Colleen Begg: Project Update: November 2007

In September a further 5 community scouts were trained. The project now supports 10 scouts from 9 villages. They collect critical information on human-carnivore conflict. In addition, we have collared two lionesses in two different prides and replaced the collar on a male. Pictures were taken of noses, manes and teeth wear to add to the database on visual aging cues. 30 remote camera traps are set at 1km intervals in riparian habitat. In the first two weeks of trapping 15 mammal species were recorded including lion and spotted hyaena. One of cameras photographed a lion collared in 2005. He was snared 6 months later but survived and then disappeared. He is a particularly important lion to follow as he visits both Mbamba and Nkuti villages and we hope to replace his collar in November.

The first leopard has been collared, and named Nantusi by an elder of Mbamba village in honour of an important Chief buried in the area. The clouds are building and we have only one more month before the rains arrive.