Dear Friends,
 
Welcome to our TWLF Valentine newsletter – a celebration of our love of wild animals and this beautiful planet. A Valentine card to all our valued supporters to share with you love and kindness at the cusp of a new season.
 
I know many of us welcome Spring with great anticipation and rarely dwell too long on the passing of winter. This year, those feelings may be even stronger, as with the warmer temperatures and the arrival of spring, comes a natural sense of optimism and hope that we all desperately need. The more clement weather should be less conducive to the spread of Covid-19, so there will be great advantages as we welcome this year’s spring chorus.
 
The dreaded Covid-19 is still moving and changing but how we celebrate the victories: a new vaccine, a shipment to Africa. We are all in this together and our victory will be when all global citizens are free at last and we can all re-unite. I am sure that’s the goal in all our hearts this Valentine.
 
My first Valentine is Munu, as every time I see his distinctive flat horn and content face it makes me beyond happy. Firstly, that we were able to help him but also that I work with a team of highly professional wildlife experts who knew how important Munu was, and delivered one of the finest wild animal relocations I’ve been privileged to be part of in recent years.
 
There is something so charming about this animal that makes him very special and you will have seen the remarkable progress he has made as part of his rehabilitation. However, the new more virulent strain of Covid-19 in South Africa has put my colleagues at Founders Lodge by Mantis in the Eastern Cape under even more risk and pressure. A tough lockdown is still in place, impacting travel and a return to normality in South Africa.
 
If you want to make Munu your Valentine e-adoption, or help support his care, please do – you can do this via our website here. Maintaining the health and wellbeing of Munu has been a labour of love, right from the beginning and through one of our most difficult years. With your support, we hope Munu will go on to sire offspring that will see many more little Munus making their way in this world
 
My next Valentine is to the snow leopards of the Karakoram. It must be remembered that every day a beautiful snow leopard is killed through persecution and the illegal wildlife trade. The team works hard to support the snow leopards through the building of bomas to protect livestock and ongoing education. The leopard numbers are still not fully known which is deeply troubling.

Our camera traps are working hard, and we look forward to being able to retrieve them later in the spring and to access this important data that is fed into the vital conservation work on this species. So, help us and make a snow leopard your Valentine choice, be it a cuddly toy for a loved one from our online shop, or through a special adoption here.
 
My final Valentine is the ancient and adorable sea turtles that roam our seas and oceans, swimming and surfing the warmer waters of our oceans. These nomads of the seas can travel thousands of miles from their original nesting spots. Their freedom and natural grace in the waters has to be seen, it is one of my defining images of the mystical sea world.
 
Due to Covid-19 our project in Turkey, the DEKAMER Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre has had to close their doors to volunteers, that they desperately depend on. It has meant smaller teams having to work even harder to fulfil the incredible work that takes place there. I spoke last month about plastics that can choke our wildlife and that together with the ongoing issues sustained by the sea turtles from boats and fishing, means the turtles can often arrive with life-changing injuries – these majestic animals need our help.For more information on adopting a sea-turtle, click here.
 
It is impossible not to feel a great sense of pride and respect for the people and projects that TWLF supports. Thank you as always for being part of our wonderful team and I wish you all a very happy Valentine!