Benson Bamutura , who is the Rare Finch Conservation Groups (RFCG ) field manager in Uganda , is one of the very few people in the world who has actually seen the threatened Shelley’s crimsonwing finch . The above video clip is an interview with Benson and how he thinks the bird differs in colour from the photograph that appeared on the www.gorilla.org website .
RFCG founder members and directors Russell Kingston OAM and Prof.Ernst Kruger are currently up at the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda with Benson, to gain first hand knowledge and experience some of the tough challenges involved trying to find one of Africa’s rarest finches
Russell and Ernst return to South Africa on Tuesday 22 March and will have a report back meeting with the RFCG members on Wednesday evening 23 March. The RFCG is currently raising funds to support a Phase 3 field study initiative which will include work in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ( where we have had a reported sighting of the finch ), Mgahinga Gorilla National Park ( where Benson saw the Shelley’s crimsonwing finch ) and Rwenzori National Park in the north western part of Uganda .
The RFCG will soon be approaching identified key corporates that have a vested interest in Africa and its conservation needs. The plan is to try and secure sufficient funding so that the fieldwork can hopefully be conducted for a three year period.
The beautiful childrens hymn : All things bright and beautiful in the above video clip was sung by the children of the Beaulieu Preparatory School in Midrand South Africa, as their special contribution to help the young children living on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda . Bwindi is home to not only the threatened Shelley’s crimsonwing finch, but also to 380 of the worlds last remaining Mountain Gorillas . Should you wish to find out more about our pioneering conservation work then please contact Eelco Meyjes at editor@avitalk.co.za . The RFCG is registered as a non-profit organisation.
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