Tanzania subject of IMNH lecture May 17
May 16, 2007
The Idaho Museum of Natural History and the Portneuf Valley Audubon Society will co-sponsor a presentation about the wildlife-rich country of Tanzania in East Africa. The lecture 鈥淭anzania 鈥 On the Other Side of the World鈥 by Kristin Fletcher, the museum鈥檚 program manager, will be held May 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the IMNH Classroom 204.
Tanzania is home to Olduvai Gorge鈥攐ften referred to as the 鈥渃radle of humanity鈥濃攖he world-famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area. In addition to the diversity of wildlife, over 140 distinctly different cultural groups exist in a country considered one of the 50 poorest in the world.
In January 2007, Fletcher traveled with a small eco-tour group going off the beaten trail to visit many famous and not-so-famous sites. She will share stories and photos of the people, wildlife and landscapes. Highlights include a visit to a Masaai women鈥檚 cooperative, the Serengeti Visitors Center, wildlife such as elephants, zebra and cheetah plus many unique bird species, including some five feet tall.
鈥淚t was the trip of a lifetime,鈥 said Fletcher. 鈥淚 was simply amazed by the abundance of wildlife and how closely rural people live to incredible numbers of predators and prey. But I also noticed how quickly, sometimes painfully, the country is transforming in the face of globalization.鈥
For more information, contact Fletcher at 282-2262 or fletkris@isu.edu.
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