When I returned from Africa last, I was wanting to update everyone on what Expedition Art has been up too and what some yearly initiatives are. As I sat here trying to figure out where to start I saw a post that I thought would explain more than what I could write about the organization we work with. The amazing group is called the AWARE Trust.

Aware Trust consists of a group of people dedicated to the attention of wildlife welfare and conservation in the country of Zimbabwe. AWARE Trust was started by Dr Keith Dutlow DVM and Dr Lisa Marabini DVM. I've had the honor to work along the two out in the bush during rhino dehorning anti poaching operations. They are just two of several vets that dedicate their lives to helping wildlife in need. The wildlife calls in Africa can be anything. From wounded animals near a village to darting and relocation the AWARE team has probably experienced it.

Elephants are animals regularly on the list. These giants are usually the victims of poaching or more commonly snares. The animals are so powerful that they will usually pull and break the snare but not without cutting thru it's skin. The animals then walks away with the snare around tightly and badly injured. Recently both Dr Keith and Lisa had to tend to an elephant that was spotted limping and apparently snared. It is very common for the wildlife vets to get these kinds of calls but the elephant calls are always dangerous.

In this case it was a young male elephant suffering from a snare around his back leg and was literally slowly sawing his foot off. After finding the young elephant he was darted and tended to by the AWARE vets. The snare was removed and an X-ray was taken. The X-Ray showed considerable damage and if not tended in time the young elephant would have died from infections. The vets treated the elephants with anti imflammatories and an ultra long acting antibiotics. The AWARE vets both thought the young elephants wound would heal well with time.

Dr Lisa Marabini x-raying the injured leg. We were part of donating the portable x ray machine to AWARE most importantly my friend/brother in law Brian Rogers.

This is just one of many cases that the AWARE TRUST face. From lions to rhinos the never ending task is always at hand.

AWARE Trust is an organization that is very dear to us, like family. It is with the same amount of passion that they show toward wildlife and its need, that we hope to help and support them. The Expedition Art team will be holding some fundraisers pretty soon where we can call on our colleagues, friends in the art community and studios to help us become a loud voice. We hope to reach out with ART, which is a silent voice but one that speaks louder than words. We will be organizing workshops and also events we are calling "Camp and Draw"to help us raise money toward our efforts. The support the professional art community has shown has been incredible. Thank you all for your willingness to help out. Emails will soon go out so we can become one big Expedition Art Team together. We are a non profit 501c3 and are in it for the long run with passion for Art and Conservation.

Visit our site at expeditionart.org and learn more. ff you would like to get involved with our ART efforts and join us please email us or call. We have a long road ahead of us and need all the support we can get!

the expedition art team.

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir

Elephant snares