The 7th of April, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
We are back in Vic Falls after 10 days in Dete, close to Hwange National Park. Thanks to Wendy a very nice and interesting American woman, we discovered the natural wonders and met the very fascinating painted dog. Wendy is involved in an organisation called PDC which try to protect this threatened animal. Less than 800 painted dogs still remained in Zimbabwe and probably less than 5000 in all Africa. The reasons are clearly identified: habitat loss as bush is converted to cities and farmland, poaching and snares, road accidents.
PDC has created the world’s only painted dog hospital. Any time a sick or injured painted dog’s condition is too deteriorated for a field treatment he is brought to the rehabilitation facility until is its condition is stable enough to be release in the wild. PDC plays also a role in children’s education. Every year a thousand pupils of the area attend a special bush camp program. The objective is to teach them conservation concepts, the value of biodiversity, an appreciation of painted dogs and the role they play in ecosystems, and to inspire an emotional attachment to the beauty and complexity of nature.
PDC helps also the local communities through the Inganyana arts centre. Managed by Wendy, this program encourages and trained local artists to create art and crafts for national and international market.
In a couple of days, we’ll proceed to Botswana and maybe Chobe National Park and Okavango delta. We have travelled 16573 km so far.

Further information about painted dogs www.painteddogs.org and www.ecosysaction.org
Wendy’s organisation www.africamatters.org


Our photos about Zimbabwe