The WILD Foundation » Footage from the Field

About the Mali Elephants (French)

Emily Loose — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:50:54 +0000

This is a 3 minute TV programme that was made by one of our collaborators in Mali, the Malian Association for the Conservation of Wildlife and the Environment (AMCFE) as a part of our outreach programme funded by USFWS. It was shown before the main 8pm news that is watched by most of the urban population and aims to inform Malians about the importance of these elephants nationally, regionally and internationally, and that constitute part of Mali’s national heritage. It also speaks of the threat to their environment and what can be done about it. This kind of information is rare in Mali and AMCFE have received many calls from people fascinated and astonished that elephants still exist in their own country. (Video produced by AMCFE). Learn more about the Mali Elephant Project >

Isandlwana Traditional Youth Dance Troupe

Emily Loose — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:06:57 +0000

Launched 1999, the Zulu Village Project fosters self-reliance, enhances traditional culture and instills environmental awareness. The villagers named the project “Impumelelo yeSandlwana” – Success for the People of Isandlwana. Since its inception, the people of Isandlwana have created this success themselves – each WILD initiative works to build local leadership and economy while fostering cultural traditions and environmental stewardship.

Shown in this video is one of the many cultural programs ongoing in Isandlwana – the traditional youth dance troupe. This talented group of youth has been performing throughout the region and has won several awards. Celebrating and practicing traditional dance keeps the culture of the Zulu Village vibrant!

Video by Erika K.H. Gronek, Ancora Productions

Preserving a Way of Life: Isandlwana Village, South Africa

Emily Loose — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:45:23 +0000

Managed locally, under the quiet but determined leadership of Elizabeth Dhlamini (Ms. D), a team of local leaders and coordinator Samantha Terblanche, the Zulu Village Project is flourishing, with new initiatives each year.

Currently underway are:

• Sustainable Food Projects: Organic Gardens, Fruit Orchard and Chicken Production
• Soil erosion projects; Micro-lending program with 100% payback;
• A traditional youth dance group, winning awards around the province
• An active soccer-team, practicing and playing local matches
• Environmental Learning through Eco-Schools

Video by Erika K.H. Gronek, Ancora Imparo Productions

Elephant Relocation by The Kissama Foundation & WILD

Emily Loose — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:38:04 +0000

In 2001-2002 The Kissama Foundation (Angola) planned and implemented the first initiative to rehabilitate Angola’s nationals parks after the 25 year civil war. Working with a team of international partners including The WILD Foundation, Dr Wouter van Hoven of The Kissama Foundation planned and implemented the translocation of 36 elephants and other wildlife to a 10,000 hectare, specially-fenced “soft release” areas in the north of Quicama.

The animals came from over-populated areas in South Africa and Botswana. These animals helped to re-build a prospering wildlife community in the once devastated park. Once habituated, those animals that were formerly native will be released to the entire park, and those not strictly native will remain in the soft release area. The elephants are doing well — they’ve produced at least 8 new baby elephants! Read more about the ongoing work in Kissama NP >

Video by Erika K.H. Gronek, Ancora Imparo Productions.

Olive Ridley Turtles Threatened by Construction by TATA in Orissa, India

Emily Loose — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:56:19 +0000

On the eastern shore of India, along the Orissa coast, the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle is facing yet another challenge to its survival. Plans are currently underway to construct a massive deep water port at the mouth of the Dhamra River, just north of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary – the largest of only three nesting sites for the Olive Ridley in the world. Every winter, more than half a million of these endangered turtles mate in the shallow, calm ocean waters, then the females journey ashore for the arribada or “mass nesting.” For the first time, in 2008 there was no arribada on the Orissa beach.

In addition to the ongoing threats these turtles face from trawlers, gill netting and environmental factors such as global warming, the construction of the port will introduce numerous new stresses. Increased shipping traffic will deter the turtles from coming in from the sea to mate and nest; dredging, oil spills and chemical leaks with add deadly pollutants to the ocean waters; and artificial lighting will confuse the instinctual movements of both adults and hatchlings.

The Olive Ridley’s will not be able to adapt to these new threats quickly enough to shift the arribada to a safer and more suitable location, however the location of the port can.

Umzi Wethu – Nature, Nurture, Future

Emily Loose — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:05:23 +0000

With our partner organization, The Wilderness Foundation (Africa), we’ve launched a break-through program that address the escalating AIDS/HIV crisis with conservation solutions.

Umzi Wethu selects and qualifies vulnerable youth, impacted by AIDS and other causes, for eco-tourism jobs through training scholarships and effective partnerships with game reserves and parks. The holistic program trains, nurtures and equips its students through a comprehensive intervention including certified hospitality training, internships, mentoring and wellness skills. Umzi Wethu is empowered by an environmental ethic, and introduces the healing qualities of nature to support long-term health, self esteem, employ-ability and personal growth.

Umzi Wethu provides more than national standard training and care. Graduates are guaranteed jobs…something provided by few other programs for orphaned and disadvantaged youth. Even further, we bring innovation to this field, based on our 50 years of experience providing experiential wilderness programs in wild areas of South Africa. Every Umzi learner – regardless of their specialty training – spends at least five days every two month “on trail.” Learners spend almost 15% of their training time in a wilderness setting. The program matches the motto – Nature, Nurture, Future.

Save the Rhino

Emily Loose — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:01:03 +0000

Help Chisipite Junior School in Harare, Zimbabwe, to save the endangered Black Rhino. This fun and informative video is presented by Kayla Smith an 11 year old pupil at Chisipite. The school has been involved in raising funds for the rhino for 22 years. There are less than 300 black rhino left in Zimbabwe and – without urgent support – it will soon be too late to save them. To support black rhino conservation in the Matusdona National Park, you can donate to WILD and we will ensure that funds are transferred directly to The Zambezi Society for this important project.

The Zambezi Society is a long-time partner and collaborator with WILD. See an example of our past work together. And, the rhino has a very special significance to WILD and The Wilderness Network. Our founder, Ian Player, led the team that saved the white rhino from extinction, a story told in Ian’s own words in The White Rhino Saga (now out of print but we have a few copies left).

Peace Parks

Emily Loose — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:32:40 +0000

The concept of international borders, often with fences and other obstructions, is antithetical to the idea of wilderness and large landscape conservation in which migration corridors and large scale ecological process are intact. Nature and its systems know no borders. The peace parks concept is based on the ecological importance of intact ecosystems and the reality that nature supports people of all nations. Borders are also unnatural for human-kind. There is a pressing need for international cooperation for peace and protection of our planet.

WILD is committed to the Pace Parks concept, and has presented many different models in this type of progressive, protected area management at every World Wilderness Congress. We also represent the Peace Parks Foundation (based in South Africa) in the United States, and WILD’s President, Vance Martin, is President and a member of the Friends of Peace Parks (USA) Board of Directors.

One of the best overviews of peace parks and its environmental counterpart – transfrontier conservation areas – is found in Transboundary Conservation: A New Vision for Protected Areas, one of the books in the celebrated CEMEX conservation series, and available from WILD.

I Brake for Dung Beetles!

Emily Loose — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:51:21 +0000

Here at The WILD Foundation, we realize that it is not just those large, charismatic animals that inspire conservation – it is often the small, typically unnoticed and vastly under-appreciated ones that inspire us the most….and that are an indispensible part of the ecosystem! We’ve always had a soft spot in our hearts for the fabulous dung beetle. Pound for pound, these amazing creatures are an unmatched resource for wild nature everywhere, and world servers of immense value…yes indeed. So, in honor of the smaller but very industrious parts of wild nature, we want to celebrate dung beetles!

We hope that you will enjoy this short, humorous clip of some dung beetles at work. We also hope that you will share our appreciation for the dung beetle and other small creatures by supporting our work to protect wilderness as a whole – not just the species or landmarks within it.

To celebrate the dung beetle, all new donors to WILD will receive an “I Brake for Dung Beetles” bumper sticker – sure to create some interesting opportunities for you to share what you’ve learned about these amazing, small creatures! Read more about our Dung Beetle Campaign and get your bumper sticker today>>

[video by Boyd Norton]

Celebrating the New Year with a Baby Leopard

Emily Loose — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:19:20 +0000

(written by Vance Martin on New Years Day, 2009, Okavango Delta, Botswana)

Two years ago I was in this same area of the Okavango Delta in Northern Botswana, and we were told of a very young female leopard who had been suddenly orphaned and had to make her own way, teaching herself to hunt, etc. The guides named her “The Little One.” We came upon her a few days later, a few moments after she had made her first kill (a small impala antelope). We watched her until sunset as she unsuccessfully tried to get the carcass up a tree where she could eat in safety. Right on cue a hyena showed up, then another…and started closing in on both her and the dead impala. The Little One decided that retreat was the best option, so she gave up her first significant meal to the larger, much more powerful hyenas.

This morning I asked about her and was told she had adopted the territory, was now a fully mature female, and was likely pregnant. We kept our eyes open and eventually found her…with her first cub! She had stashed the cub in a hollow log at the base of large fig tree, where it would be well-camouflaged and hopefully safe when she would go off to hunt.

I’m glad to report that mother and cub are both doing very well.

[video by Greg Price]