Chimp Haven Gets an Upgrade

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2012) — With its miles and miles of dense swamp forest, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo has long been a wildlife haven. It's home to an unusual primate population: so-called "naïve" chimpanzees, who have so little exposure to humans that they investigate the conservationists who study them, instead of running away.

Chimpanzee. (Credit: © Kitch Bain / Fotolia)

These curious chimps got a recent boost when Congo formally expanded Nouabalé-Ndoki to protect them. Known as the Goualougo Triangle, the 100-plus square-mile forest and its unique great ape population was first reported in 1989 by WCS conservationists. .

The Republic of Congo committed to expanding the park and protecting the Goualougo in 2001. The protected area has grown from 1,492 square miles to 1,636 square miles, an increase of more than 8 percent. With the region's apes facing increasing pressure from hunting, habitat loss, and the potential outbreak of devastating diseases such as Ebola, the protection of this area will help guarantee their survival.

Read more:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216134423.htm

Baby Mountain Gorilla from Virunga National Park rescued from poachers

Baby gorilla will join other orphans

August 2011. An infant mountain gorilla has been confiscated from poachers by Rwandan police in the town of Gisenyi on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Police arrested the Congolese poachers holding the infant as well as two Rwandans who were helping the poachers. The gorilla had been captured near the Bukima area of Virunga National Park, according to the poachers, indicating that it belongs to a critically endangered population. The poachers claimed they kept the gorilla for about six days, feeding him bananas and sugar cane until attempting to smuggle him to Rwanda.
8 month old gorilla
Veterinarians from Mountain Gorilla Veterinarian Project (MGVP), partners of Virunga National Park, took the infant gorilla, estimated at about 8-months-old, to the orphan care facility of Kinigi in Rwanda where they will perform a full health check. According to the veterinarians, the infant seems to be strong despite suffering from a bad cough and runny nose.

Strengthen protection measures
The Director for Virunga National Park, Dr Emmanuel de Merode said today, "that the infant mountain gorilla was recovered and the suspected poachers arrested is a remarkable achievement by the Rwandan Authorities. Nevertheless, the incident is unacceptable and deeply worrying for us, and reflects the enormous pressures faced by our rangers, eleven of whom have been killed this year protecting the park. Efforts are underway to strengthen the protection measures through de-snaring, increased anti-poaching, and tight collaboration with the local community."

Rwandan police notified Volcanoes National Park Chief Warden Prosper Uwingeli following the poachers' arrest, not knowing the origin of the gorilla. MGVP vets were called, arriving at the jail in Gisenyi around 10 pm.

"When we walked into the jail, one of the poachers almost immediately sneezed right on the baby, who was asleep in a tight, tense ball on the bed," Dr. Jan Ramer said. "He will go through a 30 day quarantine period, and hopefully will return to DR Congo at Virunga National Park's Senkwekwe Center where he can join orphan gorillas Maisha, Kaboko, Ndeze and Ndakasi. We are cautiously optimistic for this little guy - he is tense, but accepting of people, and is eating. All good signs for his eventual recovery."

Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park (established in 1925) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, is home to 200 of the world’s mountain gorillas and a small population of eastern lowland gorillas. Formerly known as Albert National Park, Virunga lies in eastern DR Congo and covers 7,800 square kilometers. The park is managed by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature, the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN).

Mountain Gorillas are critically endangered, with approximately 790 remaining in the world, about 480 in the Virunga Volcanoes Conservation Area (shared by DRC, Rwanda and Uganda) and 306 in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. The results of a recent census conducted in the spring of 2010 show that the number of Mountain Gorillas living in the tri-national forested area of which Virunga forms a part, has increased by 26.3% over the last seven years - an average growth rate of 3.7% per annum.

The Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN) and its rangers work throughout the country to protect the National Parks of Congo and their wildlife from poachers, rebel groups, illegal miners and land invasions. Over 140 Rangers have been killed in the last 10 years protecting the 5 parks of eastern DRC, and Rangers worked throughout the civil war, rarely receiving a salary.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/baby-gorilla018.html#cr

Africa's Sea Turtles Need Passports for Protection (Via HerpDigest)

Africa's Sea Turtles Need Passports for Protection

Olive ridley sea turtles nest in Gabon but spend most of their time
in waters off Republic of Congo

To protect these transnational sea turtles, scientists from Wildlife Conservation Society and others recommended the region's first international marine park

Press Release, WCS, NEW YORK (May 11, 2011)- Satellite tracking of olive ridley sea turtles off the coast of Central Africa has revealed that existing protected areas may be inadequate to safeguard turtles from fishing nets, according to scientists with the University of California-Santa Cruz, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Exeter, and others. Scientists involved in the study recommended the extension of an international marine park that spans the waters of Gabon and the Republic of Congo and better international cooperation to manage this threatened species.

The study was published May 11 in the online journal PLoS ONE. The authors of the study include: Sara M. Maxwell, Greg A. Breed, Barry A. Nickel, and Daniel P. Costa of the University of California-Santa Cruz; Junior Makanga-Bahouna, Edgard Pemo-Makaya, Richard Parnell, and Angela Formia of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Solange Ngouessono of the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon; Brendan J. Godley, Matthew J. Witt of the University of Exeter; and Michael S. Coyne of the University of Exeter and SEATURTLE.org.

First author Sara Maxwell, who led the study as a graduate student at University of California Santa Cruz, said it provides novel insights into the movements of olive ridleys and how to better protect them.

"Thousands of olive ridley sea turtles are caught every year in fishing nets along the coast of Central Africa, yet we previously had no understanding of their movements or what areas are critical to protect their populations," said Maxwell, now a postdoctoral fellow with Marine Conservation Institute.

In the first comprehensive tracking study of olive ridley sea turtles during the nesting season, the authors used satellite transmitters to follow 18 female turtles during their journeys ashore to lay eggs. The nesting season brings the turtles closest to the coastline and to the danger of being captured in fishing nets.

Turtles were tagged in Mayumba National Park, a 900-square-kilometer marine protected area on the southern coast of Gabon. Mayumba National Park and Conkouati-Douli National Park just across the border in the Republic of Congo were created to protect both olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles from fishing nets, but dozens of dead olive ridley sea turtles have continued to wash up on the shores of the park every year. These deaths have perplexed park managers and resulted in mounting concern about the health of this threatened species.

"What we found, however, made sense. Turtles were regularly moving outside of the park boundaries where we believe they were encountering fishing nets and drowning, and later washing ashore where we would see them," said Angela Formia of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Ocean Giants Program.

The study revealed another critical finding: the tagged turtles spent more than half of their time in the Republic of Congo waters, highlighting the need for international cooperation to protect this species. The Wildlife Conservation Society is now working in conjunction with the national park agencies of both countries to join and expand Mayumba and Conkouati-Douli National Parks, creating what is the first international marine park in this region of the world.

"The proposal to combine and extend the protected areas will be incredibly effective," said coauthor Brendan Godley, professor at University of Exeter Cornwall and coordinator of the Marine Turtle Research Group. "We estimate that 97 percent of the most critical habitat for this population of olive ridley sea turtles would fall within the expanded park boundaries."

"Our results clearly provide a solid foundation for the implementation and extension of the transboundary marine protected area," said coauthor Michael Coyne, director of the non-profit SEATURTLE.ORG, which hosts a website where the sea turtles can be followed online by the public.

Studies such as this one highlight the critical importance of international cooperation in managing and protecting long-lived and migratory species such as sea turtles. This work also demonstrates the power of satellite tracking technology to show where animals are going and how to better protect them.

Coauthor Dan Costa, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said, "This is a great example of how innovative science on the ecological needs of wide-ranging, long-lived marine species can help justify regional collaborations for effective conservation."

This study was made possible through funding and support of the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, the UK Darwin Initiative, the Tagging of Pacific Predators Project, UC Santa Cruz Center for Integrated Spatial Research, SEATURTLE.ORG, and the Gabon Sea Turtle Partnership, which is funded by the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (United States Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior).

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit www.wcs.org.

Exeter is a leading UK university and in the top one percent of institutions globally. It combines world class research with very high levels of student satisfaction. Exeter is ranked 12th in the Times league table and was the 2007/08 Times Higher Education University of the Year. It was recently named as one of Europe's fastest growing companies in a list compiled by Dun & Bradstreet. It is also in the top ten in the UK for student satisfaction in the 2010 National Student Survey.

The Gabon Sea Turtle Partnership (Partenariat pour les Tortues Marines du Gabon) is a network of Gabonese and international partners dedicated synergistically toward the common goal of protecting Gabon's sea turtles for generations to come. The Partnership consists of and coordinates with multiple governmental and non-governmental organisations in Gabon and is funded primarily by the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (United States Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior). Visit www.seaturtle.org/groups/gabon/home.html.

CONTACT: JOHN DELANEY (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)
or STEPHEN SAUTNER (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)

Crocodile eats Kayaker

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - For weeks, three kayakers exploring a series of rivers through the heart of Africa came together in a close formation designed to ward off hippo and crocodile attacks whenever they paddled the quiet green glides between thundering stretches of whitewater.

The boaters - two Americans and a South African - traveled some 1,000 miles of river this way, through some of the densest concentrations of man-killing wildlife in the world. They were on a quiet stretch of the Lukuga River in Congo, paddling just 4 or 5 feet apart, when a crocodile slipped up from behind and ripped trip leader Hendri Coetzee from his red plastic boat.

With no time to do anything but say "Oh, my God!" Coetzee was gone, hauled beneath the green water never to be seen again.

"The crocodile just pulled him right underwater," Chris Korbulic told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday from Reno, Nev., where he was visiting his brother. "I think we both were just in complete shock and disbelief, and absolutely horrified at what had just happened."

Ben Stookesberry, 32, of Mount Shasta, Calif., and Korbulic, 24, of Rogue River, Ore., are world-class kayakers who have gone where no boat has gone before to navigate the melting snows of the Himalayas in Northern Pakistan and India, towering waterfalls in Brazil, and boulder-stewn creeks in Costa Rica, California and British Columbia.

With primary sponsorship from Eddie Bauer Inc.'s First Ascent line of outdoor gear, they had partnered with Coetzee, a top whitewater guide based in Uganda, to document the whitewater of the White Nile and Congo, and be the first to boat the whitewater of the Lukuga River. They also hoped to bring attention to the crisis of millions of people dying from poor water quality in a region overflowing with water.

Though they knew Coetzee's giant reputation in the tiny world of extreme kayaking, and spent months planning their expedition together, Korbulic and Stookesberry didn't meet Coetzee until they flew into Entebbe, Uganda, in October. From his base in Jinja, he started showing them the ropes of African kayaking.

"He wanted to take us from the snowcapped peaks into the deepest, darkest, steamiest jungle," said Stookesberry. "He wanted to prove to us that in this place considered by Western media as one of the most dangerous places on Earth, we would find some of the nicest, most hospitable people we ever met."

For two days Coetzee took them down the Murchison Falls section of the White Nile. He taught them to tap their boats to make noise, stay out of the eddies where hippos might attack them, and keep clear of the banks where crocodiles sunned themselves.

Stookesberry and Korbulic were used to whitewater that could kill them, but the idea that something unseen and alive in the water could kill or eat them was new.

By the time they got to the Lukuga, they were comfortable with their skills.

The day Coetzee was attacked - Dec. 7 - they saw three little crocodiles on the water, just 3 feet long. It had been raining for two days, so hard they didn't try to cook a meal. They had just finished more than 30 miles of whitewater. And they faced 200 miles of flat water, winding through rolling elephant grass-covered hills, before their final takeout.

They were in the middle of a stretch about 100 feet wide, paddling so close their blades would touch if they got out of synch. Coetzee was in the center, Stookesberry a little in front on the left, and Korbulic a little
behind on the right.

"I glanced over to measure that we were not paddling towards or away from each other. And just in my periphery I saw the crocodile come out of the water, and he got onto Hendri's left side - just the left shoulder with its mouth," Korbulic said.

Talking to villagers later, they figured the crocodile was at least 15 feet long and weighed up to 2 tons.

Stookesberry and Korbulic watched the overturned boat shaking for about 20 seconds as the crocodile pulled Coetzee from the tight-fitting cockpit. Realizing they could do nothing, they paddled as fast as they could less than a mile downstream to a village, where they caught Coetzee's boat as it floated by, without even a scratch to tell how he had disappeared.

Coetzee's body has never been found, and he is presumed dead.

Appearing first on NBC's "Today" show, Stookesberry and Korbulic said they will never again paddle the Lukuga, out of respect for Coetzee.

"His goal was never to gain that notoriety," Korbulic told the AP. "He was just really loving how he was living his life - and the adventure it was taking him on."


http://www.startribune.com/nation/112250804.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsl

Crocodile eats Kayaker

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - For weeks, three kayakers exploring a series of rivers through the heart of Africa came together in a close formation designed to ward off hippo and crocodile attacks whenever they paddled the quiet green glides between thundering stretches of whitewater.

The boaters - two Americans and a South African - traveled some 1,000 miles of river this way, through some of the densest concentrations of man-killing wildlife in the world. They were on a quiet stretch of the Lukuga River in Congo, paddling just 4 or 5 feet apart, when a crocodile slipped up from behind and ripped trip leader Hendri Coetzee from his red plastic boat.

With no time to do anything but say "Oh, my God!" Coetzee was gone, hauled beneath the green water never to be seen again.

"The crocodile just pulled him right underwater," Chris Korbulic told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday from Reno, Nev., where he was visiting his brother. "I think we both were just in complete shock and disbelief, and absolutely horrified at what had just happened."

Ben Stookesberry, 32, of Mount Shasta, Calif., and Korbulic, 24, of Rogue River, Ore., are world-class kayakers who have gone where no boat has gone before to navigate the melting snows of the Himalayas in Northern Pakistan and India, towering waterfalls in Brazil, and boulder-stewn creeks in Costa Rica, California and British Columbia.

With primary sponsorship from Eddie Bauer Inc.'s First Ascent line of outdoor gear, they had partnered with Coetzee, a top whitewater guide based in Uganda, to document the whitewater of the White Nile and Congo, and be the first to boat the whitewater of the Lukuga River. They also hoped to bring attention to the crisis of millions of people dying from poor water quality in a region overflowing with water.

Though they knew Coetzee's giant reputation in the tiny world of extreme kayaking, and spent months planning their expedition together, Korbulic and Stookesberry didn't meet Coetzee until they flew into Entebbe, Uganda, in October. From his base in Jinja, he started showing them the ropes of African kayaking.

"He wanted to take us from the snowcapped peaks into the deepest, darkest, steamiest jungle," said Stookesberry. "He wanted to prove to us that in this place considered by Western media as one of the most dangerous places on Earth, we would find some of the nicest, most hospitable people we ever met."

For two days Coetzee took them down the Murchison Falls section of the White Nile. He taught them to tap their boats to make noise, stay out of the eddies where hippos might attack them, and keep clear of the banks where crocodiles sunned themselves.

Stookesberry and Korbulic were used to whitewater that could kill them, but the idea that something unseen and alive in the water could kill or eat them was new.

By the time they got to the Lukuga, they were comfortable with their skills.

The day Coetzee was attacked - Dec. 7 - they saw three little crocodiles on the water, just 3 feet long. It had been raining for two days, so hard they didn't try to cook a meal. They had just finished more than 30 miles of whitewater. And they faced 200 miles of flat water, winding through rolling elephant grass-covered hills, before their final takeout.

They were in the middle of a stretch about 100 feet wide, paddling so close their blades would touch if they got out of synch. Coetzee was in the center, Stookesberry a little in front on the left, and Korbulic a little
behind on the right.

"I glanced over to measure that we were not paddling towards or away from each other. And just in my periphery I saw the crocodile come out of the water, and he got onto Hendri's left side - just the left shoulder with its mouth," Korbulic said.

Talking to villagers later, they figured the crocodile was at least 15 feet long and weighed up to 2 tons.

Stookesberry and Korbulic watched the overturned boat shaking for about 20 seconds as the crocodile pulled Coetzee from the tight-fitting cockpit. Realizing they could do nothing, they paddled as fast as they could less than a mile downstream to a village, where they caught Coetzee's boat as it floated by, without even a scratch to tell how he had disappeared.

Coetzee's body has never been found, and he is presumed dead.

Appearing first on NBC's "Today" show, Stookesberry and Korbulic said they will never again paddle the Lukuga, out of respect for Coetzee.

"His goal was never to gain that notoriety," Korbulic told the AP. "He was just really loving how he was living his life - and the adventure it was taking him on."


http://www.startribune.com/nation/112250804.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsl

Orphaned Congo Clawless Otter is an ambassador for conservation in the Congo

Congo clawless otter reared in a village

December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.

Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.

Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."

IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.

In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.


In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"

Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.

Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."

A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.

In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.

Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."

"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."

"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."

International Otter Survival Fund

Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.

People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.

If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "

About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.

The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.

The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.

Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!

Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.

All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.


http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html

Orphaned Congo Clawless Otter is an ambassador for conservation in the Congo

Congo clawless otter reared in a village

December 2010. Since mid-February otter conservation organisation, the International Otter Survival Fund, have been helping missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo to raise an orphaned Congo Clawless Otter.

Severe decline due to hunting
Due to commercial hunting for meat and fur, the Congo Clawless Otter population numbers have undergone severe decline. In an area, where it's the culture to hunt, the saving and raising of a rare wild creature has generated much interest and amazement within the local population (and further afield!). It has created an environment for conservation education, which has now become a focus of learning in the Congo village of Kikongo in Bandundu Province, where wildlife, habitat and land is constantly under threat.

Missionaries
The story began when the IOSF, received an email from missionaries, Glen and Rita Chapman, based in the Congolese village. The message simply read, "A hunter brought a dead female Congo Clawless Otter from the forest today. He also had a white newborn female pup-otter - eyes still closed, but very much alive... outlook is bleak."

IOSF immediately arranged for otter milk substitute to be despatched, whilst in the meantime Rita and Glen improvised - eventually the milk was delivered by supply plane. A week later, the cub was thriving and had grown 8cm! Very soon, a network of zoos, vets and other otter conservation groups were pooling their expertise and knowledge, via email, to help Rita and Glen.

In the local language, the word ‘Mazu' means noise - and this is what Glen and Rita called the young orphan. It's particularly apt, as Mazu makes a variety of noises - a range of happy snuffling, sighs, small whistles, tweets, twitters and squeaks.


In May, Rita wrote, "Yesterday, we were informed that some children found a mouse, cleaned it up, put powder on it, and want to make a house for it. They say they want to do like Mama Rita is doing with the otter! Isn't it nice that some kids are beginning to see some creature as more than meat? Is this the beginning of conservation I wonder?"

Flight stop over
Very quickly the word spread, that something unusual was happening in Kikongo - supply pilots, visitors to the area, local dignitaries and visiting students are all anxious to meet Mazu and learn about her (and conservation!) The Chapman's live close to the village's airstrip, and many people in transit, now stop by to see Mazu, and learn more about Congo Clawless Otters.

Otter prints similar to lions
Rita reports "One of the elders called by. We showed him Mazu and asked about otters. He says they have them upriver where he lives. He says they confuse the otter prints with lion prints (they are that large!) He says they are mostly in the swamp and along the streams, but they don't see them very much in the open river. He imitated the otter call. Since he is close to the chief, we asked if they would make a general announcement for people not to shoot otters."

A politician from Kinshasa also expressed an interest to meet Mazu - he'd heard about the conservation programme being carried out with her ‘help' - when he visited, this also facilitated an opportunity for local villagers to put forward a delegation, and engineer conversations about land use.

In the meantime, Mazu is learning to catch her own fish, taking great pleasure in rolling, playing and eating the non-native water hyacinth - like most otters she combines eating with play, and Rita and Glen admit that they are now ‘trained' in carrying fresh supplies from the river each day.

Recently, Rita reported "No doubt about it, Mazu is a show stopper and ambassador for otter conservation wherever she goes."

"In the evening when the whole community is taking various paths to wash up in the river or springs, people stand at respectful distances waiting for Mazu to pass by so that they can get a good look at her. They are impressed with her beauty, her size, her teeth (!), and awed that a wild animal can live with people. Or, as often seems the case to us, we live with her."

"Invariably, there are further observations and questions that follow these encounters and others at the house. Those adults and children, who regularly help with Mazu's care, seem to enjoy educating amazed visitors who frequently stop by Mazu's outside enclosure, to watch her digging or playing in her pools. For those who can read French, a Congo Clawless Otter fact sheet is available on the fence for reading. Each and everyday, informal, but important conversations are taking place regarding Mazu and her value in our swamps and rivers."

International Otter Survival Fund

Grace Yoxon, of IOSF, says, "Working with Glen and Rita and Mazu is so exciting. When we first heard about Mazu we were all just concerned with helping them to rear her, but what they are doing for otter conservation through her is simply amazing. We also now have a network of experts around the world working with us, and, of course, Rita and Glen, who can share their knowledge and expertise. This network sprang into action once again (in May), when another cub (this time a Spotted Neck Otter) was found on the other side of the Congo.

People worldwide have been following Mazu's story on the IOSF Blog and website, and it is great to have this support. The milk we sent for Mazu has to be imported from America; we also use it for the cubs we care for at the Skye otter sanctuary. Cubs stay with their mothers for about a year, so IOSF have to release them at the same age as otherwise they won't survive. This makes it very expensive and so the support we receive is vital.

If anyone wants to know more about Mazu or the work of IOSF they can find out more on the website at www.otter.org "

About Otters in the Congo:
There are two types of otter in the area - Congo Clawless (Aonyx congicus) and the Spotted Neck Otter (Lutra maculicollis). The Clawless Otter is the second largest otter in the world. This species resides around wetlands, streams or ponds in the rainforests of Central Africa. Although most otters are considered aquatic, this otter is thought to be more terrestrial.

The Congo Clawless Otter is dark brown in colour which helps it blend into its muddy surroundings. White tips of the hairs on the dorsal head and neck area give it a silvery look. The chest, nose, and ears are white. There is also a very distinguished patch of dark fur between the eye and the nose on each side of the face. The front feet have no claws or webbing. The back feet have very small claws, which are partially webbed.

The Congo Clawless Otter is a larger than most species, with a total length of 118 to 156 cm, with 40 to 59 cm of it being the tail. Adults usually weigh between 15 to 25 kg. The Congo Clawless Otter is very similar in appearance to the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis). However, the Congo Clawless Otter has a more slender head and neck, the cheeks tend to be white rather than beige as in the Cape Clawless, and the dark mark between the eye and nose is more prominent. A less obvious distinguishing characteristic is the more deeply cusped molars.

Predators: birds of prey, crocodiles, leopards, pythons, and man.
Otter bush meat is common in Congo and Cameroon, but not in Gabon because of its reputation of being a dangerous animal - the myth in Gabon is that otters can give electric shocks when caught with a spear. Some people don't like to eat otters because of the smell which can linger!

Otters are also thought to be magical and possess powers that when you catch an otter, skin it, and wear its fur, you are thought to become invisible to your enemy. This emanates from the belief of the otter's ability to escape fish traps. Its fur is also used in Cameroon to make drums.

All 13 species of otters are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - a worldwide treaty developed in 1973 to regulate trade in wildlife species.


http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/congo-clawless-otter.html

Twin gorillas born in Congo

Gorilla family group now 30 strong

December 2010: Twin gorillas have been born at Kahuzi Beiga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).


They join the Chiminuka group - and are the fourth pair of twins born into the family.

There are fewer than 5,000 eastern lowland gorillas remaining in the wild and Kahuzi Biega National Park, on the eastern edge of DRC, is home to one of the largest populations.

Kahuzi Beiga ranger Tuver said: ‘The birth of the twins brings the number of gorillas in Chiminuka's family to a grand total of 30, which is wonderful.

No one has yet managed to photograph the newborn twins so here is a photo of the magnificent Chiminuka - the proud father.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/gorilla-twins.html

Twin gorillas born in Congo

Gorilla family group now 30 strong

December 2010: Twin gorillas have been born at Kahuzi Beiga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).


They join the Chiminuka group - and are the fourth pair of twins born into the family.

There are fewer than 5,000 eastern lowland gorillas remaining in the wild and Kahuzi Biega National Park, on the eastern edge of DRC, is home to one of the largest populations.

Kahuzi Beiga ranger Tuver said: ‘The birth of the twins brings the number of gorillas in Chiminuka's family to a grand total of 30, which is wonderful.

No one has yet managed to photograph the newborn twins so here is a photo of the magnificent Chiminuka - the proud father.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/gorilla-twins.html

Baby bonobos tragic victims of illegal trading

May 2010: A three-month-old bonobo has become yet another tragic victim of the illegal trade in the endangered creatures.

A man called Jean Efoko had bought the baby and another 12-month-old bonobo from a hunter near the Bandundu province of Congo, with the aim of selling them in the markets of Kinshasa.

However, the young animals were not strong enough for the journey. Worried about their health, Jean asked a driver for Doctors Without Borders who told him to take them to the Lola va Bonobo sanctuary.

Jean was unaware that bonobos are endangered and that it is illegal to sell them. However, having been shown round the centre by an education officer, Jean gave up the bonobos.

However, the two infants were in bad shape and two of the youngest bonobos the sanctuary has seen. They were severely malnourished and traumatised and sadly the three-month-old was too weak to survive.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bonobos-illegal-trade.html