Are you really stumped for Mother’s Day? Maybe a bed and breakfast weekend isn’t right for your Mom this year. This article contains a unique Mother’s Day gift idea that may be the perfect choice for you.

Does your Mom volunteer for charity events? Does she well up with tears when she sees commercials for children’s organizations or animal rights associations?

Consider donating in her name to a group like Save the Children, Child Find, or PETA. A one-time donation can be made online or over the phone.

If you leave it until the last minute, you can pick out a beautiful Mother’s Day card and include a note to let her know about the donation. Make a few printouts from the association’s website – perhaps an ‘about us’ page and information about their programs (with photos, of course)

The following is a list (in random order) of organizations with contact information. They all have websites with contact forms. Most have branches in several countries.

*Christian Children’s Fund (CCF):

2821 Emerywood Parkway,

Richmond VA 23294,

Telephone 1-804-756-2700 or 1-800-776-6767,

CHRISTIANCHILDRENSFUND ORG

You can make a one-time donation or sponsor a child. Do not choose the ’sponsor a child’ option unless you plan to make the monthly payments yourself. Otherwise, discuss it in advance with Mom, to see if she is willing to do so.

*Plan International Headquarters:

(formerly Foster Parents Plan),

Chobham House, Christchurch Way,

Woking, Surrey GU21 6JG, UK,

Telephone 44-1483-755-155,

Fax 44-1483-756-505,

PLAN-INTERNATIONAL ORG

Plan works worldwide to achieve lasting improvements for children living in poverty in developing countries.

*Save the Children:

54 Wilton Road,

Westport, CT 06880,

Telephone 1-203-221-4030,

Toll Free 1-800-SAVETHECHILDREN (1-800-728-3843),

SAVETHECHILDREN ORG

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of needy children.

*The Leprosy Mission International:

80 Windmill Road, Brentford,

Middlesex, TW8 0QH, UK,

Telephone 44-(0)20-83266767,

Fax 44-(0)20-83266777,

LEPROSYMISSION ORG

The Leprosy Mission International is an international non-denominational Christian organization, with over 130 years of experience in leprosy work.

*Child Find of America, Inc.:

P.O. Box 277,

New Paltz, NY 12561-0277,

Telephone 1-845-691-4666,

Fax 1-845-691-7766,

CHILDFINDOFAMERICA ORG

Child Find offers America’s families several free programs: investigation and location assistance, kidnapping prevention, referral and support services, and mediation for parental abduction cases.

*National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

Charles B. Wang International Children’s Building,

699 Prince Street,

Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3175,

Telephone 1-703-274-3900,

Fax 1-703-274-2200,

24-hour hotline 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678),

MISSINGKIDS COM

Make a donation and/or register for Amber Alerts via cell phone text messaging.

*Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA):

P.O. Box 0965,

Wilton, NH 03086-9905,

Telephone 1-866-494-7722,

SPCA COM

The mission of SPCA International is to raise the awareness of the abuse of animals to a global level, to eradicate the euthanasia of healthy and adoptable companion animals, and to mount efforts to enhance animal welfare throughout the world.

*People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):

501 Front St.,

Norfolk, VA 23510,

Telephone 1-757-622-7382,

PETA ORG

PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. They also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other ‘pests,’ as well as the abuse of backyard dogs.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg. If you don’t find the perfect charity above, use your favorite search engine to locate just the right match for your Mom.

©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author’s note below (with active links) are included.

The history of the rhino can be traced back to 45 million years ago.

The Baluchitherium, an ancestor of the Indian rhino, was the largest land mammal that ever lived. It was 18 feet high and 36 feet long. It lived over 20 million years ago.

Fortunately, the rhino is on its way back, thanks to the efforts of well wishers and volunteers.

THE PROBLEM

The problem of the rhino has been its beauty, the horn. It is made of keratin, a substance found in human hair and nails. Powdered Rhino horn has been used extensively in traditional medicine in Asia and to make ornamental dagger handles in the Yemen. The demand is so great that traders are prepared to pay poachers vast sums to kill rhinos for their horns.

Because of these, Rhinos have faced wholesale slaughter. To stop these abuse governments and bodies such as Save the Rhino teamed up together to halt the abusive. Thanks to them, the overall decline of the rhino has been halted, and populations in Africa are beginning to stabilize.

A CLOSER LOOK…..

The rhino belongs to the family Rhinoceroteridae. They are 5 species placed in 4 genera.

Three of these species are found in south-central Asia and the other two live in Africa south

of the Sahara. Rhinos inhabit savannahs, shrubby regions and dense forests.

The African species live in more open areas than do the Asian species.

Their habitat has to generally have access to water. They usually drink everyday.

Their horns are dermal growths originally composed of compressed keratin. Usually they have 1-2 horns. Both hind and forefeet have 3 digits with a small hoof. They are known to have poor eye sight but strong hearing and smell. The tough and wrinkled skin has very few scattered hairs. The tail ends with stiff bristles.

BREEDING…

Female rhinos give birth every 2 years to a single calf, which is active soon after birth.

The calf remains with the mother until the next offspring is born.

Gestation is 420-570 days. Sexual maturity is reached at 7-10 years for bulls and 4-6 years for cows.They a life span of up to 50 years.

Note that the African rhinos are more aggressive than Asian species.

They use their horns to attack and toss their enemies.

This can be especially dangerous and can kill attackers instantly.

African white rhinos have a preference of feeding low to the open grounds whereas the black rhino usually browse on leaves and have a tendency to stay hidden.

They have been noted to be more active in the evening, through the night and in early morning, spending their days resting in heavy cover.

Rhinos sleep in both standing and laying positions and love to wallow in muddy pools and sandy riverbeds. They penetrate dense thickets by shear force, often leaving behind a trail that other animals later use. Rhinos run with a cumbersome motion, reaching top speed at a canter. They can, however, attain speeds of up to 45 km per hour for short distances.Basically the black rhino is more solitary and territorial except for the mother-child unit.

Groups of adult cows or bachelor bulls are sometimes formed, however, and during the mating season pairs of rhinos may stay together for up to 4 months.

Rhinos mark their territories with urine and by dropping their dung in well-defined piles that can reach up to 1 m in height. They often furrow the areas around these piles with their horns and make the piles even more conspicuous.

The black rhino has a wide vocal range and can possibly communicate like an elephant,

through frequencies below the range of human hearing. Breathing is an important part of communication.

Unlike the white rhino-calf, the black rhino calf normally runs behind its mother.

CURRENT STATUS..

There were an estimated 20,000 black rhino in Kenya in the 1970s.

By 1982 the population was reduced to fewer than 400. Since then, their number has

increased and now stands at over 450. The number in fenced areas has risen at an average

rate of four percent each year when the conditions are good.

Since 1984 the Kenyan government has pursued an active program devoted to the

recovery of Kenya’s black rhino, with efforts centering on the development of specially

protected or fenced sanctuaries on government and private land, such as Lewa.

Rhino populations under custodianship both on private land (Solio Ranch) and in some

State-run areas (such as Nairobi National Park) have provided set up for new populations

(including reintroducing animals into an electrified-fence sanctuary inside the KWS-run Tsavo West and Meru National Parks). The private sector thus plays an important part in the conservation of rhino in Kenya and currently supplies many of the animals being used to restock state parks.

Kenya is currently the stronghold of the Eastern African subspecies Diceros bicornis michaeli,

a home to about 88 % of the population in 1995. Like South Africa and Namibia, Kenya is doing translocation to set up new populations while aiming to ensure that donor populations

remain productive. The public plight of the black rhino has attracted support from many different areas. Today, scientists are formulating a method of «fingerprinting» rhino horn based on the nutrient content of each specific rhino conservation area. This will enable them to pinpoint the area a rhino came from, its family group, and even its preferred diet. It is also an important step toward eradicating poaching, as scientists will be able to determine where a rhino was when it was killed.

Charities are one way that people can show their interest for the environment, handicapped people and for animals. There are numerous animal charities that can be found in assorted parts of the world. These charities range from care for mistreated domestic animals to endangered animals to many others.

The money that is donated to these charities is put to great use. Examples of where your money will go includes: food, shelter, medical care and love, just to mention a few. There are numerous tasks that have to be handled when caring for animals.

For these many dissimilar charities you will find that the donations can be given in different ways. Fundraisers, charity balls, TV advertisements and stickers are just a few of the ways that people donate money to animal charities. For the people who wish to know more about the type of charity that they are donating to, they have the choice of asking the charity hosts about it.

They can also do a World Wide Web search to see if there is any information about the charity itself. While they are looking for information about the charity, it is possible that they will find information about the work that charities perform. This is sometimes a necessity due to the fact that there are people who can scam you by citing cases of suffering animals to raise your sympathy levels.

Be smart and do your research. If you are serious about donating to an animal charity, then a few moments of your time to look closer at the charity will be of great benefit to you. You will have peace of mind once you complete what you feel is the proper research.

Once you have found out all of the relevant data that you require, you have the option of deciding upon the amount of money that you will be able to donate. This sum does not have to be in the thousands, unless you have that amount of money and you love helping animals!

Even a few dollars can help animal charities care for the animals that they have designated as needing some interest from people. Some of the charities can be for endangered animals such as the tiger, sea turtle and the bald headed eagle. With these types of charities there are many things that need to be done to protect these creatures.

Now besides these animal charities there are other types of charities that you can donate your money to. Some of the charities that are founded on the needs of the animals who were displaced from storms are given coverage in the media as well. For these animals the animal charities can provide protection and food for the animals.

Even though there are many humans who need our help, the animals of the world also need help from us. As most of the troubles they are in happen to be caused by the human race it is only right that we help them. Animal charities have taken this role upon their shoulders. With their help and our donations the many animals throughout the world will be able to face a new beginning today.

So, if you want to donate to an animal charity here are just a few reminders. Research the charity you want to donate to, until you feel comfortable. When donating talk to the hosts, if possible and ask your unanswered questions.

One final note to mention is that if you don’t have money, but want to donate then think about donating your time. There is always a need for help.

I became an animal lover when I was a child. My parents were veterinarians and I spent a lot of my childhood helping them care for sick animals. My first dog was a mutt that had been hit by a car and brought in by a driver passing by. He had a broken leg and I bonded with him as his leg mended. Since no one claimed him, my parents let me keep him. It’s because of Rusty that I developed my baseball pitching prowess, since I would throw the balls and he would tireless retrieve them for me. Now that I’m a little league coach, I suggest to the parents of my charges that they should get their children a dog to do the same.

I am very concerned about the endangered species of the world. I had been looking for a way to do something to prevent their extinction and realized I could adopt them the way I adopted Rusty, not by bringing them home of course, but by contributing to the World Wildlife Fund, (WWF). This is a great organization that has dedicated itself to the protection of endangered wildlife. You choose the animals that you want to help protect and send them a set amount of money each month. They use the money to safeguard the animals within their ordinary environment.

They offer a range of animals to choose from, such as the Black Rhino, Bengal Tiger, Bottlenose Dolphin, Orangutan, Giant Panda and the Asian Elephant. All of these animals need protection from the threats presented by mankind.

When you adopt an animal through the WWF, you receive a picture of the animal, a plush toy and a certificate. By displaying them in your home, you can show them to your visitors and educate them about the plight of these animals. My daughter has confiscated the toys, and my wife has put the pictures on the fridge. I do keep the framed certificates in the family room and never hesitate to ask my friends to consider adopting an animal.

Everyone in my family has adopted their own animal. My daughter chose the Giant Panda and my wife chose the Bottlenose dolphin. I chose the Black Rhino.

The Giant Panda has become endangered due to the forests that they live in being cleared for agriculture and lumber. This has also become a problem for the Orangutan and the Asian Elephant. The Black Rhino is being killed for its horn, which is used for medicinal purposes, and poachers have also focused on the Bengal Tiger. The Bottlenose Dolphin is a victim of the commercial fishing industry. They get caught in the nets used for other fish and are also suffering from polluted waters.

These beautiful animals need to be protected because they are in danger of becoming extinct and once that happens, they are gone forever.

These days it’s almost impossible to open a newspaper or turn on the news without hearing some mention of China. This vast, spectacular and very beautiful country is already playing a huge part in global markets and interest in China as a tourist destination is mirroring its economic growth.

One of the dilemmas that face travellers wanting to visit China is its vast scale. China is the 4th largest country in the world, and has huge diversity; from high-tech skyscraper cities like Shanghai, to the snow capped mountains of Tibet; from the ‘wild west’ of Xingjian province with its shifting sands and desert outposts, to tropical bamboo forests of the Sichuan – where giant pandas roam – the choice of locations may seem bewildering.

With this in mind, it’s little wonder that escorted tours to China are one of the most popular ways to enjoy the country. These touring holidays offer visitors an opportunity to see the best parts of the country and really get the most out of the China experience. A wide range of escorted tour holidays are on offer to suit all types of traveller, from the adrenaline seeker who wants activity and adventure in remote parts of the country, to those who’d prefer to explore the history and culture of China.

There is also the choice of opting for a private guide, or joining a group tour. If you already have a group of friends who intend to travel together, a private tour might be preferable. However, group tours are very popular with small groups, single travellers or couples, as it is a great way to meet others with similar interests and also share the camaraderie of your trip.

Another massive advantage of joining an escorted tour group is that it removes the headaches of travelling in an unfamiliar place. China can be a tricky country to navigate for the foreigner who doesn’t speak Chinese and is unfamiliar with the culture. A tour holiday means that all accommodation and travel is already arranged, leaving visitors free to enjoy their trip; while having an English speaking guide who also speaks the local language, on hand to answer any questions and attend to any problems, not only provides peace of mind for travellers but also means that you can learn much more about the people and places you visit.

It’s worth taking your time when choosing China tours that are most suited to your tastes; do you want an urban experience, or an outback adventure? Are you a culture vulture or are you more interested in China’s history? Whatever you’re looking for in China, with an escorted tour group you’re certain to find plenty of eastern promise in this huge, diverse and fascinating country that offers so much for visitors.

Before you come to China, you may hear of China’s national treasure: Giant Panda. Visitors to China can see this endangered animal in the zoos of the big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, etc. If you want to have a very close look at the plump and lovely animal, you should better go to the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Chengdu. Here you will view them eating, sleeping or playing which bring you great pleasure and delights.

Giant Pandas look like bear and have thick black and white fur with short tail. Their ears, legs, shoulders and fur around their eyes are black. The rest of the fur on their body is white.

Giant Pandas have good eyesight. They have strong jaws and teeth for chewing tough food. They have special bones like thumbs to help them holding their food.

Where do they live?

Giant Pandas only live in six small areas in China. They live in the mountain areas around the center and southwest of the country. They live high up in the mountains, in cool forests full of bamboo plants. The famous Chengdu Breeding Giant Panda Research is located on the mountain of Fu Tou. There are clouds, rain and mist throughout the year.

What do they eat?

Giant pandas are considered carnivores, but 99% of their food consists of bamboo. They prefer bamboo shoots. Since bamboo is low in nutrition, Giant Panda has to eat for 10 to 16 hours a day to stay fit and healthy.

Giant Panda’s Life Span

Giant Pandas are very shy and like to live alone. The males and females only meet in late spring or early summer to mate. Three to five months later the female may give birth to one or two babies, called cubs, in a den in the ground. Usually only one of the cubs will live to become fully grown.

When giant panda cubs are born, they are very small and helpless. They cannot see and have little fur. The cubs drink their mother’s milk for about six months. The cubs grow quite slowly. They can move around after three months. After about a year, they will go to live on their own. Giant Pandas live between 17 and 20 years in the wild.

How many wild giant pandas live now?

One hundred years ago there were large numbers of giant pandas in China. Now there are less than 700 of them in the wild, even though they were protected by law. Nowadays the giant pandas in China live mainly in 13 special protected areas, called reserves. The pandas can live safely in the reserves because people cannot hunt them.

Why the Giant Panda are in danger?

Giant pandas are in danger because their habitat is being destroyed. Forest areas are being cut down to make room for homes and factories. The trees are sold as wood for building and furniture.

Sometimes the bamboo plants come into flower which means that the pandas don’t have food and they have to move out of their home to find food instead of starving.

I’ve embark on a journey of jet-lag so hard core, it could challenge an astronaut. Borneo beckons because I’ve never been there. A mere 5 hours to LAX, 12 to Tokyo, 7 to Singapore and 3 to Kota. Mind you this is just one way not including layover times.

Seated in economy class, I expect my body will dehydrate to a prune, my muscles atrophy, pores clog and I’ll bloat with “jet belly” but it’s ok. Bottom line is, I love airplanes. The near insanity of this that it’s only a 5 day visit and I’m spending nearly as much time on land as I will in the air.

The best perk of my job are the site inspections, that is to witness first hand what my groups will experience if a destination is new to me. This is far on my globe. Prior to departure, I surveyed friends asking them, “Where is Borneo?” Only 10% answered correctly. This time I bring Terry and wonder of his fortitude in tow. But he proves to be a good aviation warrior.

On our arrival flight in, I see gleaming white beaches, turquoise reefs and coconut trees that spread out as far as the eye can see. At the airport, we are greeted by Martin who will oversee us and answer the 7,000 questions I’ve prepared on this land. It’s sauna hot.

We head out past cocoa and tea plantations for our first resort stay at Shangri La Tanjung Aru, an oasis of luxury right on the South China Sea. In the distance are 5 coral islands. A short jetty ride will deposit you to any one for snorkeling the sea caves and world-class diving. Further out is Pulau Tiga with its mud volcanoes where the first Survivor series was shot.

Here we’re spoiled like a couple of pot bellied pigs with an upgraded suite with fruit and orchids as well as a beachside massage. I feel like I’ve reached Nirvana with a mantra of “I’m not worthy” but I revel in all the amenities. Its pure playtime with activities provided here. And the spectacular Malaysian buffet breakfasts should be filmed by the Food Channel.

Kota Kinabalu (aka KK) is the capital of Sabah with 340,000 inhabitants. My expectations of Borneo were of 5ft. monitor lizards and head hunting tribal chiefs, but here I’m greeted with Starbucks and mega-malls.

The city is worn and struggling hard to develop itself. Established by the British in 1881, it also has a lot WWII history. The city’s backdrop is the breathtaking 13,600 ft. Mt. Kinabalu, UNESCO W.H. Site for being the most bio-diverse mountain on earth.

It holds a complete ecosystem and is a botanical paradise. There’s an astonishing array of rare flora and fauna such as insect eating plants, funky fungi and raffelsia, the worlds largest flower of 3ft. petals. It takes 2 years to bud and lasts just 7 days.

The lush National Park is the size of Singapore. Hillside tribes reside on the slopes. The mountain is scared to them as they believe it is the resting place of their ancestors departed spirits.

For free time we tour museums, handicraft markets and water village. I buy gifts of pearls, organic teas, coffee, batik and baskets. As Americans, we feel like VIP tourists as most visitors are from Australia, UK, Japan and Europe.

The locals are so respectful and polite. There are 30 ethnic groups speaking 80 different languages who live harmoniously together. Many are animists who worship all living things. The main tribes are the Dusuns with their female priestesses, the Bajau’s known as the “cowboys of the sea” and the Murats who live in typical longhouses. They are descendants of the famed head hunters who once fiercely protected their territories and decorated their homes with “trophies” that were severed heads of their invaders.

Many here look Polynesian. Bahasa Malay is the main language, a dialect that sounds to me like they’re speaking in tongues. Second language is English.

In August I bring 2 groups here. We’ll enter the interior to discover the essence of Borneo with its virgin rainforests, lush wetlands and enough wildlife to feel you’ve entered a living zoo.

We’ll learn of the culture and history but the thrilling part for me will be seeing the rare species of pigmy elephants, Sumatra rhino, giant crocs, bearded pigs, gibbons, macaques and omni-present proboscis monkeys (the one’s with Jimmy Duranti noses.)

The highlight will be Sepilok, the largest orangutan sanctuary where we can get close and personal with these “wild men of Borneo.”

Evenings by the ocean here provide a surreal beauty that envelopes one in serenity and it’s totally romantic. I **** to leave but it’s time to visit another resort I have booked for my groups.

The Shangri La Rasa Ria is a slice of heaven where one can do nothing or everything. There’s morning yoga, Tai Chi, golf, ATV’s, horses, parasailing, a huge spa and more. Classes are given in Malay language, cooking, sarong wrapping, beading, blow pipes and weaving. But what makes this resort ultra-special is its Nature Reserve.

The hotel helps fund orphaned orangutans here. If the jungle continues to shrink, these gentile creatures will face extinction in the wild. Dr. Galdikas of OFI (Orangutan Foundation Int.) grimly predicts, “Unless extreme action is taken soon, these forests could be one in 5 to 7 years and the wild orangutan with them.”

We attend a lecture by a ranger to learn about the “man of the jungle”, world’s second largest ape. Genetically they are 96.4% human and are considered the most sentimental creatures on earth. We are led by trail up mountain slopes to view 7 protected baby orangutans, most orphaned from illegal logging that destroyed their homes.

Unlike other primates, they prefer playing over fighting. “Limon” had a tough early life. His mother was killed and eaten by plantation workers. They kept him as a pet chained to the wall of a wooden crate for 4 years until Forest Police rescued him. When he arrived here, he was a sack of bones and dying.

For 10 days he refused to eat until one day, a sweet pineapple changed his life. He devoured it in entirety and since then, Limon hasn’t stopped eating. Now he’s 5 times heavier and stuffs himself silly. Upon graduation, he will be released back into the forest.

I look forward to my return and experiencing the real mystical Borneo. The best journey is always the one going home. As I board Singapore Airlines, I feel I’ve gained 6 kilos from all the seafood I consumed. I sleep like a baby on the long haul home via Taipei. The miracle of it all is that my checked luggage managed to follow me 19,000 miles roundtrip and the fact that I still love airplanes.

With so much to know about dolphins, it is often the fun facts that people really enjoy. For example, do you want to know how dolphins sleep? The fact is dolphins cannot actually sleep because they need to be conscious to breathe. Instead of going into a deep sleep where they would suffocate themselves, they often left half of their brain sleep at one time and then the other half at another time. In this way, dolphins are able to “sleep” about eight hours per day. Here are more interesting facts about dolphins.

Dolphins as we know are predators when it comes to fish and other foods. But how much do they really eat per day? That really depends on the season and how much food is available in the area in which they live. If they are in an area where fish with high fat content are readily available then they may eat less of mackerel and herring then if they were to just eat squid. So to get the same calorie intake they need to eat more squid. On average they eat between 4% and 9% of its body weight in fish so if they weigh about 250kg they will need to eat about 10 to 22.5 kg per day of fish.

Another common question that people ask is about how long dolphins live. The maximum age that dolphins live is between 40 and 50 years old which is much longer than people expect. Although it is true that depending on where they live they may only live to about 25 to 30 years. There are some places such as the Indian Ocean where they only live between 10 and 14 years on average. The warmer the water the longer they will live.

Another interesting fact on dolphins is how deep they can dive. In an amazing study one bottlenose dolphin named Tuffy was shown to dive as far as 300 meters! Most of the dolphins do not dive this deeply though and live in fairly shallow water. In Florida for example, most dolphins live in water as shallow as 2 meters. There are some other dolphin species such as a pilot whale that can dive to at least 600 meters and a ***** whale that can dive as far as 900 meters, but most dolphins as we know them are not able to dive this deeply.

Finally, one last burning question that leads to an interesting fact about dolphins is whether or not they drink salt water. It is assumed that dolphins drink ocean water because they are in it all day long. However, the water is much too salty for them to drink, much like with humans. If they drank it they would actually use more water trying to get rid of it. Most of their water comes from their food such as fish and squid, but some of their water comes from their fat which they metabolize to make the water release into their own system. They actually don’t need much water because their kidneys adapt to retaining the water they do get from food and their own fat.

More great dolphin information is available on the dolphin watching site – www.dolphinwatching.co.uk.

Once you adopt the reindeer you are encouraged to visit the herd of around 150 reindeer so they can all say thank you for becoming their friend for helping them to continue their happy lives!

Do you have a question about this product? Email us now

When you become one of Rudolf’s Friends you are not only helping to support the only herd of Reindeer in Britain but will also receive a beautifully presented red foil gift pack which contains lots of goodies and a personalised certificate (on receipt of the registration card).

Gift Pack Includes:

A fully personalised certificate

Welcome Letter

A cuddly reindeer

History of the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd

Two pages of Reindeer facts

Photos of the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd, contact details etc.

A pre-paid registration card

A membership card valid for 12 months

A voucher which allows one free entry to the centre

History and Information

The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd were reintroduced from North Sweden by a Swedish reindeer herder, Mikel Utsi. On visiting the Highlands in 1947 he realised that they were full of all the food a reindeer needed such as ground, rock and tree lichens, vegetation little used by the other native animals. He brought some of his Swedish mountain reindeer to Scotland in 1952 as an experiment to show that they could live and breed happily in those surroundings. Since then the herd have enjoyed living a free and natural life in the Cairngorm Mountains ranging on around 6000 acres of hill ground, always staying above the treeline at between 450m and 1250m. All of the reindeer in the herd have names and their carers can recognise them all by sight.

The Cairngorm reindeer descend from domesticated stock so they are unique in the way they are so friendly and at ease with people while still living free and wild. The herd originally only lived in the Cairngorms but because of problems with straying, dog worrying and litter ingestion the herd numbers were never able to exceed 70. In 1990 a second site was found for part of the herd on the Glenlivet Estate by Tomintoul and the happiness and wellbeing of the herd was greatly improved when part of the herd was moved to this new site. Since then the numbers in the herd have increased to around 150 and they have all benefited from this change. The number in the herd is kept at a constant level by controlled breeding but since the herd was established several hundred reindeer have been born in Scotland.

The reindeer live out on the open hillside all year round so visitors to the herd will be able to encounter them in their natural environment. There are paddocks at the centre itself where a small group of reindeer and any reindeer who need particular attention, such as extra feeding after an illness, may be staying.

The main carers of the herd are Alan and Tilly Smith. Alan has been with the reindeer since 1978 when he was appointed head reindeer keeper by Mikel Utsi. Following Mikel Utsi’s death in 1979 Alan continued to look after the reindeer, and in 1981 Tilly joined him as a summer volunteer at the centre and has never left. They took over complete running of the herd in 1989 and are aided by a small team of helpers.

Tanzania, as a wildlife safari destination, is known as the home of the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. These two wildlife conservation areas together with many others in Tanzania, provide homes for the ever-threatened African wildlife. In fact, more than one-quarter of Tanzania is under some form of protection to preserve its biodiversity.

Some of the wildlife conservation parks in Tanzania and the animals that they provide a safe haven for, are given here:

Lake Manyara National park

The cleavage, known as the Great Rift Valley, can be identified from space as the most distinctive feature of the African continent. The seam of this cleavage has developed a series of fascinating and beautiful lakes. One of these lakes is called Manyara. Lake Manyara is also a national park. Manyara is a fantastic big game park. The variety of habitats parallels its exceptional scenery.

Every imaginable East African animal is found here in abundance. There are great herds of buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and several varieties of gazelle. Mahogany, sausage tree and croton are alive with blue monkeys and vervet monkeys. Some of the most amazingly large pods of hippos congregate at the rivers emerging into the lake, and the birdlife is plentiful. Lake Manyara is also known for its “treeclimbing” lions.

Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park covers 3237 square kilometers and lies within the Mkata River plain bordered by the Uluguru Mountain range to the east and the Rubeho Mountains on the west, an area of lush vegetation which particularly attracts elephants and buffalos. Open grasslands dominate in the flood plain, eventually merging with the Miombo woodland covering the lower hills. Wildlife is abundant with giraffes, zebras, buffalos, hartebeests, wildebeests, elephants, wild dogs, and smaller mammals and reptiles. Mikumi’s vegetation includes woodland, swamp and grassland with two water holes, Mkata and Chamgore. Apart form the saddle-bill stork, hammer kop and malachite kingfisher, there are also monitor lizards and a deadly python inhabiting the pools.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro is quite unique as its physical protection from man natural beauty ranks it among the most pristine wildernesses on earth. It is regarded as a natural wonder of the world and has been declared a World Heritage Site. It is the largest intact crater in the world, being 610 meters deep, 16 kilometers across and covering an area of 540 square kilometers. On the crater floor, grassland blends into swamps, lakes, rivers, woodland and mountains – all a haven for wildlife, including the greatest predator population in Africa. The volcanic crater is packed with wildlife, including all the big game. Its pride and joy, however, is that it remains the last great wild refuge for the endangered black rhino.

Ruaha National Park

The Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s second largest park and the world’s largest elephant sanctuary. Although set in spectacular scenery with an abundance of wildlife, the park is one of the lesser visited in the country, keeping it an isolated and peaceful wilderness. Amongst the game found at the park are elephants, buffalos, giraffes, cheetahs, lions, leopards, a wide variety of antelope and over 465 recorded species of birdlife.

Selous National Reserve

Selous is one of the most remote and least visited game park in Africa, but at 15,000 square miles, it is the world’s largest game reserve. The name derives from hunter-explorer Frederick Courtenay Selous, a keen naturalist and conservationist as well as a hunter. He was killed in the First World War in the Beho Beho region of the reserve. The defining feature of the Selous is the great Rufiji River, which naturally splits the ecosystem into two distinct parts.

Selous National reserve can be explored by boat, sailing through swamps and lagoons where elephant often come to bathe, or even by foot, as the Selous is one of few Tanzanian reserves to allow walking tours. It has the world’s largest number of big game, more than 120,000 elephants, 160,000 buffaloes and about 2,000 rhinoceros. In addition, the Selous contains Africa’s greatest concentration of hippopotamus, crocodiles and wild dogs.

The Serengeti National park

The name ‘Serengeti’ comes from the Maasai language and appropriately means an ‘endless plains’. The National Park is as big as Northern Ireland, but its ecosystem, which includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve and the Maasai Mara Game reserve (in Kenya). It lies between the shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. As such, it offers the most complex and least disturbed ecosystem on earth.

A unique combination of diverse habitats enables the Serengeti to support more than 30 species of large herbivores and nearly 500 species of birds. Its landscape, originally formed by volcanic activity, has been sculpted by the concerted action of wind, rain and sun. It now varies from open grass plains in the south, savanna with scattered acacia trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. Small rivers, lakes and swamps are scattered throughout. Rising in the southeast are the great volcanic massifs and craters of the Ngorongoro Highlands. The Serengeti plains are host to a dramatic annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and numerous other species of animals indigenous to the area.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park covers 2,600 square kilometers and is on the traditional migration route of several species of the wildlife. At dry times, the concentration of animals in Tarangire rivals that of the much better known Serengeti. Herds of migratory wildebeest, gazelle, zebra and buffalo gather along the marshy shores of Lake Natron. These pools are shared by flocks of birds: green wood hoopoes, fisher lovebirds, tallish herons, white bellied goaway birds and giant kingfishers. Resident lion, giraffe, elephant, and black rhino are common at any season;

Tarangire is noted for its baobab trees and splendid vistas of rolling savannah and acacia woodland. The strange-looking, centuriesold baobab trees are believed by the Maasai to be the first tree in creation.