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The little leopard was hesitant this morning. He was wary. It was overcast and cold. Snow was falling on the Annapurnas and the smaller ranges closer to Pokhara. We went out into our forest session at the usual time of 7am but there was a different feeling as Asa stuck close to me, there was not quite his pluck of the last few days.
He likes to venture into a deep patch of undergrowth. Ananta, Shiva and myself keep track of him by the tinkle of his little bell. This morning he did not linger, instead coming to my boots, looking up as I hurriedly took notes. We were intrigued by his wariness.
In the corner of my eye I spotted movement. The others, including Asa, did not see the eagle land in a tree close to the Ranger Post. Shiva ran with Asa back to the small group of sheds that make up the Post as I watched with baited breath. An eagle can take out a leopard cub.
Asa got home safely but perhaps his senses were working overtime today... maybe just as well... as I watched the eagle fly even closer to the Post...
I spend the afternoon sessions with Asa in his small shed, we simulate stalking and hunting. He captures and kills his prey, a piece of yellow sacking on the end of a rope. We do this for hours. Today he took his prey up one of logs I have mounted in his room. I really felt today the little cub learned his lessons well...
It's been an intense last ten days. Once again thank you very much for the moral support. I should be able to give more updates from this point and catch up with the many messages as well as thank supporters. Asa is opening doors for wildlife protection and conservation already. More soon... cheers Jack.
A quick update (I've moved to a place not far from Asa and the electricity situation is not good) and a thanks for the fantastic moral support. There have alsobeen solid financial ones, from $2 to $700, more on this soon but I will really have to concentrate hard on that aspect shortly. In the meantime a lot of intensive rehabilitation work has gone into Asa. I have the scratches, bites and sleep deprivation to prove it. I also have a deep bond with a little predator who this morning climbed his first tree. We had been practicing hard and this was such a beautiful thing to see, the moment he hauled himself up and peered into the beyond. Ananta and Shiva, the two forest guards I work with in the morning sessions, could not hide their delight. Nor could I. There is so much to be done but this was a moment in time to lead us forward...
Not enough hours in the day at the moment but the time that was yesterday was intense. Seemingly overnight, Asa made huge gains in power, strength and confidence. I was mentally sapped after several hours of rehab work with the little wild cat. And Asa really is a wild animal, don't let the "cuteness" fool you. My hand needs medical attention due to a jaw grip that is frightening. The sheer power of this animal is stunning and the transition in how Asa now has to be handled has to follow suit.
I've just finalized with the builders and metal workers Stage 1 of the enclosure. It has to be as strong as hell. It is the first part of an overall plan that will encompass holding, medical treatment, rehab and rewilding of one the most powerful predators on the planet, the Chituwa, the jungle leopard, the forest leopard, the common leopard, call it what you like but the challenge is on.
I emphasize again that Asa has really no chance of being rewilded. While this is sad, Asa will play a huge role for study, awareness and ultimately long overdue recognition (read UNESCO) for this incredible biodiversity hotspot, the Annapurna region.
So right now there is so much to do. I have been handed the responsibility to oversee this initial stage of the project and in conjunction with the local community, the Department of Forests, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, the National Trust for Nature Conservation as well as collaboration with WWF and my own organization WildTiger Conservation Research and Development, there are great personnel. But money is an issue. I'll be hammering hard re funding starting tomorrow.
A huge thanks to those who have contributed so far. There will be more links atwww.wildtiger.org soon. I simply don't have time to get to all the messages right now but I will when I can. Before a week ago there were already huge challenges, now a leopard called Asa has added an element that will ultimately help, but there is a hell of a lot to be done... cheers Jack.
Be careful what you wish for huh? Four days ago I blogged about the secretive forest leopard eluding my re camera traps, now I have one who this morning starting licking my hand.
It's been a long few days, am exhausted, but yes, Asa will be safe. Meetings this morning on location with the Forest Office and WWF meant things can be pushed along further. I spent several hours with Asa, just quietly calming this amazing little leopard who is in a much better state now. I know it all sounds cute and cuddly but it's not. This is a wild animal who lost its mother and will never be free. I have been handed responsibility and will do my very best as this cat represents so much to the area. Many people are excited about how Asa can be such a strong symbol and I myself have promoted this. However, there is a sadness about this which is why the best must be done.
The scared, traumatized little animal of the last few days relaxed this morning. Asa ate well, I thank those who have helped with funding so far. Asa rubbed up against me as we sat in the dark shed currently home. I'm trying to get people to understand that leopards like quiet (a bit like me) so a sign goes up shortly. I've also taken the measure that Asa will not be handled by everyone who comes along, he just doesn't like it. While I'm happy to be his mum for now the time will come soon when Asa will not have that sort of contact, people must understand this is not a pet. A double door system will be built in a day or two as the first stage of the enclosure takes place. My cameras in the mountains will have to wait for me a bit longer...
Yes, Asa really is a symbol for hope, I'll explain what is exactly happening shortly in that regard. Watch out for the upcoming Asa Facebook page.
There is still much to be done, it is not time to celebrate yet by any means but we are over the first hurdle...
Thanks so much for your support, more news tomorrow, cheers Jack.
First of all I have many people to thank, many people who have become part of this. The interest, concern and passion has touched me as it shows that you understand how importantit is to save this little leopard. Asa, all going well, has such a role to play going forward. I have many people to reply to, I will get there, you all are playing vital parts in this... I know some of you will even visit Asa one day and it will bring home even more how vital your help is...
The loss of Asa's tiny wild cat companion overnight has highlighted the issues we are facing even more. I always felt the little one had an uphill battle but of course it is very sad nonetheless.
I will be honest and say I was concerned about Asa's state of mind this morning to the extent that I could not wait any longer for action to be taken. While things were progressing I felt a real sense of urgency. Sometimes knocking a little harder on the right doors is called for and several motorbike rides, many phone calls and a meeting with the head of the Forest Office finally produced a result... Asa will have a proper enclosure and proper care. There is still so much to be done and in many ways the hard work just got harder, I feel like I haven't slept since I don't know when... but look into that little face and what it represents, the relationship between humanity and our fellow species in a habitat we must protect with all our might.
I'll have more news tomorrow, more details and some exciting developments as to how a piece of technology can bring you real time images of Asa's life going forward... I just want the next few days to go quickly, get this thing done... thank you, we're all in this together, cheers Jack.
We got to the forest office this morning to find the smaller cub barely alive, in fact to touch, well, I thought he was dead. Unlike Asa, who you can see me checking here and is definitely a leopard, the smaller cat is a smaller breed of wild cat, ID unknown at this stage.
I massaged the smaller cat for over two hours and he struggled back to life. He took droplets of milk from my hand and is relatively stable now. I will post more images when I know both cats will live. I'm reasonably confident re Asa but we need to build an enclosure, and quickly. The officer in charge agreed but the permission process here can take time. However, I'm sure it will happen and this is what those of you who are helping will help fund but for now, medical expenses and food need to be paid for.
Asa is incredibly beautiful and we have bonded in the small amount of time. Krishna is trying his best to get local support, he has good contacts. Edward, an Australian from Melbourne is giving practical support which I am grateful for. It is vital that the locals see foreigners are interested, want to see the right thing done.
Kathmandu Zoo cannot take Asa. Asa, which as I explained yesterday means Hope, will have to stay here in Pokhara and I cannot help but feel will play a vital role in everything we are trying to do here. Strange as it may sound this incredible little animal is playing a part in the ultimate goal of getting UNESCO status for the Annapurna Conservation Area.
It looks like I am going to be spending the night with these two cats in an attempt to keep them warm. I hope I can give you a positive report tomorrow. I'm a researcher, I deal with data but it is impossible not to get emotionally involved in a situation like this.
For those who want to help go to www.wildtiger.org/wildtigerjournal4Feb2014
Cheers Jack.
I've been "threatening" to write about "freedom" in the last few days, I will, I'm just waiting on some details, some decisions. When it comes to freedom humanitarian and environmental issues are closely linked. Manipulating forces affect both. I hate it when I feel I'm being manipulated, it affects my own sense of freedom... so I get protective of others when they are being manipulated, whether they be human or wildlife. But yeah, more soon...
The image takes in one of the areas of interest in the Modi Khola valley. I've had cameras in and around that particular conflict zone and am a few days away from checking cameras higher (and not in the photo) on the ridgeline above where I've written "school children start walking from here". There is a small waterhole, in deep, beautiful forest. I can't wait to see what we find. The images from the region so far have been exciting. You may have seen the video of the young black bear I posted on the Mountain Biodiversity facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/205706422804198/) a little while back.
There is more, much more ... BUT the forest leopard, the elusive "Chituwa"as it is known here remains just that, elusive.
I'm becoming more and more fascinated by this animal. So little is known about the leopards in this part of the Himalaya. As I've mentioned before the tiger and the snow leopard get all the press. Everybody goes blah blah blah about these two great cats. But the chituwa remains such a mystery. I'm really attracted to mystery. And now that there is mounting evidence that the chituwa is existing up to 4000m, well, is this animal the true mountain tiger?
Buffalo have been taken. Buffalo are big. Buffalo are strong. Buffalo can be extremely feisty and they fight hard. In the extreme steep terrain of the Himalayan jungles it takes a big cat of major strength and stealth to take an animal such as a buffalo. When I show my three photographs to locals who have had big cat encounters (the photos are of tiger, chituwa and snow leopard) most people point to the chituwa. And most of them describe a cat which is almost tiger like in size. To survive on these steep slopes and take big ungulates, well, these chituwa have to be very strong in the hind quarters... and that is the type of animal that is described to me. And it is described with a sense of awe...
Of course it could be a yeti taking these buffalo. However, the footprints look more like a cat than a yeti. The scat is also more like that of a cat. I don't know much about anything but I'm sure yeti shit is bigger than leopard shit. Cat scat, yeti shit ... I spend a lot of time checking the ground...
I'm also excited about the next camera placement, at the foot of mighty Maachapuchare, the beautiful unclimbed mountain, much higher up in a place where your sleeping bag needs to be damn good. What dwells there? Is this the overlap point between snow leopard and chituwa? Do these two leopards hunt the same prey in the same area? And will I find more bears?
And will I be building a "rock tent" and lying in wait for days on end? Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to write that last question ... more soon Cheers Jack.
