Zimbabwe Seven

Category: Past Newsletters | Date: Mar 26 2008 | By: admin

Zimbabwe – our beloved homeland continues to cry in silence. Once again Zimbabwe sits at a crossroads in her history. Our country has had a melt down in every aspect of industry and wildlife has unfortunately not been left unscathed. As the months have passed it has not been without its casualties from the wildlife world. 2007 saw 29 rhinos being poached and leaving behind 4 orphans. For every rhino which is poached – ask yourself “how many smaller less known animals have been poached?” I continue to ask myself when will this all end as I am sure the rest of you here in Zimbabwe have the same question.

The Tikki Hywood Trust has always wanted to maintain itself as an Organisation of HOPE! Right now this is very difficult to do. Yet there is hope! The rains have been fantastic and left the veldt with wonderfully lush green graze. The excessive rains have also made the terrain, very difficult for poachers and there is an abundance of water. These are all positives which will be able to help us rebuild the number of wildlife.

January 2008

Hedgehogs
Over the past three months we have had an amazing response to our request of looking for hedgehogs which are orphaned and or injured. Thanks to an advert in the Bulawayo Morning Mirror we have to date received eleven hedgehogs, but have had five mortalities. Unfortunately, some have come to us in a state of such grievous injury that it is not always possible to save them. One particular old male hedgehog comes to mind – he was named Pig Robinson and stayed with us for a week. When he arrived he had a severe bite wound just behind his left ear which was already maggot infested. We cleaned the wound out as much as possible but the maggots had gone in very deep and kept coming out to the surface on a daily basis. After antibiotics and vitamins we were not able to pull him through.

Currently we have 7 hedgehogs - 3 males and 4 females. All have been named after Beatrix Potter characters, so we have:

Tommy - one of the first to arrive, who also goes by the name “Tommy Toe-biter”, as everything from your toes to food goes into his mouth, just testing!!!
Moley Warp - a younger male, who is growing into a dashing young hedgehog with very dense, closely knit spines and
we have high hopes of him charming the females.

Moley Warp Miss Tiggy

Benjamin - the youngest of the males, is still quite nervous and very prickly.

Miss Tiggy – was the first female to arrive. She had a bald spot on her back between her hips which was caused by ringworm. Incidentally, African hedgehogs suffer badly with ringworm and often die from a heavy infection. Thankfully her spines have grown back after treatment with tea tree oil in vaseline for several days. Ring worm causes the hedgehogs to lose all their spines, once this happens the hedgehog becomes bald and will become prey for many other animals.

Jemima - this little hedgehog has a bit of a sad story - when she arrived at the Trust she had given birth to a single little hoglet who very sadly had not survived the journey from Bulawayo to Harare. In our experience when a mother hedgehog is disturbed in anyway, the offspring will either or be eaten or abandoned. When babies are born here at the Trust, we do not touch the mother or her young or even the house where she has given birth. For the first week that Jemima was with us, it was touch and go. She would not eat and seemed to be in a very depressed state. She also had severe spine loss on her back, which exposed a large scar - probably an old dog bite. With a lot of tender loving care and encouragement, Jemima is now back on track and picking up weight and has
introduced herself to the eligible males.
Puddle & Beatrix - the two youngest females only recently acquired are both less than a year old.

In order to co-ordinate the efforts of getting the hedgehogs in a stable condition and then on to the Trust we needed some assistance on the ground in Bulawayo. This is when Ken & Bobbi Goosen agreed to be our hedgehog liaisons for the Bulawayo area and surrounds. Pretty much thrown in the deep end and getting some unusual calls not always relating to hedgehogs, the Goosens have taken on this responsibility whole-heartedly, even taking one little wounded hedgehog to the vet to have injuries attended to! It is only through growing networks of like-minded and caring people such as Ken & Bobbi that we can make a difference to the smaller, forgotten creatures.

What is a very sobering thought is that these little creatures, once so commonly seen in the semi – arid environments of Zimbabwe, are now becoming a rare sight. We truly do not know how many we have left in Zimbabwe, but with the increased use of the hedgehog in traditional medicine the national hedgehog population is declining rapidly. The seven hedgehogs will form a breeding nucleus and we can start re-introducing the offspring in due course.

African wild cat
On Tuesday, 8th January 2008 we received a report from Bushman Rock Management that Paris had released herself from the enclosure. This was not a planned release, however due to a storm which brought with it a strong wind, rather a large tree fell down onto the fence line where Paris and Atlantic’s release enclosure is. It was initially thought that both she and Atlantic had gone off together, but Atlantic, was subsequently found in the enclosure the following morning. Whilst this was unplanned, it did not present too much of a problem that she was out, the only unfortunate thing was that we did not get a chance to collar her. Food was put out for her daily in the hopes of coaxing her back into the enclosure so that we could at least put a collar on. She was not too keen on this idea and remained elusive, yet continued to feed near the enclosure. Finally on 22nd February we realized that re-capturing Paris would not be an option, so we decided to put a tracking collar on Atlantic and release him. He was given a sedative (Dormicum) in a piece of meat early hours of the morning and then using an immobilizing drug (Zoletil), he was poled using a pole syringe. The opportunity to handle him whilst under the influence of the drug makes one realize just how solidly built these African wild cat are. His coat was in magnificent condition as well, not a single parasite to be seen. Once the collar was fitted he was put into a crate to sleep the drugs off. By nightfall of the same day he was let out of the crate and that was when it was noticed that he had a slight limp (from the pole syringe) and this would require some monitoring. By Sunday 24th Atlantic was fit and ready for release.
On Monday 25th the gate to the enclosure was opened. Atlantic, in his quiet and enigmatic way decided to stay a few days longer at “Hotel” Bushman Rock before venturing out. With the release of any animal, it is up to the individual animal to decide as to whether they wish to exit the release enclosure or not. Technically this is referred to as a “soft” release as the animal is given the option to stay or to go. Why do we do this? – it is vital that the animal being released feels comfortable and confident in the new surroundings, so the first thing they do when exiting the enclosure is not to bolt. The hope is to form a new breeding nucleus in the area where they are being. The fact that Paris remained near the enclosure for the seven weeks up to when Atlantic was collared proves this point beyond a doubt.

Civet
January also saw a new beginning for Francis our imported female civet from South Africa. Francis continues to grow in both size and character, becoming a normal boisterous civet. She is not as extroverted as Siam, but in her own way she is dealing with her rocky start to life in a new and loving environment. Wild animals I believe who have been through trauma and ill treatment, take a lot of time to heal. In my experience the recovery period consists of both a regular routine as well as a lot of encouragement from the people who are now interacting with them. Are we winning the battle against Francis’s pacing? I believe we are however it is going to be a long haul and every time there is something that threatens her she automatically reverts back to pacing. An obsessive compulsive is the term used in humans and should be equally used when talking about wild animals with similar behavior patterns. Just like with humans one of the ways in which to treat this is by using tricyclic antidepressant. Francis was put onto Amitriptyline (below is a table showing Francis’s drug dosages).
DATE DETAILS COMMENTS
3/01/08 – 12/01/08 Francis still in nursery pen. Francis has become more stable in this enclosure and it is almost time to move her next to the male civets.
12/01/08 Amitriptyline dose dropped to ¼ tablet Moved Francis in the morning to her new enclosure. She slept in the new house until evening when she was let out.
20/01/08 ½ Rivotril Francis had a bad night, pacing, so we administered a sedative to help her calm down.
21/01/08 Amitriptyline increased to 3/8 tablet We increased the dosage to assist her with adjustment.
13/02/08 Amitriptyline decreased to ¼ tablet, given ½ Rivotril for the night Main drug decreased as she is behaving well.
20/02/08 Skipping one day between drug doses. Improving, so reducing the drug dosage further by missing days.
1/03/08 Skipping two days between drug doses. Reducing drugs further.
10/03/08 Last dose of amitriptyline Francis also walked in an empty serval pen with us for the first time.
11/03/08 Drug free Spent two hours on her own in the empty serval pen.
12/03/08 Drug free Is now putting herself to bed under a bush in the enclosure. Happily climbs into her house herself when we enter in the morning.

On the 12 January, Francis was moved into another enclosure next to the two male civets and at the same time her drug dosage was decreased. She took to the new enclosure with enthusiasm, investigating every smell and giving Badger a casual glance. Badge of course was beside himself with excitement to having a new girl next door. Over the next few days as she got more familiar with her surroundings. Francis did have a few nervous moments where she would get unsettled and slip back into her pacing habit. We believe the adjustment to a different pen may have caused this (although she appeared very settled) so we increased the drugs again to help her settle. This helped her greatly and soon we all got into a routine where she would greet us enthusiastically in the morning when putting her in her house to go to sleep. Definitely the smaller house has made her feel more secure and sometimes in the evening when its time to get up for feeding she will burrow under her duvet like a sleepy teenager! By 10th March Francis had been weaned off all drugs! After months of concern that Francis might never be a normal captive kept civet, we are delighted to see positive results to the contrary. Francis’s next major event will, be meeting one of the boys face to face!

February 2008

This was a very positive month for the Trust as we were able to build a new enclosure at our headquarters. This enclosure will double up as a rotational enclosure for now, until such time as the Bat-eared foxes arrive.

Siam (imported African wild cat from South Africa) being far away from the other wild cats was given first option with the new enclosure. Being 35 m x 60 m Siam was not at all use to so much space! It is a wonderful experience to see an animal who has been so abused and who has spent the best part of his life in a small cage – all of a sudden exploring an environment which has grass instead of cement with real trees and not logs. If a cat could smile I am sure it would be the picture of Siam since arriving in Zimbabwe and becoming part of the Tikki Hywood Trust family.

Serval
February saw Mufasa growing into a teenager which of course means that he has now become rather interested in the female sex. Arwen is four months younger than Mufasa; therefore successful copulation will only be possible towards the middle of this year. Mufasa at least is showing all the characteristics of a male interested in a female. At this point I do not think that he is totally aware of what to do or even why he wants to do the things he is doing. Arwen on the other hand can not understand any of his actions or small talk which and just wishes he would just be ‘normal!’ After three days of Mufasa calling and doing a lot of huffing and puffing, we separated the two servals and have kept them apart until Arwen’s oestrus was completed. Even though Mufasa did have the opportunity to mate with Arwen, he thankfully has remained well natured and calm. Often in our experience, once the male starts being sexually active, he becomes aggressive. Shortly after he starts to become aggressive it is not much longer until he gets the “long distance stare” and the time arrives for him to be released.

The servals that are in the release program at Stonehills in Marula have also been very active! On 17 December 2007, Muffet and Rafiki were released. Muffet having already experienced her freedom, walked out of the enclosure with confidence and without a second look backwards. Rafiki being a shy and much younger serval remained in the enclosure for a few days before he decided to brave the wilds. Rafiki was not quite as adventurous as Muffet and even with placing his food at the entrance to the enclosure he remained inside the enclosure. After a few days his food was placed outside of the enclosure and this encouraged him to start exploring. The month of December is always wet here in Zimbabwe and this made Rafiki’s adjustment a little more challenging. Whilst being released Rafiki proved to be very different to his mother. He has less confidence and was always ravenous when his human caretakers brought him food. This indicated that he was not being very successful at hunting on his own. We also suspect that he was intimidated by a larger male who had been seen in the company of his mother! On the 15th January 2008, Rafiki’s signal was picked up near the neighboring village scheme and this caused some concern. When he was sighted, it was apparent that he had injured – his left back ankle joint which was swollen and which he was favouring. On further inspection, it was suspected that he had been bitten, (possibly the male, who could have been following Muffet) and his condition had deteriorated. Due to this injury, he would not be able to hunt effectively and would most likely lose even more condition so Rafiki was recapture, by being given a sedative in the meat which he ate without a problem and then was simply wrapped up in a canvas sheet, put in a crate and brought back to the release enclosure. Once back in very familiar territory and with food back on tap, Rafiki quickly relaxed and became his normal self. His injured leg also healed very satisfactorily without any need to treat it. Currently Rafiki remains in the release enclosure, but we have decided that releasing him at Marula with another adult male in the area will not be wise. So later on this year he will return to the breeding center and become one of the breeders.

Genet
Munchkin’s babies, Estee & Lauder are growing at a rate of knots. They have grown into incredibly agile and precocious genets, playing on the hanging baskets and wreaking havoc with the vegetation. In addition, it seems perfectly fitting that they should put manure in the ornate water fountain! Dad, Rags looks on sedately nestled in his straw-filled hanging basket and one can just imagine what goes through his mind: “Thank Goodness they are on that side!” Munchkin, ever patient and serene takes it all in her stride. She should be, after all she is the proud initiator of the first successful captive genet breeding program.

Coco & Dior: Two orphan genets, Coco (female) & Dior (male), were abandoned shortly after birth and at first we were not sure of the reasons. After awhile, it was apparent why their natural mother had abandoned them. Dior started to develop eye problems, where they would be closed and crusted up with a brown secretion. Coco, being slightly smaller, started developing lesions on various parts of her body, most noticeably on the last third of her tail and under her front right leg. However, Coco’s condition proved to be far more serious and she developed a bacterial skin infection that covered at least 20% of her body. Even after she was put onto antibiotics to help fight the infection, the bottom third of her tail was not able to recover and the end of her tail died and dropped off. Thankfully the rest of her problems were resolved and today she is a bright and full of nonsense genet. Due to the problems which both genets have been through, we will not breed from either of them and at the right time they will be sterilized and roam freely around the breeding center. It is the Trust’s principle that unless an animal is 100% both genetically and mentally we will not breed from them. Perhaps many would debate whether we should have raised these little orphans? Well only time tells what ails different mammals and we most certainly could not just sit back without helping these little creatures.

Kusanganisa Educational Project
This project continues to be an amazing learning journey for me. Zimbabwe is not a country which encourages anything which is new right now. Just getting through the day each day is very difficult, yet for many of these teachers their stresses of getting through the day are untold. Just this week, I gave one of the teachers a lift into town. On asking her what the reasons for her trip into town was for, her reply was “I can only cash my salary cheque in town.” So just to get cash (which might not be available in the bank) this teacher had to travel 55 kms by any means of transport she could find as she does not have a car, then get her pay cheque and return back to her home, another 55 kms, before night fall. During our trip into town, she remained cheerful and never once complained about the situation in which she found herself. I on the other hand seemed to be angered on her behalf. How on earth could a system let us down to such an extent? If we can not make sure that our own kind are taken care of, then how on earth are we going to find enough time to put into the species which inhabit our planet? After much deliberation I came up with the only way we can help our species as well as all those others which share the earth with us, is by taking small steps - together. This battle is way to large for any one of us to think we can under take it alone.

Through Kusanganisa I find that we, together with the Zimbabwean teachers, the children and all the sponsors involved are making it possible for these small steps to take place. Hope is a very powerful tool which keeps us believing in something positive. Through Kusanganisa the teachers have been inspired that there is a body of people who believe in their abilities, the children continue to be stimulating both mentally and physically through the project.

Even with the excessive rains, the first crop of mealies at Nehanda brought in ZW$ 650 million which have gone towards buying a Grade 7 Environmental Science text book. With the number of students increasing at Nehanda the school has been unable to supply enough text books and there are many students who have to share. With the help of Seed Co we have managed to plant another ½ hectare of sorghum, as well as this crop we have also increased the onion crop for this year as we had such success last year. As Nehanda is on sand veldt we have had to do a little bit of experimenting to see what crop does the best on this type of soil.
On the 20 February 2008, Mr Weterings the Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands, took the morning away from his busy schedule to see just how the financial backing from the Embassy for the Phase 3 part of Kusanganisa was taking place. The school put on an amazing morning of dancing, play acting and singing. Once all the activities were complete the Ambassador was shown around the school and what the school is currently undertaking through the Kusanganisa Educational Program. It was very interesting to learn that it was the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands who built Nehanda.

News in General
Currently here in Zimbabwe our poaching fines are ridiculously low. Over the past eight months, the Tikki Hywood Trust together with National Parks has managed to increase the fines every quarter. For 2008, we have managed to get Parliament to pass a 3000% increase in the national poaching fines. This will continue to be a battle we will pursue, as it is our hope that the poaching fines will be the same as the trophy fees. This way each animal will have a more realistic value.

January also saw the Trust going “mainstream” in the technological world of the internet. Blogging is a fast growing medium of expression on the internet, with people being able to stand on virtual soapboxes and have their say. Although initially it was a socially expressive tool, now with the infinitely expanding reach of the World Wide Web blogging has also become a way to fight ignorance and create awareness for conservation purposes. With this all in mind, the Tikki Hywood Trust has become a member of a purely conservation orientated site called wildlifedirect.org. We have our own blog page, and it is called Zimbabwe Seven. With a much wider and diverse audience, through this blog we can provide insight into the plight of the species we deal with and indeed the plight of Zimbabwean wildlife as a whole.

To all our sponsors and supporters we extend a huge thank you to each and every one of you. A special thanks goes to the following people, whom without we would not be able to continue our plight:-

African Genesis
Buddy Mockford
Croplink
Graham Smith
John Mctaggart
Julian Howard
Mike Palmer
Miriam Bauman
Patricia Glyn
SAVE Australia
The Royal Embassy of the Netherlands
Teresa Siskind

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Category: Serval | Date: Mar 25 2008 | By: admin

Rafiki’s story:

Sire: Geronimo
Dam: Muffet (4th Litter)
Sex: Male
Origin: Born at THT
Date of Birth: 12th October 2005
Littermate: none.
Other Siblings: Nala

Rafiki is from Muffet’s fourth litter with Geronimo. Like Nala who is also from Muffet and Geronimo, his coat was a dark golden colour with very black spots. As he has matured, we have discovered that his markings qualify him as a half king serval, meaning that he has more strips than spots.

Rafiki, was a healthy kitten that reached adulthood without any medical problems. He was raised by his mother and despite this became quite tame (usually the opposite is true when they are raised by their mothers). Due to lack of a genetically independent female, there was no one for Rafiki to breed with so he was always destined for an early release.

If we can recap for you from Muffet’s story….

On the 14 June 2006, Muffet was darted and collared and Rafiki was also immobilized but not collared, so that they would go together. Both cats travelled well and when we arrived at Stone Hills it was dark, fairly cold and raining. The cats remained in their crates and inside the car for the night, as I was concerned about their body temperature dropping too low, after being drugged (one of the side affects of using drugs is that the animal is not able to regulate his or her temperature). In the morning we took both cats to their new enclosure. This is where they would remain to be introduced to the new sights and sounds of the area until the rains come in November. Being confident as Muffet is, she came out of her crate quickly and started to investigate her new surroundings. Rafiki was still under the influence of the drugs and remained in his crate until later that day. Muffet however was delighted with her new surroundings, started eating and moving around the enclosure instantly. Muffet continued to show her self-assured nature whilst in the enclosure whereas Rafiki remained quiet yet curious. At the time that they were moved, he was only eight months old – an awkward teenager not sure of himself, but not totally dependent on his mother.

Muffet was released on 10 December 2006, whilst Rafiki remained behind. The reason we did this was because Muffet was in oestrus and we did not want Rafiki covering her. We also thought that with Rafiki still in the enclosure it might make Muffet remain in the area, and this is exactly what happened. During her first sojourn in the wild, Muffet would occasionally come back to check on her son.

Rafiki continued to take in the environment with wide-eyed interest. He was comfortable in the release enclosure and the occasional pile of feathers showed that he at least was practising hunting. He stayed in the release enclosure from 14th June 2006 to 17th December 2007, another eighteen months. As of the month of release, Dec 2007, Rafiki has matured into a stunning 2 year old serval.

On the day of the release, Muffet having done this once before strode out oozing confidence, almost knowing every stone and bush in the immediate area. Rafiki on the other hand must have watched his mother walk away a second time with confusion and trepidation. After a couple of days with the gate wide open and Rafiki still not venturing out, he was encouraged to take his food outside the gate. This seems to have given him the little bit of courage he needed to start exploring the surroundings.

Rafiki was released in December, which is generally in the height of the rainy season in Zimbabwe. As a result, his first introduction to the wild was a wet one. When he was tracked and food offered to him, he always ate it ravenously which indicated that he may not have been hunting successfully. He then moved to a neighbouring area and there was concern that there would be interaction between him and local people and their livestock. There were also occasions where he looked hounded or frightened, and we presumed that he was possibly being intimidated by the larger male who had been seen with Muffet.

Khanye’s report on Rafiki: (Scout at Stonehills Release Site)
10th January –
Rafiki could not be located, nor for the next four days. On the 15th January at
07:20 hrs his signal was picked from Dibe Hill coming from north Matanje area. Mr. Aylward, Mabena and myself went towards there. We finally saw him coming to us but he was outside the boundary fence. He was terribly thin, hungry and powerless. He had a swollen and limping left back leg. He looked desperate for food. Two dormicum tablets were wrapped in two separate pieces of meat, which he took in much hurry and he waited hoping as always
that I had come with more. The tablets were supposed to work within 30 minutes but nothing happened for almost an hour. He had come in through the fence at a place I had spilled
some blood. He dug where the blood had sunk. The piece of meat that we had put in the cage to trap him did not work, as he quickly took the meat and got out. We decided that time was being wasted and covered him with a big green tarp. He did not put much effort in trying to escape and we put him into his cage. When we got home, an hour and a half had passed since he had taken the tabs. But he was still wide-awake. We gave him two more pieces of meat and left him alone in his enclosure. I came back to check on him two hours later to find him (looking dead) asleep two meters from where we had left him. The tablets had only just started working. I came back two hours later with his 400 g of food and he was nowhere near
where I had left him. I tried to call but he did not come, so I left the food by his usual table. The next morning I found he had eaten it. At 4 pm he met me by the boma entrance asking for food – we gave him 400 g again. The next day he met me by the entrance at 4 pm waiting for food as he did on all the following days.

Note - we released Muffet on 14th December, and Rafiki left the cage (was induced out with food) on the evening of 17th December.

On the 15th January 2008, Rafiki’s signal was picked up near the neighbouring village scheme. This was cause for concern, as his presence would not be welcomed. On investigation he was found – miserable, hungry and worst of all, limping! His left back leg appeared to have a bite mark, it was swollen just above the hock joint.

There was no questioning that Rafiki had to be recaptured and brought in for treatment. Sedative tablets were crushed in two pieces of meat and given to him – which he wolfed down. Obviously now with an injured leg hunting was not even an option. However, he was not going to make it too easy, the sedative was working but he was still wary. Eventually, in his wobbly state he was unceremoniously wrapped in a piece of canvas and brought back to the release enclosure.

What is Rafiki’s outcome now that he has been recaptured and returned to the release enclosure? Well we have two choices. The first being to try and re-release him in the same area, or to bring him back to the breeding centre where he will breed and later when we feel he is more mature and confident try and release him at another release site. We have chosen the second choice, as Rafiki needs to build up his confidence before being release again. What this experience has shown me is that, each animal perhaps is not that eager to return to the wild as I might have first thought. Like with children, each wild animal which we are involved with, portrays different characteristics. It is our responsibility to assess these traits and then act accordingly to each animal as an individual. It is hoped that Rafiki will return to the breeding centre shortly after the elections (March 2007).

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Category: Kusanganisa Educational Program | Date: Mar 18 2008 | By: admin

KUSANGANISA – NEWS FLASH!!!

The Tikki Hywood Trust together Werribee Open Range Zoo on Friday 14 2008, were awarded the “Best Education Program for 2008”. The award was announced at a gala dinner in Taronga Zoo Sydney. The panel that judged the ARAZPA, comprised of zoo experts from New Zealand and Australia. The ARAZPA, is the highest and best award that any zoo related program can win.

The below is an excerpt from Rachel Lowry of Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Date Program commenced operation:
In May 2006, Lisa Hywood (Founder of the Tikki Hywood Trust) approached Werribee Open Range Zoo requesting assistance with the development of an education program to be based within rural Zimbabwe. The Tikki Hywood Trust (THT) hoped to establish a conservation education program that would promote sustainable behaviours within local communities situated alongside THT animal release sites. In September 2006 Rachel Lowry traveled to Zimbabwe to assess the feasibility of establishing an education program within Zimbabwe that could be linked to education programs run by Werribee Open Range Zoo. In February 2007 ‘Conservation Connections’ was launched as two Werribee Open Range Zoo educators, Rachel Lowry and Katie Pahlow returned to Zimbabwe to establish the in-situ component of the three-tiered Conservation Connections program titled ‘Kusanganisa’.

Conservation Connections is a three-tiered conservation education program developed by Werribee Open Range Zoo. Australian students first participate in An African Experience, where they connect with Africa’s magnificent wildlife and learn about issues devastating these species. Students wanting to take action against the bush-meat crisis and poaching then participate in the Ungana Project, developing wildlife education resources to be utilised in conservation education in Africa. In 2007, Conservation Connections inspired more than 780 Australian school students to take action for African wildlife. As a result, Werribee Open Range Zoo distributed 360 kilograms of wildlife education resources to Zimbabwe for Kusanganisa. These resources are used to enhance the capacity of Kusanganisa, the conservation education program facilated by the Tikki Hywood Trust.

On behalf of the Tikki Hywood Trust we would like to thank both Rachel’s and Katie’s tremendous support and belief in our Kusanganisa Project here in Zimbabwe. Their patience and determination to help Kusanganisa develop into what it currently is today has been tireless. When I first met Rachel in 2005, whilst I was in fundraising in Australia, I was drawn to her no nonsense approach toward conservation education. Rachel, Katie and I have been privileged to be apart of such a worthwhile project which is making a difference to both teachers and children alike here in Zimbabwe. With so much going against us here in Zimbabwe it is positive to know that Kusanganisa continues and the children are constantly reminded just how important both wildlife and their environment are to their own survival. For this project to continue here in Zimbabwe, it would not be possible with out the financial support of The Royal Embassy of the Netherlands. Together with the Embassy we have been able to introduce the Phase 3 into the schools. It is a huge peace of mind for us at the Tikki Hywood Trust to know that this project will continue to go from strength to strength due to people such as the Werribee Open Range Zoo and the Royal Embassy of The Netherlands.

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Category: Serval | Date: Mar 13 2008 | By: admin

When a captive bred animal returns to the wild it is no mean feat. There is a considerable amount of preparation which is required for both the animal being released and the community surrounding the area in which the release is to take place. With any release the management team on the ground is vital for the release to be successful.

At Stone Hills the management team which consists of Bookey & Richard Peek, Mabhena (Scout), Khanye (Community liaison officer & Scout) have all been incredibly instrumental in making the release of these animals a success. The communities which surround Stone Hills have been visited by the management team and the value of these animals and their importance has been explained to them. Some of the children of these farmers in the surrounding communities are students of the local primary school, Marula, which is where the Tikki Hywood Trust has developed and implemented the “Kusanganisa” educational program. The importance of this community liaison is evident in the results achieved by Khanye when visiting the surrounding communities – on one such visit he persuaded the people to remove snares set around their maize fields.

On the 29th of Jan 2007 Muffet was sighted near the enclosure. When Bookey went out to investigate the reasons for her return she realised that Muffet wanted to re-enter the enclosure and she was very hungry. In 2006/2007 the southern part of Zimbabwe experienced a drought. The effects of any drought impact heavily on carnivores and is essentially due to the lack of prey; e.g. rodents, birds etc. On discussion with THT & Stone Hills, it was agreed that due to the severity of the drought, it would be better to leave Muffet inside the enclosure and await the next rains. Perhaps many of you who are reading this excerpt, are wondering why we allowed Muffet to go back in the enclosure. The reason quite simply is that the THT belief on releasing any animal is to keep that animal’s welfare intact and themselves in peak condition for as long as possible, so that animal may go on and procreate to give rise to a wild generation of offspring. They ultimately form the breeding nuclei who restock the area in which they are released and in addition, provide us with a closer insight as to their habits and behaviours in the wild. These animals which are bred in captivity are a lifetime commitment, and I feel that this is something that is often overlooked or not given the importance it deserves.

To continue the story - Muffet remained in the enclosure with Rafiki during the dry months. At the first release, both Muffet and Rafiki were given the opportunity to exit the enclosure, but Rafiki simply did not go! We put this down to immaturity or insecurity or both, and thus we made the decision to keep him in the enclosure until he gained confidence in himself. With the release of any animal, it is up to the individual animal to decide as to whether they wish to exit the release enclosure or not. Technically this is referred to as a “soft” release as the animal is given the option to stay or to go. Why do we do this? – it is vital that the animal being released feels comfortable and confident in the new surroundings, so the first thing they do when exiting the enclosure is not to bolt. They form a new breeding nucleus so therefore it is important that they remain in the area where they are released so that they can also be monitored.

During the period that Muffet was back in the enclosure with Rafiki, we had the opportunity to address some problems that we had with her tracking collar. Being a petite serval, the current collar was slightly loose fitting and would swivel around her neck. The result was irritating to her, to the extent that she actually chewed on the antenna and eventually bit the end off!

With good rains, the avifauna and the rodent populations had re-established themselves to acceptable levels for the re-release of Muffet & Rafiki. The date decided on was 17th Dec 2007. Prior to this date, Muffet was chomping at the bit and ready to go. Her condition had been restored to its former glory and she was fit and ready for release. Rafiki on the other hand, never having experienced the wild, did know what to expect. The night before the release, both cats received larger portions of food than normal in preparation for the potential of not eating for a couple of days post release. The gate was opened early evening, just after feed time. Muffet strolled out with all the assurety and confidence she had shown the first time. Tail twitching, ears forward, she strode into the environment which was now familiar to her. Rafiki on the other hand sat and watched as his mother walked further and further away from him.

As Muffet left him behind to contemplate his situation we were concerned that Rafiki would again show a lack of confidence and stay in the enclosure.

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Mar 07 2008 | By: admin

Muffet’s story (female serval)

This is an introduction into Muffet and her story thus far. However we are going to up date you with regards to Muffet in separate instalments.

Muffet
Sire: Unknown / Wild
Dam: Unknown / Wild
Sex: Female
Origin: Orphan from Shamva - hand reared
Date of Birth: 4 April 2000
Litter Mate: Tigger
Other Siblings: Unknown
Breeding History: Bred with William to produce two litters; Duke,Duchess and then Mungo and Jerry. Bred with Geronimo to produce two litters; Nala, and then Rafiki and Isabella
Release Info: 13 June 2006 at Stone Hills – Collared

It is only right that this “moment” was made possible through Muffet. Miss Muffet was brought to the Trust in 1999 as an orphan in a Bata shoebox stuffed with cotton wool. Her eyes had not yet opened and she was so tiny that I did not think she would survive the night let alone reach maturity. I should have know that Muffet was a survivor from the beginning, but being my first wild orphan animal, I was rather in a state and did not see it until she was much older. The first three months of Muffet’s life were touch and go or maybe she was just testing me. Muffet experienced a lot of stomach problems and there was a lot of toeing and fro wing from Chris’s office’s. Muffet from the beginning was a headstrong cat, which kept her distance from most people. She was very small and had the most amazing sphinx like traits in her face, on top of this she did not have a golden coat but more a tawny colour coat, in South Africa she would be considered an exotic. Her brother Tigger was your standard serval when it came to size and colour, his temperament on the other hand was more like a leopard! Together we leant about one another. I was a totally over protective mother and had the two of them on a bottle until they were fifteen months old. They also remained in the house until they were a year old only going outside under my very watchful and protective eye. They must have been the most mothered creatures in history.

In 2003 Muffet was put into an enclosure with William in the hopes that they would breed. In August 2003 Muffet produced two kittens, Duke and Duchess. She gave birth to them in her basket but was not at all sure as to what these two tiny bundles of fur were. Talking alot and jumping onto my lap was all that Muffet could manage. There was no way she wanted to be left alone with these creatures. After nine hours of Muffet not really allowing the kittens to drink from her I decided to remove them both and hand raise them as they were now becoming cold and crying continuously. Muffet was delighted with this new idea and very relieved to not have these screaming furry rats in her basket. It was very interesting that with her first litter Muffet remained very tame and allowed me to have full contact with her throughout the pregnancy as well as during and after the birth. This all changed when her second litter came. In November 2003, Muffet gave birth to Mungo and Jerry. Muffet was very bad tempered shortly before the birth and would not allow me to have any contact with her. Once the kittens were born, she kept them hidden and did not let me see them until they were a week old. Every time anyone entered her enclosure she would attack them hissing and spitting as well as slapping the ground. The change between the two births was amazing, instinct definitely kicked in and she was now a protective mother, allowing nothing to come between her and her kittens. Muffet raised both Mungo and Jerry very successfully on her own, with no input from me. By the time her third litter arrived in August 2004, she was an excellent mother.

Nala was born and raised once again by Muffet, as was Rafiki who was born in October 2005. Muffet has proved to be a very successful breeder and mother. Showing us that instinct is a huge part of these cats’ lives even in captivity.

What was very interesting for me was learning that each cat has the ability to decide or rather show me when they are ready for release. Muffet started showing signs of wanting to be released shortly after giving birth to Rafiki. She became very aggressive and started pacing around her enclosure around dusk every evening. Even with hiding her food around the enclosure and trying to interact with her, nothing seemed to work and she had what I call the “long distance stare.” With Muffet also reaching an age of 6 years old if we were going to release her, we would not want to wait much longer with the fear that she might be too old.

It was decided that Muffet would be collared and released in Marula on the Stone Hills farm. On the 14 June 2006, Muffet was darted and collared as well as Rafiki being darted so that they would go together. Both cats traveled well and when we arrived at Stone Hills it was dark as well as being fairly cold and raining. The cats remained in their crates and inside the car for the night, as I was concerned about their body temperature dropping too low, after being drugged. In the morning we took them to their new enclosure, which is where they were to remain until the rains came. Being rather bold Muffet came out of her crate fairly quickly and started to investigate her new surroundings. Rafiki was still under the influence of the drugs and remained in his crate most of that day. Muffet however was delighted with her new surroundings, started eating and moving around the enclosure instantly. Muffet and Rafiki stayed in this enclosure for the next six.

Muffet was released on 10 December, whilst Rafiki remained in the enclosure. The reason we did this was because Muffet was in oestrus and we did not want Rafiki covering her. We also thought that with Rafiki still in the enclosure it might make Muffet remain in the area. Muffet walked into her freedom in the same way as she did everything in life – with confidence. She did not look back once. For the first week Muffet pretty much stayed around the area only going with in a 3 km radius around the enclosure. Occasionally coming back to the enclosure to check on Rafiki. Bookey would track Muffet and on finding her feed her. Most of the time Muffet did not take any of the meat, which was put out for her. This indicated that she was hunting for herself sufficiently. She was not concerned when Bookey walked with her, which was great as this gave us the opportunity to see what she was doing and how well she was coping on her own. On the 28 December, I went down to see Muffet in the wild. For me it was a huge milestone. Of course the day I arrived at Stonehills to see Muffet, she decides to head off in a completely different direction and we could not pick up the signal. For the next two days we continued to track her, getting a little concerned, as there was just no signal. Then finally on the 31 December, late morning Mabena picked up her signal. That was it. Meat, frontline and anything else that we thought we might need was shoved into a bag and we were off. My heart was racing and hands were sweating. We drove to the area where she had been detected, got out of the car and started tracking. It was not long before we found her signal, it was so close but I could not see her! I started calling her, and after about 3 minutes she called back. I headed towards where the call came from, talking all the time – then a few meters in front of me there she was – just sitting there looking at me and calling. She had remembered me!

I ran towards her and as soon as I reached her there was just crying, purring, and lots and lots of talking. She showed no aggression towards me.

This experience has quiet honestly been the highlight of my career with the Tikki Hywood Trust. The cycle is now complete. What we have seen is that wild animals can be bred in captivity and then after being hand raised can successfully be returned to the wild. Once in the wild they have the abilities to draw on their natural instinct and survive. Wild animals are only meant to be in the wild. To see Muffet in her natural environment, in good condition with a shining coat, marking the branches of trees and rolling in the grass left me speechless. I remained with Muffet, feeding her a little meat. She took it from me, but I think it was more a mother, daughter thing as she was not wolfing it down or really that interested in the meat. I followed her into the bush where she lay down and rolled, all the while quite ok with my presence. After what seemed like hours we decided to leave her. Walking away from Muffet I was completely content. She was where she was born to be – in the wild.

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