Yesterday a whole sequence of events stemming from "maybe Jack needs this tent" leading to me posting that I need more boots and then logging on today to find that several people had contributed significantly so that I can do just that.
In the camera trap image you can see the temperature as Asa walks by, well, it gets a lot colder and it is now a real mission to get to the young leopard's territory, an altitude gain of between 800 and 1100 metres and a day in the snow of between anything from seven to ten hours to get things done. It is crucial to try and finish by mid to late afternoon before the freeze hits.
The proper boots are vital. I've had decades understanding mountain conditions and the equipment needed, it's specialized especially here in the Himalaya. Get it wrong and it gets serious.
My feet have been pretty smashed up over the years. There is one brand of boot that fits me well, Aku, and later today I'll be emailing Italy and arranging new boots to be sent out. As a friend of mine so eloquently put it a few days ago, I have yeti feet (referring to size not hairiness!) and in these conditions it has to be a full grain leather boot.
The people who came to my rescue are part of a group who believe in these projects. Because much of my work for many years exposed me to the darker sides of human/wildlife relationships (and those closest to me know that maybe I have seen too much) the support that is coming through now, particularly the leopard rewilding, has helped restore a lot of faith in human nature. There is still a lot of apathy and misunderstanding out there and it would be very naive to dismiss the serious challenges we all face regarding the environment, our planet, a lot of ass kicking still has to be done. But there is hope.
Those who know me know I am not a giggly character but I do like to have a laugh and right now I have a smile because people are helping me get some boots as well as other gear needed for this demanding project.
Thank you, cheers Jack.
In the camera trap image you can see the temperature as Asa walks by, well, it gets a lot colder and it is now a real mission to get to the young leopard's territory, an altitude gain of between 800 and 1100 metres and a day in the snow of between anything from seven to ten hours to get things done. It is crucial to try and finish by mid to late afternoon before the freeze hits.
The proper boots are vital. I've had decades understanding mountain conditions and the equipment needed, it's specialized especially here in the Himalaya. Get it wrong and it gets serious.
My feet have been pretty smashed up over the years. There is one brand of boot that fits me well, Aku, and later today I'll be emailing Italy and arranging new boots to be sent out. As a friend of mine so eloquently put it a few days ago, I have yeti feet (referring to size not hairiness!) and in these conditions it has to be a full grain leather boot.
The people who came to my rescue are part of a group who believe in these projects. Because much of my work for many years exposed me to the darker sides of human/wildlife relationships (and those closest to me know that maybe I have seen too much) the support that is coming through now, particularly the leopard rewilding, has helped restore a lot of faith in human nature. There is still a lot of apathy and misunderstanding out there and it would be very naive to dismiss the serious challenges we all face regarding the environment, our planet, a lot of ass kicking still has to be done. But there is hope.
Those who know me know I am not a giggly character but I do like to have a laugh and right now I have a smile because people are helping me get some boots as well as other gear needed for this demanding project.
Thank you, cheers Jack.
