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4th Quarter 2007 Newsletter: November 2007
Welcome to the new FCF website! We hope that this will promote interest in our work, and stimulate interaction between organizations, the public, private individuals and FCF. This is the first of our newsletters, to be published on a quarterly basis through the year. These are to be used to highlight news from the field and provide latest updates from our various programs. If you would like more information on any of our news, please don't hesitate in contacting us directly.
Anti Poaching
The FCF Rapid Action Teams have been at it again, setting a fine example to the rest of Africa by showing just what a well trained, disciplined and motivated group can achieve. With arrests for the year already topping the 1500 mark, the end of 2007 could see us again reaching 2000 arrests for the year. It has been a year of extreme challenges: flooding, endless plains of sucking mud, vast swarms of mosquitoes, throat-choking dust, lack of Avgas for our aircraft, and poachers showing ever-increasing aggression. However, the teams have met the challenges head-on and, with the aid of two newly acquired microlight aircraft, have made a serious impact on the poaching (these slow-flying, economical machines are proving to be extremely beneficial and effective in anti-poaching operations). The working relationship between the Wildlife Division and FCF continues to grow and mature, with both organizations benefiting from the other's participation.
Armed encounters
This year has seen the recovery of a number of automatic weapons in our western Tanzania blocks. Fortunately the arrests have been made with very few injuries to our rangers: a few cuts, stab wounds and a broken arm have been the only signs of these fierce encounters. Ivory poaching has again been the main cause for the carrying of automatic weapons by poachers.
Community Development
The FCF Film Screening Unit (FSU) - under the careful guidance of the Community Coordinator - has been a major success, with numerous screenings being carried out in the districts surrounding the Moyowosi Game Reserve and Natron Game Controlled area. The screenings have all recorded healthy attendances.
In July and August, just in time for the relocation season of honey bees, the Beekeeping Committee of Kangeme Village - together with the support of the Friedkin Conservation Fund and the Ugalla Game Reserve - hung 500 modern beehives in selected areas within the game reserve. This was made possible by a generous grant of $15,000 from the Mzuri Wildlife Foundation in an effort to promote environmentally sustainable income-generating alternatives to communities living around Tanzania's protected areas.
Kangeme Village, with the assistance of the Friedkin Conservation Fund, drew up the budget for 500 modern hives, hanging equipment, transport and harvesting tools and began the project from scratch. Modern hives can be reused for up to 25 seasons and replace the traditional bark or log hives which require that an entire tree be destroyed for the creation of only one or two hives.
With the cooperation of the Ugalla Game Reserve Project Manager, Mr. Edward Lutabingwa, the Kangeme Beekeepers obtained permits to enter the reserve to hang their hives with the guidance of a Game Scout. When the honey season arrives next year the villagers will again enter the reserve under the supervision of a Game Scout to harvest the honey.
Each hive is expected to produce up to 20 liters of honey, which can be sold for TSh20,000 (16US$). The beeswax from the hives can also be harvested and is a valuable commodity locally. Each hive produces an average of 2 kilograms of beeswax, which is sold for TSh3,400 (3US$). With 500 hives, Kangeme village could expect to receive over eight million Tanzanian shillings in 2008.
Research & GIS
FCF has been granted unprecedented permission from the Director of Wildlife to implement a joint 5 year wildlife survey program with TAWIRI (Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute). To date aerial game counts have been carried out in both Kizigo-Muhesi and Ugalla Game Reserves (both a dry season and a wet season count in the latter). A ground count for three species - gerenuk, lesser kudu and oryx - was performed in Monduli Open Area and Natron Game Controlled Area in early November.
In collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), FCF has embarked on a camera trapping program in the Moyowosi Game Reserve. Fifty motion-triggered cameras have been set-up over a grid that will hopefully succeed in capturing images of several cryptic and nocturnal species.
Working with the Wildlife Division, FCF has managed to remap the road networks in several protected areas in northern Tanzania: Ugalla GR, Maswa GR, Monduli Open Area and Natron GCA. To achieve this, a highly accurate GPS - the Trimble - has been used for mapping all the roads. FCF will continue with this program in 2008.
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