The Weekly Recap
Hello and welcome back to the weekly recap!
Starting off the week was this Royle Safaris trip to South Africa. They saw 65 mammal species including rarities like Black-footed Cat (their main target), Black Rhino, African Wildcat and Eastern Rock Sengi.
Next was Torbjorn Lundqvist’s trip to Brazil with 55 species (35 lifers!) including Pink River Dolphin, Giant Otter, Southern Maned Sloth and Ocelot.
Hugh Lansdown saw 19 mammal species in Wales (I didn’t even know they had that many). This report is the second of 4 and includes European Otter, Harbour Porpoise and Field Vole.
And Yonathan Perez has shared a spot in Central Park, NYC where he saw some Southern Flying Squirrels! Please no one tell my father that he can mammalwatch at home, too…
As mentioned last week, the Lost Species Initiative has just launched and a free Borneo Safari led by OneStop Borneo Wildlife has been added to the prize pot. It is open to mammalwatchers of all ages, which apparently was cause for some commotion recently. I personally think it should be limited to mammalwatchers on their deathbed, so as not to waste any lives that could still be saved.
This survey has been put together by Zarek Cockar, who has been training wildlife guides in East Africa, to find out what skills and qualities mammalwatchers are looking for in their guides. If you have any time to complete it, it sounds like it would be very helpful.
Andrew McKinley will be in Bangkok in February and is looking for a local guide who could help him find a Binturong in the vicinity – perhaps in Khao Yai NP?
For all the french mammalwatchers out there, the Little book of whales by Annalisa Berta et Robert Young has now been published in French: Petit livre des baleines et autre cétacés. It has also been updated with the latest info and taxonomy (and has a very nice cover)!
And finally, Fiona Reid has shared the following message for a fundraiser to help protect Babirusas:
“Babirusas are one of the most difficult hoofed mammals to see, and now that Asian swine flu has struck down several populations of North Sulawesi babirusa on mainland Sulawesi, there is a strong need to protect the Togian babirusa (Babyrousa togeanensis), the largest of the babirusa species, found only on 4 islands. On Malenge Island, Dr Ating and his wife Meidy have devoted years to habituating babirusas and providing supplemental food to them, as well as to the Togean Macaque, an endemic species. Their property on Malenge is a prime locale for mammal watchers to see these and other rare mammals, including the Togean Tarsier. Ating and Meidy also rescue mammals that they recover from poachers, provide food to babirusas and macaques; and their work is known and respected throughout Malenge Island. Their land is presently under threat, and it may end up in the hands of developers, destroying all the conservation efforts of these fine people. They need to raise $3000 USD by the end of September. Please help if you can. For more information and to donate, please visit DrAtingFoundation.org. For a little bribery//extra motivation, I would be happy to send you a mammal print for donations over $100. Unfortunately I can’t send artwork to the USA at this time, due to tariffs, but I can send you a file or two that you can print. You can reach me at fiona.reid7243@gmail.com.”
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Thanks for reading:)
Katy
Cover photo: Golden Lion Tamarin – Torbjorn Lundqvist
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