One of the organizations we’ve worked with for this week’s focus on wildlife extinction is the African Wildlife Foundation www.awf.org). They provided us the opportunity to conduct an email interview with their chief scientist at the Foundation, Dr. Philip Muruthi. See below to read the interview and special thanks for Dr. Muruthi for taking the time to speak with us!
1. What does a typical day look like for you as African Wildlife Foundation’s chief scientist?
My day usually and naturally will involve some aspect of conservation science. If I am spending my day in the office, I may be helping design AWF’s species conservation strategy or revising it, adapting it to a species, site or landscape. Some of my days are dominated by providing support to existing species conservation projects: helping design, implement, monitor actions and adapt / fit to our landscape approach in the area. As a scientist, I also strive to write papers and articles to communicate our work and share our results with colleagues and other audiences. I support conservation planning such as of protected areas which maintain species and this allows me to interact with protected area authorities and their neighbors – not a purely scientific endeavor but one that needs science. On other days I get to the field and help with research although this aspect of my work dwindles with time as our science team grows and my pillar supportive role grows. I also mentor young biologists which is fun. My job involves quite some travel supporting landscape (and species imbedded within) in eastern, central, southern and western Africa. I guess every conservation scientist “worries” whether or not they will have conserved what they said they would – and that is typical of my 8-10 hour day.
2. African Wildlife Foundation seems to work a lot with the communities that surround endangered wildlife, how does this help the wildlife? AWF’s approach is beneficial as it ensures that community support to wildlife conservation is enhanced. Community lands are left favorable / friendly to wildlife and the species themselves are not persecuted – the local communities become custodians. Where you have community support and participation, endangered species populations recover and thrive – as in the case of the mountain gorilla. The human communities living with wildlife benefit from its presence on their land – such as through conservation enterprises we help build. Some communities are benefiting from ecotourism projects and many from employment – such as our Grevy’s zebra scouts in Kenya. Working with communities ensures that threats are mitigated in a sustainable manner using the local human resource and institutions we help support.
3. What has surprised you most in your work with the African Wildlife Foundation?
Good question. This has to be the integrated nature of our approach seeking explicitly not only ecological but also livelihood improving results – species imbedded in large landscapes – working with partners, (and especially local communities) and over long-enough periods to achieve these results. AWF’s is a science-based but also pragmatic approach. It is focused on saving habitats / land, species, building capacity and leadership, conservation enterprise development and helping build an enabling policy environment – such as to support not only species but also potential for communities and landowners with wildlife to benefit – creating lasting conservation results.
4. What, if any, misconceptions do you think people have regarding endangered species?
Some people think that endangered species will always be there; they fail to see that extinction is forever. Others think that humans have nothing to do with species’ level of threat and life can continue as usual even as numbers of particular wildlife species become fewer and fewer with time. Others feel that all is lost for endangered species.
But endangered species can be recovered and indeed there are good examples of species recovery stories. And yes, humans have a lot to do with the reason species become endangered. Many species are dependent on conservation intervention (i.e., specific conservation actions) for their continued survival.
5. In light of the horrifying statistics regarding endangered wildlife, do you believe that the damage is reversible?
Yes – but the action must be now not tomorrow for many species. We have to be careful that populations do not go below certain levels because, below certain numbers, the vulnerability to extinction increases and reversing the situation may be impossible.
6. Do you have a favorite species that you work with?
Can we say the rhino? But still I like working with many species including large carnivores, Grevy’s zebra, elephants and others. In my role, I may not do the actual research in the field but provide support to a team of species conservation staff and partners working to save species and their habitats in Africa.
ON THE LEESH PRODUCTIONS – INTERVIEW RESPONSES BY PHILIP MURUTHI, 25TH JANUARY, 2009.
Think there’s nothing you can do to help protect African Wildlife in 1 Minute?
Starring: Karen T. Hartline
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Statistical Information Provided by: African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org
Special Thanks: Kurt Redenbo and everyone at African WIldlife Foundation, and Dennis Arinella.
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
Think there’s nothing you can do to help protect Wildlife in 1 Minute?
Starring: Alicia Arinella & Julie Tortorici
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Statistical Information Provided by: Defenders of WIldlife, www.defenders.org
Special Thanks: Lara Koch, Jeff Regen and everyone at Defenders of Wildlife, and Dennis Arinella.
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
Think there’s nothing you can do to help protect Africa’s Wildlife in 1 Minute?
Starring: Damion Fitz
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Statistical Information Provided by: The African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org
Special Thanks: Kurt Redenbo and everyone at The African Wildlife Foundation, and Dennis Arinella.
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
Think there’s nothing you can do to help protect Wild Habitats in 1 Minute?
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Starring: Desmond Dutcher
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Special Thanks: Dennis Arinella.
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
Think there’s nothing you can do to help fight Wildlife Extinction in 1 Minute?
Starring: Barbara Micari
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Consulting Producer: Mary Micari
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Statistical Information provided by: Defenders of Wildlife, www.defenders.org
Special Thanks: Lara Koch, Jeff Regan and everyone at Defenders of Wildlife, and Dennis Arinella.
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
The people at Defenders of Wildlife have been a great resource for us from a very early stage of “What You Can Do.” This organization has been around since 1947 (when it was known as Defenders of Furbearers) and is still thriving. Read below to find out more about the issue of wildlife extinction and what you can do about it!
Interview with Cindy Hoffman, Vice President of Communications for Defenders of Wildlife
1. What is the single most important thing you would want to impart to someone about the threat of wildlife extinction?
It would certainly be that we are all connected. People are intrinsically tied to Mother Nature and what happens to our planet and its vast resources will impact all of us. So, it is critical that we protect our planet, not just for wildlife, but for us! We only have one planet. Let’s treat it with care.
2. What do you think is the biggest myth about threats to wildlife?
I would say that the biggest myth is the belief that we can’t address threats to wildlife and the environment without hurting ourselves economically. Protecting the environment does benefit us economically and there is no reason why we have to choose between protecting natural resources and promoting a healthy and thriving economy. In fact, they go hand in hand!
3. Domestically, what species do you believe is the most at risk?
Unfortunately it is hard to pick just one. There are a number of species that are near the brink of extinction in our country today. Examples that come to mind are the Mexican gray wolf, the Florida panther and the black footed ferret. Thankfully, there are heroic efforts underway to recover each of these species and with persistence and due diligence, we can bring them back from the brink of extinction.
The Mexican wolf is the most endangered wolf in our country. It was once wiped out entirely from the southwestern United States. But in March 1998, 34 wolves were released back into the wild in southeastern Arizona. The goal of the reintroduction program was to restore at least 100 wolves to the wild by 2008. Unfortunately, a recent survey conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service found only 42 wolves and just two breeding pairs in the wild: a 20 percent decline from the previous year. Clearly, Mexican wolves are in big trouble. With numbers so perilously low, every single wolf in the wild counts toward the animal’s survival. We are pressing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to craft a science-based recovery plan that pays careful attention to the genetic issues posed by having such a small wild population. Defenders is also working with ranchers and the Fish and Wildlife Service to keep wolves on the ground by promoting proactive, non-lethal efforts to keep wolves away from livestock.
The Florida panther is another species struggling to survive. Considered one of the most endangered mammals on earth, it is estimated that there are fewer than 100 panthers in Florida today. These amazing animals are threatened by the loss of habitat to human development, and inbreeding due to their small population. Defenders of Wildlife is working with Florida landowners and developers to ensure that important panther habitat is saved, and to safeguard corridors that allow the panthers to travel through Florida’s remaining wild lands to find food and mates.
Another species, the black-footed ferret is also in great danger. It used to live comfortably within hundreds of prairie dog colonies across the Great Plains in 12 states. But aggressive efforts to eradicate prairie dogs – considered competitors for grasslands by many ranchers – also nearly wiped out the black-footed ferret. As prairie dogs were shot and poisoned, ferrets also paid the price. Eventually, it was thought the black-footed ferret was extinct.
Then one day, a Wyoming farm dog found a ferret and brought it home with him. Thanks to that discovery, a successful captive-breeding program was initiated in 1987 and continues to this day. The big caveat is this: we will have to be good to our prairie dog colonies to successfully recover the black-footed ferret. And that’s a big hurdle to jump for some in the ranching community.
4. What has been the most surprising thing you’ve experienced in working with Defenders of Wildlife?
I guess I would have to say the commitment of our members and activists to conservation. Our folks are passionate about wildlife and it shows, from the number of people that respond to our action alerts, to the great pictures and stories our members send us, to the active dialogue we see on Twitter and our Facebook pages on the issues we care about most. That support is steadfast.
5. In light of all of the harrowing statistics out there, do you believe there is still hope for threatened species?
The day I lose hope is the day I quit my job! Conserving the wildlife and wonderful places they call home is certainly a calling for me. The challenges wildlife face, including habitat loss and global warming sometimes seem overwhelming. But with each challenge there is a story of hope. For instance, Defenders is working with ranchers out west to provide them with the tools they need to ranch in wolf country. We are working with developers in Florida to provide a wildlife corridor for panthers to safely travel throughout the state. This corridor will help panthers as well as other wildlife that depends on the same habitat.
Defenders is working with solar and other renewable energy companies to guide them in making their projects both clean and green. And green has to include ensuring that wildlife continue to have a place to call home, even as we expand into solar, wind and other diverse energy sources on our lands. These are just some of the many examples of stories that give me hope for the future of wildlife in our country.
6. What would you advise someone if they wanted to get more involved in combating wildlife extinction?
Here at Defenders of Wildlife, there are a lot of things you can do to help conserve wildlife. Of course, you can become a member, which will help support all of the important work we do at Defenders. If you want to get your hands dirty, you can participate in our Wildlife Volunteer Corps. Our volunteers work on unique projects to protect, monitor and recover endangered and imperiled wildlife and the habitats and ecosystems they need to survive.
You can also sign up for our action alerts. We’ll let you know when there are important conservation issues to engage on. And with hundreds of thousands of activists on our list, we really make things happen. You can be a part of our efforts, and help save wildlife across America.
If you’d like more information on how you can get involved, visit: defenders.org.
In the Fall of 2009, my dog got a terrible stomach virus. She was very sick and I found myself spending much of my time at the vet clinic in my neighborhood. While there, I got to talking with the receptionist, Amelia. Somehow our conversation turned to her work outside of the vet’s office and I discovered that she’s been living her own version of What You Can Do by doing something called, TNR or Trap, Neuter, Return.
Amelia took some time out of her very busy schedule and met with me for a conversation about her experience with cat TNR. Below is the edited interview.
Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and the organization you volunteer with?
I’m Amelia and I’ve been involved in TNR for just about 2 years.
What does TNR stand for?
Trap, Neuter, Return or Release… And essentially the TNR goal is to maintain the feral cat population in NY… to get them fixed if they’re feral and release them again. Fixing them eliminates the kittens, it’s also better for their health and it’s better for everyone else.
And by Return, you mean return to their (the cat’s) home and not to a shelter?
Return is to release the feral cat to their colony where you took them. To relocate a feral cat – if you were to trap it and go, ‘okay, I don’t want it here. I’m going to trap it and get it fixed, and I know this great empty lot, I’m going to put it there’ – that can be a death sentence for a cat. They’re not familiar with that territory, so they don’t know how to find their… that’s not their home – it’s a complete foreign area.
What made you want to do TNR?
I was laid off so I started fostering. And the girl I fostered for did this. And I had a cat out in my backyard – a few of them – that I was feeding, and so she talked to me about it…You know, I trap a cat in my backyard and she ended up being friendly, which, unfortunately, most of the cats that are on the streets are friendly because they’ve been abandoned or let go, or they got out and never found their owners.
What’s involved in the certification for TNR?
The certification is very easy. You can take an online course through the ASPCA or you can take a class. And it’s a small amount, I think it might be like $25.00, a minimal fee and it’s a 2 or 3 hour class and they go through how to trap, how to care for your colony, how to manage the ferals, access to the van.… I prefer, you know, recommending people to actually take the classroom class, because you get people who have been doing if for awhile and you have people who haven’t been. So you have a lot of questions, but you also meet a lot of people. There’s a yahoo online group that you’re able to have access to after you take the class. You can post questions there and they’re very helpful. You learn a lot of resources through this class and then you’re certified to be able to, you know to take you cats to the van.
And by the van, you mean the spay and neuter van?
The ASPCA van. Yeah.
Do you get assigned a colony or does somebody know of a colony that you are told about?
No this is all what we’ve found on our own.
What makes something a colony?
Any more than one cat… A colony is our term for it being their territory, it’s their family, their network.
So how many are you working with now?
Right now I have one block, which I have two different stations of about 20 cats.
All of these cats live on the street.
Correct.… Our goal is to have what we call a managed colony. A managed colony ideally is where everyone in the colony has been spayed or neutered.
Can you trap a feral cat on your own?
Oh yeah.
Have you been bitten ever?
Oh yeah. That comes with the territory, to get scratched.
Do you go in with any sort of protective anything?
No.
It’s just you with a…
Trap. The ferals usually – it’s funny cause the ferals are quiet. They’ll hunch back in the corner and they’ll hiss. We generally know a friendlier cat once we get it in a trap because they’re louder. A good test if they’re friendly or not? Stick your hand in [the trap].
Wow.
A lot of the times we’ll know a feral when we see it. You know, the friendlies and the ferals, they tend to have a different look. I wouldn’t recommend just anyone on the street going, ‘oh your friendly, I’m going to take you and trap you and bring you home’ because you don’t know. I don’t recommend anyone just picking up a cat and bringing it home and introduce it to their other cats. Take it to the vet, get it tested for leukemia and FIV before you introduce it to your other cats.
You mentioned that a lot of the cats you find are friendly because they’ve been abandoned or lost so, do you find that they’ve already been spayed or neutered?
No.
The food that you buy for your colony is…
All funded by me.
Wow.
I feed about 30 cats on a daily basis.
So is your goal in terms of the colonies, to only leave the feral cats out on the street?
Correct.
So you’re hoping to get the friendlys into a home.
Exactly. Our hope is to not find the friendlys and it’s a lot easier just to trap and release, but we always find some level of friendlys. But the goal is to eventually have a complete managed colony.
Have you always been a cat lover? Or an animal lover?
I have. I grew up in the country so we always had cats, dogs, horses and they’ve always just been a part of my life. I just never knew this was a part of me but apparently – I think like, some of us, this is just who we are. Everyone’s like, ‘I don’t know how you can do this. I couldn’t do it’, my response is, I can’t not. I can’t not. I always have cat food on me. If I see a cat, I’m going to have food for the cat.
Is this the sort of work you want to keep doing?
I can’t stop. You know we definitely get frustrated and exhausted, burnt out but, they’re always in need.
Do you feel that there are misconceptions about what you do?
Yes. There are a lot of misconceptions because there are misconceptions about cats. Dogs are definitely seen as a lot more friendly, you know, cats are like, you know, if you have more than one and you’re single ‘you’re a cat lady,’ you know, ‘you’re not going to get a husband’, kind of thing. But, it’s really not that way, you know, we have well kept homes. A lot of them, they have families, they have children, and, you know, they have everyday normal lives. Yes, this does take up a lot of time but this is what we do in our spare time. But we have completely functioning lives.
I like to say, you know, I like to speak for those that can’t speak for themselves
**If you would like more information on TNR, cat fostering or donation information, Amelia recommends you visit the ASPCA’s website, The Urban Cat League or the Toby Project.
Think there’s nothing you can do to help fight Animal Cruelty in 1 Minute? Watch this.
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Starring: Noah Diamond
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Special Thanks: Dennis Arinella
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
Think there’s nothing you can do to help fight Animal Cruelty in 1 Minute? Watch this.
Starring: Jennifer Dziura
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission
Statistical Information provided by: The GreaterGoodNetwork, www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Special Thanks:Rosemary Jones and everyone at the GreaterGood Network, Ronnie Lavine, and Dennis Arinella
For more information, please visit – www.whatyoucando365.com
On the Leesh Productions is a New York based company devoted to the production of innovative, energetic, and challenging film and theater. We are comprised of a core team of collaborators interested in new and provocative subject matter, in unhindered visual experimentation, and in realizing the work of like-minded creative artists and writers.
