THE BEGINNING - Another Beautiful Day in Uganda

Well, this will be my first attempt at blogging. 
I have relocated to Entebbe, Uganda  East Africa and have so much to tell and show, I was advised the best place to do it was in a blog.....So I have created my first.  Since there have been so many questions about how and why I am here, I decided I will go back to 2007 in Australia, where I first met Henry Opio.  He is what ultimately led me here to Uganda, so what better way to explain it all.  It will take a long time and it is quite a story, but here goes nothing.....................Please remember this is not being used as a stand for conservation, for or against zoos, this is simply my story ...........

In 2007, I attended a rhino workshop in Melbourne, Australia.  I was happy to be able to go, since my dear friend, Lauren had moved to Sydney to work with elephants at the Toronga Zoo.  Here was my opportunity to mark off one of the "to dos"........visit Australia, not to mention see Lauren again. 

Attending the workshop with zookeepers from around the world was almost more than I could wrap my head around.  My mother always said I was unusual to love animals so much...........oh how wrong she was.  Here I was in the midst of people from every continent, almost, who wanted the same thing as I did, save the rhinos and make the captive ones the best possible homes we could.  On the list of speakers was a man from Uganda, Africa.............AFRICA, now to meet someone who lives there AND is trying to save the rhinos.

 When I was very very young, my father and I were watching my favorite actor in the world, John Wayne, in the movie "Hatari".  I didn't really realize at that time they were catching these beautiful creatures to move to zoos.  And what horrible places most of them were in the 60's.  Not to say the zookeepers didn't care back then, but so many improvements have been made to caring for captive animals since then.  Let me jump on my soapbox for a moment, IN a perfect world I would wish for no zoos to exist, meaning that all animals could safely live in their natural habitat.  This is not a reality for us my friends. To much greed and evil in our world to allow this. Someday, maybe Someday.  But until then, zoos are necessary.  We are killing almost to extinction, so many animals now, much is yet to be done.  OK, back to my tale, In the opening scene of the movie, they are trying to capture the black rhino.....................I fell in love right then and there!  Although my love of animals is very diverse, this beautiful animal crawled in my heart and did not leave me.  It was only almost 45 years later that I came to know just how much I loved this animal. 

Now to present day 2007, in Australia, I hear this VERY soft spoken man tell of bringing white rhinos back to the country of Uganda.  The plans they made, are already in the process.  The first two white rhinos back into the county in many, many years were housed at UWEC, Uganda Wildlife Education Center.  A male and female, with hopes of breeding, Kabira and Sherino.  Another step being taken in the country was a sanctuary called Ziwa, where there where there would be several rhinos with hopes also of breeding and ultimately releasing them into the national parks one day. While this very shy, but smiling ear to ear young man is talking( which for those of you who know me, I cant hear crap..........he has me captivated) I am leaning toward him to hear every word he has to say.   It was only until the next day as we were traveling to Healesville Sanctuary, did I get a chance to really visit with him.  Henry Opio, that is who I was glad to sit with on the bus and chat.  I had a hard time understanding him at first, but was captivated as we discussed the "pains" of being a zookeeper.  Only in 2000, did I first get my chance to be a zookeeper.

  I started in the education department at the Little Rock Zoo, and because I was so hungry to learn, was given the opportunity to then work in the primate department.   I worked many areas including the maintenance department, cleaning bathrooms, etc.  It didn't matter, I was at the zoo and by then full time.  But still I wanted to work as a full time keeper.  Finally, in the May 2004, my break, a position in the large hoof stock department.  It was a dream come true.  The work was hard, but even though I had just turned 50, I was determined I could do this job.  Here I was now, in the same department as the rhinos!!!!!! one being a young male black rhino named Johari.......who to this day is the love of my life.

This was just the beginning of an ongoing story, a love story I guess, funny I hate love stories. 

Oops, I diverted again.  Back to Henry Opio, we talked for some time.  He told me of how difficult it was as a keeper at UWEC.  They are the only rescue/rehabilitation center in Uganda.  They are considered a zoo, because they do educate as much as they can about the animals.  They go to the villages and teach.  Contrary to beliefs, not all of these children and adults have ever even seen some of these animals.  Many if they have it may have even been in a conflict situation.  So making them understand to preserve wildlife is difficult.  The keepers have to care for "Set on the shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, is a must visit for anyone coming to Entebbe for a leisure or educational tour. The centre, which sits on 72 hectares, boasts of over 400 indigenous wild animals, 500 plant/tree species and 250 bird species in large natural settings that depict three of Uganda’s major ecosystems: the wetland, the savannah and the forest. In this way, UWEC acts as a ‘Window to Uganda’ exhibiting the country’s attractions in a manner that encourages both local and international visitors to explore more of what Uganda has to offer"(taken from the website of UWEC). Not such a small place.  The good thing is that the area give the captive animals quite a bit of room.  But like all zoos, the keepers lack so many things, radios, rain gear, etc.  After our talk, I decided I wanted to try to help these keepers who are also trying to care for these beautiful animals.  So for a year, with the help of many, many friends, we collect work boots, rain gear, radios donated by the Little Rock Zoo AAZK chapter, knives, batteries, I cannot begin to name all we collected for them.  All of this with only one thing in mind, to help them do their job.  Little did I know that I would soon meet these keepers and see their zoo. 

Move on about a year, I have continued to communicate with Henry and he always says "you should see my country, Uganda is beautiful, The Pearl of Africa".  Frankly, as so many other people, I only thought of Kenya or Tanzania, maybe some others, but THAT was Africa to me.  All I had heard of Uganda was: Idi Amin!  I started looking online, checking it out, and after hearing of the travels in Kenya from my great friend Charity, I decided............I HAD TO GO TO AFRICA, more specifically UGANDA.  I started to save, check flights, you name it.  I literally drove Charity crazy talking about going.  Bless her patience.

Life took a good turn, and I was set to see the place I always wanted to see.  So with many, many bags, all for the keepers, and clothes for me I was set. 
4 large duffel bags, and 1 carry on........here we go!

Having traveled internationally before, I wasn't too nervous.  However, heading to a 3rd world country was a whole new ball game.  I knew I would be safe, I had a friend there.  I would be staying at UWEC, so no problems there.  Every emotion possible was in my head and heart.  I am sure most people traveling to Africa have this idea of just exactly what they would see, people think of the mud huts (bandas) people live in, children running around in tattered clothes, adults walking with large, heavy things on their heads, then the other side of it............the absolute breathtaking beauty of the wild.  Of course we all assume we will see wild animals everywhere.  What was to come ?  My flight was to be 33 hours with a 12 hour layover in Dubai.  Not exactly a place where a single, white female can just hope in a taxi and go explore alone.  I left Little Rock for Houston, a very short layover, then on to Dubai.  The weather was horrible, terrible thunderstorms, but no big deal right?  WRONG, The first 2 hours of the flight were horrific, the huge plane bouncing around like a piece of corn in a popcorn popper.  I flew Emirates, which by the way if you get a chance USE THEM, wonderful airline even in economy.  No sooner did the turbulence stop, they began serving dinner.....yeah right.  But knowing I would be hungry later, I took it.  Great food!  Now time for a snooze, HUH...........not a chance.  I watched almost every movie available, including The Last King of Scotland (look into it, it is about Idi Amin).  I was so exhausted by the time we got to Dubai, but what to do????  I found they had sleeping rooms in the airport, with lounge chairs.  Problem was not so many chairs, people were laying on the floor ALL over the airport.  The airport was amazing, it looked like a mega shopping mall.  Shopped a bit, looked mostly, but once I couldn't walk anymore, I headed toward the sleeping room.........YEA a chair, so I grabbed it and kinda slept for about 3 hours.  It was a broken sleep because I was so afraid of my carry on walking out.  FINALLY, the time came for me to board the next plane for the last leg of my journey, a quick stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia then destination Entebbe, Uganda.