Baraza

Category: Zahoor Kashmiri | Date: Sep 09 2008 | By: baraza

A new blog for Kashmiri It has been a week since Zahoor Kashmiri left us, and we are still grieving, and receiving outpourings of grief over his tragic death which we wrote about here and here. We have received hundreds of messages, through the blogs, on phone, in texts and through other sites.

One of the last photographs taken of Zahoor Kashmiri in Ethiopia. Photo Yirmed Demeke 

We have set up the blog in his name here Kashmiri’s Wildlife Rescue Fund and a number of donors have already committed to support the new fund for wildlife veterinarians. We hope that this fund will make a significant contribution to wildlife rescues in Africa. Please visit the blog, check out the photograph album on the right, and leave us your comments on what you’d like to see on this blog. One suggestion is that we establish a memorial for Kashmiri in Ethiopia and in Kenya. I personally love the idea.

Other big news is that Rosy, the crowned eagle has had his (yes he’ a boy) cataracts removed successfuly and new lenses put in. This is an amazing story - he is over 30 years old and is the first crowned eagle in history to have this operation. Crowned eagles are the most powerful bird of prey in Africa and are disappearing fast. Rosy who was rescued as a chick with  a broken wing can never go back to the wild, but he’s doing more than his fair share of breeding having produced 12 chicks with his “wife” Girl. All have gone back to the wild. The cataract operation will hopefully restore his eyesight and breeding potential. We are so proud and privileged that WildilfeDirect helped to make this possible.

You can read about this historic operation and follow the progress of Rosy’s recovery on Simon Thomsett’s blog.

Launching “Looking for Miza” in New York! We (Peter Greste, Richard Leakey and I) are really happy to be coming to New York again later this month to launch our new book “Looking for Miza”. The details will be coming out shortly - but order your copy of Miza now from Amazon here and come get it signed. Tell all your friends too! It’s already number 2 in childrens books about apes and monkeys(!) but so far there are no product reviews on Amazon yet.

There is a host of exciting events being planned around the launch of the book so keep tuned to this blog to find out more.

Want to be the first reviewer? Send your customer review to Amazon when you get a chance.

Tags: Looking for Miza, Miza, Wildlife Rescue Fund, wildlifedirect, Zahoor Kashmiri

2 responses so far

Category: Zahoor Kashmiri | Date: Sep 05 2008 | By: baraza

The outpourings of grief and sorrow, memories and wishes for the family left behind after Zahoor Kashmiri’s passing on our previous post are overwhelming. Just before he left for Ethiopia, Kashmiri dropped offs some photographs for us to create his wildlife veterinary blog and promised  to complete the process on his return. Nobody could have guessed that one of the elephants he was darting would eventually kill him.

Though we are all still grieving, his death must not shatter that dream, we (WildlifeDirect) have decided to create a special blog in his name to carry on his legacy, to raise funds that will enable wildlife vets anywhere to respond to emergencies and continue his amazing work. We want to thank those who have already made committments towards this.

Our target will be to create a fund of at least $10,000 that wildlife veterinarians can apply for in the events of wildlife emergencies and rescues, as well as for education bursary for one vet per year.

Though most people ignore common species like buffalo, to Kashmiri every injured animal deserve attention. This was in the Masai Mara a few years ago.

He was a mentor for many new vets,  a collaborator with authorities and conservationists, a donor and a volunteer - never asking for any compensation. I don’t think Kenya has grasped the significance of this loss.

Kashmiri worked closely with Ann Kent Taylor who runs the Ann Kent Taylor Fund that supports a team of rangers who work with the Mara Triangle anti poaching and desnaring exercises. She often called on him to help injured wildlife in the Mara. Going along with him was always a great adventure.

Kashmiri also helped famous people like Jonathan Scott from BBC’s Big Cat Diary on lion and cheetah rescues. He never bragged about it.

I will be in personal debt to Kashmiri for everything he did to save Owen and Mzee

This photo is in the book Owen and Mzee. Without Kashmiri, Owen would have jumped out of the truck and injured if not killed himself. In typical style, Kashmiri just grabbed the baby hippo and ordered others around to come back and to tie him down.

He was a crack shot at darting - I never saw him miss a mark.

All of us at WildlifeDirect wish to express our sincere condolences to the entire family and all of Zahoor Kashmiri’s great network of friends.  His body may be gone but his spirit will always be with us.

Many of you have other photos of this great man that I’m sure you’d like to share. We will be announcing the new blog shortly and the location where you can post your favourite Kashmiri, Zorro, Zul,  Moppi, Babu, Zahoor, Mamu … photos and videos for all to enjoy. Be safe. Paula

Tags: ann kent taylor, elephants, ethiopia, jonathan scott, killed by elephant, Masai Mara, Paula Kahumbu, vet, Wildlife veterinarian, Zahoor Kashmiri

32 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Sep 02 2008 | By: baraza

It is with great sadness that I report the death of another great conservationist at work.

Zahoor Kashmiri was darting elephants in Babille in Ethiopia where a little understood population of elephants was being studied. The work was a collaboration with Yirmed from Ethiopian Elephants blog. I spoke to Yirmed who told me that a well know aggressive single tusked bull attacked and killed my good friend who simply didn’t have a chance.  For me this is one of the saddest days in the year. Some of you may recognize his name, Kashmiri (Zorro to some). He never charged a fee for his work and helped us save hundreds of animals from lions, cheetah, primates and elephants over the years. He helped us save Owen, the orphaned baby hippo and bring him to Haller Park where the famous relationship between the baby hippo and Mzee, a giant tortoise blossomed - Kashmiri features prominently in the video about Owen and Mzee on the Owen and Mzee website - he fixed Mzees shell and interprets Owens protective behaviour. We jokingly called him The Walrus of Diani, he had a rare charisma and a wonderful voice. It seemed like he was invincible.

Kashmiri with Brian Heath and a ranger in the Mara Triangle working on a lion

A call shattered my morning. It is almost impossible to believe he is gone.   Just before he left for Ethiopia he told me about  his plans to start a conservation NGO and dedicate all of his time to conservation. He’d just started a website which remains uncompleted.  You see, though he was a qualified vet, Kashmiri’s real job was airport security and he was getting bored with it.

Conservation was just one of his passions, he saved animals that others would have put down. He also supported a number of unrelated charities like handicapped children especially cerebral palsy.

I have just left a message on his facebook. I know it’s too late, he won’t get it, but I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. I’ll be at his funeral tomorrow, with hundreds of other people who also loved him and feel the loss of someone so important to the community and to conservation.

Tags: Babille, elephants, ethiopia, Zahoor Kashmiri

145 responses so far