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7NEWS
4 days ago
- General
- 7NEWS
Gorillas once caught by wildlife traffickers set free in historic reintroduction
Last October, four female eastern lowland gorillas were airlifted from their home in Kasuhgo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and released 40 miles (64 kilometres) northeast in Virunga National Park. Less than a year later, they have all successfully integrated into a group of wild gorillas, in what is being hailed as the largest translocation of the subspecies ever. Conservationists hope that its success will not only prevent the local extinction of an isolated population, but provide essential knowledge needed to protect the critically endangered apes in the future. The females — named Isangi, Lulingu, Mapendo and Ndjingala, and aged between 10 and 21 years old — were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade as babies and taken to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Centre (GRACE) where they were rehabilitated over a long period of time, learning to forage and socialise as they would in the wild. Deemed ready for release, last fall they were flown to Mount Tshiaberimu — or Mountain of the Spirits — a 1,700-metre (5,577-foot) peak in the northern region of the national park, where they were kept in a fenced enclosure before being released into the wild. The gorilla monitoring team, who expected the transition to take anywhere between several months to several years, were astounded when, in less than two months, they appeared ready to leave the enclosure. 'It happened much quicker than we all anticipated,' executive and science director for GRACE Gorillas, the NGO leading the rewilding process alongside Virunga National Park and local communities, Katie Fawcett said. This was partly down to the allure of a handsome wild silverback called Mwasa, who approached the fence of the enclosure day after day, beating his arms on the ground and grunting to catch the females' attention. It worked: they responded to his calls and even chose to abandon their indoor dens to sleep closer to him along the fence line. Watching on carefully, the monitoring team decided that it was the natural time to let the females join him. 'We really pride ourselves on every decision being gorilla led,' Fawcett said. 'After three days of attention directed at the magnificent Mwasa … the decision was made: 'let's go for it'. 'The fence was cut so they could come out.' Since then, to the team's surprise and delight, the four females have quickly settled into life in the wild, adjusting to the colder climate on the mountain's steep hills and a new diet of bamboo shoots and other native plants. While rangers continue to monitor the gorillas' health, collecting non-invasive biological samples and conducting visual assessments, so far the gorillas have shown no clinical signs of stress — in fact, they are looking 'amazing', says Fawcett, with thick, shiny coats and full bellies. The biggest excitement came in the new year, when Mwasa was spotted mating with Ndjingala, a 16-year-old female, for the first time. Since then, the other three have also been seen mating with him, according to Fawcett. As gorillas have a similar gestation period to humans, the team are eagerly counting down the days to September, but she says they are cautiously optimistic: 'It's probably going to take some time as the female gorillas were on contraception while they were in the sanctuary at GRACE.' Averting extinction A birth would be a huge ray of hope for the whole species. The eastern lowland gorilla, or Grauer's gorilla, is found in the lowland tropical rainforest of eastern DRC and is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies — all of which are endangered. While there have been successful translocations of western lowland gorillas in the past, eastern gorilla releases have had a very poor survival rate, with individuals dying or disappearing within weeks of release, or being so young that they have been unable to survive without a lactating mother. 'What's different about this reintroduction project is not only that it is the largest and we're putting in four females into this group, but also that the decision was made early on not to just throw a baby back into the group, but to rehabilitate it over a long period of time and make sure the gorilla has the social skills and critical survival skills,' Fawcett said. '(We were) trying to mimic that natural behaviour of having adult females join a wild group.' The project was also intended to provide a critical genetic boost to the small and isolated population of eight gorillas living on Mount Tshiaberimu. Previous scientific modelling found this population to be non-viable, with some estimating that it would go extinct between 20 and 50 years, unless new females were introduced. 'The tiny gorilla population was doomed but could now be saved by this intervention,' Liz Williamson, a professor at the University of Stirling in the UK specialising in the conservation, ecology and behaviour of gorillas, who was not part of the project, said. She added that the situation facing Grauer's gorillas across eastern DRC is 'dire', but the translocation could bring multiple conservation benefits. Emmanuel de Merode, director of Virunga National Park and a Belgian prince, commended the initiative: 'This is a huge milestone in efforts to bolster the eastern lowland gorilla population and we are delighted that the gorillas are successfully adapting to the wild.' Troubled times However, there are huge challenges working within Virunga National Park, which has been the centre of armed conflict for decades. More than 200 rangers have been killed in the park since it was created in 1925, and the recent resurgence of the M23 rebel group has escalated matters, with attacks on rangers becoming increasingly common. Mount Tshiaberimu is located within the troubled region. 'Working in this area is not easy,' DRC director for GRACE Gorillas Jackson Kabuyaya Mbeke said. 'The main thing strategically is to put the community in the middle of everything we do: we recruit caregivers, we recruit educators who are trained at GRACE … and they feel that responsibility of taking care of wildlife.' Brought up in the area himself, he recalls when gorillas were widespread and as a child, he would listen to them calling or beating their chests. 'We grew up in the same habitat, sharing the same resource,' he said. 'Gorillas are our identity, our totem, they are an important source of pride in this area.' Yet, as human populations grow, pressures on gorilla habitat are inevitable, with forest being cleared for agriculture and firewood. During times of conflict, with communities in extreme need, these threats are heightened as some resort to hunting gorillas for their meat. The reintroduction is a huge breakthrough, but it is only the start. 'The real key for gorilla conservation success in this region is forest protection,' Fawcett said. 'We're super excited by this result and how it can help to inform these critically endangered populations, but we need to stop populations reaching that point.'
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Brandon firefighters race to Lynn Lake to protect buildings from flames
BRANDON — Five Brandon firefighters and two of the fire department's officers have been summoned to help protect Lynn Lake, which has been evacuated owing to the wildfires burning around it. All five are trained paramedics. They, along with a shift officer and a training officer, left Brandon early Thursday, said Brandon Fire and Emergency Services Chief Terry Parlow. 'They won't be fighting any forest fires,' Parlow said. 'They'll have two focuses once they get to Lynn Lake. They'll be going around the community making sure there are no hot spots in the urban centre of the town.' They will also protect properties by erecting and manning sprinklers. Lynn Lake, which has a population of 600, is about 1,157 kilometres north of Brandon. Except for essential workers, everyone was evacuated Monday because of an out-of-control wildfire north of the community, estimated at 7,000 hectares in size. Parlow put out a request to see if anyone was interested in making the 12-hour drive, and said he had 30 people sign up. 'First and foremost, we just wanted to make sure that we answered the call that Premier (Wab) Kinew put out, which is to help out as much as we can as a fire service. So, we're just doing what we need to do. This is important for our fellow Manitobans,' Parlow said. The teams will be deployed for up to six days at a time on a rotating basis. Each team will leave when the new crew arrives. 'We'll get updates from our team as well as the province as to where they need us next. And it might not be Lynn Lake, so the next team might be going somewhere else,' Parlow said. More than 17,000 residents of northern communities scrambled to escape advancing wildfires this week, as the City of Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Mathias Colomb First Nation issued mandatory evacuation orders. Brandon, Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie have stepped up by taking evacuees, the majority of whom have arrived in Winnipeg. As of Thursday afternoon, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said about 300 evacuees are being housed in Brandon hotels, with another 200 in Portage la Prairie. Most of the evacuees in Brandon are from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Fawcett said, adding that it was quite possible Brandon could expect more arrivals. 'Things are changing quickly,' Fawcett said. 'Everybody is prepared for more.' Fawcett, in a Thursday news release, extended his thoughts and support to all First Nations and municipalities impacted by the wildfires, while sending thanks to those fighting the fires in all capacities. 'We are profoundly grateful to all of the first responders and volunteers working tirelessly to protect our fellow Manitobans,' Fawcett said. — Brandon Sun
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province puts up $120M for Brandon college's innovation centre
BRANDON — The Manitoba government will provide $60 million in capital funding and a further $60 million in bridge financing to support Assiniboine College's new Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, which will expand workforce training, the premier announced Thursday. 'This is an amazing project — a big reward for us,' said Kinew, who made the announcement at a luncheon at the Keystone Centre, attended by 550 business leaders. 'The ag industry is the backbone of our economy here in Manitoba … This is a really solid investment for us.' Submitted photo An artist's rendering of the main entrance to Assiniboine College's new Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture which will receive $60 million in capital funding and a further $60 million in bridge financing from the Manitoba government. Kinew said the centre will help grow the agriculture industry, not only in Westman, but the entire province. 'When you're dealing with the threat of tariffs to the south and the tariffs from China, we can't be cutting and slashing — you've got to be investing to keep people working,' said Kinew. 'The Prairie Innovation Centre, to me, is one of the best ways when we talk about investing in this core part of our economy, the ag industry.' Of the $60 million in capital funding, $40 million is earmarked for the Prairie Innovation Centre and $20 million will be used for a new 216-spot child-care centre inside the development. 'It's a game changer,' said Assiniboine College president Mark Frison after the announcement. Frison donated $50,000 of his money to the centre in November 2021. He said the centre will enable the college to bring in specialized programs, some of which aren't common on the Prairies. 'We're very excited about the prospect of those new programs.' They include chemical process technology and food science technology, which he said are especially important in Manitoba. Frison said the centre should be able to teach 800 students once completed in June 2028, up from the 300 students who are enrolled in agriculture-related programs at the college. He said because the province is providing $60 million in bridge financing, the college will be able to start finding contractors 'within weeks' and start construction toward the end of the year. Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett applauded the investment. 'It's great news. The enhancing and strengthening of any of our core industries in the city, including (the college)… benefits all of us,' said Fawcett. 'A strong college gives more opportunity for people to work, more opportunity for people to go to school. Agriculture is sort of the hub of where we are,' he said. He said the inclusion of a daycare will also be a big help to the community. Fawcett said he wants the federal government to do its share, which he said has been lagging. 'The province has always been in, the feds, as the premier said, have been a bit slow,' said Fawcett. 'We will continue to look for that federal money.' Kinew also called on Ottawa to help fund the centre. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Kinew originally pledged the $60-million contribution from the province during the 2023 election campaign. The college first announced the new centre in January 2021, describing it at the time as a 'vision for the future of agriculture in Manitoba.' The previous Progressive Conservative government, under premier Heather Stefanson, announced $10 million for the centre in January 2023, which paid for planning, assessing future programs and building supporting infrastructure. Donors include local philanthropists Gord and Diane Peters, who donated $10 million; Sunrise Credit Union, which chipped in $1 million; accounting firm MNP handed over $1 million; the RBC Foundation earmarked $700,000; the Anthony Matlashewski Charitable Foundation donated $500,000; Scotiabank gave $125,000; and the Manitoba Crop Alliance donated $100,000. — Brandon Sun
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Odessans asked for new courthouse input
May 14—The general consensus of a Wednesday public meeting to guide the look and amenities of the coming courthouse seems to be creating a space that the next generation will find was a good investment. Members of the Butler-Cohen design-build team met with a variety of Odessans from those who work at the courthouse to elected officials to folks who are just interested in the project. A new courthouse is coming and is funded by $325 million in certificates of obligation issued by county commissioners last November. The certificates will also fund an overhaul of the Ector County Juvenile Justice Center. Since that time it's been a bit of a roller coaster of land purchases and a current state of uncertainty of where the courthouse will be built. The preferred plan is to build it at the site of the current downtown U.S. Post Office. The county purchased that land for $4.7 million last year. What is holding things up is an agreement with the USPS to abandon that office and relocate as they still have a lease on the space despite the sale of the land. Originally the county was going to assist the USPS in finding a new location but that has been abandoned as the amount the USPS pays to lease the downtown location and the needs of the USPS for what that new office will entail have been problematic, per County Judge Dustin Fawcett. Fawcett has said the county now hopes to get the USPS to sign on the dotted line to leave their current spot and move into the bottom floor of the planned parking garage that will sit near the new courthouse. That agreement, Fawcett said, should have some answer in the next 30 days or so. If a deal cannot be reached the new courthouse will have to be relocated. Commissioner Samantha Russell has pitched locating the new courthouse at the site of the current health department. That plan, Fawcett said, was looked at about 18 months ago by the court prior to Russell taking office. On Tuesday members of the committee created to look at building a new library admonished the court telling them that health department land was promised to the group for a new library build. The library group did not walk away Tuesday with the deed to the land but did get a promised $10 million in county funds moved into an account that can be used as the new library moves forward. They were asked to be patient until word from USPS and their plans are decided. On Tuesday the commissioners court also agreed to allow Butler-Cohen the use of the old Henderson Drug building as a construction office for the life of the courthouse project. The Butler-Cohen reps led the Wednesday meeting and said other meetings as well as a website and a QR code will be used to keep the public informed and to solicit suggestions from Odessans about what they called a project that will change the face of downtown Odessa. Participants asked for a new courthouse that is cost efficient, taxpayer friendly, easy to maintain and accessible to all. Parking was a major concern that came up over and over. Russell had pitched not building a parking garage in a previous commissioners meeting but that idea seemed to be overwhelmingly panned Wednesday by those who work downtown and use the courthouse daily. Some said courthouse staff can have to walk several blocks just to get to the office and that a parking garage is important. Butler-Cohen reps said there is value in having these meetings for the collaboration and to end up with a system that is user friendly and what the community needs. Other ideas thrown out included an outdoor area that is secure for employees to use as well as color coordinated signage and drive through or walk up windows for those doing business at the court. On June 23 the group will meet stakeholders for operational discussions. The new courthouse will be funded by $325 million in certificates of obligation issued by county commissioners in November. The debt will increase property taxes for Ector County residents. Owners of a $210,000 home in Ector County will pay about $17 more a month in property taxes. A $210,000 home has a $170,000 taxable value. The certificates will also fund an overhaul of the Ector County Juvenile Justice Center.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County to canvass votes, discuss library
May 12—Ector County Commissioners this week will canvass vote totals and take action on the creation of Emergency Services Districts 1 and 2 created by the recent election as well as discuss the library. The meeting is scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday for the commissioners court at the Courthouse Annex, 1010 E. Eighth St. The court will canvass votes on Wednesday. Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett said the court will write an order to create Emergency Service Districts 1 and 2 Wednesday and send that to the Ector County Appraisal District. A meeting on May 27 will be held for the court to appoint a board to govern the districts. He said about 10 people have applied for the volunteer governing slots and applications are still being accepted for those wanting to serve on the board that will eventually be elected. He said qualified people will live in the county, must be 18 and a qualified voter. The court will also assess what the nature of the interest of applicants is and appoint the five members. The appointed board will govern both districts. Commissioners will also hear from the Ector County Library Foundation about a new library construction project. In November 2024 the court voted unanimously to earmark $10 million for the new library, which is scheduled to sit at the site of the current Ector County Health Department. Fawcett said the Foundation is in a capital campaign for the project and must raise more than half of the projected cost. On Tuesday, they are being asked to approve the $10 million county portion of the build. In other business Fawcett will ask the court to vote for a resolution to freeze property tax rates for senior citizens over 65 and the disabled. He said the county currently has an exemption of $25,000 for seniors and $3,000 for the disabled but this proposal will put a ceiling or a freeze on what those groups currently pay. "It will be frozen at the 2025 number and won't ever go up but can go down," he said adding that as Odessans reach age 65 their rates will also be frozen. "Lots of people live on a fixed income and ... I would rather freeze it for them ... That is better policy," Fawcett added. The agenda details the court will also discuss videoconferencing for the court. Currently, elected court members can video conference in to meetings but cannot vote. They must be in person to vote, something Fawcett said he believes is important. He said the county would likely have to purchase new technology and software to allow all members to be visible on the screen during a meeting where someone is dialing in remote. "I am not in favor of getting new technology when we just upgraded ... not a good use of tax dollars. I know sometimes we all have unforeseen circumstances and have to miss, but the meetings are the only requirement and are just twice a month, not including budget hearings or special meetings." Commissioners will go into executive session for discussions about legal matters and the hiring of an HR leader. Following that executive session commissioners will begin public meetings about the new courthouse as it heads into the design-build phase. Fawcett said citizens who want to speak at the workshop will need to fill out a participation form at the beginning of the regular meeting. The workshop, he said, will likely take the rest of the day and re-convene on Wednesday.
