Lunch n’ Learn: Animals from the Other Side of the Camera | Uganda and Brazil

On December 8 we had a very special Lunch n’ Learn hosted by our COO, Corinne Caldwell. Corinne is passionate about animals and their natural habitat. She is on the board of directors for the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada and enjoys talking to communities about their endangered animals and habitats. She travels to areas with endangered animals twice a year – this year she visited Uganda and Brazil.

In Uganda she had the privilege of seeing many endangered animals including gorillas, tree climbing lions, chimpanzees, and rhinos. She shared photos, videos and stories of her experiences with these majestic creatures. Interestingly, she has been on over 70 safaris and has only been charged by an animal twice. She recounted that both times the animal mock charged her, so she was never in any real danger. Corinne highlighted the work the Ugandan Government is putting into conserving endangered animals – noting that a tour to see the gorillas is $700USD per person, making these animals more valuable to keep alive than sell on the black market.

In September she took a trip to Brazil that she booked back in 2020. The initial itinerary required her to take a boat up the river to arrive at the place she booked to stay. She was shocked to find out that the river trip was replaced by a brand-new highway that took them directly to their accommodation. Unfortunately, the animals that would typically be abundant near their accommodation were long gone along with the Amazon Rainforest that use to be there.

They trekked further into the Amazon Rainforest in search or jaguars and capybaras. They also found an array of colourful birds, ravens, vultures, caimans, and river otters. The photos and videos captured nature in its purest form. This tour was conducted by boat, giving the animals the choice to engage or walk deeper into the forest, away from prying eyes.

Corinne left us with a lot to think about – our roles in the changing habitats for these endangered animals and what we can do to help keep these animals safe. Thank you, Corinne, for this fun and informative Lunch n’ Learn!