Jan Kotaska will give an illustrated presentation about mountain gorillas and other wildlife of Uganda at the Oct. 5 meeting of the Sunshine Coast Natural History Society.
Kotaska visited Uganda during March in a remote corner of Africa where Uganda, Rwanda and Congo meet. There one may find these endangered and elusive creatures on steep jungle mountainsides. Her encounter with mountain gorillas was definitely the highlight of her trip, and she aptly says that seeing these gentle relatives was awesome. Uganda has also other spectacular scenery and habitats for a wide range of wildlife, and some of the latter details, including the sighting of 397 bird and 50 animal species, will be mentioned too.
Kotaska grew up in Winnipeg and Vancouver and earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of British Columbia, which led to a 30-year career as a nurse educator and consultant in Vancouver. For those 30 years, an old cottage in Davis Bay was her nature retreat on the Sunshine Coast. Upon retirement in 1992, she and her husband became full-time Coast residents.
Kotaska is a nature enthusiast who loves to see the near and far and has visited more than 100 countries. She has made numerous presentations about her adventures. She has been a member of SCNHS for 21 years and has always enjoyed nature-oriented activities: birding, hiking, gardening and observing whatever nature has to offer.
The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt.
- Submitted
