tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78042462024-03-23T14:51:45.527-04:00Another Chance To SeeNews updates on the endangered animals visited by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine for their book and radio series "Last Chance To See". With updates on the TV series featuring Stephen Fry.Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-72842393495264143732019-03-04T15:05:00.000-05:002019-03-04T15:06:13.605-05:00Northern white rhinos: could science save the sub-species?We stumbled upon this <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-47422995/northern-white-rhinos-could-science-save-the-sub-species">article on the BBC</a> about a current initiative to harvest eggs from the two remaining female Northern White Rhinos, fertilize them with sperm from a deceased male, and implant any resultant embryos into a Southern White Rhino surrogate. We wish them the best of luck!
<iframe width="400" height="500" frameborder="0" src="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/embed/p072c4qf/47422995"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-17157676638822051102018-03-20T10:16:00.002-04:002018-03-20T10:16:21.231-04:00Sudan, the world’s last male Northern White Rhino is deadVery sad news this morning as we learn of the death of Sudan, the very last male Northern White Rhino. Stephen Fry was among many to Tweet this terrible news. Here's the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/africa/sudan-world-s-last-male-northern-white-rhino-dies-n858171">NBC News article</a>.<blockquote>The world's last male northern white rhino, Sudan, has died after "age-related complications," researchers announced Tuesday, saying he "stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength."
A statement from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya said the 45-year-old rhino was euthanized on Monday after his condition "worsened significantly" and he was no longer able to stand. His muscles and bones had degenerated and his skin had extensive wounds, with a deep infection on his back right leg.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-20952228961985524132018-03-06T09:25:00.000-05:002018-03-06T09:25:00.145-05:00World's last male Northern White Rhino Sudan improves slightlySad news of the day is that while Sudan has improved slightly "his carers said his future was "not looking bright". <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43300713">BBC News</a> has the story.<blockquote>The 45-year-old is one of just three remaining northern white rhinos and is the only male.
Attempts to mate him with the two surviving female rhinos failed, however, and an account was created for him on the dating app Tinder last year, not in order not to find love, but to help fund the development of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for rhinos.
The move won him fans across the world - many of whom were devastated on hearing news of his "ailing condition" last Thursday.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-87110975578377203902015-07-29T17:12:00.006-04:002015-07-29T17:13:19.350-04:00Death of rare Northern White Rhino leaves four aliveOne of the last five Northern White Rhino left in the world has died. The
<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33704172">BBC has the sad news</a>.<blockquote>Nabire, a 31-year-old female, died at the Dvur Kralove zoo in the Czech Republic on Monday evening of a ruptured cyst.
Her death leaves just three females and one male alive; one of them at the San Diego Zoo and three at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy reserve in Kenya.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-38456668496233072512013-01-16T16:41:00.000-05:002013-01-16T16:43:14.670-05:00Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture 2013<img border="0" height="136" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9omN2lCb4kg2o3Z9lyz_zuCVqXVYvF1I9TFIrBXWje8WnHa8mFtNlRj6hbK712FHwk1UeAsnzoeEll3dA8Cx7HpFpkOxdoRFEF-K-Of5oG0nlNXb9EyQ6hcLobEAm5aRDZDhm/s400/adam_rutherford_53_gallery_thumb.jpg" style="float:left; padding-right:5px;"/>This year's Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will be from Dr Adam Rutherford and will take place on March 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m (for 7:30 p.m. start) at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
For full details and booking information, please visit the <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/events/476_douglas_adams_memorial_lecture_2013">Save The Rhino Events page</a>.<blockquote>Dr Adam Rutherford is a scientist, writer and broadcaster. He completed his doctorate in genetics at University College London in 2002. Since then he has worked at the science journal Nature, as an editor and filmmaker.
Adam is also a presenter for the BBC. On Radio 4 his work has included programmes on MMR and autism, human evolution, the influence of astronomy on art and literature and most recently Extinct!, a three-part series on the current and great mass extinctions of the past.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-7734785959255680972012-06-20T13:38:00.001-04:002013-01-16T16:52:00.226-05:00Hope for the Northern White Rhinos as Suni and Najin Mate; Twice!Here's a quick <a href="http://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/about/news/hope-northern-white-rhinos-suni-and-najin-mate-twice">update from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy</a>.<blockquote>On April 25th, four weeks after their interesting courtship ritual, Suni and Najin finally mated! 32 days later, on May 27th, they mated again. These recent mating activities provide a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered northern white rhino subspecies especially as they are Najin’s first mating in over a decade!</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-62702940785654747152011-09-09T20:17:00.002-04:002011-09-09T20:20:18.094-04:00Northern white rhinos set for stem cell test-tube babiesArticle in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2034033/Northern-white-rhinos-set-stem-cell-test-tube-babies-save-species-extinction.html?ito=feeds-newsxml">MailOnline</a> on an interesting approach to saving the species that does not involve cloning.<blockquote>The northern white rhino, one of the planet’s most endangered animals, could be saved by pioneering stem cell research.<br /><br />Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, also hope their work will save other animals teetering on the edge of extinction.<br /><br />The team have managed to create stem cells from the majestic animals and hope they will eventually be able to produce ‘test tube babies’, too.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-43635703034339503362011-07-08T15:10:00.006-04:002011-07-08T16:05:29.134-04:00'Last Chance to See' star killed by poachersYesterday I was very sad to read Mark Carwardine and Stephen Fry's Tweets that Max, the friendly white rhino that featured on the 'Last Chance to See' TV episode, has been killed by poachers in Kenya for his horn. Here is <a href="http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/news/last-chance-to-see-star-rhino-killed-mark-carwardine">Wanderlust's report</a>.<blockquote>Max was a television star on the BBC’s Last Chance to See programme, after Stephen Fry was tricked into believing the hand-reared animal was incredibly dangerous.<br />[...]<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/MarkCarwardine/status/89060036109803521">Mark tweeted</a>, “Very sad news. Max – friendly white rhino in Last Chance to See – just killed by poachers. No rhino is safe.”<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/stephenfry/status/89067234491772928">Stephen Fry then replied by tweeting</a>, “The organised scale of rhino poaching awful. Grieving at terrible news of the slaughter of Max, whom <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/markcarwardine">@markcarwardine</a> and I knew and loved.”</blockquote>This news comes as a double blow because in June we also lost captive Northern White Rhino Nesari from the zoo in the Czech Republic. <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=rare-northern-white-rhino-dies-of-o-2011-06-07">Scientific Amercican had a lengthy article</a> on that equally sad news.<blockquote>Nesari, a 39-year-old female who had been deemed too old and weak to return to Africa in 2009, has finally passed away of old age. As zoo spokeswoman Jana Myslive ková told the Czech newspaper, Mladá fronta Dnes, "At the time of the transport, veterinarians predicted she would live for no longer than six months. It was actually a miracle that she lived until this spring."<br /><br />Her death leaves the world with just seven northern white rhinoceros and a ticking clock counting down toward the species's eventual extinction. Even if a calf or two are born in Kenya, it won't be enough to save these animals. This is undoubtedly a species that will disappear within our lifetimes.</blockquote>With Nesari now gone as well, it appears we are down to a mere <span style="font-weight:bold;">SEVEN Northern White Rhinos in the world</span>. And counting.<div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-9066998479528623072011-06-02T11:56:00.002-04:002011-06-02T11:57:54.797-04:00Northern White Rhino Nesari Had DiedSad <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MarkCarwardine/status/76297690320875520">Tweet from Mark Carwardine</a> today...<blockquote>Nesari - northern white rhino met while filming Last Chance to See special in Czech Rep - just died. Now 7 northern whites left.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-63892267506698326672011-04-13T10:23:00.002-04:002011-04-13T10:27:20.267-04:00Save The Rhino! An Introduction with Mark Carwardine & Martina NavratilovaA short film describing the work of UK charity, <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org">Save the Rhino International</a>.<br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/21634720?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/21634720">Save The Rhino! An Introduction with Mark Carwardine & Martina Navratilova</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user6050444">Gordon Main</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-67358830973405845882011-02-17T13:12:00.003-05:002011-02-17T13:23:24.495-05:00EVENT: Rhino Mayday 2011From <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/">Save The Rhino.org</a>...<blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Rhino Mayday 2011</span> <br /><br />Wednesday 4 May 2011, 10.30 - 17.00<br /><br />Huxley Conference Theatre, ZSL London Zoo<br /><br />Tickets: £15<br /><br />We are delighted announce that Save the Rhino will once again be organising Rhino Mayday. The event is intended as information-sharing and awareness-raising event for anyone with an interest in rhino conservation. We will have experts from many different areas of rhino conservation, from project field staff and conservation charities to academics and zoo personnel.<br /><br />Confirmed speakers for this year's event include:<br /><ul><li>Professor Mike Bruford, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University</li><br /><li>Peter Carr, Editor, Sporting Rifle</li><br /><li>Maggie Esson, Education Programmes Manager, Chester Zoo</li><br /><li>John Gripper, Chairman, Sebakwe Black Rhino Trust</li><br /><li>Jasper Humphreys, Director of External Affairs, The Marjan Centre for the Study of Conflict and Conservation, King’s College London</li><br /><li>Inspector Nevin Hunter, Chief Wildlife Inspector, Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service at Animal Health</li><br /><li>Mark Jones, Programmes Director, Care for the Wild International</li><br /><li>Felix Patton</li><br /><li>Rebecca Perry, Conservation Officer, Colchester Zoo</li><br /><li>Simon Tonge, EAZA Chair & Executive Director, Paignton Zoo</li><br /><li>Berry White</li><br /><li>ZSL</li></ul>*Speakers subject to change<br /><br />The 2011 Rhino Mayday will be held on Wednesday 4 May in the Huxley Conference Theatre, ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park, London (ZSL have, once again, kindly agreed to provide the venue free of charge).<br /><br />Tickets cost £15 and can be purchased online from <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1214/default.aspx">Save the Rhino’s website</a>, by emailing <a href="mailto:events@savetherhino.org">events@savetherhino.org</a> or by calling 020 7357 747.<br /><br />For more information, visit <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org">www.savetherhino.org</a> </blockquote><small><span style="font-style:italic;">Thanks to Events Manager Jo Paulson for the tip.</span></small><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-64003169413689197372011-02-02T09:03:00.002-05:002011-02-02T09:07:42.666-05:00AUDIO: Mark Carwardine: Last Chance to Save the RhinoOn Wednesday 12 January 2011, Mark Carwardine provided an "entertaining and thought-provoking rhino evening" for Save the Rhino at The Royal Geographical Society. Save The Rhino have now provided downloadable <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1142/default.aspx">audio from the event</a> on their website.<blockquote>Mark described some of his most memorable encounters with rhinos in Africa and Asia – from stalking the last surviving northern white rhinos in war-torn Zaire, nearly 25 years ago, to his most recent trip to photograph Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia. He revealed what went on behind the scenes while filming a Last Chance to See Special called Rhino Rescue, with Stephen Fry, and talked frankly about his hopes and fears for some of the most endearing and endangered mammals on Earth.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-57929678474110181542010-11-29T13:25:00.000-05:002010-11-29T13:26:20.856-05:00EVENT REMINDER: Last Chance to Save the RhinoFrom <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1142/default.aspx">Save The Rhino</a>...<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Last Chance to Save the Rhino</span><br />Wednesday 12 January 2011, 7.30pm<br />The Royal Geographical Society, London, SW7 2AR<br /><br />Kindly sponsored by Abercrombie & Kent<br /><br />Join Save the Rhino Patron and BBC Zoologist Mark Carwardine for an entertaining and thought-provoking rhino evening.<br /><br />Mark will describe some of his most memorable encounters with rhinos in Africa and Asia – from stalking the last surviving northern white rhinos in war-torn Zaire, nearly 25 years ago, to his most recent trip to photograph Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia. He will reveal what went on behind the scenes while filming a Last Chance to See Special called Rhino Rescue, with Stephen Fry, and will talk frankly about his hopes and fears for some of the most endearing and endangered mammals on Earth.<br /><br />Tickets cost £15 and are <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1142/default.aspx">now on sale</a>. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-63171025263697568442010-10-13T06:40:00.009-04:002010-10-22T09:16:59.206-04:00TV Series - DVD with new episode<A target="_blank" HREF="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003ZIZ2OS/anotherchance-21">"Last Chance To See - The Complete Collection"</a> will be released on the 15th of November, and is a special edition DVD featuring a new unseen episode called Last Chance To See - Return of The Rhino. The Return of the Rhino covers Stephen and Mark's adventure when they follow the return of Northern White Rhinos to Kenya from captivity in the Czech Republic.<br /><iframe src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=anotherchance-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B003ZIZ2OS" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-52024395305705675132010-09-01T13:04:00.002-04:002010-09-01T13:08:06.818-04:00EVENT: Last Chance to Save the RhinoFrom <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1142/default.aspx">Save The Rhino</a>...<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Last Chance to Save the Rhino</span><br />Wednesday 12 January 2011, 7.30pm<br />The Royal Geographical Society, London, SW7 2AR<br /><br />Kindly sponsored by Abercrombie & Kent<br /><br />Join Save the Rhino Patron and BBC Zoologist Mark Carwardine for an entertaining and thought-provoking rhino evening.<br /><br />Mark will describe some of his most memorable encounters with rhinos in Africa and Asia – from stalking the last surviving northern white rhinos in war-torn Zaire, nearly 25 years ago, to his most recent trip to photograph Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia. He will reveal what went on behind the scenes while filming a Last Chance to See Special called Rhino Rescue, with Stephen Fry, and will talk frankly about his hopes and fears for some of the most endearing and endangered mammals on Earth.<br /><br />Tickets cost £15 and are <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1142/default.aspx">now on sale</a>. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-40196557104710301812010-06-11T15:19:00.000-04:002010-06-11T15:25:41.693-04:00More TV Specials, and Sad Kakapo NewsEver faithful reader David Haddock went to a recent talk by Mark Carwardine. <blockquote>They hope to make "a few one hour Last Chance To See specials each year", and are off to Kenya soon to see how the Prague rhinos are getting on.<br /><br />He also said that there are only 123 Kakapo as one was put down recently.</blockquote><br />The Kakapo Recovery Programme website has more information on this sad news....<br /><a href="http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224:old-boy-sass-farewelled&catid=61:generalnews&Itemid=435">Old boy Sass farewelled</a><blockquote>Sadly we euthanised one of our Stewart Island founder kakapo, Sass, yesterday. Sass had been of relatively poor condition for the last few years and has gone down hill steadily over the last 3 months.<br /><br />He was extremely light weight, had developed cataracts in both eyes recently, and in the last few days appeared to have been suffering from kidney failure.<br />[...]<br />Sass's passing takes the world kakapo population to 123. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy lives on.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-6596504094937766632010-06-11T15:17:00.001-04:002010-06-11T15:19:30.091-04:00Last Hope To Restore Northern White RhinoVia the Save The Rhino monthly newsletter we have a <a href="http://www.eturbonews.com/16563/news-update-ol-pejeta-conservancy-kenya">report at ETN</a> on the progress of the Northern White Rhinos released this year in Kenya. <blockquote>The Northern White Rhinos, donated by the Czech government in December of last year, have now started to roam freely on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy after being released from their smaller "bomas" into the wider area. <br />[...]<br />Richard Vigne, CEO of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, has made it clear that they will be breeding hybrids for a while before sufficient numbers will then permit to cross them back towards nearly pure Northern White. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-2819110479137344902010-04-06T18:15:00.002-04:002010-04-06T18:20:00.340-04:00Northern White Rhino UpdateBerry White, formerly Head Rhino Keeper at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent, has been looking after the four Northern White Rhinos which where transferred to Ol Pejeta in northern Kenya in December. Here's an extensive interview with Berry at <a href="http://www.goallover.org/?p=5387">goallover.org</a> about their progress.<blockquote>NB – So how are the rhinos acclimatising to Kenya after so long in Europe?<br /><br />BW – The rhinos have acclimatised brilliantly in Kenya since their arrival here in Africa from the Czech Republic on 20th December 2009. It was a pretty big transition for them. The week we left their old home at Dvur Kralove Zoo the temperature was minus 9 degrees. They were only going out from their lovely warm heated house and bedroom for about an hour a day!</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-78772147091815587622010-03-09T12:18:00.004-05:002010-03-09T12:26:38.856-05:00MSNBC Video: Northern White Rhino RelocationJust seen this <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35697851#35697851">5 minute video on the MSNBC.com</a> homepage about the recent relocation of the Northern White Rhinos to Kenya from the Czech Republic.<br /><br />There's some great <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35766355#35766355">additional footage here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-13755919358910089872010-03-01T19:55:00.003-05:002010-03-01T20:00:01.958-05:00Stephen Fry on the Late Late Show with Craig FergusonOn February 23rd, Stephen Fry appeared with Craig Ferguson on a special edition of the <a href="http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_late_show/video/?pid=S4CYj3l11sal9hZGHvJnlUulPY5GyOFa&vs=Full%20Episodes&play=true">Late Late Show</a>, one-on-one, with no studio audience. Towards the end of the interview he discusses his participation in the recent trans-location of the Northern White Rhinos from a Czech Zoo back to Africa. It was a very enjoyable show I thought.<div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-3686271203741832182010-01-29T15:51:00.003-05:002010-01-29T15:57:20.235-05:00Transferred Northern White Rhinos are DehornedThe four Northern White Rhinos recently transferred to Kenya from the Czech Republic have been dehorned, primarily to limit their value to poachers. Radio-transmitters have been attached to the horn stumps to assist in tracking the animals as they move further afield in their new enclosure. <a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/article278625.ece">The Times of South Africa</a> has the news.<blockquote>"With the increase of poaching in Kenya, we are simply not taking any chances," Elodie Sampere from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is overseeing the animals' acclimatisation told AFP.<br />[...]<br />Sampere said that sawing off the four Northern White rhinos' horns would also allow them to grow back straight.<br /><br />"All the rhinos had horns that didn’t grow upright. This is a result of them being in the zoo and not having trees to rub against," she said. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-49942301088909953952010-01-10T22:10:00.001-05:002010-01-10T22:19:30.841-05:00Last Chance To See: Special Confirmed!BBC TV's "Last Chance To See" producer Tim Green recently left a comment on my <a href="http://www.anotherchancetosee.com/2009/12/happy-new-year-everybody.html">New Year post</a> confirming that they did indeed film Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine following the translocation of four potentially fertile Northern White Rhino from the Czech Republic to Kenya. Here's a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8423243.stm">BBC News article</a> about the rhino move.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.anotherchancetosee.com/2009/12/stephen-fry-on-operation-rhino.html">Stephen Fry had been tweeting</a> during the trip, before he took a sabbatical from Twitter to write the follow up to his fabulous "Moab is My Washpot" autobiography. The tweets raised the hope that they were filming a special episode of "Last Chance To See", and I was very happy to learn that they were.<br /><br />No word on an air date for the Special yet, but the previous Northern White Rhino episode does get a repeat airing this week on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mvbbx">BBC HD, Wednesday 00:30</a>.<br /><br />Many thanks to Tim Green for the update.<div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-42371601716800702672009-12-21T15:45:00.004-05:002009-12-21T16:06:32.313-05:00Stephen Fry on Operation RhinoOn December 19th, four Northern White Rhino's were flown to Kenya. <a href="http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1798631/endangered_rhinos_returned_to_wild/">RedOrbit</a> has one of the news items.<blockquote>Dana Holeckova, director of the Dvur-Kralove zoo in central Czech Republic said, "We must offer them this last chance, in their natural environment in Africa."<br /><br />There's only eight remaining Northern White rhinos in existence all living in captivity, six at Dvur-Kralove and two more at San Diego Zoo in the United States.<br />[...]<br />The four being returned, two males and two females, will be transferred by air on December 19th. </blockquote><a href="http://twitter.com/stephenfry/statuses/6903950958">Stephen Fry has been travelling with them and has been Tweeting again... </a><blockquote>Jambo! Just landed in Nairobi. Warm and sunny. More follows....<br /><br />An hour away from rhinos arriving from Nairobi. Great excitement here at Ol Pejeta. Phone reception still dodgy tho.<br /><br />Finally in land of signal. Rhino translocation went flawlessly, fantastically. So happy for Ol Pejeta, @FaunaFloraInt, Czech Rep zoo.<br /><br />Landed. Despite the chill and damp of the old metrop it's good to be back. Operation Rhino fabulous success. Now let Christmas begin.</blockquote>It seems Stephen has been down in Kenya following the relocation of the Czech Republic Northern White Rhinos. <br /><br />Whether or not they've been filming a Last Chance To See special I haven't figured out yet. Too busy to check right now, what with all the snow we've been having. 23 inches in 24 hours this weekend...<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw4Z6KsFWUx-IAB_dWWGot-hmPIGyzqLj5PZckiB5UacTSJFJMgL_ikkKl_8Y16-r7KDIGCseJdjvg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-38584904991594754472009-12-11T15:53:00.002-05:002009-12-11T16:01:49.130-05:00Northern White Rhinos Returning to Africa?Amid the belief that they are now extinct in the wild, the only Northern White Rhinos remaining are in zoos in the Czech Republic and San Diego. Now scientists are divided on whether to move forward with a plan to transfer four rhinos from the Czech Republic zoo to a wildlife reserve in Kenya. The proposal is detailed in full at the <a href="http://www.rhinos-irf.org/en/rel/27/">International Rhino Foundation site</a>. <blockquote>The IRF, SRI, and most parties agree:<br /><br /> * Wild populations of NWR are likely extinct in DRC and the Sudan<br /> * The remaining eight individuals in captivity are not reproductively ideal<br /> * Steps to preserve genetic material from the captive population are needed immediately<br /> * Crossing NWR with SWR is the only remaining option<br /><br />However, the IRF and SRI do not endorse the concept that the only way to succeed with this effort is to move the remaining animals to Africa. </blockquote><br /><br />Additional coverage at <a href="http://ecoworldly.com/2009/12/10/only-8-northern-white-rhinos-still-survive-as-controversy-brews-among-rhino-experts/">ECOWorldly.com</a> and <a href="http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/137168.html">TimesOfTheInternet</a>. Having recently watched the related TV series episode this was interesting timing.<blockquote>The hope of the NWR Conservation Project is that relocating the rhinos to a natural environment will stimulate breeding - and preserve critical genetic material by allowing NWR to breed with the far more numerous Southern white rhino. In addition, AI options are being explored.<br />[...]<br />Proponents acknowledge that while there is no way to predict whether or not moving the rhinos to Africa will result in successful breeding, they also point out that captive southern white rhinos do not have a strong record of reproduction in captivity - and require “wild supplements” from time to time.</blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7804246.post-18111193999346139182009-10-06T19:09:00.002-04:002009-10-06T19:13:10.155-04:00Last Chance To See Event: Last Chance for TicketsThis month's <a href="http://www.savetherhino.org/eTargetSRINM/site/1097/default.aspx">Save The Rhino newsletter</a> reminded us that there's only a few tickets left for this special event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Tuesday October 27th. Presented by Save The Rhino, join Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine as they update us on their adventures filming and the experience of tracking species on the edge of extinction for the Last Chance To See TV series. The event starts at 7.30pm, and doors open at 6.30pm.<div class="blogger-post-footer">---
Originally published at http://anotherchancetosee.blogspot.com</div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016456671468216397noreply@blogger.com0