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Creative ways of dealing with a non-native tree in East Africa. Plus: a once homeless Kenyan man sheltering sick birds and an avian solution to air strikes.
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00:17Sometimes, the natural world flips its own script.
00:21Plants or animals we've long seen as nuisance or evil threat turn out to be useful, too,
00:27or vice versa.
00:28Suppose villains become unlikely rescuers, or plants intended to help have an adverse
00:35effect.
00:36Stay tuned for stories that challenge our instinct about how those lines between friend and foe
00:42can blur.
00:43Welcome to EcoAfrica, I am Chris Lems in Lagos, Nigeria, and here is my co-host, Malama Mukunde.
01:02A Kenyan bird enthusiast becomes a social media hero.
01:08Birds become heroes in the effort to prevent plane crashes.
01:12And revisiting the once green Sahara in Chad.
01:20We start the show in Somaliland.
01:23The prosopis tree has been choking native vegetation and straining water resources since its introduction
01:30in the 1960s.
01:32Some communities, however, are transforming the threat into an opportunity and a model
01:39for local climate stress solutions in a region plagued by worsening droughts.
01:46Feeding these goats food from an unexpected source is helping to preserve poor soils in the self-governing
01:52autonomous region of Somaliland.
01:56Obarkadol village has turned prosopis, an invasive tree species, into a nutritious animal feed.
02:03Herders like Kaiza Ismail are extremely thankful for this community-led innovation.
02:10We began to see many benefits from the prosopis feed.
02:13During drought, this tree is the only option for food.
02:18Village leader Mohamud Abdullah is driving the effort.
02:24Prosopis has taken over grazing land where livestock used to feed.
02:28It has also invaded farmland.
02:31At first, people saw no value in the tree.
02:33But over time, people began to understand its potential.
02:39The secret is this machine.
02:46After collecting the prosopis, the villagers feed it into the grinder.
02:51The result, nourishing powdered food for the animals.
02:57Prosopis is a plant species native to the Americas.
03:01It was introduced to East Africa in the 1960s as part of soil stabilization efforts.
03:06The invasive tree spread rapidly through the region in the 1980s and now covers an estimated
03:126,000 square kilometers in Somaliland.
03:16Prosopis consumes significant amounts of water, killing native trees that depend on it.
03:22Its spread hinders these indigenous plants from multiplying.
03:26Some consider it the most dangerous invasive species in East Africa.
03:30The tree has been especially harmful to Somaliland as it struggles with severe drought.
03:36Therefore, communities must remove the tree to preserve the environment.
03:43This charcoal is another major part of the solution.
03:46It's made entirely from prosopis and has become the most popular charcoal in Hargeys' restaurants.
03:53Chef Fadi Mohammed swears by prosopis-based charcoal, using it exclusively at his popular Syrian restaurant.
04:02I've tried all the types, but I found that the prosopis charcoal is the best.
04:06It's quick to ignite, it lasts a while, and the price is good.
04:12Two kilos of prosopis charcoal lasts one and a half to two hours.
04:16Other ones last about 45 minutes.
04:19This one is a lot better.
04:22The people making it happen are back at Al Barkadal.
04:26Leading the charge is Abdul Hassan, who powers the village's charcoal business.
04:32First, we cut the tree from the base.
04:34Then we cut it into logs, then stack them and cover them with soil.
04:40We set it on fire and place corrugated sheets on top.
04:44Then when it matures, the soil is removed and the metal sheets are taken off.
04:49That's how it turns into charcoal.
04:53Once the process is complete, Farah Mohammed bags up the charcoal
04:58and takes it to Hargeys' bustling markets.
05:05This business pays for itself.
05:07I make a profit of one dollar from each bundle.
05:10I manage as best as I can.
05:13I'm raising my children well.
05:15We keep going with whatever I earn.
05:20Despite this success, the Ministry of Environment says prosopis projects still face challenges.
05:26It's good to say it needs more and more investment.
05:31Because the people in Somalian, people mainly, they don't have that skills.
05:38So they need to make training.
05:40To tackle the spread of prosopis, organizations like Apica go to schools to teach students what the tree is
05:47and the unique opportunities it presents.
05:52This tree grows within a year and develops very quickly.
05:56Often its roots extend deep underground, reaching up to 30 meters.
06:01We teach them about the benefits of the prosopis tree and how it can be used effectively
06:06so they can benefit from it economically.
06:09For example, they can make charcoal from it, in turn preserving the land's soil and water.
06:16In Somaliland's rural areas, some communities are also launching reforestation efforts to
06:22restore the region's biodiversity.
06:25Hassan Ali and Khadar Mohamed have reinvigorated the environment by planting trees
06:30and building water harvesting structures to sustain them.
06:34This fence is designed to protect their trees from both
06:37villagers who are looking to cut down the trees for charcoal and destructive wildlife.
06:43These efforts have helped in the battle against prosopis.
06:51We're not struggling with prosopis so far.
06:55This is because we protect the natural vegetation.
07:00Our work has prevented prosopis from easily spreading in our area.
07:08Strenuous work, but Khadar Mohamed is happy with the results.
07:14The livestock graze and feed on these native trees.
07:20If you go under their shade, you will not feel how hot it is outside no matter what.
07:25The joy of living in this environment is beyond measure.
07:31In contrast to that success, most communities in Somaliland are still battling prosopis,
07:37as in Al Barkadal.
07:41Now the goats are ready for feeding time, rushing in to get the first taste of the powder.
07:48But it's people like Mohamed Abdullah who are doing their part to keep their herds alive
07:53and preserve the environment by cutting down and grinding prosopis, one tree at a time.
08:00Urbanization has seen various cities in Kenya gradually losing their urban forest and the birds that live in them.
08:09One man has made a remarkable journey from the streets of Nairobi to become a savior of winged wildlife in
08:17the Kenya capital.
08:18And the bird enthusiast now has his own fans too.
08:26Meet the bird man of Nairobi.
08:29That's what you might call Roger's Olomaguda when you see him strolling through the streets with a black kite
08:35patched on his head. A sight that makes people stop and stare.
08:41Most of the people, when they see me with these birds, they think that I'm using supernatural powers.
08:47Yeah, so most of them, they think that I'm a sorcerer, I'm practicing witchcraft.
08:53In fact, he's a bird rescuer. Once homeless, he now shares his home with birds that he's taken under
08:59his wing. Black kites, owls, marabu stalks and others that he found injured, starving or too weak to fly.
09:09So far now I've rescued different species and kind of birds.
09:12And most of them, they are driving in nature. They are so happy. So mine is to rescue and make
09:18sure
09:18they are well. And then I set them to explore nature.
09:22With 1,100 bird species, Kenya has one of Africa's most diverse bird populations.
09:29And these species are essential to healthy ecosystems. Many species pollinate and disperse seeds,
09:35helping maintain biodiversity. Others keep pest populations in check by feeding on insects that
09:41damage crops. But many of them are losing their habitat due to rapid agricultural expansion,
09:48urban growth and deforestation. And wildlife rehabilitation centers are scarce.
09:56In Nairobi, you only have one rehab center for birds, which is in Karen. There's the animal orphanage,
10:03which is looking at many mammals and large mammals, which are taken to the animal orphanage,
10:09which is managed by Kenya One Life Service. And you have another rehab center, which is in Ivasha
10:13and Soy Sambu for birds.
10:17That means much of the work of caring for injured birds falls on individuals like Rogers. But this comes
10:24with serious challenges.
10:30So you see, I can't put more than different species of birds in one place. So for me, if I
10:36can find a place
10:37where I can open a shelter, it will be very good. So because I will end up resting more birds,
10:44yeah, and my dream and my passion will grow.
10:48And the problems don't end there.
10:52Since I'm from the street, I'm not that well educated about the birds. So I'm learning from the
10:59scratch. You find that during when they are starving, when they need check-up, they depend on me. So,
11:04yeah, the other is about food. You see, right now I've rescued a lot of birds, different species. You
11:13finally, you see like marabu, the scavenger. It eats a lot of meat. So sometimes it is sad for me
11:19to
11:19get a lot of meat to feed the birds. So I end up releasing the birds early before maybe they
11:25are healed or
11:26they are ready to go.
11:28In Kenya, it is illegal to provide medical care for animals if you're not a licensed veterinarian.
11:35The rescue work that Rogers does is informal and falls into a gray area.
11:41If you're not a vet, you need to be like a parapet. And being a vet in the country, you
11:47need to be licensed
11:47by the vet board of Kenya, which then you have the skills to be able to administer drugs to the
11:57birds,
11:57how to take care of the birds, what type of food they need to eat. So I know these skills
12:02can be gained
12:03through passion. But on the other hand, ensure that we are within the right side of the law.
12:10The Birdman of Nairobi has even found a global audience online. With more than 234,000 followers
12:17on TikTok, Rogers hopes his work inspires people everywhere to look out for the birds around them.
12:26Airports around the world certainly do keep a lookout for birds, even if only in the interest of risk
12:33management. In France, an unusual experiment is underway to see if raptors can help reduce the
12:40greatest hazards in aviation crashes caused by birds colliding with aircrafts.
12:47In 2024, a plane crashed in South Korea, killing 179 people. It's thought ducks got caught in the engines.
12:59Pilots all over the world fear such scenarios, known as bird strikes. This buzzard has been trained to help
13:08prevent such disasters. Tucumon works at Nantes Airport in France. He takes to the skies to patrol the
13:16runway. This is Falconer Anthony Renault. And this is his experienced right hand or wing. Tucumon lives on the airport
13:25grounds.
13:26The job of the buzzard is to scare other birds away from the airfield so they don't collide with the
13:31planes
13:32taking off and landing. But before he gets to work, he first has to be weighed.
13:37He's like an athlete. If his weight is too low, he'll be unhappy and he won't want to fly. All
13:42he'll think about is food.
13:44And if his weight is too high, he'll just sit in a tree and won't feel like flying.
13:49He'll feel too stuffed, like he's just eaten a hamburger before a marathon.
13:56Nantes is the largest airport in Western France, serving some 7 million passengers every year.
14:04Thibaut Jung is in charge of airport security and risk management.
14:09Nantes is located along the Loire River, bordering the Loire Estuary and the Grand Lue Lake.
14:15There are many birds in the region, which increases the risk.
14:22A single bird can take down an entire airplane. While studies show that not all bird strike
14:29incidents are fatal to the passengers, the number of incidents overall is rising.
14:35The take-off and landing phases are especially critical.
14:40Birds can damage the engine blades. This slows the airflow into the engine and the plane loses power.
14:50The bigger the bird, the bigger its bones, the greater the danger to the engine.
14:57Anthony Renault and his buzzard have been clearing the airport's runway since 2017.
15:02Just the sight of Toucomon in Renault's car is enough to scare off smaller birds.
15:08The number of incidents has dropped by almost half since we started using predatory birds.
15:13The number of birds near the runway has fallen sharply.
15:18Nearby is the Lac de Grand Lue Nature Reserve, a wetland area spanning some 60 square kilometres.
15:25Countless birds nest and spend the winter here.
15:30Plains to and from Nantes Airport fly straight overhead.
15:38This nature reserve has great importance in Europe for migratory birds and waterfowl on the eastern Atlantic route.
15:46The Atlantic is just 20 kilometres further west.
15:50The Loire River empties into the ocean right here.
15:54The region's ecosystem offers abundant food for migratory birds, including those from Siberia and northern Europe.
16:02Local seagulls head further inland to escape the cold.
16:07In the winter, seagulls are especially fond of spending the night on the Grand Lue Lake.
16:12You can see them all around the lake during the day.
16:21Goals come here when the weather is bad on the coast.
16:23But we get on quite well with them.
16:26It's a bit like herding a flock of sheep.
16:28Chase one away and they all leave.
16:31Kestrels are a real worry.
16:36That's because kestrels are not particularly scared of buzzards like Toucumont.
16:41So the falconers have to use a scare gun to frighten them away.
16:51With no planes in sight, Toucumont takes to the skies.
16:57And lands on the nearest mast. He's clearly not in the mood for working today.
17:04It's not always easy. It doesn't always work out the way we want it to.
17:11Maybe Toucumont's breakfast was a bit too heavy after all.
17:15You per bird won't get anything to eat for a week.
17:18You lose half a kilo. I'm just joking.
17:21Toucumont has a secure future ahead as a real-life scarecrow.
17:26Keeping runways clear of other birds.
17:29After all, air traffic is increasing worldwide.
17:34Finally, we return to the ground to be precise.
17:38The Sahara Desert.
17:40Chad is home to a unique natural and cultural heritage.
17:44We went to the spectacular Andy Plateau in the northeast of the country
17:48to hear and see ancient stories about climate change.
17:57As incredible as it may seem, the Sahara was not always the arid desert we know today,
18:04but a lush green land teeming with wildlife.
18:07Traced by our ancestors thousands of years ago in northern Chad,
18:13these ancient paintings testify that the green Sahara is no legend.
18:22At one point in history, the environment here was green.
18:28There was enough food for livestock.
18:32These are animals that really existed, domesticated by prehistoric people
18:38when the climate was favorable to their breeding.
18:46Later, when the climate shifted and became arid,
18:50humans adapted and introduced the camel.
18:57Mohammed Ahmad Ahmadoumar is a young Chadian scientist
19:00trying to piece that world back together through rock art
19:04and fossil remains found on site.
19:11If we take the example of hippos or other aquatic animals,
19:15we can imagine this space was once marked by lakes and rivers.
19:26This vanished landscape that existed between 5,000 and 11,000 years ago
19:32is well known to scientists such as paleoclimatologist Florence Silvestre.
19:37During this Holocene period, the Earth's orbit created conditions for a stronger summer insulation.
19:47The planet was closer to the sun during summer,
19:51with a larger part of the northern hemisphere exposed,
19:55which led to intense continental warming and higher oceanic evaporation.
20:02There were perfect conditions for abundant water in what we know today as the Sahara.
20:12Across the millennia, the Sahara withered into the world's largest hot desert.
20:19Wildlife disappeared and human communities had no choice but to migrate or adapt to survive.
20:27These lessons resonate strongly with communities, such as the people from Arche,
20:33who are already feeling the impact of climate change reshaping the Sahara once again.
20:39Climatologists predict rainfall in the region could rise by 30 percent by 2050.
20:47I've never seen rains like last year's.
20:50Houses were destroyed, some of our livestock was swept away, and even human lives were lost.
20:56The damage was incalculable. This is unprecedented.
20:59We're worried by the consequences of climate change on our lives.
21:03But in another sense, it also brought benefits for us herders.
21:07The rains grew fresh grass for our animals.
21:10So maybe we'll be able to live better in the future.
21:15The increased rainfall is not only a mixed blessing for the region's inhabitants.
21:22It could be also an existential threat to the prehistoric artworks of Enedi.
21:28Mohamed is monitoring that threat with the head of French archaeologist Frédéric Duquenois.
21:38We had documented the site in early August last year, before the heavy rains.
21:45Now we want to see where the runoff occurred and what kind of damage it may have caused.
21:53We also understand it is a blessing for the people living here today,
21:56because more humidity would make life less harsh.
22:02For now, the only solution is to document the paintings,
22:06while they are still visible and intact, to preserve at least a trace of this heritage.
22:18Fortunately, the latest rains spared the paintings.
22:25Right now, the main danger isn't climate. It's people.
22:34Some use caves for storage.
22:37Others draw graffiti on the paintings out of ignorance.
22:44These behaviors are what truly concern us.
22:53Arche is one of the most famous tourist sites in Enedi and also one of the most exposed to human
23:00damage.
23:05These graffiti are part of the destruction of our rock art.
23:14People don't understand the value of this heritage.
23:18They tear apart a material proof of our history and culture.
23:23It hurts me deeply to see this.
23:29And that's the reason why Muhammad regularly visits villages, to speak with locals,
23:35raise awareness and encourage them to protect this legacy.
23:41For now, we can't fence off the rock art sites within the natural and cultural reserve of Enedi.
23:49So our current strategy is to raise awareness among local communities,
23:54to make them understand the importance of this heritage.
24:00Because it belongs to them and to humanity as a whole.
24:05It's important to protect them and protect them and protect them.
24:08Muhammad has assembled an archaeological team to precisely date the paintings.
24:14This mission, financed by NGO African Parks,
24:18is another crucial step to safeguard this heritage and share it with the world.
24:24This is the first time I've led such a team.
24:27And the first time multidisciplinary excavations are being carried out in the Enedi Natural and Cultural Reserve.
24:39I feel proud and emotional and responsible for guiding this mission,
24:46with the hope of finding clues that can shed light on the rock paintings of Enedi.
24:55The results of this research, Muhammad Ahmad Omar hopes,
25:00will raise awareness of how our ancestors adapted to climate change
25:04and what lessons we can draw for the future.
25:09It never harms to heed messages from the past, whether from nature or our own ancestors.
25:16And if you'd like to explore more, you can always go to ECO Africa online.
25:21It's goodbye from me, Malama Mukonde, in Lusaka, Zambia.
25:25And we love hearing from you too.
25:28So do share your thoughts with us at eco.dwe.com.
25:32It's been a pleasure as ever hosting the show.
25:35But for now, it's goodbye from me, Chris Alemse, in Lagos, Nigeria.
25:40And see you next time.
26:06We'll see you next time.
26:09We'll see you next time.
26:10We'll see you next time.
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