PAW PRINTS
The Voice of Fellow Earthlings' Wildlife Center
Spring 2018
Written and respectfully submitted by Riaan Nel
Volunteer Communications Coordinator
“Surprise, Surprise, Surprise”
Gomer Pyle
The Royal Geographical Society, based in London, England, was founded in 1830, and some of its illustrious members have included Dr. David Livingston, Charles Darwin, and Sir Ernest Shackleton. Being granted a Fellowship in The Royal Geographical Society is considered second only to being awarded a Nobel Prize. Since 2014, only 133 women have been granted a Fellowship.
We, at Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center, are thrilled to announce that our director, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, has been granted a Fellowship in The Royal Geographical Society.
Although all the volunteers and donors heartily agree that Pam genuinely deserves this tremendous honor for her 30 years of dedication, passion, and commitment, Pam is still shaking her head in disbelief.
“For she’s a jolly good Fellow, for she’s a jolly good Fellow, for she’s a jolly good Fellow, which nobody can deny.” Congratulations, Pam! We are so proud of you!
Pam Bennett-Wallberg holding her Fellowship card from The Royal Geographical Society. London, England.
Photo credit: Ron Martin
UPDATE ON “HAKUNA” AND "UBUNTU"
In our two previous newsletters we told you about the dramatic rescues of “Hakuna” from the black-market exotic pet trade in Kuwait and, also, the rescue of “Ubuntu” from the black-market exotic pet trade on Okinawa. We are delighted to tell you that both meerkats are (for the first time in their lives) enjoying real dirt to dig in, real sunshine to bask in, a nutritious meerkat diet, and the companionship of other meerkats.
Pam Bennett-Wallberg and Ubuntu who was rescued from Okinawa, Japan.
Photo credit: Ron Martin
Hakuna, Kulu, and Kavango sharing the cozy comforts of life at Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center.
Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg
Hakuna who was rescued from Kuwait.
Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg
Kulu – the earth mover.
Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg
Kavango prefers to not sit in the dirt.
Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg
Our credit cards were put to good use to pay for the cost of buying the meerkats out of their black market prisons, fees for licenses and import permits, the costs of hiring a customs broker and an animal transport broker, insurance, veterinarian inspections, the international/domestic flights, and the over-land transportation costs to get the meerkats to Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center. If you would like to help us “chip away” at the significant costs of these rescues, we would be exceptionally grateful. Please make a donation here.
“There is no such thing as a small act of kindness.
Every act creates a ripple with no finite end.”
Scott Adams
Many charitable organizations acknowledge donors in their newsletters with contribution “categories” ~~ from the largest to the smallest donations. We don’t do that because we are exceedingly grateful for every gift to the meerkats. A small donation can often mean that someone “shorted” their grocery budget or their gasoline fund to help the meerkats. That kind of generosity touches our hearts!
There are many ways to help the meerkats ~ no matter the amount. You can adopt a meerkat. Or, you can re-adopt if you have already adopted. Additionally, you can make a donation of any amount on our Donation Page.
We do not have any paid staff so 100% of all donations go exclusively to caring for our winsome residents. And, of course, all donations to our 501(C)3, non-profit sanctuary are tax deductible.
AMAZON LOVES MEERKATS
Additionally, there is another way to benefit the meerkats at NO COST to you!
Amazon.com has a “charity friendly” branch called AmazonSmile.com. It is the SAME website as Amazon.com, but with one important difference. If you shop on AmazonSmile.com you can elect to have 0.5% of your purchase price donated to Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center.
Amazon has been doing this for a long time, but it is fairly new to us. Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization is now registered with AmazonSmile.com and we wanted to share with you how to benefit the meerkats with every purchase you make.
It’s simple!
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Go to AmazonSmile.com
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Click on “SUPPORTING” at the top of the page.
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Click on “Pick your own charitable organization."
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Please type in Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center
After taking those simple steps, when you shop on AmazonSmile.com, you will automatically be helping the meerkats at NO COST to you. Please feel free to forward the AmazonSmile information to your family and friends who love meerkats as much as you do.
MATCHING FUNDS
If your company has a “Matching Funds” program, your donation can be doubled to benefit the meerkats. Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center is already registered at many companies that offer this angelic benefit to charitable organizations.
THE LION KING
In 1992 Disney Studios selected our director, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, to be the wildlife consultant for the meerkat character, Timon, in the blockbuster film THE LION KING which debuted in theaters in June 1994. Now, everyone is working hard on the live, animation re-make of THE LION KING which will debut in theaters on July 19, 2019.
Of course, it is predicted that Timon will, once again, steal the show with his cheeky, endearing personality that Pam helped develop 26 years ago!
AFRICAN PHOTO SAFARIS
The African photo safaris that Pam does with Dantes continue to be “wildly” popular and successful. A portion of the cost of these African tours financially benefits the meerkats at Fellow Earthlings’ Wildlife Center.
Dawn and Todd Perkins joined Pam and Dantes on their first tour of Africa in April 2017. The Perkins tour was followed by a third tour of Africa for Rosemary and Don Gardner in May 2017.
In October 2017, Noreen and John Reichenbach, Jan Burnett, and Mark Van Holsbeck explored Africa for the first time with Pam and Dantes.
Jan Robbe and Jan Shewmon will be enthusiastically welcomed back to Africa for their third tour with Pam and Dantes in August 2018. Kristin and Rob Wilson will also return for their third tour in August 2019. A second tour of Africa is also scheduled for Nancy Degenkob and Leslie Cobb in 2020.
The photo safaris that Pam and Dantes do together are unusual in the fact that Pam “hand-picks” every client with an eye to common interests, compatibility, similar energy levels, ages, and ease of personality. Pam seems to have a “crystal ball” when it comes to choosing clients who will get along brilliantly. Unlike other tours that combine a “mish-mash” of clients based on only two reasons ~ common destination and the ability to pay, Pam’s tours are focused on selecting the perfect “mix” of compatible, well-matched people. So, it’s no surprise that the clients keep coming back to Africa with Pam and Dantes time after time.
Noreen Reichenbach. Cambridge University’s Kalahari Meerkat Project. South Africa.
John Reichenbach. Cambridge University’s Kalahari Meerkat Project. South Africa.
Pam Bennett-Wallberg (left) talks with Delia, a researcher from Cambridge University’s Kalahari Meerkat Project. South Africa. Pam first started working at the Cambridge Project in 2000.
Photo credit: John Reichenbach
Pam Bennett-Wallberg, Don Gardner, and Rosemary Gardner at the Tropic of Capricorn – South Africa.
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
Celebrating the Reichenbachs' 25th wedding anniversary. Left to right. Noreen Reichenbach, John Reichenbach, Dantes Liebenberg, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, Jan Burnett, and Mark Van Holsbeck. Mountain Zebra Park, South Africa..
Pam Bennett-Wallberg relaxing in her “baboon-proof” outdoor kitchen. South Africa.
Photo credit: Don Gardner
Photo credit: Don Gardner
Photo credit: Mark Van Holsbeck
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
A rare wild dog sighting.
Photo credit: Mark Van Holsbeck
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
A very brave meerkat.
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
Photo credit: Dantes Liebenberg
“If there were one more thing I could do, it would be to go on safari once again.”
Karen Blixen
Author ~ OUT OF AFRICA
RECCE TOURS
Frequently, Pam’s clients for the African photo safaris have hobbies and interests that they would like to experience in Africa.
Pam is keen on being able to give her clients the best advice on things to see and do in Africa. Thus, she spends her personal funds and her free time before, between, or after the scheduled tours to research new venues for her clients.
Recent clients have expressed interest in horse riding, hot air ballooning, and learning more about traditional African medicine, so Pam did the research for them.
Pam Bennett-Wallberg enjoying a horseback safari. Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Pam Bennett-Wallberg in a hot air balloon. Magaliesberg, South Africa.
Pam Bennett-Wallberg learns about traditional African medicine from a Sangoma. Gauteng Province, South Africa.
“Traveling is learning.”
African proverb