LEOPARD INTERACTS STRANGELY WITH A VEHICLE

HOW BIRD SONG COULD HELP SAVE SPECIES

Translocation -- or moving animals to safer places -- is a vital tool for saving species from extinction.

Many factors influence the success of these new populations, including habitat quality, predators, capture and release techniques, the number and sex of individuals, and their genetic diversity.


 
Now new research, the first of its kind, published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology suggests bird song could also be important.

Ecologists from the University of Waikato and Lincoln University in New Zealand studied the North Island kōkako, an iconic bird with a haunting, organ-like song. Once widespread in the North Island, loss of habitat by deforestation and predation by rats, possums and stoats decimated the population. By 1999, fewer than 400 pairs remained, and between 2001 and 2007, several pairs were moved from Te Urewera National Park to two other reserves: Boundary Stream Mainland Island and Ngapukeriki.

To find out how moving the kōkako has affected their song, the researchers made hundreds of recordings in the three populations and analyzed differences in song using sonograms. They then used playback experiments to discover how birds from one population reacted to another populations' song.

They found the songs of translocated birds had diverged substantially from the source population, becoming less diverse with shorter and higher-pitched elements. According to Dr Laura Molles from Lincoln University: "Not only how kōkako sing in translocated populations, but also what they sing differs from kōkako in the source population."

The greatest changes were found in the population that had been trans-located for longest, indicating the songs may become more different over time. But despite the divergence between each population's song, the playback experiments showed that the birds could not yet tell them apart.

"The songs diverge because birds such as kōkako learn their songs from parents, siblings and neighbors. As trans-location usually involves only a small number of individuals, they will take with them only a small portion of all the song elements in the larger source population. Subsequent variation in small populations will depend on that subset of songs and will then differ from the larger song pool in the source population," Dr Molles explains.

The study has important implications for conservation. Although in this study the kōkako populations have not been separated for long enough to cause song incompatibility, it will occur in time, the authors say. Once that happens, releasing additional birds into these populations could be problematic because song incompatibility could make interbreeding difficult.

As a result, says Dr Molles, conservationists should consider song variation as part of bird reintroductions: "We need to be aware that behavioral factors like song can also affect trans-location success and recovery of endangered birds, and adapt our management of these populations accordingly. This means that we may have to work harder but the good news is that if we consider one more factor that we now know may also affect trans-location, we will be more likely to succeed in conserving birds."

The North Island kōkako is one of New Zealand's most iconic bird species. The size of a common pigeon, both males and females have blue-grey plumage with black masks and striking bright blue wattles. Both sexes sing, and pairs duet, with a haunting voice and the birds' astonishingly varied organ-like notes can be heard over 1km away.

They have limited flying power, instead moving like squirrels through the branches and gliding from hill tops to valleys. They live in the temperate rainforest, feeding mainly on fruit and leaves. Once widespread, their numbers collapsed due to deforestation and predation by rats, stoats and possums, and by 1999 fewer than 400 pairs remained. Thanks to translocation to safe offshore islands, numbers have increased to around 800 pairs today.

 

LAMU MAULIDI FESTIVAL

Maulidi is a religious festival and annual celebration held in lamu during the third month of the muslim calendar to commemorate the birth of the prophet mohammed. This celebration is on the island, which attracts faithful celebrants from all over East Africa and the middle east, as well as tourists from around the world.

Maulidi is Lamu’s unique and purely East African version of the religious festival, milad-un-nabi. centered around religious celebrations and the riyadha mosque, the festivities last for several days, featuring an array of cultural activities throughout town. There is elaborate drumming and dancing, and competitions that honor traditional culture — bao games, dhow races, swimming competition, and the donkey race, as well as poetry and embroidery. The festival is a source of great pride for the entire community, and the festivities truly ignite the island with excitement. it is amazing to witness such appreciation and devotion from such a united and connected community.
On the last day of Maulidi, all of the men of gather at the town cemetery to pray and begin a procession into town. the procession is unreal — endless rows of men in white kanzu and kofia march through the streets, holding hands and dancing and singing in loud celebration. They move along the seafront towards the centre of town, accompanied by drums, and greeted by throngs of people on every corner. If you wandered through the streets looking for a good spot, you will be  welcomed into a doorway on one of the good corners, which gives a perfect view as they move from the dock and into the streets of town. Rose water is poured and splashed on everyone, including bystanders, and at the end you will be completely drenched in the sweet smell, ears ringing with the sounds of their singing, and you will be absolutely in love with Maulidi festival.

WATAMU AND DIANI BEACH, BEST IN AFRICA

DIANI BEACH

Diani Beach is a major beach resort on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya (in eastern Africa). It is 30 kilometres south of Mombasa, in the Coast Province.

The beach is about 10 kilometres  long, from the Kongo river to the north and Galu beach to the south (the southern point of reference is an old Baobab tree).

 It is adjacent to the town of Ukunda, the population of which nears 100,000 inhabitants. A small airstrip is located between the beach area and the Mombasa-Lunga Lunga road. The water remains shallow near shore, with some underwater sandbars near the surface which allow wading with a clear view of the sandy bottom. Inland from the beach, there is extensive vegetation, including numerous palm trees which cover the coastal areas, unlike the dry acacia trees of the mountainous Kenyan Highlands.

The general area is known for its coral reefs, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and for the closely located Shimba Hills National Reserve, a wildlife reserve which looks out over the Indian Ocean. Diani Beach has high-class restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and several shopping centres.

Diani Beach is also a popular kitesurfing location.

WATAMU 

Watamu is a small town located approximately 150 km north of Mombasa and about 15 km south of Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It lies on a small headland, between the Blue Lagoon and Watamu Bay. Its main economic activities are tourism and fishing.

The town has a population of around 1,900 and it is part of the Malindi District.

The shoreline in the area features white sand beaches and offshore coral formations arranged in three bays: Watamu Bay, Blue Lagoon and Turtle Bay. They are protected as part of the Watamu Marine National Park. The Marine Park is considered one of the best snorkelling and diving areas on the coast of East Africa. In order to assist the managing authorities namely Kenyan Wildlife Service, in protecting the Park, local community groups, the tourist sector and environmental groups have formed a unique organization, Watamu Marine Association Members of this group are Turtle Bay, Hemingways, Arocha Kenya, Mida community conservation group, watamu Boat Operator and Mwamko Mapya women group.

The name "Watamu" means "sweet people" in Swahili. The name came from the fact that Arab slave traders used to distribute sweets to entice the local population before taking them as slaves.

Watamu is home to the Bajuni people; who trace their descend to the intermarriages between the local Giriama People and the Arab traders. As at now, various tribes from inland Kenya such as the Luo, Kisii, Kikuyu, Kamba, kalenjin, Luhyas have all emigrated to the area to work in the Hotel industry. this movement has led to an increase in the population of the Watamu as earlier stated.

A newly discovered species of the largest spitting cobra in the world (Naja ashei) was recently (2007) discovered in Watamu

 

GORILLA NAMING

The Kwita Izina is an annual event held in Rwanda to celebrate the births of Africa's greatest mammal, the majestic Mountain Gorilla. 

The annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony is a tradition of the Banyarwanda people, celebrated for decades. This ceremony is known as 'Kwita Izina' which means 'to give a name'. 

 The Gorilla Naming Ceremony is a conscious effort to not only raise awareness of the Gorillas in Rwanda, but also to highlight Rwanda as an excellent tourist destination.

Celebrating the birth of Gorillas in Rwanda in their natural habitat is the main purpose behind this event, which is on its way to becoming one of the world’s premier tourist events in Rwanda. The theme of the 2007 event was 'Caring for Wildlife concerns us all'. Every birth is a confirmation of a successful conservation and protection program, with the hope of one day removing the Mountain Gorilla off the endangered species list.

The ceremony was held on the 30 June 2007 and saw 23 Gorilla being named. Rwanda is proud to be the first country to have a public Gorilla naming ceremony and intends to use this event to firstly, raise awareness at a national and international level to protect the few remaining Mountain Gorilla, secondly, to announce the success of Rwanda's conservation efforts of the Mountain Gorilla and thirdly, to attract tourists to the Kwita Izina ceremonies.

In 2008 the central theme around the event was the message “working together for wildlife” and 20 Gorillas were named in the ceremony. In 2009 at the 5th Kwita Izina another 18 Gorillas were given names. In 2010, the United Nations declared that it was the International Year of the Gorilla and the ceremony garner much attention, with celebrities such as Prince Albert of Monaco attending.

In 2011 the ceremony had become firmly entrenched as one of the premier events in the local’s calendar and over 7000 people turned out for the event. The 7th Gorilla naming ceremony was held at Kinigi / Musanze and 22 baby gorillas were named. There was live entertainment which showcased local culture. There were traditional drummers playing and local dancing. Dignitaries and celebrities who attended were dressed in traditional clothing.

Community members involved in protecting the Gorillas, international celebrities and local dignitaries can all contribute to the naming of the Gorillas. People can adopt baby gorillas in the sense that they can contribute funds to helping protect that Gorilla. Many companies help name Gorillas after they have made a donation.