Born Free

At the beginning of this month, I spent five days (5th to 10th March) attending a People And Wildlife (PAW) workshop at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi.

The contribution of various participants from different countries, working under different conditions was very informative. They brought much-needed knowledge on various topics such as animal care techniques, community participation in conservation, fund raising and business planning! I was particularly impressed with the animal welfare presentations from experienced professionals who gave thorough explanations of the various ways to assess and ensure quality animal welfare.

Of particular importance to animal welfare, were the facility designs. They also demonstrated practical ways of checking the health status of animals ranging from reptiles to big mammals. As if to underline the point, during a break in the seminars, we were able to observe the vets examine a hyena that had been suffering with an injured ankle!

By the end I realised that animal welfare does not depend on elaborate mathematics, delicate and expensive instruments or complex computer analysis packages – the paraphernalia that people can often associate it with.
Animal welfare can, more simply, be realised by observing the five freedoms of life, namely:
o Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition- fresh water and diet to maintain full health and vigour must be provided
o Freedom from thermal and physical discomfort- an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting/nesting area should be in place.
o Freedom from pain, injury and diseases- prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
o Freedom to express most normal patterns of behaviour- by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and the company of animals own kind.
o Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering
These freedoms are recognised both in national and international legislations, but sadly they are not always fully respected.

This workshop was timely for me, as it came at a time when Born Free Kenya is in the process of assessing the status of captive facilities through our country. The knowledge and ideas I have acquired during my stay at Lilongwe will go a long way in simplifying the assessment process, and hopefully allowing us to close down those facilities that do not provide adequate welfare for their animals.

A big thanks to the logistic team and all the participants for actualizing the workshop.

Manoa David, Research Assistant, Born Free- Kenya