SUCCESS - permit issued and small mammal research can commence

That little paperclip symbol attached to an email can offer such joy.  Today it was an attached collecting and export license for small mammal research at Mareja.  Authorised nationally by Universidade Eduardo Mondlane and the Natural History Museum issued by their Director.  Many thanks to Snr Guissamulo for facilitating this process.  Now we can forge ahead with this planned research and welcome Peter and Galen on to the reserve in June.  Very happy day.

News flash: Hasso's babies are dug out by Constantin!

Here they are, four in all and rather like over fed velvet-clad slugs.

Constantin couldn't bear the suspense any longer and dug them out of the fox den Hasso had created.

So Anne wins but I learn more about running a betting 'book'...there should be no room for interpretation.  Are they black or do they have a brown hue?...if so Manuel also wins.  (If you haven't read the earlier entry none of this will make any sense.)

THANK YOU to my new Followers on May Day

...a full 20 (including myself and one hidden profile!)  Thank you so much. 

I am soon off to Africa again after our extended stay.  The winter here has quite passed and the rain there is slowing...and more importantly the Swallows have arrived! A sure sign that we should fly back.  Though I find it so hard to leave England as it bursts into life.  The energy, fervour and colours of Mozambique are thrilling and challenging but... 

on May Day, as bluebells appear in carpets, white hawthorn replaces pink cherry blossom and nightingales begin to sing, for me nothing compares to the green and intricate beauty of our isle.  And it makes me want to watch Morris dancers and drink yet more tea. 

I discovered at the weekend that my love of Morris dancing may be genetic, they originated over 500 years ago from the Cotswolds and reach their peak of skipping, whooping and jangling around whitsun - so May is their busiest month.  Sadly they are a male phenomena, so I can only watch.

HAPPY May Day.

INSECT journey: Mariel's progress from remote beginnings

In the Summer one of the Oxford University Expedition objectives was to begin to develop INSECT TRANSETS and long-term monitoring at Mareja.  This requires the Rangers and hopefully our new connection with Unilurio (the University in Pemba) to follow up and collect twice a year.  And potentially we could even involve interested visitors in the project.

But information gathered will open up the world of insects for us and help build a picture of: habitat diversity, species composition, and highlight changes and impacts from pressures such as hunting to climate change.  Vital data that will support our actions, build awareness and direct our management.

It is a many staged process and it is very hard to imagine that from sunny days collecting in the field that these steps will progress smoothly or at all ...and result in identification at Oxford Natural History Museum... and recording in an esteemed data base or publication for all to access and disseminate.

The two greatest hurdles where finding the right alcohol mix to preserve the insects and getting export licenses. In the end small bottles of 90% medical alcohol and toxic cheap vodka (pineapple flavour!) were located in Pemba and mixed up to make enough preservative.  Then gettinng the export license was a whole other saga.

But the many bags of insects ARRIVED in Oxford and Mariel has been volunteering for over 6 months to begin the sorting process and here are the results

It is very moving to see the reserve name neatly presented on labels and the insects carefully sorted and prepared for full indentification. Mozambique is very poorly represented in national collections.  

Sitting in Mareja in such remote surroundings I wish the Rangers could feel the full weight of this small but significant contribution towards science. But I will greatly enjoy showing them these photos.

Mareja LOGO, website and on going research permit anxieties

The Mareja website is nearly 10 years old and as the main tool for attracting visitors it needs attention - some would say urgently.  (Containing a very vague map and old email address for Sonya, Dominik's previous girlfriend, poor thing probably gets much unwanted correspondence.)

So at last I am doing it and enjoying the challenge of presenting the project and its many facets in an simple but evocative way -with the superb design aid of Jamie Middleton of WAI. 

We have a logo challenge, Dominik is very attached to the existing one that is figurative with many references - sable, mountain, palms to denote the fragment that was saved, river.  I think it looks like a sand dune in a very different setting, perhaps Eygpt?  He disagrees heartedly and understandably, it is a central part of the history and development of the project.  Here it is.

The question is how much does a brand matter in these settings?  One day when we have many partners, sell products for the community and are a research centre, it may be important.  Or not, the modes of operation are so different.  Would love your thoughts if you have any on the subject. 
But throughout this the ongoing concern of the last two months (and indeed much of last year) has been and is...research permits.  Last year we required two, one for plants and one for insects, for the Oxford University Students and we finally discovered that although a research license must be issued by Quirimbas National Park the research and export permits must come from the national museum in Maputo.

We are now preparing for a visiting scientist Dr Galen Rathbun (California Academy of Science) and Peter Coals (leader of the Ox expedition) and they have been sending requests and reminders to our contact in Maputo since November...as yet to no avail.  They will be coming to Mareja in June to do some exteremely exciting small mammal research but the whole trip depends on gathering these vital official permits.

To Dominik's frustration we may have to reroot our trip to Pemba via Maputo to try to gather the documents in person.  He is very keen to get back to the reserve (Jasper went on holiday a few days ago and the rains are stopping, so the season for poaching will soon begin again). Although there are other jobs that could be usefully done...such as buy a 4x4, ours had to be handed back before we left at Christmas due to an interesting complexity with its paperwork, and mattresses for the new guest rooms etc....

Or perhaps I will go alone to Maputo.  Plans will evolve, dictated by flight prices and other such practicalities.  I have never been to the capital and hear they have rather a good collection in the museum - it could be a fascinating trip.

Hasso a small German black dog goes WILD and I have taken to betting

Hasso has provided wonderful distraction from my DIY day.  If only I knew how to properly run a 'book' William Hill style, but without that skill am still taking bets on the number of puppies and their colour.

Hasso is a little black dog with an unknown herditary.  A fox like face, longish black body and unexpectedly curly tail.  She is female despite having a traditional male German dog's name.  As well as barking at strangers Hasso's other main occupation is getting pregnant by mystery visiting dogs.  This has spawned a near village full of Hasso look alikes.  In fact the last father was seen a large fox terrier (brown curly fur) but he seemed to have  no impact on the gene pool, they are always black and small with a funny tail. 

Dominik's mother (kindly) has two from the last litter and when I took myself on a walk the other day I came across a neighbour with a backyard full of them.

This prolific and somewhat random breeding is not encouraged and after the last slip up Hasso was taken to the vet for an 'injection'...which obviously did  not work.

However she must have felt the mounting dispair because she has taken motherhood into her own hands (paws) and disappeared completely.  Three days later she was sighted and then her new home discovered.  She had dug an extensive large fox-like den with two entrances and a hidden chamber deep in the ground between tree stumps.  Now a week later and still no one has seen the latest brood.

So I have opened up a book and here are the results...

Name/Number of puppies/colour

1. Dominik/6/black (like Hasso)
2. Jeff/5/black (like Hasso)
3. Frau Kirch/5/black (like Hasso)
4. Sophie/7/white/brown/black
5. Constantin (owner of Hasso)/6/black (like Hasso)
6. Marrianna/5/white/brown/black
7. Anna-marie/6/black (like Hasso)
8. Helena/7/black (like Hasso)
9. Titsia/5/white/black/brown
10. Anne/4/black (like Hasso)
11. Stuart/6/black (like Hasso)
12. Teresa/6/black (like Hasso)
13. Manuel/3/white/black/brown

As you can see the odds are short, with few risk takers!  Prizes yet to be agreed.  (But Anne suggests the winner gets nothing and loosers all a mini Hasso each.)

I would love one, owning a dog is my most enduring life goals.  Whatever colour they are they have a determined resourceful mother.

News update: last bird ringing trip and Rebecca......

The bird-ringing group that visited in November 2010 - here with their table prepared for bird handling, measuring, recording.  They are led by Malcolm Wilson (on left) and supported by Rebecca, from the Park (employed by WWF). 

The twitcher's gaze!  A passing Bateleur Eagle is spotted

This was the third year of visiting - birds are caught in nets set up on regular transects along the forest ride below the house.  It requires a lot of experience and training to handle birds and carefully fit a small metal ring on one leg without stressing them.  These photos were taken very quickly before the birds are set free.

Nets are strung along the ride at dusk and checked at dawn

Bird names to be added ...help needed?

Note from Malcolm: 'the sunbird is Scarlet-chested, of the race 'gutteralis'! also the African Broadbill from the previous trips'

Cluster of C F Helmet Shrikes!

We have just learnt that Rebecca's contract was NOT renewed and she left the Park in January.  A great shock and loss for us.  She had worked for the Park developing specialist tourism for many years and is highly affective and respected.  And she encouraged Malcolm to visit... as well as being my friend and translator (as a fluent Portuguese speaking Brit).

It looks like Malcolm won't visit in the near future (his May visit has been cancelled) unless funding can be found for his travel. Just as we were gathering great data and welcoming all sorts of interesting bird-lovers to Mareja.  A really frustrating step backwards.