XAKANAXA NEWS
- November 2011
CAUSE AN UPROAR!
We dedicate this November 2011 newsletter to the National Geographic Big Cat Initiative and request you to please refer to the website and make a contribution to this very important Initiative. Please donate or apply for a grant.
“The Big Cat Initiative” is made up of National Geographic and Co founder explorers in residence Dereck and Beverley Joubert.
Meet Ma Di Tau (Setswana for Lion) and her cubs. View the trailer of their latest film ‘The Last Lions’ and make a difference for lions. For every trailer viewing on You Tube, National Geographic will contribute $10 to lion conservation in Botswana. Contribution maximum is $100, 000, 00. Watch as many times as you want and share with your family and friends.
Over the past half-century, International Union for Conservation of Nature Estimates show:
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Lions and Big Cats - living in the wild
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1960
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400,000
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Lions
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2011
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20,000
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Estimated
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2030
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0 ?
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If something is not done soon lions in the wild could be extinct
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Leopards
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Down from 750,000 to 50,000
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Cheetahs
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Down from 45,000 to 12,000
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Tigers
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Down from 50,000 to 3,000
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Dereck and Beverly Joubert are award-winning filmmakers, whose mission is the conservation and understanding of the large predators and African wildlife species, that determine the course of all conservation in Africa. Dereck and his wife, Beverly, have lived among populations of big wild cats for decades. Based in Botswana, the filmmakers and conservationists have spent much of their career documenting Africa's animal population for National Geographic. In their latest documentary project, The Last Lions, the Jouberts follow the dwindling lion population living in Botswana's Okavango Delta as they battle their prey — the buffalo — as well as rival prides. Their coverage of unique predator behaviour has resulted in 22 films, 10 books, six scientific papers, and many articles for National Geographic magazine. This body of work has resulted in five Emmys, a Peabody, the World Ecology Award, and the recent induction into the American Academy of Achievement.
"It is my firm belief that what we have learnt since Darwin and Wallace is that islands and the wildlife on them are vulnerable. The smaller the island the more likely an extinction in the future. What we have done in African wildlife management is divide up free ranges and make them into islands of safe zones surrounded by wildlife hostile blocks, be they hunting, ranching, farming or civilization. If any effort at all is to be put into conservation it has to go towards linking these islands again, joining them up and recreating home ranges and natural migration routes. This can't happen without everyone's help." DERECK JOUBERT
Their major effort today is in establishing the Big Cats Initiative with National Geographic as an emergency action fund to drive the world’s attention to big cats and to develop real solutions to stop the decline.
CAUSE ON UPROAR DONATE TODAY TO THE BIG CAT INITIATIVE!!
Refer to our May 2011 Newsletter for further information regarding the plight of the wild lion in Africa.
Xakanaxa Camp is committed to stocking as many “Made in Botswana” crafts as possible, to support the local communities. Indigo Trading in Maun kindly assisted us to improve the display of the curio items. They have suggested ways to improve the interior and an upgrade will be done in the New Year.
Temperatures have soared to around 40 degrees over the past three weeks.Roads that were underwater for over 5 months are now dry. Game viewing was very good once again. With sightings of lion on buffalo kills, cheetah, leopard, huge herds of buffalo and breeding herds of elephant. Wild dog interaction was interesting and two packs were seen fighting over territory and hunting. Hyena were viewed stealing their bounty. On many occasions the boat cruises came across elephant cooling down by swimming in the channels.
Newsletter Archive
January/ February 2012 :: February 2012 :: view
Veronica Roodt in Moremi Game Reserve :: December 2011 :: view
CAUSE AN UPROAR! :: November 2011 :: view
New Xakanaxa representation :: October 2011 :: view
A near 'deadly experience' :: September 2011 :: view
Returning migrant birds and hippos in camp :: August 2011 :: view
Rising water, stargazing and aborted landings! :: July 2011 :: view
Sable, baboons, Pels and leopard :: June 2011 :: view
Lion, wild dog, leopard and cheetah :: May 2011 :: view
A new pool, sitatungas and cheetah :: April 2011 :: view
