Turned a corner

It was a long day yesterday, Ace until 4pm and then filming last night at he Nubian Village in Luxor.

We are going great guns now, we are really making an impact on the zoo. An incredible amount of changes have been made since it's opening on the 18th April and more importantly in the last few days.

I feel so much happier about the animals. (As I can be you understand, I would love for them to be free of course.)

The owner and the staff are listening to us, they see what we are doing, they understand, they are learning about the animals, what they eat, what they need and how to make them happy. We wrote lists of food that should be in a store, daily food to be bought and what animals eats which food. This was then translated and backed up by a nice piece, explaining that a fed and watered animal is a happy one. Translated into Arabic and laminated, it now is in the hands of the man that buys the food.
He asked me yesterday what he should buy? I had just given him the sheet with the information. 'You tell me' was my reply. He picked up the sheet and went through his list, writing it down and how much it would cost :-) Ownership and responsibility. He has also been told if he fails on getting the shopping, his salary will be deducted in a small way.

We left exhausted again today, but all the animals are happier, even the mongoose are up and moving! It's amazing! The man responsible for feeding and cleaning the animals is a natural! He just never knew it until we showed him what to do and more importantly, what NOT to do.
He is enjoying getting to be the animals friend, it's just magical to see. His face lights up when Robbie lets him tickle him instead of jumping up at the cage with his teeth out trying. (I am sure he is just playing with him and winding him up :-)))

Abdl Hady is of course also enjoying, sharing his new found knowledge with the other staff and with visitors that arrive. Telling the children not to throw rubbish in the cages etc. He has this new uniform and we are going to ask the owner to buy him handling gloves and a mask, he seems afraid for his face.

The stress has now gone from this place. When we walked in before, it made you cry. The animals exuded unhappiness, hunger and depression. Now, they seem to be more active, conditions are improving daily.

We are currently setting up a rota system of ACE Volunteers to visit at feeding times. We want to make it like any other zoo, make feeding time a feature, so the animals can rest in between and educate them on what makes a] 'Perfect feeding session' Right foods, right times and quantities etc

We will make it work and hopefully others will see this as an example in Egypt.

The children need educating about the animals as well. What they eat, where they live, what their name is, what they don't like i.e crisp packets, loud noises and being poked with a stick. Julie in Cairo is working with her children from, Al Asson International School, making signs with all this information on. Each cage will have a designer information sign on.

We will also make food bags that can be purchased on entrance to feed the monkeys, sunflower seeds, peanuts, bananas etc.

Many great moments today, but 2 in particular where special for me. This deer had a tight rope bridle on when he was 'Hidden' and we could not get near him to cut it off. But Abdl Hady succeeded, because stayed with the stag for about an hour and obtained his trust.
The other were the mongoose up and moving. We gave them fresh fish and a place to hid in, what a difference it has made to them.

Makes you feel great that you can turn things around...Better go before I start blubbing again and I have to be on set in an hour!!