Today is Jethro's Birthday . He is now 20 years old, still a young boy. Jethro is a sweet gentle giant and he is a buddy to everyone in the chimp house. He always chooses who he wants to be with from week to week. If Jethro is not moving with the group it means he wants a new friend and will always let us know exactly who he wants to be with. Lately his preferred friends have been Pepper ,Sue Ellen, and Regis . He is also showing a lot if interest in Spock. They are often seen grooming through the bars and even playing a game of chase!! Jethro is very playful and makes the cutest play face. He loves his oatmeal and, like everyone, loves mangoes and grapes and gatoraid. Jethro has been spending much of his time out on the islands and making sure his girl Pepper is always close by!
Why not adopt Jethro for someone special in your life.
SIX YOUNG GORILLAS, rescued from the illegal bush meat trade, have begun new independent lives on a lagoon island just outside Loango National Park in Gabon.
Staff at the Sociétéde Conservation etDéveloppement (SCD) are celebrating after announcing the successful transfer of the six juvenile western lowland gorillas (a species deemed critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List (IUCN)) onto the safe island in the Fernan-Vaz Lagoon.
Six gorillas were transferred by boat to their new island (Image by Fleur van der Minne)
This is the first step in a reintroduction project that is hoped will allow them to return entirely to the wild and follows a three-year-long ‘rehab programme’ to prepare them for release.
One step closer to freedom
Halfway through the Year of the Gorilla, the transfer marks the beginning of the gorillas’ independence. They have exchanged their human-built shelters for the palm-fringed forested islet where they can now live in relative safety from threats from poachers or other predators. The transfer was supervised by the Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project (FGVP) director Nick Bachand and his team of Gabonese keepers.
“We all felt a hint of sadness as the gorillas left the place where their journey started,” said Nick Bachand, a veterinarian. “But this was instantly replaced with a mountain of pride when we observed some of the gorillas starting to build their own nests to sleep outside overnight.”
Building self-made nests is an important indication, among others, of the young gorillas’ progress during this second phase of their rehabilitation.
Tragic pasts
Each of the six gorillas (three females, three males) varying in ages from two to seven, were orphaned by the illegal bush meat trade.
The oldest male, Gimenu, 7, was rescued in an emaciated state from a Gabonese zoo where he had spent three years in complete isolation. He is accompanied by Sindila, 4, an abandoned male found by tourists on a river excursion, and Ivindo, also 4, flown in from the Ivindo National Park in 2005. The youngest female, Wanga, 2, was left on the doorstep of a conservationist’s home in the southern half of Loango National Park while the other two Cessé and Eliwa, 3 and 2, were donated by another great-ape rescue centre in Gabon.
Gorilla orphanage
The gorillas have spent the past two and a half years undergoing daily forest rehabilitation accompanied by their keepers on Evengue Island, located north of Loango National Park.
A small team of local keepers will continue to monitor their progress from a base camp in the central zone of Orique island, where their new home is.
The Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project comprises a Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Programme. All its resident gorillas were rescued after the parents were killed illegally by hunters for bush meat. The purpose of the Sanctuary is to provide a safe home for gorillas that can never return to the wild as they lack the critical survival skills usually taught by their parents in the first six to eight years of their lives.
The younger gorillas are part of its Rehabilitation Programme, however, and have undergone its quarantine and socialisation stages. They now have the potential to be reintroduced into the wild although many challenges and uncertainties remain.
‘Gorilla rehab’ plays strategic role in survival of great apes
The IUCN has identified the use of reintroduction projects as part of a global strategy for the survival of the world’s endangered great apes. The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) works closely with the Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project and focuses wherever possible on reintroduction programmes.
“We have to find ways to restore value to Africa’s forests, and reintroduction places focus on the African wildlife in the African forests,” said Doug Cress, executive director of PASA.
He added: “It’s no good for any of us to aspire to having the world’s largest captive population of chimpanzees or gorillas – even if we are saving lives. That is not conservation and it is not sending messages that can be translated into environmental action.”
Return to the wild
Thanks to a team of devoted veterinarians, dedicated keepers and the support of the international community, these gorillas' return to the wild in the Gabonese equatorial forest is expected within two to three years.
In the meantime, the project is working hard to raise local and global awareness on issues facing the gorillas, to encourage research that emphasises the needs of the local people, and to integrate responsible tourism, as part of a national and international effort to save the gorilla from extinction in the wild. The Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project in Gabon is a project of Sociétéde Conservation etDéveloppement (SCD) in affiliation with its main eco-tourism partner, Africa’s Eden. SCD has partnerships with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Max Planck Institute, the Gabonese Ministry of Forestry, and the Gabonese National Parks Agency (ANPN).
We have been asking ape allies to help with the campaign for an end to primate research in Europe. The European Commission wants to see primate use phased out, the European Parliament wants to see it phased out. Many MEPs were terrified by the scaremongering during the debate, with primater users and suppliers claiming that work would go abroad and people would lose their jobs if primate research ended. This has been shown to be nonsense, and the House of Lords Inquiry recently supported ADI’s contention that there was no evidence to support this claim. In fact, economic data shows that adoption of advanced techniques to replace primate use have been shown to benefit science and industry.
NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP FOR SIGNATURES ON OUR PETITION New rules for animal experiments across Europe are to be agreed by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers. This is a unique opportunity toinfluence animal experiments across Europe and secure commitments to replacing animals before the issue slips back behind closed doors. Please sign this petition and circulate it as widely as possible.
Don’t let this opportunity be missed. Sign today. http://www.ad-international.org/petitions/ Paper copies of the petition are also available for you to collect signatures from colleagues and friends or on stalls, please call the NAVS and ADI.
Best buddies Jethro & McLeod Les inséparables Jethro et McLeod
Happy Pigs Gordie & Maurice digging to China!! Les cochons Gordie et Maurice heureux de creuser jusqu'en Chine!!
Our newest arrivals are two little chickens Nos derniers arrivants sont deux petits poussins
Here is Albert enjoying his breakfast, notice how his little tail is wagging frantically!! Voici Albert qui se régale au déjeuner. Remarquez sa petite queue qui bouge sans cesse!!
Eyore really dislikes the gator, so when the farm girls clean he has a blast running after the big bad gator!! Eyore déteste vraiment le gator et lorsque les filles nettoient il prend un malin plaisir à pourchasser le gros méchant gator!!
Pepper and Jethro testing out the structures ...can you see Tom? That little head poking out beside Jethro is tom sitting in the little house looking out the window!!
Pepper et Jethro examinant les structures... Voyez-vous Tom? La petite tête se pointant à gauche de Jethro c'est Tom, assis dans la petite maison, qui regarde par la fenêtre!!
The week of July 6th was camp out week for extermination, everything must be take out of the building and the chimps camp out in the sky walk and on the islands.
It was great this year, despite the rain, the chimps were warm and happy in their new houses, structures and vinyl that was put up around various places on the sky walk.
Food / Supply Tent Tente à nourriture/fournitures
Human camp out area / Campement pour les humains
La semaine du 6 juillet dernier a eu lieu le camping extérieur pour les travaux d'extermination. Tout doit être sorti du bâtiment et les chimpanzés font du camping dans la passerelle aérienne et sur les îles.
Malgré la pluie, c'était vraiment génial cette année. Les chimpanzés étaient heureux et confortables dans leurs nouvelles maisons, des structures et du vinyle ont été montés à différents endroits sur la passerelle.
Yoko and Toms island bed for the camp out
Le lit sur le île de Tom et Yoko durant le camping
Spock and Maya were chilling in the mezzanine area!!
Spock et Maya se la coulaient douce sur la mézzanine!!
Back camp out area where Toby, Rachel and Chance were staying. They had friends visit all night and a warm fire near by to keep them warm.
À l'arrière de l'aire de camping ou Toby, Rachel et Chance se trouvaient. Ils ont reçu la visite de plusieurs amis le soir et pouvaient contempler et apprécier le feu tout près qui les gardaient au chaud.
Rachel sleeping (that is her little gorilla by her head) / Rachel enjoying her new wooden chair Rachel endormie avec son petit gorille de peluche près de sa tête/Rachel s'amusant avec sa nouvelle chaise en bois.
This is usually how we found Toby and Rachel sleeping like angels, Chance was always up and about!! Voici comment nous trouvons habituellement Toby et Rachel, dormant comme des anges, et Chance, elle, était toujours très occupée! Toby fast asleep.... Toby endormi...
The Skywalk folks are almost impossible to get pictures of due to all the tarps and protective plastic, but we managed to get a short video of Pepper, Jethro and Tom eating pizza!!
Il est pratiquement impossible de prendre en photos ceux qui fréquentent la passerelle à cause des tarpaulins et tous les plastiques un peu partout, mais nous avons tout de même réussi à prendre un court vidéo de Pepper, Jethro et Tom mangeant leur pizza!!
Same dilemma for the island folks, Yoko , Binky and Petra only they do not stay in one place for a minute. Here is some video of Binky using a new rope to come down from the roof of Yoko's house and taking his lettuce to another island..
La même problématique existe pour ceux qui fréquentent les îles c'est-à-dire Yoko, Binky et Petra car ils bougent tout le temps. Voici un vidéo de Binky utilisant un nouvelle corde pour descendre du toit de la maison de Yoko et emportant sa laitue sur l'autre île..
Here is a final look at the finished structures and new boardwalks!! Voici les images des structures terminées et des nouvelles promenades!
New Staircase with Landing Escalier tout neuf avec palier
A Boardwalk so the chimps don't have to walk on the wet grass or snow Une promenade pour permettre aux chimpanzés d'éviter de marcher sur le gazon mouillé ou la neige
There is lot's more to come, we need to see what the chimps prefer, and how we can make things better and more comfortable for them. Nous avons beaucoup de projets à venir. Il faut déterminer ce que préfèrent les chimpanzés et comment nous pouvons améliorer les choses et les rendre plus à l'aise.
A protected walkway, a new favorite spot!! Une passerelle avec toiture, un nouvel endroit très prisé!
Another boardwalk, more comfortable than concrete. Une autre promenade, plus comfortable que le ciment.
It is with great regret that we must announce the passing of two of our sweet little chickens Sarah and Sally, as well as our dear goat Mary born here at Fauna.
C'est avec regret que nous voulons vous communiquer le décès de deux de nos douce poules Sarah et Sally, ainsi que notre chèvre Mary qui vit le jour ici même à Fauna.
Sally
Sarah
Mary
Gloria's sweet little beagle Juliette and Mama one of her cats Juliette la petite beagle a Gloria et Mama une de ces chattes
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Today is Jethro's Birthday . He is now 20 years old, still a young boy. Jethro is a sweet gentle giant and he is a buddy to everyone in the chimp house. He always chooses who he wants to be with from week to week. If Jethro is not moving with the group it means he wants a new friend and will always let us know exactly who he wants to be with. Lately his preferred friends have been Pepper ,Sue Ellen, and Regis . He is also showing a lot if interest in Spock. They are often seen grooming through the bars and even playing a game of chase!! Jethro is very playful and makes the cutest play face. He loves his oatmeal and, like everyone, loves mangoes and grapes and gatoraid. Jethro has been spending much of his time out on the islands and making sure his girl Pepper is always close by!
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