By Victoria Lockwood | Project Leader
Thank you for choosing to support Ethiopian Wolves, the world’s rarest canid.
After months of uncertainty, the New Year saw the Born Free-supported Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) take the first steps towards resuming work as normal. With the spread of armed conflict, operations in northern Ethiopia were suspended and field staff pulled out for their safety, but now as the situation stabilises the team have been able to cautiously set out into the mountains once again. The safety of staff remains the highest priority, as the team begin to check up on the wolves in the ranges they been unable to access in recent months.
One such location is the Menz Guassa Community Conservation Area, some 250km north of Addis, which was ravaged by fire just a few short months ago. Fearing irreparable damage and loss of animal life, Wolf Monitor Mengistu visited the habitat of three packs, Regreg, Sefed Meda and Chichira Meda, where much of the land has been scorched by the flames. But despite the widespread burning, new guassa growth has been spotted shooting up from the charred ground in a clear and promising sign of the grasslands’ swift recovery. The local community lodge was also spared the fire and thankfully still stands.
The good news doesn’t stop there: Mengistu successfully located the three packs and was delighted to report all three are breeding. He spotted two puppies, just a couple of months old, stretching their legs in the early morning outside the den of the Chichira Meda pack, and confirmed that three puppies have been born to the Sefed Meda pack. This is most welcome news after such an anxious wait to know how the wolves have fared through the conflict. The landscape and its wildlife are resilient, inspiring our team to remain strong through the struggles and hopeful for the days to come.
Thank you for your continued support.
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