November 29, 2016

Hot Off the Press- CLAWS Conservancy News!

November 29, 2016/ Andrew Stein

HelloAll,

Here is our 2016 Newsletter! Have a look and share with your friends!

Thank you for your support!

Andrew

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @clawsconservancy

Are Leopards #Endangered? For a long time #leopards were assumed to be too secretive and adaptable to warrant concern. However, This is the question that the US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering right now. Our Founder, Dr. Andrew Stein, member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Cat Specialist Group and National Geographic Explorer, has compiled an expert statement with information from other leopard experts from Sub-Saharan Africa through the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia up to the Russian Far- East. The purpose of this listing is to determine whether trophy hunting imports (skins, claws, teeth, etc) should be further regulated or completely banned from entering the United States. Our analysis shows that leopards have lost significant portions of their range across most of Asia and the Middle East. In Africa, leopards are nearly gone from West Africa and disappearing from large portions of Central and East Africa. In Southern Africa (specifically SADC countries) who permit leopard hunting, most countries have limited information on leopard populations outside of protected areas (hunting blocks) or standardized documents for comparison across countries. Few analyses exist for assessing the ability of hunters to select “trophy” animals or the impacts on populations. Lastly, illegal killing is increasing- poaching of leopards for ceremonial skins in South Africa or Traditional Medicines in East Asia, not to mention habitat destruction and bushmeat harvesting. We are at a critical moment in #leopard conservation and management. We don’t want leopards to go the way of tigers and lions! Help our efforts to conserve these cats. @insidenatgeo @natgeo @natgeowild #clawsconservancy #leopardswithoutborders #wildlifeconservation @zcp_org @pantheracats @niassalionproject #wildcru #usfws #izw #copenhagenzoo

Lions rest about 20 hours a day... that means we see a lot of this! When they get active however they are patrolling territorial boundaries, connecting with their pride mates and of course hunting. This male may look big but you can gauge his age Bybthe color of his nose. They start out pink and become progressively speckled with black dots until he is at his prime (around 7 years old). This boy is probably around 4 years old and nearly ready to start challenging territorial males. Photo: @x.carvache @insidenatgeo @natgeo #clawsconservancy #prideinourprides #lion #lionking #bigcatsinitiative #natgeo #natgeowild #nature #wildlife

Livestock #herding is the traditional #culture for many communities in Northern Botswana, however, in recent years things have changed. The pastoralist lifestyle has given way to settlements around schools and health clinics with herding taking a low priority. This has led to overgrazing, land degradation and increased conflict with predators. We have been working with communities to resurrect the traditional herder through training courses in Beetsha and Eretsha Villages. Our friends, like Jooste, are creating the grazing plans and ensuring environmental #sustainability for his #community! @insidenatgeo #clawsconservancy #prideinourprides

Sometimes you share your camp with interesting visitors... this #poisonous #puffadder is a gorgeous #snake! They have perfect #camouflage and hide in the most inaccessible places. Usually we are alerted to these #vipers by birds and squirrels who make quite a racket when they see them. That’s when we go in with the grabber to gently escort the snake from camp. Other snakes we’ve seen- spitting cobras, black mambas, boomslangs and stiletto snakes. @insidenatgeo #natgeowild #neverdull #stayalert #bushliving #catchandrelease #dontmess

#Impala must be the most #nervous animal on the African #savanna. They dodge cheetahs and wild dogs by day and leopards, lions and hyenas by night. They are #fastfood! That’s why many guides call them the McDonalds of the savanna... that and the “M” markings on the rump. Photo: @x.carvache @insidenatgeo @natgeowild #clawsconservancy #antelope #wildlifephotography #wildlife #wild

CLAWS Conservancy - Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably - is a 501(c)(3) registered public charity. #clawsconservancy