AWARE News

Machuchuta sterilisation campaign

Between the 1st and 9th of November 2009, AWARE spayed 33 bitches and castrated 22 male dogs in Machuchuta making a total of 55 sterilisations. 254 dogs were vaccinated, Frontlined and de-wormed and several more were treated for veterinary conditions.This year AWARE has sterilised 145 dogs and vaccinated 419 in the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA. We believe this has prevented approximately 450 puppies being born this year, and stopped the potential transmission of fatal diseases into wild carnivore populations. There has been a recent outbreak of distemper which has caused fatalities in a number of lions in the Kgalagadi TFCA in Botswana. Thus we feel our sterilisation and vaccination programme has enormous conservation value, as well as improving the welfare of village dogs, and raising awareness of animal welfare at grass roots level. Read more in November's newsletter

Free donkey clinics

AWARE vets have performed the third of their SPANA funded donkey clinics in the lower Gweru area where donkey cruelty continues to be perpetrated by people growing crops within the township. These donkeys are not supplementary fed and are left to fend for themselves and end up being axed or burnt when caught raiding vegetables. We now have 65 donkeys owned by 34 individuals regularly attending the clinics.  Read more in April, July and October newsletter

Painted dog treated at Hwange Main Camp

Whilst based at Main Camp AWARE vets were asked by Esther van der Meer of the Painted Dog Project to look at a non-healing wound on the side of one of the wild dogs, Njiva. The dog was immobilised and the wound surgically treated. The dog was part of a newly formed release pack from rehabilitated animals which was subsequently released at the end of August (see www.painteddog.org for more on the dogs’ release story). 

Preliminary search for lions in Gonarezhou

The AWARE team, accompanied by Rosemary Groom of African Wildlife Conservation Fund, recently searched for lions in southern Gonarezhou in order to test them for bovine tuberculosis. The estimated 23 lions in the 5000km² park proved difficult to find and the single lioness who showed up at a bait and calling station was dogged by a group of 8 very aggressive hyenas which made darting her impossible. Rosemary has remained in the area to try to opportunistically collar lions whilst the AWARE team have gone back to the drawing board to investigate the possibility of cage traps. Read more in October's newsletter   

White rhino escorted from Matopos

AWARE vets were recruited by Marwell Zimbabwe Trust and the Wildlife Veterinary Unit to help with rhino operations in Matopos National Park and escort 2 white rhino to Imire Game Park and 2 white rhino to Hwange National Park. In 2010 AWARE and MZT hope to audit rhino populations at Chivero National Park and Lake Mutirikwi (Kyle) and perform dehorning and ear notching exercises. Read more in October's newsletter