We had somehow an exciting but sad week at Bambelela. On Tuesday the Vet brought us a Sable antelope baby, born very late and to a first time mom, the decision was made to take the very weak baby away from his mom. After an examination at the Vet clinic the Vet didn’t had much hope as his coughing was almost evidence of him laying the past two days on the ground already…the nights winterly cold. With almost no hope the vet carried it to Bambelela. All volunteers were quick to help us preparing our new wooden heat-box where two red lights would keep him warm. Grass was cut and put out as bedding. Antibiotic Injections given and now we were full of hope. Rodney fed small amounts of surrogate milk and ask for a blankets as he spend his night next to the Sable antelope in the Box. The feeding became more difficult as the antelope’s baby’s nose started to block and as I rushed to the Vet to fetch the feeding tube the antelope died in Rodneys arms.

The same day people dropped of a young Dassie [Rock Hyrax] at the local Pet Shop. The Dassie was found in their yard just laying there. Gerda’s mom Meisie [the owner from the Pet Shop] called us immediately and kept the Dassie comfortably warm with a hot water bottle until we were able to be there to fetch her. It’s a 2 months old female. Her name is Louise now and we are treating three of her burnt feet. Gerda, Belinda and Volunteer Agathe from Nizza are taking care of the little one. The wounds are healing and the Dassie-Girl is having a good appetite. Her diet consisting out of formulated milk, some fruit and veggies and what she loves most is green leaves…….Soon we hope to start introducing her to our big male Dassie Louis and his family….but for now we keep her in a clean and sterile environment [cage] to avoid any risks of infection of her open feet. The care taker are making turns on taking her in her cage outside for some sunshine and in the house we have the heated Blanket on for her comfort.

Sunday SOS call: former Student-Volunteer Jan Hendrik had picked up a female Vervet Monkey laying on the Rocks at Monate Lodge, where he is working. Desperate Vervet welcomed the comfort of being picked up and brought to his house. She was very weak. Soon she started eating the offered food by Jan Hendrik but something must have been terribly wrong, she wasn’t ok. Jan Hendrik drove the 1,5 hour drive to Bambelela but sadly the beautiful approx. 4-5 year old Vervet-Lady died minutes before arriving here at Bambelela. I tried CPR for almost 10 minutes but all in vain, I couldn’t bring her back. When I checked on her closely I could see an extremely swollen gland which indicated an infection in her lower body….listening to Jan Hendriks explanation of her behavior I somehow can’t help thinking that she might have died on pregnancy poising. We could feel her being pregnant, early stages but perhaps big enough that she didn’t abort naturally….she wasn’t hurt, no bones broken….we called her MONATE and took her over the river for her final resting place under a tree on Bambelela.
 

THINGS WE NEED FOR RAFIKI”S RELEASE

RELEASE CAGE:
2 bundles of 3m wooden lads
2 bundles of 3,6m wooden lads
7 wooden 3,6m poles 100mm
2 bags cement
1 bucket Eureka M8 Nuts&Bolts 65mm [150 or 200 pieces]
2 Canvas Sheet for corner shelter [rain/sun] Size 9m x 3 m
OR 4 x 4mx4m for covering 4 corners
5 x big plastic Kennels [NTK/Landmark]
5 x small plastic Kennels [NTK/Landmark]
6 big Stainless steel bowls for feeding and fresh water

Old Bike Tires for making Swings
6mm Steel cable and clamps [supply store]
Shad Net off-cuts to make Hammocks and Swings

Weekly Fruit&Veggies +/- 450,--Rand
2 boxes [18kg] bananas
1 big bag sweet patats
Peanuts
Lettuce
Maize
Sunflower seed
2 big boxes grapes
1 big box papayas
2 cabbages
2 bunches Spinach
1 box apples
1 box pears but mainly seasonal fruit&veggies from what’s on special.

MEDICINE

36 TETAVAX vaccinations
Homeopathic: Traumeel + Diareel
Natura’s Rescue
Natura’s Arnica
Vit C Gummy Vites from TLC
Wound Magic
Pectrolyte
Multivitamins

FUEL costs estimate per week on average for 10 weeks:
[3-4 site visits, bringing supplies]
300,--Rand/week

 

 

SUPPLY FOR RELEASE MANAGER [meals will be brought to site from Bambelela]
9kg gas bottle
Ricoffy
Long life milk
Sugar
Rusks
Instant oats
Bread
Jam
Peanut Butter
Canned food
2 min. noodles
Muesli bars
Biodegradable washing powder
Biodegradable dishwashing liquid
Cooking oil
Maize miel
Basic fresh groceries [storage in cooler box]
 

 

 

 14. JULY 2010 - NEWSLETTER
Very exciting news..,,probably one of the Best news of the year...specially for Rafiki's Troop, many human surrogate monkey moms, volunteers and me, Nkawu Ma Silke...
Last weekend I spend the day inspecting a possible release site for yet another monkey troop. Upon arrival "Cobus" the owner was happy to drive us around on his beautiful 200ha Bushveld farm, bordering other game farms not far away from Bambelela. As the crow flies it is possibly 10 km but by car it sums up just over 35 km. The landscape and vegetation very similar to Bambelela and simply perfect for the release of our 36 Monkeys in our Rafiki's Troop. Rafiki, the first monkeys who was brought in our Wildlife Care almost 5 years ago. The years it took to form a troop from hand raised monkeys was very well waited for ...now that they will be offered the perfect farm for their rehabilitation. We are very grateful to Cobus and Magdel for giving our monkeys a second chance to live wild.
All plans are starting now, I will write the proposal to Nature Conservation and we will once again [lucky us, the third time this year!!] patiently await their approval and Permits.
Also I need to look for some sponsors who can help us with the day-to-day costs of maintaining a release site, traveling costs for fuel, 36 x TETAVAX vaccination for the monkeys, etc. We are offering you the chance to be part of our third and hopefully again successful release. With product donations you could become part of the rehabilitation of Rafiki's Troop and in return we can offer you some public advertising: thanking you for sponsoring our cause of saving the Vervet Monkeys. If you are interested to get involved, please e-mail us for our Release-Needs-List. Even the smallest bit, from Bananas, Coffee to Vitamins and Water Canister can make a change! We need supplies for a 6 weeks stay out in the Bush. And please, don’t be shy to offer us second hand goodies [except perhaps the coffee part, smile] as we really appreciate your help.
For our release cages we’d need 3m and 4,2m lads and plastic kennels for the monkeys shelter [small and big ones] to keep the cold and the rain away from them while in captivity. Shade Nets and canvas, swings and bike tires.
If you’d like to support us with buying from our shop or at the easy click of a button, please visit our website at www.bambelela.org.za
Together we can make big changes and what could possibly be more rewarding than setting an African Primate free in its natural habitat ? We are looking forward to hearing from you. All donations towards this project please with reference “free Rafiki’s Troop”.
Thanks you with lots of sunny Bambelela Bushveld Greetings,
Silke & the Bambelela-Team
 

The Winter is here and the Veld condition is now changing and leaving animals and monkeys desperate for food. We started feeding the Zebras and Antelopes with Lucerne and Baboon and Monkeys with oranges and all kind of "left overs' from our enclosures and whatever people can spare right now. So happy that we got every week a Bakkie load full of oranges this past couple of weeks, but worried because the Orange farmer's season is almost over...and now we need to maintain our alternative feeding spots. Thank you VERVET much to KAJ Landgoed from just outside Bela Bela.
 

Anybody out there with fruit & veggies to spare....please give us a call.
 

We are busy right now with a young Vervet female who is 1,5 years old with the name of Silly Jilly. We noticed her lethargic in our Walt Disney Camp and caught her to check in her chin. Alarm: Snakebite: Puffadder with Cytotoxic venom destroys the cells - usually causing massive necrosis or death of large parts of flesh. Adders have long fangs and this means the venom can be injected quite deeply into the tissues. That's why she is our Intensive Care Patient, we treat her with antibiotics, homeopathic treatments and TCP..of course lots of TLC too. All the rotten skin came off, she has lost 5 teeth and her gum is just bone, which we keep dehydrated with the help of hydrating oils from AFRICOLOGY. After the first 3 days she started to feeling better and getting stronger....we even reduced the painkillers....she started eating by herself again and all vitals are top....[sometimes it feels, that only us know about her condition and what has happened....such a brave monkey girl....but we don't know how she will cope in future...we are hoping that Wound Magic will help her growing new meat and we are trying our best to keep septicemia away from her....
 

SOS call from Haenertsburg: a car hit a Serval. We didn't drive out but referred the people to Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in Hoedspruit who are the better specialist of taking care of grown up cats....
This time of the year Bambelela has got a lot of volunteers helping out at the wildlife care and we are presently busy with building ladders and fixing enclosures to uplift the monkeys playgroungs. On top of our wishing list are sheets of corrugated iron to provide the monkeys with shelter roofs for when the rainy season starts again. Anybody able to help ?
 

So far, this year hasn't been kind to us due to the worldwide recession and funding new projects or finding product donations has been a bit of a struggle.

Sending you lots of Bambelela Greetings, keep warm and keep on caring.....Silke & Bambelela Team

 

My best birthday: visiting rehabilitated monkeys and one special male [Karools] came to greet me...[it had been 4 months since I saw them last, almost 7 months of freedom already] the only one of the 26 monkeys...soon after he ran off in the Bush again...fantastic-awesome-that's what I'm living for!

 

 

 Yebo...can't believe I have been around for 42. years already...where did all that time go by ?

To my family and friends: a KG of bananas is delivered 6.99 Rand, almost 1 USD...and who would guess my birthday wish ? Bananas for my Monkeys please....easier than ever...with a push of our "DONATE" button on our website.

And YES...this will make me totally happy and make my day very special...a banana monkey day....more I could not wish for....

Thank you for caring and thinking of me.

With Monkey Luvies,

Nkawu Ma Silke                                                                          

 

 

Pilany healed very nicely and is now happily monkeying around in our Handicap Camp. The blind females are loving her and Mpenzi thinks of Pilany as his very best friend. Release News to follow shortly...just right now very busy with two releases and so far so good...just need to be here and there...but look out for the news to come. Thank you Pauline from Holland for being our Guardian Angel for the 4-months Vervet orpahn CISKE....thanks for caring. It's winter time around the corner and we are desperate for more food...all fruit & veggies welcome....anybody out there with fruit trees in their garden and some fruits to spare ?   Thanks vervet much...Evert and family....for giving us the chance to pick up Naartjies in his garden....it was a lot and made two great feedings...which made our Monkeys very happy! Thank-You. To everyone...lots of sunny bushveld greetings from Bambelela

Sunday's SOS call was about a baby-monkey-girl from the previous season. Badly injured the Rangers finally could catch her and she was brought here to Bambelela. Her arm and her foot totally black with gangrene, her tail almost off, hanging by the skin only. This monkey girl was in pretty bad shape but had bright eyes telling us her wish to live. The next days we had her in surgery with our Vet Marius for 2 hours. Unfortunately no hope left to save the limbs, the arm, the foot and the tail had to be amputated. A strong heart beat kept her going and we took her home with us. We called her PILANY and we decided on giving her a second chance to live. The deadly infected limbs would have resulted in certain death. Amazing that she had survived so long, shows how tough Vervet Monkeys really are. She must have endured a lot of suffering and crucifying pain. The cause of it all: first it was assumed that it was a Baboon attack some 2 weeks ago. But after we had the close look at her injuries we knew that it was caused by electrocution, possible power lines or transformer. Our dear monkey friend   Annelie M wrote a Poem for her. We'd like to share it with you.

 

PILANY

 

Sweet little girl so much pain

Now your whole life must start again

Hurt so badly so much lost

But to live was what you wanted most

 

So bravely you took what life handed to you

If we can prevent anything ever hurt you again, that is what we’ll do

Hush now baby girl everything is okey

Lots of happiness, I promise, is coming your way

 

 

Brave little girl just hang’in there for while

One of these days your sadness will turn into a big monkey smile

You don’t understand and your little eyes asking why

But hush little baby girl don’t cry

 

Bambelela is human angels that will take care of you

That will love and hold you until this battle is through

So much courage yet so young still so small

Pilany”kie you are a heroine to us all.

 

 

 

 

The weather has been,,,let's call it: rather unusally wet and cold. Not so good for some of the younger animals in our care. We lost all our ostrich babies and also the waterbuck baby despite injecting Lantrax antibiotics....apparently not good enough to kill one specific bacteria which let's them die very quickly. The VET still injected the right long term, 11-day antibiotics but we couldn't save them - we lost them all on the long weekend when the rain didn't want to stop and the wind blew cold air without any break....... The roads are pretty bad due to all the heavy rains of this past 5 weeks...at some places the gravel road sunk in for more than 1,3 metre. Some new babies arrived from Johannesburg, totalling our monkey orphans at 18 now...some of whom decided on the own to sleep outside with their monkey surrogate moms in our outdoor kindergarten. Most news with photos you can see on facebook. Please join our Africa-Bambelela Wildlife Care group. Next releases will be the Genet and the two Tree Squirrels. Also, the application for permits are sent off to Nature Conservation and we are looking forward to the release of Duimpy's Troop at Farm Klippan, 30km out of Bela Bela.