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Chipangali Update: January 2005
Chipangali Wildlife Trust
Extracted from the Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage January 2005 Newsletter
February 17, 2005

Animal Adoption Scheme
Presently, our Adoptions Sponsorship has stands at: 233, whilst this is the case there are a number of Adoptions which have not been paid for, although we have as promised sent on the Adoptions Certificate and in some cases the Datasheets for the Animal Adopted. However, having said that we can not thank the wonderful Adoption Sponsors for all their generosity & continued support, and for those of you that are able ~ your Adoptive animals, so love it when you visit.

I am still busy with the Datasheets, and have managed to cover a number of the animals in our care, for those of you that are yet to receive your Datasheet, please can we ask that you be patient as this is an ever lengthy task, and we thank you in advance for the same. Please also be advised that I will not be at work as from the 14th February until March, all urgent matters will be attended by Kevin Wilson on chipangali@netconnect.co.zw

There are still a large number of the animals in our care, that have not been sponsored and would just love to have a Mommy or Daddy. In particular, still not takers for Crunch, our hyaena, or Snap a small crocodile. As many of you have already adopted a wonderful character from us, can we ask that you approach family members, colleagues to join hands and adopt the little ones that are still looking for a surrogate Mum, Dad, brother or sister, please contact me on: chipangali@netconnect.co.zw

Overseas Volunteer Programme
Chipangali were fortunate to play it's part in "A Dream Come True", together with Anytime Magazine in South Africa. Geniene Birbeck had recently visited Chipangali, and fell in love with us, being the Editor at the time of the Anytime Magazine, she was approached by two animal loving gals, who believed their dream to be working with Wild animals. Lara and Natalie, mainly worked with the Nursery animals, feeding, cleaning enclosures, monitoring the animals then when all chores were done, they frolicked and played with Sammy, Mr. T., Jack and many others. Lara fell head over heels in love with Sammy, who you can read more about . . . .

Besides the work in the Nursery, the girls helped with rhino browse, washing of the rhino's which created much hilarity when the washing of the rhino's turned into water fights. Both Lara and Natalie's were fortunate enough to be a part of moving 3 sub-adult lions to another enclosure; which you can read more on. It did not stop there, the girls walked with the cheetah, ran with the Wild dog, who too were moved to a newly vamped enclosure with a man-made lure. Played a part in dipping the Wild dog & de-worming the carnivores.

Lara and Natalie also got down and dirty, they along with staff, cleaned out the pond in our large Aviary which houses, games birds ~ at first seemed a breeze when emptying the water out, then came the real work, scrubbing the walls of the pond, and mucking out the smelly mud ~ but they were never short of smiles or giggles whilst hard at work. Any prospective volunteers Should you, yourself be interest or know of anyone that would be interested in this programme please contact :~ Claire Lupton on volunteers@chipangali.com

Veterinary
There is still the ever day, attention to all the animals in our care, to gashes, scratches, de-worming etc. The excitement was when we were moving some of the sub-adult lions to another enclosure. The sub-adults have very little fear of human beings & are likely to attack at a moments notice.

They were coaxed into the small lock up enclosure, of which all of the leopard & lion enclosures have. Once in the small section, they were then darted with anesthetic, when immobilised, removed, measurements of the canines, front & hind limbs etc., monitoring respiration, inserting transformers (chips) as part of an identification process, and monitoring recover from anesthetic when placed in their new enclosure. all information was recorded, and kept on file.

Then, our Town Office was brought a sub-adult serval, who had been hit by a vehicle, after being checked over by the vet she was brought here to the Orphanage. What a depressing sight when she arrived here, barely lifting her little head, as well as scrawny & under-nutritioned. Claire set to work right away, with glucose doses at regular intervals, cleaning out her mucused eyes & reassuring her as she whilst she was having fits; gradually over a couple of days, the little treasure tried with all it's might to walk around the nursery. After a couple of attempts, Claire noticed that she showed little or not fear of human presence and that she kept walking along side the walls, and on arrival to a corner ~ walked straight into the wall. We are not sure if her sight will return, as it may be an temporary injury sustained when been hit by the car or for what we see, in regards to the appalling condition we received her in, that her blindness is sadly a permanent handicap.

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