http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/ life with cats Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:08:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-222 baby Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:42:28 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-222 Nice website!! Nice website!!

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-141 Kilimanjaro Lion Conservation Project » “Each and every animal is important” or is it? Thu, 29 May 2008 15:48:31 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-141 [...] almost a month, and we recently received another contribution to discussion around my post titled “food for thought” Fascinating, as its one of the shortest posts I’ve ever done, but its evoked the most [...] […] almost a month, and we recently received another contribution to discussion around my post titled “food for thought” Fascinating, as its one of the shortest posts I’ve ever done, but its evoked the most […]

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-138 Wham Wed, 28 May 2008 08:59:39 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-138 Having been involved directly in a similar lion rescue taking an illegally imported lioness from the Middle East to Shamwari, I can say that YES!! it definately is worth all the expense and effort. To see the amazing recovery of a desperately weak and distressed captive lion cub into a healthy, naturally 'wild' young adult (within the boundaries of her sanctuary) was little short of a miracle. Shamwari is a top resort for the rich tourist but the sanctuary land is donated by en entrepreneur who wants to give something back to the wildlife. Its a fantastic place and has a great educational value in teaching tourists something about the draedful conditions captive animals are forced to endure. Each and every animal is important. Having been involved directly in a similar lion rescue taking an illegally imported lioness from the Middle East to Shamwari, I can say that YES!! it definately is worth all the expense and effort. To see the amazing recovery of a desperately weak and distressed captive lion cub into a healthy, naturally ‘wild’ young adult (within the boundaries of her sanctuary) was little short of a miracle. Shamwari is a top resort for the rich tourist but the sanctuary land is donated by en entrepreneur who wants to give something back to the wildlife. Its a fantastic place and has a great educational value in teaching tourists something about the draedful conditions captive animals are forced to endure. Each and every animal is important.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-54 Fiona Tue, 06 May 2008 01:37:20 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-54 If these are the two lion cubs I'm thinking about, that the Born Free org helped relocate, I actually contributed toward their rescue. I'm sure they could have been relocated to a zoo in England or elsewhere in Europe, but they had a chance at a better quality of life at Shamwari. If these are the two lion cubs I’m thinking about, that the Born Free org helped relocate, I actually contributed toward their rescue. I’m sure they could have been relocated to a zoo in England or elsewhere in Europe, but they had a chance at a better quality of life at Shamwari.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-53 Lisa, Seattle Fri, 02 May 2008 00:38:13 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-53 BTW Seamus... Definately NOT an erroneous notion. I have a real passion for our old growth forests (you've seen how beautiful it is here), but it seems right now we're cutting them down for toilet paper and our current government is hell bent of giving the ANWR to Conoco and ExxonMobile. Even better, we're about to start killing off the wolvesthat so many people struggled to save. The attitude seems to be: Oh well, the animals can't go extinct if we have them in zoo's, right? Besides, if we kill off the coyotes they wont dig in the trash and the trees will grow back! BTW Seamus… Definately NOT an erroneous notion. I have a real passion for our old growth forests (you’ve seen how beautiful it is here), but it seems right now we’re cutting them down for toilet paper and our current government is hell bent of giving the ANWR to Conoco and ExxonMobile. Even better, we’re about to start killing off the wolvesthat so many people struggled to save. The attitude seems to be: Oh well, the animals can’t go extinct if we have them in zoo’s, right? Besides, if we kill off the coyotes they wont dig in the trash and the trees will grow back!

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-52 Lisa, Seattle Thu, 01 May 2008 18:00:07 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-52 I know just what you mean Theresa. Sometimes it's hard to decide where my small donations should go. Tigers have always been number one, followed by the rest of the cats, but then there's the gorillas, elephants, giraffes... I just have to see a picture of a baby orangutan suffering to make me decide I really don't need a new pair of shoes. I know just what you mean Theresa. Sometimes it’s hard to decide where my small donations should go. Tigers have always been number one, followed by the rest of the cats, but then there’s the gorillas, elephants, giraffes… I just have to see a picture of a baby orangutan suffering to make me decide I really don’t need a new pair of shoes.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-51 Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL Thu, 01 May 2008 17:15:49 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-51 Should add, that as it difficult as it is for us to decide who to support, it is doubly difficult, for bloggers, to ask for our help, in the first place. Should add, that as it difficult as it is for us to decide who to support, it is doubly difficult, for bloggers, to ask for our help, in the first place.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-50 Wim Thu, 01 May 2008 15:25:51 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-50 It's interesting how conservation projects and issues have developed over my forty-five year lifetime from focusing on preserving single wildlife species to conserving environment and ecosytstems and, recently, to maintaining the ecology of the biosphere. In some ways this relocation feels almost like it belongs to an earlier time, decent but nothing to do with modern conservation or the issues raised daily on this site. Though the story concludes in South Africa the original problems really have nothing to do with South Africa at all. I suppose the true underlying issue is the validity of private international collections of exotic animals and Zoos and whether they operate well as valid scientific institutions or solely as menageries. The answer, I suppose, is a bit of both, local sideshow funding academic and practical work worldwide. Some do it well, maintaining genetic databases and breeding programmes leading to improved veterinary knowledge and reintroductions where populations become ever more isolated or depleted (and we may need them more and more), while others are just for entertainment. Both are valid, both are inspirational, sometimes recreational, and educational, it's just whether they are humanely run according to the standards of their locality. Informative though, in highlighting how much things have evolved (if not resolved), in the conservation and wider world. It’s interesting how conservation projects and issues have developed over my forty-five year lifetime from focusing on preserving single wildlife species to conserving environment and ecosytstems and, recently, to maintaining the ecology of the biosphere. In some ways this relocation feels almost like it belongs to an earlier time, decent but nothing to do with modern conservation or the issues raised daily on this site. Though the story concludes in South Africa the original problems really have nothing to do with South Africa at all.
I suppose the true underlying issue is the validity of private international collections of exotic animals and Zoos and whether they operate well as valid scientific institutions or solely as menageries. The answer, I suppose, is a bit of both, local sideshow funding academic and practical work worldwide. Some do it well, maintaining genetic databases and breeding programmes leading to improved veterinary knowledge and reintroductions where populations become ever more isolated or depleted (and we may need them more and more), while others are just for entertainment. Both are valid, both are inspirational, sometimes recreational, and educational, it’s just whether they are humanely run according to the standards of their locality.
Informative though, in highlighting how much things have evolved (if not resolved), in the conservation and wider world.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-49 Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL Thu, 01 May 2008 14:43:48 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-49 Lisa, your heart and brain are working just fine. By rescuing these lions, attention was called to their deplorable conditions. The first step towards shutting these hell holes, down. Too bad some of Romania's dancing bears, were not rescued as well. Seamus, I too knew what your response would be. We all grapple with where our donations go. Wildlife rescue centers or conservation of wildlife in the wild. If more people gave a damm, our decisions would not be so painful. We do what we can, knowing it will never be enough. Ranger support or feeding a captive chimp. Planting trees or building more cages. Setting aside land for wildlife or treating sick gorillas. I try to do both categories. I can not make a "Sophie's Choice" but I certainly see the validity for those that do. Lisa, your heart and brain are working just fine. By rescuing these lions, attention was called to their deplorable conditions. The first step towards shutting these hell holes, down. Too bad some of Romania’s dancing bears, were not rescued as well. Seamus, I too knew what your response would be. We all grapple with where our donations go. Wildlife rescue centers or conservation of wildlife in the wild. If more people gave a damm, our decisions would not be so painful. We do what we can, knowing it will never be enough. Ranger support or feeding a captive chimp. Planting trees or building more cages. Setting aside land for wildlife or treating sick gorillas. I try to do both categories. I can not make a “Sophie’s Choice” but I certainly see the validity for those that do.

]]> http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-48 Lisa, Seattle Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:21:08 +0000 http://kilimanjarolion.wildlifedirect.org/2008/04/30/more-food-for-thought/#comment-48 I know that conservation dollars need to be spent where they will do the most good in the long run, but when it comes to cats my heart always overides my head. I know that conservation dollars need to be spent where they will do the most good in the long run, but when it comes to cats my heart always overides my head.

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