Dear friends of EWCP
Welcome to our very first e-bulletin from the Ethiopian wolf team! I'm mailing this to you as a supporter of EWCP's work to protect these magnificent animals. It is thanks to you that we are able to keep our dedicated field team doing what they love most, protecting the wolves and their imperilled Afroalpine habitat, while taking into account the needs of the people sharing the land with wildlife.
I plan to send a similar e-bulletin every other month to keep you updated on our activities, but if you would prefer not to get the e-bulletin simply reply with Unsubscribe as Subject.
I hope you enjoy these and future news from our team in Ethiopia.
Claudio Sillero | | A special 10th anniversary for 'Wolf Day' |  By Graham Hemson
Welcome to our new e-bulletin. 2008 has started well for EWCP and the Ethiopian wolves. The people of Dinsho and of Bale now have the Ethiopian Wolf Sports Centre, which EWCP has finally completed building with the kind support of Born Free Foundation through the generosity of Peter Diethelm.
The Centre has a 13 acres of land in the outskirts of Dinsho, fenced and with a perimeter tree plantation. It counts with a football pitch, a volleyball sand court, running track, and plans for a children playground. The club house has a large meeting room, home and away dressing rooms and showers, office and kitchen. There is also a toilet block.
The Centre was opened by local dignitaries on 17th February for the 10th anniversary of 'Wolf Day'. Our annual event was attended by eight elementary schools, several football clubs and crowds from Dinsho and nearby villages. There were school and club football events, school volleyball, 100m metre sprints, and various fun events. read more | | Wolves' whereabouts |  By Graham Hensom
In the nearby mountains the wolves are continuing their recovery from the rabies outbreak of 2003. The breeding season has been successful and we await our final breeding results in April , with all indicating an adult population close to 350. Some families in the Web Valley are getting large, with Megitti pack now 15-strong. A mating pair has splitted up from their natal Sodota pack and has settled near our camp!
While the wolves are thriving one cause for recent concern has been widespread fires which have started to burn across the Afroalpine heathlands. These fires, started by farmers to clear up grazing ground, have been particularly widespread this year, fuelled by unusually dry weather. The authorities have shown concern, but have been largely unable to control or prevent them. Bale Mountains National Park staff, EWCP and partners Frankfurt Zoological Society and FARM/SOS Sahel have all contributed to the efforts to control the blazes. We all look forward to the arrival of the rains, which should happen any time soon. read more | | Scholarship helps EWCP Staff skills |  By Zegeye Kibrit
I have worked as EWCP Education Officer since 1998. Thanks to the Sydney Byers Scholarship I was awarded by the Wildlife Conservation Network I toured last September several conservation projects Malawi and South Africa to broaden my experience. In October I travelled to Europe where in partnership with Education 4 Conservation I visited the Large Carnivore Centre in Bulgaria, the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, the Born Free Foundation (founder Virgina MacKenna in the picture) and WildCRU at University of Oxford.
I learnt lots of good things about practical conservation education, and made many good contacts and friends. This experience has invigorated my dedication to the protection of the Ethiopian wolf and I am already implementing some new ideas in the bale mountains. read more | | Disney support for Education Campaign in Arsi |  By Dejene Dame
In recent years EWCP has received several grants from the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund. Thanks to them I started the EWCP Education Campaign in the Arsi Mountains, home the largest Ethiopian wolf population outside Bale.
EWCP has extended beyond Bale to safeguard Arsi's wolfves from extinction, but a lack of secured budget slowed progress. Now, thanks to the help of the Disney Foundation, US $16,700 are available for our outreach and education programme in Arsi. This is really great! For many highland species, threatened by habitat loss, persecution and disease transmission from domestic dogs, the future is brighter.
Already I have received a motorbike for my environmental work with school clubs (tree planting above) and we are organizing local workshops to discuss environmental issues and an annual celebration of sports and the environment in the region. read more | | EWCP DIARY | March 23 - Wolf Day in Asela, Arsi Mountains
May 9 - EWCP Coordination Group Annual meeting, Oxford
Late May - Claudio, Graham and Zelealem travel in North Ethiopia
June14 - Claudio in WCN Garden Reception for Ethiopian Wolves. Los Altos, California
September 28 - EWCP celebrates World Rabies Day
October 3-5 - Ethiopian wolves at WCN Expo, San Francisco Bay Area
| | Please help protect these rare and endangered animals | Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
Tubney House, Abingdon Road
Tubney, Oxon OX13 5QL, UK
www.wildcru.org | Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme
PO Box 215 Robe
Bale, Ethiopia
info@ethiopianwolf.org | | |
