearly use a full range of facial expressions as signals indicating intentions or emotions. These are instantly \”understood\” by other family members who normally react without a sound. They know each other very well indeed.\r\n\r\nAs a displaced family, living in \”closed\” quarters our little troupe has shown tremendous adaptability quite clearly content with the Orphanage environment.\r\n\r\nFor me they are an endless opportunity for study and learning about Patas behavioral traits and inter personal relationships.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]

But as for love among the monkeys?

\r\nWell, I have wondered. There is certainly something long and lasting between Mr. & Mrs. Patas, Hanky Panky and Zoff.\r\n\r\nBut who knows what, exactly? Perhaps time will tell and we will certainly keep you informed of the future of our delightful family of \”Red Hussars\”.\r\n\r\nNote: A recent study has shown that the numbers of Patas Monkeys in our area are sufficiently low to put them at risk of local extinction. It could be, therefore, that our small expanding group at the Orphanage will, at some point become an important nucleus \”reserve\” for the future preservation of the species.[/box]’,’Patas Monkey Hanky Panky’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’patas-monkey-hanky-panky’,”,”,’2013-01-02 23:15:42′,’2013-01-02 20:15:42′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=693′,0,’page’,”,0),(695,7,’2012-04-22 09:12:49′,’2012-04-22 06:12:49′,’

Story of 3 Cheetahs

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Bill, Duke and Diana! A Life Story

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\nThis story is for Duma Duke, his siblings Bill and Diana, and for those 5 others that were not so lucky.\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\nIt\’s five years ago now that we had a phone call from an excited Lady in Nairobi. She had a story about a cheetah who, a few weeks before, had given birth to no less than 10 cubs.\r\n\r\nMother cheetahs produce on average between two and four babies at a time.\r\nI shared her awe and wonder, thinking back on the time when I first came to Kenya, when sightings of sleekly athletic, beautiful cat were extremely rare. The Game Department, then the principal wildlife authority, was aware of its steady decline and had launched a campaign to save what was left of the species. Cheetahs were designated \”Royal Game\” which meant that no one could shoot or trap them anywhere in the country. They would enjoy the protection afforded to royalty wherever they were still in residence.\r\n\r\nAt first the initiative showed little or no results on the ground. But then, after a few years, the cheetah population appeared to recover. It certainly did in Nairobi National Park for instance, where visitors could not only count on coming across the animals, but also – to their delight – would often view the youngsters at close range, jumping up and cavorting around on the hoods and roofs of their vehicles.\r\n\r\nBut then, years later in the late 80\’s and 90\’s there was a reversal. It became apparent that cheetah were not doing too well elsewhere in Kenya and eventually their numbers also began to decline in the Nairobi park.\r\n\r\nWith regard to my Lady caller\’s extra large brood, their progress was closely observed, among others, by an American veterinarian, Dr. Jim Cavanaugh. It was he who raised the alarm one day when the mother cheetah and two of the cubs went missing. He kept watch over the remaining eight, but she never returned.\r\n\r\nNo-one knows for sure why she would have abandoned the babies. She could have been scared off – or maybe she\’d known, instinctively, that she could not continue to feed or otherwise care for all ten of her rapidly growing progeny. In any event the eight cubs were abruptly orphaned and soon began to chirrup their hunger and distress. If the departing mother heard them at all, she didn\’t respond.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt that point, the Game Department – by then restructured into the Kenya Wildlife Services – was of a collective mind to let nature take its course. But after a few days, with the cubs left without food or water and obviously weakening fast, the Director himself was made aware of the situation. He ordered his game scouts to collect the cubs as long as suitable \”homes\” could be found. By now the cubs had been abandoned for 8 days.\r\n\r\nWe hastily agreed to take all or any, and started preparations.\r\n\r\nThe Director decided for the four strongest to be raised in the Chyulu hills for eventual release there into Maasai land.\r\n\r\nThe rest were handed over to us in the hopes that our animal Orphanage was most likely to offer them a chance of survival.\r\n\r\nWe could do that, we thought – hoped as we rushed to Nairobi to take the four waifs into care.\r\n\r\nThey were a sad sight huddled together they looked like a bundle of bones and moth-eaten fur. Out of that, on thin necks emerged skulls with dull sunken eyes.\r\n\r\nAll four were more or less in a state of collapse, showing very little interest except an instinctive aggressive spark when approached to closely. It was a pathetic, hapless response, but still worrying in that the effort of \”defending\” themselves was obviously draining what little energy they had left all the faster. If only we had been called in earlier! We decided not to move them again; unsure they would survive the ordeal.\r\n\r\nInstead we made a makeshift \”nest\” for them in one of the pens the Wildlife Service let us use. By no means ideal but at least they were dry, away from frightening noises and people.\r\n\r\nKim, our daughter and I sat with them. We poured little pools of water out under their noses. It took a long time before they stopped hissing and began to lick, still watching us suspiciously. We then tried a little watery baby milk formula.\r\n\r\nIt was an all day all night performance. They would lick a little fluid and fall asleep from the effort, wake up and repeat the ritual.\r\n\r\nBy the second night three of the cubs were lapping out of a dish. They tried to stand up, but were still too shaky and weak, collapsing in a heap.\r\n\r\nThe fourth Cheetah was lethargic and would not show much interest in anything. I decided to inject saline under the skin to avoid total dehydration – and finally he, too, began to improve.\r\n\r\nDon and I then returned to Nanyuki to prepare a place in the house where the orphans could be kept safely under close supervision.\r\n\r\nKim stayed behind and continued to minister to the cubs every few hours. By then this had become something of a problem since they were by no means \”tame\” and tried to claw anything near them – notably the hand that fed them!\r\n\r\nI returned as soon as I could to give Kim some relief from her 24-hour vigil. She had done a great job; the cats were now considerably calmer. They were still weak, but clearly improving.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEven so, I was concerned to get them away to a safer environment at our house. For one thing we had no stray cats around the place from which they might contact feline enteritis. This is a virus infection to which cheetahs are very prone and which normally kills them. While their mothers\’ milk would have given the cubs some immunity, they would still be extremely vulnerable to the airborne virus down in Nairobi.\r\n\r\nBy then they were used to napping together in a box, and so were not noticeably stressed when we transferred them as a \”package\” to the car. But the start of the unfamiliar car engine was another cause for alarm. Eventually the cubs settled down for the long journey to the Ranch.\r\n\r\nWe finally reached Nanyuki with three very tired cheetahs. The fourth woebegone little \”runt of the litter\” – had collapsed again and was near death. There was nothing more we could do for him and sadly, he duly expired shortly after we arrived at the house. Carrying out the lifeless little body brought home to us forcefully just how uncertain this particular orphan adoption had been – taking these perilously dehydrated and starved animals into our charge. There was still not much more than skin and bones on the three survivors.\r\n\r\nIt maybe \”morbid sentimentality\”, I know, but every time an orphaned animal dies, I feel that something is lost in my own heart or soul. It doesn\’t matter how short a time I have had with it.\r\n\r\nBut I have learned from experience that the sooner I re-focus on unfinished tasks in seeing to the needs of the other young animals, the quicker the sense of loss is dissipated and replaced by a sense of having been strengthened or at least been made more resilient by the experience.\r\n\r\nIn this instance, the immediate focus was on settling in the surviving cheetahs. We had emptied out the storeroom for this purpose. With the help of bales of straw, we made it into a fine rehab ward and nursery.\r\n\r\nBut, with their lives still in the balance, I did not want to give them names – not until they would eat solids and could be vaccinated.\r\n\r\nMost of my time for the next two weeks was spent with the cubs in the small store room. I was so much removed from the scene in the rest of the house that Don, ever thoughtful (or disenchanted) took pity and glued family pictures to the bare walls so as to keep me in touch, so he said, with \”my own kind\”.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey were followed by pictures of my dogs and my other wild orphan charges – my menagerie from which I had to quarantine myself for the sake of the little cheetahs. It would have frightened the cubs had they suddenly smelled the unfamiliar scent of dogs, monkeys or even a buffalo on my clothes. The cheetahs apart, the extended family would just have to get along without me for a little while longer.\r\n\r\nAlthough they got used to my presence, the cubs were easily \” spooked.\” They tolerated my invasion of their safe zone, but responded with fierce snarls and mock attacks when anybody or anything else got close.\r\n\r\nWith me they were \”warily docile\” and eventually began to accept small pieces of soft meat I offered at the end of a chopstick – so long as I respected the distance they wanted me to keep. One after another, they began lick off the meager amounts of minced meat and liver. But it was only a matter of hours, in fact before they were ravenously slurping it all up to the point that I had to worry about over – indulgence , which would result in runny tummies.\r\n\r\nDuring the warmer hours of the day I coaxed them out of the store to the outside to soak in and otherwise luxuriate in the sun. This they loved and it is actually vital to their health and growth. It was a \”labor of love\”, of course, but I began to wonder if and when my life would return to normal.\r\n\r\nOther work was piling up. Other responsibilities were piling down on me. And Don, supportive as always, was asking if it wasn\’t time I \”came home\” as it were. But it was still several weeks off, as it turned out before they were well enough to where I could vaccinate them.\r\n\r\nAfter that I felt fairly confident that they\’d survive, and I could finally bestow names on them.\r\n\r\nThe best looking of the males I named Bill after our good friend Bill Holden, who had also had a genuine special affection for cheetahs.\r\n\r\nThe biggest male I named Duke after Bill\’s close friend John Wayne – \”The Duke\”, who else. Wayne once told me no one should ever name a cat after him unless it was a fierce carnivore!\r\n\r\nFor the female I chose the name \”Diana,\” after the Olympian huntress – the aloof, sublimely beautiful and otherwise \”divine\” diva of Greek mythology. It really suited the cub\’s haughty grace and good looks.\r\n\r\nIn due course the cubs could stand up and run around, their sinewy muscles perceptively filling out on their legs. During their ordeal of severe malnutrition they had shed almost all of their baby fluff. Sleek shiny fur was now growing all over their bodies and the cats spent much time grooming each other.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey mostly ignored me, which was fine. I did not want them to become \”pets\” but rather retain their innate instincts, so far as that was possible in the circumstances of their \”unnatural\” infancy.\r\n\r\nDuke was something of an exception, as he would be, – bolder than the others. Curiosity got the better of him and whenever I sat with my face turned away, he would approach, closer and closer. At first he only sniffed. But sometime later, if I didn\’t move he\’d begin to lick my hands\r\nin a shy attempt at familiarity. It was hard not to respond. But most times I stuck to my resolve not to make pets of the cubs – not even him!\r\n\r\nAs soon as the time was right to move them, we took them across to their new home in the Animal Orphanage where, although closely supervised, they could freely romp around and play in a fairly large area we had allotted to them. As long as they had each other for company and family support all we had to do was make sure they were fed a good diet, and otherwise stayed healthy.\r\nCheetahs in captivity often develop rickets. We were able to guard against this by giving our trio plenty of calcium, bone meal, vitamins and cod liver oil. A frequent supplement to their meat diet was lots of \”fur and feathers\”, as they would have had in the wild, substituting with rodents, chickens and hares.\r\n\r\nCheetah like their meat fresh. Out in the bush, they will eat what they can from the kill at a \”sitting\” and leave it. Unlike Leopard they never return to the carcass and instinctively, our cubs behaved in exactly the same way. They wouldn\’t touch the Orphanage meat unless it was fresh and bloody and we obliged them in this with the cooperation of our butcher in Nanyuki town.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nToday they are fine, strong, strapping animals – \”a joy to behold\” considering how they had first appeared to us a few days after their hazardous start to life.\r\nDuke has grown considerably bigger and bolder than Bill. He still can\’t resist sneaking up from behind and giving me a prod with his nose giving us both a bit of a scare recently. It happened when I was photographing Diana in an especially graceful pose. I felt a touch on the back and not thinking, whipped around sharply. It was Duke, of course, who got such a fright that he lashed out in retreat and clawed a piece out of my jacket.\r\n\r\nHe is fast and courageous, not unlike his namesake in the movies, and he, in particular has impressed on me a wariness in dealing with fully grown great cats in captivity. Much like their kin in the wild, they are still carnivores with their instincts intact not to be underestimated in any respect.\r\n\r\nThis is what I had wished for them.\r\n\r\nObviously I would much prefer to let them go off by themselves now, into some relatively safe natural habitat. Hunger would trigger the instinct to hunt. But at the best of times, a successful kill is never easy for wild cheetahs. Although the fastest of the great cats, they habitually hunt in daylight using only bush for cover and relying on their co-ordination and speed to bring down small game such as a Thompson\’s gazelle if lucky, but more often smaller prey. Disadvantaged by not having learnt the skills of the hunt from their mother, our three would invariably fail miserably. Survival would be a gamble against the secrets of nature lost to them by fate.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut the more critical consideration would be their most relentless enemy out there in the real cheetah world: man.\r\n\r\nFor the first few years of their life they have had to learn to accept man as their harmless benefactor, what would it take to reverse this trust?\r\n\r\nIdeally, we would have liked to reunite \”Duke & Co.\” with their mother, if she\’s still alive, or the two siblings she took with her. But they are nowhere to be found.\r\n\r\nThe situation at Nairobi National Park is that most carnivores as well as large numbers of plains game they prey on have not returned since their last seasonal move out of the park. Their migratory routes may have been cut off. While the Wildlife Department is looking into the reasons and searching for solutions, time will not be on our cheetahs\’ side.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt\’s not the end of the story for our three, though. We\’re preparing to introduce them to other cheetahs in the hope they will produce their own cubs that can one day be relocated to the wild, perhaps to the Nairobi National park once it\’s been secured. The plans are in place.\r\n\r\nP.S. Sadly, it appears that the other four cheetah cubs released in Maasailand may not have reached maturity.’,’Story of 3 Cheetahs’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’story-of-3-cheetahs’,”,”,’2012-06-06 01:40:45′,’2012-06-05 22:40:45′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=695′,0,’page’,”,0),(697,7,’2012-04-22 09:13:07′,’2012-04-22 06:13:07′,’

Bongo Emergency

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\’Msituni\’ and/or The Perils of an Unborn Baby Bongo

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”info\”] On January 14th this year we were presented with a precious new baby bongo girl, by the mother \”Kadogo\”.\r\n\r\nPrecious because it\’s a stroke of good fortune that she\’s alive at all.\r\n\r\nHer survival also symbolizes a long cherished project finally underway: The hopeful regeneration of the rarest, most valuable- \’most precious\’ of the great African antelopes, Mountain Bongo, in its original, natural habitat on Mount Kenya.[/box]\r\n\r\nNow, that the new baby Bongo is one month old, she has already become a part of our growing family. But this was no ordinary \’routine birth\’ at the Orphanage. It was almost an impromptu, advance \”return to the wild\” in a way symbolic of the project that currently preoccupies us all.\r\n\r\nThe Mountain Bongo disappeared from Mount Kenya many years ago, mostly a casualty of illegal hunting and the encroachment of civilization.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFew amongst us are still alive to bear witness to when this magnificent antelope with its spiral horns and the distinctive striped, burnished bronze color of its skin roamed the vast virgin forests of Mount Kenya. But we have now finally reached the first phase one our long held ambition – a dream really – that we would be able to return these magnificent animals to their natural home in the ancient, still pristine cedar forests that border the Ranch.\r\n\r\nThe end of January would see the arrival of 18 captive bred decendents of Mount Kenya Bongo, donated by various zoological institutions and sanctuaries in the United States and Canada, to join our surviving herd of bongo in the eventual restocking program.\r\n\r\nAs it happened, Don was out making ready their temporary enclosures with the fencing crew when our game scouts drew his attention to one of our resident bongo whose time for calving was drawing close.\r\n\r\nNamed \”Kadogo\” Kiswahili for \’tiny one\’ when she was born on the Ranch a few years before, was now in her prime and had already had a baby of her own. The pregnancy had been normal and so, no difficulty was anticipated.\r\n\r\nAs a precaution we usually walk expectant bongo mothers to a special \”calving pen\”, a kind of stable with two \’stalls\’ inside the orphanage. The rear stall is dark and although the animal can see out, it does afford her maximum privacy when she goes into labor. The front stall is fully open to the skies, so that, afterwards, she can slip out to go \”next door whenever she feels the need for quiet time away from the baby as nursing bongo mothers often do.\r\n\r\nThe major reason for this \’arrangement\’ is to provide mother and young with a comfortable, convenient and safe environment-security being a factor since from time to time we get wild leopard visiting the Ranch. In the wild the burly adult bongo are normally able to fend off the relatively lighter carnivore. They are also fierce in a fight and for that reason leopards tend to opt against attacking them. Small vulnerable calves are a different proposition of course, and as the bongo is so rare we did not want to take any chances. Should the mother wander too far from the protection of her herd she would be at risk.\r\n\r\nWith everyone busy with preparations for the arrival of the \’other\’ bongo coming from overseas, Muraya, one of our most experienced keepers was assigned to \’walk\’ the highly pregnant Kadogo to the calving pen inside the Orphanage. He had done so before with other bongo mothers that knew and trusted him.\r\n\r\nBut the tetchy mother-to-be had other ideas. She followed his lead to the stable, but point blank refused to go into it. Eventually frustrated, Muraya was persuaded that there would be minimal risk in allowing her to stay one night in the enclosed and guarded Orphanage. He figured she would be more co-operative in the morning.\r\n\r\nHe took the decision \”in good faith\” of course, but his ward betrayed his trust as we were soon to discover.\r\n\r\nBy morning she was gone from the Orphanage, nowhere to be seen in the vicinity.\r\n\r\nMuraya was on a day off, so it was his stand-in, Peter, who raised the alarm when he came on duty at dawn. A team of scouts immediately fanned out across the Ranch to check the rest of the free ranging bongo herd, but Kadogo hadn\’t reattached herself to any of the groups.\r\n\r\nThe question was: How had she managed to escape from the Orphanage without the night watchman either seeing or hearing the crash of her breakout.\r\n\r\nAfter a while we found out by following up her spoor. Astonishingly – and worryingly – she had leapt clear over the six foot perimeter fence.\r\n\r\nHighly pregnant about to give birth, a jump like this could have seriously injured her. It was very critical that we found her quickly to avert a possible disaster.\r\n\r\nThe scouts re-checked the rest of the Bongo- \”if only they could talk\’ the abject thought occurred. But there was no sign or sight of her.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey combed the bush around the herds, thinking that she may be close to her herd . With the birthing so close, keeping under cover in a thicket was what she would do in the wild.\r\n\r\nThey searched every likely retreat, without result.\r\n\r\nBut what they did find, to our horror was a dead half eaten reedbuck, Leopards\’ favorite food!\r\n\r\nA hurried radio message brought Don to the scene. He confirmed the grisly truth. We had indeed been visited by one of the forest\’s best camouflaged silent predators making a nocturnal excursion onto the Ranch for an \”easy kill\”.\r\n\r\nThe cat would be back that night for sure. If we failed to locate Kadogo by then, the chances were she would be calving – possibly scented by the hungry leopard. He would hardly fail to take the easiest of opportunities, the new born baby.\r\n\r\nDon called up more men to widen the search. Hours passed, but finally the nerve-fraying tension was relieved in a radio message from the scouts. They\’d found her.\r\n\r\nShe was in the furthest corner of the Ranch, close to the forest and close to where the leopard had climbed the fence to seek out its victim reedbuck.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt was near dusk when we got the call. But we had no option than to rush down anyway to see if anything might be done. Don took a bagful of \”milk\” cubes, Kadogo\’s favorite food hoping they might entice her to follow us to safety. But she would have none of it. Like a wild bongo, she fought off anyone – us included – who came too close.\r\n\r\nMaybe Muraya, her accustomed keeper would fare better, we wondered. Maybe he could calm here down.\r\n\r\nBut he was in town, at his home in Nanyuki, enjoying his break with his family. Tough luck Muraya! We sent people off to root him out and he duly arrived just before dark.\r\n\r\nHe moved straight away towards the agitated, still defensive Bongo and, alarmingly, she almost disemboweled him. She charged, head low, her sharp spiral horns aimed at the tall man\’s middle like an enraged bull in a corrida.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut with the grace of a matador, he executed a ballistic pass that would have impressed old Papa Hemingway- (as much as an aficionado of African game, of course, as he was of Spanish fighting bulls).\r\n\r\nKadogo\’s lethal horns mercifully brushed by his leg, leaving her floundering in angry confusion, retreating deeper into the bush. That was a sure sign that her time was near. It was also the reason for her fighting for her life, or for the imminent baby\’s life. Instinctively she would be impelled to deliver alone and in dense protective cover.\r\n\r\nWe were still greatly anxious of course. Without the ultimate shield of a watchful herd in the immediate area, the prowling Leopard, if it was close, would smell the blood of the birthing and launch an attack on her lair.\r\n\r\nMuraya was feeling somewhat remorseful over the plight she was in, holding himself responsible for her perilous bolt from the Orphanage. For lack of any better idea, he volunteered to stand watch for the night outside the thicket hiding the bongo.\r\n\r\nTwo of the other men joined to keep him company, showing courage as well as comradeship since none of them would be armed with anything but sticks to guard the bongo in her confinement against the claws of the vicious killer. They did not ask for any \”creature comforts\”, a flask of tea or whatever, to see them through what would be a cold and long night\’s vigil.\r\n\r\nAs always we were both impressed and grateful. It was yet another demonstration of the loyal, often selfless, stoic devotion of the Ranch staff to their various duties of care for the animals.\r\n\r\nDon and I also hardly slept that night, staying close to the radio just in case. Should there be a call of alarm from the men guarding the bongo, Don was standing by with his rifle and was otherwise ready for a quick response should the leopard or any other serious danger threaten the men and the bongo mother-to-be.\r\n\r\nWe had discussed the contingencies and decided that, in the event, – grim thought that it was – he would not kill the leopard to save the bongo – only to save a man\’s life.\r\n\r\nBut the night passed without a call and we were there to watch the dawn sun rising over Mount Kenya with its usual gilded array of colors slowly lighting the jagged, snowy peaks.\r\n\r\nDon was the first out and brought back the happy news: The baby bongo had been safely born. Mother was also doing fine. No longer upset she let us come closer. Parting the bush we got our first glimpse of her licking her new off-spring to dry it from the birth and stimulate its breathing. The men quickly removed what was left of the afterbirth that would alert any predator hiding nearby.\r\n\r\nThe new born, although on its feet, was still a little wobbly. Within a few hours she would walk more steady. By the end of the day she would be strong enough to walk a distance. This time the mother followed Muraya willingly with the little one bouncing along on her first \”Safari\”. Mother and baby spent their first night together in the safety of the calving boma.\r\n\r\nWe all decided to call the new arrival Msituni (pronounced Moostoone). It means: \’In the bush\’.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMsituni and her mother enjoyed the rest and privacy in the boma for 3 weeks. After that, the door is left open and they are free to leave. Usually only the mother ventures out alone at first. When she deems the time right, she will summon her young and introduce it to the herd, and the world around her.\r\n\r\nIn thirty years this has been the first mother bongo of our small nucleus herd that has preferred to give birth in the bush. It was almost as if she was going to beat the \’American\’ bongo on their way back to Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nMsituni will certainly be known as the first calf born in the bush, half way back to their ancestral home.\r\n\r\nAs she grows she will be introduced to her U.S. born cousins. Hopefully they will breed. Most importantly, Msituni carries the genes that retain the wild instinct that will eventually lead their offspring back to the wilds of the Mount Kenya forests where they belong.’,’Baby Bongo Imperiled’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’baby-bongo-imperiled’,”,”,’2013-01-05 05:13:27′,’2013-01-05 02:13:27′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=697′,0,’page’,”,0),(699,7,’2012-04-22 09:13:26′,’2012-04-22 06:13:26′,’

To Catch a Zebra

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Rescuing Grevy\’s Zebra from Extinction

\r\nBy Brian Jackman\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] \r\nIt was the Turkana tracker who saw him first: a solitary stallion about a mile away on the open plains of Kenya\’s remote Northern Province. At once Don Hunt slammed the open Toyota catching truck into gear and we lurched through the cool desert dawn towards the distant grey speck which Nyangau, the eagle-eyed Turkana tracker, assured us was the Grevy\’s Zebra whose spoor he had found the day before.[/box]\r\n\r\nIn 1977 Don Hunt was probably the best animal-catcher in Africa, and he badly wanted that Zebra. If we failed, he knew its fate was sealed. Either it would be shot by poachers and its skin nailed to the floor of a rich man\’s penthouse. Or, driven from the open country which was its natural habitat, it would head for the bush where the lions waited.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nGrevy\’s Zebra is the world\’s most beautiful wild horse, and in the 1970s it seemed to be heading for extinction. Big bat ears, a mane as proud as a centurion\’s plumes and an elegant coat of slimline stripes immediately set it apart from its more numerous cousin, the common or Burchell\’s Zebra.\r\n\r\nSomehow the Grevy seems altogether more exclusive. Those close grained stripes that flicker like an op-art painting looked so much smarter when turned into a fancy handbag.\r\n\r\nIn Nairobi at the time, such bags were fetching £70. You could buy an expensive telephone-directory cover in hand stitched Grevy for £40, or a Grevy-skin coat for £350. And when the World Wildlife Fund\’s Kenya representative wandered into a Nairobi warehouse he was offered £250 Grevy skins on the spot.\r\n\r\nOnce Grevy\’s Zebra ranged all over what used to be know as the NFD- the Northern Frontier District. From the shores of Lake Turkana to the Tana River and on up into Somalia and Ethiopia, they ran in herds hundreds strong. In Kenya alone their numbers were put at more than 15,000. But that was in the 1960s, before large scale poaching emptied the plains. A decade later they had vanished forever from Somalia and Ethiopia, and in Kenya, their main stronghold, numbers had fallen to no more than a thousand.\r\n\r\nOne of the first to realise that all was not well in the NFD was Don Hunt, a genial beefy, sun-bleached American who was at the time running the Mount Kenya Game Ranch in partnership with William Holden, the Hollywood movie star. Hunt, then in his mid-forties, had thrown up a prosperous TV career in Detroit and come to live in Kenya. He had started as a hunter but soon became sickened by the bloodletting and turned trapper instead.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIt was while catching animals for the Kenya Government and shipping them as gifts to Ghana and Nigeria that he became aware of the Grevy\’s plight. \”Every time you went back,\” he said, \”you couldn\’t help noticing there were fewer Zebra around.\r\n\r\nThen, in 1975, Major Ian Grimwood, at that time a consultant for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, produced a shock report on the status of the Grevy Zebra. His figures showed that Kenya\’s population had crashed from 15,000 to 1,500. There could only be one cause: poaching.\r\n\r\nClearly, something had to be done fast if the Grevy was to survive. \”So we got together with the national park wardens,\” said Don Hunt, \”and went to see the government.\” The result was full backing for Operation Zebra – a plan whereby Hunt was given permission to catch 140 Grevy\’s and move them from the NFD to the comparative safety of the game parks. Thirty or 40 were to go to the Samburu Game Reserve and the remaining hundred would take their chance down in Tsavo West, the vast national park on the Tanzanian border, where they would be under the watchful eye of Head Warden Ted Goss, and his helicopter-borne anti-poaching patrols.\r\n\r\nIt was a controversial scheme and Hunt himself was a controversial figure, involved in a business which raised the hackles of many conservationists. But as he said, \”Make no mistake. The Grevy is doomed outside the parks. If the poachers don\’t get them, the lions will. In two years, they\’ll all be gone.\”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHunt reckoned that at least 8,000 Grevys had been poached in the last three years, sending the price of skins soaring from $150 to $2,000. \”That kind of money has pushed them into the ivory league,\” he said. \”Just think about it. If there are 1,000 Grevys left, that represents $2 million still running around out there.\”\r\n\r\nThe worst poachers were the well-organised gangs of bandits known as the shifta, who were heavily armed and dangerous. When the shifta embarked on a raid they hired local people as porters, trackers and skinners. The gang bosses kept the perks: ivory, rhino horns and Grevy skins, while the local hired hands, who were paid only in meat or in skins and trophies from other animals, took the rest. The result was that entire areas of Northern Kenya were being cleared of everything that moved, from elephants to dik-diks.\r\n\r\nFor Don Hunt the year of the Zebra had begun in January 1977. When I joined him in May the operation had already cost him $28,000. Or, as he put it, \”nearly $1,000 for every Zebra I saved.\”.\r\n\r\nTo catch a Zebra is a dangerous game. By day there was always the risk of being shot at by the shifta. At night, lions roamed around Hunt\’s camp, lured by the smell of captive Zebras shut up in their thorny boma.\r\n\r\nBut the biggest dangers were the plains themselves, riddled with pig-holes and unseen luggas – dried-up watercourses that loomed under your wheels as you careered through the bush at 60 mph. It was precisely such a hazard which had hospitalised two of the Hunt\’s catching team with broken limbs the week before I arrived.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNow here I was in the same Toyota, bearing down on that lone dawn stallion. When we were still 400 yards away he broke into a canter. We increased our speed and he began to gallop. \”He\’s making for the bush,\” yelled Hunt, and we slewed round in a choking swirl of dust to try and head him off.\r\n\r\nSuddenly all sense of danger was forgotten in the thrill of the chase. In the excitement we missed by inches an ant-bear hole that would have buried us all. We smashed through thorn bushes, pulverising them into a million fragments that flew overhead in a spattering slipstream. Clods of red earth kicked up by the Zebra\’s hooves smashed against the windscreen.\r\n\r\nTime and again we would close to within yards of our quarry as Ngatia, the Kikuyu catcher, stood braced inside the rubber tyre which protected his ribs, swinging the noose of the lasso on its long bamboo pole until it dangled tantalisingly close to the tossing head. But like a rugby three-quarter the Zebra would jink and swerve at the last moment, leaving us floundering in a four-wheel drift.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOnce more we drew alongside, and this time Ngatia made no mistake. The noose dropped over the Zebra\’s head, the line ran out and the Toyota skidded to a stop with the stallion plunging on the end of the line like a fighting marlin.\r\n\r\nThe drill had been perfected to a fine art. The chase was always relatively short: otherwise the animal would die from exhaustion and shock. As soon as it was caught the support truck would arrive with extra hands. The idea was to grab the Zebra by its ears and tail, avoiding teeth hooves, rope its legs together, tranquillise it, patch up any wounds with antibiotics, and then haul it into a crate.\r\n\r\n\”Dammit,\” said Don Hunt admiringly, \”that was the smartest Zebra I\’ve ever caught in my life.\” Later he admitted he would not have pursued it for so long but for the suppurating scar on its rump where it had been clawed by a lion. \”That wound was so bad he would probably have died anyway, so I took a chance.\”\r\n\r\nWe caught no more Zebra that day; but the following morning we tried a fresh locality, setting out an hour before dawn to be on the catching grounds while the day was still cool.\r\n\r\nNormally the north of Kenya is an arid wilderness of sun bleached scrub and withered thorns; but the long rains had been unusually heavy and the plains were as green as an Irish meadow. The earth blossomed overnight, and we marvelled at the sight of Samburu warriors wrapped in blood-red cloaks, striding with their cattle through drifts of white storm lilies.\r\n\r\nBeyond the slab-sided mountain of Ololokwe, strange shark-fin peaks recede into the distance, giving this enigmatic landscape the surreal perspective of a Salvador Dali painting. Here we came across the totally unexpected sight of a band of fifty Grevys. Only five years earlier, herds of one hundred were not uncommon. But constant harassment had fragmented their numbers.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nEagerly we gave chase as the sun came up over the immense horizon. Larks rose singing into the sky, and on either side of us, oryx and elands stampeded away through the flat-topped thorn trees.\r\n\r\nSlowly we began to close the distance between ourselves and the Zebra and as I watched their dazzling black and white bodies wheeling and turning as one, kicking up a haze of dust that hung like gold in the day\’s first glow, it dawned on me that I was witnessing a momentous occasion. Here was a spectacle that might never be seen again: a herd of wild Grevy\’s Zebras running free as the wind on the plains which had been their home since the time before man was born.\r\n\r\nFortunately, I was wrong. When the plight of Africa\’s biggest Zebra species became more widely known, it was given greater protection and the trade in skins subsided. Today, though it is still endangered and almost entirely confined to the arid plains and thorn bush country of Northern Kenya, the Grevy\’s numbers appear to have stabilised in the low thousands, keeping alive the glorious vision I had seen with Don Hunt on the plains beyond Ololokwe.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n’,’To Catch a Zebra’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’to-catch-a-zebra’,”,”,’2012-12-26 02:14:40′,’2012-12-25 23:14:40′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=699′,0,’page’,”,0),(701,7,’2012-04-22 09:13:43′,’2012-04-22 06:13:43′,’

The Princess and the Beast

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A Rescue of Grevy Zebra • Part 1

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n An unplanned visit of royalty in our capture camp turns hazardous with a young elephant in trouble and her maddened mother on the rampage.\r\n [/box]\r\n\r\nIt seemed to be all in a day\’s work back then, more or less. But reflecting on it now, many years later, it would seem like a fairy tale, my mind playing tricks. Yet we\’ve still got the pictures to prove it all happened – an unexpected, perilous adventure as it turned out with real-life royals.\r\n\r\nThey were Princess Margaretha of Sweden and her English consort, John Ambler, whom Don and I met quite by chance. They had heard about the role the Mount Kenya Game Ranch was playing in wildlife conservation and wanted to meet with our partner, Bill Holden, to discuss how they might become involved themselves.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBill was in Kenya at the time, working up at our capture camp near Maralal in Northern Kenya. He was about to return to Hollywood to make a film from which he would later inject fresh funds into the operations. But he was able to make time to meet up with the Amblers briefly before flying off.\r\n\r\nHe advised them to join Don and I on an animal rescue safari and see exactly what we do. It was, though, something of a tongue-in-cheek invitation. Although he liked the unstuffy, apparently enthusiastic royals – he doubted they were up to roughing it in the hot, desert wilds of the old Northern Frontier District.\r\n\r\nA week later, we were up there ourselves at a place called Muramar Dam, little known to anyone but the local Samburu who water their cattle there. It was remote from anywhere – about a four-hour drive north over atrocious tracks from Nanyuki. But the surrounding area, the Kisima Plains and Karisia Hills, was teeming with game.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe\’d set up a fairly spartan camp by the dam and were getting up at four in the morning for the catching operations. Part of the daily routine was to be back at base in the afternoon and a couple of hours snooze through the fierce heat of the day.\r\n\r\nBut the well-earned siesta was interrupted this particular afternoon with the unannounced arrival of visitors rattling and clanking into camp in a small, beaten-up sedan. As we watched it judder to a stop, we wondered who\’d been crazy enough to risk the trip unescorted and in a vehicle altogether unsuitable for a terrain of baked, rutted grit, sand rivers and who knows what else they\’d encountered on the obstacle course up from Nanyuki.\r\n\r\nIt was, of course, Her Royal Highness and consort – clearly tired, faces streaked with damp rivulets of dust, but with the Princess smiling cheerfully as she brushed down her skirts and made the introductions. We were to please call them Margaretha and John – thoroughly enjoying themselves as they were, she explained, remote from the routine formality of their official lives. They couldn\’t wait to see what we were up to in our exciting bit of bush…\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon and I exchanged a quizzical (or actually an incredulous) glance and proposed afternoon tea from a thermos on the sandbank we offered in lieu of a lawn. It was too late for them to get back before dark, but we were sure that, with curiosity satisfied after a night in the spare tent, they would be happily on their way with a fine story of bush adventure to retail to their society friends in Stockholm and London, no doubt over \”proper\” tea at The Savoy or some similarly suitable environment.\r\n\r\nBut they were an engaging couple, increasingly so through the ritual sundowner of a couple of Scotches, an excellent candlelit dinner, more campfire chat… and so, eventually, to their cot beds. Far too fatigued at that stage to be sensible of, let alone anxious about, whatever perils might be imagined out there in the African night.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon and I arranged to get up at 4 a.m. as usual, but told the night guard to let the guests sleep until they rose of their own accord. They were then to be served a full English breakfast, the cook was advised, and given a note we\’d leave behind, thanking them for their visit and expressing the hope that we\’d meet again somewhere more salubrious than a working capture camp.\r\n\r\nWe duly got our early wake up call and had the usual breakfast of tea and slices of a high calorie bran cake that would keep us going until our return to camp anything up to 12 hours later. At about 4.30, we fired up the cars ready for the off, when Margaretha suddenly burst out of her tent, waving and shouting… \”wait for us!\”\r\n\r\nNo time to argue with the lady. We just packed them in with the African crew and headed off into the night, to arrive two hours later at daybreak at our pre-determined catching area on the Lesolo plains.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt\’s a spectacular place where the arid bush abruptly runs out at one point in a sheer 1,500 ft. drop into the Great Rift Valley. The local Samburu call it \”the end of the world\” and, on previous visits there, we\’d usually found some cattle-owning elder standing sentinel on the vantage point for hours – sometimes days – surveying the scene with evident pride and satisfaction.\r\n\r\nAfter the spring rains, he would have had his kin herd the family stock down a treacherous track to the fresh grass on the valley floor. To us, except through binoculars, they were indeterminate specks, like pock marks, on the vast, sea-green landscape of the Rift. But the old man could see them all individually – his best bulls, his best cows and their new season calves that were giving him actually elevated social status in the land.\r\n\r\nThe plains themselves had been surveyed and officially gazetted for settlement and, for this reason, there was no certain future for the local wildlife. Of particular concern was the predictable fate of what was then a healthy population of Grevy Zebra, which elsewhere in Kenya were becoming alarmingly thin on the ground.\r\n\r\nIt so happened, however, that the concern was shared by the country\’s President at the time, the Mzee – \”venerable elder\” – Jomo Kenyatta, who valued the heritage of Kenya\’s wildlife as an important source of national wealth and prestige. The much-revered \”Founding Father\” was in fact a genuine conservationist – internationally recognized as such after he initiated a program to capture viable breeding groups of endangered species and relocate them to areas of safety. Some he specifically assigned to his \”brother\” African Heads of State to help them restock their own national parks and reserves.\r\n\r\nIt was Kenyatta himself who had directed us to catch and trans-locate Grevy from the Lesolo plains for the dual purpose of establishing a nucleus breeding herd at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and introducing the species in Tsavo National Park, down in the south-east of the country.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat was the operation in progress on the day of the impromptu royal safari – except that the work-plan was disrupted before we got started. Still on our way to \”the end of the world,\” just after day-break, the convoy was stopped by an excited, arm- (or actually spear) waving squad of Samburu moran -\”warriors\” on stock escort duty.\r\n\r\nTheir agitation, as it transpired, was due to the fact that they had lost three cows over the preceding two nights to a rampaging female elephant. It had \”gone mad,\” they said, chasing and killing the cattle and charging at any human who came within sight. They\’d never seen an elephant in such a state of demented rage.\r\n\r\nSome of the braver moran finally tracked the animal into a forest not far from their village. The trail led eventually to a deep ravine where a hole had been dug for water during the previous dry season – and it was there they found the cause of the elephant\’s belligerent behavior. Her calf had stumbled into the hole and had become firmly stuck. The mother had then run amok in frustration after failing to extract it. Clearly something had to be done before she caused any further damage in the immediate area.\r\n\r\nTwo of the young Samburu then climbed aboard our car and off we went into the forest in the direction of the ravine. They told us that the elephant had moved some distance away to feed, as they had watched her do previously, and reckoned we would have 20 minutes or so to survey the situation at the hole before she returned to her maternal vigil.\r\n\r\nBut it was still risky. The forest was too dense to get the vehicles right up to the site so we had to walk the last hundred yards, taking great care not to break a twig or make even the slightest sound to alert the trapped animal. If it were to cry out, the moran warned, we could count on the mother charging back and killing anyone who got between her and the calf.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFinally at the scene, we found not a baby as expected but a hefty two-year-old standing belly deep in water still welling up in the hole that barely encompassed the large body. It was clearly wedged tightly and looked exhausted.\r\n\r\nPrudently we cut the visit short and returned to the cars. Only then did we realize that we\’d had company on the foray, trailed at a discreet distance by the royal guests. They came up behind us, the slender Princess in the lead, moving like an athlete, but with her portly husband panting somewhat from his exertions.\r\n\r\nIt was obviously too late to be worried about their safety and, in any event, the priority was to deal with the elephant crisis – rescue the stricken calf and relieve the mother\’s menacing distress. But it was necessary to consult first with the Samburu Elders, Don decided, so we all piled back into the cars and headed off to the village.\r\n\r\nOnce there, we sat in Council with the wizened Mzees and after much wise palaver finally agreed on what should be done. They would draft several strong young men to the task of cutting a path to the hole so we could get right up it in the long wheel-based Toyota. Others would try to ward off or otherwise \”engage\” the mother, if necessary by baiting her with a cow to chase. If she could be kept at bay long enough, we would try to haul out the calf with ropes.\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/true-animal-stories/princess-and-the-beast-part-2/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 2 of this story[/button]’,’Princess and the Beast’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’princess-and-the-beast’,”,”,’2013-01-02 22:48:35′,’2013-01-02 19:48:35′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=701′,0,’page’,”,0),(703,7,’2012-04-22 09:14:00′,’2012-04-22 06:14:00′,’

Operation Ostrich

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A Story about African Ostriches

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\nThis is a nostalgic story, cherished memories of a great safari, and a \”bush-tale\” about that most extraordinary of flightless birds, the African Ostrich.\r\n[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDancers at the original Moulin Rouge, along with more demure 19th Century ladies of high fashion, were not alone in adorning their bodies with the soaring, wafting feathers of the Ostrich.\r\n\r\nFor generations before them, the tail plumage of the great bird had been an essential part of the ordinary and especially the ceremonial \”dress code\” of the Turkana people. The Turkana are a nomadic tribe roaming a vast, harshly arid area of Northern Kenya that stretches north from Maralal to the western shores of Lake Turkana.\r\n\r\nWe\’re not entirely sure if they once feasted on the meat from the Ostrich\’s huge thighs, or otherwise preyed on the bird for food. But, in any event, this was not the primary reason for the absence of the species today from the western hinterland of the desolate Rift Valley lake.\r\n\r\nThe Ostriches were certainly there in sizeable numbers towards the end of the 19th Century, when the first European arrivals in the area noted flocks of 150 or more.\r\n\r\nThey also noted, however, that the tribesmen were keen hunters of the bird whenever they came across it, making full use of most of its bodily parts. Bones were carved as ornaments or tools, skins made into pouches and \”apron\” skirts for the women – and, aside from adornment, the feathers were used to whisk away an ever-harassing pestilence of flies they had to endure.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFrom early in the last century, the Turkana population began to expand and, conversely, over the same period the Ostrich began to disappear. The cause may have been partly environmental, but clearly the Turkana men in particular were also partly responsible.\r\n\r\nThey virtually \”worshipped the bird to death,\” prizing both the eggs – for necklaces made from the shells – and the living-soon-to-be-dead bird itself, above all, for the ultimate vanity of their multi-plumed \”attire.\” In the end, tragically, not a single Ostrich was to be found immediately west of the lake.\r\n\r\nIt was 1968. Don Hunt, now my husband; his \”great buddy,\” film-actor Bill Holden, and a seasoned African bushman, Julian McKeand, were camped close to Ferguson\’s Gulf, then a bare speck of human habitation on the western lakeside.\r\n\r\nJust 80 years earlier the Hungarian aristocrat, Count Teleki von Szek, had led the first European expedition in search of the great body of water rumored to lie beyond the reaches of the previous expeditions. Triumphantly he named the lake \”Rudolf\” after the Austrian Crown Prince who financed the venture.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt was the \”impertinent\” Count, or rather his scholarly biographer and ghost writer, Ludwig von Höhnel, who set down the first of countless lyric descriptions of the always arduous \”Journey to the Jade Sea\” and of the lake itself – the always sinister, but fabulously spectacular \”great, green, shimmering expanse of liquid stone.\”\r\n\r\nThe Hunt-Holden-McKeand trio, at more or less the same viewpoint, were no less enchanted. They also greatly enjoyed, \”exploring\” the great, brown expanse of arid, empty landscape around them and, in particular, fishing in the lake for monster Nile Perch, weighing 100 pounds or more, and the more challenging, fierce-fighting Tigerfish.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt wasn\’t long before their activities attracted the attention of the local Turkana, who started following them around – at first at a distance. But then mutual trust was established, after which the visiting party was honored with an invitation to a forthcoming wedding.\r\n\r\nThey thereupon produced an appropriate gift, the only one they could turn up in time – a great heap of several hundred pounds of Nile Perch. The gesture was appreciated, however; the flesh was sun-dried for later consumption at the feast and the bones fashioned into yet more decorative ornaments for the Elders.\r\n\r\nThe only thing the Great Fish-hunters might have provided, or so the Great Chief lamented, were newly garnered Ostrich feathers. Without these, how could an event of such importance be properly signified or, more specifically, how could the Chief be impressed with a new son-in-law unfestooned with fresh finery?\r\n\r\nThere were, the Chief informed them, plenty of Ostriches on the eastern shore because the tribes living there were \”few and far between\” and had no \”admirations\” for the great bird. His people might have hunted there themselves, he explained, but the \”Jade Sea\” was ever treacherous, often turning black with sudden storms of extreme violence. Some of his young men had tried the crossing in frail dug-outs, but – so he said – few had returned.\r\n\r\nThe visitors were sympathetic, but neither inclined to cross the lake themselves, nor, more particularly, to lay waste to any Ostriches. The wedding was nonetheless celebrated with much pomp and circumstance, a great colorful spectacle they would always remember.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”] \r\n\r\n

Some Facts About Ostrich

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOstriches occur throughout Africa. They are the largest flightless birds in the world, weighing around 295 pounds.\r\n\r\nLike most birds, the males display a beautiful plumage to attract the females. Black and white in the case of the male ostrich, whilst the smaller adult females are a more dowdy grey-brown.\r\n\r\n

Other random facts are as follows:

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The plumage on the head varies slightly among a number of sub-species, but all have distinctive \”ears\” and, actually, not much room for a brain in rather small heads in comparison with their body size.

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The neck and legs of the male Maasai Ostrich turn bright red during the mating season. The rituals of attraction are legendary at this time, involving prolonged, seductive – even gracefully balletic – dances.

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By contrast, the males of another sub-species, the Somali Ostrich, have a more somber grayish-blue skin tone.

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The long, powerful legs of the Ostrich propel the bird at speeds of up to 45 mph. Each foot has only two toes. Used in defense, the kick from an Ostrich can easily kill a man.

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Leafy bushes, grass, plants and berries are the great bird\’s main diet, but they will also pick up lizards and insects – and most anything \’shiny.\’ (Like, for instance don\’t leave your diamonds lying around unattended in Ostrich Country!)\r\n

\r\n [/box]\r\n\r\nThereafter, Bill had a tangent idea: if the birds were so plentiful east of the lake, why not use Don\’s skills to capture a batch of young Ostrich and relocate them to the Turkana side? He thought he might get a commitment from the Chief to allow the nucleus flock to breed up, taking only fallen feathers and abandoned eggs.\r\n\r\nThe deal was done between them, but the question then arose of who might finance the translocation? And again it was Bill Holden who progressed the idea from speculation to realization.\r\n\r\nBack in the states, the eminent producer David Wolper had long been after him to make a documentary of his private love affair with Africa. Nothing to it, therefore. He would extract the finance from the Hollywood mogul by allowing him to attach a small crew to film the catching operating (in which the star would play a supporting role) and the ultimate east-to-west air transfer of the baby Ostriches.\r\n\r\nA year later, a convoy was finally assembled on the lake shore with several large trucks loaded with African staff, tents, beds, chairs, a fully equipped canteen, and much other paraphernalia. More than a few Land-Rovers were also needed to transport the principles – Don, Bill and Julian – and the supposedly \”small\” film crew, which turned out to be a large retinue of director and assistants, cameramen, technicians, writers and who knows who else – plus all their baggage and equipment.\r\n\r\nAn aircraft was hired, a boat bought and trucked in, and the Kenya Government prudently sent up \”minders\” to make sure all was rightly done according to relevant laws and statutes. What had started as a fun safari for friends and associates was transformed by the build-up of a major expeditionary force, not seen in those parts since the invasion of Von Szek\’s huge land armada.\r\n\r\nThree months later the film of the capture was \”in the can.\” What remained to finish the job, the most important part, was the safe delivery of the flock of young Ostriches to the Turkana Chief at Ferguson\’s Gulf.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Kenyan authorities cannily provided one of its Education Officers to brief especially the young amongst the tribe on the whys and wherefores of conserving the birds. The great emblematic Ostrich was about to be returned to their land, but how would it fare – and for how long – would depend entirely on them.\r\n\r\nAnother feast was arranged to welcome the return of the benefactors. Enthusiastic as ever, Bill arrived with a mobile cinema and a film on ostriches, hoping it would help get the Turkana \”on side\” through a graphic demonstration of what it could be like – of \”good times past\” – if they did commit to preserve the birds and allow them to flourish in their old habitat.\r\n\r\nThe Elders held a Council on the matter for several days. A resolution was duly passed and a date set for the inception of a new era of Ostrich conservation in Turkanaland.\r\n\r\nFinally the great day arrived, with a large crowd streaming in from outlying areas to witness the event. The excited assembly then fell silent as the first chicks appeared out of the boxes, taking their first faltering \’giant\’ steps onto the lunar surface of the western lake. Initially they would be guarded by Game Scouts and allowed time to acclimatize and grow.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSoon afterwards, Don, Bill and Julian returned to their labors on their new (less Ostrich-focused) \’safe haven\’ for wildlife they\’d started back at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch, with the project incidentally endowed by the film producers with a badly needed lorry and two Land-Rovers.\r\n\r\nUnlike the three friends – forever Lake Turkanaphiles – the crews were glad to get out of \”that God-awful desert\” and return to their own more verdant pastures in Hollywood. There, the film \”Adventures at the Jade Sea\”, was duly cut and released, initially on American TV, with great success.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, the Turkana continued to look after their Ostrich chicks, maturing slowly leaving time for all to grow.’,’Operation Ostrich’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’operation-ostrich’,”,”,’2013-01-02 09:49:59′,’2013-01-02 06:49:59′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=703′,0,’page’,”,0),(705,7,’2012-04-22 09:14:23′,’2012-04-22 06:14:23′,’

Chucky the Cheeky Hog

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A Warthog Story

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”info\”]\r\nTwice every year, just before the rains, there is an \”underground\” active across the conservancy.\r\n\r\nIf you are foolish enough to put your ear to a warthog burrow you will probably hear a lot of squeaks and squeals… those are the noises of the new arrivals in the warthog world.\r\n\r\nOne of them left the underground dungeons to rise to become \’ambassador\’ for the conservancy…[/box]\r\n\r\nAll during March the clouds have been building up over the mountain, heavy with the promise of the beginning of the long rains. The ground is dry and hard at the end of this season. For many wild animals this is the worst time of the year. The sun beating down mercilessly, the food supply getting sparser, familiar waterholes drying up.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWith the shortage of grass, warthogs too have to resort to alternative food sources. They spend their time digging, using their snout like a bulldozer to expose roots and tasty tubers they can smell hiding under the scorched earth. Expectant sows will dig furiously for the extra nourishment they need to prepare them for the secret moment when they give birth to as many as 8 piglets, underground in the safety of their den.\r\n\r\nAny wise warthog mother will know to keep her new brood safely underground in her burrow as long as she can satisfy the growing demand of nourishment from her own body. But as a mothers\’ lot would have it, this turns into a catch 22. She must spend increasing time away from the den, outside, feeding herself to be able to produce the milk needed below. This in turn leaves her less time with the babies, until, eventually the starving lot follows her to the \”door\” of the burrow. Little square snouts squealing at their first sight of daylight, a worried sow chasing them back in, inevitably and too soon they dare the outdoors.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBy this time, \”Mom\” is probably grateful for the turn of events. Her own body must feel oddly battered from the spikes that will grow into tusks, already protruding from the tiny snouts. Other teeth too are rapidly growing in. It takes the little tykes no time to figure out the use of teeth. They simply copy their adult family getting down on their knees, and bingo, a new crop of baby lawn mowers goes into action on the new carpet of grass the rains have by now produced.\r\n\r\nThat is, of course, if no disasters struck during the 6 weeks or so since their birth. Hyenas in particular are not shy or timid when it comes to listening at the pigs\’ den. The promise of a juicy meal of baby pork sends them into a digging frenzy, throwing all caution to the wind. If the sow or the boar is home at the time, the hyena will have a rude surprise waiting. Suddenly and without warning the powerful hog comes charging out from the dark beyond. Tusks flashing she will send the Hyena off screeching, lumbering into the safety of the woods—-no laughing matter here.\r\n\r\nIf the family has been spared, the message came across clear. In the day to follow, as soon as any self respecting Hyena is presumed fast asleep in her own hole, the hog family is on the move, relocating to a new (old) burrow for safety. In their rush to get the babies through the move, the danger from above seems the lesser evil, if considered at all after the nights\’ harrowing experience.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBy now, with the sun rising high in the sky, the Eagle is awake, hungry and circling, waiting for an opportunity just like this. His eyes are equipped with the world\’s best self-focusing binoculars. His body held aloft by huge buoyant wings, a masterpiece of aeronautical engineering. His brain, programmed like a flight computer based on millions of years of flying skills, safely guides him through the most difficult situations aloft. How often have I watched this nature\’s airshow, and admired the split second precision flight with pilot\’s envy.\r\n\r\nOnce spotted, the piglets don\’t have a hope. With lightening speed the Eagle descends in a dive earthwards, aiming at the runt of the litter. By the time the sow turns to attack the murderous bird, there is confusion among the sounder, piglets shrieking alarm and splitting in any direction. The sow quickly evaluates the situation and gives the command to \”freeze\” to her young in a single strong grunt. While the big raptor attempts take-off with the fresh bounty in his powerful talons, the sow quickly rounds up her litter and is off to the nearest hole.\r\n\r\nAll this happens so fast that all you can do is watch nature take its course with fascination, without contemplation time for human sentiments.\r\n\r\nAt the west side of the Conservancy there is a picturesque small canyon, leading to the William Holden Wildlife Education Center. Stefanie Powers, back from an afternoon visit with students at the center decided to take the shortcut across the Conservancy to her home. With her she had three Lady members of her fan club from Germany on a visit to see her work in Africa firsthand. \r\nCharles Simmons, another friend and donor visiting us had joined them for the ride back.\r\n\r\nI am sure the last thing on their minds was warthogs at the precise moment when Stefanie unexpectedly hit the brakes and the truck came to an abrupt stop.\r\n\r\nWithout comment she bolted from the car and scooped up \”something\” off the road and cradled it in her arms.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBack at the truck she revealed the tiniest little ugly creature. It\’s a warthog she announced as if that was an everyday occurrence. Alerted over our radio network, Bunge, our Wildlife Manager and I were on the scene a few moments later.\r\n\r\nBy now the trembling little gray bundle was nestling up to her body, driven by fear and in need of warmth. Stefanie instinctively held the little creature tight and close to her, until the shaking stopped and the animal began to relax.\r\n\r\nStefanie\’s guests however, stared in silent horror as the small hogs skin began to \”crawl\” and came alive. LICE!! Millions of them. Our appalled friends pretended not to see, but their body language gave them away as they discreetly drew back into their seats.\r\n\r\nIt did not faze Stefanie however. She did not let go of her protective custody until we had produced a blanket to wrap the tiny mini pig. Only then did she hand it to me: \”Here\’s your piggy\” she said, \”it must have got lost, it was staggering and falling over in confusion, I saw it at the last minute, just in time to hit the brakes.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOnce the unacceptable bundle from the underworld was in my custody, Stef\’s guests relaxed. The lousy creature would not share seats with them after all, and now they all became quite excited over the incident.\r\n\r\nStefanie and I had a quick \”look\” inside the blanket. \”It\’s a boy Stef said, and as if partners in crime we instantly had the same thought. Did we dare naming the little louse-infested ugly pig for Stefanies\’ charming guest Chuck waiting in the car? We looked at each other and knew that we couldn\’t resist this bit of fun: It would be Chucky!!\r\n\r\nWe got back to Stef\’s truck and told the girls \”You\’re off the hook, it\’s a boy\”. Charles (Chuck) Simmons, recipient of such wicked humor accepted the dubious honor with great dignity and amusement.\r\n\r\nBack at the animal Orphanage Bunge at once produced some animal vermin powder which we rubbed onto the worst spots of the pig\’s back. The lice went mad sensing their fortune, making little Chucky even more uncomfortable.\r\n\r\nHe started shaking uncontrollably again. The tremors only stopped when he was held tight.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFinally he fell asleep in the blanket, exhausted. It gave me time to examine the rest of his body. There seemed to be no sign of injury, but the softer parts and the ears were covered in bloodsucking ticks. The vermin powder would take care of those too, given time. Evening came and I had no choice but to take him home.\r\n\r\nThe dogs and other critters sharing our home were not amused. A pig!! Small, but it smelled like a warthog and especially the dogs knew what that meant-their natural enemy. Most dogs cannot resist giving invading hogs a good chase, and in return receive some unexpected and vicious wounds caused by the courageous pigs.\r\n\r\nIn our case the house dog totally ignored the little pig showing his disrespect and displeasure of yet another critter with whom he would obviously have to share my affection for a while. At least it was not a Rhino or a pair of Lions this time.\r\n\r\nWhen he woke, Chucky once again started shaking like a leaf. Nothing would calm him. We tried a little milk and he spit out the rubbery teat in disgust. \’You\’ll learn\’ I thought, \’like all the others\’.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe next day I took Chucky out into the sun to warm up and spend time \’teaching\’ him to drink. It would take several days, as always. What worried me were the increasing tremors. When set down on the grass he wildly moved in circles only to fall over. The only time I have ever seen this is on TV: Mad Cow disease! But by nature an optimist I did not explore that idea any further, it was a ridiculous comparison.\r\n\r\nFinally and for lack of a better solution I decided on injecting the little animal with high doses of Vitamins especially Vit B, hoping to calm the nerves. For the next three days I also added some Antibiotic, because Chucky had started \”wheezing\” badly. Things did not look good for this little fellow. I estimated him approximately 3 weeks old. What was the cause of the tremors? Was it trauma caused by an unforeseen attack on the sounder such as would have been the case in an attack by an Eagle, or was there a birth defect?\r\n\r\nWas some kind of brain damage causing this weird behavior?\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMany wild animals, when they sense something fatally \”wrong\” with their young will abandon them, as if to speed up nature. Only the fittest survive. When we find such animals and nurture them we only prolong the natural process, the inevitable outcome. But how do you know?\r\n\r\nFor the next 2 days there seemed to be no improvement. Chucky still shook and trembled, stumbled and fell over in a totally uncoordinated way. I told Don that I had serious doubts that he would pull through.\r\n\r\nThen, suddenly, on the fourth morning the shakes lessened and he grew calmer. Over time Chucky emerged a changed animal gaining strength and confidence every day, and we grew fond of this comical and amusing new housemate.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBy now he knew how to drink greedily, but the porridge still presented problems.\r\n\r\nI\’d have to change clothes after every \’porridge event.\’ When the feeding didn\’t proceed fast enough, the ungrateful little creature got over zealous and delivered a well place nip with his tiny spiky tusks to my hand. That hurt and did not do much to endear him!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConfident that Chucky had passed the danger point I took him to the Orphanage every morning to the care of our keeper James there.\r\n\r\nAll the Orphanage animals gathered to greet the new arrival. It was quite a spectacle. Ostrich, baby Bongo, Llamas, Wildebeeste, Duiker, Bushbuck, Monkeys all at once surrounded us with their heads lowered to get a closer look at this curious new creature. But Chucky wasn\’t scared. James also was soon taken in by Chucky\’s charms. The friendship was mutual and Chucky thrived under his loving day care.\r\n\r\nBut come evening and night, Chucky\’s life changed dramatically. He walked on carpets, sat on the sofa cuddling up to me, enjoyed the log fire, listened to classical music and slept wrapped in a blanket on a hot water bottle, dreaming about whatever pigs dream about. He quickly adapted to his \”double life.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDomestic Pigs have served the human race for centuries. Not just as a very healthy (non-red) meat but also to save human lives in the medical field. Pigs are said to be the mammal most like us in anatomy. For instance, their hearts are the closest to the human heart in size and construction. Hence, they have historically served surgeons as \”guinea pigs\”- so to speak, to save human lives later.\r\n\r\nThe pig\’s intelligence is said to be higher than that of domestic dogs or cats and animal trainers find them easy to train and willing students.\r\n\r\nWild pigs are common throughout African forests and savannas. Despite a reputation for the gluttony of their domesticated cousins, the wild variety are equally intelligent, omnivorous and very adaptable.\r\n\r\nMain varieties in Africa consist of the rare giant forest hog, the bush pig and the charismatic warthog.\r\n\r\nHunting wild boar on foot in Europe and Eurasia is to this day a popular sport for the more daring and adventurous hunter. In Africa, in colonial times \”pig sticking\” was carried out from horseback. More often than not did the pigs outsmart their hunter, with embarrassing or even disastrous consequences.\r\n\r\nThe notorious tusks of the wild boars are actually teeth that grow outwards and upwards and are used in fighting. In the case of the warthog, its large facial warts are said to protect it in head to head fighting, guiding the attackers\’ tusks away from the vital facial areas such as the eyes.\r\n\r\nPigs communicate by a series of grunts and squeals. The typical families live in \’sounders\’ consisting of a sow, her offspring and some females of last years\’ litter. Most boars only join the sows during mating season. In the case of warthogs, the boar will stay with the family for protection until the young have reached a less vulnerable age.\r\n\r\nThe natural enemies of wild pigs are many. In Africa it is mainly the Lion, Leopard and in the case of piglets the great raptors and vultures. Thus the pig plays an important role in the food chain in the animal kingdom. Its intelligence has insured its survival despite all its natural enemies.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI wonder who he thinks he \”looks like\” most? Who will he identify with? Will he pick one of the animals or the humans that provide care and food?\r\n\r\nMy friends teasingly offered to book college for him! They are used to seeing strange animals in our care. I cautiously never enquire what they really think of this but this time I was offered unsolicited advice anyway. Did we really think we had to \”Save warthogs,\” weren\’t there enough of those around??\r\n\r\nOf course they were right, well, in principle.\r\n\r\nI believe there is a place on Earth for all God\’s creatures. It is true; there are plenty of warthog around.\r\n\r\nTheir prolific breeding and survival in the harshest conditions ensures a food supply for their more endangered fellow animals such as leopard and Cheetah.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nChucky, of course, lucky pig, will not end up as a meal for his spotted colleagues, but he will \”serve\” them all the same.\r\n\r\nWasn\’t one of his kind the celebrated \”star\” of the film \”Lion King\”?\r\n\r\nI have big plans for Chucky Charismatic as he is, his niche in the animal kingdom of the Conservancy is already well defined. He will grow up to be \’Ambassador\” for his less amusing fellow animals in need.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo far he is still the smallest Orphan to join the group but has overtaken most in popularity as he careers around the Orphanage, this tiny comical pig with his \’antenna\’ tail held high. With his litany of squeaks and grunts he\’s a natural entertainer. Kids and adults alike fall in love, and through him, discover the need to preserve our own wilderness heritage.\r\n\r\nLike in our own species we elect the most popular person to become our voice in order to be heard.\r\n\r\nSo watch this space for news of Chucky, Animal Ambassador-at-large!!’,’Chucky the Cheeky Hog’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’chucky-the-cheeky-hog’,”,”,’2013-01-02 01:46:33′,’2013-01-01 22:46:33′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=705′,0,’page’,”,0),(707,7,’2012-04-22 09:14:43′,’2012-04-22 06:14:43′,’There are not too many visitors from abroad on safari in Kenya at this particular time. Many have been scared away by warnings – or maybe it\’s only a vague nervousness – that air travel could be dangerous, or safety could not be guaranteed!! It\’s an old story for us. A bomb goes off 2,000 miles away in Cape Town, for instance, and our imminent visitors cancel their flights to Nairobi!\r\n\r\nMeanwhile we wait, we who live here, enjoying one tranquil, sunny and otherwise \’perfect\’ day after another in incomparable Kenya. We\’re sure of course, that sooner rather than later, irrepressible human wanderlust and spirit of adventure will revive tourism here as everywhere else in Africa.\r\n\r\nAs you perhaps, start re-planning a deferred safari, one piece of essential travel information we\’d offer is… NOT to forget to bring along a good guidebook. There are plenty on the market, but for we resident cognoscenti, one stands out far beyond the others:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDr. Estes, an Associate of Mammalogy at Harvard University and current eminence at the World Conservation Union (IUCN), has spent many years studying African wildlife. He visits us frequently at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch – (pictured at left in March with Don Hunt at the Animal Orphanage.)\r\n\r\nHis book, The Safari Companion* is indispensable for the more discerning safari travelers – specially designed for those interested in finding out more about the lives and complex interactions of the magnificent animals they see.\r\n\r\nAfter Safari (or even instead of) you will often reach for this most interesting book. I am seldom without it!\r\n\r\n

\r\n*Published by Chelsea Green Publishing Company, also available in Kenya.\r\n

‘,’The Safari Companion’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’the-safari-companion’,”,”,’2012-12-21 04:13:41′,’2012-12-21 01:13:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=707′,0,’page’,”,0),(709,2,’2012-04-22 09:15:07′,’2012-04-22 06:15:07′,’

Or what happens when there is "nothing going on"

\r\n\r\nMany years ago I remember seeing a short documentary made by a young man called Alan Root. \r\n\r\nIt was called \”Nothing Going On\” It was a delightful account of how it was at most Safari Lodges then.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCome early afternoon, after a sumptuous Lunch we see the guests falling asleep on the verandah of the Kilaguni Safari Lodge at Tsavo National Park… The big game they have come to see has equally retreated to rest in hidden shady spots during the heat of the day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAnd then Alan\’s camera discovers all the other creatures missed by most tourists.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe industrious weaver birds now venture closer collecting scraps and working on their nests.\r\n\r\n\r\nFlamboyant lizards sunning themselves, the dung beetle collecting what he was called after.\r\n\r\n\r\nKaleidoscopic critters in the sand everywhere going about their chores, while the striking superb starlings are hopping around cleaning up crumbs left behind by the now dozing and unaware \’wildlife enthusiasts\’. The film ends with yawns and other signs of wakening humanity. Some waterbuck are appearing back at the waterhole, followed by a Giraffe. Picture-book Africa is once again open for business.\r\n\r\n\r\nAlan Root went on to become a famous wildlife film producer.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNow that sophisticated camera equipment is available to most of us, you can have a ball with a micro lens, or letting some exotic bug fill the frame of your 200mm lens.\r\n\r\nLet those others at the top of the food chain rest in their innocent but ignorant slumber. Some of your best time on Safari can be had watching those fascinating creatures at the bottom. \r\n\r\nAnd when the curtain opens for yet another slide show of the big five you will forever cherish your memories of when there was "nothing going on."’,’Nothing Going On’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’nothing-going-on’,”,”,’2012-12-21 20:51:48′,’2012-12-21 17:51:48′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=709′,0,’page’,”,0),(711,2,’2012-04-22 09:15:26′,’2012-04-22 06:15:26′,’Last month we had the unexpected pleasure to be invited to Lunch at a very special place. It was an experience I want to share with you.\r\n   \r\n\r\n\r\nMany years ago, when we went on Safari to capture wild animals for translocation, we spent much time in the northern parts of Kenya.\r\n\r\nReferred to as "The Northern Frontier district," it was a vast and untouched rugged and natural area. I never forgot the special feeling of freedom, the vast skies over a picturesque landscape often filled with game.\r\n\r\nEven then we knew the special privilege to be there that we enjoyed. The writing was on the wall, this remote paradise would not be able to escape "progress," and all its negative side effects.\r\n\r\nEventually a lot of the land was split up for settlement. Poaching ensued. Many of The Northern Maasai moved away and took with them a harmonious co-existence with nature.\r\n\r\n\r\nMugie Ranch was such a place of tranquility. Assuming that it had met with the same fate, I had not been back to visit.\r\n\r\n

What a wonderful surprise then to see it now.

\r\n Mugie Ranch is still a privately owned and operating cattle Ranch of vast dimensions. The owners, Nicky and Gaby Hahn have built their luxurious African home here.\r\n\r\nWhen they are not in residence they open their gracious manor house "Mutamaiyu" and the 4 guest cottages for rent to friends and visitors.\r\n\r\nYou can look up Mutamaiyu Mugie at their website: www.mutamaiyu.com or e-mail the booking office for details: bonham.luke@swiftkenya.com\r\n\r\nMutamaiyu is an easy 30 minute flight from the Mount Kenya Safari Club.\r\n\r\nOn your way there, don\’t forget to look up your chaircat Duma Duke and the rest of us at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage.\r\n\r\nHosted by Anthony and Maria Dodds, guests experience an Africa I thought had long gone. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn exclusive privacy you can enjoy the over 49,000 acres of Mugie Ranch. Here, mineral-rich springs have been drawing Samburu camel caravans for centuries. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nToday these rugged plains and lush woodlands are home to one of the richest diversities of wildlife on the continent – including elephant, leopard, cheetah, Lion, and the rare Grevy\’s Zebra, as well as the ancient cultures of their Samburu and Pokot neighbors. \r\n\r\n Maria and Anthony will spoil you with delicious meals cooked to your taste, evenings around the fire or watching the leopard feeding nearby. The atmosphere is magic as only Africa can be.\r\n\r\nThe only hardship you will encounter is leaving Mugie after a few days of paradise. ‘,’Mutamaiyu Mugie’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’mutamaiyu-mugie’,”,”,’2012-12-23 03:30:25′,’2012-12-23 00:30:25′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=711′,0,’page’,”,0),(713,7,’2012-04-22 09:15:41′,’2012-04-22 06:15:41′,’

Hermanus

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Whale Watching in South Africa

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box style=\”shadow\”] At Hermanus, B&B means blowing and breaching… or where to find the best land based whale watching in the world![/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n Imagine sitting high on a cliff with the Atlantic Ocean thrashing against the rocks below you. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSuddenly the waters part a mere 500 meters in front of you and a 16 meter long giant of a fish eases its 50 ton body out of the water in a beautifully coordinated jump, only to fall back into the sea with an enormous splash. \r\n\r\n\r\nBefore you can get your camera up, a giant tail appears out of the ocean, it lingers glistening in the sunlight and leisurely slides back to be hidden once again by the sparkling blue sea.\r\n\r\n\r\n This is Walker Bay on the southern shores of Africa where whales gather in protective safety from June to November every year.\r\n\r\n\r\nAbove the picturesque cliffs is a little town called Hermanus. Called so, after Hermanus Pieters, who in the early 1800\’s followed an Elephant path down to the sea…\r\n\r\n

What followed is short of a miracle

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI wonder what Hermanus thought when he saw his first whale… 10 times the size of the Elephant he feared. But the sea was also abundant with fish and so a handful of people settled in this little paradise.\r\n\r\nTo date, Hermanus has retained its village flavor, while offering all the modern amenities today\’s traveler would expect. It has become the secret \’Riviera of the South\”, a winter escape for many Europeans. The Beaches in the area are a sun worshippers dream with soft white sands and a backdrop scenery of mountains covered in wildflowers.\r\n\r\nIf you can take your eyes off the spectacle of the whales, there are many other activities and interesting things to do and see in the area.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nVisit the colony of wild Penguins at Stoney Point, Betty\’s Bay, go fly-fishing, diving, parasailing, game watching, mountain climbing, you name it. There is a spectacular golf course nearby at the prestigious Arabella Country Estate, as well as other courses. Or enjoy coastal walks along miles of the cliff path. For a thrill, hire a kayak and paddle up to the whales at sunset!\r\n\r\nAnd if you have any energy left to spare, visit the craft markets, galleries and the studios of the many Artists that have made the area their home.\r\n\r\nWhen night falls there are several first class restaurants to choose from, all informal, but with some excellent cuisine. Or dine in old fashioned luxury style at the Marine Hotel.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor longer excursions, the famous Cape Winelands are only an hour away.\r\n\r\nThere are also excellent Sea Safaris to watch the whales or the great white sharks and the Cape Fur Seal colonies. www.whaleviewing.co.za\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf you are starved for sophisticated shopping and Nightlife, there is always Cape Town, just over an hour to the West.\r\n\r\nAccommodations at Hermanus and surrounds are available from the grand luxury of the Marine Hotel – www.marine-hermanus.co.za – to a few smaller Hotels and Pensions and many private Apartments and B+B\’s.\r\n\r\nWe enjoyed the Auberge: auberge@hermanus.co.za\r\n\r\nand also the excellent and friendly services of Whale Route Accommodation (watch whales from your balcony!) \r\n\r\nMore info is available from The Hermanus Tourism Bureau: www.hermanus.co.za/info\r\n\r\nWhale season at Hermanus is from June to November. Summer months in Southern Africa are October to April.’,’Hermanus’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’hermanus’,”,”,’2012-12-23 03:14:55′,’2012-12-23 00:14:55′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=713′,0,’page’,”,0),(1875,7,’2012-12-11 22:28:41′,’2012-12-11 19:28:41′,”,’Arabella Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’arabella-sauvignon-blanc-big’,”,”,’2012-12-11 22:28:41′,’2012-12-11 19:28:41′,”,1287,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/arabella-sauvignon-blanc-big.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(715,7,’2012-04-22 09:16:01′,’2012-04-22 06:16:01′,’\r\n

Kenya Wildlife Service

\r\n\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\nJuly is travel month for students. If your curiosity knows no boundaries, you are on a budget and you feel the pull of adventure in the real Africa, this is for you.\r\n\r\nThe Kenya Wildlife Service has recently renovated an old idea.\r\n\r\nThey have reopened and added to their legendary \”self help bandas\” inside the National Parks.\r\n\r\nWhen I first came to Kenya, that\’s were I stayed. In those days the bandas were very basic, one never knew what to expect, it was a roof over your head for the night, not much more.\r\n\r\nAll that has changed. The KWS is now operating a network of cottages inside the National Parks with all the basic comforts. You just bring your food (and your cook if you are lazy) \r\n\r\nMost of these houses are in exceptionally beautiful spots and your privacy is guaranteed.\r\n\r\nThe added advantage is that they are very affordable, probably the best deal here.\r\n\r\nThere are several mountain cottages, two of them on Mount Kenya. You will also find some on the beach in the marine National Parks.\r\n\r\nA few of the lodges are the old game wardens cottages from yesteryear. Imagine yourself in the fifties. No Satellites, no cell phones no GPS. Just wilderness, your gun and your knowledge of bush craft to keep you alive. That is how those legendary wardens built the parks. The adventure is yours for the finding.\r\n\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\”Climbing Mt. Kenya\”\r\n\r\nDetails for booking, locations and prices, go to:\r\n\r\nKenya Wildlife Service\r\n\r\nwww.kws.org[/box]\r\n’,’Kenya Wildlife Service’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’kenya-wildlife-service’,”,”,’2012-12-21 09:01:10′,’2012-12-21 06:01:10′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=715′,0,’page’,”,0),(717,2,’2012-04-22 09:16:21′,’2012-04-22 06:16:21′,’

Peace of Mind in the Bush

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African Medical and Research Foundation of Kenya (AMREF)

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\nBecause I live here friends often pick my brain about what to expect on Safari.\r\n\r\nProbably the most frequently asked question is that of safety. What if a medical emergency should arise, while you are in the bush, hundreds of miles from a good hospital, and thousands of miles from home and family?\r\n\r\nWell, we experienced just such an emergency ourselves. It has given me a better understanding of why people are apprehensive about this aspect of their Safari.\r\n\r\nRecently, on a Saturday night Don came down with violent pain which he self-diagnosed as coming from his appendix. He is 71 years old; we were not going to take any chances. We were lucky to find a doctor in the remote area; I took the precaution of trying to organize a charter plane to take us out and to the safety of a hospital. But it was Saturday night. Darkness was setting in rapidly and no charter could be organized fast enough to land on an unlit bush airfield.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe doctor diagnosed Don\’s situation as most urgent. Thank goodness for the guys at the flying Doctor Service in Nairobi. Once I managed to get through to them everything happened very fast and very efficiently.\r\n\r\nBeing a member, all that they asked me was to show up at the nearest airfield with my patient and a credit card for the hospital.\r\n\r\nI have been a pilot for decades and I wondered how, after a landing in the dusk, they would accomplish a take off in the dark on a short, unlit and badly maintained airfield.\r\n\r\nOnce the Cessna Caravan arrived the paramedic took over and immediately dealt with the patient, checking vital signs hooking him up to oxygen etc. The pilot had quickly connected his plane to his own ground unit to provide ample light and electricity for the medical monitoring machines. While I signed some forms, the patient was made comfortable and we were ready to go. The ground-generating unit was disconnected and loaded back into the plane. As we shut the door I could not help but feel some concern.\r\n\r\nIt was now pitch black and you could not see in front of you let alone the runway. After the engine was started, suddenly we were bathed in very bright light illuminating the entire apron around us. I had never seen landing lights that bright on even much bigger jet aircraft. We taxied out and the takeoff was no problem with the runway lit brightly by the planes own lights.\r\n\r\nOnce we arrived in Nairobi, an ambulance stood waiting. To make a long story short, the patient was operated on an hour later and as it turned out none too soon as peritonitis had already set in.\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter this experience with a lucky ending I cannot thank the good folks at the Flying Doctor Service enough, and I must recommend that you join. A temporary membership for Tourists is available and your tour operator can organize this for you prior to your arrival.\r\n\r\nThe Flying Doctor Emergency Service is an Air Ambulance Service for East Africa and beyond. This includes worldwide repatriation. They have their own fleet of fully equipped aircraft and ground Ambulances that cater for the needs of patients 7/24. Their team of full time medical and aviation professionals are able to respond to all medical emergencies.\r\n\r\nYour membership is a small price to pay for peace of mind. As you will probably and hopefully not require their Services, your membership contribution will go towards the 3000 or more needy patients that receive free evacuation and surgery each year from the Charity component of AMREF\’s Flying Doctor Service.’,’Flying Doctors’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’flying-doctors’,”,”,’2012-12-21 20:52:28′,’2012-12-21 17:52:28′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=717′,0,’page’,”,0),(719,2,’2012-04-22 09:16:41′,’2012-04-22 06:16:41′,’

In Pursuit of Peace

\r\n

January, 2004

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n\r\nThe continuous world wide security warnings have hit this beautiful country badly. Tourism, which had risen to our No. 1 industry has almost been arrested in its tracks. As a result hundreds of Kenyans and their families have a bleak New Year to look forward to.\r\n\r\nThe National Parks, maintained by the Government have seen their income dwindle below minimum upkeep levels. In the end not just people but wildlife and the environment will suffer.\r\n\r\nIt is ironic that the warning specifically stated for visitors to \’stay away from areas where foreigners congregate\’ – What better place to visit than Kenya!!\r\n\r\nAt the best of times, in our vast and unique National Parks there is no congregation of people. Even during the famous migration in the Maasai Mara, humanity is outnumbered by the wildlife as much as 500 to 1.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAs of now, you can almost feel like the traveler of years gone by. Few people, masses of wildlife and hospitality beyond belief as eager Kenyans welcome you to a world free of pollution, worries and haste. Your perspective changes, priorities are re-arranged , a system overhaul directed by nature.\r\n\r\nWe cheered as we watched on TV how orange alerts have not kept New Yorkers from celebrating in Times Square.\r\n\r\nWhat\’s keeping you from your dream vacation in peaceful Kenya?\r\n\r\n\’Out of Africa\’ you will emerge changed, refreshed and focused on what it is that really matters in the end: Your peace of mind!’,’In Pursuit of Peace’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’in-pursuit-of-peace’,”,”,’2012-12-23 03:35:15′,’2012-12-23 00:35:15′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=719′,0,’page’,”,0),(721,7,’2012-04-22 09:17:01′,’2012-04-22 06:17:01′,’ Coming from Nairobi, the great road north winds its way through the rich farmland once called the white highlands. \”White,\” of course referring to the settlers of the early last century that had made their homes here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBefore there was barely a road they made their way in ox wagons loaded with all their worldly possessions of which there were few. They all had dreams in their young heads strong enough to keep them pushing forward to an uncertain future.\r\nWhen the rains struck suddenly the small caravans would get stuck in the mud, delayed for days on end. There were no doctors to tend to their fevers or assist the young mothers in childbirth. No guards against attacks by "natives" whose land they were trespassing on without permission. Not unlike the American "wild west" perhaps, but for the wild animals that also roamed the land.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe plains outside Nairobi were lined with Gazelles and Giraffe in the thorny outcrops. The mighty Aberdare and Mount Kenya forests hid Elephant and Buffalo in great numbers. Leopard sightings were not rare. Sudden charges by an enraged Rhino or a rogue Buffalo were all in the order of the day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nToday the traveler has dreams of a different kind. From the comfort of their radio equipped Safari Vehicle they travel a "civilized road" lined by bustling markets that have their own African charm. The once feared inhabitants of the land are every where, extending Kenyan hospitality way beyond their means should you brake down.\r\n\r\nThere is no longer danger from the wild animals that have retreated way into the interior of the forest often only revealing themselves at night.\r\n\r\nAfter the provincial headquarters town of Nyeri, the land gradually flattens out onto a high plateau known as the Laikipia. Mount Kenya reveals itself to one side and the mighty Aberdare Range to the other. The land in-between is mostly arid high altitude Ranchland. The air is clean and fresh and the light intense as you near the Equator on the southern side.\r\n\r\n\r\nJust as your mind warms to the idea of a cool drink and your stomach begins to grumble you will see an unusual sign, carved in the shape of a "naked" fish, announcing the…\r\n\r\n

The Trout Tree Restaurant

\r\n\r\nDown a stony pass, you find what you least expected on these dry plains, a green spot by the Burguret River. The "restaurant" is cleverly built into an old fig tree.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOnce seated you are shaded by the tree enjoying a cool breeze and even cooler beer or wine. They keep it in crates in the icy waters of the river. Every time you order, the crate is hauled up with a rope.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe trout you eat couldn\’t be more fresh. You can see them jumping in the ponds and the River below the tree…\r\n\r\n\r\nThe menu is simple offering several variations of Trout but also Lamb and Salads, all followed by fresh strawberries.\r\n\r\n\r\nFor a starter, try the Salmon Trout Sashimi. It is worth waiting for as they first catch the trout for this. I doubt you have ever eaten better.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor a main dish I highly recommend the barbequed whole trout, simply but expertly grilled over an open wood flame.\r\n\r\n\r\nIf you still have room for desert, there are always fresh strawberries from the home farm topped by fresh full rich Kenya cream.\r\n\r\n\r\nA wonderful meal with no preservatives. All the ingredients are grown right on the Trout farm, where you sit.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile you indulge in the culinary delights you may witness a visit of some of our Orphanage graduates. A troupe of some 15 Colobus monkeys that we released in the forest have found their way to the Trout farm where they sometimes come for the juicy leaves, playing and watching the humans below.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Trout Tree is the sort of Restaurant that has disappeared mostly in the civilized world,\r\nDon\’t miss it.\r\n\r\n\r\nFurther north, the famous Mount Kenya Safari Club is just a short drive away.’,’Trout Tree Restaurant’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’trout-tree-restaurant’,”,”,’2012-12-23 03:57:51′,’2012-12-23 00:57:51′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=721′,0,’page’,”,0),(723,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,”,’Bongo Emergency’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’723′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=723′,26,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(724,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’724′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=724′,24,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(725,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’725′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=725′,34,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(726,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’726′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=726′,25,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(727,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’727′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=727′,35,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(728,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’728′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=728′,40,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(729,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’729′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=729′,27,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(730,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’730′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=730′,41,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(731,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’731′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=731′,42,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(732,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’732′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=732′,43,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(733,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’733′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=733′,28,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(734,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’734′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=734′,23,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(735,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’735′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=735′,45,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(736,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’736′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=736′,46,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(737,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’737′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=737′,29,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(738,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’738′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=738′,32,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(739,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’739′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=739′,30,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(740,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’740′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=740′,33,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(741,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’741′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=741′,31,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(742,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’742′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=742′,44,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(743,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’743′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=743′,47,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(744,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:38′,’2012-04-22 06:22:38′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’744′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=744′,36,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(745,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’745′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=745′,37,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(746,7,’2012-04-22 09:22:39′,’2012-04-22 06:22:39′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’746′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,583,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=746′,48,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(749,7,’2012-04-22 09:31:12′,’2012-04-22 06:31:12′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’749′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=749′,53,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(760,7,’2012-04-23 18:32:23′,’2012-04-23 15:32:23′,”,’Young bongo in bushes’,’Young bongo in bushes’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo-in-bush-young-bongo’,”,”,’2012-04-23 18:32:23′,’2012-04-23 15:32:23′,”,697,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo-in-bush-young-bongo.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(761,7,’2012-04-23 18:37:34′,’2012-04-23 15:37:34′,”,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo_msituni_10′,”,”,’2012-04-23 18:37:34′,’2012-04-23 15:37:34′,”,697,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo_msituni_10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(762,7,’2012-04-23 18:44:27′,’2012-04-23 15:44:27′,”,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo_msituni_11′,”,”,’2012-04-23 18:44:27′,’2012-04-23 15:44:27′,”,697,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo_msituni_11.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(763,7,’2012-04-23 18:45:08′,’2012-04-23 15:45:08′,”,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’Bongo Mitsuni’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo_msituni_12′,”,”,’2012-04-23 18:45:08′,’2012-04-23 15:45:08′,”,697,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bongo_msituni_12.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(786,7,’2012-05-31 00:32:48′,’2012-05-30 21:32:48′,’Here are letters from the Chaircat, reporting on events at Mt. Kenya.’,’The Chaircat\’s Archives’,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’the-chaircats-archives’,”,”,’2012-12-21 05:02:34′,’2012-12-21 02:02:34′,”,6,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=786′,50,’page’,”,0),(790,7,’2012-05-31 01:34:43′,’2012-05-30 22:34:43′,’This page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….‘,’Saved From Extinction’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’saved-from-extinction’,”,”,’2012-12-18 05:14:01′,’2012-12-18 02:14:01′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=790′,50,’page’,”,0),(792,7,’2012-05-31 01:35:13′,’2012-05-30 22:35:13′,’This page is still under construction, a work in progress….\r\nbear with us please….\r\n\r\n\r\n’,’The Mountain Bongo ‘,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’the-mountain-bongo’,”,”,’2013-01-06 01:53:41′,’2013-01-05 22:53:41′,”,790,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=792′,0,’page’,”,0),(795,7,’2012-05-31 01:36:34′,’2012-05-30 22:36:34′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’795′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,790,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=795′,10,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(796,7,’2012-05-31 01:36:34′,’2012-05-30 22:36:34′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’796′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,544,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=796′,9,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(797,7,’2012-05-31 01:49:35′,’2012-05-30 22:49:35′,”,’Home’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’home-2′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=797′,1,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(798,7,’2012-05-31 01:49:35′,’2012-05-30 22:49:35′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’798′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=798′,6,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(799,7,’2012-05-31 01:49:35′,’2012-05-30 22:49:35′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’799′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=799′,7,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(801,7,’2012-05-31 01:49:35′,’2012-05-30 22:49:35′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’801′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=801′,8,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(1022,7,’2012-07-22 21:54:39′,’2012-07-22 18:54:39′,”,’Contacts’,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’1022′,”,”,’2015-02-09 10:38:41′,’2015-02-09 07:38:41′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1022′,55,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(805,7,’2012-05-31 01:49:35′,’2012-05-30 22:49:35′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’805′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,591,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=805′,9,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(806,7,’2012-05-31 01:57:56′,’2012-05-30 22:57:56′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’806′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=806′,2,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(807,7,’2012-05-31 01:57:56′,’2012-05-30 22:57:56′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’807′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=807′,3,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(808,7,’2012-05-31 01:57:56′,’2012-05-30 22:57:56′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’808′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=808′,4,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(809,7,’2012-05-31 01:57:56′,’2012-05-30 22:57:56′,’ ‘,”,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’809′,”,”,’2012-05-31 01:58:43′,’2012-05-30 22:58:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=809′,5,’nav_menu_item’,”,0),(821,5,’2008-06-01 20:10:38′,’2008-06-01 17:10:38′,’My Dear Friends, as usual I talk to you during the onset of the rains when nature renews itself in our neighborhood. This year has brought delay, not just in the onset of the rains.\r\n\r\nAs you are all no doubt aware the beginning of 2008 in Kenya was nothing for any decent Cheetah (or other) to write home about, indeed humans around here are still ashamed of what has taken place that left such a nasty mark on the history of this otherwise exceptional country. There are in fauna related literature a number of fables with lessons on the consequences of such primeval (\’animalistic\’) behavior. \r\n\r\nEven amongst the media, members accused each other of a \”feeding frenzy\” over reporting the events, something otherwise only witnessed amongst sharks or the like.\r\n\r\nWhile still baffled that such behavior in humans is always likened to the animal world when we all know that man is the biggest predator of us all, I am at least happy to report that all is peaceful at last. For once no beast was to blame, and faced with their own vulnerable mortality, humans borrowed another leaf from the animal world. They realized the truth of the wisdom of taking only what one needs to survive from nature, and suddenly there is room for all.\r\n\r\nConflict like the one Kenyans have recently been exposed to often bring out the heroes, the leaders among the masses.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne of the first visitors back to Kenya was our loyal supporter \’Lilli,\’ Juliane Polster who braved a crowded customs hall at Nairobi Airport to clear twelve boxes of \”Goodies\” she had collected to give away to young Kenyan students that visit the Conservancy.\r\n\r\nLilli is still here, visiting us every day and delighting in spending her vacation mingling with the children, making their first acquaintance with the wild animals a special unforgettable experience for them and for herself.\r\n\r\nToday once again we are treated to nature\’s unique entertainment as rain clouds part to a dramatic curtain opening onto Mount Kenya\’s peaks dipped in the orange and lilac pinks of the setting sun reflected in the freshly deposited snow. In a few hours the snow has melted, leaving behind the visibly shrinking glaciers, silent evidence of rapidly advancing climate change. Mount Kenya and the Aberdares are vital to Kenya\’s survival as a food basket in the region. Her streams are feeding the forests and plains that harbor a safe heaven for our unequaled wildlife.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nUse the form below to make a one-time donation in any amount to help support the important work of the Conservancy.\r\nUS$\r\n\r\nMany animals, including injured animals and those made orphans by poachers, are available for adoption. You can adopt one, either for yourself or in the name of someone you love, as a gift: Adoption Information\r\n\r\nFor more information, please visit our Donate Page.’,’Chaircat\’s Letter June 2008′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’chaircats-letter-june-2008′,”,”,’2012-12-26 22:18:09′,’2012-12-26 19:18:09′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=821′,0,’post’,”,0),(822,7,’2012-05-31 20:17:18′,’2012-05-31 17:17:18′,”,’Cheetah portrait’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetah-ieid’,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:17:18′,’2012-05-31 17:17:18′,”,821,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cheetah-ieid.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(823,7,’2012-05-31 20:21:26′,’2012-05-31 17:21:26′,”,’Children at Wildlife Conservancy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’conservancy_children_lillie’,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:21:26′,’2012-05-31 17:21:26′,”,821,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/conservancy_children_lillie.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(824,7,’2012-05-31 20:34:17′,’2012-05-31 17:34:17′,”,’Mount Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount-kenya-22′,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:34:17′,’2012-05-31 17:34:17′,”,821,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mount-kenya-22.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(827,7,’2012-05-31 20:40:46′,’2012-05-31 17:40:46′,”,’Cheetah’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetah-999′,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:40:46′,’2012-05-31 17:40:46′,”,786,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cheetah-999.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(830,5,’2007-07-01 20:42:28′,’2007-07-01 17:42:28′,’My dear Friends, in Kenya, rain is usually concentrated in two brief periods during the year. Oddly, this first half of the year it has been almost one long stretch of rain, denying the usual drought its disastrous effects.\r\n\r\nNever have we seen so much green for so long.\r\n\r\nFewer animal orphans resulted. The vegetation around us has been regenerated almost overnight. Once again there is plenty of green grass and browse for the animals. The trees look alive and healthy with a new dress of shade-giving foliage.\r\n\r\nHere at the Orphanage we used the time to make repairs and improve the facility. The older holding pens have had a makeover keeping in mind foremost the animals\’ needs.\r\n\r\nOliver, our boisterous orphaned little Buffalo had to be banned from the general open area. He insists on furthering his fighting skills on what he considers his peers: our human guests!! The result were some cuts and bruises on our very tolerant keepers. He is now earmarked for an early re-introduction into an adult herd so he can rethink his identity before it is too late.\r\n\r\nKaren our original bushbuck now has a family of 4. All were sired in the wild. Each time, Karen, a former orphan herself returns to introduce her newborn. She stays and spends time raising the calf in the safety of the orphanage, before she once again leaves for the wild. She makes us all feel proud.\r\n\r\nMost recently our young caracal cat (African Lynx) has again given birth to two kittens. She was closely watched as she refused to raise her last litter and injured them. This time she devoted all her new learned motherly skills on only one of the kittens, abandoning the other.\r\n\r\nMama Duma came to the rescue and you can read the touching story on this page.\r\n\r\nBut folks, the BIG news just came with the dawn of this morning May 29th:\r\n\r\nWe have our first second generation baby bongo born to the \”American herd,\” a great milestone marking the success in the ongoing project to return the magnificent Bongo Antelope to Mount Kenya. See the article Baby Boomers in the Bush Drums section.\r\n\r\n\r\nAs I write this, unexpectedly as they came, the rains have left us overnight. It feels strangely like typical February days: bright sunshine and a strong gale blowing from the North East… but wait this is almost June, something seems terribly wrong. The mountain stands crystal clear and suddenly almost bare of snow, as if arrogantly backing Al Gore\’s grisly predictions. The rivers that border the Conservancy still swollen yesterday, have receded already, a timely reminder of the urgency to preserve what\’s left of our environment and all creatures within.\r\n\r\nBy saving and restocking the Mount Kenya National Park with some of its lost game populations we strive to help preserve the biodiversity of this unique ecosystem.\r\n\r\n\r\nIn those areas set aside for conservation flora and fauna must be considered paramount if we are to save our own kind as a species on this earth.\r\n\r\nIt is time for man to cease to conquer, but give way to nature to insure our own second place in this chain of earthly survivors.\r\n\r\nThis month we invite you to renew your memberships to remain part of this important ongoing effort. Your support now will mean so much for so many. Help us to make the future of our last remaining wilderness and the wildlife within less uncertain.\r\n\r\nAs I look up on this magnificent Mountain in whose shadow I was born I appeal to you to support all the creatures that need your help.\r\n\r\nWithout the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage even I would be history!!’,’Chaircat\’s Letter July 2007′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’chaircats-letter-july-2007′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:32:14′,’2012-12-26 20:32:14′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=830′,0,’post’,”,0),(831,7,’2012-05-31 20:43:54′,’2012-05-31 17:43:54′,”,’Cheetah’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’cheetah-10′,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:43:54′,’2012-05-31 17:43:54′,”,830,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cheetah-10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(832,7,’2012-05-31 20:47:22′,’2012-05-31 17:47:22′,’Mount Kilimanjaro appearing behind Mount Kenya, a very rare mirage – as seen June 12, 2007.\r\n’,’Mount Kilimanjaro appearing behind Mount Kenya, a very rare mirage’,’Mount Kilimanjaro appearing behind Mount Kenya, a very rare mirage – as seen June 12, 2007.’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount_kenya_mirage’,”,”,’2012-05-31 20:47:22′,’2012-05-31 17:47:22′,”,830,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mount_kenya_mirage.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2586,7,’2012-12-30 21:59:22′,’2012-12-30 18:59:22′,”,’Jomo Kenyatta’,’Jomo Kenyatta’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-11′,”,”,’2012-12-30 21:59:22′,’2012-12-30 18:59:22′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/Jomo-Kenyatta.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(851,7,’2012-05-31 22:00:26′,’2012-05-31 19:00:26′,”,’Don Hunt with elephant carcass’,’Don Hunt with elephant carcass’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-carcass-don-hunt’,”,”,’2012-05-31 22:00:26′,’2012-05-31 19:00:26′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant-carcass-don-hunt.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(869,7,’2012-06-01 02:29:53′,’2012-05-31 23:29:53′,”,’William Holden and Don Hunt’,’William Holden and Don Hunt’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’william_holden_11′,”,”,’2012-06-01 02:29:53′,’2012-05-31 23:29:53′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/william_holden_11.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(850,7,’2012-05-31 21:53:41′,’2012-05-31 18:53:41′,”,’Mary the Elephant’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_baby_mary_14′,”,”,’2012-05-31 21:53:41′,’2012-05-31 18:53:41′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant_baby_mary_14.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(854,7,’2012-06-01 00:54:52′,’2012-05-31 21:54:52′,”,’Iris Hunt with baby Mary elephant’,’Iris Hunt with baby Mary elephant’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_baby_mary_10′,”,”,’2012-06-01 00:54:52′,’2012-05-31 21:54:52′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant_baby_mary_10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(856,7,’2012-06-01 00:57:31′,’2012-05-31 21:57:31′,”,’Mary Elephant being washed’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_baby_mary_11′,”,”,’2012-06-01 00:57:31′,’2012-05-31 21:57:31′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant_baby_mary_11.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2606,7,’2013-01-01 23:03:27′,’2013-01-01 20:03:27′,”,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-giraffe-william-4′,”,”,’2013-01-01 23:03:27′,’2013-01-01 20:03:27′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant-mary-giraffe-william-4.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(859,7,’2012-06-01 01:03:18′,’2012-05-31 22:03:18′,”,’Elephant Mary with Don Hunt’,’Elephant Mary with Don Hunt’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-don-hunt-44′,”,”,’2012-06-01 01:03:18′,’2012-05-31 22:03:18′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant-mary-don-hunt-44.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(860,7,’2012-06-01 01:04:46′,’2012-05-31 22:04:46′,”,’Elephant Mary with Iris Hunt’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-iris-4′,”,”,’2012-06-01 01:04:46′,’2012-05-31 22:04:46′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant-iris-4.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2608,7,’2013-01-01 23:07:43′,’2013-01-01 20:07:43′,”,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-giraffe-william’,”,”,’2013-01-01 23:07:43′,’2013-01-01 20:07:43′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant-mary-giraffe-william.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2607,7,’2013-01-01 23:06:10′,’2013-01-01 20:06:10′,”,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-giraffe-william-3′,”,”,’2013-01-01 23:06:10′,’2013-01-01 20:06:10′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant-mary-giraffe-william-3.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2609,7,’2013-01-01 23:09:08′,’2013-01-01 20:09:08′,”,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’Elephant Mary and Giraffe William’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-giraffe-william-2′,”,”,’2013-01-01 23:09:08′,’2013-01-01 20:09:08′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant-mary-giraffe-william-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2610,7,’2013-01-01 23:10:54′,’2013-01-01 20:10:54′,”,’Stefanie Powers with Wildlife Minister Maina Wanjigi’,’Stefanie Powers introduces Mary to Tourism and Wildlife Minister Maina Wanjigi ‘,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-mary-wanjigi-stefanie-powers’,”,”,’2013-01-01 23:10:54′,’2013-01-01 20:10:54′,”,683,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant-mary-wanjigi-stefanie-powers.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(873,7,’2012-06-01 19:13:44′,’2012-06-01 16:13:44′,”,’Logo Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount_kenya_wildlife_conservancy’,”,”,’2012-06-01 19:13:44′,’2012-06-01 16:13:44′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/mount_kenya_wildlife_conservancy.png’,0,’attachment’,’image/png’,0),(878,7,’2012-06-05 17:44:06′,’2012-06-05 14:44:06′,’

Part Two • Roadmap to Freedom

\r\n

Mary\’s Story • The Elephant We\’ll Never Forget

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”info\”]\r\nThe story so far: Don and Iris Hunt, on Safari together will Bill Holden, rescue a tiny Elephant whose mother has fallen victim to poachers\’ bullets in the remote Samburu area of Northern Kenya. Iris takes the infant Elephant home to the Orphanage and makes a vow to return her to the wild one day – if she survives.\r\n\r\n\”Mary,\” as they call her, does recover and becomes a much loved member of the family and a long-stay resident in the ever-changing menagerie of the Orphanage. She grows into a healthy teenager… [/box]\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/mary-an-elephant-story/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 1 of this story[/button]\r\n\r\nEvery Day as I made my rounds to check on the animals at the Orphanage, Mary accompanied me.\r\n\r\nIt is, of course, impossible to guess what might have gone through her mind when we brought in the baby rhino or yet another little monkey or some other hapless critter. But instinctively she knew she should be gentle so as not to frighten the new arrivals and would try to help \”comfort\” whichever creature I was holding by gently stroking it with her trunk.\r\n\r\nBy then, Mary had grown into a not-so-slender juvenile jumbo weighing above 1,000 pounds.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur son Kevin and his wife Lydia came from the States to help us on the Ranch and they soon fell victim to Mary\’s charms. Lydia became a special favorite and after a while we had a sneaking suspicion as to why that might be. Lydia is a fabulous gourmet cook, spoiling us all with her exquisite French cuisine, and may have had something to do with a heavy penchant Mary acquired for gateau au chocolat.\r\n\r\nJust a whiff of chocolate would turn my well-behaved, even-tempered, normally gentle little giant into an unstoppable monster. I was convinced she would kill for chocolate cake. And that was not a comfortable feeling, especially with regard to large numbers of schoolchildren who continued to visit the Orphanage for wildlife education classes.\r\n\r\nThe thought occurred more often of the promise Don and I had made to each other some 12 years earlier. It was about time to make arrangements for Mary to start on her journey back to her natural environment and her own kind.\r\n\r\n\r\nAgain we sought the advice of our friend, Bill Woodley, Senior Warden of Kenya\’s Mountain National Parks, who would know best where we should take her. He recommended the vast Tsavo East National Park in the south-east of the country, and initially at the Park headquarters there, at Voi. Bill had in mind that Mary might benefit from the presence there of the Elephant matriarch \”Eleanor,\” whom his wife, Ruth, had raised as an infant before assigning her to the care of the former Warden, David Sheldrick, and his wife, Daphne.\r\n\r\nThe Sheldricks were no longer at Voi, but Eleanor still rarely left the headquarters\’ area and Bill felt we should introduce her to Mary as soon as possible in the hope that the older, wiser Elephant, still between two worlds herself, would guide the ingénue\’s first steps towards her rehabilitation in the wild.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe arrangement was duly made with the new Park authorities and we set about preparing Mary for the relocation. Don built a heavy traveling crate, which was left for a couple of months in the Orphanage so she could use it as a \”Wendy House\” and thus get well-accustomed to it.\r\n\r\nI also asked Lydia to stop by with her horse so Mary could meet someone non-human that was even bigger than her. She was terrified – trembled like I had never seen her do before – and refused to go anywhere near the fearsomely big equine. Shades of things to come, I mused? How would she feel about confronting a full-grown Elephant, never having seen one since she was a tiny baby. Would she remember?\r\n\r\nWe left Mary to play with her \”Wendy House\” and flew down to Tsavo to do a recce at Park Headquarters. The Game Scouts introduced us to Eleanor, then fully grown, whom they took on daily walks for miles around the dry bush-land so she could satisfy her needs for natural, wild food. But she always returned with the Scouts in the evening to spend the night at base near the stockades that David had initially built to protect her.\r\n\r\nThe Scouts reported that they often encountered wild herds on their daily wanderings, but that Eleanor would get jittery, panic even, whenever any of them came what she considered to be too dangerously close in investigating a curiously lone member of their species in the company of \”predatory humans.\”\r\n\r\nNot a good omen for our purpose, we thought, wondering if maybe we had kept Mary \”human-habituated\” for too long and spoilt her chances of total detachment and freedom.\r\n\r\nFor the headquarters\’ staff, however, Eleanor\’s nightly return to the stockades was actually seen as a good sign. She seemed clearly content to preserve her ties with the past and stay close to her long-term friends. But I had different plans for Mary. And to succeed, I knew that, when she was ready, the apron strings had to be resolutely cut.\r\n\r\nWith the aid of a hand-drawn map Bill Woodley had given us, we found the spot on the Voi River he\’d recommended for a camp site. It was perfect. We brought in a lorry loaded with everything we would need for what we then understood was likely to be a prolonged stay in the bush. We\’d realized that helping Mary on her way to rehabilitation could occupy us for several months.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, back at the Ranch, she had happily \”habituated\” herself with the crate and we were able to take her out in it for a test run, loaded on the back of a lorry that would ultimately transport her down to Tsavo. She was fine so long as someone she knew was near – very near.\r\n\r\nDr. Claude Walters, the Orphanage vet who had spent a great deal of time with her, volunteered to travel with Mary on the back of the lorry and his offer was gladly accepted. She would be comfortable with him and, should there be an unforeseen incident, it would obviously be good to have a vet at hand.\r\n\r\nChristmas had come round again and a final date was set for Mary\’s farewell to the Orphanage. She would journey down to Voi overnight and arrive at her new home, symbolically of course, at the dawn of the New Year.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDon and I went ahead to spend Christmas at the campsite in Tsavo, the festive mood somewhat subdued this year with the thought of Mary\’s imminent withdrawal from our lives 12 years on. We had made all the necessary arrangements before leaving the Ranch, including having a chocolate cake baked and kept in a cool box. It would act faster than a tranquilizer, just in case. Claude, Mary\’s friend and vet was left behind to supervise the loading and safe transport generally.\r\n\r\n\r\nDown at the riverside camp, we were joined by a bunch of friends. Stefanie Powers, the movie actress who had been our late partner Bill Holden\’s special friend and her mother Julie were eager to be there for Mary\’s debut in Tsavo. A long-time mutual friend then arrived, the Hollywood screen-writer Tom Mankiewicz, a natural-born comedian who did much to keep spirits up throughout the festive interlude. Our Daughter Kim joined us with her Infant son Ryan. Numerous other friends stopped by.\r\n\r\n\r\nOur always enterprising camp cook Sammy had managed to make some giant quiches on the campfire, which we took for a Champagne breakfast on Christmas morning to a picturesque spot called Lugard Falls. At one point, \”Mank,\” as we called him – glass in hand and effervescent himself – ran over to greet a tour bus that stopped nearby to expel a party of curious travelers. What on earth, they wanted to know, were we all doing in the middle of a semi-desert, sitting on hot rocks, swilling chilled Champagne?\r\n\r\nMank told them, archly, that breakfast with bubbly was on the daily menu of an up-market Safari we\’d booked in Los Angeles. He quizzed them on why they had opted for a safari \”package\” that didn\’t include such little luxuries – necessities, actually (i.e. civilized psychological counter-balances in the raw African bush.) Next time, he advised, they should book with the eminently bush-wise \”Mary\’s Safaris\” at their branch office in L.A.\r\n\r\nWhile we were all straining to keep a straight face, Mank proceeded to spell out the name of the person to contact: Ms. Mimi Nataka, and if she wasn\’t available, they should ask for Maji Moto. The grateful tourists wrote all this down and departed with the firm intention to complain to their touring firm about the unfortunate oversight. (\’Mimi Nataka\’ and \’Maji moto\’ were, incidentally, the only Kiswahili words we had been able to teach the intractable Mank. They mean, respectively, \”I want\” and \”hot water.\”)\r\n\r\nDon and I then took time out to fly back to the Ranch for a final check on Mary. But we were back at Tsavo on New Year\’s Day, anxiously waiting with the others at the turn-off to the Park Headquarters on the main Mombasa Road, for the arrival of the truck carrying Mary along with the escorting vet and African crew.\r\n\r\nAs we waited who should turn up, but the self same tour group of friendly folks that Mank had joshed at the Christmas breakfast. Now they wanted to know what on earth we were doing lined up by the side of a bleak and dusty road. None of us could think of an instant, half-way credible explanation – except Mank, of course.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHe told them we were waiting for the arrival of the customary \”Safari Elephant\” that followed us around on the tour on which we could take restful rides in turn. Hadn\’t they got one, he asked horrified? No champagne? No Elephant? Really they just had to complain!\r\n\r\nSome stared in disbelief, but before Mank was forced to elaborate his wild story, Mary\’s convoy drew up and we all rushed off to greet her. Our \”Safari Elephant\” had duly arrived to the further wide-eyed confusion of the doubters in the tour party.\r\n\r\nIn order to be close at hand and, if necessary, calm Mary during the trip, Dr. Walters had borrowed one of our upholstered wing-back chairs, which he\’d secured on top of the lorry in front of the crate. He had gamely sat in it for all the 16 hours of travel, so that whenever she felt worried, Mary was able to extend her trunk through the slats to \”caress\” her friend.\r\n\r\nThat had clearly been a frequent occurrence, judging by the reddish-raw appearance of his face. Mary had delighted in the touchy-feely-caressing game, unaware of how the rough hairs on her trunk would irritate delicate human facial skin.\r\n\r\nAt Park Headquarters, she was finally offloaded and disembarked from her crate into the protection of the stockades. She was tired but clearly happy to be re-united with the people she had known as \”family\” all her life.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThere were only a few hours of rest for her before Eleanor, unaware of what exactly awaited her, arrived back from her daily walk in the park. This was the crucial moment that we had anticipated and wondered about for so long.\r\n\r\nEleanor had sensed or scented a new Elephant at her home base from some way off. She had run the last mile or so, leaving her Scouts behind. A loud trumpeting announced her arrival and then suddenly she appeared, sweating and urinating with excitement.\r\n\r\nAfter a few moments, she collected herself and went over to greet the stranger by rubbing her trunk on her head. Much to our surprise, Mary did not flee to the far corner of her pen.\r\n\r\nShe trembled and also broke out in sweat, but something made her stay and tolerate the ordeal of her first encounter with a full-grown Elephant. We watched silently, hoping for the best.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter completing her initial inspection, Eleanor went off to have a sand bath, rubbing herself on the mound of earth we had dug up for the lorry to back into for the unloading. Then, as abruptly as she\’d appeared, she was gone. Mary finally could get some rest.\r\n\r\nI stayed with her that night, as I\’d done on that first night in the Orphanage. As for Eleanor she spent the night away from the stockades, something she had never done before.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAt dawn I was woken up by the sounds of Elephant. I saw Eleanor approaching calmly and Mary moving towards her – if tentatively, looking back at me for reassurance. Then suddenly she froze, startled. I glanced up in the direction of her stare and saw a big elephant rushing towards us, trumpeting and waving his head about madly, flapping his ears.\r\n\r\nIt was an impressive display, but not altogether unfriendly, as I knew from experience. All the same, I was thankful for the strength and security of the stockade that kept this unfamiliar, apparently wholly wild Elephant at a safe distance.\r\n\r\nEleanor remained calm; Mary retreated into the far corner of the pen. I pondered over the strange, mock aggression of the alien Elephant, not knowing quite what to make of it. It\’s was Eleanor\’s secret, obviously, since the intruder was evidently well-known to her.\r\n\r\nThe Game Scouts, alerted by the commotion, appeared to be somewhat wary of the still gesticulating tusker. They told us it was \”Raru,\” an Elephant that had spent time in the stockades as a youngster. He had been found abandoned, too old to be easily taken in and cared for, but too young to make it without his herd in the wild.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn fact, he had been kept at the stockades for a time, until, in his early teens, he had become a destructive nuisance. He had taken to digging up water pipes and wrecking whatever else he could get his trunk round and finally had to be forcefully \”seen off.\” It took a few impressive thunder-flashes, but finally Raru had gotten the message that he was no longer welcome at Park Headquarters.\r\n\r\nHe had not been around for several years and no one knew where he\’d gone, or so the Scouts reported. But obviously Eleanor had \”kept track\” of her old companion. She must have spent the night \’getting in touch\’ with him for the purpose of bringing him back to see the new arrival.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRaru was clearly still excited by the prospect. He rushed to and fro, tossing sticks and stones into the air and chasing any of the Scouts who ventured out to shoo him away. After an hour or so of this hyper-active behavior, they concluded that the rogue Raru planned to stay around for the fun of impressing his macho superiority over the young Mary, who was already well impressed – or actually terrified. It was not until towards the end of the day that he could be \”persuaded\” to depart the scene – again with the aid of a couple of thunder-flashes that finally sent him fleeing into the vast interior of the Park.\r\n\r\nWe all breathed a sigh of relief and resumed the business of caring for Mary with Eleanor in close attendance, extending a friendly trunk whenever she could touch our little Elephant. After a while, Mary seemed to enjoy the attention and Eleanor, if human feelings can be attributed to Elephants, looked almost \”touched\” by the younger animal\’s increasingly affectionate response.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThat night I felt safe to leave Mary alone in the stockade as I returned to the comfort of my own bed in our camp by the river. Eleanor had once again left sometime in the early morning, only to return later with another, bigger bull elephant in tow. Obviously another of her wild friends summoned for the occasion of Mary\’s arrival, but this time our fears in this regard were allayed. The big male was altogether calm and orderly, identified by the Scouts as \”Bukanezi,\” another Elephant that had spent some of his younger years in the stockades before finally wandering off on his own.\r\n\r\nHe was impressively large and apparently well-behaved, but Bukanezi, was not as altogether approachable as Eleanor. We all kept a respectful distance and learned not to invade his space.\r\n\r\nAll the friends who had joined us in camp to welcome Mary to Tsavo had returned to their various parts of the world, but our eldest son, Donnie, then arrived to help with her introduction into the real world outside the stockades. By then, we had started to take her out on short walks, always faithfully followed by Eleanor with Bukanezi also tagging along for a while. He lost interest eventually, disengaging from the party without a gesture of farewell and lumbering off into the bush.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEleanor, however, never took off again and became Mary\’s devoted chaperone. She seemed to well understand the bond Mary had with Don and I, but clearly didn\’t see Donnie as part of the family. This became painfully obvious on one occasion when she playfully gave him \”the shove\” and Donnie responded by scolding her.\r\n\r\nEleanor, however, did not consider the response appropriate, rushed up to Donnie and somewhat roughly separated him from the young elephant. Eleanor was clearly getting possessive, seeing herself \”in charge\” after Don and I, and Donnie conceded. From then on he kept a little space between them and there were no further problems.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEvery day we took the Elephants out on ever-longer \”safaris\” around the Park. This was necessary, we believed, to accustom Mary\’s feet to the harsh, stony terrain and slowly build up her leg muscles to prepare her for the time she would be wandering out there on her own.\r\n\r\nThere were other ambient considerations, including possible danger to her from predators. There would be a chance, for instance, that a lion would sense the vulnerability of a young Elephant out on her own and launch an attack. But so long as Eleanor was around, there would then be little or no chance of her coming to harm in this way.\r\n\r\nMary was becoming increasingly curious about her surroundings and started to wander off the beaten paths to explore. Somewhat disconcertingly, however, her erstwhile guardian, Eleanor, was often side-tracked by the arrival of a tour bus. Her placid interaction with humans had been encouraged to the extent that her interest would divert, for instance, from a nearby herd of wild elephants, which she would ignore in favor of meeting new people.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNot so Mary. From the start she showed positive interest in her own kind whenever she scented or heard them. We encouraged this, conversely discouraging her to follow Eleanor\’s lead in being over-familiar with people. We hoped this would eventually help her to make a lasting contact with a wild Elephant group. When she was ready for it, that is – not before she had learned the rules of the bush.\r\n\r\nIn this regard, we let her approach a pride of lions we encountered one day, deliberately allowing her to court danger so she might learn wary respect for the one predator, apart from Man, that could kill or seriously injure her. The object lesson was duly learned in a hurry when one of the lionesses rushed at her in a mock charge. Mary got the message loud and clear.\r\n\r\nShe never again approached lions that we ever saw, keeping well clear of them whenever she sensed their presence. In this way, and many others, both Mary and Eleanor showed a natural intelligence that amazed us all, not least in their response to common experiences. We learned something from them, as well as about them and the behavioral traits of their species in general.\r\n\r\nSome time later Don and I returned to the Game Ranch for a while, leaving Donnie in charge of the camp. I\’d been informed that a very young chimpanzee had been brought into the Orphanage and needed my attention.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter that, since radio and other means of communication with Tsavo were poor at the time – not at all as sophisticated as they are now – keeping up to date with Mary\’s progress meant frequent flying visits. Max the Chimp was for the time being dependent on me as his surrogate mother and I had no option but to take him with us on the flights.\r\n\r\nMary already knew the plane from her years up at the Ranch and invariably turned out to meet us at the Park airstrip, although prudently keeping well clear of the landing and taxi areas. She\’d apparently remember her old, well drilled-in lesson on the matter. As for Max, she merely accepted him in a friendly way as just another of the umpteen orphans she\’d seen divert my otherwise constant attendance on her.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOver the next few months Mary did very well, continuing to enjoy her long daily walks with Eleanor and her human minders – the Scouts and ourselves. She had learned from Eleanor to browse in the bush and go to water wherever they found it, if possible taking a bath and sporting herself in the mud which she particularly enjoyed.\r\n\r\nFor her own protection, over the following year or so, she would routinely spend the nights inside the stockades. We wanted to be sure that she had grown enough in size, maturity and experience to make it out there in the wild on her own. It became increasingly clear that Mary would face the final step by herself – without Eleanor. She had the necessary curiosity and instinct and showed enough courage for the challenge that would lead to her final freedom.\r\n\r\nPart of the preparatory process was that we should gradually withdraw from her ourselves. After a while we took down the camp and cut-back on the frequency of our flying visits to the Park Headquarters. Mary still greeted our arrival with excitement, but the Scouts reported that she was spending more and more time away from base.\r\n\r\nEleanor, on the other hand, continued to show no interest in moving out into the wild and joining up with her own kind. She had been restrained from this at an earlier age for her own protection and the cautious stand-off persisted. Neither she nor any wild Elephants she encountered showed any inclination to strike up an acquaintance. One researcher observing Elephants in the Park said it was as though Eleanor approached contact with the wild groups \”in the wrong manner.\”\r\n\r\nWith Mary, however, both the manner and the time were obviously right. When she made a cautious move towards a wild herd, they would also come towards her in a welcoming way.\r\n\r\nEventually the crucial contact was made, as we learned one day in a radio call from Park Headquarters. Mary had spent her first night away from Eleanor, out of the stockades and in the company of a group of free-roaming Elephants. Everyone was greatly relieved when she reappeared in the morning clearly none the worse for her experience.\r\n\r\nThat was the news we had been waiting for. Don and I – and the Chimp, now much bigger – then flew to Tsavo one last time to bid our final farewells to Mary. Final because I believed that an ultimate complete severing of ties was essential if she was to settle permanently into the life her instincts had led her.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI might have hung on, of course, maintained at least occasional contact. But that lingering reminder of her early years would have left her torn between two lives and two worlds.\r\n\r\nInstead, I stuck to the vow I made the day we took responsibility for the orphaned, perilous weak baby Elephant in Samburu – the pledge that, if she survived, she would one day return to the natural world where she belonged In the intervening years, Mary had given us so much joy that to give her final freedom, with no strings attached, was the least we could do in return.\r\n\r\n

Postscripts:

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\r\n\r\nMary remained with the wild herd that initially welcomed her. Don and I made a point of staying away, but kept in touch with the Scouts, who watched over her from a distance. She eventually produced a baby of her own, a little bull calf they named – what else but \”Don\”!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nEleanor, we were told, showed a curiously envious interest in Mary\’s new life. On being introduced to the infant, she immediately \”took charge\” and, according to the Scouts, actually tried to kidnap the calf. Mary\’s herd then moved in to chase her away.\r\n\r\nShe did eventually wander away from base and join up with a group of dowager cow Elephants, but so far as we\’re aware, Mary never went near her again. The last report we\’ve had of our former ward is that she had given birth to a second calf and was clearly thriving – literally \”in her element.\”\r\n\r\nIt is, therefore, an altogether salutary end to \”Mary\’s Story,\” which I hold myself to be the (previously) unwritten roadmap to freedom for future orphaned Elephants.\r\n

\r\n\r\n

Footnote:

\r\n\r\nTo date, 2012, Mary the Elephant was recently sighted with two of her wild bred offspring. She was the first Elephant ever to have been successfully released and re-adapted to a life in the wilderness. \r\n\r\nNot so long ago another Elephant called Mary was not so lucky. I recently came across this grisly story:\r\n\r\n

Drew Nelles recounts the history of animals being tried in criminal courts. Of note is the amazing story of \”Murderous Mary\” the circus elephant, who killed an inexperienced trainer in a gruesome manner before bystanders in 1916. The Tennessee townspeople demanded revenge:\r\n\r\nA cable and chain, dangling from a 100-ton Clinchfield Railyard crane boom, was slipped over Mary’s neck. The operator threw the motor into motion, and the derrick reeled in the chain, squeezing the elephant’s throat and lifting her from the ground. Mary twisted in agony; there was a sudden snap, and she crashed back to the earth, all 10,000 pounds of her, sitting there stunned and reeling with a broken hip. Some of the crowd scattered. But the job had to be finished. Mary’s executioners attached a heavier chain and tried again. This time it worked, and Mary finally died like the captive she was, with metal around her neck and a crowd looking on in awe and horror.

‘,’Mary: An Elephant Story – Part 2′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’mary-an-elephant-story-part-2′,”,”,’2012-12-30 21:55:26′,’2012-12-30 18:55:26′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=878′,0,’page’,”,0),(928,7,’2012-06-05 22:05:32′,’2012-06-05 19:05:32′,’

A Star is Born

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The Story of Batian the Cheetah • Part 2

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[box type=\”info\”]The story so far…\r\n\r\nA farmer brings a litter of four 9-day old orphaned Cheetah cubs to Don and I. None have ever been hand raised this young and I struggle to save them. We call the lone male \”Batian\” as he opens his eyes at sunrise one morning under the peaks of majestic Mount Kenya.[/box]\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/true-animal-stories/batian-a-star-is-born/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 1 of this story[/button]\r\n\r\nIn Africa, time passes quickly, almost unnoticed. Here on the equator days and nights remain the same throughout the year: Twelve hours of light and 12 of darkness. There is little change in the seasons, only dry and wet spells, dusty and green months, windy hot days followed by cooler dewy mornings.\r\n\r\nFor us at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch, the days taken up chasing adventure with a \”cause,\” a constant objective to bridge the span between the dream and realization.\r\n\r\nSuddenly, Batian, the little Cheetah cub who had first opened his eyes in my lap, was almost grown. Gone were the vigils of night feeding, the constant worry over the safety of the small furry bundle. The time was now past for teaching him to cope in an unfamiliar world. Batian had become a full member of our extended family.\r\n\r\nHe was at my side every day, whenever possible keeping me company on my rounds to take care of the other animals in the Orphanage, or on a shopping trip, or tend to my office work and the Boutique I had started at the Safari Club.\r\n\r\nIt never occurred to me what an odd sight it must have been for people to see a young European girl in Africa rushing about with a beautiful fully-grown Cheetah in tow.\r\n\r\nFriends who came to visit were charmed by Batian; most couldn\’t get enough of his affectionate purr and, of course, all wanted their picture taken with him. Word had got around and increasingly some of the famous visitors to the Safari Club came to call on us.\r\n\r\nWord had got around and Batian was becoming a celebrity and more and more guests at the Safari Club some among the \”great & good\” of the world took to calling at the house to make his acquaintance.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBatian, for his part, received them all with great dignity, never tiring of posing for cameras thrust at him by the flow of admirers. And there were many, right from the start.\r\n\r\nDavid Lean the famous Film Director saw Batian as a real star a \”natural,\” he said, with the talent of a pro and none of the tantrums. For Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, President of WWF International, it was \”de rigueur\” on his many trips to Kenya to come up to the house for breakfast with Batian. Not so much Don and I it was the bewitching Cheetah he really came to see.\r\n\r\nIt was the same for another Royal, Princess Margaretha of Sweden, who came every year to have her regal face licked by this wild creature she adored. Burt Lancaster, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, David Niven, Larry O\’Malley, Robert Redford, Isabella Rosselini, were just a few other notables to come for a visit with Batian. Even the good (some say notsogood) Bishop Makarios of Cyprus called in to stroke the spotted cat and so did Yugoslavia\’s mighty President Tito and Madame Broz his charming wife.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe lovely Hollywood star Candice Bergen marveled at his beauty, as did a very youthful Brooke Shields along with a stream of other glamorous young women, all wanting to be photographed with the benignly cooperative Cheetah. Some of them, like Batian, went on to become famous models.\r\n\r\nAmong others of his VIP visitors were some of the great movers and shakers of the corporate giants, from Estée Lauder for instance, Northwest Airlines, General Electric and so on.\r\n\r\nThe U.S. Government was here, friendly undemanding visitors from the State & other Washington Departments, taking turn and turn about with United Nations and World Bank executives.\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nI could go on with the \”Who\’s Who\” It was whoever, really, who had Mount Kenya on their Safari itinerary: Famous surgeons and other professionals, artists, composers, writers even politicians and journalists. All came to \”rub shoulders\” with a Cheetah. Above and beyond all, however, was our family of friends of the Animal Orphanage from the four corners of the earth.\r\n\r\nA lot of visitors then!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut through it all, fame never fazed Batian and it never dimmed his regard for me, his surrogate mother. He was always my biggest fan, never bored with lying around the house, looking at me for hours with his big amber eyes, sighing and purring, for all the world like a lovesick swain.\r\n\r\nIt wasn\’t quite like that, of course. But interestingly, he was definitely drawn to people who looked something like me. At any rate, he preferred blonde females to tall, dark and handsome men, especially if they obscured their eyes with otherwise sexy sunglasses. They literally raised the hackles on his back and turned him downright hostile.\r\n\r\nBy contrast, Batian was never other than friendly and endlessly patient with the \”bottle baby\” orphans that not infrequently diverted my attention in the house.\r\n\r\nMore often than not he would let an infant wild monkey pull his ears, or allow hyena puppies to crawl all over him. He would also lick a little baby antelope, not yet aware that the big cat was its natural enemy.\r\n\r\nHe even made friends with all our dogs, who might otherwise have been a bit put out by his favored place in the house. Don and I often took them all on long walks together.\r\n\r\nBatian was no longer keen on me bathing him. But he loved his daily beauty routine. I would brush him with a horse brush and at some point, he\’d roll over to make sure all his bodily parts were attended to. That was also fine by me, since I would sneak on some not-too-pleasant vermin powder to keep ticks and fleas off his under parts on his walks in the bush.\r\n\r\nI would wipe down his face with a moist warm sponge just as Cheetahs clean each other with their tongues. I also kept his ears clean with Q-tips while diverting him with a good scratching which he adored.\r\n\r\nBy now, feeding time was just once a day, in the afternoon. We tried to keep his diet as natural as possible with vitamins and other supplements added to maintain his always strapping health.\r\n\r\nOne a week usually after a big meal, Batian was made to fast for a day, which would be normal Cheetah style out in the bush. After that he\’s be ravenous and we\’d feed him a whole chicken with all its feathers on or a whole hare, to simulate what would be his normal wild food.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHe loved those hairy feathery feasts, spending hours sorting the meat from the \”detritus\” and always leaving a neat little heap of what he considered inedible. I spent hours observing and learning from his instinctive habits and behavior.\r\n\r\nIt all came in handy when we were approached to do some advertising commercials with Batian. At first it was simple, no problem at all. He got on fine with most people and still posed perfectly for the camera.\r\n\r\nThen one day, he got his big break after being spotted by a French advertising company that wanted to make him \”brand star\” of a then famous men\’s Eau De Cologne called Savanne.\r\n\r\nThat was fine with us, able as we were to negotiate a reasonable fee for his services that would not only pay for his own keep for a while, but more importantly also help with the ever increasing wild animal orphans we were caring for with our own resources.\r\n\r\nFor several years thereafter, the French team would arrive with a director, actors and crews to film some fanciful short story they\’d had dreamed up. The usual gist was that the hero \”Hunk\”, in deepest darkest Africa, would be confronted with this dangerous wild cat and survived the encounter – inevitably by applying the famously attractive scent.\r\n\r\n

Zut alors! Even a \”savage\” Cheetah is charmed by… Savanne, naturellement!

\r\n\r\nPersonally, I never did understand the thinking behind these scenarios. But the finished product always looked exciting on film and perhaps that was it.\r\n\r\nIn any event when the set was built, the director would instruct \”Hunk,\” the macho actor man and it was up to me to instruct the Cheetah in \”savagery,\” or whatever was his assigned role-play, which varied from year to year.\r\n\r\nThe cat himself took a great interest in the proceedings and was happy to cooperate, when he understood what was wanted from him, or I could somehow simulate the required action. Getting him to do his \”wild thing\” whatever perceived in the screenplay would usually mean me coaxing or fooling him into a \”mode\” or action that was altogether unfamiliar to him.\r\n\r\nThe first year it was easy. Batian had to chase Mr. Macho\’s Land rover at high speed and jump onto the back No problem! I just let him go hungry and then hid myself in the back of the speeding vehicle banging his food dish. As he caught up with the car, I let him have a glimpse of a feathery chicken in my hand and with that he took a flying leap onto the flat back of the truck.\r\n\r\nBrilliant! On film, it was a fearfully dangerous, probably fatal, attack by a ferocious wild feline gone mad. Thankfully Mr. \”Hunk\” had a bottle of Savanne handy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe following year, it was also easy: a mere leap off a rocky ledge. But then in the next scenario, he was required to sneak up to a waterhole and lap away at it, whereas Batian, of course, had only ever drunk from a dish.\r\n\r\nIn time the waterhole was approached cautiously. But then, when he\’d got over his suspicion of it, he still wouldn\’t lap as directed. He much preferred to play batting the water with his paws, delighting in the splashes.\r\n\r\nEven when he must have been thirsty, never did it occur to the cussed cat to take even a tentative tongueful of the perfectly palatable natural water. Clearly his job was on the line and I had to think of something quickly…\r\n\r\nI did. Minced liver! I smeared some of the offal he relished over most of all on the water\’s edge and waited.\r\n\r\nSure enough, Batian \”sneaked up\” sniffing the air and getting the scent. He then crouched down and greedily licked the muddy meat.\r\n\r\nPerfect. On film he was seen to be lapping the water with just the required gusto. His job was secured for one more year.\r\n\r\nFor the final commercial, however the agency came with a difficult task for me, that is the animal director.\r\n\r\nThe story board has the hairy human out on the African savanna, shaving his manly chin in the first light of the morning. As he concentrates on his image in the wing mirror of the truck, he suddenly sees the predatory big cat moving stealthily up \”to kill and eat him\”.\r\n\r\n(Really? A great hunk like him? Far too much meat on the hoof for a Cheetah to knock down with any great enthusiasm)\r\n\r\nIn any event the hero then turns to face the danger and with one squirt of his powerful Eau De Cologne…. Zut encore! Savanne has done it again! The wild animal leaps up in fright and takes off into the bush.\r\n\r\n

Really!! – So what to do?

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI could think of nothing that would make him leap up in simulated fright nor did I actually much want him to.\r\n\r\nThen, as time began to run out, the director suggested he might be terrorized into a suitable leap by someone presumably me! shooting off a gun close to the poor animal.\r\n\r\nNo way. That was immediately vetoed as far too brutal, and a risk to the Cheetah\’s delicate ear drums.\r\n\r\nBut I still had no solution and the Director didn\’t mince words in advising me that it was either the gun or \”no job\” and \”no job bonus\” for Batian. Finally frustrated he sent someone off to fetch a shotgun and I was thereupon ready to depart with my Cheetah at speed and well out of range.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime I wracked my brains what would be a natural cause for him to leap out of his skin as it were. And then it came to me. I\’d once seen him stung on the nether region by some nasty insect- and he\’d leapt alright. He\’d gone wild!\r\n\r\nMaybe that gnat\’s bite could be simulated. Shouldn\’t be too difficult, I mused, thinking over just how…eventually sending for some thin nylon fishing line and a band aid. I then separated a single long hair on Batian\’s belly, tied on the line and secured it tightly with the plaster.\r\n\r\nI told the director to have the cameras ready to roll. The Cheetah would jump, I assured him, but it would be a one-off. One leap (of simulated fright) and that\’s it!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGetting the nod, I coaxed Batian to \”sneak up\” to the car, looking for me hiding behind it – for him, just another of our regular games of hide and seek. Then as he got close to Macho Man at the front, I jerked hard on the line, which delivered something like a bee sting, albeit on a sensitive belly. But more with shocked surprise than pain, he duly executed a perfect airborne pirouette, let out a fierce snarl, and hared off into the blue beyond.\r\n\r\nGreat, everyone clapped. They wanted to shoot it again, of course and I had a job talking them out of it. Couldn\’t be repeated I insisted, and eventually they agreed, persuaded they\’d already got a unique sequence in the can that could never be improved on. I had a hard time convincing the crew that this could not be repeated, and eventually they agreed they had filmed a unique sequence that could never be improved on.\r\n\r\nI then went off to \”soothe the savage beast,\” finding him behind a bush.\r\n\r\nGiving himself the odd lick where he perceived he\’d been stung. But I quickly sorted that out with a rub of some appropriate soothing lotion I\’d thought to bring with me and, as usual, got a lick of appreciation in return.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConsummate actor that he was, Batian returned with me graciously to take his bows from the French director and crew who were full of compliments and actually doubled his bonus. Never, they said had they ever worked with such a \”trained wild animal so gracious, so well behaved, so obedient… &and so on.\r\n\r\nLittle did they know the \”how\” and \”why of it.\” Batian had never been properly \”wild,\” of course, and he\’d certainly never been \”trained\”. Life had always been full of games for him and for me, and to him the annual sport of Savanne was just a big one I\’ specially invented for him. Throughout his era of feline fame and stardom, Batian the Cheetah also became our first \”Ambassador for Wildlife,\” not only for his own kind but also for all wild species in decline – some in danger of extinction over much of East Africa.\r\n\r\nParticularly in Kenya, poaching for skins and other animal parts was becoming an increasing menace, and the more celebrities who could draw attention to the urgent need for preservation and conservation the better the chance of survival of wild Cheetah and the other endangered species. World concern on the issue, much of it due to them, would eventually have its effect.\r\n\r\nThe Oscar winning film actor Bill Holden our long-term friend and partner at the conservancy was Batian\’s biggest fan aside from us, that is. Whenever he was with us Bill would invariably spend much time lying on the lounge carpet \”talking\” to the animal, who always listened with evident respect.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOnce he asked me if I wouldn\’t want to take a picture of the \”star\” playing whatever they were playing on the floor. \”Why would I want to do that,\”? I replied, archly.\r\n\r\n\”Not me dummy\”, he grinned back, \” I mean Batian! He\’s the star around here\”!\r\n\r\nI anyway grabbed his small \”happy snap\” camera and shot what became a favorite picture of Bill\’s agent and his film producers.\r\n\r\nAs the years passed Batian inevitably began showing signs of advancing age. Like most of us, he came to prefer resting to running and we had to make sure he got his share of exercise.\r\n\r\nAs is the case with many old domesticated cats, a renal problem developed, but not until Batian had reached the already advanced age for a Cheetah of thirteen. Over the last year of his life, we had to adjust his diet to smaller, easier digestible meals of mostly fish, chicken and milk.\r\n\r\nEventually came the day when I knew that the end of his life was near. I spent all the daylight hours close to him, and when night fell and I stayed on, drawing strength from the closeness to overcome, in part, my feeling of despair and unashamed sentimentality.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTowards dawn, Batian\’s eyes were half closed, as they had been that early morning 14 years before, when he was looking out on the world for the first time. He had uttered no sound then, no doubt instinctively weary, but calmly accepting the warm cradling of my arms around his small body.\r\n\r\nWe had since bonded inseparably. His acceptance of a naturally alien human being\r\nwas absolute and unconditional, never other than affectionately loving and totally trusting – if such can be ascribed to any wild creature.\r\n\r\nAs the first light appeared, a familiar soft but weakening purr was the last sound I heard from Batian. His life gently ebbed away in my arms.\r\n\r\nMy vision blurred as I saw my own silent tears roll off the silky spotted fur like little glistening pearls, scattering where they fell in shiny crystal fragments. Still emotionally overwrought I eventually looked up and out at the night sky and saw the same glistening imagery in the scattered array of stars over Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nInstinctively I looked for the morning star and watched it fade into the first glow of sunlight rising from behind the great Mountain, its flickering gleam still reflected off the white face of Batian, the highest pinnacle after which the infant Cheetah had been named.\r\n\r\nI held him tight and said a silent prayer for a safe passage.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne after another beautiful dawn in Africa, I am up most days to watch the morning star ascend into oblivion and at that time and I can still \”hear\” that final purr, now with a feeling of gratitude that I was privileged to have known the loyal friendship of one of the greatest animals of them all.\r\n\r\nOthers who knew and loved him, Bill Holden especially, are also gone, their names inscribed on golden stars imbedded in the pantheon of a Hollywood sidewalk.\r\n\r\nBatian\’s star is a thing of Nature of Africa seen in the night sky over Mount Kenya. He was himself a \”star\” in life and his bright image has never faded, a memory that will always be alive in the part of the mind that poets call the heart.’,’Batian: A Star is Born – Part 2′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’batian-a-star-is-born-part-2′,”,”,’2013-01-02 00:52:59′,’2013-01-01 21:52:59′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=928′,0,’page’,”,0),(2631,7,’2013-01-02 00:31:33′,’2013-01-01 21:31:33′,”,’Batian Cheetah’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’batian-cheetah-shade’,”,”,’2013-01-02 00:31:33′,’2013-01-01 21:31:33′,”,928,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/batian-cheetah-shade.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(936,7,’2012-06-05 23:41:10′,’2012-06-05 20:41:10′,”,’Bush Pig’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bush-pig-2′,”,”,’2012-06-05 23:41:10′,’2012-06-05 20:41:10′,”,705,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bush-pig-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(956,7,’2012-06-06 01:36:27′,’2012-06-05 22:36:27′,’

The Princess and the Beast

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A Rescue of Grevy Zebra • Part 2

\r\nBy Iris Hunt\r\n\r\n[button link=\”http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/true-animal-stories/princess-and-the-beast/\” color=\”red\”] Click here for Part 1 of this story[/button]\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n An unplanned visit of royalty in our capture camp turns hazardous with a young elephant in trouble and her maddened mother on the rampage.\r\n [/box]\r\n\r\nAll went well to start with. The path was cleared and the Toyota driven to the hole. But as we attempted to attach the first rope, the trapped elephant screamed in fright and was immediately answered by the chilling trumpeting roar of its enraged mother somewhere close by. It was pandemonium for a few moments, Moran yelling and the ground shaking as the big tusker approached with alarming speed.\r\n\r\nSomeone thought to start the car and drive out, with the rest of us either jumping aboard or running alongside. We all make it OK, but clearly the plan had failed at the first application. We were disappointed, but also tired, hungry, very dirty and disheveled, so decided to call it a day.\r\n\r\nIt was late afternoon and the mother elephant would clearly stay with her calf for the duration, having temporarily defeated our purpose which – frustratingly for both men and beasts – was the same as her own. We promised the Samburu we\’d be back the following day.\r\n\r\nBack at camp, showered and smartened up, we joined the Amblers around the camp fire. Forgotten was any thought of their being a \”problem\” for Don and I. They were now altogether \”with us\” on the mission. Over Dinner we discussed strategy and how to forestall further perils we might encounter the following day.\r\n\r\nOur various roles in the renewed rescue attempt were determined, notably sentry duty for John after he\’d assured us that he\’d become a good marksman over many years of hunting with his fellow royals around their estates in Europe. He would stand guard with Don\’s 458 caliber rifle loaded and safety on, but with strict orders not to fire except in an emergency and only at Don\’s command. Margaretha would be on look-out duty on the ridge close to the hole, while the rest of us made another attempt to extract the calf.\r\n\r\nLooking back on it we must have been mad. But fortune favored the foolhardy in this case, since there had been a somewhat salutary change in the situation when we eventually got into position at the site. The calf had weakened significantly over night and the mother appeared to have almost given up, losing heart and disconsolately wandering further away than the previous day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nShe was still within hearing range, though, and there was a certain pounding of hearts as we attached the ropes to the young elephant in the hole. If she screamed, our lives would obviously be on the line again.\r\n\r\nNot quite as trustingly won over as Don, I was also worried about our particular protector with the heavy rifle. Could he really drop a charging elephant if need be? Or would he more likely panic and shoot prematurely?\r\n\r\nBut in the event we never got to find out. This time the calf hardly whimpered. It was as if she knew what we were trying to do and let us truss her up with the ropes without a murmur. It then took us two hours to ease her out, after which she collapsed in a heap on the ground.\r\n\r\nThe scouting moran arrived in due course to report that the mother had continued to move off and, by then, was several miles away. She had clearly abandoned her offspring finally and was seeking to rejoin her herd, on which her own survival would depend. Instinctively she would have known she had no choice but to leave her calf to its fate, which at that moment was actually not without hope. It was perilously weak, utterly exhausted and still unable to stand on his shaky legs. But the calf was still alive with at least some chance of survival.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNot without further monumental effort, however, since we still had to get the collapsed heavyweight onto the truck and take her away for resuscitation and whatever further care would be needed. A slope was dug out of the ground below the recumbent body, the car backed up and somehow the seemingly impossible was accomplished as the great dead weight of young elephant was hauled, pushed and slid onto the flat back of the catching car.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA new track with a gentler gradient and otherwise less hazardous for the loaded truck, had then to be cut through the forest. Don supervised the work, John in attendance, while the Princess did what she could to soothe frazzled nerves with her now familiar laid-back poise and charm. Finally, I was able to drive the car out, praying that the weight of the elephant would not tip it over on the still steep incline.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt was evening before we had settled her down on a bed of straw in a hastily erected pen at the camp. I had available – fortunately – an outsize feeding nipple, acquired from a farmer friend just a few months before with such a large animal emergency in mind. It was matter then of persuading the calf to suck on a bottle I\’d prepared of a re-hydrating mix of water, glucose and minerals. Not at all easy, as I knew from experience.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMargaretha and I took turns in trying to get the patient to drink, but with little success. We broke off for a while for a hurried meal, but then returned to the task since it was clear that with the calf still in a critically weakened state, the feeding effort was, de facto, a race against time.\r\n\r\nBy then both of us were close to exhaustion ourselves. But out of the blue, the lady Royal determined, regally, that she would spend the night lying alongside a wild animal – on which matter, incongruous though it might seem, she would brook no argument. In a certain parallel with another well-known Margaret, her husband advised us mournfully, that once her mind was made up on anything, \”the lady was not for turning.\”\r\n\r\nNor was she. The best I could do was negotiate a compromise. She\’d take the first shift until midnight and thereafter we\’d take shift and shift about. Blankets were then brought out for her and the elephant and we all repaired to bed.\r\n\r\nMe too – but not for long. I told Don that no way could I leave her out there at the risk of being rolled on by a hefty elephant. I thus got up and joined the unlikely pair in the pen. There followed a long, sleepless night, worried as we were for the life of our joint ward. But we talked our way through it and in the process bonded a strong friendship that lasts until this day.\r\n\r\nAround daybreak the young elephant decided all of a sudden to take some of the offered sustenance and began finally to suck on the bottle in Margaretha\’s hand. A little later, we made her up some warm Uji maize porridge with a little milk and sugar, and that went down a treat. At that point, we knew she\’d made it!\r\n\r\nIn just 24 hours, she\’d also got us both fully enamored. A brave and resilient \”Princess,\” I named her as a tribute to the same qualities that were so genuinely impressive in the unexpected safari guest and new-found friend.\r\n\r\nShe was able to watch \”Princess\” the elephant grow stronger over the next few days. Normally a two-year-old, as I figured she was, would not so easily become habituated to humans. But the species is endowed with considerable intelligence by comparison with other mammals, or so we believe, and this one might just have been aware of the ordeal we had all been through together. Never, at any rate, did she show any nervousness in our presence and certainly no aggression. She also seemed to have a special fondness, fully reciprocated, for Margaretha.\r\n\r\n\”Princess\” stayed with us at the Mount Kenya Animal Orphanage as a much loved resident for six months. She was a natural clown, clearly amusing herself as well as us and the staff with self-taught tricks such as standing on her hind legs for a candy. She loved doing that.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPresident Kenyatta then made a gift of her to the State Governor of Kano in Nigeria. We were sad to see her go, but she was growing fast and we couldn\’t anyway have kept her for much longer at the Ranch. Along with a Government wildlife official, Don and I went with \”Princess\” to Kano to help her settle in and ultimately to leave assured that she would be well looked after until her planned release back in the wild of one of the country\’s reserves.\r\n\r\nAs for her namesake…The Princess Margaretha went home to resume her more prosaic life of royal dignitary, supporting her brother who was duly crowned King Karl Gustav of Sweden. But the warmly informal Amblers have returned to join us on many more safaris over the years – though none, it has to be said, quite as indelibly memorable as the first.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

About Elephants

\r\n\r\nWhile watching the elephant \”Princess\” habituate herself to life in the Orphanage, I wondered where she got the idea of elevating her heavyweight frame into a sitting position and occasionally stand upright, Man-like, on her hind legs.\r\n\r\nI\’d seen it before, of course at a circus as a child, where elephants were induced by their trainers to assume such unlikely and somewhat comic postures. Since then I\’ve also seen it many times in the wild – the great beasts apparently naturally and voluntarily squatting on their honkers, front feet and trunk stuck out, and often using a fallen tree as a Park bench, so to say.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSitting or standing upright they look distinctly odd – like \”monstrous canines,\” as described by wildlife scientist, Dr. Richard Estes, in his fascinating book: \”The Behavior Guide to African Mammals.\”\r\n\r\nAmong other off-beat elephant idiosyncrasies, he notes the habit of tail-gripping, the pachyderm equivalent of hand-holding. A mother will sometimes loop a trunk round her baby calf\’s tail for the purpose of maternal guidance. Or more commonly, an older calf (of an appropriate height) will hitch up firmly to its mother\’s rear appendage, like a trailer bar – maybe for some motive assistance on a long trek across the bush, but at any rate, more obviously, so as to stay close.\r\n\r\nLike Dr. Estes, I\’m especially intrigued by the tactile expression of elephant mother-love and affection – frequently touching and caressing the small offspring – but also, when the occasion warrants, of stern motherly discipline, delivering a good slapping on a wayward calf\’s tail-end.\r\n\r\nClearly, in elephant culture – unlike modern Western human – the old maxim still holds of \”spare the rod and spoil the child.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMaybe a swish or two would be further appropriate on occasions when a gang of teenage mates, usually males, get a bit too boisterous, apparently \”showing off\” to people who stop to watch them. They\’ll rush at the cars, as I\’ve witnessed myself – flapping their ears and wildly throwing their trunks around, only to stop suddenly in their tracks to study – with evident satisfaction – the intended effect of their macho mock charges on the rapidly retiring tourists.\r\n\r\nNature or nurture? The perennial riddle of animal behavior obviously applies with elephants as with humans. Who could ever know exactly what\’s what in the equation?\r\n\r\nIn any event, it was fascinating to watch the interplay of mannerisms between the young orphan \”Princess\” and the people around her in her new environment. She certainly taught us a natural, uncultivated trick or two.\r\n[/box]’,’Princess and the Beast – Part 2′,”,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’princess-and-the-beast-part-2′,”,”,’2013-01-02 22:40:05′,’2013-01-02 19:40:05′,”,577,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=956′,0,’page’,”,0),(1690,7,’2012-10-21 22:36:11′,’2012-10-21 19:36:11′,”,’Elephant stuck in the mud’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_29_rescue’,”,”,’2012-10-21 22:36:11′,’2012-10-21 19:36:11′,”,701,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/elephant_29_rescue.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2713,7,’2013-01-02 22:31:02′,’2013-01-02 19:31:02′,”,’Elephant rescue’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_24a_rescue’,”,”,’2013-01-02 22:31:02′,’2013-01-02 19:31:02′,”,956,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/elephant_24a_rescue.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(2732,7,’2013-01-02 23:00:38′,’2013-01-02 20:00:38′,”,’Patas monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’patas-monkey-109′,”,”,’2013-01-02 23:00:38′,’2013-01-02 20:00:38′,”,693,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/patas-monkey-109.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1005,7,’2012-07-22 21:12:41′,’2012-07-22 18:12:41′,”,’Young bongo antelopes’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo_22b’,”,”,’2012-07-22 21:12:41′,’2012-07-22 18:12:41′,”,1004,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/bongo_22b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1004,7,’2008-06-22 21:13:09′,’2008-06-22 18:13:09′,’

Bongo News Update

\r\n\r\nOur Bongo Rehabilitation Project, which began in 1967 is now ready for the beginning of phase two: the actual release of our captive bred bongo back to the wilds of their ancestral home on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nThe first selected group from our bongo herd has now been \”in training\” to become wild again for over one year. Training entailed teaching the captive born animals a healthy fear of their natural enemies which of course includes man. \r\n\r\nBut first they had to brave a controlled wilderness area here at the Conservancy where they encountered dense forest undergrowth and steeply sloping terrain as would be their later habitat. Slowly artificial foods and water were withdrawn; they learned to eat wild shrubs and drink from the river. As they became more self sufficient every encounter with man was made unpleasant. To-date, we are happy to report that their natural instincts have taken over and these animals that you could once stroke are now hiding from our scouts, just what they need to do to survive in their new wilderness home.\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]

Our very special thank you goes to:

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• Dan Bramwell and Nikki Salter for their continued support
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• Jim and Karyn Del Rosso for adopting so many of our needy animals
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• Juliane Polster and Colleagues for their very loyal and generous support
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• Stefanie Powers and the William Holden Wildlife Foundation for your friendship and support
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• Paul Gary for your generous gift and your faith in us
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• Chuck Simmons for saving Chucky II, once again!
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• Glenn and Jeannine Maber
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• Gene and Patsy McNichols
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• Major Michael Betterton and family
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• Jack and Vanessa Peterson
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• Marc and Renee Redman
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• All very kind and generous donors
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\r\n\r\nAnd last not least every one of our friends from all over the globe:\r\n\r\nThank you all for opening your hearts and your wallets to help the animals and their environment. Without you, our work here would not be possible.[/box]\r\n\r\nDuring the bongo\’s eventual move to the rugged mountain wilderness they will be fitted with radio transmitters. Ron Surratt, Chairman of the Bongo SSP and executive officer of the International Bongo Foundation helped design a satellite transmitter which will allow our research team to follow their progress via Google Earth. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNever before has a release of mountain antelope back to their natural habitat been attempted… We hope that much will be learned from this first effort to pave the way for the future.\r\n\r\nWe now have 54 of these rare antelope in our breeding herds at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Annual releases are planned to take place each year in cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service. It is hoped that 200 to 300 bongos will form a sustainable wild population on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nWe dedicate our work with bongo to the memory of our friend and partner William Holden, who started this project with us in 1967.’,’Bush Drums June 2008′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’june-2008′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:23:17′,’2012-12-26 20:23:17′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1004′,0,’post’,”,0),(1012,7,’2007-07-22 21:19:25′,’2007-07-22 18:19:25′,’

Baby boomers make us proud \”grandparents\”

\r\n\r\nUp in the south western part of the Conservancy, where the \”Immigrant\” bongo tend to congregate, things have been lively.\r\n\r\nFirst to arrive this March was \”Zawadi\” (Gift) a female calf.\r\n\r\nAt the end of May to early June we were suddenly blessed with 4 more calves:\r\n\r\n\”Amana\” (Trust), followed by \”Rafiki\” (friend) and most preciously, \”Uhuru\” (freedom) born to \”Miss Kenya.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n\”007\” was the temporary name given to the only male calf born in 2007 to date. (The Cape May County Zoo\’s AAZK chapter of animal experts are sponsoring this calf and are planning a fundraiser for the project later this summer, watch this space…)\r\n\r\nBack in 2004 it was the arrival of \”Miss Kenya\” that brought tears of joy to all involved. She was the first bongo calf born on her ancestral land after the return of the American bred herd that had been donated by U.S. Zoological parks. Both \”Amana\” and \”Uhuru\” are second generation bongo calves born to their \”American\” grandparents. They will join in with the Conservancy\’s own survival group of Bongo bred here and earmarked for future release.\r\n\r\nIt\’s an important mile stone to celebrate – with your continued help and the work of all of our dedicated staff and supporters, we are one giant step closer to make the re-introduction of this magnificent Antelope to Mount Kenya a reality.\r\n\r\nNow this news just in as I write: We had yet another baby bongo born this very minute!!\r\n

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• Click here to read more in bongo news
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A new Wilderness Classroom

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Month of May saw Completion of our new Rhinogate Wilderness Camp

\r\n \r\n\r\nA \’Nature\’s classroom\’ specially built for our Kenyan students. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy hosts approximately 7,000 Kenyan students annually. The students come in groups from schools all over the region and are accommodated and tutored by our neighboring William Holden Wildlife Education Center.\r\n\r\nFor most of them, a trip to the Conservancy is their first contact with the Mount Kenya wilderness and the creatures that live there.\r\n\r\nThe new wilderness classroom at \”Rhinogate\” was built by Don Hunt (M.K.W.C Chairman) with the Conservancy\’s foreman Kimani and crew.\r\n\r\nDon remembers fondly his childhood breakaways into the wilds of Canada and what it meant to him as a youngster growing up. But there is more to it: (As told to Bill Holden and Don Hunt by James Nicholson in 1967)\r\n\r\nRhinogate was the name given to this exact spot many years ago. Major James Nicholsen, was the first settler to tame this land by erecting fences to protect his wheat and sheep. That was until he noticed that the fence greatly \”inconvenienced\” a lone Rhino that had lived there for many years.\r\n\r\nNicholson decided to built a gate in the fence.\r\n\r\n \r\nEvery night when the sheep were safely tucked away in the boma for the night, Nicholson would open the gate for the Rhino.\r\nThe Rhino soon learned that, as long as he had returned to the forest by morning no harm would come to him. Nicholson did not mind sharing a little wheat with this \’original settler.\’\r\n\r\nThat is how the first wildlife/human conflict was settled!\r\n\r\nToday we can demonstrate to our students at Rhinogate Wilderness Camp that a little tolerance goes a long way when it comes to sharing.\r\n\r\nOur educational programs are designed to reach young people of all ages globally.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

News of the White Zebra

\r\n\r\nSince the release of 50 of our home bred rare white zebra onto Mount Kenya, there have been several sightings of white foals born to them in the wilds of the Mountain forest.\r\n\r\nAll seem to have adapted very well.\r\n\r\nOccasionally a \’delegation\’ will return to the Conservancy\’s boundary. They mostly come at night and will \’call\’ to their brothers on the inside of the Conservancy. Our ongoing successful breeding program of these rare and beautiful creatures will insure future releases.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

Model Orphans

\r\n\r\nMuch in contrast to \’Oliver\’ Buffalo and some of his race, we still have \’Mara\’ the wildebeest and Kathy the delightful little orphan eland with us at the Orphanage. Both are growing up rapidly but are gentle and best friends.\r\n\r\nBecause they have no memory of having seen their own kind, it seems that the little eland thinks it is a wildebeest and visa versa.\r\n\r\nThey are welcome to stay a little while longer before their own journey back to a future in the wild.\r\n\r\nTo insure success we like them to be a little older, wiser, and most of all in top condition.\r\n\r\nIt will be interesting to see how they will deal with their odd bond once they are returned to their respective herds.\r\n\r\n

Helping to preserve the last of the Asiatic Lions

\r\n\r\nDon Hunt and Iris Hunt, together with Stefanie Powers, were invited to attend and advise at a symposium on the fate of the Asiatic Lion in Ahmadabad, India. They were joined by other experts on various aspects of the species survival from Kenya and overseas.\r\n\r\nThe Symposium was hosted by the Vanishing Herds Foundation who have worked hard and made it their goal to save the very endangered last few wild prides of the Asiatic lion.\r\n\r\nDon and Iris stayed on a couple of days in search of sighting a wild tiger. Little did they know they\’d end up on the back of an elephant to take them safely to where the tiger was hiding! The conservation of Bengal Tigers in India is a success story.\r\n\r\nThe Asiatic Lion deserves equal attention. Less than 350 animals remain in the Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat State. Unfortunately the Gir Sanctuary is crisscrossed by a highway, a railway, numerous temples and most importantly a big population of traditional hunters and pastoralists and their cattle who also call this home.\r\n\r\nThis is a very fragile and difficult situation that needs urgent attention. The symposium has already produced some encouraging results.’,’Bush Drums July 2007′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’july-2007′,”,’\nhttp://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/kimani-rimui/’,’2013-04-18 23:31:24′,’2013-04-18 20:31:24′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1012′,0,’post’,”,0),(1018,7,’2012-07-22 21:49:18′,’2012-07-22 18:49:18′,”,’rhinocerous_rhinogate-b’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’rhinocerous_rhinogate-b’,”,”,’2012-07-22 21:49:18′,’2012-07-22 18:49:18′,”,1012,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/rhinocerous_rhinogate-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1019,7,’2007-03-01 21:50:55′,’2007-03-01 18:50:55′,’

A Valentine Surprise

\r\n\r\nFebruary 14, 2007:\r\n\r\nPeter Fundi, Wildlife Officer at the Animal Orphanage called over the radio: \”Mama, we have a Valentine\’s gift for you.\”\r\n\r\nMy Valentine\’s \”Gift from God\” was red (with white stripes) and a definite case of love at first sight!\r\n\r\nBongo mother Alasiri had given birth to a bouncing baby bongo boy!\r\n\r\nMother and baby are doing well and continue to enjoy the relative privacy of our \”Suni sanctuary.\” Here both receive special attention and extra nutrition to give the little fellow a good start in life.\r\n\r\nOur little Valentine is up for naming and adoption. After a secure infancy, he and his mother will rejoin the ever growing herd of Mountain Bongo here at the Conservancy.\r\n\r\nEventually this young bull will enter the rehabilitation program and one day will graduate to his release back to the wilderness of Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nFor details please Contact Us.\r\n\r\n

Grandma Marci now has two Edwards in her life!

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• They are neither pen pals nor soul mates they are not even age mates,
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• But already they are best friends.
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• They live on different continents: One with his loving family in California,
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• The other at the M.K.W.C Animal Orphanage at Mount Kenya.
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• They met for the first time when \”their\” grandma Marci came home from her African Safari.
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• As a surprise Edward received an unusual fifth birthday gift:
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\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGrandma Marci had lovingly adopted this little charmer in Africa and named him Edward.\r\n\r\nSince then Edward (the California kid) has become an expert on duikers, regaling any one that will listen with stories about his adopted namesake the African bush duiker.\r\n\r\n\”Grandma Marci\” Rubin is delighted and so are we: Edward is our youngest convert conservationist!\r\n\r\nSome facts about the Bush Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Although common, this small graceful antelope of about 28 pounds is seldom seen. It lives singly or in pairs in thick bush or forest, seeking cover from the ever present predators. Its enemies range from the grand martial Eagle in the air, pythons on the ground, leopards and many lesser wild carnivore as well as baboons, even man who favor it as \”bushmeat.\” Despite all this the bush duiker has so far survived.\r\n\r\nSadly, since the onset of habitat destruction its own range also continues to be diminished. The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy strives to conserve all species in their own habitat.

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n(If you wish to adopt, name or foster an animal please Contact Us.)\r\n\r\nIn 1971 we rescued the last two surviving white Zebras from poachers.\r\n\r\nDue to an intensive breeding program of 35 years, the M.K.W.C. has successfully saved these animals from extinction.\r\n\r\nAfter an absence of over 50 years, the rare White Zebra have now been re-established to the wilds of Mount Kenya. This is their story…\r\n\r\n

Breaking News

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The Return of the White Zebra to Mount Kenya

\r\nThe Magnificent White Zebra of Kenya\r\n\r\nIn 1899, early British explorers recorded ghost-like pure white zebras living on the Leroghi Plateau in the north of Kenya. There were four of these stunning white equines living among thousands of the black and white common or Burchell\’s zebras on the plateau. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles to the south, settlers \’discovered\’ a couple more of these outstanding animals on the slopes of Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nThe British government was quick to declare these rare animals \”Royal Game\” which gave them the protection of the British Crown.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Kenya Colony Game Department with their colorful mounted patrols insured the safety of these very rare animals not ever seen before.\r\n\r\nAll the same, no more than 4 were ever reported to have been sighted at any one time on the plateau, and only two on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nOver the years, zoologists from all over the world came to Kenya to study these unusual animals. They were claimed to be \”Albinistic Sports\”. Their eyes were not typically pink as would have been expected in true albinos, but amber gold. But their muzzle and belly skin was pink and their manes white.\r\n\r\nWhen Kenya became an independent country under President Jomo Kenyatta, he took pride to declare the white zebras to be Presidential Game and with that the divisional Game Warden Maralal, Dennis Zaphiro was entrusted to safe guard their survival.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the ensuing years Don Hunt and his capture unit were commissioned by the President to translocate some of the game from the overgrazed northern areas of Kenya to other regions in Nigeria on the other side of the continent where game had already become sparse. During these capture and translocation operations the team often had chance to observe and admire the protected white zebra.\r\n\r\nThen, without warning the terrible poaching of Kenya\’s wildlife began. The Leroghi plateau especially was overrun by poachers from a neighboring country. By the thousands Kenya\’s wild animals were being slaughtered by bands of armed and dangerous poachers. The battle began with Game Warden Dennis Zaphiro and his brave rangers in the forefront risking their lives fighting superior armed hordes of poachers.\r\n\r\nIt soon became evident that the poachers were winning the battle.\r\n\r\nConcern for the survival of the white Zebra became urgent. Dennis reported that miraculously the small herd remained at 4 animals but he could not be sure how much longer they would be safe. He dispatched an urgent signal to the President for permission to have the animals moved to safety.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn hearing the news President Kenyatta moved swiftly to detail the Hunt capture unit to save the last 4 white zebra. It was high time. The Mount Kenya white zebra had already disappeared. The heavily armed Hunt capture team consisted of William Holden, Julian McKeand, Don and Iris Hunt and 20 trained animal handlers.\r\n\r\nBy the time the team reached the area, they found 2 of the 4 white zebra already slaughtered by the poachers. Now only two of Kenya\’s rare white zebra remained. They were hastily lassoed and taken to camp where bomas had been prepared to temporarily house them.\r\n\r\nA report was made to President Kenyatta that the remaining two had been saved. One was a very young little stallion, the other an older female. The animals were kept under armed guard at the remote Hunt safari camp for several weeks, awaiting word from the President as to their future.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the advice on his senior Game Wardens, President Kenyatta then gave the animals under license to The Mount Kenya Game Ranch with the request that they be cared for, bred if possible, in the hopes that one day some of their offspring could be returned to the wild if the poaching problem could be solved.\r\n\r\nDr. Warren Thomas of the Los Angeles Zoo assisted The Mount Kenya Game Ranch in setting up a breeding program for Kenya\’s last two white zebra using the herds of black and white zebra that had come to the Game Ranch from the same area as the whites.\r\n\r\nIn the year 2004, some 33 years after the white zebra rescue operation, our ongoing efforts to save the white Zebra have resulted in one of the most successful breeding programs in the history of African wildlife conservation.\r\n\r\nThe guesstimate of the total numbers of the white Zebra in the wild never exceeded 8 animals since they were first recorded and protected.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Herd of Rare White Zebra

\r\n\r\nIn 2004, 81 of these rare and valuable animals now existed at the Mount Kenya Game Ranch.\r\n\r\nA program is now underway to return these beautiful animals to the wild.\r\n\r\nSmall groups now totaling 50 of these rare animals have to date been successfully released on the foothills of Mount Kenya. More will follow. A keen eye is kept on their welfare in the Mount Kenya National Park. Whilst the stock animals often return to the outskirts of the Ranch (now the Conservancy) that they were born on, it is believed that their offspring will prove more adventurous and eventually lead the herd into the vast mountain wilderness areas. Already we have recorded two births since their release earlier this year!\r\n\r\nThe next phase will be a safari to the Leroghi Plateau to attempt safe release of more of these unique animals into Samburu country.\r\n\r\n

Post script

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMany of the real heroes of saving the white zebra are no longer here to enjoy the sight of the white Zebra roaming free on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nThey are:\r\n

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• President Jomo Kenyatta
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• Denis Zaphiro, Divisional Game Warden and his rangers
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• Dr. Warren Thomas, former Director of the Los Angeles Zoo
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• William Holden
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• And many of the early members of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch Capture Unit
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\r\nOn behalf of their combined efforts we are grateful to the JL Foundation, USA who funded the return of white zebra to the wild and honored us with their trust.\r\n\r\nThe Trustees\r\n
\r\nMount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’,’Bush Drums March 2007′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’march-2007′,”,”,’2013-01-07 02:46:51′,’2013-01-06 23:46:51′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1019′,0,’post’,”,1),(1020,7,’2012-07-22 21:52:41′,’2012-07-22 18:52:41′,’

We\’d love to hear from you!

\r\n\r\n\r\nSuggest ideas for our web site, Submit a question, or Send a note to our Staff.\r\n\r\nIf sending a check, those can be mailed to our address at the right. If doing so, please alert us by using this Contact Form.’,’Contact’,’Contact the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Suggest ideas for our web site, Submit a question, or Send a note to our Staff. Thank you for your support!’,’publish’,’open’,’closed’,”,’contact’,”,”,’2015-07-07 11:29:19′,’2015-07-07 08:29:19′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?page_id=1020′,99,’page’,”,0),(1029,7,’2006-12-01 22:16:11′,’2006-12-01 19:16:11′,’

A Time to celebrate

\r\n\”Bwana Don\” Hunt, Co-founder of the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and Wildlife Conservancy celebrated his 75th year this last October.\r\n\r\nIn a ceremony honouring their leader, staff and members of the Conservancy hosted a surprise party among the animals at the Orphanage.\r\nDon Hunt and Kimani\r\n\r\nThere were many speeches and good wishes.\r\n\r\nA touched Don said that \”The best is yet to come,\” when he reflected on his 45 years of conservation work in Africa. Word had just come that trackers think they may have located signs of the survival of a very small group of Bongo in the almost impenetrable thickets of the eastern Mount Kenya Forest. If proven correct this is fantastic news indeed after no sign of any Bongo there for more than 10 years.\r\n\r\nDon Hunt started the conservation of the mountain bongo with his capture for captive breeding program more than 30 years ago. Today the Conservancy\’s bongo rehabilitation program is well along with multiple bongo births every year. A small group of mature animals are now roaming free in the yet supervised wilderness of the large forest bomas bordering the National Park. The news of the existing isolated wild group of… animals could not have come at a better time.\r\n\r\nYour help is needed now more than ever to make this program come to fruition with the first release of captive bred animals on Mount Kenya. The next step includes fitting transmitters prior to the release in order to track the groups\’ movements.\r\n\r\nThe Conservancy is grateful for your help in this unique project to save not only the magnificent Mountain Bongo but also the ecosystem that is Mount Kenya for generations to come.\r\n\r\n

Bush Babies Wanted

\r\n\r\nA special new wall of tiles at the animal Orphanage was started in honor of our youngest supporters.\r\n\r\nFor a one time $50 donation a tile bearing the name of the young animal lover is permanently placed at the animal orphanage\’s wall of \”Bush baby\” sponsors. (For the larger \”group\” tile a donation of $200 is expected.)\r\n\r\nAn ideal opportunity to show a child the way to participate in conservation and learn how he/she can make a difference.\r\n\r\n\r\nMeanwhile our wall of tiles is growing but there is still a space for your name to be placed among our:\r\n\r\n

• \”Friends\” ($125)
\r\n
• \”Golden Friends\” ($500)
\r\n
• \”Platinum Friends\” ($1000)
\r\n
• \”Wildlife Guardians\” ($10,000)

\r\n\r\n

Top honor for a M.K.W.C. fellow Trustee

\r\n\r\nElder of the Burning Spear\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPaul Ndungu, a founder/Trustee of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy was recently awarded a very special honor by Kenya\’s President Kibaki who bestowed upon him the order of the Elder of the Burning Spear.\r\n\r\nPaul received the award in recognition of his service to Kenya in regulating the just distribution of land, and in particular protecting forest land from destruction to preserve vital water levels in rivers and the great lakes of the Rift Valley.\r\n\r\nAs our long time lawyer and personal friend we are especially proud to have Paul on our team. His work for Kenya and her people does much to preserve their rich natural heritage for the future citizens of this world.\r\n\r\n

Their New Hobby: Conservation for Fun

\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nThey traveled from all corners of Kenya as far away as Eldoret in western Kenya and Taveta in the south. A record total of 9600 Kenyan students were invited to visit and learn from our conservation programs this year.\r\n\r\nThey toured the Conservancy and had their first ever glimpse of rhinos, marveled at the zebra and watched the hippo bathe. Most of the kids had only heard about the mighty buffalo and majestic eland from the stories their grandfathers told. None of them had ever dreamed they would be able to touch a bongo or feed a bushbuck. They learned how the different kinds of primates play a vital part in our ecology. And how it is possible to co-exist with lions and cheetahs.\r\n\r\nRanging in ages from 6 to 20 our young students enjoyed touching and feeding the orphaned animals.\r\n\r\n\”An experience I will never forget,\” remarked Stella Kaimiu and she spoke for most of the students when she later wrote: \”It has helped us realize how important it is to conserve the environment and the wildlife.\”\r\n\r\n\r\nCatherine Osoro celebrated \”The True Beauty of Kenya\” in a poem she wrote after her visit.\r\n\r\nMost of our student visitors come to the Conservancy from our adjacent William Holden Wildlife Education Center.\r\n\r\nFounded by Stefanie Powers, Don and Iris Hunt and Julian McKeand, the center is funded entirely by international donations. Stefanie works tirelessly to fund and organize the various educational and outreach programs offered. She is also a loyal supporter of our own work with wildlife and visits us and the students as often as she can.\r\n\r\nDavid McConnell, administrator, spoke for us all when he said:\r\n\r\n\”It is indeed very satisfying to receive letters showing so much appreciation of our work that has left a lasting impression on these young minds.\”\r\n\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\nFinally, Margaret Muthee, on a recent student-visit celebrated the bongo antelope as \”A real Beauty\” and ended her poem like this:\r\n\r\nHer journey so long\r\n\r\nTo the place she belongs\r\n\r\nForever we shall cherish\r\n\r\nOur promise we\’ll keep – to make\r\n\r\nHer flourish,\r\n\r\nFor she is a beauty![/box]’,’Bush Drums December 2006′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’december-2006′,”,”,’2012-12-27 00:04:11′,’2012-12-26 21:04:11′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1029′,0,’post’,”,0),(1036,7,’2006-04-23 21:00:34′,’2006-04-23 18:00:34′,’

News and highlights from the African animal keepers\’ diaries

\r\n\r\nShortly before the rains most birds are busy incubating their eggs.\r\n\r\nMany are lost to predators. Our wild population of Blacksmith Plovers have found the perfect answer.\r\n\r\nThey don\’t hide but lay their grey mottled eggs right by the road among some natural stones, so concealed, only a keen trained eye would be able to spot them.\r\n\r\n\r\nMale and female take turns \”sitting,\” and the trick is: Do not attract attention by fleeing from passing cars, predators, even animal keepers! We discovered the eggs just a few weeks ago and anxiously await hatching.\r\n\r\nThey\’ve arrived: The eggs hatched \”on schedule\” and just in time. Two perfect little mini plovers are the first of many expected \”baby boomers\” at the Conservancy this rainy season!\r\n\r\nTrying to get a photograph, we were attacked by the entire extended plover family, dive-bombing our heads, protecting the young in an unequalled arial display.\r\n\r\nLater the chicks were quietly moved away from the road to a \”secret location\” we have yet to find.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n

Super Hog

\r\n\r\nEvery one loves Chucky the Orphanage clown.\r\n\r\n\r\n

He came to us a tiny trembling Orphan (right) and has grown into a handsome hog (left).

\r\n\r\nHis tusks are also growing rapidly, but Chucky has stayed \”nice.\” He shows no signs of aggressive behavior.\r\n\r\nChucky continues to accompany visitors around, grunting, showing off his \”home.\”\r\n\r\n

Honored Guest

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMarch saw the return of our loyal friend and supporter Jack Hanna.\r\n\r\nJack and his wife Suzie led a group of American Conservationists to visit our Bongo rehabilitation project. While here our famous guest donated his time to visit with Kenyan schoolchildren. Together with our Chairman Bwana Don Hunt they took the kids around the Orphanage and delighted them with animal stories and the fruits and enjoyment conservation can bring to their lives.\r\n\r\nLater Jack\’s film crew joined as he explained the Bongo program to the youngsters and sat down with Bwana Don to hear some of the animal stories of olden times.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nJack Hanna is a profound supporter of the Conservancy\’s bongo rehabilitation program. In order to view the progress of the first 3 Bongo selected for release into their ancestral natural habitat on Mount Kenya Jack had to hike for several hours with our game scouts. He was rewarded with a rare glimpse of two of the magnificent bulls.\r\n\r\nJack tells us highlights of this safari and his other recent African adventures will air on television soon.\r\n\r\n

Odd friendship

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThey would never mingle in the wild, but anything is possible at our animal orphanage. Our new baby bongo Ian Raha is seen here whispering to Karen the bushbuck!!\r\n\r\nA strange strong bond has formed between new baby bongos \”Malaika,\” \”Ian Raha,\” Kathryn (now a teen), Malaika\’s dam, and the bushbuck Karen.\r\n\r\nBoth Kathryn and Karen act as \”nannies\” to the new baby bongos. We have recorded the same behavior in the wild among Eland and Impala antelopes. This allows their mothers to get some \”down time\” for themselves and the result is their excellent state of health.\r\n\r\nSoon they will be joined by the latest arrival born a few days ago: Not yet named this latest Gift from God is shown here a mere 8 hours old!\r\n\r\nIt\’s a beautiful baby bongo boy, and up for naming and adoption! Contact us for details, we can help with Swahili names of your choice.\r\n\r\nClick the link below for updates:\r\nBongo Rehabilitation Program\r\n\r\n

Record class Rhino?

\r\n\r\n\r\nHeaded for the Guinness Book of Records? Our white Rhino \”Big Mama\” is certainly trying!\r\n\r\nThat is if she doesn\’t knock off her trophy horn accidentally first.\r\n\r\nRhino Horn consists of hair not actually horn. By constant usage the horn may wear down and develop a weak spot. \r\n\r\nThe last Rhino horn of giant size was that of the famous black Rhino \”Gertie\” who lived at Amboseli National Park in Kenya in 1950/60.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMuch photographed she became famous and attracted many visitors to that area, before she disappeared. It was suspected that she may have fallen prey to poachers.\r\n\r\nTo prevent poaching at the Conservancy we guard our Rhinos by day. Every night these giants voluntarily return to an area adjacent to the Orphanage where they can safely rest.\r\n\r\n

Our very special thank you this month goes to:

\r\n\r\nCharles \”Chuck\” E. Simmons, godfather to our own \”Chucky\” for his loyal support year after year.\r\n\r\nJulian and Jane McKeand who were with us from the beginning, for their very generous support and encouragement.\r\n\r\nMr. and Mrs. Gary Roubinek for adopting \”Malaika.\”\r\n\r\nJonathan Koppenol and Karrie Meyer for adopting \”Isis\” in support of our Cheetah breeding program.\r\n\r\nMr. & Mrs. Charles Ebeling for adopting and giving our bongo baby IAN his Kiswahili name Raha (Ian\’s bliss).\r\n\r\nChuck Cavanaugh, our talented webmaster who has worked tirelessly and successfully at improving our fundraising methods.\r\n\r\nLast, not least Xavier Capron for fostering our just born Caracal and also to all our loyal members that have shown their support by renewing their membership: Your continued encouragement and support makes it all worth while!\r\n ‘,’Bush Drums April 2006′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’april-2006′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:32:36′,’2012-12-26 20:32:36′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1036′,0,’post’,”,0),(1031,7,’2012-07-23 20:45:35′,’2012-07-23 17:45:35′,”,’Don with Kimani Rumru’,’\”Bwana\” Don celebrating with Kimani Rumrui who has been working with us from the start!’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’don_hunt_kimani’,”,”,’2012-07-23 20:45:35′,’2012-07-23 17:45:35′,”,1029,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/don_hunt_kimani.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1024,7,’2012-07-22 22:08:19′,’2012-07-22 19:08:19′,”,’Edward has got Duikers on his mind!’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’edward_duiker-b’,”,”,’2012-07-22 22:08:19′,’2012-07-22 19:08:19′,”,1019,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/edward_duiker-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1037,7,’2012-07-23 21:11:40′,’2012-07-23 18:11:40′,”,’Bush Pig’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’warthog_chucky_kenya-b’,”,”,’2012-07-23 21:11:40′,’2012-07-23 18:11:40′,”,1036,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/warthog_chucky_kenya-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1039,7,’2012-07-23 21:14:44′,’2012-07-23 18:14:44′,”,’Blacksmisth Plover Nest’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’blacksmith_plover_nest_2b’,”,”,’2012-07-23 21:14:44′,’2012-07-23 18:14:44′,”,1036,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/blacksmith_plover_nest_2b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1045,7,’2005-11-23 21:32:59′,’2005-11-23 18:32:59′,’

Respect thy fellow… Horse?

\r\n\r\nOne time intern and enthusiastic Animal Orphanage supporter Franziska Schoeller from Berlin, Germany, sent us this good advice on how to earn the respect (and obedience) of our equine friends. \r\n\r\nTurns out that she has named her new horse after one of Mount Kenya\’s peaks: Lenana. \r\n\r\nSays Franziska:\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\”My new horse is so huge, when mounting her I always feel reminded of my climb up to point Lenana, on beautiful Mount Kenya.\”\r\n\r\nFranziska feels old fashioned \”breaking\” of a horse is unwise if not cruel, she believes in earning the respect and confidence of your horse.\r\n\r\n\”By sending her away and letting her come close, gently but always at your demand the horse will come to accept you as the chief (of the herd).\r\n\r\n\”The horse will then do everything for you with joy, because horses like their leader to make decisions for them, as long as they feel secure. Once the horse is allowed to act like himself, it is the human who has to try to understand the horse and not the opposite. Since we humans are known to be (on average…) more intelligent than horses, this seems much the better way.\”\r\n

\r\n\r\nThank you Franziska, good advice for all you amazons and horsemen out there! (If this does not work for you, there\’s always the old carrot…!)\r\n\r\n

Our very special thank you this month goes to:

\r\n\r\nFranziska and Florian Schoeller and the congregation of the Nienstaedter Church in Hamburg, Germany for donating the collection from their wedding service to help the Kenyan bongo.\r\n\r\nJeanne Stewart who has supported the work of the Conservancy year after year.\r\n\r\nStefanie Powers and the William Holden Wildlife Foundation for continued moral and financial support.\r\n\r\nPetoskey \”Friends of Africa\”:\r\n\r\nLynne Symons for her continued support and generous donation,\r\n\r\nKen and Ginger Winter for their encouragement and kind donation.\r\n\r\nChuck Cavanaugh, our talented webmaster who has worked tirelessly and successfully at improving our fundraising methods.\r\n\r\nLast, not least all our loyal members that have shown their support by renewing their membership: Your continued encouragement and support makes it all worth while!\r\n\r\n\r\nThese two Zebroids enjoy \’retirement\’ at the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. They love their human friends and keepers.\r\n ‘,’Bush Drums November 2005′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’november-2005′,”,”,’2012-12-27 01:17:17′,’2012-12-26 22:17:17′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1045′,0,’post’,”,0),(1046,7,’2012-07-23 21:36:24′,’2012-07-23 18:36:24′,”,’Zebroids at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’zebroids_mount_kenya’,”,”,’2012-07-23 21:36:24′,’2012-07-23 18:36:24′,”,1045,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zebroids_mount_kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1049,7,’2012-07-23 21:39:26′,’2012-07-23 18:39:26′,”,’Franziska Schoeller’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’franziska_schoeller-b’,”,”,’2012-07-23 21:39:26′,’2012-07-23 18:39:26′,”,1045,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2005/11/franziska_schoeller-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1055,7,’2005-03-23 21:48:03′,’2005-03-23 18:48:03′,’Forest on Fire!\r\n\r\nWhile February and March brings us some of the finest weather for visitors on safari, for the local population of humans and animals alike it is probably the worst time of the year.\r\n\r\nStill lush and green at Christmas, we are now looking out on a dry landscape, wilting bush and sparse grasslands. The days seem longer, the unforgiving warm wind relentlessly wringing out the last drops of moisture left in the surviving vegetation.\r\n\r\nPhotos courtesy of Bongo Woodley\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe animals too appear sluggish, preserving what energy they have left to last until the live giving rains appear in dark rolling clouds on the horizon. There is no trouble from marauding Elephants on the mountain now. The huge pachyderms too prefer to rest deep in the coolness of the valley crevasses of the mountain to stay near streams reduced to a trickle. When the rains come, water will accumulate here fast.\r\n\r\n\r\nBut first another danger looms: Forest fires. While scientists agree that in the course of nature fire plays an important part, roles have changed with the increase of us, the human population. Oftentimes, forests fires are purposely started to gain land for cultivation. \r\nThe greatest danger lies in that these burnt lands may be lost to the forest FOREVER and never get the chance to regenerate.\r\n\r\nFighting fires on Mount Kenya has been a major concern for the senior warden-in-charge of the Mount Kenya National Park, Bongo Woodley, and the Forest Department. In the past weeks this challenge has been stressed to the limits. For days and weeks we have seen thick smoke emerge above us burning valuable virgin forest. With limited resources and almost no equipment Bongo\’s men are bravely facing each new fire, fighting a losing battle.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Or so we thought, as we watched the fires racing towards us fanned by high winds. That day, fate led Bongo to meet 3 United States Forest Service Wildfire experts that were in the country to help teach a fire-fighting course to members of the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Forest Department, as a part of a United Nations program. Bongo managed to persuade them to follow him, leaving their classrooms and mobilizing their students to help.

\r\n\r\nIn no time Bongo\’s men (KWS & FD) were offered equipment and expert guidance as the red wildfire became part of the training exercise of the course.. Soldiers from the nearby Kenya Army barracks came to help and were joined by many civilians.\r\n\r\n\r\n

Bongo spent all the daylight hours at the controls of his Aviat Husky, flying low , braving the wind and smoke to give life saving surveillance over the radio to direct the men on the ground.

\r\n\r\nMiraculously, they beat the worst of the menace, and, at least for today, the fires are out.\r\n\r\nWhen the first raindrops fall a new life cycle begins. As I write we have had only a little rain, not nearly what is needed. Every day thousands of human faces turn skywards with apprehension. An African saying goes that after the fire comes the rain. We just hope it does not take another fire.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We are grateful to Bongo Woodley and all our brave men and women here and their American counterparts volunteering help, risking their life in a far away land for the good of us all.

\r\n\r\nBongo will see to it that the burnt forest is given a chance to regenerate. Just so long as there is life giving rain.’,’Bush Drums March 2005′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’march-2005′,”,”,’2012-12-25 02:13:02′,’2012-12-24 23:13:02′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1055′,0,’post’,”,0),(1057,7,’2012-07-23 21:51:16′,’2012-07-23 18:51:16′,”,’Mt. Kenya Fires’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’kenya_fires_2005_2b’,”,”,’2012-07-23 21:51:16′,’2012-07-23 18:51:16′,”,1055,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2005/03/kenya_fires_2005_2b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1060,7,’2005-02-01 00:35:16′,’2005-01-31 21:35:16′,’

Birdbrain?

\r\n\r\nOur friend Denis Murphy found this \’jewel\’ in a Mexican newspaper recently:\r\n\r\nBored Royal Air Force pilots stationed on the Falklands Islands have devised what they consider a marvellous new game. Noting that the local penguins are fascinated by airplanes, the pilots search out a beach where the birds are gathered and fly slowly along it at water\’s edge.\r\n\r\n\r\nPerhaps 10,000 penguins turn their heads in unison watching the planes go by, and when the pilots turn around and fly back the birds turn their heads in the opposite direction, like spectators at a slow motion tennis match. Then, the paper reports, the pilots fly out to sea and directly to the penguin colony and over fly it. Heads go up, up, up, and ten thousand penguins fall over gently onto their backs.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe rare and only African Penguin, (formerly known as the Jackass Penguin is now under protection in South Africa, where several colonies can be seen near Cape Town. We visited them in November \’04 and found them to be doing extremely well.\r\n
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Terrible Teens!

\r\n\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]Our charming teenage caracals await your adoption. One male and one female are available. If you would like to be the proud god-parent of one of these orphaned animals please Contact Us at the Animal Orphanage.[/box]\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nOur cute and fluffy little African caracal kittens have turned into handsome teens overnight it seems!\r\n\r\nThey are large for their age and still growing at this time. To give them more room to romp we have constructed a new nature like home for them. They love to play hide and seek around the logs and have mega naps in the warm afternoon sun.\r\n\r\n\”Mum\” Brandy has returned to be with her \”Tom\” who was really happy to see her back.\r\n\r\n

Bongo News

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe latest Bongo baby born to the Conservancy\’s herd was a healthy little female born in November.\r\n\r\nShe has now been \’adopted\’ and her foster parents named her Kathryn.\r\n\r\nStill nursed by her mother, little Kathryn is growing fast under the watchful eye of the Orphanage staff.\r\n\r\nSoon it will be time for Kathryn to be introduced to the herd by her mother.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile the very generous adoption donation will help Kathryn and her family on the way back to the wilderness.\r\n\r\n

George\’s Progeny!

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGeorge, one of the orphaned Vervet monkeys has graduated! He was successfully released near a wild colony of vervets just in time for Christmas, accompanied by a young female \’friend\’.\r\n\r\nLeft behind were George\’s two \’wives\’.\r\n\r\nPreviously rescued from an unsuitable captive environment, they are now thriving with shiny coats and no longer in panic.\r\n\r\nRecently they have produced George\’s progeny, almost simultaneously. Both are good mothers and will eventually be released near George\’s new \r\nwilderness home.\r\n\r\n

South Africa Photo Gallery

‘,’Bush Drums February 2005′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’february-2005′,”,”,’2013-01-06 01:49:42′,’2013-01-05 22:49:42′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1060′,0,’post’,”,0),(1065,7,’2012-07-23 22:03:40′,’2012-07-23 19:03:40′,”,’African Buffalo wait for rain’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-5′,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:03:40′,’2012-07-23 19:03:40′,”,118,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/african-buffalo-wait-for-rain-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1066,7,’2012-07-23 22:04:33′,’2012-07-23 19:04:33′,”,’African Buffalo wait for rain’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-6′,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:04:33′,’2012-07-23 19:04:33′,”,118,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/african-buffalo-wait-for-rain.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1069,7,’2012-07-23 22:08:21′,’2012-07-23 19:08:21′,”,’African Reedbuck’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’reedbuck’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:08:21′,’2012-07-23 19:08:21′,”,117,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/reedbuck.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1071,7,’2012-07-23 22:09:49′,’2012-07-23 19:09:49′,”,’North American Whitetail Deer’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’white-tail-deer’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:09:49′,’2012-07-23 19:09:49′,”,117,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/white-tail-deer.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1075,7,’2012-07-23 22:13:44′,’2012-07-23 19:13:44′,”,’Young African Reedbuck’,’Young African Reedbuck’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-7′,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:13:44′,’2012-07-23 19:13:44′,”,117,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/reedbuck-young.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1082,7,’2012-07-23 22:47:46′,’2012-07-23 19:47:46′,”,’Penguine’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’penguine’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:47:46′,’2012-07-23 19:47:46′,”,106,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/penguine.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1084,7,’2012-07-23 22:52:06′,’2012-07-23 19:52:06′,”,’Rhinocerous with big horn’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’rhinocerous-32b’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:52:06′,’2012-07-23 19:52:06′,”,105,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/rhinocerous-32b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1086,7,’2012-07-23 22:56:24′,’2012-07-23 19:56:24′,”,’Leopard fights Crocodile’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’leopard-crocodile’,”,”,’2012-07-23 22:56:24′,’2012-07-23 19:56:24′,”,97,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/leopard-crocodile.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1089,7,’2012-07-23 23:03:59′,’2012-07-23 20:03:59′,”,’Elephant closup’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant-forest-2′,”,”,’2012-07-23 23:03:59′,’2012-07-23 20:03:59′,”,34,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/elephant-forest-2.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1101,7,’2012-07-24 00:18:13′,’2012-07-23 21:18:13′,”,’Elephants walking with Don and Iris’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephants-walking-don-iris-hunt-b’,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:18:13′,’2012-07-23 21:18:13′,”,514,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/elephants-walking-don-iris-hunt-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3081,7,’2013-01-05 04:09:50′,’2013-01-05 01:09:50′,”,’African Penguin’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olympus-digital-camera-20′,”,”,’2013-01-05 04:09:50′,’2013-01-05 01:09:50′,”,1060,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/south-africa-penguins-114.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3082,7,’2013-01-05 04:10:34′,’2013-01-05 01:10:34′,”,’African Penguin Colony’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’south-africa-penguins-102′,”,”,’2013-01-05 04:10:34′,’2013-01-05 01:10:34′,”,1060,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/south-africa-penguins-102.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1112,7,’2004-11-01 00:48:21′,’2004-10-31 21:48:21′,’

Coffee and Cookies for Conservationists!

\r\n\r\nThat is what Susan has in store for you when you visit our newly opened Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy Office.\r\n\r\nConveniently located at Mount Kenya Safari Club, this is where your e-mail is answered, new members are signed up, and you may find your friend\’s picture on the wall, rubbing shoulders with celebrities.\r\n\r\nSusan Njoki, no stranger to those that knew her as a secretary at the Game Ranch, has been employed as the Conservancy\’s public relations officer. Susan is thrilled with her new position and proud to be a part of a truly Kenyan effort to preserve our heritage. She works closely with Bunge, the Wildlife Manager to keep up on all the Critter news, so why not visit and find out the latest. Susan will also be happy to make arrangements for special V.I.P. tours of the Conservancy as well as group or corporate visits, memberships and donations.\r\n\r\nAnd who knows, you may be joining one or two celebrities having coffee and a chat there, the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy office is fast becoming a favorite hangout!!\r\n\r\n

Update on Chucky

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn the far side of halfway through his first year, we are happy to report, Chucky the warthog rescued by Stefanie Powers and named after Conservancy benefactor Charles (Chuck) Simmons, is thriving.\r\n\r\nChucky, in this very short time has become the orphanage \”Clown\”, a favorite with most visitors. He\’s often seen careering around the orphanage doing little dances of sheer joy or squeaking delightfully to greet you.\r\n\r\nOf course none of this un-piggy behavior makes for good chances of a successful return to the wild. But for the time being we have decided he\’s having too much fun to get serious just yet.\r\n\r\nIf you wish to adopt or have an animal named after you, please contact us for details:\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank you Goes To…

\r\n\r\nCharles \”Chuck\” Simmons who very graciously adopted our orphaned warthog \”Chucky\” and made a generous donation in his name.\r\n\r\nRon Surratt, Curator of the Fort Worth Zoo, traveled all the way to Nanyuki and spent his vacation advising and helping us with the Bongo rehabilitation project.\r\n\r\nEsther Chao from Beverly Hill, CA. for her very kind and generous donation. Esther is seen above when she visited the animal Orphanage with her friends.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Progress on the fence

\r\n\r\nIn July Ron Surratt, curator, Fort Worth Zoo, used part of his summer vacation to lend his expertise to the Conservancy team with the erection of the fence for the new bongo wilderness area.\r\n\r\nThis is an area adjacent to the Mount Kenya Forest that will host the next phase of the bongo rehabilitation project. Here the next generations born to our herd will lead a protected but simulated wild life to prepare them for eventual release to their ancestral home on Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\nThis long term project has the backing of the American Zoological Association, United Nations and Conservationists around the World.\r\n\r\nYour membership supports this and other projects of \”Operation: Return to the wild.\”\r\n\r\n

Breaking News

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur friend and supporter Tony Harrison has won the newest Baby Bongo Adoption with the highest bid of a very generous donation pledge. \r\n\r\nWatch this space for first pictures and Tony\’s naming of this latest addition to our Bongo herd, destined for return to their ancestral home. For details of our wild animal ASdoption plan please contact us:\r\n\r\nContact Us‘,’Bush Drums November 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’november-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:59:08′,’2012-12-26 20:59:08′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1112′,0,’post’,”,1),(1113,7,’2012-07-24 00:44:35′,’2012-07-23 21:44:35′,”,’Susan Njoki’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’susan_njoki_1′,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:44:35′,’2012-07-23 21:44:35′,”,1112,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/susan_njoki_1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1118,7,’2012-07-24 00:54:41′,’2012-07-23 21:54:41′,”,’Ron Surrat in Kenya’,’\”Ron Surrat Forth Worth curator’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’ron_surratt_in_kenya’,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:54:41′,’2012-07-23 21:54:41′,”,1112,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ron_surratt_in_kenya.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1119,7,’2012-07-24 00:56:27′,’2012-07-23 21:56:27′,”,’Esther Chao’,’Esther Chao from Beverly Hills, California’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’esther_chao’,”,”,’2012-07-24 00:56:27′,’2012-07-23 21:56:27′,”,1112,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/esther_chao.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1128,7,’2004-11-24 01:07:13′,’2004-11-23 22:07:13′,’This month I am teaching you a very new word, I just learnt it myself, as it did not exist a few years ago. Like in any language words change and new ones are added as our lives change.\r\n\r\nElectronic technology caught on fast in Africa. It has brought people together like no other media before and it has become the great bridge over the gap of distance that has traditionally divided the developed world from the rest. Our lives will never be the same again.\r\n\r\n

BARUA PEPE means: E-MAIL!\r\nLiterally it translates like this:\r\nBarua = letter\r\nPepe, short for Pepea = to fly or flying

\r\n\r\nNowadays it is not unusual to see a Maasai In the middle of what we used to call \’nowhere,\’ talking on a mobile phone while herding his cattle.\r\n\r\nAnd in his small village you may not find any writing paper but often there is a cyber café with a single computer working off a battery and a mobile phone. And you\’ll be surprised: most of the local folks you meet have e-mail addresses.\r\n\r\nWith the help of yahoo and one literate friend a whole new world opens to those you have come to look in on. Now we can chose our \’neighbors\’ from all over the world.\r\n\r\nWe hope you will become ours. We always welcome a barua pepe with your comments from wherever you are:\r\nContact Us\r\n~Iris Hunt’,’Kiswahili Teacher November 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’kiswahili-lesson-november-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:54:11′,’2012-12-26 20:54:11′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1128′,0,’post’,”,0),(1131,7,’2012-07-24 01:10:21′,’2012-07-23 22:10:21′,”,’Massai with Cell Phone’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’maasai_kenya_cell_phone-b’,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:10:21′,’2012-07-23 22:10:21′,”,1128,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2004/11/maasai_kenya_cell_phone-b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1135,7,’2004-06-01 01:13:16′,’2004-05-31 22:13:16′,’

Baby Patas monkey

\r\n\r\nAs the first rays of sun reached the Orphanage one morning the last day of April, a surprise was waiting for us in the Patas clan: A new arrival.\r\n\r\nWe do, as yet not know the sex of the little one, so closely guarded by her mom.\r\n\r\nHer two older sisters are visibly delighted to help take care of the infant. Together with their mother, they make sure the little one is never far from help or a reassuring cuddle, our staff have noted.\r\n\r\nAlso, there seems to be a noted absence of family squabbles in the Patas troupe. What a fine example of a family for us \”superior\” mammals.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n \r\nThe J.L. Foundation of the United States for their generous and timely grant for the construction of a Cheetah breeding facility At the Conservancy\r\n\r\nThe Wiliam Holdem Wildlife Foundation and Chairman Stefanie Powers for their very generous donation towards the upkeep of the orphan animals.\r\n\r\nMr. and Mrs. Paul and Melissa Keiswetter, USA for their continued interest and support For the Bongo Repatriation Project.\r\n\r\n

Almost there…

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur herd of \’white\’ Zebra continues to flourish. It is one of the goals of the Conservancy to one day return these animals to their natural habitat in Northern Kenya, where they are now extinct.\r\n\r\n\r\nEvery new birth is therefore an important event and brings us one step closer.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile the genes remain safe in our herd here, saved from extinction just in time.\r\n\r\n‘,’Bush Drums June 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’june-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:18:15′,’2012-12-26 20:18:15′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1135′,0,’post’,”,0),(1136,7,’2012-07-24 01:18:29′,’2012-07-23 22:18:29′,”,’Patas Monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’patas_monkey_16′,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:18:29′,’2012-07-23 22:18:29′,”,1135,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/patas_monkey_16.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1137,7,’2012-07-24 01:18:31′,’2012-07-23 22:18:31′,”,’Patas Monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’patas_monkey_17′,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:18:31′,’2012-07-23 22:18:31′,”,1135,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/patas_monkey_17.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1138,7,’2012-07-24 01:18:33′,’2012-07-23 22:18:33′,”,’Patas Monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’patas_monkey_18′,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:18:33′,’2012-07-23 22:18:33′,”,1135,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/patas_monkey_18.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1141,7,’2004-04-01 01:31:30′,’2004-03-31 22:31:30′,’

Easter Sunday

\r\n\r\nThe flowers and shrubs were still heavy with the night\’s rain.\r\n\r\nReluctant to get dressed I went outside with the dogs, still in my dressing gown, the luxury of a holiday. Thousands of tiny wet prisms were teasing the sun, a gift from the rain.\r\n\r\nThe air was sparkling clean. It made the peaks of Mount Kenya seem much closer. Suddenly I saw a movement at the end of the garden.\r\n\r\nThe Hibiscus bush parted to reveal the head of a big male bongo. Staring at me, caught in surprise, he didn\’t move.\r\n\r\n\’That\’s why the dogs were barking on and off during the night\’ I thought.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOf course I recognized the old Bull. We had called him \’Jamhuri\’ when he was born to our herd some 7 years earlier on Jamhuri (Republic) day. Lately he had become bothersome to the younger animals, them for no apparent reason.\r\n\r\nSo, for his temporary \’retirement\’ he was given the forest area adjacent to my garden. That is, until last night, when he discovered a new sweet food source, my flowers!\r\n\r\nAfter some time, and while there were still a few flowers left, we showed him the way back into the forest in no uncertain terms. Don re-enforced the broken gate.\r\n\r\nIt was another perfect Easter morning in Africa!\r\n\r\n

Georgie\’s first date, or three\’s company!!

\r\n\r\nGeorgie, our lone vervet monkey was once a pet to grandson\’s Alex and Ryan who had found him abandoned as a baby on their farm in southern Kenya.\r\n\r\nThe monkey and the Children grew together and before long, the family moved to the U.S., so the boys could attend school there to prepare them for college. Poor Georgie. He has been at the Orphanage ever since, waiting for a family of his own. Or was he?\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nA few days ago, the Kenya Wildlife Service arrived with three young female vervets they had to confiscate from illegal custody. They too, could not be released in the forest without a male to make up a troupe.\r\n\r\nFinally some company for Georgie, we thought. Wrong again! Georgie was not the least bit pleased to share his home with these strange creatures the likes of which he had never seen before. For two days he complained, wailing loudly. \’The girls\’ were at first intimidated, but finally and in unison charged at him. This of course was an unexpected challenge, so Georgie shut up and started to ignore the presence of \’the girls\’.\r\n\r\nFor now, he continues his inhospitable behavior. But not for long, we think.\r\n\r\nOur animal keepers at the Orphanage have bets going as to how long it will take Georgie to \’discover\’ girls. (Our grandsons certainly beat him to that stage!)\r\n\r\nOnce Georgie and \’the girls\’ establish a firm family bond, we can make plans for their safe return to the wild.\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n\r\nMr. and Mrs. Paul and Melissa Keiswetter, U.S.A. for their continued interest and support for the Bongo Repatriation Project.\r\n\r\nThe William Holden Wildlife Foundation and Chairman Stefanie Powers for their\r\nvery generous donation towards the upkeep of the orphan animals\r\n\r\nMr. and Mrs. M. Marker of Karachi for their very kind annual donation.’,’Bush Drums April 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’april-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:17:51′,’2012-12-26 20:17:51′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1141′,0,’post’,”,0),(1143,7,’2012-07-24 01:37:17′,’2012-07-23 22:37:17′,”,’Velvet Monkeys’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’velvet_monkey_10b’,”,”,’2012-07-24 01:37:17′,’2012-07-23 22:37:17′,”,1141,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/velvet_monkey_10b.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1151,7,’2004-03-01 00:32:13′,’2004-02-29 21:32:13′,’

Stef\’s home!

\r\n\r\nAnother beautiful clear morning on the slopes of Mount Kenya in March saw the arrival home of busy actress and friend Stefanie Powers.\r\n\r\nWhile here, Stefanie will help the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy raise funds for its conservation projects.\r\n \r\n

Giant Move

\r\n\r\nThe President of Kenya, Hon. Mwai Kibaki gave a directive to relocate some 400 Elephants from the Shimba Hills Game Reserve to the Northern Tsavo East National Park.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Kenya Wildlife Service has done such a good job in preserving its Elephant population recently that some of the smaller parks are \’bursting at the seams\’ -so-to-speak. The growing Elephant populations are spilling over into human settlements, causing great damage. As a result the defenseless human population is living in fear of their lives.\r\n\r\nBut how do you move 400 giants who obviously don\’t agree, to a new location 200 miles away??\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne Elephant at a time, seems to be the answer. A monumental undertaking, using the latest technique, veterinarians with capture guns loaded with narcotic drugs, helicopters, lorries and a large force of brave men and women.\r\n\r\n

Blind Pigs and drunken Chimps

\r\n\r\nWhat is the world coming to you might say.\r\n\r\nNews comes from the Uganda Wildlife Authority that there have been a number of attacks by \’drunken\’ Chimpanzees.\r\n\r\nLocal \’beer\’ is often brewed illegally along the river valleys where Chimp habitat meets that of humans. It seems the chimps let the humans do all the work and then move in to drink up the profit. The sad consequences have been attacks and murder of human children in some cases. Scientists, biologists and (chimp) psychologists differ as to the causes. All the same, this is human-wildlife conflict gone to the extreme. As usual it is our own specie that is supposed to have superiority.\r\n\r\n

\’Who, me?\’

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDo we really need to create the hazard and then make the animal the scapegoat on whom to blame the victim\’s fate?’,’Bush Drums March 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’march-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:30:43′,’2012-12-26 20:30:43′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1151′,0,’post’,”,0),(1152,7,’2012-07-25 00:39:01′,’2012-07-24 21:39:01′,”,’Chimpanzee sitting’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chimpanzee_sitting’,”,”,’2012-07-25 00:39:01′,’2012-07-24 21:39:01′,”,1151,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chimpanzee_sitting.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1156,7,’2012-07-25 00:43:00′,’2012-07-24 21:43:00′,”,’Stefanie Powers with small plane’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’stefanie_powers_plane’,”,”,’2012-07-25 00:43:00′,’2012-07-24 21:43:00′,”,1151,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2004/03/stefanie_powers_plane.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1158,7,’2004-02-01 00:44:05′,’2004-01-31 21:44:05′,’

Beauty and the beast

\r\n\r\nRemember little Karen the bushbuck rescued after its mother fell victim to a leopard early last year?\r\n\r\nKaren has grown into an especially beautiful \”teenager\”. She has ventured out onto the Game Ranch, as yet unnoticed by our resident population of male bushbuck.\r\n\r\nEach time Karen has returned to the company of her wild friends at the animal Orphanage, the only home she can remember.\r\n\r\nKaren is a much photographed buck. It is not just her trusting gentle manner, visitors always comment on her graceful beauty, her shiny velvet coat especially.\r\n\r\nOne morning recently I was lucky to stumble upon \”Karen\’s secret\”. She has her own beauty routine!! \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt first light, while any would be visitors are still in sweet slumber, Karen\’s off to see \”her groomer\”. Nestling up close to the pen where the sykes monkeys reside is the signal and \”work\” begins.\r\n\r\nThe obliging monkey extends his hands through the fence and grooms her, bit by bit; picking up any parasites such as fleas and ticks she may have acquired during the night. Of course these make a choice gourmet bite for the monkeys. It is their \”reward\”. Karen will hold still for this procedure with the patience only a very vain beauty would muster.\r\n\r\nBut that is not all. When the monkey cannot find any more choice bits and Karen\’s fur is clean of parasites, off it is to the next \”parlor\”.\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To

\r\n\r\nFrancois and Yvonne De Mey for their very kind and timely donation.\r\n\r\nJane and Julian McKeand for their very generous donation. All our old and new subscribers all over the world, we appreciate your efforts in attracting new members.\r\n\r\n

Sokokes Thrive

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere\’s more happy news at the cat house…\r\n\r\nOur Sokoke Forest cats must be feeling very proud indeed, they just produced their third litter of cute little kittens, all true copies of their parents.\r\n\r\nIt brings closer the day of reintroduction of these once wild inhabitants of the Sokoke forest on the Kenya coast.\r\n\r\nKaren just fits under the mouth of Bahati the orphaned wildebeest growing up at the Orphanage. Bahati dutifully licks Karen\’s russet coat until it is spotlessly clean and glistens in the early morning sun.\r\n\r\nOnly now she is ready to face the world, gaining compliments from all she meets. Our little Orphanage \”star\”.\r\n\r\n‘,’Bush Drums February 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’february-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:50:42′,’2012-12-26 20:50:42′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1158′,0,’post’,”,0),(1159,7,’2012-07-25 00:49:18′,’2012-07-24 21:49:18′,”,’Bushbuck Karen with Sykes monkey’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bushbuck_karen_12′,”,”,’2012-07-25 00:49:18′,’2012-07-24 21:49:18′,”,1158,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/bushbuck_karen_12.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1160,7,’2012-07-25 00:50:36′,’2012-07-24 21:50:36′,”,’Sokoke Forest Cat’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’sokoke_forest_cat_10′,”,”,’2012-07-25 00:50:36′,’2012-07-24 21:50:36′,”,1158,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/sokoke_forest_cat_10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1163,7,’2012-07-25 00:52:36′,’2012-07-24 21:52:36′,”,’Bushbuck Karen with wildebeast’,’Bushbuck Karen with wildebeast’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bushbuck_karen_with_wildebeast’,”,”,’2012-07-25 00:52:36′,’2012-07-24 21:52:36′,”,1158,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/bushbuck_karen_with_wildebeast.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1165,7,’2004-01-01 00:52:58′,’2003-12-31 21:52:58′,’A huge container arrived by sea and lorry carrying 20 tons of Stay Tite fencing, the latest technology in Game fencing. Unfortunately, the day it arrived the seasonal rains broke and the lorry promptly got stuck in the soaked tracks on the ranch. Thanks to the never ending enthusiasm of our crew, the lorry was \’dug\’ out and able to drop the container the following day.\r\n\r\nThe next problem arose when the government, in their noble efforts to preserve our forests slammed an overnight ban on the sale of all timber in order to get the tree poaching under control. I am not sure how Don worked his magic finding bits of legal timber left here and there. The job got done despite the rains which hit us with increasing force and the crews claim they grew webbed feet.\r\n\r\nMuthuri our talented carpenter has been building feeding stations for the bongo. While Don insisted on functionality, Muthuri begged to be allowed to add some artistic touches.\r\n\r\nJust before Christmas, suddenly the wind changed. Strong breezes from the north east announced an early summer as the remaining clouds on the mountain were blown away.\r\n\r\nThe Ranch emerged in its most beautiful spring splendor. Wild flowering shrubs glisten in the morning dew. The abundance of birds becomes especially evident at this time as they \”celebrate\” in song.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOur crews only took off one day for Christmas and are now engaged to secure the forest part of what will be their first Mount Kenya forest home for the bongo after they have settled down in the initial holding area. The first priority was to erect an electric fence around the forest area to discourage other game to visit, while proper fences are erected. We were sad to have to \’fence out\’ our longtime resident herd of wild elephants.\r\n\r\nNot so for our local bad boy elephant named \’Detlef\’ after our resident Dr. Laue who had \’befriended\’ him. Discouraged at first, he took off for a couple of days. As he realized someone was tampering with his forest he decided on action. He seems to have sent the rest of his gang packing while he embarked on his nightly attempts to defy the hot wires. Detlef timed it perfect when he finally invaded the ranch on Christmas day to teach us all a lesson about the intelligence of elephants.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhile we and the fencing crew took our well deserved holiday, feasting and celebrating, Detlef worked out that where there was a gully, there was a way! He found the only spot in the 8 km intended fence line where the temporary electric wire was hastily stretched over a gully and promptly got on his knees and made it under the wire, only to cause havoc on the \’forbidden\’ side.\r\n\r\nTo make a long story short, he provided us with plenty of excitement for the next two days. Having made it thus far he was not about to leave.\r\nA well placed tracer bullet near the pachyderm\’s derriere finally did the trick. Not knowing what was up Detlef finally went for safety and crashed through the by now disabled barrier taking a fair amount of wire with him. The concerted opinion of the crew is that Detlef has learned his lesson and will treat us with more respect in the future.\r\n\r\n

Never a dull day on this Ranch, somewhere on Mount Kenya!

\r\n

New Years\’ arrivals

\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDawn on New Years day revealed a minute new little Suni born to one of our breeding groups of this rare and shy antelope. Suni are the smallest of all the East African antelopes and as forest dwellers are normally rarely seen. They have increasingly been caught in poachers\’ snares for bush meat consumption. We have established several breeding groups on the Game Ranch to insure their survival during their uncertain fate in the wild.\r\n\r\nWe named the little buck \’Florian\’, after the recent frequent visits of conservation minded young man and his like minded friends.\r\n\r\nA little lamb-Llama arrived on Christmas day. She is unusually small, so as a precaution we moved mother and baby to the safety of the Orphanage where she joins another mother and young. The staff named her \’Sikuku\’ – – (Kiswahili for Christmas)\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n \r\nJane and Julian McKeand for their very generous donation\r\n\r\nFlorian Schoeller and Franziska von le Fort for their support and successful campaign to recruit new members\r\n\r\nAll our old and new subscribers all over the world. We appreciate your efforts in attracting new members.’,’Bush Drums January 2004′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’january-2004′,”,”,’2012-12-26 01:15:35′,’2012-12-25 22:15:35′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1165′,0,’post’,”,0),(1166,7,’2012-07-25 01:02:38′,’2012-07-24 22:02:38′,”,’Elephant at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’elephant_21′,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:02:38′,’2012-07-24 22:02:38′,”,1165,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/elephant_21.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1168,7,’2012-07-25 01:03:42′,’2012-07-24 22:03:42′,”,’Fence at Mt. Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’mount_kenya_fence’,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:03:42′,’2012-07-24 22:03:42′,”,1165,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2004/01/mount_kenya_fence.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1172,7,’2003-12-01 01:05:15′,’2003-11-30 22:05:15′,’Last month we were honored with the visit of popular Columbus Zoo Director and TV Personality Jack Hanna and Julie Scardina of Bush Gardens / Sea World.\r\n\r\nJack, a regular visitor to the Ranch, met with Don Hunt to discuss the Bongo Repatriation program.\r\n\r\nWhile here he was able to \”meet\” our resident herd of rare Mountain Bongo, and filmed them for his popular TV show to help the good cause. Thanks to American Zoos and the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, United Nations and the Mount Kenya Game Ranch, 20 of the American born descendents of the rare Mountain Bongo are flying back to Kenya soon to be re-rehabilitated to form the nucleus of a herd to be re-introduced on the Mountain here.\r\n\r\nWatch \”Jack Hanna\’s Animal Adventures\” in the New Year for a story on the Bongo project.\r\n\r\n

Raising Conservationists

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe animals at the Orphanage play an important part in making friends and new wildlife enthusiasts of our visiting School groups every week.\r\n\r\nLast October Iris met the children from the \”Winners Academy\” – A primary School from Meru, a farming community some 40 miles to the north of us. There were 75 students aged 10 to 11 and their 4 Teachers.\r\n\r\nAs they arrived Iris welcomed them and asked them what they wanted to be when they grow up. The answers were interesting: there were 15 Pilots, 12 Astronauts, 9 Doctors 8 Surgeons, 4 Lawyers, 6 Accountants, 4 Farmers, 2 Dentists, 2 Politicians, 4 Teachers and even one Miss Kenya amongst those that knew.\r\n\r\nMichael Nganga, one of our education officers then took them around the Ranch and the Orphanage. For most of them it was the first time they had seen a wild animal. At night they met around a campfire to talk about what it meant to conserve wildlife and the environment, at our Education Center.\r\n\r\nThe last day when Iris went to see them off on their trip home she asked them again what they wanted to be. This time around we still had lots of Pilots and Astronauts but we also had 15 Game Wardens 6 Veterinarians and 12 animal keepers.\r\n\r\n\”Winners Academy\” indeed! With young enthusiasts like these the future looks good!!\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n\r\nJack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and The Columbus Zoological Park Association for their very generous Donation for the purchase of much needed VHF Radios for our game scouts who will be protecting the Bongo and doing anti-poaching patrols.\r\n\r\nDenis Murphy, for his continuous support, Encouragement and the wonderful paintings published on this page.\r\n\r\nJane McKeand for sharing her exquisite recipe.\r\n\r\n‘,’Bush Drums December 2003′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’december-2003′,”,”,’2013-01-04 02:45:28′,’2013-01-03 23:45:28′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1172′,0,’post’,”,0),(1173,7,’2012-07-25 01:09:34′,’2012-07-24 22:09:34′,”,’Jack Hanna with Don and Bongo’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’bongo_jack_hanna_10′,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:09:34′,’2012-07-24 22:09:34′,”,1172,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/bongo_jack_hanna_10.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1178,7,’2003-10-25 01:14:29′,’2003-10-24 22:14:29′,’

\”Baba Krismasi\” as seen by Artist Denis Murphy

\r\n\r\nNow it is time to learn the Kiswahili version of what we all say to each other several times a day at this time of the year:\r\n\r\nSikuku Njema\r\n\r\nThe traditional Swahili greeting at Christmas and more important:\r\n\r\nasante sana to \’Baba Krismasi\’\r\n\r\nShould you be lucky enough to spot him on his way back up Mount Kenya.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn behalf of everyone here at the Animal Orphanage we wish you and your loved ones a happy and peaceful Christmas and may all your dreams come true in 2004!\r\n\r\nWe hope that you will continue to be part of our growing circle of friends. In 2004 this page will bring you all new stories and the latest Critter News from the Ranch and Animal Orphanage.’,’Kiswahili Teacher October 2003′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’october-2003′,”,”,’2012-12-25 01:40:31′,’2012-12-24 22:40:31′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1178′,0,’post’,”,0),(1184,7,’2012-07-25 01:20:55′,’2012-07-24 22:20:55′,”,’Chimpanzee at Christmas’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’chimanzee_christmas’,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:20:55′,’2012-07-24 22:20:55′,”,1178,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2003/10/chimanzee_christmas.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1182,7,’2012-07-25 01:18:59′,’2012-07-24 22:18:59′,”,’\”Baba Krismasi\” as seen by Artist Denis Murphy’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’denis_murphy_baba_krismasi’,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:18:59′,’2012-07-24 22:18:59′,”,1178,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2003/10/denis_murphy_baba_krismasi.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1187,7,’2003-10-01 01:22:17′,’2003-09-30 22:22:17′,’

A new hybrid is born at the Animal Orphanage

\r\n\r\nOn June 30, in the afternoon, Michael Nganga, senior Lecturer of our Wildlife Education Center lead a group of Kenyan 4th graders through the Orphanage.\r\n\r\nWhile the students were taught the anatomy of an Elephant, Michael noticed that he was losing their attention to the monkey enclosure nearby.\r\n\r\nMichael took a moment to glance over at what the interruption might be, and there it was:\r\n\r\nA minute wet little monkey, just born cradled safely in the arms of her mother, \’Tabby\’ the Olive Baboon.\r\n\r\nThe students were fascinated. Michael quickly summoned the Orphanage keepers led by the Wildlife Manager Bunge. All stared in disbelieve… not only was this little \’gift from God\’ unexpected, it was also not presumed possible. You see, \”Dad\”, in this case would be the only other occupant of the quarters, Gaby, our golden bellied Crested Mangabey, a different species all together.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGaby came to us via Switzerland where one of our friends acts as a government port veterinary officer. She was forced to confiscate the baby Mangabey being smuggled in from Central Africa. Remembering our Animal Orphanage she sent the little monkey back to be raised and live here.\r\n\r\nAt the time we had a little female Olive Baboon also orphaned and lonely. The two made good playmates. As they grew up we never expected them to breed. They became inseparable friends. We left them to house together.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere was much excitement that night around the campfire at the Education Center as Michael had out all his books to answer millions of questions from the students. We challenged them to name the little… (what?)… monkey. Where some loyal kids wanted to name the new arrival after their homes areas or loved ones, a name was finally agreed on by all: Mangaboon.\r\n\r\nA smaller relative, the Tana Mangabey is found in Kenya in the riverine forests of the Tana River, but sightings are rare.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe have since realized that hybridization between the two species is possible but does not occur in the wild, probably due to social preference.\r\nMangaboon is growing rapidly but as yet we cannot tell if she takes more after \”Mom\” or \”Dad\”. She\’s Dad\’s favorite little girl however, so much so that we have to sometimes separate him from his family to give mother and young some \”quiet time\”.\r\n\r\nAs for my intrusion with the camera, \”Dad\” preferred to show me his \”opinion\” of being locked out.\r\n\r\n

Strange liaisons

\r\n

An update on our little baby Gnu

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\”Bahati\” is indeed lucky. She has grown enormously since she came to us, a tiny starved orphaned Wildebeest in June.\r\n\r\nBahati soon made friends with all the other animals here at the orphanage. Good behavior earned her the privilege to run around and mingle all day.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt first she was shy but curious and ventured to meet all the creatures new to her. During July we had a baby Llama born to one of our trained Llama moms. Immediately Bahati took a strange interest. The mother, protective as she was soon realized that this strange looking grey animal could be used as a \”Nanny\” for her vulnerable young.\r\n\r\nShe let her come close for minutes only at first. Bahati saw her chance at once. She proved herself so much that now the Llama mother will leave her young in the protection of her \”big sister\” for much of the day.\r\n\r\nBahati takes her duty so seriously that we are not allowed too close to \”her\” baby. Even the Ostrich is seen off despite much protest and wing flapping to impress.\r\n\r\nIt is unusual and heartwarming to watch these two young animals and proves that every body needs a friend, strange as it may seem.\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n\r\nDiane Hudobenko, our long time friend and supporter.\r\n\r\nBrian Jackman, for sharing your work so generously with our supporters/\r\n\r\nAll our loyal supporters who have helped with their subscription to this website. Now that you have joined our family of supporters please tell your friends about our efforts.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions mean a lot to us. They give us the encouragement to carry on with our conservation work.\r\n\r\nAll Proceeds from subscriptions benefit the animals at the Orphanage directly.\r\n\r\nYour support enables us to take in more animals in need of special care.\r\n\r\nThis website is entirely created by the voluntary work of Iris Hunt and friends of the Animal Orphanage.\r\n\r\nWe would like to see Your name under \’Special Thanks\’ next!’,’Bush Drums October 2003′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’october-2003-2′,”,”,’2012-12-26 23:53:26′,’2012-12-26 20:53:26′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1187′,0,’post’,”,1),(1188,7,’2012-07-25 01:26:03′,’2012-07-24 22:26:03′,”,’Olive baboon mother and infant’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olive_baboon_11_baby’,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:26:03′,’2012-07-24 22:26:03′,”,1187,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/olive_baboon_11_baby.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1191,7,’2012-07-25 01:29:12′,’2012-07-24 22:29:12′,”,’Baboon threatening the Camera’,’Baboon threatening the Camera’,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’olive_baboon_12_mother’,”,”,’2012-07-25 01:29:12′,’2012-07-24 22:29:12′,”,1187,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2003/10/olive_baboon_12_mother.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(1195,7,’2003-09-01 20:36:36′,’2003-09-01 17:36:36′,’

New Wildlife Manager

\r\n\r\nIf you have visited recently you may have met our new Wildlife Manager Donald Bunge.\r\n\r\n\”Bunge\” as he likes to be called, comes with a degree in Wildlife Management.\r\n\r\nHe has a great love for animals and is very enthusiastic about making his mark in saving Kenya\’s rich wildlife heritage. We are proud to have him with us.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, Peter Kennedy, The Mt. Kenya Game Ranch General Manager has left us to spend more time developing his small farm on Laikipia. We are sorry to see him, wife Gillie and son Lorian leave. We wish them all the best for the future.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRecently the Game Ranch was the colorful scene of more than 100 women cutting out acres of \”bad\” grass that threatened to swart the more nutritious \”good\” grass underneath.\r\n\r\nThese industrious women weathered the scorching sun to dig up the bushels and pile them high on numerous mounds which we subsequently burned to destroy.\r\n\r\nRecent rains have brought out new fresh grass to benefit our wildlife.\r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n\r\nMrs. Jeanne Stewart, who once again has helped and supported our conservation efforts with a very generous donation.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of all the animals and helpers here: Thank you Jeanne!\r\n\r\nYour generous kindness will buy a lot of food and veterinary supplies for our animals.\r\n\r\nAll our loyal supporters who have helped with their subscription to this website.\r\n\r\nNow that you have joined our family of supporters please tell your friends about our efforts.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions mean a lot to us. They give us the encouragement to carry on with our conservation work.\r\n\r\nAll Proceeds from subscriptions benefit the animals at the Orphanage directly.\r\n\r\nYour support enables us to take in more animals in need of special care.\r\n\r\nThis website is entirely created by the voluntary work of Iris Hunt and friends of the Animal Orphanage.’,’Bush Drums September 2003′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’september-2003′,”,”,’2012-12-25 02:29:56′,’2012-12-24 23:29:56′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1195′,0,’post’,”,0),(1199,7,’2003-08-01 20:48:53′,’2003-08-01 17:48:53′,’

Surprise at Hyrax Rock

\r\n\r\nAt last, our pair of Rock Hyrax, \”Rex\” and \”Regina\” has started a family.\r\n\r\nIt came as a total surprise. I had noticed that Regina was not out and about as much and Rex seemed to spend more time on his favorite rock, sunning.\r\n\r\nShe certainly didn\’t \’show.\’ When I did see her she took less time feeding and sunning, but she looked well, so I didn\’t know what to make of it.\r\n\r\nThen suddenly, one day while I was waiting for her to appear, I saw a tiny and shiny little black button nose peaking out from one of the rocky crevices. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSoon there were other tell-tale noses popping up.\r\n\r\nAfter a few more days the most adorable tiny little furry balls jumped all over the rocks. \r\n\r\nCounting proved difficult as they only appeared very briefly and never together. We guessed and took bets. One of the keepers won, there were six.\r\n\r\nNow, less shy, they romp all day, playing peek-a-boo in their rocky home. Mom sits proudly watching her brood.\r\n\r\nWe hope to establish the offspring in another rocky home, without fences.\r\n\r\nThe Rock Hyrax is the gregarious cousin of the shy tree Hyrax indigenous to this area. Unlike the Tree Hyrax, they are not keen climbers and prefer the rocks warmed by the sun that give them safe shelter from predators, day and night.\r\n\r\nWe hope for our 6 new arrivals to be roaming free right here, as good ambassadors, drawing attention to the other orphan animals yet to be rehabilitated.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n[box type=\”shadow\”]\r\n

Did you know:

\r\n\r\nDr. Richard Estes, in his book \”Safari Companion\” writes:\r\n\r\nHyrax are survivors of an ancient group of near-ungulates that lumps together such strange bedfellows as elephants, aardvarks and dugongs. [/box]\r\n\r\n

Update on \”Gaspar\”

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nGaspar the spot-nosed guenon monkey is glad to be \”home\” in his own area here at the Orphanage.\r\n\r\nHis hand has healed well.\r\n\r\nThe terrible ordeal over, the animal has reverted to his usually calm and friendly nature.\r\n\r\nOften, he will show us the hand as if he were quite proud of it. He has begun using it, indicating that he is now pain free. \r\n\r\n

Our Very Special Thank You Goes To:

\r\n\r\nMelissa Agagliate, aged 15 rescued this baby Grey Duiker from some little boys who were on their way to \”sell\” it. She sat up all night with the frightened little fawn until it calmed and drank some milk from her bottle. The next day she brought it to our Orphanage. She named it Robin after her older brother who drove her here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThanks to Melissa\’s efforts, the little duiker is now safe. He will be raised and introduced to our duiker family for eventual release back to the wild when he is fully grown.\r\n\r\nDuring his time at the Orphanage he will be instrumental in teaching Children respect for all creatures. Thank you Melissa and Robin, well done!\r\n\r\nDr. Mark Davis, for his continued efforts and support\r\n\r\nAll our Loyal supporters who have helped with their subscription to this website.\r\n\r\nWe are happy to share our stories and keep you updated.\r\n\r\nTo continue with our work we need more subscribers and supporters. Now that you are one of our family of supporters please tell your friends about this page.\r\n\r\nTheir subscription will mean a lot to us, most of all it will give us the encouragement needed to carry on with our work.\r\n\r\n’,’Bush Drums August 2003′,”,’publish’,’open’,’open’,”,’august-2003′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:55:14′,’2013-01-06 00:55:14′,”,0,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/?p=1199′,0,’post’,”,0),(3209,7,’2013-01-06 03:56:49′,’2013-01-06 00:56:49′,”,’Rock Hyrax in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-1-2′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:56:49′,’2013-01-06 00:56:49′,”,681,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax-11.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3210,7,’2013-01-06 03:58:58′,’2013-01-06 00:58:58′,”,’Bat Eared Fox’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’fox-bat-eared-530′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:58:58′,’2013-01-06 00:58:58′,”,681,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/fox-bat-eared-530.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3200,7,’2013-01-06 03:43:31′,’2013-01-06 00:43:31′,”,’Rock hyrax’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-3′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:43:31′,’2013-01-06 00:43:31′,”,1199,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax-3.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3198,7,’2013-01-06 03:41:48′,’2013-01-06 00:41:48′,”,’Rock Hyrax in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-5′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:41:48′,’2013-01-06 00:41:48′,”,1199,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax-5.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3203,7,’2013-01-06 03:45:33′,’2013-01-06 00:45:33′,”,’Rock Hyrax in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-4′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:45:33′,’2013-01-06 00:45:33′,”,1199,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax-4.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3202,7,’2013-01-06 03:45:28′,’2013-01-06 00:45:28′,”,’Rock Hyrax in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax-1′,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:45:28′,’2013-01-06 00:45:28′,”,1199,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax-1.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0),(3201,7,’2013-01-06 03:45:20′,’2013-01-06 00:45:20′,”,’Rock Hyrax in Kenya’,”,’inherit’,’open’,’open’,”,’hyrax_baby_tower’,”,”,’2013-01-06 03:45:20′,’2013-01-06 00:45:20′,”,1199,’http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/site/wp-content/uploads/hyrax_baby_tower.jpg’,0,’attachment’,’image/jpeg’,0);