On 9 February 2013, a hippo estimated to be about two weeks old became Conservation Lower Zambezi’s (CLZ) newest team member. After 3 months and thanks to a huge effort from several dedicated parties, on 15 May he was safely relocated to South Luangwa where he will start his journey hopefully back to the wild.

Christened “Douglas” (although hippos are notoriously difficult to sex), the calf was observed by CLZ for several hours by boat, completely alone and in distress on the Zambezi River. After half a day the team moved the orphan to CLZ where it could be fed and cared for. When a female hippo nears the time to give birth, she leaves the pod for one to two weeks to give birth to her young and bond with the calf. Without his mother for protection from predators, the calf would almost certainly not have survived the night.

Hippo have been identified as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List drawn up by the World Conservation Union, with an estimated global population of between 125,000 and 150,000, a decline of between 7% and 20% since the IUCN’s 1996 study. Zambia (40,000) and Tanzania (20,000–30,000) possess the largest hippo populations. Although hippos seem common in the Lower Zambezi, it’s important not to forget that we have the privilege of being home to one of the world’s densest populations and that infact there are more hippos in Zambia than in any other country in the world. Our hippos face the challenges of habitat loss and poaching, which are both on the increase and are in serious need of protection as hippo meat rises in popularity.

Settled in his new temporary home complete with plunge pool, cleaned and refilled each day, at CLZ Douglas was fed from a bottle with a formula put together with the advice of various experts. Consuming 1.5 litres of milk with two egg yolks and supplements every three hours – he grew quickly! At first his skin was hydrated with aqueous cream and he was kept away from direct sunlight by four carers to ensure that Douglas has 24-hour supervision as well as maintaining his pen as a safe and comfortable space for him.

After the elephant and white rhino, the hippo is the heaviest land mammal and soon Douglas grew too large for his first enclosure and became expensive to feed and look after. Hippos can grow over four metres in length and 1.6m tall. They can live for up to 45 years, with males reaching maturity at about 9-11 years old and females at 7-9 years old.

Hippo babies can be nursed for up to 18 months, when they then start to feed on grass. Like any animal CLZ assists, we hope that Douglas can be released back into the wild when possible. In view of this, CLZ and the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) have decided that the safest place for the calf to be reared until he can be released is Chipembele Wildlife Trust in South Luangwa, where Anna and Steve Tolan, experienced wildlife rehabilitators have committed to caring for Douglas in their open facility and hopefully he will ultimately reintegrate with the natural hippo population in the nearby Luangwa river. However the big question was, how to get him there? A road journey would be long, stressful and potentially dangerous for the disorientated calf and so a much shorter and more comfortable journey by air was advised. Thanks to Proflight Zambia and their generous team, the calf was given a much higher chance of a smooth and successful relocation in a purpose built crate in the back of their caravan aircraft! Douglas was be accompanied by one of his dedicated carers from the Lower Zambezi, Oliver and ZAWA vet Dr. David Squarre.

We thank Proflight for all of their magnanimous efforts and all of the many well wishers who have contributed towards Douglas’ upkeep while at CLZ amongst them Ross Breeders who have kindly agreed to continue supporting Douglas with eggs in South Luangwa. Good luck to Anna and Steve at Chipembele and of course thank you as always to our partner ZAWA especially ecologist Howard Maimbo and vet Dr. David Squarre for protecting wildlife for the present and future generations of Zambia.

Chipembele are launching an appeal to raise funds for Douglina’s care and keep (Douglina is a temporary name given to her when Douglas was recently discovered to be a female and the name may change!). Donations are warmly welcome, however small, for her milk (currently 12 litres a day), supplements, 3 keeper wages and their daily food rations and other expenses. Please make any donations through the following sites:

http://www.chipembele.org/appeal

http://www.justgiving.com/hippopod 

 and follow her progress on the Chipembele Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ChipembeleWildlife

Annual Lower Zambezi Safari Guiding Training and Exams conducted at CLZ Base Camp in March 2013

With thanks to the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), CLZ (Conservation Lower Zambezi) and the Lower Zambezi Safari Guiding Exam Committee (LZSGEC) another successful intake of safari guides have been trained and assessed in the Lower Zambezi this March.

The Lower Zambezi has established a reputation for a high level of safari guiding over the past decade and is proud to continue to uphold the values of guiding etiquette and environmental sensitivity as a benchmark for Zambia.

Training the safari guides of 2013

Over two weeks, with over 10 years of guiding experience in Zambia, Deb Tittle conducted General Training and Walking Training courses at CLZ for 18 participants. This year CLZ welcomed our first Zambian female safari guide trainee Inonge Mubiana from local village, Mugurameno. Learning to lead a game drive is just the beginning, as the students also practice operating a 4×4 safari vehicle, while spotting wild animals on the move, and entertaining their clients with all sorts of fun facts, at the same time. They also learn how to identify, and track, the wide variety of creatures that inhabit Lower Zambezi National Park. The walking students are also taught how to handle encounters with dangerous game while on foot, as well as how to handle a rifle.

Scott Brown (Baines River Camp) and Sven Vrdoljak (Wildtracks) led the Boating & Fishing Training Day on 17 March, which covered boat use and fishing techniques on the Lower Zambezi with a specific emphasis on catch & release. Roddy Smith (Mwambashi River Lodge) conducted the Canoe Training Day on 18 March discussing techniques to keep guests safe and entertained on the Zambezi River.  Of the total 28 training course attendees, there was a 76% pass rate of those who sat exams, emphasizing the success of the learning and knowledge-sharing conducted during the courses.

Testing the knowledge

Exams began on 21 March with the General Safari Guiding Theory Paper.  A total of 28 people sat the challenging exam, of whom 12 qualified for the practical driving exam, 12 passed to sit for the Canoeing Theory exam, and 3 to sit for the Walking Theory exam.  The overall pass rate was 43% for the General paper. Of the 6 who participated in the Driving Practical exam, 2 people (33%) passed to qualify as driving guides in the Lower Zambezi this year.

Of the 11 candidates who wrote the Walking Theory exam, 6 candidates qualified for the practical exam.  The experienced candidates met the high standards of the committee and we are delighted to report that of the 6 who attempted the Walking Practical exam, all 100% passed and are now eligible to be Walking Guides in the Lower Zambezi

There were 12 candidates sitting for the Canoe Written exam, 7 (58%) of whom passed. The canoeing practical exam will be conducted in April 2013.

Finally, the Boating and Fishing exam showed excellent participation and results.  17 people sat for the written exam, all of whom passed to take the practical exam!  Of the 15 who chose to attempt the practical exam, 14 qualified to achieve their LZSG Boating and Fishing Guide accreditation.

A big thank you to all 53 LZSG Training and Exam participants and a warm congratulations to the newly qualified Lower Zambezi Safari Guides!  Best of luck in the growth and development of your future careers.

There were so many people whose time, energy and resources supported CLZ throughout March.  Many thanks to those who led the training courses. Thanks to the LZSG committee for writing the exams and thank you to those who made time to come to CLZ and invigilate, mark, and evaluate the candidates during the two weeks of exams.  This includes Rory MacDougall, George Bell, Brendon Graham, Ian Stevenson, Riccardo Garbaccio, Alan Bonella, Matt Porter, Lackson Tembo and Lawrence Mazele, Patrick Siabunkululu, George Mwanza, Dale Bluett, Chris Musonda and Laura.

This year the practical examination process was a little different, as the Driving and Walking exams consisted of two days now, including a hosting and astronomy component. This would not have been possible without the participation of Flossie Shawa, Chileya Kasuba, and Anet van Niekerk who judged hosting skills, Patrick who tutored in astronomy, and the generous LZSG committee who spent (at least!) two days and one night per exam to ensure the high quality of knowledgeable, social, and professional guides.  Thanks also to ZAWA for sending commercial officer Bruce Chamusonde to observe the exam process, ProFlight for sponsoring Deb Tittle’s flight from Mfuwe, Gerry Carben of Chakanaka Farms for supplying endless and delicious bananas to our consistently full and hungry camp, and Fred Meztger at CC Systems in Lusaka for printing copies of the LZSG Manual.

Thanks and congratulations to all, the Lower Zambezi has maintained another year of high standards of safari guiding in contribution to the tourism industry of Zambia and we look forward to further development and success next year!

Down from 48 hopefuls to 24 possibles, the men and women were sorted from the boys and girls this week at the selection course for the CLZ sponsored Village Scout Unit. Led by Conservation Outcomes and two instructors from the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), the group, including three women, spent ten days in the bush undergoing rigorous mental and physical tasks such as runs carrying bags of sand, poles and water containers. The final challenge was an 8km run carrying a full water drum between 4 people to simulate a medical evacuation. Through these tasks, candidates attempted to demonstrate their ability to carry out tough wildlife protection and law enforcement duties that would be required of them if they did graduate to the CLZ Village Scout Unit. On patrol, scouts spend 10 days in the bush, camping and facing dangerous situations including close encounters with both animals and poachers.

The twenty successful candidates, including two women, will now be further trained in Basic Field Ranger skills for 6 weeks to become the first CLZ sponsored Village Scout Unit. The Unit will increase the capacity of ZAWA and the local Community Resource Boards’ (CRBs) to look after the wildlife and the communities of the Lower Zambezi through patrols and human wildlife conflict duties. Thanks to all involved. CLZ hope that the Village Scout Unit will help protect the valuable environment of the Lower Zambezi for present and future generations.

Instructor, Bopamba overlooks team.

Tough physical exercises were completed everyday

Sandbags and poles were used to make activities even harder.

Endurance and stamina are crucial.

The successful candidates

Instructors came from ZAWA and Conservation Outcomes

General Safari Guide Training completed 4-8 March 2013. On 8 March and International Women’s Day, CLZ would like to say thank you to our inspirational safari guide trainer Deb Tittle, our first brave female safari guide trainee Inonge Mubiana and our tireless volunteer Hilary Lohmann! Women in conservation!

The Zambia CBNRM Forum has published an advisory note with regards to the proposed Kangaluwi Large Scale Copper Mining Project in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Conservation Lower Zambezi were happy to be involved in the editorial process. Although the Environmental Impact Assessment submitted in 2012 has been rejected by Zambia Environmental Managment Agency, Zambezi Resource has appealed the rejection and the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection is in the process of reviewing the decision.

Zambia CBNRM Forum Policy Advisory Note Lower Zambezi Mining