DART Command Central and EASApp’s Post

To any boaters out there enjoying our beautiful summer, don't forget to Be Whale Wise! "Be Whale Wise" is a coalition of governments, non-profits, and other stakeholders that spans British Columbia and Washington waters. They provide information and education for boaters, ensuring that we all do our part to protect these majestic and important animals. Current regulations prevent commercial whale watching boats from approaching Southern Resident Killer Whales within 1,000 yards, while other vessels must remain at least 300 yards away. Soon, however, that 1,000 yard buffer zone will be expanded to include almost all vessels in Washington. These updated regulations will go into effect on January 1st, 2025, but why wait? For the sake of our local whales, boaters are encouraged to begin following these rules immediately. You can read more about current and updated regulations here: https://lnkd.in/gucDuGH5

#GoFundMe We have launched a #fundraising! 🎉 Help us reach our target! We have worked on many different ways that should allow us to become financially viable in 2025 but just need a hand right now for the next few months in order to continue our work. Where will the funds go? Operations Ingwe Research Program has allowed to create massive #awareness on the challenges leopard face in a wildlife heaven with a growing human population. Without this work, the slow disappearance of leopards would have gone un-noticed. Road signs Working with #artists and #designers who to use well-known #leopards to create impactful signs to install on the roads. We will move them regularly to avoid drivers' habituation. We lost 7 leopards on the roads - we need to stop these tragedies. Emergency funds Have funds available immediately when a leopard is injured or needs to be relocated. Increase engagement Increase the number of #citizenscientists & reserves involved but also to ensure long-term engagement of those already participating. Awareness Create awareness campaign to change people's perception and behaviour in order to allow leopards to disperse and move freely. Mobile app Develop a secured Ingwe #mobileapp to increase participation, to allow citizen scientists to track leopards movements in their own reserves, to have constant access to updated identity kits in order to identify leopard themselves and finally to have a community forum of engaged contributors. Will you be part of the #solutions in #conserving leopards in South Africa? #Donate & #share this fundraising to your #network and on social media to extend our reach. Small amounts multiplied by many #donors can truly make a difference! https://lnkd.in/eXMhHdi4

One summer in college, I was unable to find a paying internship that would give me experience in my field of study. A lab in the closest city to my home was kind enough to offer me a research assistant position but was unable to pay me. Also, just because it was "the closest" did not mean it was "close". We lived on a farm in the country and this lab was over an hour's drive away. However, my parents had both the resources and the interest to assure me that gaining that experience was most important. And so, I commuted to an unpaid internship that summer, gaining mentorship, experience, and insights that helped lead me to where I am today. What if I had needed a paid job that summer? What if I was unable to commute that distance? On the other hand, what if I lived a bus ride away from a major university, or had a connection that got me a paid opportunity? This brief snapshot doesn't get into my at that time undiagnosed ADHD, or graduating college debt-free. We all experience our own unique combinations of privileges and challenges that influence the decisions we make and the paths our careers take. At Pawsibilities Vet Med we strive to help everyone overcome their challenges in joining and remaining in the veterinary profession. We are the only nonprofit dedicated to improving all forms to diversity in veterinary medicine through mentorship, resources, and professional development. Whether someone is struggling to see themselves in the profession, is unable to find a mentor near them, or has questions about how to navigate veterinary school, they have a place with us. With the help of our donors, last year we expanded our services to youth 13 and older. This year, we want to lower the barrier of entry to our services and build on our ability to be a training and career-long pipeline. I think we can all appreciate the impact a mentor can have at a tough time, so please consider donating to Pawsibilities Vet Med this giving season. #GivingTuesday #mentorship #vetmed

Its #TLevelsWeek 🤷 Whassat? Oh, OK - its the qualifications for 16 to 19-year-olds which focus on vocational skills in subjects such as Digital, Construction, Finance and Healthcare. The Wildlife Trusts are working with Gatsby Charitable Foundation developing relationships with education providers and young people to learn how to improve our inclusivity and support people at the start of their careers. Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and the central team of Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts are developing a better understanding of how to help people gain career opportunities through different types of work placements and entry level roles across all aspects of running a charity. We want to get better at supporting people to develop skills for their future careers that offer opportunities to connect with nature without needing to own 'muddy boots' 😊 https://lnkd.in/eYEvgGaY

Click here or visit the volunteering page on our website to book on: https://lnkd.in/eFBqU3-r Join us on this October to see the salmon run at Stainforth. This awe-inspiring annual migration sees Atlantic salmon return from the ocean to the rivers where they were born, overcoming immense challenges to complete their lifecycle. We will begin by visiting Stainforth Force to see the salmon and give a brief talk on what the salmon run is. This will then be followed by an optional 3-hour walk , stopping along the way to explore the salmon’s lifecycle, current threats to their populations, and the work Ribble Rivers Trust is carrying out to help them survive. Location: We will be meeting at Stainforth Car Park (pay and display), the What3Words location is ///tribes.hardly.pounces and the address is Yorkshire Dales National Park, Main Rd, Stainforth, Settle BD24 9PQ. Important Info: Please be aware that this is a 3-hour walk, that includes some steep inclines, so we would not recommend the walk for young children or those with difficulty walking long-distances. We will however be visiting Stainforth Force at the start of the walk to see the salmon, so you are more than welcome to come to see the salmon, but leave before we go on the walk. This allows families or those with restricted mobility to admire this natural spectacle and learn about the salmon without having to commit to the walk. We also expect everyone to dress for the weather and wear appropriate walking shoes. The ground Is likely to be muddy and uneven in places, so walking boots are preferred. There are toilets at the car park. I'd also recommend bringing a water bottle and some snacks if you're coming on the walk. See you there! 🐟 #SalmonRun #YorkshireDales #NatureWalk #WildlifeConservation #RibbleRiversTrust #HikingAdventures #FamilyOuting #OutdoorExploration #StainforthForce #Stainforth #SalmonMigration #GuidedWalk

Book On Here: https://lnkd.in/eftyVbxj OR you can book on via the volunteering page on our website. Ribble Rivers Trust will be doing a bat walk on Wednesday the 23rd of October during the October half term. The session will begin with a presentation on bats, exploring the roles bats play in our ecosystem, UK bat species ID, and how important conservation work is to preserving their populations. Afterwards we will head out onto Witton Park to do some bat detection. Bat’s navigate using echolocation, and using our handy bat detectors we can pick up on these ultrasonic calls and use the frequency patterns to find out what species they are. We will also be providing tea, coffee, and biscuits. Location: We will be meeting at the Witton Park Active Outdoor Hub. The postcode is: Active Outdoors Hub, Witton Park, Blackburn, BB2 5LE and the what3words for the Centre are: . There is parking available at Witton Park Car Park, the what3words code for Witton Park Car Park is: ///admits.parts.jars and the grid reference is: SD 66253 27088. Important Info: Half of the 2hr session will consist of an indoors presentation and the second half a walk through Witton Park, using bat detectors. You will need to bring a torch with you. In the event of strong winds or heavy rain the walk part of the event will be cancelled, and we will instead be doing an indoor session with the presentation and some fun bat-themed activities (making bat boxes, kids bat colouring sheets, etc). There are also toilets on site. Difficulty: The site is very accessible and this event should be appropriate for all groups of people. The site is also wheelchair accessible and has easily traversable paths across the site. #RibbleRiversTrust #BatWalk #BatsConservation #UKBatSpecies #OutdoorLearning #FamilyFriendly #WittonPark #Refresh #BwD #ActiveOutdoorHub #Halloween #October #Bat #RRT #Blackburn #Darwen

The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $10,000 South Dakota Fund grant to Lake Area Zoological Society. Funding will aid in increasing the safety of the Bramble Park Zoo’s wolf habitat and creating a better viewing opportunity for guests to learn about the wolves and the specialized care they require, while improving the wolves quality of life. To learn more about funding opportunities offered by the SDCF, please visit our website at https://lnkd.in/gqNRQJNX Pictured Left to Right: Olivia Wulff, Bramble Park Zoo Zookeeper; Patrick Gallagher SDCF Community Development Coordinator; Stacy Plocher, Bramble Park Zoo Manager; Don Roby, SDCF Board Member; Stephanie Judson, SDCF President & CEO; Doug Sharp, SDCF Past Chairperson; Jamie Stricker, Bramble Park Zoo Educator; Dusty Rodiek, Watertown Park & Rec Director; Kim Konrad, Bramble Park Zoo Operation Coordinator; and Watertown Mayor Ried Hollien #SDCommunityFoundation #BrambleParkZoo #CommunityDevelopment #ZooEducation

How do you measure the success of a field trip? After 5 weeks in Hoedspruit, travelling 3400km to all the reserves and over 60 meetings, was it all worth it? ABSOLUTELY During this trip: - the partnership with already enrolled reserves was reinforced. All the citizen scientists (guides, owners, managers, residents) were able to see the data collected transformed into valuable information (i.e. understand leopards movements, home ranges, number of individuals, dispersal patterns, etc...). This is essential for long-term buy-in. - new partnerships were created, adding more reserves and lodges to this collaborative network of now 45 different entities! Discussion are ongoing with another 5 potential new partners. - critical meetings were held to discuss the wildlife collisions on the road. Although creating awareness of the issue was important, it created a lot of emotion amongst the public. However, it is a project that needs to be data driven in order to ensure we will find adequate and long-term solutions. This research is now our top priority project but it requires funding. Help us by checking our GoFundMe (https://lnkd.in/djktt9pZ) - ID kits of 43 leopards from new areas were added to the African Carnivore Wildbook and they are all new individuals! - Arid Wines sales covered 40% of the total expenses, proving to be a strong sponsor for Ingwe. We are looking at having the wine distributed in Hoedspruit and abroad to increase the support. Reach out if you have some tips or would like to make an order! - new agreements were sealed to create a unique product that will provide steady funding for Ingwe and 4 other organizations mid-2025. If you believe in our work, give us a hand by donating on our GoFundMe: https://lnkd.in/dM5b6v2V or by sharing with your network! Thank you all 🐆

It’s no secret that Best Friends is working towards a moonshot mission of getting the entire country to no-kill by the end of 2025. As of October 1, 64% of all shelters—3,923 in total—are no-kill, and 47 more shelters are trending toward this status, which is phenomenal! Now, I know you’re thinking, “64% seems a long way from 100%”, which is why this next stat is so exciting:  56% of the remaining shelters are on the cusp of no-kill, less than 100 animals away from reaching the 90% benchmark. To close these gaps, Best Friends is focused on strengthening our support of communities that are very close to achieving no-kill, and we are using the Best Friends Network to make that happen.  Find out more below!

Accessibility needs to be prioritized by those of us in positions to facilitate these improvements. Check out the article below on "Birdability" for some examples of what this looks like - and the positive impact on people and communities. My views on access to outdoors have changed dramatically since I spent the second half of 2023 unable to walk without assistance from mobility devices. A key takeaway was that many "accessible" places aren't really that accessible and we need to do a much better job in serving all disabilities - and also accessibility beyond mobility. #birdability #outdooraccess #recreationplanning