"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
If you love grizzly bears, take a look at US based Vital Ground Foundation, who are based in Montana.
Their mission is “to protect and restore North America’s grizzly bear populations for future generations by conserving wildlife habitat and by supporting programmes which reduce the conflicts between bears and humans”.
Supporters enabled Vital Ground and landowners Greg and Lisa Levine to complete a new habitat protection project for grizzly bears and many other wildlife species in northwestern Montana!
The Grave Creek Project near the town of Eureka has helped conserve a key habitat corridor. Sponsors may have participated in the Sponsor an Acre campaign, or given monthly, or made a year-end gift in 2022, but whichever action they took, they all contributed to this win for wildlife. Wetlands, forests and meadows will be protected for species such as the grizzly, Canada lynx, native trout. Find out more about the project here.
Animal Survival International have an urgent appeal at the moment, which is just absolutely heart-breaking.
It’s about drought in Kenya.
The heat is so terrible and relentless that the animals have no choice but to risk their lives to quench their thirst. They walk for many days and weeks in search of water – and the tragedy is that may die before they find it.
Animal Survival International want to act fast and do what they can to provide these animals with the water they so urgently and desperately need.
Elephants, giraffe, wildebeest and Grevy’s zebra are dying beside water holes that have simply dried up. In some parts of Kenya, there is no water to be found.
The carcasses of dead animals litter the landscapes. The drought is getting worse and scientists fear that the land may never been the same again, say Animal Survival International.
Animal Survival International are focusing their efforts on Turkana County, the most northern in Kenya and the largest, and one of the counties the worst.
The plan is to install boreholes to provide a sustainable water supply to the region’s wildlife. Animal Survival International have delivered water to meet the most urgent needs of these animals but they know that longer-term solutions are needed.
A borehole is costly to create – it costs about $50,000 or £41,500 per borehole. But it is essential – or more animals will die. The rains are well overdue, but there is no sign of them.
CPRE, the Countryside charity, want to make the countryside a better place for everyone to live, work and enjoy. They have a number of areas they are particularly passionate about:
Nature and landscapes
Better places to live
Litter and recycling
Farming
Sustainable transport
Climate change and energy
They have local groups in every county – so plenty of opportunities to volunteer and get involved in looking after the countryside around you.
Their current campaigns include Dark skies, Hedgerows, Climate Emergency and What gets built where. They've currently got a petition, Tell the government to put brownfield first, which you can sign to support them.
As part of the Dark Skies campaign, they have their annual Star Count which started on 17th February and runs through to the 24th February.
Dark, starry skies are vital for the health of us all, people and wildlife. But light pollution is disturbing the behaviour patterns of wildlife and in 2022, only 3% of people who took part in Star Count really enjoyed “truly dark skies”.
Star Count gives CPRE the countryside charity the opportunity to find out where is best and worst for seeing stars. They can see on a map where light pollution is worst, and then work to tackle it with local councils.
CPRE the Countryside charity have five simple steps you can follow to participate in Star Count:
Try to pick a clear night for your star count. Wait until after 7pm, when the sky is really dark.
Give yourself at least 20 minutes to let your eyes adjust.
Look south and find the Orion constellation with its four corners and three-star belt.
Count how many stars you see within the rectangle that the four corner stars make. Leave out the corner stars from your count, but you can count the three stars in the middle.
Note down how many stars you see with your naked eye – not with binoculars or telescopes. Then submit your findings on CPRE’s website.
You can share your photos and experiences on social media – tag CPRE with @cpre and use #StarCount in your posts.
Get counting!! This is a wonderful opportunity to really look up at the stars!
Butterfly Conservation have an urgent appeal which I wanted to share with you. It comes following the State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 Report, which says that 80% of butterflies have decreased since the 1970s.
And scientists have issued a stark warning: time is running out to save the UK’s butterflies. We can turn this situation around, but we need to act urgently.
Butterflies are an integral part of the eco-system and the good news is that the report confirms that Butterfly Conservation’s projects make real change but the charity want to do more:
Fund more expert research
Expand its advice services rapidly
Keep inspiring the next generation of butterfly and moth enthusiasts
It’s crucial to ensure that butterflies and moths have the space they need to thrive.
If you can’t donate, please spread the word about this appeal.
Other actions you can take to help butterflies include:
Creating wild spaces for butterflies and moths at home, by planting butterfly-friendly plants and flowers in your garden or on a balcony or patio, in school grounds, village greens, roadside verges, and streets. You can register your wild space with Butterfly Conservation. There's a list of butterfly friendly plants and flowers here
Please don’t use insecticides and pesticides or peat compost – find out why here.
Get busy monitoring and recording butterflies and moths
Join in the National Moth Recording Scheme, which is a huge resource gathered by thousands of volunteer recorders. It’s used to conserve threatened moths and increase scientific understanding of why moths have declined and improve public awareness
You could become a member of Butterfly Conservation - you’ll receive a welcome pack with membership cards, essential advice on gardening for butterflies and leaflets to help you identify butterflies, moths and caterpillars. It also includes Butterfly magazine three times a year, a monthly e-newsletter with the latest news, membership of your local branch with regular newsletters and invites to local guided walks, talks, conservation action days and social events. And you’ll have the knowledge you’re helping to support Butterfly Conservation!
Donations can help (and I quote from the appeal information I received through the post)
£10.00 could help buy plug plants to create the habitats anad butterflies and moths need to survive
£25.00 could help create habitat case studies to show landowners which species can thrive on their land
£100.00 could provide specialist training to volunteers, helping them protect vulnerable species
£500.00 could fund research into how to mitigate the effects of climate change for endangered species.
All donations help fund vital conservation work. Butterfly Conservation says that targeted conservation action works, and that the recording and monitoring of UK butterflies is key.
Did you see the repeat of Waterhole: Africa’s Animal Oasis, a three part series coming from the BBC Studios Natural History Unit?
I did a blog on this programme the first time it came out and it was quite amazing viewing.
Here's the original blog, hopefully you will find it helpful.
The fabulous Natural History Unit is working with Mwiba Wildlife Reserve in Tanzania. As water becomes scarcer, the reserve decided to create a water-hole. And they've done it with the BBC's Natural History Unit
They created the world’s first waterhole with build-in specialist camera rig. The cameras are half sub-merged and weatherproof. There are 20 cameras which are monitored 24/7 using infra-red, and there's a drone in the air too.
Waterholes are essential to Africa’s ecosystem. Hundreds of species meet at waterholes and compete for water. Chris Packham and biologist Ella Al-Shamahi disocver the dynamics of the waterhole for the first time.
As they say, give wildlife water and they will come whether it's in the wild or your garden... By day 10, 40 species of animal had come to have a drink...
The team want to find out how the animals use it. How long would it take the animals to find the water hole? (45 minutes, it didn't take long.) Will they share? How many species will use it? Will they keep coming back? Will it be safe for them to visit? They discover how truly important water is, especially given the climate changes taking place.
The programme’s website has lots of interesting clips, including how the programme was made; and what it’s like to live alongside the wildlife of Africa, and why they built it in the first place. Take the Waterhole personality test to find out which animal you are! (I'm a buffalo.)
I think this programme should be fascinating and give us a very good insight into the way African wildlife survive.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust work to provide permanent and temporary water sources to relieve suffering in Kenya, mostly in the Tsavo and Lamu Conservation Areas.
Friends of Hwange is on a mission to develop and maintain water resources in Hwange National Park for the benefit of its wildlife, in collaboration with the Authorities responsible for the Park. Find out more here
The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has a fundraiser looking to take water to koalas and other wildlife. It is still raising funds as it more than hit its target, and the plan now is to breed koalas for release into the wild.
The Brooke and SPANA both have virtual gifts on their shop with the purpose of providing water troughs, permanent and moveable, to hard working animals such as horses, donkeys and mules in a number of countries.
In the UK, the Wildlife Trusts have information about providing water for wildlife, whether at home or elsewhere.
The WWF have information on establishing a network of artificial watering holes for Saiga Antelop in Russia. Find out more
