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Update from David Youldon, who is spearheading our Lion Release programme PR Campaign Newsletters » Feb 2007 » Update from David Youldon, who is spearheading our Lion Release programme PR Campaign News on our planned 2007 Zambia release, Antelope Park project managers feedback and other Lion programme information. ALERT’s primary goal is to support the 4-stage rehabilitation program of the African Encounter Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program by raising awareness and funds to source, secure and prepare suitable release sites for the lions.  Alongside this is the aim of research into lions, including means and modalities of lion rehabilitation and release, assessments of population numbers and trends, disease prevalence, reproductive parameters, and suitability of prey base. However, we also intend that the lion become a fundraising ambassador for all of Africa’s wildlife including research and conservation work as well as conservation education. We have therefore decided upon the nature of the research & conservation effort part of ALERT that has become known as the Conservation Centre for Wild Africa.   Dollar Block The last of the upright poles for the Dollar Block release site have been sent to the site.  I understand that one full side of the site has been fenced and the team are now working on completing the remaining three sides. We have confirmed the release lions at the Dollar Block site, as well as announcing two male only coalition release groups, which will happen once we have additional funds to build those release areas.  Full details in the ALERT info pack. The release will take place in two stages.  The lions will be moved early to mid August 2007 to holding enclosures at the site and taken out on night encounters to get them used to the area.  The full release will take place on the 29th or 30th August 2007. Dambwa Forest The Environmental Impact assessment is about to take place, which should be the final step before the CITES import permits are awarded.  We hope to move therefore in early May 2007 The corporate sponsors program to finance the Dambwa release site is about to commence, and if projections are accurate we should be looking at the stage two release happening towards the end of 2007 and the stage three release in early to mid 2008. Visit by Sir Ranulph Fiennes – ‘The Worlds greatest living Explorer’ Sir Ranulph Fiennes has confirmed his interest in visiting our projects and we expect him to be with us for a week at the end of August to visit our lion sites, conservation and community projects” Other news from the Lion programmes: Max and Lulu became the proud parents of 5 new cubs in January! And here’s Niki Brown’s December Summary from Antelope Park: Wow, the end of another month and, more scarily, nearly the end of the year. Things are crazy here as ever at Antelope Park. Phoenix, Penduka and Becka had a long journey from the Falls, but have settled nicely into Bush Enclosure. We had initially decided to put them with the 5As in Bush, however once they had gone into the management enclosure it seemed clear that Apollo and Achilles were defending their girls and Phoenix and Penduka were defending theirs and really weren’t going to get along! So the 5As are now in one of the new enclosures at the Breeding Program from where they can be taken out on Night Encounters and Day Encounters. We have had some major thunderstorms here, the worst one resulting in the Managers house being struck by lightening and the thatch catching alight. Within 10 minutes the entire population of Antelope Park including clients were at the house and within another 15 minutes had cleared the house of everything. All furniture, appliances, beds, sofas even carpets!! The house was fine in the end. Due to all this the 4Cs who were living at the back of the Gavs house were ran down to the 3A enclosure about 200 metres away from the house. So, since then, the volunteers have had to deal with walking and feeding 7 little terrors all at the same time!! This is, obviously, extremely chaotic but heaps of fun. Little Chaka decided he wanted to get on a canoe 2 days ago and ended up swimming! Due to rain that we had 2 weeks ago vehicles were getting stuck on a daily basis meaning that for days at a time we were practically water logged at camp! No one was able to get in or out!! Unless you waded in to your waist. And the real rains haven’t even started yet. The 3Ks are superstar killers with Kwezi getting a Steenbok on the last night encounter they went on. It seems like as soon as Penduka, Phoenix and Becka start to do Night Encounters they will soon be catching up to the Ks, as on their last walk, during the day Phoenix latched on the underbelly of a Zebra, hanging on round its neck and not letting go as the Zebra blundered off into the bush!! We’re expecting cubs from Mafuta in the next few days and Lulu toward the end of December – we’re hoping for Christmas Babies!! And all that in just one month...Sounds like typical Antelope Park!! [Niki Brown is one of our Antelope Park project managers.] Read more about our Zambia volunteer work projects. Focus on expeditions – overlanding with a purpose VOLUNTEER PROFILE: David Morinelli - Mashatu Research Shadowing Programme FEATURED PROJECT: Cape Town Street Kids and Community Programme Update from David Youldon - Lion Release programme Pathfinders Bush Awareness and Survival Courses News Snippets Subscribe to our free newsletter Africa volunteer opportunities     print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top