Photos by Earthwatch-supported scientist featured at premier Chicago natural history museum
Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, MA, 14 August 2006-The Tsavo region of Kenya is well known for its breathtaking variety of life, appreciated by many visitors on safari. Now an even wider audience can discover the remarkable wildlife, landscapes, and people of Tsavo at a stunning exhibit of color photographs at The Field Museum, Chicago.
"Impressions of Tsavo" opened at The Field Museum's Rice Gallery in July, and will run until July 7th, 2007. The exhibit features dazzling photos by The Field Museum's own scientists, including lion biologist Dr. Bruce Patterson, MacArthur Curator of Mammals.
"Tsavo is the East Africa everyone dreams about exploring, but this precious environment is rapidly being degraded by human encroachment," said Patterson, principal investigator of Earthwatch's Lions of Tsavo project. "Bringing the fragile beauty of Tsavo's wildlife to the attention of more people, such as through this new exhibit, will be critical to conservation in the region."
More than 40 photographs, 18 of them taken by Patterson during his Earthwatch expeditions, present the rich biodiversity in this part of Kenya. The images include herds of dust-covered elephants, watchful zebras, unique birds large and small, and Tsavo's unusual maneless lions, one subject of Patterson's research.
"There are several pictures of 'Earthwatch' lions, including shots of familiar research subjects Kabochi, Bahati, and Marguerite, as well as elephants, mongooses, eagles, hornbills, and others," said Patterson.
A huge expanse of ten million acres, Tsavo also boasts a wide array of photogenic geological features. Sun-baked savannahs, volcanic hills, ancient plateaus, and winding rivers are just a part of Tsavo's incredible landscape. The photographs also provide a glimpse into the lives of the region's human residents, who share this beautiful landscape with an astounding diversity of wildlife and make it their home.
For five years, Earthwatch volunteers have assisted Patterson's effort to document the behavior and population biology of Tsavo's lions, infamous for their history of man-eating. Data collected by teams here have helped contribute to the conservation of lions across Africa, where lion populations have declined by 90 percent since 1980.
Patterson will also be presenting an informative lecture on the Lions of Tsavo project on November 25, at The Field Museum, with an Earthwatch-sponsored reception to follow. The 1:30pm event is free with museum admission, no preregistration required.
Earthwatch Institute is a global volunteer organization that supports scientific field research by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. Earthwatch's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. The year 2006 marks Earthwatch's 35th anniversary.
For more information about the "Impressions of Tsavo" exhibit, go to:http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/temporary_exhib.htm#tsavo
Find more information on how to volunteer on Lions of Tsavo at:http://www.earthwatch.org/expeditions/patterson.html
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Earthwatch Institute
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