10th June 2021
Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life is now SOLD OUT!
We are very proud to announce that Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life has now sold out. We are so thankful for all of you who have done your part, whether purchasing a copy of the book, donating funds to assist us in our work, or even serving as a painted wolf cheerleader sharing the plight of the species with your friends and family.
We have been quiet the past few months…this does not indicate a lack of activity, in fact we have been heads down, working hard on a very exciting new initiative that we believe will be transformational in changing the fate of the painted wolf. It’s not quite ready to share, but do stay tuned!
In the meantime, please enjoy our newsletter. There is a great talk coming up, tons of news from the field, and some beautiful art that benefits painted wolves.
Enjoy!
From Nick and Peter…
We are both sad, delighted and humbled to announce that our book Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life, has sold out. The project started as a little spark around a campfire in Mana Pools in 2014 and turned into an incredible journey. While it is sad that it is coming to an end, we can look back and say, hand on heart, it has been worthwhile as it will lead to a new road in painted wolf conservation.
We have sold nearly all the 4,000 copies we had printed but are keeping a few back for special fundraising events and generous donors yet to come. All the profits from the book enabled us to create the Painted Wolf Foundation and has laid the foundations for an exciting new project to support the conservation of the painted wolves. We will be announcing the details of this later in the year but the book has funded a lot of hard work behind the scenes and has made what we will be proposing possible.
In the meantime, to all those that supported us; donors, printers, distributors, volunteers, event organisers, magazines, radio, television, generous corporates, artists, designers, conservation groups and so many others – a huge thank you for your faith in us.
Thank you also to all those who bought a copy of the book. We hope that it has given you much pleasure and increased your awareness of this incredible creature. Please take what you have learnt and pass on the message because one of their greatest threats is that too few know that this wonderful animal exists.
We reserve our biggest thanks to Diane Skinner. An incredible conservationist in her own right, but also someone who has also played such a significant role in making our book a success and more importantly, the credible formation of the Painted Wolf Foundation. Both of us feel deep gratitude and excitement that she has agreed to become the Executive Director of PWF.
With thanks to you all!
Peter and Nick
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT
LefJoin PWF Trustee, Nicholas Dyer, this Thursday (10th June 7.30 UK time) via Zoom on the Photography Experts webinar series. He will talk about living and photographing in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe and his passion for wildlife, especially the painted wolves.
He will be joined by fellow photographer, good friend and shark expert Chris Fallows. They met each other in Mana Pools and share a deep love for the park and the creatures within.
Their talk will raise money for the Painted Wolf Foundation and Zambezi Elephant Fund. If you have an interest in wildlife photography, or the wonderful wildlife of Mana Pools, you will enjoy this talk. Please join us!
Updates From The Field
The reintroduction of painted wolves into Gorongosa in Mozambique has been a
huge success and provides hope for the species. In 2021, in partnership with Endangered Wildlife Trust,
more animals were moved into Gorongosa. The Gorongosa painted wolves were the subject of a documentary, and a PLOS One scientific article.
In very exciting news, the Ruaha Carnivore Project has joined forces with Lion Landscapes which will allow them to expand their impact across both Tanzania and Kenya. You can also read about their initial work in the Selous landscape.
The Joint CITES-CMS African Carnivores Initiative made great strides forward when it presented its draft programme of work to the CITES Standing Committee meeting in May 2021. This programme of work brings conservation strategies for painted wolves, as well as lion, leopard and cheetah, under a single umbrella to guide government investments for the species.
The team at the Zambian Carnivore Programme have published an article on the impact of humans on painted wolf movement. This is critical research for planning conservation action to make sure populations of painted wolves stay connected.
Art for Conservation
The Painted Wolf Foundation was thrilled to sponsor the inaugural Artists for Painted Dogs exhibition, which raised £40,000 for Wildlife ACT and Painted Dog Conservation. The exhibition involved 40 artists and photographers and raised a huge amount of awareness for the species! Some limited edition prints are still available for sale!
The beautiful piece of art, by Whitney Kurlan, is a finalist in the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2021. Based on a photograph by Nicholas Dyer, this stunning painting conveys the incredible energy, fun, and playfulness of the wonderful painted wolves. The original painting is now for sale, with the proceeds split between David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and the Painted Wolf Foundation.
And finally… our new Executive Director
We are delighted to introduce you to our Executive Director, Diane Skinner. Diane was a founding Trustee of PWF, and shifted into her executive role last year. Diane has over 15 years experience working on the conservation of African wildlife, including elephants, chimpanzees, and rhinos. With the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group, she coordinated a network of over 50 leading elephant conservationists across the continent to promote the conservation of the African elephant. Diane is a member of IUCN’s Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group and the African Elephant Specialist Group and brings expertise in community-based conservation, policy, wildlife crime, amongst many other areas. She is an experienced fundraiser and manager, and we are thrilled to have her leading the way for painted wolves.
