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ALERT - African Lion and Environmental Research Trust Update Newsletters » March/April 2007 » African Lion and Environmental Research Trust Update from David Youldon, who is Executive Director for ALERT (African Lion and Environmental Research Trust) and is spearheading our Lion Release programme PR Campaign 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.   Dambwa Forest Release Area, Zambia:  On 7th March 2007 the import permit to move the proposed 19 lions to Zambia was granted by ZAWA the Zambian Wildlife Authority.  We have now provided our application to the Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife department for the export permit for those lions.  We expect the application to take between 4 and 6 weeks to complete.  An environmental impact study will commence for the area at the end of March and a survey to confirm the exact locations of fences, water holes etc to take place at the same time.  Materials to build the necessary infrastructure are being sourced, and a loan to cover the costs of the programs plans is being negotiated. Dollar Block Release Area, Zimbabwe:  We are pushing for completion of the infrastructure for this stage two release site in July of 2007.  The lions will be moved to the area at the beginning of August and given the opportunity to get to know their new home, before the full release at the end of August, attended by Sir Ranulph Fiennes.  The remaining materials required to complete the release site have been sourced. Awareness of the lion program and the associated volunteer programs is growing with a number of TV companies and print media confirming visits to cover the various aspects our work. 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 February update from David Youldon on our sub-adult lions’ hunting skills Last night Phoenix and Penduka were taken out to hunt.  We saw nothing and were in the process of disappointedly putting the two of them back into their enclosure when they rushed off towards breeding program.  We thought we were about to face an hour of running around the Bush trying to get them back.  But away from the vehicle and the lights, Penduka was on to something.  He pulled down an impala, and once he had finished eating (not allowing Phoenix anything) we started to move them back to the enclosure.  Just 50 metres later, the two of them stumbled across a duiker, which Phoenix promptly dispatched. There are a few important things here: Of the eight occasions that either of this pair have killed, they have each killed an animal on 3 of those occasions.  We have only ever had one other multiple kill occasion when the 4A’s (Ariel, Ashanti, Achillies & Apollo) took two wildebeest during the same chase. The pair have a hunting success rate on night encounters of 75%, beaten only by the AK’s (Kwali, Kenge, Kwezi & Athena) currently with an 83% success rate.  Wild lions have between a 20 and 30% success rate. Penduka, with a total of 6 kills to his name takes the hunting crown from Amy, who has held the title of best hunter since August 2005.  Penduka is officially the most successful hunter in the program’s history.  However, he needs to keep up his game as Phoenix, Kwali, & Kwezi are ready to challenge the title with 5 kills each so far: So what next for this awesome twosome.  We are looking at joining them up with Mambo, Mamba, Kwezi, Achillies and Apollo in the next few months in preparation for a stage two release as a male coalition, here in Zimbabwe in 2008. Read more about the Lion volunteer projects in Victoria Falls and Antelope Park play a vital role in ALERT - African Lion and Environmental Research Trust.   Other Africa voluntourism news this month... Voluntourism Africa - overlanding with more of a purpose than pub hopping! ALERT update from David Youldon Pathfinders Africa Expeditions and Nature Courses VOLUNTEER PROFILE: Colin and Margaret Shaw (57 and 54) FEATURED PROJECT: Mozambique Relief Work, Community and Soccer Development Volunteer with Black Rhinos in Zimbabwe 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