Dear friends, yesterday I went to Presidente Prudente – the “regional capital” of Pontal do Paranapanema – 100 Km far from Teodoro Sampaio. In my backpack was the last 35 film rolls from Ponte Branca and Seis R that I sent to be processed. This is the best part of the work with cameras: you never know what will came!!! In the mean time I get the opportunity to deal with personal stuff at the city. During the hike I did started to wonder – as usual – on the blog and next post. I did remember then that it just reach 5.000 views from people in all continents! It is not too much compared with other blogs, indeed there are blogs that reach it in fifteen days. The point is: from the beginning we never realize how wide-ranging it could be!
Then another point – a not so nice one – came to my mind: it had been a great tool on public awareness and conservation spread – at least, I like to believe in it – but we still really needy on the donations issue. In five months we get one $50.00 donation (thanks again Theresa!).
In globalization times it is not difficulty to perceive how the stock market is affecting in a bad way all levels of economy around the world. Maybe that’s the reason! Economic recession! Hummm… Is it? Thinking more, I starts to realize: $15.00 is too much??? Then came the question…
- What the bleep* do we do with $15.00/month???
You know, things price vary a lot from place to place and my effort to realize the price of some stuff it was useless. I asked, then, for help. The real question was: How many stuff that we do not really need and, despite of that, we do buy along the month with $15.00? We did a list with ten items:
01 – 03 Starbucks Coffee late. If you try Brazilian or Colombian coffee you will agree with me that this can not be called coffee… 
02 – 03 Magazines. Why not to get up to date by internet?
03 – 15 Newspapers. Again, why not to get up to date by internet?
04 – 02 pints of Guinness. No comments on this (you are forgived!)
05 – 15 I-Tunes songs. Don’t tell to anybody (it’s illegal), but you can find almost everything to download for free!
06 – Two movie tickets. You deserve it!
07 – 7 subway passes. I do prefer “Underground”!!! Mind the gap! Anyway, the amount change between places but you get the point.
08 – One baseball hat. Corse you don’t buy a baseball hat every month. Unless you are a collector or have some kind of obssession. If you stop and think, will you find another stuff that is not exactly necessary and so you could safe? Want to bet?
09 – 3 gallons of gasoline. How many kilometers or miles you do with this? If you try, can you safe 3 gallons/month?
10 – 4 ice cream cones. Summer, sunny days… You can substitute these by another items every seasons. The point is: Is it really difficulty to safe in this issue?
Point made, so let’s talk about what WE do.
Every month we have approximately 35 camera traps working in forest fragments in the Pontal do Paranapanema region. This is an important non-invasive tool that allow us to gather information on demography, biology, ecology and natural history not only from wild cats but also from their prey and general mammal community.
These sampling efforts are part of the wide conservation program which we have been discussing here in every post.
To setup and maintain each camera in the field we use every month:
3 batteries Size C: $6.50,
2 batteries Size AA: $3.00
1 Film roll with 36 frames 400ASA: $5.50
So, if you can make some calculations and at the end you think you are able to give up from some stuff – or if you already are able to do it without give up of anything – please, help us to keep going with our work. It probably will not make a great change in your life, but if some of you – let’s say 35 – donate $15.00/month we can guarantee the continuation of our camera trap sampling.
Please, think on it!
We are in field companion so I don’t know exactly when I will be able to post.
Keep it coming!
See you soon!
*(Sorry about the “bleep”, if you don’t understand the analogy with “What the bleep do we know?” nevermind)
Donations made here are
Apr 1st Sauwah T USD 49.50
31 Comments
Your ad is so…creative I plan to give just because it was such an interesing and amusing read — I also care about your mission very much and wish I could give loads of money!
Very good post. I sent a little something for ya. Don’t spend it all on beer!
s.
Is there anyway I can send you batteries? I have a dollar store nearby where I can buy you an awful lot of batteries for $15!
so true!!!!!!!!! I am a teacher here in the U.S. so you know I don’t make much but am waiting to get paid so I can make a donation to WD now the problem is which department/blog to send it to…….I want to send all of you something…..very creative way of thinking! I love it!
Excellent post. It gets you to think of ways to save and put it towards something very meaningful. I hope it draws more attention for you.
First of all: THANK YOU!!! Dear friends, many, many thanks!!! I am quite surprised!
Dear Wanda,
Thank you very much for your kind praises! Many thanks for your donation, it will be really helpful to our work!!! Please, keep coming to check how it will be applied and the results!
Best from Brazil!
Fernando
Dear Sheryl,
You do not exist!!! You are the one!!! Many thanks for that! Promise that I will not spent in beer, but next time I had one you can be sure that I will drink a toast on your happiness!
Many, many thanks!
Best,
Fernando
Dear Cristine,
Unfortunately I think it can be too expensive to send it because of the weight. Sometimes we have friends and researchers coming from US and maybe it could be a way to bring it. We have some friends in New York, is it a problem to you to send it there? Let’s think about it! Many thanks for your kind offer!
Sincerely,
Fernando
Dear Anne,
Thank you! You have a great challenge educating minds!!! If you raise in then the concern with conservation, maybe in the future we do not need to deal with this crisis on biodiversity. Many thanks! Keep it coming!
Best,
Fernando
Fernando — hook me up with your friends in NYC…I live in the Washington, DC area and it will not cost me much at all to send batteries to them to bring to you! Just let me know in advance when they are coming and I will work out the details…maybe I can send a treat or two for you to enjoy as well!
Good argument, and well written post. Very persuasive. Well done guys.
Great post Fernando, I laughed and laughed when I read it on my phone,and cracked up again when I saw those photos! Thanks. I got you mentioned on another USA jaguar blog who seem really keen, I’ll send you the link – Keep the posts coming.
Fernando, I had to laugh when I saw the iTunes screen capture of NIN albums. Trent doesn’t even care if we steal his music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5iHaV0dP4&eurl=http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/09/trent-reznor-te.html
Plus he gives it away! You rock, Fernando.
s.
This is an amazing post. I may not identify with the underground (subway) or Starbucks (except when they have issues with Ethiopians and their coffee), but I know a thing or two about Guinness (or, on this side of the pond, Tusker – award winning Kenyan beer). If someday we have protected all wildlife and there are no more extinctions, then we can sit back and have a beer as we watch the Jaguar hunt the Capybara for diner or something like that.
Keep up the good work (and posts).
I can’t give up the Guiness Fernando..but the coffee lattes I can do without! I wonder if the other readers have some more ideas to add to the list!! What else do we spend spend under $15.00 and don’t really need???
Great post! Unfortunately, I’ve given up all those extras and would be cutting into my living expenses.
But I do donate 20 percent from my artwork sales to various charities and will make you next on my list. Also if you would like I have a small painting that I did of a jaguar that has already sold. But if you would like to use it for prints or anything, I’d be happy to donate the image for whatever you want. You can see it in the slideshow on the front page of my website. The link is in my name.
Thanks for all you do, Robin
Very good “wakeup call” to draw attention to the fact that also your conservation project needs funds to operate. I think many others who donate to Wildlifedirect’s projects agrees with me, that most of us have limited financial resources and even though one would like to donate to all possible projects, it’s not possible. There are so many important projects that you just have to pick and choose the ones closest to you.. I have made a single donation and try to support your project every now and then. Best of luck for the amazing work you do!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you! Yes, think we always can to opt for something more meaningful when we want!
Keep coming!
Fernando
Dear all,
Sorry by this gap on answers. I am having hard times on field…
Thank you all for your donations, comments and encouragement, it help us a lot to keep hope despite all the problems.
A great hug from Brazil,
Fernando
Hi Christine!
This just sounds great!!! Thank you a lot! I am looking forward to get the adress!
Thank you very much!
Best,
Fernando
Thank you Seamus!!!
Good to see you here! Thank you very much!
Fernando
Thanks Masumi!!!
Somebody tell you about it by phone??? ?
I will take a look on the jaguar blog!
Fernando
Thank you Sheryl!!!
Keep coming!
Trent is an exception! You know, He is God!!!
Best from Brazil!
Fernando
Thank you Maina!!!
I also did not identify with some issues but was Just to make the point in an “international” view! Are you talking about the video on YouTube made in Pantanal where the tourist films everything really close? Isn’t that amazing?
Thank you again,
Fernando
Dear Kaitlin!
Finally you appear here!!! I am missing you a lot!!! Thank you for the support!
Fernando
Dear Robin,
Thank you! Thank you a lot!!! Your work is amazing! Beautiful paintings!!! I Just subscribe for your painting of the day! I was wondering if you would find inspiring to paint an ocelot… I did not find the jaguar paint. It is in the slide show?
Best from Brazil!
Fernando
Hello Pirjo,
Many, many thanks for your gently donation to our work! I understand exactly what are you saying. Sometimes I goes around others blogs and want to help the projects but is really difficult been a Brazilian researcher that sometimes do not have enough to his own project! Thank you a lot!
Keep coming!
All the best!
Fernando
Hi Fernando,
He’s in the slide show. But it’s kind of hard to see. They go by quickly. He’s also in my blog. Here’s a link to his picture and post about him:
http://rjandreae.blogspot.com/search?q=jaguar
Like I said your welcome to the image for anything you’d like to use it for.
I’d love to paint an ocelot for you. I’ll let you know when I have it finished.
All the best,
Robin
Hi Robin,
Thank you very much for the link! The picture is awesome!
May I trouble you asking if you would sent to us an high resolution picture?
Thank you a lot for embrace the ocelot paint idea!
Best,
Fernando
Very nice work, good to see such caring and dedication! I can link my site here to the front page so all may benifit. Any objections just email me please.
Jason