Molly's expression says it all
Today, January 2nd, was the day I was supposed to fly to Kenya to collect data on the baboons for two months. Sadly, the trip was canceled. Three weeks ago today Kenya Wildlife Services decided to start imposing the $60/day tourist fee to short-term researchers like me. For decades, until today, we have always been exempt. This is untenable to the research project - studying the evolutionary behavior of baboons does not attract the same funding that human studies receive. This week, the Principle Investigators of the research project and KWS will start working out an arrangement that works for both parties but this will most likely take months of negotiations. I'm not going to get in the middle of that discussion - I find the research invaluable but also understand that Kenya has few resources other than tourism and most people who fly into Amboseli and stay in 5-star resorts can afford the park fee. IMO, there is no simple right or wrong - all I know is that doing research on the baboons, hanging out with them and being ignored by them is unlike any experience you can get by traveling there as a tourist and I am incredibly disappointed not to be going.
BTW (I always seem to have a BTW) Molly is the neighbor's cat. She's not out much and is fairly shy and keeps to herself.
Molly's expression says it all
Today, January 2nd, was the day I was supposed to fly to Kenya to collect data on the baboons for two months. Sadly, the trip was canceled. Three weeks ago today Kenya Wildlife Services decided to start imposing the $60/day tourist fee to short-term researchers like me. For decades, until today, we have always been exempt. This is untenable to the research project - studying the evolutionary behavior of baboons does not attract the same funding that human studies receive. This week, the Principle Investigators of the research project and KWS will start working out an arrangement that works for both parties but this will most likely take months of negotiations. I'm not going to get in the middle of that discussion - I find the research invaluable but also understand that Kenya has few resources other than tourism and most people who fly into Amboseli and stay in 5-star resorts can afford the park fee. IMO, there is no simple right or wrong - all I know is that doing research on the baboons, hanging out with them and being ignored by them is unlike any experience you can get by traveling there as a tourist and I am incredibly disappointed not to be going.
BTW (I always seem to have a BTW) Molly is the neighbor's cat. She's not out much and is fairly shy and keeps to herself.