Ten African states have proposed the transfer of the hippopotamus from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I ahead of the 19th Conference of the Parties.
Their 36-page proposal highlights that hippo specimens (especially ivory) are legally and illegally traded in large numbers and that the animals are currently listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. The shift to Appendix I should ensure stricter legal trade regulations and make it more challenging for illegal hippo parts to enter the market.
CITES and the Conference of the Parties
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a multinational treaty that regulates international trade to avoid the over-exploitation of animals and plants. As a fundamental starting point, all trade is permitted unless a species is listed in one of three appendixes:
Appendix 1 – species threatened by extinction or trade, such as cheetahs, chimpanzees and pangolins. Trade in animals listed under Appendix 1 is almost entirely banned except under exceptional circumstances, and export and import permits are required. Any captive-bred animals are treated under the auspices of Appendix 2.
Appendix 2 – species whose numbers could become threatened if subject to uncontrolled trade. Only an export permit is required to trade in animals and plants listed in this appendix.
Appendix 3 – species are included at the request of a member state wanting the cooperation of other countries to control exploitation.
Every three years, the parties to the convention (the signatory countries) meet to review the treaty’s implementation. Here, the Appendix listing of individual species is revised as an ongoing discussion regarding their numbers and the success (or otherwise) of conservation efforts. The states can also make recommendations to improve the efficiency of the implementation of the treaty. The 14th of November 2022 marks the start of the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama.
Ahead of each event, state parties are invited to submit proposals on amendments to the appendix listing of species to either strengthen or relax trade regulations. The proposals must detail how trade affects the species and any other threats they may face.
The Hippopotamus
Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo submitted a joint proposal that hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) be moved from Appendix II to Appendix I. The document details how the species was first listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List in 2006, a categorisation affirmed by the most recent assessment in 2016. The proposal also emphasises that hippos are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation due to their low reproductive output. Females only reach sexual maturity at around ten years, and mature cows produce just one calf at a minimum of two-year intervals.
The 2016 IUCN Assessment estimated a continental hippo population of between 115,000 and 130,000 mature individuals. While the overall population is considered stable, the IUCN states: “Conservation status of hippos remains precarious, and the need for direct conservation action to protect hippos and hippo habitat across their range is a priority. Although hippo populations have stabilised in some countries, hippo population declines are still reported in many countries. The growing and unabated threats of habitat loss and unregulated hunting are major challenges to hippo population viability and persistence” (IUCN, 2016).
The proposal provides a comprehensive summary of population assessments in individual countries across the continent. The upshot is hippos were already believed to be declining (or their status was unknown) in 25 of 38 of their range countries in 2016. Furthermore, research from later years indicates that some of the conclusions of the 2016 Assessment are no longer applicable. For example, the population was deemed to be increasing in Uganda, but a study published in 2021 found hippos in Murchison Falls National Park (which represents a population stronghold in Uganda) had declined 65% since 2016, from 1,683 to 590.
Hippos are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation due to their low reproductive output: females only reach sexual maturity at around ten years of age
The trade in hippos
The 2016 Assessment identified habitat loss and illegal and unregulated hunting (for meat and ivory) as the two primary threats to hippo populations. According to the CITES Trade Database, 77,579 hippo “specimens” (including ivory, teeth, trophies, skulls and live animals) were globally imported between 2009 and 2018, 98% of which were wild-sourced. Using the Trade Database statistics, the proposal estimates that these specimens represent some 13,909 individual hippos. The most common trade was in ivory carvings. The USA, France and Hong Kong were among the top importers, while the leading countries of origin were Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, and Malawi.
In addition to the legal trade, the illegal trade in hippo ivory rose sharply following the listing of African elephant species in Appendix I in 1989. In the years following this decision, the export of illegal hippo ivory increased by an estimated 200% – a trend that has continued in the intervening decades. Between 2009 and 2018, nearly 1,000kg and over 6,000 hippo specimens destined for illegal trade were seized in 48 countries.
Safeguarding Africa’s hippos
Research suggests that for the hippo, even an offtake of 1% of the adult population sustained over several decades can result in population declines when accounting for rainfall variability and habitat loss. Yet in all the top countries of origin but for Zambia, the estimated legal trade exceeded 1% of the total population.
The hunting of hippos is completely banned in 14 African countries: Angola, Burkino Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Somalia. Yet according to the CITES Trade Database, hippo specimens from five of these countries entered legal trade despite such exports being illegal under national law. Of all countries where the hunting and export of hippos is legal and regulated (including South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi), only Cameroon has a national hippo management plan currently in place.
Final thoughts
The shift of animals from Appendix II to Appendix I is understandably celebrated by those campaigning for stricter trade regulations. However, it is also an indictment of the failings of conservation efforts to protect these species and should serve as a grave warning of the ongoing challenges they face. Whether hippos are uplisted to Appendix I at this CoP or one in the future, it will mark a grim milestone in the precipitous decline of another of Africa’s iconic large mammals.
Resources
CITES was established to regulate the international trade of animals & plants to avoid the over-exploitation of endangered species. Read more about how CITES works here.
A grey crowned crane stretches out its neck and wing during a mating dance. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Photographer of the Year 2020 entrant
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Fallen tusker + magical Bazaruto + human-wildlife conflict in Namibia
Turn up the mic. I have something to say.
Social media discussions about trophy hunting as a tool to save Africa’s wild places often collapse into bitter spats. How many keyboard warriors (on both ends of the ideological spectrum) go beyond the bickering to actually DO SOMETHING?
I know of one (non-tourism) company that leases a vast (60,000 ha) hunting concession in the Mana Pools area of Zimbabwe – that’s 36km of Zambezi River frontage. Over the last five years, they have paid the annual trophy hunting fees due to the government – and yet not one animal has been hunted. They also got rid of poaching, improved the roads and implemented successful local community projects. Wildlife populations have bounced back. They did this without fanfare because they believe it is the right thing to do. Now, this slice of paradise is ready for the next phase of its journey – responsible photographic tourism. There is no shortage of willing operators keen to set up shop. But someone must fund the ongoing legacy – by paying the annual trophy hunting fees. The required amount is significant at +/- USD300,000 per annum.
Are there any well-heeled individuals or anti-hunting charities out there that are prepared to step forward? Contact me for a private discussion. My team and I have no financial interest in this operation – just a deep-seated drive to help others work their magic. No chancers, please.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
We have two thrilling safaris lined up for those seeking a fiery introduction to some of southern Africa’s best destinations.
Cape Town and Kruger safari – 7 days:
Blend sophisticated, vibey Cape Town and the Cape Winelands with exceptional Greater Kruger Big-5 game viewing in this classic bucket-list safari. We recommend 7 days, but will adapt the safari to suit your needs. Budget, mid-range and luxury options are all on offer
Okavango Delta safari – 4 days:
This safari in the Okavango Delta is a great introduction to this watery paradise. The Okavango is a lush wilderness of grassy floodplains, islands and water channels, which are engineered and maintained by hippos & elephants. Don’t miss out on one of the most fascinating ecosystems on the planet
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
This week we explore the magic of Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, a marine paradise off the coast of Mozambique. Bazaruto has all the ingredients of a sublime ocean-themed safari. Fascinating creatures, breathtaking scenery, and exceptional biodiversity define the five islands and marine habitats making up the archipelago, where diverse coral reefs thrive. If you’re keen for a barefoot adventure in one of the planet’s most beautiful seascapes, check out our first story below.
The answer to mitigating human-wildlife conflict in wild areas in Africa is no simple one. But understanding long-term trends associated with different types and frequencies of conflict incidents is essential in planning mitigation policies and aiding communities negatively affected by them. Our second story below examines research from Namibia, delving into the history of human-wildlife conflict incidents in the country between 2001 and 2019 to identify some crucial trends. An important story when trying to understand the complexities at play. See below.
Lastly, elephant Dida, tusker and matriarch of Tsavo National Park, and possibly Africa’s largest female tusker, has died of natural causes. Read more about this fallen giant in our third story.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Story 1 MAGICAL BAZARUTO
Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago has the ingredients of a sublime safari: fascinating creatures, breathtaking scenery & amazing biodiversity
Story 2 HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
Research in Namibia on the type & frequency of human-wildlife conflict incidents between 2001–2019 can aid in mitigating future conflict occurrences
Story 3 FALLEN TUSKER
Dida, tusker of Tsavo National Park, and possibly Africa’s largest female tusker, has died. Read about her life and death
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
There is a glorious moment at the end of the long dry season when the storm clouds build and release the first drops of precious, life-giving water. At this point, someone invariably says, “Ah, I love that smell,” and someone else is bound by the inexplicable laws of the Universe to nod sagely and reply, “There’s a word for that smell – it’s ‘petrichor'”. Happens every year and comes as a revelation to no one.
But did you know that the smell of petrichor is the scent of dead bacteria? Specifically, a compound called geosmin, which is released by dead microbes like Streptomyces bacteria in the soil. Apparently, the human nose is 200,000x more sensitive to geosmin than a shark is to blood in the water.
It is a pleasant smell, though.
WATCH: Watch as Verity, a 15 year old lioness in Khutse Game Reserve in the Kalahari, Botswana, fends off a pack of wild dogs so she can get to the waterhole to drink. Female lions have a life expectancy of 15-16 years in the wild: Verity has done very well for a lion of her age in the harsh Kalahari environment (02:29). Click here to watch
There are no one-size-fits-all or universal criteria for predicting and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. However, understanding long-term trends associated with different types and frequencies of conflict incidents is essential in designing mitigation policies and allocating resources. New research from Namibia examines human-wildlife conflict between 2001 and 2019 to identify some of these crucial trends.
Of the total 112,165 human-wildlife conflict incidents (HWIs) reported across the country, livestock depredation was the most common type of conflict (83%), and elephants were the species most associated with conflict incidents (22%). However, the researchers found marked variation between regions, as well as the significant impact of various factors, including distance to the nearest protected area, geography, conservancy size and, in particular, both annual and average monthly rainfall.
In arid north-western parts of Namibia, where extensive pastoralism is the main agricultural activity, livestock depredation and infrastructure damage ranked highest in frequency. In the wetter regions of the northeast, where higher rainfall and productive soils favour crop production, HWIs were more associated with crop raiding and attacks on people. A total of 1415 “problem animals” were killed or trapped across 79 Namibian community conservancies from 2001 to 2019.
The authors point to an overall lack of national spatio-temporal data as hampering the identification, targeting and prioritising of hotspots of wildlife damage throughout Africa. Given that resources to mitigate such conflict are invariably limited, they must be appropriately allocated to reduce livelihood losses. Hence mapping negative impacts and identifying drivers of high levels of damage is an essential first step in apportioning resources in a species- and area-specific manner.
Though they acknowledge that humans are the principal architect of negative interactions with animals, their results indicate the extensive adverse impacts wildlife can have on people and their livelihoods. Restricting wildlife to protected areas significantly limits wildlife abundance and distribution, but a coexistence model increases the risks of negative wildlife interactions. Thus, the study concludes that the “goal… is to both monitor these interactions and attempt to mitigate through appropriately scaled and affordable interventions which will improve tolerance towards wildlife and conservation objectives as a whole”.
An aerial view of the sandy red dunes of the Namib Desert, Namibia. Photographer of the Year 2020 entrant
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Disappearing lions + Botswana safari SADC special + Mara champagne safari
Africa’s disappearing lions have been the subject of animated discussion for years, but just how dire is the situation? Pretty dire: scientists have found that there has been a staggering 75% decline in Africa’s lion populations in the past five decades. In our story below, we examine the disappearing habitats and disconnection leading to dwindling lion numbers.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Taryn van Jaarsveld – Editor
Story 1 VANISHING LIONS
Africa’s lions are disappearing. New research shows that lion populations across the continent have declined by 75% in just five decades
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Nose-picking is a terrible human habit, is it not? There is little as off-putting as the sight of a finger venturing into the nostril in pursuit of something unmentionable.
Yet here’s the thing about rhinotillexomania – there appears to be some inexplicable impulse to do it. And human beings are not alone in this. Did you know that 12 primate species have been observed picking their noses? The most recent example was an aye-aye, filmed taking this pursuit to new extremes with its elongated finger.
Apparently, this multispecies commonality tells us that this “bad habit” may have some functional and even advantageous role. Make of that what you will…
Adventure with AG
Maggie Nunley and her partner are currently on a cross-continental adventure with AG, celebrating their honeymoon. The couple started their adventure in Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and moved on to Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. They are finishing off their African holiday with a trip to Chale Island off Kenya’s Diani Beach to deflate in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
The honeymooners’ search for gorillas in Mgahinga proved fruitful, when they came across these majestic giants.
WATCH: What happens when a fearsome honey badger meets a mole snake – a powerful constrictor – on the battle field? A short video shedding light into the tenacity of these two species (02:10). Click here to watch
Dida, a well-known Tsavo tusker, has died of natural causes. Photos courtesy Tsavo Trust / @nicholashaller
Another big tusker has fallen – this time, the matriarch of Tsavo East. Dida, one of the largest female tuskers recorded in Africa, has died of natural causes in Tsavo National Park, as announced by the Tsavo Trust and Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) this week.
“Dida, the area’s best-loved matriarch and the greatest repository of many decades worth of knowledge, has sadly passed,” announced Tsavo Trust in its statement.
Dida, 60-65 years old at the time of her death, was well known for her tusks that stretched right to the ground – a noteworthy occurrence in a female elephant. She was a popular sighting during Tsavo walking safaris with elephants.
“Dida died naturally of old age; in fact, she surprised us all,” continued Tsavo Trust’s eulogy. “She lived longer than many of us thought she would. To us, allowing an elephant to live its full life is something we are very proud of.”
KWS shared an image on Facebook of Dida’s decomposed remains as discovered by the team. KWS added that “those who got to know her through pictures and videos, as well as those who had the exquisite pleasure of meeting her in person, will remember her”.
Dida was well known for her tusks that stretched right to the ground – a rare occurrence for female elephants. KWS shared an image of Dida’s decomposed remains on Facebook. Photos courtesy Tsavo Trust / @nicholashaller / Keith Hellyer
In its statement on the passing of the Tsavo queen, Tsavo Trust said that Dida was the true embodiment of an iconic cow. “Over the course of her long life, she shepherded her herd through many difficult times. She was the inspiration for documentarians and the pull for tourists.”
While Africa’s last remaining tuskers are under threat, they are given their best chance for survival in protected areas such as Tsavo, where elephants are closely monitored for protection against poaching and injury. Kenya does not permit trophy hunting, unlike countries such as Botswana and Zimbabwe, where Africa’s last giant tuskers are targeted as prized trophies (follow the links for two examples). The Tsavo Trust’s Big Tusker Project and KWS provide aerial and ground support to collect data and respond to imminent threats to the living legends. This ongoing presence is a significant deterrent to poachers and other illegal activity.
Today, nine giant bull tuskers remain in Tsavo. There are also 27 emerging tuskers and three remaining iconic cow tuskers on the Tsavo Trust and KWS Tusker database.
Africa’s disappearing lions have been the subject of animated discussion for years, but just how dire is the situation?
Scientists now believe they have the answer: in five decades, the continent’s lion populations have declined by 75%. This according to research recently published by the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU).
The authors set out to establish a baseline lion population estimate and examine historic landscape connectivity for 1970 as a comparison point to assess the conservation of the species. They explain that conservation is subject to what has been termed a “shifting baseline syndrome”. In other words, current conservation efforts are often centred around present-day geographical ranges and population estimates. However, underestimating historical declines or trends could, in turn, underestimate extinction risk.
Disappearing habitats, dwindling lions
Habitat loss and fragmentation due to human population growth and agricultural expansion are among the most significant threats facing most terrestrial vertebrate families. Species surviving in fragmented and poorly connected habitats are more vulnerable to loss of genetic diversity, inbreeding depression, disease and stochastic events (such as drought). Lions are considered an umbrella species, meaning that conservation efforts aimed at their protection indirectly confer protection on other sympatric (co-occurring) species. They are also a charismatic representative of the range collapse experienced by many of Africa’s large mammals. Once widespread across Africa, previous research indicates that lions have experienced an 85% reduction in range since the early 16th century.
Reconstructing historical populations and distributions is a challenge facing many large-mammal scientists, as records are often scant and generalised. The authors selected the period around 1970 for their baseline for several reasons, including the existence of credible and detailed sources of information on lion ranges and populations. Furthermore, human population and development have burgeoned during the 50-year-period between 1970 and the present day, with the sub-Saharan human population doubling between 1975 and 2001. Using available information to construct a population density map of lion distribution, they derived an estimated population of 92,054 lions across the continent in 1970. At last count in 2016, the total surviving lion population was estimated at around 23,000 individuals (though experts believe it may now be under 20,000). This equates to a decline of 70,000 individuals – approximately 1,400 lions per year over five decades.
The researchers also examined lion subpopulations by area. Those in the Congo Basin have suffered most severely, and this subpopulation has been all but extirpated. From an estimated 1,600 lions in 1970, around 211 individuals remain – a decline of 93%. Similarly, the West and Central African subpopulations have declined by 87% (from 1,600 to fewer than 200). (The plight of the West African lion was recognised on the IUCN Red List in 2015 when they were listed as Critically Endangered.) Southern and East African subpopulations have fared slightly better but still declined by 73% and 65%, respectively. Southern populations declined from 36,000 to around 9,800, and East African from 31,000 to approximately 11,000.
Remaining lion habitats are important but understanding the landscape connectivity between these is a vital aspect of lion conservation. The researchers analysed the landscapes within lion range in terms of resistance to animal movement, accounting for various environmental and anthropogenic variables (such as rivers, towns, farms and roads). This information was used to calculate the relative probability of animal movement to compare connectivity in 1970 to the present day.
In 1970, much of the existing lion habitat was well connected, apart from already fragmented habitats in the West and Central regions. For the most part, lion range was contiguous, with the potential for a high degree of dispersal movement across the landscape. Today, lions occupy just 13% of their maximum historical range (66% of the 1970 range), with the most severe range loss having occurred in the Congo Basin and the West and Central region. These regions have experienced a “catastrophic collapse in range and habitat connectivity in the last 50 years” – with fewer, smaller, and more widely isolated patches of core and non-core lion habitat. Loss of connectivity was less severe in southern and Eastern African regions but significant – around 50% of previously connected habitat was lost in the intervening five decades. The remaining core areas of habitat are centred around larger protected areas.
What implications does such research have for the future of lion conservation, given that human population expansion is inevitable? The authors emphasise that even if core protected areas are secure, a lack of connectivity will result in a decline in the genetic diversity of remaining lion populations. The protection of existing wildlife corridors is critical. They also suggest that intensive meta-population (as practised in smaller wildlife areas in South Africa) may be appropriate for irretrievably isolated habitats, such as those in West and Central Africa.
Though the damage done to the lions of Africa may never be fully recoverable, the researchers suggest that it is not too late to secure wildlife corridors “through integrated land use planning exercises, implementation of human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies and enhancement of sustainable, wildlife-based livelihoods”.
“Habitat conversion and burgeoning human populations are fragmenting natural habitat across Africa,” says lead author Professor Andrew Loveridge. “Our work on African lions shows that this process of fragmentation and population decline has accelerated over the last 50 years and provides a baseline against which to measure population recovery or decline. Our future conservation efforts need to halt habitat loss and work to preserve the remaining habitat corridors linking core populations.”
Sundowners overlooking the Indian Ocean along the Garden Route of South Africa. Lekkerwater Beach Lodge, De Hoop Nature Reserve.
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Tragedy in Kasungu + Selati Game Reserve + cross-country SA safari
It’s complicated.
Yes, safari lodges in popular, easy-to-reach areas create enormous conservation benefits locally, BUT the lodge tourism industry does little for the vast remote areas where Africa’s biodiversity is being stripped away at an alarming rate. Yes, some trophy hunting operations do safeguard remote ecosystems for a while from the threats of habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict – BUT what good is that if they leave for more lucrative opportunities after having shot out the free-roaming lions, leopards and big-tusked elephants? Botswana’s European Union-enforced veterinary fences, which surround the Okavango Delta, have helped generate huge wealth for the export beef industry BUT shredded migrating wildebeest and zebra wildlife populations. Translocating elephants to areas denuded by poaching is a good thing for elephants – BUT not always for local people (our story below refers). I could go on, but hopefully, you get my point. If solutions so often peddled on social media for Africa’s conservation issues are simple, then perhaps their promoters don’t understand the problems?
Our mission is to help you understand the real issues that impact our wildlife and people. Celebrate the good stuff, but also be aware of the issues that play out all day, every day, at ground level. Safari njema!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
AG strives to celebrate and support conservation successes. But conservation is a complex web of biodiversity, politics and socio-economics, where difficult choices require a diverse approach.
In August, we reported on the successful cross-country translocation of 263 elephants from Liwonde National Park into Kasungu National Park, both in Malawi. But tripling the population of elephants in Kasungu – a partly fenced area – has had tragic consequences for some of the park’s neighbours. Gail Thomson has penned a heart-breaking account on the human-elephant conflict resulting from Kasungu’s growing elephant population. See our first story below.
In our second story, we explore an alternative South African safari destination for nature enthusiasts in search of seclusion and unique experiences. Just outside Greater Kruger, Selati Game Reserve is a Big-5 haven, and home to the rarest cycad on Earth – the Lillie cycad. The reserve is also home to specials like sable, and offers guests the chance to take part in conservation activities. Read more about magical Selati in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
Story 1 HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT
Communities near Kasungu National Park face tragic losses following the introduction of new elephant herds to the national park
Story 2 BIG-5 HAVEN
Selati is a secret Big 5 safari haven on the outskirts of Greater Kruger. It is also home to specials like sable & the rarest cycad on earth
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
I hesitated somewhat with this week’s fact on the basis that I like snakes, and I dislike feeding into the hysteria that surrounds them. But did you know that scientists estimate nearly 9,000 people die from snake bites every year in Mozambique? And that is an underestimate.
It is an enormous number and is probably echoed across many African rural areas. So as tempting as it may be to emphasise the principle that snakes are more afraid of us than we are of them and should be protected (which is, of course, true), we also need to acknowledge the impact they have on people’s lives. The same applies to any human-wildlife conflict. Rural populations don’t need trite platitudes or condescending implications that their lives are worth less than those of animals. They need resources – in this case, improved medical infrastructure, training and access to antivenom.
And if having read this, you are keen on contributing to this process (albeit in South Africa), you can download our app and donate to Save the Snakes.
WATCH: Find out why Kenya is still top of many an ardent safari-goer’s list in this brief celebration of the quintessential Kenyan safari (00:45). Click here to watch
Human-elephant conflict: Communities near Kasungu face tragic losses following the introduction of new elephant herds to the national park
This article was written by Gail Thomson for the Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa, with financial support from Resource Africa, Southern Africa.
John Kayedzeka, 35, is out working in his field on the 16 September 2022, preparing it for planting later this year. His field, about 3km from Kasungu National Park, Malawi, is the main source of food for his family – a wife and two school-going children – so he works the field from the early morning hours.
Suddenly he hears shouting coming from a nearby village – perhaps people are having a loud argument? He looks up and to his surprise sees a herd of elephants moving rapidly through the bush in front of him. They are being chased back into Kasungu by the park’s rangers, who have been alerted to their presence in a nearby village. He watches with interest, but keeps a respectful distance.
What John doesn’t know is that this is not the only herd being chased back into Kasungu. Suddenly, the bush behind him erupts with the sounds of trumpeting and ground thumping. Out in the open, his only option is to run. But the elephants quickly catch up with him and knock him to the ground. He loses consciousness after the first few blows and a few seconds later his lifeless body is trampled into the ground.
Conservation and human-elephant conflict
This tragic story is not unique. Hundreds of people are killed every year by elephants and other dangerous wild animals in Africa. Yet the backstory to this incident is different to the usual human-elephant conflict occurring across the continent. Sadly, John Kayedzeka’s death was preventable.
John’s family lives in Malawi’s ‘bread basket’ or Central Region, where millions of people rely on the yields of maize and other crops for survival. Due to the high productivity of the land, this is one of the most densely populated regions in Malawi, which itself is densely populated – 20 million people living in 118,480km2.
This makes setting aside land for conservation challenging. Kasungu is wedged between subsistence farmers in Malawi to the east and those in Zambia to the west. This 2,316km2 park experienced high levels of poaching in the last few decades and was therefore performing far below its conservation and tourism potential. Elephant poaching resulted in the park’s population plummeting from 1,200 elephants in the 1970s to an all-time low of 40 in 2014.
The 2,316km2 Kasungu National Park experienced high levels of poaching in the last few decades. After the introduction of new elephant herds to the park, incidences of human-elephant conflict are on the rise
In 2015, Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) entered a partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to address the poaching problem and improve park infrastructure. Tightening up park security during the past seven years has halted and reversed population declines of elephants and other animals. By 2022, there were an estimated 120 elephants in Kasungu. Since the elephant and other wildlife populations were still well below carrying capacity, Kasungu was identified as a potential destination for animal translocations.
Meanwhile, Liwonde National Park in Southern Malawi started experiencing the opposite problem. In the same year that IFAW started working in Kasungu, African Parks partnered with the Malawian government to manage Liwonde. By reducing poaching and reintroducing some species, African Parks restored wildlife populations in this 548km2 park. But they soon realised the need for an electric fence around the whole park, to reduce human-wildlife conflict and poaching. African Parks immediately began constructing an electric fence to keep wildlife inside the park and have since completed the 140km fencing project. In response to queries, African Parks spokesperson Carli Flemmer explains, “whilst all parks managed by African Parks in Malawi are fenced, this is not a perfect solution, and breakouts of elephants can and do still occur despite best efforts. These breakouts are a threat to human life and crops. Reinforcements and innovations in fencing technology are an ongoing effort. Some of these innovations are proving very successful.”
Consequences of a rising elephant population
Once adequately protected, elephants overpopulate relatively small, fenced reserves – making Liwonde an ideal source of elephants for other protected areas. Translocating 263 elephants from Liwonde to Kasungu, therefore, makes good conservation sense. But tripling the population of elephants in a partially fenced area has had severe consequences for some of the park’s neighbours.
Malidadi Langa, representing Kasungu Wildlife Conservation for Community Development Association (KAWICCODA), reflects on the consequences of the translocation for his community and what could have been done to prevent it: “With hindsight, maybe we [the stakeholders] should have completed the fence before translocating the elephants and other animals. Maybe we rushed the translocation. Maybe we could have better prepared for possible conflict incidents. But we cannot just look back on mistakes – we now have to do something to help widows and orphans who face an uncertain future.”
When contacted for comment, representatives of both DNPW and IFAW said they had never agreed to fence the entire eastern side of Kasungu. Patricio Ndadzela, IFAW Country Director for Malawi and Zambia, states, “IFAW has funded the construction of approximately 40km of fencing and has committed to repairing and extending a further 25km of the fence in the coming months along Kasungu’s eastern boundary in Malawi.” Following this plan, half of the park’s eastern boundary will be fenced when this project is completed, while the western (Zambian) side will remain unfenced as a corridor between Kasungu and Lukusuzi National Park in Zambia.
“Since there were [previously] so few elephants in Kasungu,” explains Langa, “people living on the border had experienced few crop losses before the translocation and had let their guard down in terms of vigilance against dangerous wild animals”. DNPW reported at the time that the elephants were likely attempting to trace their route back to Liwonde. Without a fence to stop the elephants, the consequences were lethal. Shortly after the first group of elephants were brought in, two people were trampled to death by bull elephants in separate incidents. One of them, Collins Chisi from Jala village in the Chisembere area, has left behind his wife and three children (14, 16 and 18 years old) whose futures are now uncertain. The other victim, Joseph Kapalamula (27) from Nason village, Mchinji district, leaves behind a wife and two young children. The elephants were subsequently euthanised by park rangers responding to the incidents.
Not long thereafter, 72-year-old Tadeyo Phiri of Mndengwe village in the Mwase area was knocked to the ground by an elephant while he was collecting thatching grass. Although he escaped alive, his injuries are severe – he cannot walk and struggles to breathe – and he cannot afford decent medical care. Phiri was therefore discharged from hospital and sent home. Five of his children are still at school, but their now-disabled father cannot work to provide for them.
On 17 August 2022, a few weeks after the translocation, elephants broke into a house where Sikwiza Mwale (33) stored several 50-kg bags of maize that she had harvested and shelled – her entire harvest for the season. After breaking down the wall of her house, the elephants ate seven of the eight bags (350 kg of maize), leaving her and her three children with too little food for the coming year.
Human-elephant conflict has brought tragic loss to communities surrounding Kasungu. Clockwise from top left: Elephants broke down the wall of Sikwiza Mwale’s house and consumed the majority of the family’s maize harvest for the season; the Mwale family in front of their broken house; the family of Joseph Kapalamula, who was trampled to death by a bull elephant; Tadeyo Phiri was knocked to the ground by an elephant while he was collecting thatching grass, leaving him disabled. Photos supplied by KAWICCODA
John Kayedzeka’s death is thus just the latest of a series of incidents since elephants were translocated to Kasungu. John was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had no chance of escaping an agitated herd of elephants hurtling towards him like a freight train.
“These stories are heart-breaking,” says Langa, “but they are made even worse because none of the parties involved in moving these elephants is stepping up to help the community.” According to Malawian wildlife policies, no compensation is offered for damages or loss of life caused by wild animals. In the case of Tadeyo Phiri, the only assistance he has had is transport to the hospital provided by DNPW.
“When we ask for more help for Tadeyo Phiri, park officials just say that they don’t have money,” says Siwinda Chimowa, Chairperson of KAWICCODA, “yet clearly there was a lot of money available to bring these elephants in the first place.”
DNPW and IFAW both say that a certain level of support is provided when incidents occur. Patricio Ndadzela, IFAW’s Country Director for Malawi and Zambia, says “Malawi’s DNPW has provided one-off condolence support [to] the bereaved families. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act of Malawi, the Government does not provide compensation either for injury or death. However, IFAW, through the traditional leadership of the Senior Chief for Kasungu district, has been exploring appropriate support for the bereaved families as is required by the cultural traditions of the district. This will ensure equitable means for their loved ones.”
Director of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), Brighton K. Kumchedwa says, “each time there is such an accident or death, we assist with a requirement such as transport. [In cases of] death, we have assisted with the basics like food and a coffin, but not [with] compensation per se.”
Since the government cannot assist, Chimowa calls on IFAW, African Parks and their funding agencies to assist. “We understand the government policy of no compensation,” he explains, “but surely the non-state partners who funded this venture can provide some financial assistance until the fence is finished?”
In community meetings held before the translocation, DNPW promised that the communities would be protected using a combination of efforts. All of the elephant herds would be collared, ranger numbers would be increased and strategically positioned, and a helicopter would be on standby to help rangers find and herd elephants back into the park before they could harm anyone. While IFAW confirms that these measures have been put in place, Chimowa says that not enough has been done to prevent human-elephant conflict due to the translocation, insisting he has seen neither increased ranger numbers nor the helicopter.
In response to queries, DNPW’s Kumchedwa states that in “the majority of cases, the deaths or injuries have been a result of communities mobbing these elephants once they stray in the communities.” He suggested that because people were unaware of how dangerous elephants could be, “some people have been injured or killed as they try to take selfies with these animals. This is the case with the one who was severely injured as well as the last death,” says Kumchedwa. DNPW and IFAW say they are trying to rectify this situation through community awareness and education campaigns regarding elephant behaviour and human-elephant conflict.
Siwinda disputes these claims: “I met with Tadeyo Phiri after the attack – an elderly, poor man who, as far as I know, does not even own a smartphone.” He continues, “After speaking with the families and victims, I highly doubt that either he or John Kayedzeka were trying to get close to the elephants or mobbing them. In John’s case, the elephants were being chased by park rangers, not by the community.” Kumchedwa of DNPW acknowledges that in the case of John Kayedzeka, elephants were being chased back into the park by a team of rangers when he was killed.
IFAW’s involvement in Kasungu started as part of a cross-border project combating wildlife crime, implemented with funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that came to an end in May this year before the elephant translocation took place.
Since that project ended, IFAW continues to provide technical support to DNPW on priority issues around Kasungu National Park. But the minimal financial assistance received for these incidents of human-elephant conflict thus far contrasts sharply with the recently tightened laws regarding wildlife crime. If someone is caught poaching in Malawi or engaging in illegal wildlife trade, they are liable for up to 30 years in prison with no option of a fine for serious offenders, or heavy fines and/or jail time for lesser offenders. While DNPW’s policy not to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict is similar to those of other countries across Africa, John Kayedzeka’s case (and arguably the others mentioned here, too) is different. The elephants were brought into a partially fenced park, John was not harassing or trying to take photos of the elephants, and park rangers inadvertently caused the situation.
Langa further notes that there is no formal mechanism through which communities can report and have their grievances or complaints regarding human-elephant conflict addressed. According to him, the current situation requires a functional and transparent grievance redress mechanism for reporting, resolution, and swift feedback showing how the authorities deal with human-elephant conflict incidents.
While deaths and serious injuries make it into local newspapers, crop and livestock losses are likely to go unreported and uncompensated. This is particularly concerning in light of Malawi’s current food insecurity caused by a combination of climatic shocks leading to low crop yields, rising living costs due to global economic disruptions and national inflation rates. 2.6 million people are currently experiencing a food crisis, and a further 6.5 million are under food stress. These figures are expected to increase to 3.8 million in crisis and 6.7 million under stress in the coming months. In the context of rising food and living costs, the Mwale family’s situation is desperate after losing nearly 90% of their harvest to elephants.
Despite their understandable frustration, the community is looking for solutions rather than someone to blame for the current situation. KAWICCODA is making a few reasonable requests of those involved in the translocation and current management of Kasungu National Park (both state and non-state actors):
Prioritise fence construction on the eastern side of the park and set a deadline for completing the entire 125km fence line;
Set up a platform where communities can report their losses resulting from wildlife;
Provide financial assistance to all of the families who have suffered thus far due to the elephant translocation, and commit to providing such assistance until the fence is complete; and
In cases where elephants get out of the park, alert people to the problem before attempting to chase the elephants back into the park.
Bringing elephants and other wildlife to Kasungu is not a bad idea from a conservation and tourism perspective. DNPW has promised to share tourism revenue with neighbouring communities, and KAWICCODA reports that they have already received small amounts of money from the park. Consequently, the people living next to Kasungu are not against reinvigorating the park through wildlife translocations, but human lives are too high a price to pay for future tourism revenues. Hopefully, this call for help will result in practical solutions to prevent further loss of life.
It’s a humid afternoon in the Lowveld of South Africa, and I’m straining my ears, willing the sound of a vehicle to emerge. Along with a dozen nature enthusiasts, I’m waiting for the conservation team to load up a darted cheetah due for a tracking-collar change. Not too far from where we’re standing, in the centre of Selati Game Reserve, we will soon have the opportunity to witness a vet and team of ecologists monitor the cheetah as they undertake the collaring process. As far as wildlife experiences go, this one-on-one encounter with a big cat tops the list.
But the conservation experiences offered to guests of Selati Game Reserve are not the only attraction putting this reserve on the map. With 360-degree vistas dotted with granite koppies, the opportunity to experience the Big Five and special species such as sable antelope and black rhino, and unique access to a population of Lillie cycads (which grow nowhere else on the planet), this reserve has much to offer.
Overview
Selati Game Reserve may be the South African Lowveld’s best-kept secret. While visitors seeking Big Five safaris to the Limpopo province are inclined towards choosing the Kruger National Park and Greater Kruger reserves as destinations, adventure enthusiasts in search of seclusion and rarities off the beaten track will find great contentment spending a few days in this reserve.
Selati operates with a low-development philosophy, and limited vehicles are allowed in the reserve. The resulting wilds offer an unparalleled experience of raw wilderness and rewarding solitude in the heart of the bushveld.
Heading to the south-eastern side of the reserve, a two-track road opens up to a row of koppies forming the small range known as the “Knuckles”. Passing these, one soon reaches the Lillie Mountains
A river runs through it
Selati Game Reserve garners its name from the perennial Ga-Selati River (or Selati River), which springs from the Wolkberg Mountains, heading east to cut through the reserve before meeting the Olifants River near Phalaborwa. Balule Nature Reserve, part of Greater Kruger, lies just 6km southeast of the reserve. The area is characterised by immense granite outcrops offering incredible views from all corners of the reserve, and pockets of chartreuse indigenous vegetation.
The Ga-Selati River cuts through the reserve
The reserve was officially proclaimed in 1993 when several landowners in zones formerly dedicated to cattle farming recognised the value of preserving the area’s natural heritage. The reserve managers quickly set about repopulating the reserve with species endemic to the area, reintroducing white rhino and other species acquired from surrounding farms and the Kruger National Park. A focus on sable breeding for the years following the establishment of the reserve allowed for a robust income, facilitating the restoration of a true wilderness area. As the years went by, a few more neighbouring farms were incorporated, and the reserve grew to include the Lillie mountain range and 26km of the Ga-Selati River. Over the years, elephants were reintroduced to the area, as were a pride of lions (where before free-ranging lions had often frequented the reserve), black rhino (and accompanying sophisticated anti-poaching operations) and disease-free buffalo. An elephant immunocontraception program is implemented on the reserve to limit the population growth of these animals.
The lion population in the reserve is thriving; granite outcrops offer incredible views; the reserve hosts disease-free buffalo; elephants have also been reintroduced to the reserve; the perennial Ga-Selati River runs through the reserve, though it is dry for most of the year
Wildlife in abundance
While Selati is a Big Five destination, other fascinating wildlife also populates the reserve. Over 50 mammal species are present. What at times appears to be impenetrable bushveld gives way to pleasant paths unveiling elephants and giraffes at every corner. Cheetah, black and white rhino, spotted hyena, hippo, Nile crocodile and a large population of free-roaming sable antelope can be found in the reserve. Eland roam the expansive bushveld as leopard prowl the plains. Delightful rare species include Sharpe’s grysbok, mountain reedbuck, brown hyena, pangolin and Cape clawless otter.
An established pack of nine wild dogs (painted wolves) were also recently introduced. Over the years, introductions and management of animal populations have been conservative to complement efforts to restore the veld along the perennially dry Ga-Selati River. Similarly, artificial water points are strategically placed to prevent overexploitation of the veld and enhance wildlife viewing opportunities.
Over 315 bird species have been identified here, including Arnot’s chat, thick-billed cuckoo and Verreaux’s eagle (you can find a nesting pair in the rocky outcrops). There is also an established vulture restaurant which feeds vultures regularly, contributing to their conservation.
Giraffes are often seen when on game drives; a large population of free-roaming sable antelope is found here; the reserve’s cheetah population forms part of the EWT’s Metapopulation Project; a young male lion spotted alongside the road; elephants are a common sighting in the reserve
Lay of the land
Climbing the steep rocky path to one of the highest boulders atop the Lillie Mountains, I hear a paradise flycatcher flittering overhead, breaking an otherwise eery silence. After about 10 minutes of vigorous climbing, as the canopies grow dense, the boulders grow tall, and I start to lose my breath, we reach a temporary summit. “Here it is!” declares our guide Jenni. There before me, in an unassuming cove of boulders and shrubbery, is a 3.5m tall Lillie cycad (Encephalartos dyerianos). Within a few more metres, the cycads are jutting out of rocky crevices and groves of undergrowth at every corner. Here in the south of the reserve, the Lillie mountain range provides ideal habitat for the rare cycads.
Plant lovers will delight in the intimate encounters of the critically endangered woody plant, found nowhere else on earth but on this lone granite hill at 700m above sea level. Thankfully, the population here is guarded by anti-poaching teams which prevent the theft of these precious specimens. The cycads line the deep groves amidst the boulders en route to a steep hill offering views from horizon to horizon. Scattered across this hill are dozens upon dozens of these beauties, some only ankle high, others with stems stretching 4m into the sky. Selati may be a haven for seekers of diverse wildlife, but for dendrophiles, this reserve is the Rosetta Stone.
A large Lillie cycad specimen (Encephalartos dyerianos) up in the Lillie Mountains
The climate in this area is dry, with a mean rainfall of 530mm and average annual temperatures exceeding 18°C. The reserve’s rich and diverse geological substructures include the Murchison Greenstone belt in the northwest of the reserve and are some of the oldest rock formations on the planet. Three more granite and pegmatite formations are present, including the Willie, Lekkersmaak, and Mashishimale gneisses.
Selati plays home to six different plant communities; the most fascinating of these is the vast range of woody plant populations (including Lillie’s cycad). Mixed Combretum veld dominates the tops of mountains and hills, while Terminalia sericea trees flourish on the poor soils associated with the natural seepage lines. Mopane woodland dots the soils along the drainages and lower lying areas, while bushwillow and Vachellia species engulf the wide-open spaces.
Selati’s characteristic granite outcrops; two distinguished Lillie cycads; a giant nyala tree; an icon of the African safari – the umbrella thorn; the view from the high boulders atop the Lillie Mountains
Sundowner spots abound
A sundowner is the highlight of any safari, and Selati offers a platter of sumptuous sunset-viewing spots. Joubert’s lookout provides a 180-degree view over Galon Ridge. Junior’s Platform makes for an epic viewpoint to watch the sunrise, and groups can book the Outlook for elegant sundowners atop a hill. Trips to the Lillie Mountains in the afternoon allow views from one of the reserve’s best viewpoints. Thrill seekers can scramble over steep boulders and jump stomach-churning gaps, while the more mild-hearted can gently meander over flatter rocks while examining wooded trails and the cycads dotted through these surroundings. But a mild clamber up to the highest point is well worth the adrenalin rush, as the view from here, 730m above sea level, is breathtaking.
Galon Ridge can be seen from Joubert’s lookout; Joubert’s lookout is a great sunrise spot; the Outlook viewpoint can be reserved for elegant and private sundowners; sunrise over Selati; heading up the steep path to the Lillie cycads
Explore & Stay
There was a time in the Lowveld when our predecessors unwillingly met wildlife face to face, mostly choosing to avoid these encounters at all costs. But thrill-seekers craving a primitive taste of the ancient continent need only let the mind wander slightly to envision walking in the ancient footsteps of explorers. Walking excursions in Selati provide an uninterrupted experience of the surroundings, allowing walkers to rekindle the roots of the past by traversing a wilderness trail in the reserve and exploring myriad paths through tall grasses and clumped Vachallia species. Experienced guides lead hikers through the untouched bushveld, carefully allowing visitors intimate experiences with wildlife. Guests can choose between sleeping out under the stars or spending the night at one of Selati’s lodges.
Experience Selati’s 180-degree vistas dotted with granite koppies
Customised mountain-biking trails are also available, stopping over at either one of Selati’s lodges or safari camps over three days. With various projects linked to the World Wildlife Fund and the Endangered Wildlife Trust taking place here, such as the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project and Cheetah Metapopulation Project, guests are also offered the opportunity to take part in conservation experiences. Whether being present to witness the collaring of a cheetah, the feeding of predators in the boma awaiting release into the reserve, or even the dehorning or notching of rhinos, these activities will present a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many visitors. Witnessing a cheetah collaring up close is probably one of the most thrilling experiences of my lifetime. The collaring was a success and the data stemming from the monitoring of this cheetah is invaluable to the Cheetah Metapopulation Project.
While private landowners make up the majority of the reserve, there are three properties open to tourists, which feature comfortable lodges. Dunn’s Camp, neighbouring the sublime Ga-Selati River; Klipspringer, a whimsical retreat for families overlooking a waterhole; and luxurious Lillie Lodge, perched atop a granite outcrop in the south of the reserve, all offer intimate experiences of the surrounds.
As a low-development reserve, limited vehicles are permitted to use the roads and self-driving is not allowed (aside from travelling to your lodge destination). Tourists visiting lodges in the area have access to the road networks throughout the reserve via guided game drives on open game vehicles. The unobtrusive road network traverses wide corners of the vast reserve and consists of dirt roads – many of which require 4×4 vehicles.
Walking excursions in Selati provide an uninterrupted experience of the surroundings; the extensive network of roads can be explored on game drives; customised mountain bike trails are on offer; Lillie Lodge perches amongst the koppies; guests can take part in conservation experiences, such as rhino notching or dehorning, and cheetah collaring
Final thoughts
For those seeking a unique bushveld experience, combined with spotting the Big Five, close encounters with wildlife, rare endemics, intimate accommodation and rugged wilderness in a quiet reserve on the road less travelled, Selati is the answer.
Want to go on a Selati or Greater Kruger safari? To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team, scroll down to after this story.
Local Beninese women use the beach to spread lake grasses into fan-like shapes, drying them out for mat weaving. Here, guide Assou Cosme Segla lays on the mats as a size reference. Grand-Popo, Benin
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So yesterday, I was cycling the hills above the sleepy smallholder haven that is the Crags in South Africa’s Garden Route. Lizz and I unplug here for two weeks every year. A few hours into yesterday’s meander, I met up with two locals who showed me some of their favourite forest tracks. One, a retired gent, has purchased a few smallholdings and is on a mission to force nut farming to work in an area too humid for that particular agricultural pursuit. He told me about his mission to remove that ‘scrappy bush’ (including the diverse, unique, celebrated fynbos) and replace it with regimented rows of nut trees that require intense chemical treatment and high electrified fences to prevent pilfering by humans and wildlife. A fortressed green desert. He is not a farmer and does not need to earn a living anymore, having sold his business. He just wanted something to do. The trophy nut farm is a thing amongst wealthy retired people, apparently. There goes the neighbourhood …
Meanwhile, in the bushveld town of Hoedspruit bordering the Greater Kruger, our passionate teamAG is enduring sweltering early summer temperatures – but the rain has yet to make an appearance. This is PRIME safari time – if you can stand the heat. The bushveld is cork-dry, although some of the larger trees have shed their annual flower cover for the bright green of new leaves. Eyes cast heavenward, local inhabitants await the glorious first rains …
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
We have two thrilling safaris lined up for photographic enthusiasts next year, offering up-close wildlife action and adventure. Start the discussion with us now!
Chitake Springs photographic and walking safari – 6 days:
This short, epic safari, led by two expert guides, is for the daring traveller and photographer seeking the ultimate in-your-face wildlife drama. Chitake Springs in Mana Pools National Park is a growing talking point amongst photographic guides for producing raw, untamed wildlife action. There are only 5 spots left for this safari, departing in September 2023.
Maasai Mara specialist photographic safari – 9 days:
Join us for this spectacular photographer-guided safari in the Maasai Mara. A specially modified photographer’s vehicle, off-road driving permits and the renowned big cats and Wildebeest Migration are a recipe for adventure. Join us next year in June, or August (only 2 spots left), for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
At AG, we believe that cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge are powerful conservation tools.
A few weeks ago, Simon travelled to magical Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek on Kenya’s tropical coast, where he spent time with A Rocha Kenya – a highly effective programme using ecotourism to fund community programmes and the restoration of threatened forests. Read Simon’s inspiring account of how impactful travel can empower rural communities and boost conservation in Africa below.
If you’ve ever come across a cavernous, freshly dug hole while out walking in the African bushveld, you’ve discovered that most fantastical of features: an aardvark lair. I’ve had the pleasure of finding dozens of these dwellings while hiking grasslands, mountains and bushveld areas throughout Africa – even in nature reserves in Greater Johannesburg. But I’ve never had the fortune of seeing an aardvark in the flesh. Spotting the elusive aardvark is high up on my bucket list. Read about this keystone species and shaper of landscapes in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
Story 1 FOREST WHISPERERS
Simon set out to Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek in Kenya to find out how community members are restoring threatened forests
Story 2 EARTH PIG
The elusive aardvark is a keystone species, shaping the landscape around it and providing dwellings for other mammals, reptiles and birds
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
We all have moments when even our native tongue fails us, and we forget a word we’ve known all our lives. Take my friend, for example, who, in a recent discussion about elephant drinking habits, referred to “elephant straws”. The word she was looking for was, of course, “trunk”, but her moment of amnesia inspired this newsletter fact-of-the-week.
Did you know that elephants suck water into their trunks at a speed of around 500 km/hour? One solid slurp will pull in three litres of water in a second. In the process, their nostrils expand in volume by 64%. However, the author was quick to emphasise that trunks are not “straws”.
WATCH: African Voices for Africa’s Forests | All across Africa, communities are pushing back against extractive industries and corporations grabbing their resources and land, by honouring indigenous methods of preserving nature and biodiversity. This short film highlights how communities are exploring nature-based solutions and climate justice to combat deforestation in Cameroon (09:01). Click here to watch
There are signs if you know what to look for… Some are obvious, like a pile of dark, freshly excavated soil or a massive entrance hole. Others are more subtle: adjacent patches of bare ground or a place where a shadow doesn’t fall quite right.
These signs hint at the existence of a network of secret tunnels, a daytime lair where one of Africa’s most fantastical animals slumbers beneath the ground: the aardvark.
The “earth pig”
The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is one of a kind, devoid of close living relatives and the only surviving member of an entire order of animals, the Tubulidentata. Their otherworldly forms look as though they sprang straight out of the crazed imagination of an overly caffeinated fantasy writer. Giant, rabbit-like ears perch atop a bizarrely elongated head ending in a pig snout, and massive talons extend from each foot. Their stout, hunched bodies range from a dirty grey-pink to brown and thick skin is covered in a light smattering of hair. Finally, the “aardvark look” is completed by what could only be described as a giant, stumpy rat’s tail. Such an eclectic collection of features might, on paper at least, sound positively monstrous, but on the aardvark, the overall effect is somehow oddly winsome.
Of course, as is usually the case in nature, form follows function, and the aardvark’s unusual attributes are all perfectly suited to nights spent terrorising ants and termites before sleeping off a full belly in the safety of a comfortable underground den. Even the name “aardvark” is inspired by their excavation skills and subterranean habits, coming from an old Afrikaans word meaning “earth/ground pig”. The genus name “Orycteropus” translates as the “burrowing foot”.
Although they have a widespread distribution throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, few people are afforded more than a brief glimpse of the elusive and primarily nocturnal aardvark. Their secretive natures mean that information surrounding their behaviour, particularly social dynamics, is still somewhat scant. Consequently, the aardvark has more global renown as the first word in the dictionary than a fascinating and complex mammal.
The aardvark is an elusive creature – highly secretive and hard to spot
Quick facts
Length:
1–2m
Mass:
60–80kg
Social Structure:
Solitary
Gestation:
Seven months
Conservation status:
Least concern
The nosey ones
Aardvarks subsist almost entirely on a diet of termites and ants (they are myrmecophagous), occasionally supplementing their water intake by snacking on the fruit of an aardvark cucumber. They emerge from their burrows as darkness descends (or slightly earlier during the colder, drier months) and set off searching for a meal, covering an average of around 2–5km every night. They move slowly, using their large ears and prodigious sense of smell to seek out termite and ant nests. Once located, aardvarks use their powerful claws to crack open termite mounds or dig beneath the soil, using a 30cm long tongue coated in sticky saliva to lap up the swarming insects. They will also make short work of a line of termites on the move.
Their characteristic noses are well suited to their gastronomic preferences. The tip of the snout is extremely sensitive and controlled by specialised muscles that allow it a high degree of mobility. Aardvarks, with their humongous ears and piggy snouts, also have more turbinate bones inside the nasal cavity than any other mammal, which is thought to increase the surface area for olfactory epithelium and improve their capacity to analyse scent molecules. When digging and feeding, these vulnerable nasal structures must be protected from both dirt and biting insects, and this is accomplished by a dense filter of thick nose hair and the ability to seal both nostrils tightly.
Despite some morphological and dietary similarities with New World anteaters, aardvarks and anteaters are not related, and any superficial resemblance can be attributed to convergent evolution. What sets aardvarks truly apart from any other mammal is their dental structure. The molar teeth do not have a pulp cavity or any enamel coating and instead consist of parallel tubes (hence Tubulidentata) of modified dentine held together by cementum. The sticky tongue approach to feeding means that copious amounts of sand accompany an aardvark’s meals, so the teeth wear down and are replaced continuously. However, the aardvark chews little while scoffing down tens of thousands of ants, so the muscular stomach takes over as a gizzard to further grind their food.
Dig it
Though aardvarks may have some of the keenest senses of hearing and smell on the continent, their eyesight is particularly poor. While foraging, they keep their ears pricked for approaching predators. Still, they become highly focussed when feeding, and it is surprisingly easy to creep close to a hunting aardvark unnoticed, provided one stays silent. As a result (and perhaps somewhat sensibly), they seldom stray far from a known bolt hole while feeding. When faced with a predator, their first defence is always to flee below ground. If necessary, they can dig out a tunnel up to a metre in length in less than five minutes.
However, this is not always possible, and, despite its rather bulky and cumbersome appearance, an aardvark is astonishingly fleet of foot and agile. Their long claws on shovel-like feet are formidable weapons if all else fails, and they will roll onto their backs to face a would-be attacker pointy side up.
Aardvarks dig different types of burrows: short tunnels for brief, overnight stays (“camping holes”), and dens with a straight tunnel ending in a round room and an extensive branching network with multiple entrances. Research shows that the temperatures in these tunnels fluctuate very little, acting as a warm refuge on cold days and sheltering their residents from the worst of the midsummer heat. Aardvarks move frequently, digging new dens every few days or weeks, and abandoned networks are often commandeered by warthogs, porcupines, hyenas, bats, mongooses, and even denning wild dogs (painted wolves).
Aardvarks emerge from their burrows late on winter afternoons or as darkness descends on warmer days, ready to use their large ears and powerful sense of smell to seek out termite and ant nests
The secret lives of aardvarks
The nocturnal activities of aardvarks leave behind very distinctive tracks to be discovered the following morning. Many a guide on a quiet drive or walk has pointed out a spot where an aardvark has stopped to feed, complete with claw marks and an indentation left by the tail. The guide will then invariably describe how one can tell it was a male aardvark due to two round indentations made by the scrotum. But alas! Contrary to prevalent belief, aardvarks have internal testes, and those impressions were likely left by the sizable scent glands found on both males and females.
The secretions produced by these scent glands have a profoundly pungent odour and are deliberately deposited when defecating and feeding. However, their exact function is still not fully understood. Given aardvarks’ low densities and extraordinary sense of smell, it is highly likely that these deposits offer a suitable means of indirect and long-lasting communication. Aardvarks are almost entirely solitary, but their territorial habits remain unclear. Home ranges often overlap, especially when food is plentiful, but whether or not they mark or defend territorial boundaries is unknown.
Aardvarks also likely use these scent marks as a coquettish communiqué between the sexes. Little is known about romances of aardvarks, though the male generally stays with his companion for the duration of her oestrus. Seven months later, the female gives birth to one baby belowground. Adult aardvarks may be fantastical and appealing, but it is somewhat challenging to extend such a description to their newborns. Without mincing words, newborn aardvarks are adorably ugly – pink, bald and wrinkly, with absurdly oversized feet. They are (unimaginatively) called cubs or calves. (If you have a better suggestion, they are all ears.)
After two weeks spent in the burrow’s safety, the baby begins to accompany its mother on foraging trips and will start feeding on solids some seven weeks later. By this time, it has acquired a hair covering and can now officially be described as cute. The youngster is fully weaned between three and four months old but will stay with its mother for at least a year. Occasionally, female offspring will remain with their mothers for an additional year, so it is not impossible to encounter a female with two different-aged youngsters.
As biological engineers, they shape the landscape around them
Earth shapers
As far as we know, aardvark populations are still considered stable across much of the continent, and the IUCN currently classifies them as “Least Concern”. However, there are no definitive population estimates as aardvarks are somewhat challenging to count. Due to their low densities and cryptic natures, they may be declining in some areas due to habitat loss. Like all specialist feeders, aardvarks are also particularly vulnerable to sudden population declines.
While termites and ants may seem ubiquitous, survival in extreme environments can be tremendously challenging. In the desert, for example, aardvarks undergo dramatic internal temperature changes. They have to compensate for the bitingly cold winter nights by emerging earlier in the afternoon, limiting their available feeding windows and struggling to meet metabolic requirements. During these dry months, food is scarce. After a severe drought, the authors of one particular study recorded the deaths of five of their initial six aardvark subjects. Droughts are part of typical climate patterns, but weather extremes are becoming more common, and animals like aardvarks are likely to be severely affected by climate change.
These curious creatures are a keystone species. As biological engineers, they shape the landscape around them, and their tunnels are a vital resource to a multitude of mammal, reptile, and bird species.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek on Kenya’s tropical coast near the resort town of Watamu support some of Africa’s rarest wildlife. The forest is the largest remnant of a dry coastal forest which once stretched from Somalia to Mozambique and is globally recognised for its rich biodiversity. As the wildlife fights for survival, so do the people living around the forest and creek. I had heard about a successful faith-based project that focuses on restoring threatened forests with local community members as the drivers. Intrigued, I set out to find out more.
“This is farming God’s way,” was a popular comment from the many people I encountered during my time with the A Rocha Kenya team, and, after a while, even this pantheist (or whatever the term is for my sort) saw the light. My host and founder of A Rocha Kenya – Colin Jackson – believes profoundly that the church is the sleeping giant of conservation. “Imagine if the church got each community member to plant and care for an indigenous tree!” he proffered while nonchalantly slipping a leg ring onto a tiny olive sunbird before releasing it. This got me thinking because I had never before viewed religion as a tool for conservation. After spending several heart-warming days with Colin’s team, I now do.
Ecotourism for the good of community
A Rocha Kenya runs a highly effective programme that uses ecotourism activities to provide secondary-school scholarships that meet the economic and social needs of communities living around the forest. Ecotourism funds the bursaries, and local people are taught to value and care for the forest and creek; environmental education and practical conservation activities complete the virtuous circle.
The scholarships enable local families to commit to lifestyle changes which lower their everyday impact on the forest. For example, tree nurseries of indigenous species and butterfly farming provide incentives and alternatives to illegal logging and non-sustainable fishing.
My base in the area was Mwamba Conservation Centre in the seaside town of Watamu – a rustic hostel for volunteers and tourists. Communal meals and a general all-hands-on-deck approach make this the ideal destination for single and hitched travellers wishing to get stuck into practical conservation chores while also enjoying the laid-back coastal vibe.
Mwamba Conservation Centre is a rustic hostel in Watamu, where visitors can perform practical conservation chores and enjoy the coastal vibe
Birding in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest
To fully appreciate the value of this coastal forest ecosystem, I went birding one morning in the nearby Arabuko-Sokoke National Reserve. My guide was local legend Albert Baya, another A Rocha Kenya employee. There are several highly sought-after bird species in the forest. Top of that list is the Sokoke scops-owl, which must be the cutest bird on the planet. There are a few known daytime roost sites for this tiny stunner, and we planned to head there mid-morning. First, though, we walked the forest in the early morning and managed to tick off delights such as Amani sunbird, pale batis, little yellow flycatcher, red-tailed ant-thrush, chestnut-fronted helmet-shrike, Mombasa woodpecker, coastal cisticola, Malindi pipet, southern-banded snake eagle and Fischer’s turaco. In addition, we heard Clarke’s weaver in the canopy but could not spot this elusive endemic that occurs only in a few tiny patches of forest in this area. Just think about that – this weaver occurs nowhere else in the world. We also bumped into two gorgeous golden-rumped sengis, although I only caught a glimpse as they scurried off into the dense undergrowth.
Once rising temperatures put paid to birding, we headed out to find the celebrated Sokoke scops-owl in the dense Cynometra portion of the forest. We were lucky – after leaving our vehicle, we followed a winding track for five minutes, ducked under a dense shrub and looked up into the wide-eyed stare of a pair of these gems – about 3m above me! The couple – one ginger and one grey – seemed totally non-plussed and yet unphased by our presence, and after a few minutes, they faded into snoozeville. After ecstatic but silent high-fives, we headed back to Mwamba for lunch.
A golden-rumped sengi spotted on the forest floor; a pair of Sokoke scops-owls; searching for birds in the forest
On the way back from the forest, I noticed butterfly nets hanging along a forest track (cover image). Albert explained the workings of this innovative project. Local butterfly farmers catch adult butterflies which they keep in cages for breeding purposes. The eggs hatch into caterpillars which then pupate. The pupae are sold internationally to butterfly parks for display to the public – who knew? Some of the butterflies are returned to the forest after a breeding cycle. This farming has no noticeable impact on butterfly numbers, whereas the practice is demonstrably successful in protecting this tract of forest. It’s a straightforward illustration of creating value in trees beyond firewood and furniture.
Kenya’s only coastal-tree nursery
To better understand the link between forest trees and local people, I visited A Rocha Kenya’s tree nursery near Watamu – the only coastal-tree nursery in Kenya. I was shown around the facility by the proud and passionate Alex Saidi, who explained that the trees grown from seed are provided free of charge to the families of bursary recipients for planting at their homes and in their neighbourhoods. The recipients are taught how to care for trees and use organic, no-till methods to ensure prosperous vegetable gardens – ‘farming God’s way’. The sound logic is that the trees have a better chance of survival if given to invested and trained people than if they are handed out willy-nilly – a clever strategy to ensure success. Also provided to bursary family members are energy-saving fireplaces, known as jiko, so villagers use less firewood for cooking. A Rocha Kenya also operates a tree nursery in Karara, Nairobi.
A Rocha Kenya’s tree nursery is the only coastal-tree nursery in Kenya. Here, trees grown from seed are provided to families for planting. The recipients are taught how to care for trees and use organic, no-till methods
Visiting Gedi Ruins
Albert took me to visit the 12th-century Gedi Ruins – a short drive from Watamu – which I highly recommend. This historical site has a fascinating history and is highly photogenic – well worth a few hours of your time. Unfortunately, our (mandatory) local guide rattled off his spiel with barely a breath taken, and I would recommend staying on afterwards to wander the vast site at your own pace quietly. Bring a hat, water and a snack. And for birders, I recommend taking your binoculars – we heard green barbet and Fischer’s turaco in the overhanging canopy.
The Gedi Ruins, near Watamu
Mida Creek
Another highly threatened forest type in this area is the once-extensive mangrove forests that play vital roles as fish and shellfish nurseries while offering coastal stabilisation and water purification. A Rocha Kenya supports the mangrove forests of the nearby Mida Creek with community-based projects of a similar kind. Again there is a nursery for mangrove trees. The community-built and managed boardwalk offers an excellent experience for bird-watchers – winding through the mangroves before terminating in a viewing platform at the lagoon edge to spot thousands of waders that call Mida Creek their home. I ticked off my first crab plover during my brief visit – a stunning bird, to be sure.
The boardwalks winding through the mangroves of Mida Creek offer an excellent experience for bird-watchers. These lead to the lagoon’s edge, where thousands of waders can be spotted
During my time at Mwamba, I watched team members busying themselves with moth surveys and bird-netting research and heard stories of community work, photographing sharks and monitoring plastic marine pollution. This project has many layers – a brilliant reflection of how nature works.
The teams at the Mwamba Conservation Centre get stuck into moth surveys and bird-netting research
Conserving Dakatcha Forest
A Rocha Kenya is securing blocks of the same coastal forest type as Arabuko-Sokoke – at Dakatcha Forest, about 60km away. This community-owned forest is going the way of many of Africa’s coastal forests – firewood and furniture. And so, Colin and his team are securing the land for future generations by providing the community with a set amount and implementing the same layers of sustainable-utilisation projects. What a fantastic endeavour! I have donated to this project – a direct and accountable way to mitigate my carbon footprint from this particular safari. All donations are welcome, but be aware that a US$300 donation will purchase one acre of land for conservation purposes. Now that there is a willing buyer the price of land is increasing, and Colin expects to pay up to US$500 per acre of more sought-after land. You, too, can contribute to further the cause.
A Rocha is securing Dakatcha Forest by supplying fixed amounts of wood to community members and encouraging sustainable use
I arrived at Mwamba not knowing what to expect and left feeling wiser and lighter. I sincerely hope this comment will make sense to some of you and that you will spend time in this paradise. Responsible, impactful travel is undoubtedly one of the best ways to empower rural African communities to maintain and even improve ecosystems and bolster biodiversity. Safari njema!
The Christmas lights are up in shop windows ? and the electric restlessness of the silly season is peeping out above the horizon.
So where to safari this festive season? Read on to find out!
Our first story below is one for the social media fanatics. There is no question that social platforms bring awareness to conservation issues. But are the shared posts, bold declarations and passionate comments making a difference? Our story delves into how social media attention fails to address pressing conservation threats. A poignant study for the ages.
In our second story, we’re laying down all there is to know about Kafue National Park. There is something spellbinding about this untamed Zambian expanse spanning woodland, sweeping plains, wetlands and an incredible variety of wildlife. This is one to add to the bucket list.
It’s summer in the south, and sweltering landscapes dotted with baby herbivores (predators in tow) are cooled by afternoon thunderstorms. East Africa is scant of tourists – the perfect opportunity to experience the magic in peace. Read our third story below for tips on planning your December–February safari.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Taryn van Jaarsveld – Editor
Story 1 ARMCHAIR CONSERVATION
Social media impacts conservation. But research shows that the attention elephants receive on Twitter fails to address urgent conservation issues
Story 2 UNTAMED ZAMBIA
Kafue is Zambia’s oldest & largest national park – known for sweeping plains, wetlands & abundant wildlife
Story 3 FESTIVE SAFARI.
See our tips & recommended destinations for visiting Africa in the festive season & beyond
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
For the sake of ruffling some feathers, so to speak, what manmade threat accounts for the greatest number of bird mortalities every year (not counting habitat loss)? The answer is domestic cats – by a substantial margin. Did you know that cats kill an estimated 1.4 to 3.7 billion birds in the United States each year? Research from other countries, including Australia, Canada, China and South Africa, reveals similar trends.
With our uncanny capacity to polarise every debate, the outdoor/indoor cat conversation invariably descends into a vicious slanging match (I anticipate at least one angry email in the next few days). Leaving aside the discussion on “natural behaviour” and cat welfare, why is it so difficult for avid cat lovers to acknowledge their beloved furbabies’ impact on the environment? To do so does not imply that the cats are at fault! So mystifying is this level of denial that scientists even dedicated an entire paper to untangling the cognitive dissonance.
Please keep your cats inside. It’s safer for them, and it’s better for the environment.
Mouse-Free Marion
We’ve just added the Mouse-Free Marion Project to our selection of trusted conservation and community projects.
In the early 19th century, house mice were accidentally introduced to Marion Island, a seabird haven in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, south-east of South Africa. This has had a devastating impact on the ecology of the island. The Mouse-Free Marion Project aims to remove the invasive mice, which are endangering the long-term survival of the seabirds and other native species of the island. Learn more about how the project is working to eradicate the problem, and see how you can help.
WATCH: Botswana is the safari connoisseur’s choice, offering some of Africa’s best game viewing, huge wilderness areas, superb lodges and most experienced guides. In this video, enjoy striking scenes from Botswana, a land of endless wildlife encounters (01:15). Click here to watch
The burgeoning popularity of social media has allowed it to evolve into a potent force with positive and negative consequences. From raising awareness to the proliferation of misinformation, social media can significantly impact conservation efforts. New research highlights how the attention elephants receive on Twitter fails to align with the most urgent conservation issues facing the species.
The researchers opted to focus on Twitter over other social media platforms because Twitter “aspires to facilitate real-time public conversations”. The studied tweets about elephants were posted between January and December 2019 and, once filtered for spam, numbered 2,484,228 tweets – which gives some idea of the reach of the messages conveyed. Of these, 3,749 tweets were manually analysed to understand their content.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified three primary threats facing all three elephant species (Loxodonta africana, Loxodonta cyclotis and Elephas maximus): habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and poaching. The magnitude of each threat differs between the species. Of the tweets analysed, just 21% related directly to the three major threats identified by the IUCN, with poaching receiving the most attention (13%), followed by human-elephant conflict (7%). Less than 1% addressed habitat loss.
Instead, the most frequently discussed topics overall were elephant welfare concerns such as tourist elephant rides (23%), non-specific conservation messages (19%), and videos and non-conservation news (17%). 10% of the tweets dealt with trophy hunting and culling, which the IUCN does not consider to be conservation threats to elephant populations. Furthermore, comments from non-elephant range countries were by far the most dominant on Twitter, with 72% of tweets originating from users in these countries. These users were more likely to post about elephant welfare concerns and trophy hunting and least likely to mention human-elephant conflict.
In contrast, users from African and Asian elephant-range states were far more likely to discuss human-elephant conflict and tourism. Tweets from Asian elephant-range countries revealed a stronger focus on elephant welfare concerns than their African counterparts. Users from African range states were more likely to tweet about poaching.
The researchers raise several reasons as to why their results are concerning. Political will – influenced by public interest – is essential in targeting and addressing anthropogenic activities that represent the most significant threats to endangered species. Public opinion, in turn, can be shaped by how mainstream media frames specific topics and how they are addressed on social media. If a person is repeatedly exposed to an issue on social media, they may be more likely to perceive it as important, possibly disproportionately so. Thus, public support, time and valuable resources might be misdirected towards initiatives that do not address the core threats to species and biodiversity. The authors use the example of the current emphasis on plastic pollution in the oceans – a serious concern but one which has been disproportionately emphasised over the more pressing threats of climate change and overfishing.
In addition, the disparities between the focus of users in elephant and non-elephant range states have the potential to contribute to a fundamental failure of understanding. A lack of awareness, particularly of the impact of human-elephant conflict, has the potential to create the impression that the lives of elephants are valued over those of the humans that live alongside them. As such, the authors emphasise a need to make local realities more central in social media discourse.
Another critical aspect raised during their research concerned the most discussed event among their analysed tweets: the death of a suspected poacher, killed by elephants and eaten by lions. The discourse around this event highlighted how extreme violence towards poachers is routinely advocated on social media. The upshot of this trend is that poachers are often portrayed as less than human, with no right to life or due process. Most of these tweets originate from states where the rights of suspected criminals are legally protected. This mismatch between the rights of their citizens and those of local community members is likely to reinforce the impression in local communities that their lives are undervalued. This could further alienate communities from conservation, and the authors call on the conservation community to call out and challenge this dehumanising narrative.
Though this research was focused on some of the challenges posed by social media, the authors conclude by emphasising that it can also be instrumental in generating support for conservation initiatives. The fact that many social media users are “motivated and willing to advocate for the protection of elephants” is a positive step. “[H]owever, suitable harnessing [of] this potential requires shifting the focus on social media towards the major threats to elephant conservation.”
There is a mermaid in the waterways of Kafue National Park… or so it is said.
If the stories are to be believed, Africa’s rivers are teeming with a variety of gods, spirits, and protectors. Today, it is said that the mermaid Kitapo lurks in the waters of the Kafue River in Zambia, saving children and the virtuous from its rapids and dragging murderers and criminals into the depths to be devoured by crocodiles. Perhaps she found refuge in the many waterways of Kafue National Park, a land still wild enough for deities of old. And while sightings of her are few and far between, visitors can still experience the magic of untamed Africa in lieu of meeting a goddess.
Kafue National Park and its surrounds
Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest and largest national park, spanning 22,400 km² (2,24 million hectares – more extensive than Wales) in western-central Zambia, offering some of the best safari experiences in Africa. The Kafue River and its many tributaries, including the Lufupa, Lunga, Luansanza and Musa Rivers, dominate the scenery. From stretches of veined river valleys to branching streams and swampy floodplains to the manmade Itezhi-tezhi dam, these waterways are the park’s lifeblood during the dry season.
In a park the size of Kafue, variety is a given. From south to north, the landscape transforms from miombo woodland punctuated by granite outcrops to the sweeping plains and wetlands. In the northernmost corner of the park lies the veritable wildlife haven of the Busanga Plains, surrounded by the Busanga Swamps. This watery wonderland comes alive at the height of the dry season, teeming with predators, prey, and prolific bird life. For wildlife viewing, Busanga is the Kafue National Park’s hive of activity.
Find out about Kafue for your next African safari. We have ready-made safaris to choose from, or we can build one just for you.
An early morning mist covers the grassland in the Busanga Plains, located in the north of Kafue. Puku and red lechwe are visible in the low-hanging cloud of moisture rising off the plain before sunrise
A highway bisects the park, and, unsurprisingly, Busanga’s productivity means that most lodges and infrastructure are centred in the northern half. Even so, Kafue retains a remote and unspoilt feel throughout. Overshadowed by the parks of the Luangwa Valley to the east, Kafue National Park has remained one of Zambia’s best-kept safari secrets: an untrammelled, uncommercialised park boasting astonishing luxury safaris in the wildest of settings.
Kafue National Park is one of the northernmost components of the vast Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), encompassing wilderness areas across Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The park is buffered by several contiguous Game Management Areas (GMAs): Mulobezi, Sichifulo, Mumbwa, Kasonso-Busanga, Lunga-Luwishi, Namwala, Bilili Springs and Nkala. GMAs were established in Zambia as a way for wildlife and humans to co-exist, allowing for consumptive use of the land, including hunting. The GMAs around Kafue National Park, in theory, add 38,384 km2 (nearly 4 million hectares) of additional space for wildlife to roam.
Kafue is known for its mighty Kafue River; miombo woodland punctuated by granite outcrops, sweeping plains and wetlands, teeming with wildlife (hippos, zebras and puku are all pictured here)
Kafue’s frolicking wildlife
Kafue is bursting with life. Like many parks in Africa, Kafue was marred by poaching during the latter half of the 21st century, but animal populations are gradually recovering. Perhaps hardest hit after the region’s rhinos (sadly now extinct), elephants are now an increasingly common sight in the park. They gather to feed on the fruit of the ilala palms or trudge through the woodlands.
Every year, the floodwaters of the Lufupa recede around July, gradually uncovering the grasses of the Busanga Plains and leaving small dambos (shallow wetlands) in their wake. Here, the ungulates gather in their thousands, with vast herds of buffalo, impalas, red lechwe, wildebeest, waterbucks, puku, and zebras arriving to graze and sate their thirst. This visual feast is almost Serengeti-like in its decadent variety. With their specially adapted hooves, reclusive, amphibious sitatunga conceal themselves in reedbeds, while roan and sable antelopes prefer the drier miombo forests. Blue and yellow-backed duikers secrete themselves in the undergrowth, along with the equally shy (but adorable) Sharpe’s grysboks.
Red lechwe make their way across the Busanga Plains
Naturally, this smorgasbord of prey species is an attractive prospect for Zambia’s carnivores. Lions are commonly encountered, and along with South Luangwa National Park, Kafue is one of the best places in Zambia to find leopards. It is also one of the only places in the country where cheetahs occur. Spotted hyenas provide the perfect dinner-time serenade (albeit in discordant competition with the tree hyraxes), and packs of endangered wild dogs (painted wolves) revel in the open space afforded by the plains. Smaller predators abound, with frequent sightings of servals, caracals, jackals and civets.
Kafue also has a reputation for sightings of more unusual creatures, such as bushpigs, pangolins, aardvarks, honey badgers, and ubiquitous springhares. What’s more, the rivers and tributaries are home to not just the expected pods of hippos and crocodiles basking on sandbanks, but also the sinuous forms of African clawless and spotted-neck otters, which are occasionally seen breaking the surface of the murky waters.
Kafue is home to abundant wildlife, including lion, which are commonly encountered; vast herds of buffalo; side-striped jackal; aardvark (Kafue offers great sightings of unusual creatures); wild dog; leopard; puku; red lechwe; large pods of hippos; and roan antelope
Kafue’s avian kaleidoscope
Such an impressive list of mammal diversity is hard to match, but the bird life on display in Kafue is equally, if not more, phenomenal. With 500 or so species recorded across the park’s diverse habitats, birding here is the best in Zambia and guaranteed to be rewarding. The miombo woodland specials include the Souza’s shrikes, yellow-bellied hyliotas, green-capped eremomelas, green-backed woodpeckers, and eastern miombo sunbirds. In the magnificent riverine forests with their ancient trees, Pel’s fishing owls roost, and Schalow’s and Ross’s turacos display brief flashes of red and green. Here, too, birders can try their hand at spotting the tiny white figures of the endemic and vulnerable Chaplin’s barbet, which roosts in fig trees.
The wide variety of life on display on the Busanga Plains extends to its feathered occupants: open-billed and saddle-billed storks vie with southern ground-hornbills and wattled and crowned cranes. Bright flashes of colour reveal a multitude of kingfisher species (including half-collared) launching themselves from suitable perches, and birds of prey soar overhead. African finfoots delight visitors as they glide past, and flocks of Böhm’s bee-eaters decorate the skies.
Prolific bird life abounds in Kafue, with over 500 species recorded. Pictured are: lappet-faced vultures; Böhm’s Bee-eater; trumpeter hornbill; grey crowned cranes; wattled cranes; African openbills; pink-throated longclaw; and half-collared kingfisher
Shining future
On the 1st of July 2022, the Government of Zambia entered into a 20-year agreement with the non-profit organisation African Parks to secure the protection and effective management of Kafue. The signing of this agreement was the culmination of years of planning, and African Parks, funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery’s Dream Fund grant and supported by The Nature Conservancy and the Elephant Crisis Fund, had already concluded a 16-month Priority Support Plan. This involved investing US$3.6 million in park infrastructure and operations, conducting an aerial census, and creating an additional 150 jobs within the park.
DID YOU KNOW that African Parks offers safari camps (lodges and campsites) where 100% of tourism revenue goes to conservation and local communities? Find out more and book your African Parks safari.
African Parks has been responsible for the management of Liuwa Plain National Park since 2003 and Bangweulu Wetlands since 2008. Kafue National Park became the 20th park in African Parks’ glowing portfolio of stabilised and rehabilitated protected areas across the continent.
Explore & stay
Want to go on a safari to Kafue? To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team. Scroll down after this story.
Kafue National Park is easily accessible, and accommodation options vary from budget campsites to ultra-luxury five-star lodges. It is primarily a dry-season park, and many lodges (and roads) are closed during the rainy season from December until March. Heavy downpours render most of the park largely inaccessible and increase the number of tsetse flies and the risk of malaria transmission during the rainy season. The only exception to this advice is for avid birders looking to make the most of the influx of migratory species during the summer months, though Busanga Plains remains strictly off-limits. For most visitors looking to experience the best of the park’s wildlife viewing, May through October is the time to go.
In a park the size of Kafue, it is to be expected that game drives would form the bulk of the safari experience, but not for nothing is Zambia known as “the home of the walking safari”. A guided walk is an essential part of exploring the park: aside from the sympathetic nervous buzz of an adrenaline-filled large-animal encounter, time spent on foot is unequivocally the best way to acquaint oneself with the park and affirm one’s connection to nature. Similarly, leisurely canoe and boating safaris slow things down and allow for greater immersion in the park’s spectacular surroundings. A hot-air balloon trip offers an even more unusual perspective, gliding silently (well, mostly, the occasional sound of the burner is loud) through the air and observing the wildlife, animal tracks and networks of a connected ecosystem.
There are plenty of activities on offer in the park, including: game drives to traverse the wide expansive terrain; hot-air ballooning to experience spectacular scenery; walking safaris; sundowners; and boat cruises along the rivers
Final thoughts
There is something spellbinding about Kafue, and, with such magnificent displays of Africa at its most spectacular, one could hardly blame Kitapo for ensconcing herself in the majesty that is Kafue National Park. Visiting the park brings this magic to life, capturing the hearts of all who set foot here.
Resources
Nanzhila Plains is a hidden gem in the remote southern reaches of Kafue. Read more here.
Hesté de Beer writes: “We visited the chief of this boma, Yona Koromo, and his family regularly over a 25-year period. The family allowed us into their homes and invited us to be part of all their rituals. Here, the chief’s wife, who gave us permission for this photo, awaits the sun outside her hut.” Lake Natron, Tanzania
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My name is Simon, and I am a safariholic. Being on safari peels me open like a ripe melon and washes my stresses away – the sensory overload and endorphin rush influence my body chemistry. True story.
And then there is this: South African and Namibian cheetahs are being sent to India to ‘restock’ their wildlife areas – with a different subspecies of cheetah. Many factors are at play here, and there has been so much bickering and trumpeting about this issue. At last, here is a summary we can all understand. Is this eco or ego? You decide.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
Congo forest & lowland gorilla trekking – 9 days: Search for lowland gorillas, bongos, dwarf crocodiles, forest elephants and grey parrots in the dense Congo forests on this 9-day safari like no other. This is for you if you’re willing to go beyond the safari norm to explore and discover truly wild areas.
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
We’ve jumped from a chilly winter straight into glowing heat waves here in the Highveld of South Africa, so I greet you this week with sweat on my brow and cider in hand.
In our first story below, we explore a mysterious medieval Swahili civilisation, buried in a primeaval forest just north of the small beach town of Watamu, Kenya. A visit to the carefully preserved Gedi Ruins in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest reveals the intricacies of a once-thriving metropolis, an important but little-known medieval centre of trade in East Africa. Read more to uncover age-old tales of class division, slavery, historical cultures and international relations.
In our second story, Jamie has analysed the most comprehensive report on the status of the world’s rhinos to date. With some countries pushing to reduce the conservation status of rhinos at the upcoming COP19 in November, this summary is an eye-opener on the issues at hand.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
Story 1 GEDI RUINS
Gedi was a medieval East African trade city. Today, you can visit Kenya’s Gedi Ruins to discover a lost Swahili civilisation
Story 2 RHINO UPDATE
Our analysis of the IUCN report containing the most recent rhino numbers, trends, poaching incidents, conservation measures & trade updates
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
If you happen to be living under the cartoon misapprehension that roosters crow once as the sun rises, allow me to elucidate something. They crow for many reasons, including territorially, to celebrate a successful mating and, I am convinced, purely out of spite. When there is artificial light (like city lights, for instance), they continue this throughout the night.
Now, did you know that roosters have been recorded crowing at volumes of up to 143 decibels? By comparison, a lion’s roar is roughly 110 decibels and a chainsaw around 120. Roosters can crow so loudly that they have a special soft tissue covering to protect their own eardrums.
Why this sudden poultry fascination? Because my landlords have five adult roosters, and one of them has it in for me. Cock-a-doodle-do indeed.
Magical Richtersveld
Kristi Goodman recently sought advice on visiting the desert landscape of the Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape of South Africa. Kristi writes on the forum:
“We are going to stay in the Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in early November and we’ll be travelling from Cape Town. We have looked into camping as well as the Tatatasberg Wilderness Camp. We have heard the park is huge! Is there any advice on what to do and must-visit areas?”
WATCH: Get a taste of the vast wilderness, immersive landscapes and incredible wildlife experiences that await in Botswana, in honour of our SPECIAL OFFER safaris throughout the country for SADC residents (02:26). Click here to watch
Rhino Specialist Groups of the IUCN & TRAFFIC have compiled a report containing the most up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of rhino numbers, trends, poaching incidents, conservation measures and trade at a national and international level.
In November 2022, the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be held in Panama. In preparation, the African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and non-governmental trade monitoring organisation TRAFFIC were tasked with compiling a report on the status of the world’s rhinoceros species. The resultant report’s 90 pages contain the most up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of rhino numbers, trends, poaching incidents, conservation measures and trade at a national and international level.
This article summarises the report’s main findings on population numbers and poaching statistics, which are accurate up until the end of 2021. Though the report contains information about African and Asian rhino species, we focus purely on the data for African species. All numerical data, such as population counts, should be considered estimates within a confidence interval unless otherwise stated. Poaching rates are based on the number of detected carcasses, adjusted for imperfect carcass detection.
Most recent population stats for African rhinos
In summary:
There are an estimated 15,942 white rhinos in Africa, 11.8% lower than the 18,067 individuals at the end of 2017. Since 2012, white rhino numbers on the continent have declined by 25.2%.
Four range States conserve the largest proportion of the continent’s white rhinos: South Africa (81.3%), Namibia (7.7%), Kenya (5.5%) and Zimbabwe (2.6%).
Total black rhino numbers have risen 12.2%, from an estimated 5,495 in 2017 to 6,195 at the end of 2021.
The four range States that conserve the largest proportion of the continent’s black rhinos are Namibia (34.8%), South Africa (33.2%), Kenya (15.1%) and Zimbabwe (9.9%).
2,707 poaching incidents were recorded in Africa from 2018 to 2021. 90% of these occurred in South Africa. This represents an overall decline from 3.9% of the continental population in 2018 to 2.3% in 2021. Peak poaching levels of 5.3% were observed in 2015.
Several countries, including South Africa, recorded a decrease in poaching during the 2020 pandemic but then reported a rise again in 2021. However, the report acknowledges vigorous law enforcement and conservation efforts within several range states.
The number of horns entering illegal trade from 2018 to 2020 was estimated at between 4,593 to 5,186, with over half recovered through law enforcement activities. The 2018 to 2020 figures represent the lowest annual estimate in the past decade. However, this could be partly attributed to the 2020 pandemic.
In terms of illegal trade volume, the seven countries most affected by the illegal trade in rhino horn from 2018 to 2020 are (in order): South Africa, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mozambique, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. (Total weight and number of horns seized in each country, as well as seizures where the country was implicated as part of the illegal supply chain.
Botswana was noted with concern due to the significant decline in the rhino population and unconfirmed reports of high levels of poaching in 2021.
From 2018 to 2021, there were 1,588 arrests made for crimes involving rhinos across Africa. 751 of these cases were prosecuted, and just 300 resulted in convictions.
South Africa and Namibia reported a total of 236 white rhinos and eight black rhinos legally trophy hunted from 2018 to 2021.
South Africa is home to the majority of white rhinos on the continent; as such, the country’s conservation contributions exert considerable influence on continental trends. White rhino populations in South Africa declined from 15,625 at the end of 2017 to 12,968 at the end of 2021, the lowest population since pre-2005. More than half of these are privately owned. While the country’s white rhinos accounted for 86.5% of Africa’s population in 2017, this has declined to 81.3% in 2021. The country’s total black rhinos are estimated to number 2,056 individuals, an increase of ten since 2017.
South Africa experienced peak poaching levels in 2014 when 1,215 rhinos were killed, after which poaching incidents gradually declined. 2020 saw a decade low of 394 rhinos killed, which increased to 451 in 2021. As of August 2022, 259 rhinos have been poached throughout the country for the year, most of which were killed in KwaZulu-Natal province. From 2018 to 2020, 1,116 whole horns were seized, representing at least 558 individual rhinos and around 4% of the surviving population in 2021.
Trophy hunting of both rhino species is legal in South Africa and Namibia. During the reporting period, 72 rhinos were legally trophy hunted in South Africa in 2018, 58 in 2019, eight in 2020 and 102 in 2021. This equates to a harvesting rate of between 0.37% and 1.78% of the country’s remaining population. Namibia reported that 17 white rhinos were trophy hunted in 2019 and 22 in 2021, along with three black rhinos from 2018 to 2021. The report notes that the revenue raised from these trophy hunts is important in supporting conservation costs, with hunting revenue ranging from US$15,000 to US$300,000 per rhino (black rhino hunts being substantially more expensive than white) in Namibia (South Africa did not report prices for trophy hunts).
Namibia reported an increase in black and white rhino populations over the four-year reporting period, from 975 to 1,234 white rhinos and from 1,857 to 2,156 black rhinos at the end of 2021. After South Africa (which reported 90% of all poaching incidents in Africa), Namibia recorded the second highest poaching figures in 2021 – 40 rhino carcasses detected, equating to 8% of approximately 554 rhinos poached across the continent. At least 93 rhinos were poached in 2018, 56 in 2019 and 40 in 2020. A total of 32 seizures yielded an estimated 57 whole horns from 2018 to 2021. Though not included within the report, recent numbers from Namibia indicate a concerning rise in poaching incidents for 2022, which experts suggest is due to a shift in focus by criminal syndicates. By August 2022, 48 rhinos had been poached in Namibia, 11 of which were killed over two weeks in June.
During the reporting period, Namibia reported an estimated US$1,237,575 raised through trophy hunting. The country has once again submitted a proposal for the downlisting of white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II (South Africa and eSwatini are currently the only two countries where white rhinos are listed on Appendix II). This would ease export restrictions for legally hunted trophies and the movement of live animals. The ten-page proposal indicates that the movement of live animals would be conducted only for in-situ conservation.
Kenya
Kenya has the third highest number of rhinos in Africa. At the end of 2021, it was home to 15.1% (938) of Africa’s black rhinos and 5.5% (873) of the continent’s white rhino, including the last two remaining northern white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). Both black and white rhinos have increased overall since 2017, from 745 black rhinos and 513 white rhinos. Kenya’s black rhinos are the eastern black rhino subspecies (Diceros bicornis michaeli), making it home to the largest population of the least numerous black rhino subspecies.
There were no known poaching incidents in Kenya in 2020, but six rhinos were poached in 2021. Before that, four carcasses were detected in both 2018 and 2019. Three seizures representing an estimated four whole horns were made from 2018 to 2020.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s rhino populations have increased since 2017, from 367 to 417 white rhinos and from 520 to 616 black rhinos at the end of 2021. Poaching levels peaked in 2019 when 82 carcasses were discovered, followed by 12 in 2020 and four in 2021. Six seizures were made over a three-year period from 2018 to 2020, amounting to an estimated 19 whole horns. The country is in the process of dehorning its entire rhino population.
Botswana
Botswana did not provide the compilers of the report with information on population breakdowns, poaching data or law enforcement activities for 2021 – the only rhino range state not to do so. Their rhino population has been decimated from 452 white and 50 black rhinos in 2017 to 242 white and 23 black rhinos (a 46% and 54% decline, respectively) in 2021. Poaching incidents began to escalate in 2017 when nine rhinos were killed, followed by 18 in 2018, 31 in 2019 and 55 in 2020. The authors suggest that poaching levels in 2021 were likely similar to those of 2020. Two seizures equating to four whole horns were made from 2018 to 2020.
Despite this, Botswana has also proposed downlisting white rhinos to Appendix II.
Mozambique
Mozambique is an important transit country in the illegal trade of horn, supplied by poaching incidents in neighbouring South Africa. 75% of the seizures in the country (where the destination could be identified) were destined for Vietnam. The report did not mention the recent translocation of over 40 white and black rhinos to Zinave National Park from South Africa in 2022.
Additional country information in rhino populations
A new white rhino population of 30 individuals from South Africa was established in Akagera National Park in Rwanda at the end of 2021. The country’s reintroduced black rhino population has grown from 19 at the end of 2017 to 28 at the end of 2021. Zambia’s black rhino population grew from 48 to 58 in four years, but the white rhino population is now estimated at just eight individuals. Uganda’s rhinos were driven to extinction in the 1980s, but a small sanctuary is now home to a growing population of 35 white rhinos. Tanzania’s white rhino population is extinct, but the country reported an increase in black rhinos from 160 to 212. This can be partly accounted for by the translocation of rhinos from South Africa to Serengeti National Park in 2019. eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) has a population of 98 white and 48 black rhinos. The countries above all reported zero detected poaching incidents in 2020 and 2021.
A full breakdown of Africa’s rhino populations by country can be found in Table 2 on page 25 of the report.
Final thoughts on the state of Africa’s rhinos
The new report by the IUCN and TRAFFIC contains a comprehensive analysis of rhino numbers and poaching statistics across Africa and Asia but also details conservation measures, horn stockpiles, national and international law enforcement efforts, education initiatives and challenges. The exact impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the rhino horn trade is unknown. However, Sabri Zain, TRAFFIC Director of Policy, emphasised that “2020 did represent an abnormal year with low levels of reported illegal activity, law enforcement, and government reporting”. As such, the report strongly urges the continued and consistent monitoring of illegal trade.
Furthermore, most of the remaining rhinos are found in small populations, with a median reported population size of nine. 94.7% of Africa’s rhino populations comprised fewer than 200. As a result, they are particularly vulnerable to stochastic processes such as droughts and disease. While the overall decline in poaching is encouraging, it remains the single greatest threat to Africa’s rhino species, and recent increases are a cause for considerable concern.
Buried deep within thickets of primaeval forest just north of the small beach town of Watamu, Kenya, you’ll find the remnants of a mysterious medieval Swahili civilisation built from stone. Deep within the ancient, dry coastal Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, the carefully preserved ruins of the once-thriving metropolis of Gedi await enlightened exploration.
This important historical and archaeological site – today known as the Gedi Ruins (also spelt ‘Gede’) – was once a centre for trade along the East African coast and comprised dozens of stone structures and foundations dotted amongst the forest. Set amongst overgrown indigenous woodland, with butterflies, birds and Syke’s monkeys dancing about the thicket, the narrow paths winding between the excavated buildings are well worth exploring. The ruins are a reminder of the decadent cross-continental trade and diverse cultures of East Africa.
Historical significance
The thriving metropolis of Gedi once hosted a population of 2,500 people and flourished between the 12th and 16th centuries. While the oldest ruins of Gedi date between 1041 and 1278, many of the structures were rebuilt in the 15th century – evidence of an influx of inhabitants from surrounding villages and towns.
Little was known of this important Indian Ocean centre of trade outside of local lore until the early 1920s, when British colonists rediscovered the site, and it gained the attention of the British East African government. This set in motion its declaration as a national monument in 1927 and excavations of the ruins in the 1940s.
Exploration and unearthing of ancient artefacts in Gedi, such as Venetian beads, Ming Dynasty and Islamic pottery, and Spanish scissors, led archaeologists to discover that the city was once a centre of trade and wealth. Evidence shows that the city traded with China, the Near East, Arabia, India and South-East Asia. What continues to mystify historians, however, is that despite these extensive trading activities, no written record of Gedi’s existence can be found before the 20th century. Stranger still is the remote location in a forest more than 5kms from a coast with poor anchorages – which would have proved impractical for traders from across the ocean. Nevertheless, Gedi maintained economic success, and all evidence points to its importance as a cross-continental trade hub.
The remains of mosques in the city indicate the adoption of Islam by Gedi’s inhabitants in the twelfth century
As a centre for Swahili trade, it is likely that Gedi also exported gold, ivory, ebony, mangrove poles, copper, copal gum, frankincense, myrrh, crystal rock – and even slaves. While not much is known about the history of the slave trade in Gedi specifically, anecdotal evidence and lore point towards its prominence during the 18th century. Locals speak of caves near the ruins where slaves were kept before being sold and tunnels used for transport to the beaches. While East Africa was a late participant in the transatlantic slave trade, with the trade picking up towards the end of the 18th century, there is evidence of Muslim merchants trading slaves from East Africa with countries bordering the Indian Ocean as early as the 7th century. Given Gedi’s prominence as a trade city, its thriving economy, its position on the East Coast and mixed cultures, trading of slaves in Gedi was likely.
Gedi’s advanced developments set the city apart from many of its contemporary towns. These included sewage systems, lavatories, safe rooms, and formally structured streets on a grid system. In its heyday, the city likely ran on a mixed economy of livestock, agricultural and horticultural production, with certain food items also brought in through trade. Three mosques built in the north of the city indicate the adoption of Islam by Gedi’s inhabitants in the 12th century.
The town was divided by two walls, with an outer wall enclosing many mud-thatch dwellings and an inner wall surrounding the mosques and some houses. Various stone buildings in the city include a Sheikh’s palace, the aforementioned mosques, and coral-brick houses interspersed with mud-thatch houses. These structures point to a class-based division in the city structure, with elite inhabitants occupying the centre of the town, middle-class residents living in the interim division, and poorer residents living on the outskirts.
Cryptic findings from archaeological digs reveal an unexplained mass exodus from the city in the 17th century – a subject of much debate today. Evidence suggests this abandonment was due to Portuguese pressure at the time, which would have threatened trade and even led to armed incursions in the city. Added to this were the lingering menace from the Galla, a hostile nomadic ethnic group from Ethiopia, the Wazimba raids along the East African coast in 1589, and the removal of the Sheikh of Malindi in 1593. Signs that the well outside the mosque was deepened also point toward a struggle to access water – another possible reason that the site was eventually abandoned.
The remnants of varying building styles illustrate a class-based division in the city structure
Exploring the city
The ruins of former structures at the site reflect Gedi’s intricate social and economic structure. Much of the remaining grid system and the remains of walls and various buildings can still be seen in the ruins today. The complex is large, but be sure to visit the inner walls of the city where the palace is found. Of interest is a dated coral tomb engraved with Arabic script.
The city is shrouded in mysticism, and you’ll likely hear whisperings from locals about ancestral spirits residing at Gedi. Many believe that the ruins are still protected by the spirits of the city’s former religious leaders. Local tradition says that the spirits will curse anyone who harms this site.
The site is within easy reach of the towns of Malindi and Watamu. There are few signposts with directions en route to the ruins, so it is essential to have adequate directions or a driver in the know to get you there.
Travellers can visit the ruins unaccompanied, hire a guide at the entrance, or take a guided tour from Malindi or Watamu – although it is highly recommended that you set a few hours aside for unabated exploration of this fascinating, otherworldly setting. The entrance fee does not include a guide. If you’d like to hear details of the area’s history, a guide is recommended, but exploring the ruins on your own at your pace can also be an enlightening experience (don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and bring along some water!). There are a few signposts around the ruins that provide insight into the history of the area.
Find out about KENYA for your next African safari – find a ready-made safari or ask us to build one just for you.
A few signs and informational boards are present at the ruins to assist visitors to navigate the lost city
Visitors to the ruins can also stop in at the Kipepeo Butterfly Project, which, through an innovative breeding programme of the forest butterflies, brings in income for the local community. Many of the items excavated from the ruins – including artefacts of trade – can be viewed in the museum on site. There is also a snake sanctuary at the ruins. The magical forest surrounds allow ample photographic opportunities for visitors.
Today, the importance of the Gedi Ruins is widely recognised. Under the care of the National Museums of Kenya, intense study of the area continues. The local community also helps maintain the ruins and benefits from tourism’s earnings. Allow a few hours for a visit: the trip to the Gedi Ruins is well worth the time and will bring to life a lost Swahili civilisation and the historical cultures of the East African coast.
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Khwai wildlife action + surviving snares + mega safari
It’s no secret that the safari industry has been hammered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Although many lodges are now full, this is partly because of Covid-delayed bookings – which will also impact the 2023 season, although to a lesser extent. This means that safari planning for next year should be done sooner rather than later if you are travelling during the high season of June to September. Start the conversation now so we can plan an expertly tailored African adventure just for you.
Speaking of heading out on that much-anticipated safari, our talented Photographer of the Year 2022 winners have just returned from their well-deserved trip to Khwai Private Reserve, Botswana. Our CEO Simon accompanied the travellers and has returned with tales of non-stop wildlife action, predator sightings and elephant antics. Read Simon’s trip report on the incredible wildlife encounters experienced by the group, complete with stunning pictures from a few of the attendees. Not to be missed in our first story below.
Our second story delves into the effects of human-wildlife conflict on lions and leopards in the Luangwa and Kafue regions in Zambia. Scientists examining the skulls of trophy-hunted lions and leopards from these areas have detected old injuries from snares and shotguns. The alarming quantity of incidents picked up by the scientists shows that the occurrence of snare entanglement for the big cats, as well as other run-ins with humans, greatly surpasses previous estimates. Read more below.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Taryn van Jaarsveld – Editor
Story 1 WILDLIFE ACTION
Khwai Private Reserve in Botswana offers non-stop wildlife action. Our Photographer of the Year finalists visited the reserve for an epic experience
Story 2 SURVIVING SNARES
Scientists can now detect injuries from snares & shotguns on trophy-hunted lions & leopards – quantifying the extent of previously unreported human-wildlife conflict
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Wednesday, the 28th of September, was World Rabies Day. We (students of the Faculty of Veterinary Science) spent the day in an urban township called Soshanguve, just north of Pretoria, vaccinating community dogs and raising awareness about this fatal disease. It was an immensely enriching experience and a vital initiative conducted in conjunction with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Did you know that infectious diseases – including rabies and canine distemper – transmitted by domestic dogs are one of the primary threats facing African wild dog (painted wolf) populations across the continent? Vaccination campaigns of rural domestic dogs may be time-consuming and expensive, but their conservation value cannot be overstated – they are the ONLY effective tool for controlling these viruses. They save animal and human lives.
There’s no better time than now to book your next adventure. October-November is a great time to embark on your safari: the rains have not yet arrived, the crowds have left, wildlife encounters are numerous and exploring all that the continent has to offer will be a delight. Whether you prefer a few days in a watery paradise, or a mega trip traversing multiple countries, we’ve got the handmade package for you:
Okavango Delta safari – 4 days: This brief safari is a great introduction to the lush wilderness of the Okavango. Glide down the complex network of waterways on a mokoro (water level dependant), spot the Big 5 while on game drives and enjoy spectacular birdwatching. Choose between a budget, mid-range or luxury option – there’s something for everyone!
Southern Africa mega safari – 19 days: This iconic southern African safari is the ultimate bucket-list adventure, covering three countries: Visit Greater Kruger, Cape Town and the winelands in South Africa, Khwai Community Concession and Chobe National Park in Botswana, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe – for a decadent once-in-a-lifetime trip.
WATCH: They’re small, cute and rather special – rock hyraxes, also known as dassies. This thrilling documentary about the lives of dassies on the South African coastline has it all: territorial disputes and declarations of war, romance and love songs, playful youngsters and raunchy teenagers, narrow escapes and hard lessons (51:39). Click here to watch
The action within meters of us was so intense, so absorbing, that now and then, we had to rest the eyes and recalibrate brains that had lapsed into states of catatonic bliss. But more about that later. My wife and I spent almost a week in August 2022 with our Photographer of the Year 2022 winners in Botswana’s Khwai Private Reserve. These few words do scant justice to the experience, and the images below go a bit further.
Our first game drive yielded a hunting party of seven wild dogs (African painted wolves) in the fading light and then a relaxed serval that sat within meters of us, paws neatly tucked in like a chilled house cat – great harbingers of things to come in our sojourn to paradise. The following morning found us parked off for hours under a massive camelthorn tree; a leopard seductively draped over a gnarled branch; legs and tail dangling. On the way back to the lodge for lunch, we bumped into a haggard one-eyed male lion – still recovering from a sound beating he recently took from pretenders to his throne. The three large intruders were still trawling the area, and our vanquished leader’s two coalition partners, eight lionesses and eight cubs, had fled. We also bumped into a leopardess and her two tiny cubs on a few occasions. The final sighting of her was sans cubs as she rested on a low-hanging bare branch in the dark of night before indulging us with a few yoga poses, sliding down the tree and strolling haughtily past us and into the night. Our photographers filled many an SD card and drained their batteries that night …
But enough about the game drives along the lush water channels that so define this eastern fringe of the Okavango Delta. What draws me to this place at the height of the dry season is the two underground photographic hides on the dry east side of Khwai Private Reserve – close to Chobe National Park (there are no fences). I have spent many hours in these hides armed with only a mobile phone and binoculars – absorbing every detail as wild Africa reveals her riches, exuberance and moods. At this time of year, there is a constant stream of big male elephants that arrive from near and far. These big boys move between Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia in search of food, water and mating opportunities.
And so, this year, our group of photographic winners and their partners headed to Khwai to witness what is undoubtedly one of Africa’s best elephant experiences. These gentle giants slurp, jostle and rumble a few meters away – so close that sometimes all you can see are legs, bellies and that other large bit. It’s fascinating to see the various characters amongst the bulls and how some are respected more than others. Sometimes the water clears entirely of elephants on the arrival of an individual elephant with a confident swagger and gangster attitude.
Our winners often grabbed their expensive equipment as water sprayed into the hide while behemoths barged and sloshed outside. I spent a fair bit of time outside the hides, a few meters from the elephants but protected by a pile of logs, and on several occasions, observed them watching the humans through the hide slots as they sprayed the water into the hide. Make of that what you will.
And in-between the forest of grey legs, we also spotted gangs of banded mongoose, warthogs, impalas, emerald-spotted wood doves and Burchell’s sandgrouse trying their luck.
See our Botswana safari special offers below these epic images.
One of two underground photographic hides in Khwai Private Reserve
The east-facing photographic hides accommodate up to 6 photographers on comfortable padded chairs. The hides are underground and so cool inside – a pleasant difference to rising outside temperatures at this time of year. The best time to see large numbers of elephants is from August to November (before the first rains) from late morning onwards as they arrive to drink in the heat of the day. The two hides are a 10-minute game drive from Sky Beds ( a must-do experience) and 40 minutes from Hyena Pan Lodge (another immersive elephant destination). The area is dominated by mopane and Kalahari apple-leaf woodland and scrub – and supports good eland, roan and sable antelope populations.
The low-level perspective of the underground hides results in mesmerising photos
Perhaps the images below will go some way in illustrating what our exuberant group experienced during our time in Khwai Private Reserve. Though we all agreed that words and pictures did not adequately describe the mind-numbing underground hide experience.
We were fortunate to spend time with this large female leopard as she enjoyed a late morning snoozeClose-up photos captured from the underground hidesTower-top accommodation for sleeping under the stars at Sky BedsA leopard cub pauses to engage with us. Its sibling and mom were nearby but invisibleIncredible opportunities for abstract wildlife shots at Khwai’s underground hides; Our 2022 Photographer of the Year Alex Brackx and his wife Karen enjoying a mokoro outingThis vanquished pride male displays his battle scarsA Meyer’s parrot poses for its portrait
A muddy traipse through the waterhole by one of the behemoths, captured by the photographer at eye-levelA coppery-tailed coucal soaks up the first rays of the day, and an Africa barred owlet in late-afternoon sunlightThe mother leopard encountered several times during our safari resting on a low-hanging branch, without her cubsBull elephants put on a display at the waterholeA yellow-billed oxpecker enjoys a meal atop a young zebra; sundowners never tasted sweeter
Lodges we stayed at
Little Sable
This stylish camp in Khwai Private Reserve has eight canvas tents that each overlook a floodplain and beyond to the tree-lined bank of the deep Sable Alley water channel. The camp has a cosy feel, with privacy ensured by tall trees that also keep the tents in shade. Game-drive action starts the minute you leave the camp, and mokoro explorations of the waterways are just a short drive away.
Hyena Pan
Eight canvas tents in the shade of cathedral mopane trees look over a large waterhole that teems with elephants and other wildlife. This camp has a slightly eclectic feel – with a laid-back vibe. Set in the dry deciduous woodland back-country, this camp is best located to enjoy the underground photo hides and Sky Beds. Game drives will take you to the wildlife-rich water channels and floodplains of Sable Alley.
Sky Beds
This unique camp comprises three wooden ‘towers’ set far apart, with a central unit to enjoy meals and sundowners. Each tower has a middle-story rest room with shower and toilet and an upper-story bedroom open to the stars – making this a ‘million-star’ experience! The sky beds look over a waterhole popular with elephants, lions and other wildlife.
Human-wildlife conflict is an ever-growing threat to wildlife (and people) in Africa. Scientists from the Zambia Lion Project at the University of California examining the skulls of lions and leopards have found that simple forensic methods can improve the detection of previous non-lethal injuries from snares and shotguns.
Quantifying the extent of human-wildlife conflict is challenging for conservationists and policymakers, as many incidents go undetected and unreported. Mortality of animals is usually used to estimate its effects on wildlife, but this approach fails to include non-lethal injuries, which are difficult to detect. As a result, the potential for underestimation is high. Notably, this new research found definitive evidence of snare entanglement that greatly surpassed the previous estimates for the Luangwa and Kafue regions in Zambia. The researchers also discovered that nearly a third of the examined male lions had old shotgun-pellet injuries to their skulls.
These findings came from the forensic examination of the skulls and teeth of 112 trophy-hunted lions and 45 trophy-hunted leopards that lived in Zambia between 2000 and 2012. Researchers noticed unnatural wear marks on the teeth and, by comparison with evidence from pumas, foxes and coyotes, were able to conclude that these marks were made by biting and pulling on wire snares. The grooves left behind on the teeth are distinctive and distinguishable from natural tooth wear. Snares can have a devastating effect on both individual animals and the ecology of an area due to their indiscriminate nature and capacity for severe injury and suffering. For carnivores, the impact of snares is two-fold: depleting their natural supply of prey and causing potentially lethal injuries.
Using this method (along with other physical evidence such as characteristic scarring), the researchers found that 37% of the male lions and 22% of the leopards survived being snared and escaped during their lifetimes. Similarly, close examination of some of the skulls revealed evidence of shotgun injuries. In some cases, the pellets were still embedded in the skulls. In others, characteristic circular indentations, metal marks and bony inflammation associated with lead made these injuries easy to distinguish. 27% of the studied lion skulls had these injuries (none were found in the leopard skulls). While poachers do use shotguns, local community members may also fire shotguns to scare off carnivores without the intention of harming or killing them. However, the buckshot has the potential to cause serious injury and with the added concern of future lead poisoning.
16% of the lions from Kafue National Park and 7% from the Luangwa Valley had previously survived both snares and shotgun injuries. While it is conjecture, the researchers suggest several possible scenarios where one injury may have occasioned the other. For example, a snare injury could compromise a lion’s hunting ability, leading them to seek easier livestock prey and increasing their risk of encountering humans and being hazed with buckshot.
Interestingly, researchers concluded that the incidents of anthropogenic injuries to wild animals were higher in the Kafue region than in Luangwa. They had expected to find the opposite, as Luangwa has higher human population densities than Kafue, and poaching and human-wildlife conflict are generally more prevalent near human settlements. One possible reason is that anti-poaching and incentive programmes were more intensive and widespread in Luangwa, with an increased risk of detection due to anti-poaching programmes and higher tourist densities. However, it shows that human population size is not necessarily an accurate predictor of human-wildlife conflict, and there may be many more complex nuances.
Understanding and quantifying human-wildlife conflict is of vital importance to the survival and well-being of both Africa’s wildlife and people, as well as analysing the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. Through relatively simple forensic techniques, the authors of this new study were able to reveal more “cryptic” poaching and incidents of conflict between people and animals. They recommend that standardised photographs of the skulls and teeth of all live-captured or hunted carnivores be taken as a matter of course to aid scientific investigations.
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Ancient forest + nocturnal elephants
There is a plant so rare that it OCCURS ONLY on one rocky hilltop near my hometown. Nowhere else on the planet. Its human-given name is Encephalartos dyerianos – the Lillie cycad. Its numbers have been reduced to critically endangered levels by poachers – fueled by collectors and gardeners who feel that this prehistoric beauty should feature in their private collections rather than where nature intended. Go figure.
Anyway, two days ago, I hiked to the top of that hill and communed with these giants. I was accompanied by a small team of HEROES – anti-poaching folk who dedicate their lives (literally) to keeping rhinos safe. And cycads. The excellent news is that there is a plan being developed to ensure the safety in the wild of the remaining Lillie cycads. More about that later, once the ink is dry.
Elsewhere, South Africa’s Minister of the Environment et al has ordered sardine-fishing companies to CEASE FISHING in the vicinity of the last remaining African penguin colonies. The ban is temporary until all scientific input has been evaluated. Competition for food is thought to be among the pressures contributing to the decline of the African penguin population over the last century from more than a million breeding pairs to about 10,000 pairs. Hopefully, we will see more brave, far-sighted decisions like this from other people in positions of power.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
This week we are taking you on a journey to one of Kenya’s best-kept secrets: the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. This ancient and almost eldritch forest, just inland from the small beach town of Watamu, is filled with weird, wonderful and endangered creatures found nowhere else on earth. The forest is a must-visit for naturalist and adventurers alike. Read our first story below to find out what makes this coastal forest so special.
New research shows that Chobe elephants are so affected by human farming activities, that they have learnt how to change their activity patterns to reduce risk of human encounters. Scientists found that Chobe’s intuitive elephants moved through the wildlife corridors in agricultural landscapes almost exclusively at night. Read more about this fascinating study in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
Story 1 ANCIENT FOREST
Kenya’s magical Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, home to endangered creatures found nowhere else on earth, is a birder’s dream
Story 2 SAVVY ELEPHANTS
Chobe elephants have learnt how to change their activity patterns to reduce risk of human encounters – new research
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
I have some good news about the environment! (Yes, you read that correctly.) Did you know that the ozone layer in the atmosphere is gradually recovering and may even be fully repaired in the next 40 years?
It has been 35 years since humanity took the necessary action to phase out the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs – chemicals once used in refrigerators and aerosols). These were burning holes in our ozone – the stratosphere layer responsible for shielding our planet from much of the Sun’s UV rays. Since peak levels of the early 1990s, the quantities of CFCs and other ozone-depleting gases in the mid-latitude stratosphere have fallen over 50%.
It just goes to show what rapid action can achieve…
Artsy Safari
Travel client Christine recently visited Kambaku Safari Lodge, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, for an AG safari with pro-artist, Alison Nicholls:
“You know a trip has been great when you are sad to see it end and are already thinking about the next one shortly after. Alison’s art safari helped me reconnect with my art in an inspiring and joyful way. With Alison’s expert advice I noticed an improvement in my sketches on day one and learnt how to better observe wildlife to translate what I was seeing onto my page. The daily drives helped hone my ability to capture what I was seeing quickly, and to feel more comfortable using watercolour to sketch.
The accommodation at Kambaku was amazing – as was the food, and hospitality of the lodge staff. The AG team were also great to work with. They were very responsive and helpful with all my questions and travel logistics to ensure a positive trip. I’m so glad I signed up for this memorable experience that I will always remember. ”
WATCH: The largest overland migration in the world has reached the Mara River and The Greatest Show on Earth – the crossing and recrossing of the river by the wildebeest herds – is in full swing at the moment. (43:13). Click here to watch
Kenya is renowned for her sweeping plains and savannas bursting to the brim with iconic animals. Yet she still has a few well-kept secrets to which only a fortunate few are privy. One such secret is the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest – an ancient and almost eldritch forest filled with weird, wonderful and endangered creatures found nowhere else on earth.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest
The Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is the largest remaining fragment of dry coastal forests that once stretched along a significant portion of the East African coastline. Situated just inland of the small beach town of Watamu, the 416km2 (41,600 ha) forest lies 180km north of Mombasa, between Malindi and Kilifi. Within the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, a tiny percentage of the total area is gazetted as the Arabuko-Sokoke National Park in the north-western corner.
The forest is a naturalist’s dream, an ornithologist’s delight, and a lepidopterist’s playground. Once ranked by BirdLife International as the second most crucial forest for bird conservation in mainland Africa, it is home to over 230 bird species. Six are globally threatened species, some endemic to the forest and surroundings. Six groups of butterflies endemic to the East African coast bejewel the leafy pathways and seasonal pools in shades of emerald, gold and cerulean. And the undergrowth shelters two unique little mammals, along with an assortment of tiny antelope and secretive predators.
Temperatures along Kenya’s coast can be sweltering at times, but beneath the towering boughs and thick canopies of Arabuko-Sokoke, this forest of rare riches offers a cool, shaded refuge for its unusual inhabitants. Three different types of forest predominate. Mixed forest typified by diverse tree flora extends across the wetter coastal sands in the east, while the Brachystegia (miombo) forests occupy the drier white sands in the forest’s centre. Finally, dense Cynometra occupies the majority of the forest on the red sands of the western edge of the park.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest features towering boughs and thick canopies of mixed forest type, Brachystegia forest and Cynometra forests – presenting a wonder of diverse tree flora
Elephants to elephant shrews
Arabuko-Sokoke is home to herds of buffalo and elephant, restricted to a smaller section of the park by an electric fence to reduce human-wildlife conflict along the densely populated fringes of the forest. The buffalo are shy, and encounters are rare, but elephant sightings are a more regular occurrence, particularly during the dry season when the herds gather around the remaining water points.
However, most visitors to the forest are in search of far smaller and unusual creatures. One of the forest’s flagship species is a tiny animal known as the golden-rumped sengi, or elephant shrew. These distinctive animals are the largest elephant shrew species, with long, prehensile noses and brightly-coloured rumps that are undeniably endearing. Classified as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, 90% of their known population is found in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. The endemic Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose is a little shier and seldom seen, as is the near-endemic Ader’s duiker (found only in Arabuko-Sokoke and Zanzibar).
Other notable mammal species include caracal, African civet, blue, red and common duiker, Garnetts and Zanzibar bushbaby, aardvark, Sykes’ monkey, yellow baboon and red-bellied and red-legged sun squirrel. Some even believe the forest is home to the elusive African golden cat, and recent camera trap projects have revealed that leopards occasionally move through the region.
A visit during the rainy seasons will reveal an array of frog species, including the Bunty’s dwarf toad, marbled shovel-snout and common squeaker, often broadcast only by their vocal contribution to the robust forest choir. Far more silent are the various reptiles such as chameleons, monitors, tropical girdled and green keel-bellied lizards, a myriad snakes and tortoises.
The golden-rumped sengi – the largest of the elephant shrews – is a flagship species in the forest; caracals also patrol the forest; elephants are present in a restricted section of the forest
Birders abound
Arabuko-Sokoke may be one of Kenya’s best-kept secrets, but it has long been a bucket-list destination for birders worldwide. The adorable Sokoke scops owl, in its many varied colour forms, is a highly localised scops owl found only here, in the Dakatcha woodlands in Kenya and the Manga and Kwamgumi forest reserves in lowland Tanzania. The endangered Clarke’s weaver is even more restricted, and this distinctive bird lives exclusively in Arabuko-Sokoke and the Dakatcha woodlands to the south. Forest birding may be challenging, but Sokoke pipits, East Coast akalats, spotted ground thrushes and Amani sunbirds make the aching neck and tired feet well worth it. These species are all also globally threatened, with limited distributions that include the forests of Arabuko-Sokoke.
The reserve also encompasses the banks and mangrove forests of tidal Mida Creek, where visitors can spend time in bird hides watching the antics of the flamingos, crab-plovers, storks, plovers, whimbrels and herons.
A pair of Sokoke scops owls; the view from Nyari View Point showing different forest types; an eastern nicator sighted in the forest; birders will delight in the diverse and unique bird species present here; a Sokoke pipit spotted in the undergrowth; an eastern green tinkerbird perches in the lower branches of the forest
The wood for the trees
Arabuko-Sokoke is all that remains of what was once a vast forested region. While it is now under the dual protective management of the Kenya Forest and Wildlife Services, the forest is still threatened. Illegal charcoal burning and harvesting continue to damage the fragile forest ecosystem significantly.
Fortunately, dedicated organisations and individuals are working hard to improve relations with neighbouring communities and ensure that benefits from increased tourism reach those living alongside the forest.
Unobtrusive roads provide access through the dense forest
Explore & Stay
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest can be explored by road and on foot, but the company of an experienced guide is essential to unpack the forest’s secrets. Not only do they know all the favoured hiding spots of the scops owls and the sengis, but the forest comes alive under their expert and intimate knowledge of the fauna and flora. For those with a yen for a longer hike, a trip to the Nyari Cliffs offers breath-taking views over the canopy, Mida Creek and the glistening Indian Ocean.
The forest is within easy reach of both the bustling beachside metropolis of Malindi and the more intimate and colourful Watamu, where guests can enjoy the best aspects of this section of East Africa’s coastline. There is an endless variety of accommodation options ranging from backpackers to high-end villas, but there are also cheap campsites inside the forest for those looking for a break from the excitement (and some shade). The historical Ruins of Gedi in the northernmost section of the forest also offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of the East African coast, one of the continent’s most decadent trade and cultural melting pots.
The historical Ruins of Gedi can be viewed in the northernmost section of the forest
The forest is accessible year-round, though storms are expected during the “long rains” of April and May, and it may be quite humid during the “short rains” of October and November.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is a global biodiversity hotspot, characterised by high levels of endemism and seeped in a sense of mysticism. From birds to beasties and everything in between, it is the perfect complement to a safari in the Maasai Mara or Tsavo National Park for a complete appreciation of the astonishing variety of life on display in Kenya.
Want to go on a safari to Arabuko-Sokoke Forest? To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team, scroll down to after this story.
The elephants of Chobe appear to have learnt how to assess human risk and mitigate their chances of an antagonistic encounter with humans
Under cover of darkness, an elephant cow leads her herd through a wildlife corridor surrounded by crop fields… The herd of elephants moves silently through the human-dominated landscape, opting for the secrecy afforded by nocturnal passage. In fact, they are so affected by human farming activities that they will not pass this way during the daylight hours. This is according to a new study comparing elephant activity times and the use of wildlife corridors depending on the type of human development surrounding them.
The research conducted by Elephants Without Borders used data from 2012 to 2019 to investigate the impact of human pressures on elephants. The study compares six wildlife corridors in the Chobe District in northern Botswana in two vastly different human-dominated landscapes. The first was the townships of Kasane and Kazungula, while the second was the farming villages of the Chobe Enclave along the Chobe River floodplain.
Using motion-triggered cameras, scientists found that elephants moved through the wildlife corridors in agricultural landscapes almost exclusively at night, between the hours of 18:00 and 06:00. Their use periods overlapped with those of humans by just 9.1% and were not affected by crop season (suggesting that crop raiding was not the motivation). By contrast, those travelling through the urban areas were less obviously selective about their activity timings, overlapping with those of humans by 26.8%.
This research is consistent with previous research indicating that elephants change their activity patterns to reduce the risk of human encounters in a human-dominated landscape. However, the urban-activity patterns of this new research stand out. As lead author Dr Tempe Adams explains, these findings are remarkable because they show that elephants appear to distinguish different types of human developments associated with diverse risk levels and adjust their behaviours accordingly.
Research such as this becomes important as increasing human development creates more isolated islands of ever-shrinking wild habitats. Wildlife corridors connecting these remaining wilderness areas are now an essential management tool in conserving many iconic species. These corridors allow access to seasonal resources, dispersal (and associated genetic diversity) and increased resilience to changing environmental conditions. However, planning future corridors and ensuring their maintenance cannot take place without a comprehensive understanding of how different land uses and human pressures (and seasonal variations) impact how and when wild animals use these corridors.
As this research shows, the elephants of Chobe appear to have learnt how to assess human risk and mitigate their chances of an antagonistic encounter with humans. Their activity patterns differ based on surrounding human land-use on an hourly and daily basis.
Things that go bump in the night. So Lizz and I were lying awake in bed, listening to what sounded like a football game in the ceiling. Then, at first light, we spied a tree squirrel exiting the roof carrying a tiny baby bundle to safety. The genets are back, or perhaps it’s a rock monitor – both regularly raid our ceiling area for squirrel snacks. Whenever the genets are in residence our two Jack Russells are on high nocturnal alert as the genets comb the verandah for frogs and insects amongst the cushions. We call it ‘genet TV’ – the dogs watch spellbound as these beautiful lithe predators work the area on the other side of glass sliding doors – barely a meter away. On one occasion, a small-spotted genet touched noses through the glass with our entranced dogs – a surreal moment.
Two days ago, the foam nest frogs in the garden were croaking at each other – usually a sign of incoming rain. At the height of our dry season – surely not? Yesterday it rained, albeit briefly.
Life is good. Love it.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
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BEACH BLISS It’s time to SPOIL YOURSELF and recharge those batteries.
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MARA, WITHOUT THE CROWDS The migrating herds have left, and so have the high-season crowds. What remains are the big cats, hyenas, elephants and other resident species. Expect Maasai Mara magic and relatively few other tourists also in on this secret. This 6-day package is well-priced and popular with regular Mara visitors.
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Spring has well and truly sprung and the chill has finally dissolved from the Johannesburg air. And the energy in the AG office is electric, with our travel team vigorously sending adventurers off to their long-awaited journeys across the continent.
In celebration of epic African journeys, this week we’ve published a first-hand account of a once-in-a-lifetime trek through Bwindi Impentetrable Forest. Ryan Biller recently visited Uganda for a long-awaited chance to come face-to-face with mountain gorillas. His experience did not disappoint. Ryan also spent time with the people of Buhoma Village, who play an integral part in the conservation of the forest and its inhabitants – and captured some striking portraits. Check out our first story below.
In our second story, Jamie has penned a tribute to the littlest of enigmatic creatures – the miniature owls of Africa. From the scops-owl to white-faced owls and owlets, these tiny birds of prey are some of the most charisimatic avian residents of the continent. Click through below for all there is to know about these small endearing owl species.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Story 1 MY GORILLA TREK
Trekking through the ancient rainforests of Bwindi, Uganda to find mountain gorillas brings Ryan Biller face-to-face with a childhood dream
Story 2 MINIATURE OWLS
Africa hosts a variety of miniature owls. From the scops-owl to white-faced owls & owlets, here’s the rundown of these small, endearing birds
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
It is almost unanimously agreed that otters are one of the cutest animals. Perhaps the only dissenters are those that have found themselves on the wrong end of their sharp teeth and powerful bites (though attacks on humans are unusual).
But did you know that giant otters the size of lions once roamed Ethiopia? Before you gloss over that fact, just stop for a minute and imagine an otter, with all its sinuous agility, that stands roughly as high as your waist and weighs 200kg. All predator, all teeth.
The fossils of Enhydriodon omoensis date back to between 3.5 and 2.5 million years ago – around the time our close relatives, the australopithecines, would have been wandering around. And isotype analysis of the otter’s teeth suggests they were land-based hunters. So what did they eat? I’ll leave that to your imagination.
WATCH: Witness cheetah mom Sita hunting a Thomson’s gazelle on the vast plains of the Maasai Mara, in this snippet from Disney’s African Cats. Just a taste of what you can expect on a Maasai Mara Secret Season adventure (see the travel desk above to book your own trip to experience the magic of Mara) (02:24). Click here to watch
Owls are innately compelling animals. They haunt the world’s nights on silent wings, adorned in soft, subtle colours and filling the evenings with soft hoots or piercing whistles (or, in the case of the barn owl, heart-stopping screams). Yet while the larger owl species are somewhat awe-inspiring and majestic, the miniature owls of Africa are perhaps best set to capture the imagination. Of all of the continent’s charismatic avian residents, these minute little predators have the most astonishing array of anthropomorphic facial expressions. From wide-eyed curiosity or imperious judgement to surly irritation or steely fury, the smaller owl species are both endearing and oddly relatable.
What is small?
In fairness, this is a somewhat subjective judgement call for the Strigiformes species (owls), which range in size from the sparrow-sized elf owl (occuring in the southwestern United States and central Mexico) to the enormous Blakiston’s fish owl (native to China, Japan, and Russia) with a two-metre wingspan. However, for the purposes of this article, miniature/small owls are considered to be those under around 30cm (roughly 12 inches) in height. In Africa, that includes four different genera of owl: the scops-owls (Otus spp.), the owlets (Glaucidium spp.), the white-faced owls (Ptilopsis spp.) and the little owl (Athene noctua).
The small owls occupy a wide variety of habitats and very similar ecological niches, with a predominantly arthropod-based diet that may also extend to small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
African scops-owl; Sokoke scops-owl; southern white-faced owl; and pearl-spotted owlet
Scops-owls – the subtle and secretive
The Otus genus is the largest genus of owls, incorporating at least 58 species and thus comprising roughly 20% of the world’s 220-plus owl species. The scops-owls were once grouped together with the New World screech-owls (now reclassified as Megascops). While the evolutionary relationship has yet to be fully elucidated, the scops and screech-owls are believed to be closely related.
The scops-owls are entirely nocturnal, spending their days hidden in the trees and relying on the extraordinary camouflage afforded by their mottled grey or brown plumage. As a result, they are highly cryptic species and usually only revealed by their gentle “prrrp” call, a characteristic sound that epitomises the African night. Only those with exceptionally sharp eyes (or intimate knowledge of their favourite roosting sites) can spot scops-owls roosting during the day. And those that do succeed will probably find themselves subjected to a rather haughty glare.
African scops-owl is probably the best known and most widely distributed of the African scops species. As the smallest owl in southern Africa, they stand just 15–17cm tall (to put that into perspective, these little birds could fit into an average coffee mug). However, one of the most remarkable aspects of the Otus genus is their extraordinary diversity in various fragmented habitats. This applies in particular to the endemic species of the Indian Ocean archipelagos and islands but also isolated patches of forest in West, Central and East Africa.
There are endemic scops-owls in Madagascar, Seychelles, Pemba Island off East Africa, and Karthala, Mohéli and Anjouan Comoran islands (each considered a separate species named for their respective islands). São Tomé has a scops-owl, and a new species was discovered on the neighbouring island of Príncipe in 2016. On the mainland, the cinnamon-coloured sandy scops-owl is found throughout the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. The endangered Sokoke scops-owl occurs only in the scattered forests of coastal Kenya and lowland Tanzania. These fascinating birds were first identified in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve near Watamu, Kenya, and are highly polymorphic, ranging in colour from a drab grey to rufous.
The Mascarene owls of Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues, now known to have been scops-owls, are all extinct.
Clockwise from top: A group of Sokoke scops-owls; Sokoke scops-owls showing colour variances; African scops-owl; Madagascar scops-owl; African scops-owl
The owlets – noisy and conspicuous
In North and South America, owls from the genus Glaucidium are known as pygmy owls, but in Africa and Asia, they are referred to as owlets. They are characterised by round heads, prominent brows, a conspicuous lack of ear tufts and bright yellow eyes. Many of the owlet species are active at dawn and dusk (and even throughout the day in winter), and their piercing call-and-response whistles are unmistakable. While still small, they are far more conspicuous than their scops-owl cousins and almost invariably attract the ire of other bird species that descend en masse to mob them.
The two most well-known and widely distributed species are the pearl-spotted owlet and the African barred owlet. The two are sympatric across most of their respective ranges and can be easily confused. The pearl-spotted owlet is slightly smaller, with distinct dark false eyespots on the back of its head, while the barring on the chest of the barred owlet is more well-defined than the soft and indistinct streaks of the pearl-spotted owlet. Other species include the Sjöstedt’s barred owlet of west-central Africa, the Albertine owlet endemic to the Albertine Rift and the pretty little red-chested owlet of West and Central Africa.
The white-faced owls – the shapeshifters
There are two members of the Ptilopsis genus, found only in Africa: the northern and southern white-faced owls. They are often incorrectly termed white-faced scops-owls, and, while there is a degree of similarity (ear tufts and mottled grey colouration), the scops-owls and white-faced owls belong to separate genera.
White-faced owls have interesting strategies when confronted with a potential threat. One approach is to spread their wings, puff out their plumage and hunch over in an intimidation display. Alternatively, they may adopt what is known as “concealment posture”. The owls draw themselves up tall, pull their feathers tight against their bodies, narrow their eyes and stretch up their ear tufts. The transformation is utterly remarkable and almost a little uncanny. Many owls, including scops-owls and screech-owls, have this ability, but the change in white-faced owls is theatrical. As the name “concealment posture” suggests, it is believed to help the owl look like a tree branch. It is especially disconcerting when a roosting pair is encountered, one completely normal and the other looking like what can only be described as an evil sorcerer in a children’s film.
Clockwise from top: A northern pygmy owl in Arizona, USA; southern white-faced owl; northern white-faced owl; African barred owlet; and pearl spotted owlet
The little owl – the mythologically wise
Finally, the little owl may be well-known in Europe and Asia, but few realise that its range extends to the northern fringes of the African continent. They are similar in appearance to the owlets and roughly the same size, but their ranges do not generally overlap.
The little owl is also sometimes called the owl of Minerva and was closely associated with goddesses Athena and Minerva in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. This link with the goddesses of wisdom may explain why the owl is often a symbol of wisdom and intelligence in Western cultures.
The little owl, also known as the owl of Minerva, has a range that expands to North Africa, Asia and Europe
Would you like to do your bit for owl conservation in Africa?
In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, I find the jungle of my childhood imagination. This forest is so thick and tangled with vines that a T-rex could emerge from this expansive sea of green and I wouldn’t be surprised. The air hangs heavy with humidity, and pearls of dew glisten on the leaves against the early morning light, barely slipping through the canopy overhead. My heart is hammering the walls of my chest as our small team of Ugandan rangers, dressed in camouflage uniforms, leads us into the fable-like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on a trekking expedition, in search of mountain gorillas.
Silent searching
The prospect of seeing mountain gorillas with my own eyes is what brings me to Uganda. To finally trek into the heart of this 25,000-year-old rainforest is enchanting in its own way, even before catching a mere whiff of the black-haired great apes that we are hoping to encounter. The forest itself is a living manifestation of the illustrated pages of dinosaur books I read as a kid. This primaeval forest is so dense and expansive that it appears prehistoric. It is no surprise that mountain gorillas have a preference for this tropical haven.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is known for its dense, ancient rainforest thickets, and thick clouds of mist. With altitudes ranging from 1,160 to 2,607 meters, the forest has some of the highest levels of biodiversity in Uganda
Tufts of rain clouds hang over the forest like ghosts, lending an eerie beauty. We trek onward, with our guide, Goreth Niyibizi, leading the way. As a sheen of sweat envelopes my face and I wave bugs from my forehead, Goreth and the other three rangers come to an abrupt stop. We obediently follow suit, anxiously peering over their shoulders and into the sea of green hoping that our sought-after primates are nearby. “Gorillas?” I whisper into Goreth’s ear, between panting and trying to catch my breath. She holds up an index finger and wags it at me. “No,” she breathes softly, her voice a notch above a whisper. “Not yet.”
Trekking deeper into the forest in silence, led by knowledgeable guides, brings electric anticipation that heightens the senses
We continue onward, our group numbering a mere nine people: Goreth, two other Ugandan trackers, a local porter, an armed escort, myself, my brother, my mother, and a traveller from Czechoslovakia – perfect for a family safari.
After walking for some time, the woman from Czechoslovakia quietly slips behind us and into the bushes, using it as a makeshift bathroom to relieve herself. She is quickly swallowed up into the undergrowth; she likely has more privacy in the forest than she has in many public restrooms back home. Moments later, a yelp emits from the swirl of vegetation. She staggers out of the bush, dishevelled with pants barely pulled up, a look of adrenaline-infused excitement on her face. A mother gorilla and her infant baby had sauntered past our Czech friend mid-stream. We’ve found the mountain gorillas. Or they’ve found us.
Face to face with the great apes
The ensuing moments are surreal, and will forever be etched into my memory. Up ahead of us, our trackers peer through the trees at a silverback, and behind us, the mother gorilla and her baby are now sitting three meters from us.
We all ogle the mother gorilla, who so gingerly, and with such care, cradles her baby – her maternal mannerisms human-like. We are, after all, 98% identical on a genetic level.
Any photographer knows that taking a photo is reflexive, as it usually is for me. But in this moment, I don’t want to experience these beings through the viewfinder and lens of my camera. It is a scene to be documented with the naked eye. I snap a few photos, careful not to detract from the encounter itself.
After snapping a few images of the gorillas, videographer Ryan Biller put away the camera to immerse himself in the once-in-a-lifetime experience
We spend an hour with a group of the great apes, crouched silently in the bushes, mouths gaping in awe, as we observe the silverback – a hulk of vegetarian muscle. His demeanour is protective, as with any good father, yet so incredibly gentle. We learn that this is the Mukiza gorilla family. Like a few gorilla families in Rwanda and Uganda, the Mukiza gorilla family has been habituated, meaning that they’re somewhat used to and familiar with the presence of people.
We watch as young gorillas – little bundles of thick fur – somersault through the undergrowth as they playfully wrestle each other. Mothers groom themselves and their tiny offspring as members of the group gnaw on the leafy greens all around them.
Though completely wild, the mountain gorillas seem unperturbed – even bored – by our presence. We keep a respectful distance, but the gorillas don’t mind us. We garner a vague interest from some of the young ones, but they are more infatuated with the challenge of climbing trees and tumbling around the forest floor. We occasionally receive a stare from the mighty silverback, likely gauging whether these strange, less hairy primates are any kind of threat. We earn his trust, and he graciously allows us to stay.
Conservation through collaboration
Many projected that mountain gorillas would be extinct by now – even the great Dian Fossey did. But thanks to intensive conservation efforts, the world’s mountain gorilla population is on the rise. We can thank rangers such as Goreth for being on the frontlines of defending these magnificent creatures and their remarkable homes. Another contributor to this is the collaborations formed linking tourism revenue, research, and communities. With all working together in conservation efforts, there is an incentive for those involved to protect the gorillas. Thanks to these collaborations, the IUCN conservation status of the species has been reduced from critically endangered to endangered.
A young girl, Ruth, peeks over a fence in Buhoma Village, just outside Bwindi; a young Batwa man, Idi, who lives just outside the forest, holds his little brother close; Sari, a village elder and member of the Batwa people, poses for a photo
Community members from Buhoma, a small village nestled against the very edge of the forest, play an integral role in conservation efforts. In turn, the community is dependent on revenue from tourism for income. Many of the park’s rangers and guides live in Buhoma Village. Their children go to school here, and a small health clinic nearby is funded by income generated by eco-tourism.
School children pose outside their school in Buhoma, situated on the edge of the gorilla-inhabited rainforest; Ryan Biller poses with Ugandan driver Martin, Ryan’s brother Pete, his mother Teresa and Martin’s wife after a celebratory lunch following their gorilla experience; Students from Buhoma walk home after school along the outskirts of the forest
Another group of people who have settled within the vicinity of Buhoma are from the Batwa tribe – a tribe indigenous to the region, whose people once lived and sustained themselves entirely within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. When conservation efforts to protect the dwindling mountain gorilla population picked up steam, the Batwa people were evicted from the forest by authorities. Their removal was done on the grounds that resources in the forest are limited, and that infection and disease can be transferred between humans and the gorillas. Given that their survival previously depended on hunting and gathering in the forest, the Batwa have sacrificed much for the sake of the conservation of the great apes. The Batwa became conservation refugees and now live on a small parcel of land just outside Buhoma. Some can bring in an income through cultural tourism – by sharing their traditional rites and rituals with visitors through a ‘Batwa Experience’. Tourists can hear the music of the tribe, learn about their religion, skills in food gathering and hunting techniques, and interact with the tribe. But the move to evict the Batwa was a controversial one. Critics say authorities did not allocate enough space for resettlement or assist with employment and other basic needs.
Traditional healer Amat poses in his home. Amat uses medicinal plants from the forest to remedy villagers’ ailments
While tourism brings invaluable income to the Buhoma and Batwa communities, there is still much work to develop these collaborations to benefit all parties. What is sure, though, is that the conservation of these gorillas would not have been possible without community involvement and collaboration.
It is a great privilege for tourists such as myself to be able to experience these amazing creatures in person. More work remains for the conservation of the gorillas and to build and sustain neighbouring communities, but there is no doubt hope for the future of these animals. Our planet is far better off with mountain gorillas and their rainforest homes like Bwindi than without.
Bwindi is the fairy-tale forest we dreamed about as children; it is also where you can meet and spend time with gentle mountain gorillas. Read more here.
The mountain gorilla is the only great ape with an increasing population despite continuous pressure on its habitat. Check out the population stats here.
Our 2022 Photographer of the Year Alex Brackx and his wife Karen enjoying a mokoro outing in Khwai Private Reserve, Botswana
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Where to safari now + understanding snakes + Pongola’s elephant crisis
Just back from hosting our 2022 Photographer of the Year winners in Khwai Private Reserve, Botswana. We relished epic wildlife encounters, enjoyed superb hospitality from our hosts, and forged life-long friendships. I have never laughed so much while on safari as I did with this crew. Thanks to you all. Expect my report back in the coming months. But there is also a contemplative side to this note.
After 6 action-packed days with the winners, Lizz and I headed off for 4 days of bliss in Selinda Reserve and were again blown away by the experience. This got me thinking …
About the role that brave safari lodge pioneers like Colin Bell of Natural Selection (our hosts in Khwai) and Dereck & Beverly Joubert of Great Plains (our hosts in Selinda) play when they invest patient, long-term capital into these wilderness areas to generate sustainable, responsible revenue streams for local communities and stable ecosystems for wildlife. Often these landscapes have been abused by former occupants, and it takes years for the wildlife to recover and gain confidence in a human presence. The costs are significant and, let’s face it, tourism does not generate the steady cash flow that investors in mines, banks and technology companies enjoy. They are, of course, supported by a host of people – including their families, colleagues and investors – but what makes these eco-warriors so special is their grit and determination to make a difference. These businesses survive pandemics, presidents and the trials and tribulations of operating in remote, wild areas. There are others, like Beks Ndlovu of African Bush Camps, all of whom play this essential trail-blazing role. Many lodge owners survive the storms without access to large pools of capital – I bow my head to you all.
This week we’re celebrating the most remarkable of creatures: snakes. Whether you squirm at the thought of encountering snakes or harbour a deep respect for these marvels of natural engineering, you’ll find an appreciation for serpents when delving into our exploration of these complex predators in our first story.
When is the best safari season in Africa? The vast African continent straddles the equator and six time zones – meaning profoundly differing vegetation, climates and topography. This also means that there is always a good safari season in Africa. We’ve put together a go-to guide for your safari in September, October and November. Check it out in our third story below.
Some time ago, we published an op-ed by Malcolm Thomson on Pongola Game Reserve’s elephant management crisis. Conservationists Pete Ruinard and Paul Cryer have penned a thought-provoking response to this op-ed, unpacking some of the issues at play. Our second story is well worth the read for those seeking to understand the complexities of elephant-population management.
Happy celebrating Africa!
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Fads are a human thing, right? We’ve seen ineffective diets, horrendous fashions, and stupid social media challenges all come and go.
But did you know that orcas seem to follow fads? Recently, pods of orcas have taken to breaking the rudders off boats around the European coast, and no one is quite sure why. They aren’t hurting anyone, just engaging in some minor property damage.
Is that a fad? Well, maybe, maybe not, but it’s not the first time orcas have been observed copying each other. In the summer of 1987, one female took to wearing a dead salmon as a hat. In the blink of an eye, the rest of her pod followed, and soon, several other pods did as well. Then salmon went out of fashion, and they all stopped…The orca equivalent of the tide-pod challenge?
Story 1 UNDERSTANDING SNAKES
Admired and feared, snakes are marvels of natural engineering, behaviour & movement. Here’s everything you need to know to understand snakes
Story 2 ELEPHANT CRISIS
Pongola Game Reserve faces an elephant management crisis. Paul Cryer & Pete Ruinard provide a different perspective on the challenges at hand
Story 3 SAFARI SEASONS
When is the best safari season in Africa?
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
OK, so the prime safari season is in full swing. You may have missed out this year but still long for a little bush time during the coming festive season. We’re here to help!
Planning a festive season safari takes more experience and precision than the sure-thing prime safari season of June to August – because of the arrival of summer rains and what this means for wildlife movement. So what to do, where to go?
We recommend the following:
Take advantage of lower ‘green / secret’ season rates that some lodges offer ⛺
Focus on seasonal natural events at this time of year – like the migration of bats in Kasanka (Zambia), zebras in the salt pans of Botswana and wildebeest in Serengeti (Tanzania)
Bulk up on your bird list by ticking off the numerous avian summer migrants
End your bushveld safari with a spot of beach time. Did someone say strawberry daiquiris?
teamAG is on standbyfor your questions and to bring your festive season wishlist to life 🙂
Snapping away in Botswana
The winners of Photographer of the Year 2022 have just returned from their safari in Khwai Private Reserve, Botswana, where they stayed at Natural Selection’s Little Sable and Hyena Pan camps, and Skybeds. Runner Up Geo Cloete joined the trip, and writes:
“A HUGE thank you to the sponsors! It sure was a trip that dreams are made of. With so many new lifetime memories created, it will take a good amount of time to process them all and file them in the ‘it really happened’ folder.
An equally big thank you to Africa Geographic! The professionalism and passion with which Simon and his team ensure their clients enjoy the best of the best is truly admirable!
I celebrate all the beauty of the last seven days and will treasure it for the rest of my life. The gourmet meals, the beautiful people who became friends and undoubtedly the stars of the trip, and the African wildlife. May we continue to strive to secure a bright future for them all for generations to come.”
WATCH: Watch a rare and tense encounter between an elusive brown hyena and two spotted hyenas at a waterhole in Madikwe Game Reserve, captured by Jamala Madikwe (02:02). Click here to watch
Elephant gathering at the water’s edge in Pongola Game Reserve
Update 20 January 2023: There has been an increase in the number of human-wildlife conflict incidents on the eastern shores of Jozini Dam in recent months, with a reported 69 elephants roaming the dam’s shores after escaping Pongola Game Reserve East into Phongola Nature Reserve. According to the reports, at least 25 elephants have been killed in poaching incidents related to this conflict. In an incident on January 11th, tourists on a cruise boat on Jozini Dam were forced to take cover as poachers were firing shots nearby. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife announced it will be engaging with the PGRE to translocate the elephants back onto the PGRE property or into a suitable protected area as early as March//April 2023. Ezemvelo said it had also engaged with the local community to discuss the recent incidents of human-wildlife conflict.
The recent article by Malcolm Thomson on Pongola’s elephant management crisis included vital perspectives on elephant management strategies within Pongola Game Reserve (PGR) in KwaZulu-Natal. We hope to set some facts straight in response to Thomson’s sentiments.
Thomson’s assertions were filled with inaccuracies, not only about general elephant management and its applicable laws, but also regarding the long process of building scientific and managerial knowledge about elephants living in relatively small and contained reserves. Worse still, there are glaring inaccuracies in these assertions that apply to the elephant population that Malcolm Thomson is referring to in his piece.
Elephant management must be viewed from several geographical and temporal scales simultaneously, from continental and national perspectives to small fenced reserves. Even the roughest estimates of elephant numbers show a dramatic decline in Africa over the last hundred years, so it is misleading to argue that Africa has too many elephants, and their endangered status confirms this. When viewing the broader situation, the issue of localised areas with too many elephants is a problem of distribution rather than over-population. This is especially so considering that 76% of Africa’s elephants are transboundary.
The intricacies of elephant management
In instituting the National Norms and Standards for the Management of Elephants, the South African government has taken a bold and progressive step towards managing elephants in terms of broad and local objectives while doing its best to include updated knowledge on elephant biology. The comments in Thomson’s article from Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, confirm a government commitment to integrated problem solving and public/private partnerships. The Minister comments that there is a “need for innovative and balanced partnership arrangements between state protected areas and adjacent private wildlife areas” to develop “win-win sustainable arrangements, with strong conservation outcomes”.
Malcolm Thomson asserts that the wishes of private landowners and the well-being of small, contained elephant populations have been ignored by the broader elephant management strategies and the Norms and Standards in particular. While the Norms and Standards are far from perfect, requiring periodic updating and revision, they make provision for private landowners with elephants to participate in a more inclusive and holistic elephant strategy. The amended Norms and Standards will likely be gazetted for implementation during 2022. By timeously submitting their elephant management plans to their provincial conservation authorities, reserve owners can benefit from a wealth of information, knowledge and funding. If, however, a landowner submits plans late or if those plans reveal a strategy aimed at personal wealth acquisition to the detriment of biodiversity conservation, then the system will expose those deficiencies. The PGR elephant management plan was submitted to the provincial authority on 8 September 2021 without sufficient time for review or to obtain the necessary provincial signatories before their existing plan expired on 16 November 2021. There is added significance with the late PGR application in that the reserve’s draft plan involved cooperation with neighbouring landowners, such that the elephants could move between multiple areas. This would make more elephant habitat available and relieve pressure on PGR. This central strategy of elephant range expansion within the draft revision of the PGR elephant management plan was omitted from Malcolm Thomson’s writing, leaving an impression that the elephant population pressure on PGR is more severe than it is in reality and that there is no alternative other than lethal control. The complexity of having elephants on small reserves is not unique to PGR, and there has been a large volume of peer-reviewed studies on these exact situations, with much of this research being utilised in the compilation and review of the Norms and Standards. Small private reserves have access to this work and can contribute meaningfully to advancements in this field.
Contemplating immunocontraception
Within the Norms and Standards, there is a hierarchy of actions about limiting elephant population numbers. One of these is immunocontraception, which Thomson dismisses as impractical, unethical and costly. Peer-reviewed scientific data collected and published over nearly 30 years would suggest otherwise. Further work on immunocontraception methods and long-term effects on population dynamics are ongoing. Immunocontraception is reversible, delivered quickly and remotely, with only short-term herd interference, and there are no hormonally induced behavioural effects. Immunocontraception is recommended in the Norms and Standards as one of the first go-to methods. It is used by 42 national, provincial, private and community reserves in South Africa (excluding the Kruger National Park), with over 1,200 cows currently under treatment. Thomson’s claims that immunocontraception is unethical are unfounded.
As for it being costly, the expenses of elephant immunocontraception are comparable with management interventions for other species, such as lion contraception, disease-free buffalo testing and even game census – all of which are part and parcel of reserve management. In the case of immunocontraception, the literature has shown that the cost benefits of limiting elephant population growth outweigh the expenditure. Of additional relevance here is that Humane Society International – Africa offered PGR immunocontraception for three years such that the costs would not fall on PGR. While there may have been certain conditions associated with this process, free immunocontraception was made available to PGR and was not accepted. What is clear is that Thomson’s dismissal of immunocontraception is unwarranted.
Thomson also comments on the difficulties that arise in trying to expand the land available to the elephants. But the elephants in the PGR case have achieved habitat expansion on their own, having shifted to the neighbouring Pongola Nature Reserve managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo). The movement of these elephants to adjacent land relieves the pressure that Thomson was bemoaning (at the time of writing, there were no elephant herds in PGR “destroying habitat”). The managers and ecologists of Ezemvelo are working on the details of this impromptu elephant distribution to determine whether it can be maintained to the benefit of elephants, ecosystems and stakeholders. It should be added that, despite many logistical and financial constraints, Ezemvelo is doing excellent and progressive work, including holding meetings with local landowners and communities. (It is also worth noting that PGR management attended these meetings without expressing the views in Thomson’s article. Minutes of those meetings are public documents).
Elephant translocation and habitat expansion
Thomson’s criticism of translocation is similarly misleading. Knowledge of elephant translocation has increased enormously over the past two decades, with routine operations conducted today that were unheard of 25 years ago. Progress regarding the logistics of moving elephants and the technical means of capturing them, combined with veterinary advancements, is resulting in ongoing improvements that secure the greater well-being of individual elephants and family/group structure. This facilitates a far greater success rate with translocations. It also increases the distances that elephant groups can be moved. This, in turn, means that the possible sites for translocations are growing in number and distance from the source population: elephant translocation can now be viewed from a continental perspective. The value of this knowledge as an emerging management tool is increasingly realised and will significantly affect what is possible in African elephant conservation.
Within the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (of which South Africa is a signatory), large interconnected protected areas are identified as one of the solutions to the impending biodiversity crisis (the effects of which would overshadow the economic impact of Covid-19). The presence of megaherbivores within an interconnected protected area network is one of the indicators of success. But it should be stressed that a critical component of expanding areas for biodiversity protection is to avoid the errors of the past, where environmental protection was used as a thinly veiled ploy for the wealth-capture of elites. In this country (and others), this involved legalising a process that commodified and exploited the environment and all those South African people outside of the defined elites. Historical examples of this across the colonised world included promulgating legislation that denied people access to land they considered sacred and had utilised for centuries to sustain their livelihoods. In more recent (and current) renditions of the same principle, environments of critical ecological importance, both locally and globally, are being compromised and traded for political gain and monetary extraction.
While work is being done on identifying and protecting critical biodiversity areas, existing gene pools of species need to be protected. In the case of elephants, this includes limiting population growth (the root of the problem) in contained areas until bolder plans for elephant introductions in Africa are realised and feasible. In anticipation of an expanded purpose, immunocontraception research is dealing with long-term population dynamics and advanced delivery methods. Current methods do not hold all the answers, but these fields are advancing fast.
Elephant management is changing
Thomson’s summation of elephant management is simplistic, exploitative, elitist and cherry-picks scientific evidence to arrive at outdated and erroneous conclusions. For example, claiming that “all species should be managed under similar principles” glosses over the fact that elephants have advanced levels of intelligence and self-awareness, with complex communication illustrating focused sentience, emotional attachment and empathy. The Norms and Standards recognise this, and recognition of this fact is a guiding principle within elephant management strategies. As our awareness of elephants’ advanced intellectual, emotional and social capacities increases and becomes widely recognised, public perception of appropriate elephant treatment shifts. Management strategies that were acceptable three decades ago are unlikely to endure. Owners and managers of elephant reserves who do not take cognisance of this will likely suffer the consequences of the public’s disfavour and consequent economic censure.
The Norms and Standards recognise that elephants are indeed “special”, but it should be made clear that the regulation of hunting and culling are included within the document. They are, however, recognised as very different activities, not to be conflated. Within the Norms and Standards, culling is the last resort on a hierarchy of potential management actions, some of which are mentioned (and dismissed) in Thomson’s article: habitat manipulation, contraception, and translocation. For culling to be considered, all of those alternatives must have been proven to be justifiably impractical or unfeasible.
The hunting of elephants is legal in South Africa; some people want to hunt elephants, and parties have built businesses out of this demand. The Norms and Standards recognise and accommodate this. Had PGR adhered to the regulations, they could legally hunt elephants. Reserve managers should understand that culling and hunting are regulated differently for good reasons. Blame cannot be laid on the Norms and Standards due to poor action on a reserve’s part. Advocating for managing elephants without considering the bigger picture and the logic behind certain restrictions is unreasonable. Lack of engagement with neighbours, inaction to explore options for sponsored immunocontraception through available structures, and being slow on the draw when revising elephant management plans are symptoms of poor forward planning.
Final thoughts
There was a good reason why the Norms and Standards were created, with specific guidelines for Elephant Management Plans. This was partly to overcome irresponsible and unethical elephant management approaches and actions, which in turn reflected negatively on the entire country’s elephant management ethic. Malcolm Thomson’s view of elephant management could take us back there, which, far from the Norms and Standards’ progressive purpose, is entirely regressive.
Thomson’s perceptions do not necessarily reflect the views of all stakeholders involved in PGR. His statements belie current scientific knowledge and are contrary to global and local strategies to address the impending planetary crisis of biodiversity loss. The laws, regulations, and Norms and Standards around elephant management apply to everyone, including the South African government and its departments and land management agencies. The court application Thomson misquotes in his article, in which HSI-Africa is questioning the legality of the 2022 hunting quotas, is an example of an animal protection and conservation NGO holding the government accountable to its laws and regulations. That is a foundational aspect of a healthy democracy and civic activism that ensures good governance and accountability for the good of all people and the environment on which we are all entirely dependent. Thomson’s re-quote, “if it pays, it stays”, is as outdated as it is dangerous; the understanding of planetary boundaries has coined a far more sobering alternative phrase that incorporates the value and economic positioning of the earth’s oceans, atmosphere and biodiversity to humans: “if it doesn’t stay, humanity will pay”.
Snakes are not an animal group typically celebrated. Far too few people appreciate snakes as the marvels of natural engineering they are. Many are wary of them, while some are paralytically terrified at the thought. There is a rational aspect to this fear – certain snakes are dangerous, and a select few are potentially deadly. But like all fears directed at wildlife, it is only exacerbated by an unfortunate assembly of superstitions, misconceptions, and a fair amount of downright inaccurate information. What follows is a summary of some of the fascinating characteristics of these remarkable reptiles – to balance the scales, so to speak.
Ancient origins
Snakes are found on every continent on the globe apart from Antarctica, as well as many of the smaller islands. There are close to 4,000 recorded snake species in the world. From the worm-like threadsnakes to enormous pythons, they display an exceptional variety of colours, designs, and behaviours. Like almost all reptiles, they are ectothermic, meaning that they rely on external heat sources rather than metabolic heat to stay warm. They are also poikilotherms, so their internal body temperature (and, subsequently, activity levels) varies depending on the current ambient temperature.
The various orders of Reptilia, including crocodilians, testudines (tortoises, turtles, and terrapins), and the squamates (lizards and snakes), all have truly ancient origins. The earliest known fossils of snakes date back to the Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous, roughly 170 million years ago and share many characteristics in common with their modern relatives. The consensus is that these early serpents evolved from lizards, and evidence of a once quadruped existence can be seen today in snakes such as pythons or boa constrictors, which often have vestigial rear limbs. It is, however, important not to equate primitive to crude or unsophisticated. With highly specialised fangs, complex venom proteins and a variety of other adaptions for each habitat and hunting style, snakes are highly specialised and efficient predators.
A green mamba; yellow Cape cobra; large Southern African rock python; and a spotted bush snake – all displaying a variety of snake colours and designs
The mind of a serpent
A corollary of the belief that snakes are primitive is the impression that they are mindless biting/killing machines without much cognitive function. The idea of a “reptilian complex” or “lizard brain” arose in scientific literature in the 1950s, when Paul MacLean proposed the concept of the triune brain. In essence, his theory runs that the brains of modern mammals consist of three distinct regions, with the reptilian brain at the centre and the more highly evolved neocortex on the outside. The reptilian brain is associated with the four basic functions of life (the 4 Fs): fight, flee, feed, and fornicate. The neocortex, not present in reptile brains, is associated with higher thought, language, abstraction and perception.
However, behavioural, physiological and histological evidence is mounting that this theory is a massive oversimplification of a structure as complex as the brain. Reptiles, including snakes, likely have a far greater cognitive ability, particularly learning, than once believed.
Why is this important? Because it goes a long way to controlling the fear response to snakes. When faced with a snake, it is essential to remember that you are not interacting with some brainless, pre-programmed envenomation machine. They bite to defend themselves, and humans can communicate that attack is not eminent through body language and avoiding sudden, threatening movements. The vast majority of snakebites are handling related, so when in doubt, leave the snake alone and leave the catching to the experts.
The world through their nose
Snakes are chemosensory maestros. In other words, their sense of smell is king. This is facilitated by the nose and tongue, with chemicals processed by the olfactory epithelium and the vomeronasal organ. Their famous forked tongues are highly specialised with papillae or pits, which catch and retain chemical particles and transport them to the vomeronasal organ (the Organ of Jacobson) close to the palate. This organ makes the process of smell rather than taste, as snakes do not have tastebuds. The flicking tongue collects the chemicals, and the bifid tip is believed to play a role in helping them determine the direction of the smell.
In contrast, the eyesight of many snakes is relatively poor, though naturally, this is generalisation and species-specific. The colour and detail vision of an arboreal, diurnal species like a vine snake is far more refined than that of a burrowing species. Spitting cobras also rely on good eyesight when projecting their venom with an accuracy of over 90%. Again, understanding how a snake sees the world has implications for avoiding a dangerous encounter – by avoiding sudden jerky movements when confronted by a snake you are less likely to draw their attention (or ire).
Many snakes are sensitive to UV light, while diurnal species that hunt during the day have lenses that filter UV to improve contrast. Vipers, pythons and boas can use infrared “vision” to locate prey. Pit organs around their nostrils detect heat given off by other animals and transmit these signals to the brain to create an image of the creature in front of them.
Snakes do not have any outer or middle ear apparatuses, but, contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that they cannot hear. They do have inner ear structures capable of picking up vibrations in the ground and air, as well as some sound waves in the lower frequency ranges.
While the eyesight of many snakes is poor, reliance on eyesight varies between snake species. Vipers such as this saw-scaled viper use infrared to locate prey; snakes such as this horned adder have relatively good eyesight; the boomslang has excellent eyesight; snakes use the flicking tongue and bifid tip to collect chemicals to interpret smell
The long muscular tube
Anyone who has ever watched a snake move, climb or coil will be able to attest to their tremendous flexibility, which in turn is made possible by numerous sets of ribs that extend almost the entire length of the body. They can have anywhere between 200–400 vertebrae. Pair organs like kidneys are arranged longitudinally, and snakes have an elongated right lung that is responsible for most, if not all, ventilation. Furthermore, they are astonishingly strong.
Without limbs, their locomotion patterns can be primarily divided into four different types of movements (not counting arboreal motions, which can be a mix of all four). Though the type of habitat and hunting habits of specific snakes will determine which mode they use, most snakes use all four types of movement depending on the circumstances. Lateral undulation, or serpentine motion, is the most common and familiar mode of locomotion – creating the characteristic S-shaped curves and pushing off each side in a typical slithering manoeuvre. Other types of movement include sidewinding, concertina and rectilinear motion. Traction is aided by long rectangular ventral (belly) scales.
Numerous sets of ribs allow snakes immense flexibility, demonstrated here by this sidewinder; stretching out leaves snakes vulnerable to predators, and assuming a coiled position like this puffadder offers more protection; strength, flexibility, traction and long rectangular ventral scales allow snakes to climb – offering this boomslang easy access to a weaver’s nest
Keeping a thick skin
The skin of a snake is perhaps one of its most infamous (and possibly reviled) characteristics. Despite common misconception, their skin is not slimy but is covered in a dry layer of overlapping keratin scales. Depending on the species, they may be smooth, granular, or keeled and come in various shapes. The scales are transparent (think of a shedded snakeskin), and the pigments are found in the underlying skin. Their colours range from beautiful bright colours to the subtle but equally attractive camouflage of the ground ambush predators. Colour aside, the arrangement or pattern of scales, particularly around the face, can be used to identify specific species.
Snakes are born with a set number of scales that does not increase over their lifetime, but the scales themselves will grow over time and may even change shape. The scales are shed multiple times throughout a snake’s lifetime in a process known as ecdysis. This allows the snake to replace old and damaged skin and remove parasites. Interestingly, experts dispute that moulting or shedding in snakes is part of their growth process.
A snake shedding its skin feels particularly vulnerable, especially in the early stages when the specially designed scale over the eye (known as the eye cap) turns milky and compromises its vision. This increased fear may make a shedding snake more likely to lash out if disturbed.
Heavily keeled scales are visible on a rough-scaled bush viper; horned adders also have keeled scales; a rock python’s scales are smooth; a snake sheds its scales multiple times throughout its lifetime
Pointed fangs and potent venom
Lashing out is carried out by the business end of the snake – the part that terrifies people. The teeth of snakes differ depending on their hunting styles and venom types. The venom is produced by the modified parotid gland (a salivary gland found at the back of the jaw) and, as a general rule, can be matched to the type of fangs the snake has. Though technically modified saliva, venom contains a complex mixture of proteins with toxic and potentially lethal properties, which then immobilise and begin digesting prey. In essence, neurotoxic venom attacks the nervous system to cause pain, paralysis and respiratory distress. Cytotoxic venom works on the molecular components of cells, destroying tissues and causing intense, instant pain and often resulting in necrosis and the potential loss of body parts. Haemotoxic venom destroys red blood cells and disrupts clotting mechanisms. It may be slower acting than the other types of venom but can result in massive damage to internal organs and seldom has an effective antivenom.
Members of the Viperidae (puff adders, Gaboon vipers) and Atractaspididae (stiletto snakes) families have massive, tubular, hinged fangs that swing forwards when the snake strikes to inject (usually) cytotoxic venom. Elapids, such as cobras and mambas, have much smaller fangs and inject mostly neurotoxic venom. The orifices in the fangs of spitting cobras are precisely positioned to allow them to project their venom forward and upwards. Finally, the Colubridae (boomslangs) and Homalopsidae (a group of Indo-Australian water snakes) have grooved, backwards oriented fangs set more towards the back part of the jaw. They typically (but not always) inject hemotoxic venom, but their fangs require that the prey be shifted towards the back of the mouth.
Several snakes do not have fangs at all. Constrictors such as pythons do not rely on venom to kill their prey. Instead, they strike and rapidly envelop potential prey in their coils. The powerful snake then generates a massive pressure that essentially cuts off the blood supply to the vital organs and causes death by cardiac arrest (rather than by asphyxiation) within minutes, if not seconds. Constrictors have a full set of teeth to grab and secure their victims and can still deliver an excruciating (and septic) bite. Still, they do not envenomate, and the teeth are therefore not technically classified as fangs.
Whatever the dental set-up, snakes cannot take bites out of or chew their food, meaning that anything caught has to be swallowed whole. This is accomplished by a loose articulation (joint) between the lower mandible and the skull. They can also move their upper maxilla courtesy of a quadrate bone, a characteristic shared with other reptiles, birds, and amphibians. The two halves of each jaw bone are also only loosely held together by a flexible ligament, allowing for a much greater degree of movement.
Black mambas have small fangs that inject neurotoxic venom; a Bibron’s stiletto snake has large, tubular, hinged fangs that swing forwards independently when the snake strikes; the orifices in a spitting cobra’s fangs are positioned to allow forward and upward projection of venom; rufous-beaked snakes often constrict their prey, even though they produce a neurotoxic venom
A pit of snakes
Like other members of the reptile class, most snakes lay eggs (oviparous) and are generally not thought of as contenders for Mother of the Year awards. The eggs are deposited in a suitable location, and the young inside are left to their own devices, emerging fully developed between one and two months later. However, some snake species take their maternal responsibilities more seriously and invest more energy in incubating and protecting their clutches. Python mothers will bask in the sun to warm themselves before returning to coil around the eggs to transfer heat to the eggs. She may even “shiver” to help keep the eggs warm – an extremely costly exercise that can result in the loss of over half her body weight and a two- to three-year delay between clutches.
A small number of snakes are either ovoviviparous (retaining their eggs internally until just before hatching) or even fully viviparous (giving birth to live young) with a functioning placenta. Rhinkals, certain sea snakes, most vipers and garter snakes are all examples of ovoviviparous snakes, while boa constrictors and anacondas are fully viviparous.
The young snakes use a small, sharp egg tooth on their snouts to cut their way out of the egg to emerge like perfect miniatures of the adults. In venomous species, this also means that they hatch with fully developed venom glands. As a result, a baby snake is still a potentially deadly one.
Anacondas are viviparous – they give birth to live young; the rinkhals is ovoviviparous (retaining eggs internally until just before hatching); boa constrictors are also viviparous; a corn snake hatches from its egg
Remarkable Reptiles
While every bit deserving of respect and the same degree of caution that should be afforded to any potentially dangerous wild animal, snakes are indeed marvels of nature and should be appreciated as such. Far from the aggressive creatures they have been made out to be, they are simply complex predators adapted to survive in the form that millions of years of evolution have created for them. Note that snakes are seldom encountered on African safaris.
To lend your support to an organisation prioritising snake conservation, read more about Save the snakes on our app. (Get the app to view – instructions below)
A red-billed firefinch hot on the tail of a flying ant. Harare, Zimbabwe. Photographer of the Year 2022 Finalist
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Primate quest + Sabi safari with Jamie + sneaky hyenas
One of the most fulfilling aspects of being part of teamAG is witnessing the joy and thrill radiating from our travellers when they return from one of our safaris. The Weiss family recently travelled with us to Lake Kivu and Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, Kahuzi-Biega National Park in DRC and Mafia Island off the coast of Tanzania, in search of weird and wonderful creatures, with a focus on primates. On their return, the family’s tally for the trip included ten primate species (including mountain and eastern lowland gorillas), Seychelles flying fox, Zanzibar galago, straw-coloured fruit bats and 150 bird species. You can read their account about their time in Central Africa, complete with mesmerising adventures, in our first story below.
Human-wildlife conflict is a major threat facing wildlife conservation and local communities across the continent. The loss of livestock, such as cattle, to wild predators is a primary source of conflict. Understanding how lions select cattle for prey could help in protecting livestock, mitigating human-wildlife conflict. Read about how researchers are doing just that in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Taryn van Jaarsveld — Editor
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Did you know that when feeding around a large meal, low-ranking hyenas occasionally utter a low vibrating call? It’s the spotted hyena version of an alarm call and usually means danger. As the higher-ranked hyenas stop eating to look for the approaching lion, the sneaky fibbers snatch a few of the tastiest morsels for themselves.
I first witnessed this while guiding in the Sabi Sands and was hugely amused to watch as the high-ranked hyenas caught on but still couldn’t bring themselves to risk ignoring it.
Sightings like these are just one of the reasons I am so excited to be back in the Sands guiding a safari in a few months – and I would love to take you with me! Our travel team has been hard at work putting together what promises to be a thrilling adventure from the delicious comfort of Jaci’s Sabi House. Spaces are limited, and it is time-sensitive, so contact our travel team ASAP to book your spot!
Story 1 PRIMATE QUEST
One family’s adventure with AG to Rwanda, DRC & Mafia Island in search of primates, bats & other weird and wonderful creatures
Story 2 TARGETING COWS
Understanding how predators select cattle for prey can help protect livestock from lions, mitigating human-wildlife conflict
Magical Namibia
Marina Leuzinger and family travelled with AG to Namibia, and visited Sossusvlei, Pelican Point in Walvis Bay, Twyfelfontein, Etosha National Park and Waterberg Plateau Park. Writing from Namibia, Marina wrote:
“Today as we left Windhoek I was really hoping for our plane to be delayed and our flight to be cancelled… I haven’t had this feeling of not wanting to leave a country after a holiday for ages! So to keep it short: our trip was absolutely magical and there is still much more to be discovered in Namibia.
Thank you very much for all arrangements and bookings, for organising the car, our camps, hotels and tours. It was really TOP.”
Pic: The Leuzinger family soaking up a last sunset from Waterberg Plateau Park, Namibia
WATCH: The Ethiopian wolf is the most endangered carnivore in Africa and the rarest canid species in the world. As avid hunters of African mole-rats, they have developed various techniques to catch their prey. In this clip from David Attenborough’s Life series, watch as an Ethiopian wolf stalks its prey (01:32). Click here to watch
Rwanda is known as the Land of a Thousand Hills — a name that accurately describes the mountainous, verdant vistas of this tiny country in Central Africa. My husband Chanan Weiss and I were last in Rwanda a few weeks before the genocide broke out in 1994, oblivious to the political turmoil bubbling under the surface and the devastation soon to come. Amid UN vehicles, we set out on our jungle trek to search for the mountain gorillas. Stumbling upon these majestic creatures is one of life’s memories that remains poignant despite the passing of time.
Still spellbound, almost three decades later, we were finally in the position to set out to Central Africa again. This time, we aimed to expand our journey across countries and to share the experience with our daughters, Laina and Abby. We provided our wishlist to the Africa Geographic team, who put together a plan for us. We hoped to seek out a variety of wildlife, with a particular focus on primates. Our resulting itinerary included Nyungwe National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Lake Kivu, Volcanoes National Park and Mafia Island.
Trekking through Kamiranzovu swamp in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda
The primates of Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest
Travelling to Nyungwe National Park, it felt so good to be on the road, experiencing the smells, sounds, and unique feeling of being in Africa again! As we approached our destination, we watched the transition from the lush fields of tea plantations to the dense canopies of indigenous forest and were greeted by olive baboons and L’Hoest’s monkeys.
Nyungwe National Park is a young national park, only proclaimed in 2004. With over 100,000 hectares of protected mountain rainforest, it is considered one of Africa’s biodiversity hotspots. It is known for its diversity of birds, primates and plant species, and we knew this would be a memorable few days of exploring.
Our days were spent trekking through forest pathways, negotiating dense vegetation, learning about the park’s history and conservation efforts, and being introduced to the birds and primates of the area. There was even a waterfall thrown in for our daughter Abby, who couldn’t resist the forest pool and its frigid waters.
We were privileged to have Claver Ntoyinkima, one of Rwanda’s foremost birding experts, for our three days in the area. Claver grew up on the forest’s outskirts, and his expertise and passion are a reminder of the human input that is intrinsic to conservation success. He taught us so much, from birds to beetles, politics to primates, and the scientific names of trees! Often, the people you meet in these natural spaces bring such richness to the experience.
Chanan was dizzy with excitement, armed with a massive lens, eager to capture the region’s diverse and unique birds. Of course, fleeting glimpses do not always lend themselves to perfect photos, but somehow his spirits are never dampened, and a rewarding moment makes all the other hours worthwhile.
Nyungwe National Park is surrounded by tea plantations; a white-tailed blue flycatcher in Nyungwe Forest; the Weiss family enjoying the canopy walkway above Nyungwe Forest; Laina and Abby enjoying the view in between treks; a black-crowned waxbill in the forest; a black-and-white-casqued hornbill; trekking through the forest
A five-kilometre trek can easily take four hours with our crew, as we tend to stop for every moving creature. Between Chanan’s birds and the girls’ fascination with creepy-crawlies, butterflies, and even fungi – let’s say no one was in a hurry!
Then there were the primates! We managed to observe seven primate species during our time in the area, relying mainly on trackers’ expertise. A guide, machete in hand to clear the path, weaved us through the thick vegetation until the shaking of trees and the calls of the troops alerted us to their presence. We heard the chimpanzees before we saw them, perched atop the trees, stretching their limber bodies and fully engrossed in grooming. Quietly taking in the presence of this endangered animal, which shares almost 99% of our DNA, was thrilling. One needs a moment to take it in before quickly becoming engrossed in the detail of their fingers or the curious faces of the youngsters.
We also saw vervet monkeys on the main road while driving through Nyungwe Forest, and, thanks to Claver’s keen eyes, a silver monkey farther in the forest. Claver also helped us find grey-cheeked mangabeys – we hiked a few hundred metres through the thick forest after he heard them not too far off, and thankfully found them. To our surprise, we were not only rewarded with the mangabeys but also a single Dent’s mona monkey.
While trampling noisily through the forest, we almost walked into an African broadbill, which was also quite exciting. We were also fortunate to see nine of the famous 41 Albertine Rift endemic bird species, including Rwenzori turaco, mountain masked apalis, Grauer’s swamp warbler, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, strange weaver and blue-headed, regal, Rwenzori double-collared and purple-breasted sunbirds.
They were, unfortunately, very hard to photograph in the limited time we had there!
A family of Ruwenzori colobus spotted in Nyungwe Forest; the Weiss family witness a Ruwenzori colobus in action; chimpanzees in the forest canopy; the family were greeted by olive baboons on the outskirts of the forest; L’Houests monkeys were also seen on arrival in the forest
An eastern lowland silverback in DRC
With some trepidation, we decided, a week before our trip, to brave the journey to Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With news of the Congolese militia in conflict with Rwanda, there was some concern about the risk of us getting stuck or caught up in the conflict. Thankfully, this was not the case, and our 24 hours in the DRC went by without a hitch. Contrary to expectation, we had a memorable wildlife experience and fantastic hospitality.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one of the DRC’s largest national parks and one of the last refuges for the critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla – also known as Grauer’s gorilla. Extending over 600,000 hectares, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered a critical habitat for the protection of Afro-montane forests and the wildlife that lives there.
The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest of the gorilla subspecies and is distinguished by its stocky body, massive head, and short muzzle. We were excited for this detour to see what was a new subspecies for Chanan and me.
We set out on a long and arduous trek through the thick forest, with trackers and guides leading us up steep, slippery mountain slopes and through dense vegetation. Finally, we heard the characteristic sound of fists on the chest. They had heard us before we heard them. We spent the next 30 minutes following a troop on the move – with glimpses of twin babies on a mother’s back and a mock charge by a female that briefly terrified Abby!
Then, amidst a cracking of branches and loud guttural grunts, we spotted a massive silverback up a tree. How that tree held him is still our guess – as he stretched out his huge legs and reached for leaves. After some time, the silverback trundled down the tree and plopped right in front of us to finish his meal. Experiencing this massive creature, unperturbed by our presence and allowing us to absorb this surreal moment, was exhilarating.
The photographers clicked away in delight until the star attraction decided it was enough, and he stood up and disappeared into the jungle.
In Kahuzi-Biega National Park, the Weiss family witnessed an eastern lowland silverback and spent time with the gorillas after being led through the forest thicket by guides and trackers.
Bats of Lake Kivu and gorillas of Volcanoes
Returning to Rwanda after our time in the DRC, we headed to the shores of Lake Kivu to spend a relaxing few days soaking in uninterrupted views of the vegetated islands. A freshwater lake nestled within Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Lake Kivu provided an opportunity to swim, kayak and explore the nearby islands.
Straw-coloured fruit bats fly over Lake Kivu
Napoleon Island, in particular, is known for its biodiversity and is home to over 40,000 straw-coloured fruit bats. The eerie screeches of the bats were at first disconcerting, but their sweet little faces won us over, and the minutes turned into hours as we became enthralled with the spectacle.
From Lake Kivu, we set out for Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda’s roads are slow. Not because they are pot-holed, but because they are windy and steep. Vehicles share single lanes with cyclists – on bicycles laden with bags of potatoes and cabbage bound for trade with neighbouring villages – racing down mountain slopes.
Canoeing on Lake Kivu; spotting a white-eyed slaty flycatcher; the endearing sight of a double-toothed barbet; Napoleon Island is home to over 40,000 straw-coloured fruit bats; Chanan and Maria enjoying views of Lake Kivu; spotting an immature palm-nut vulture
We would soon see Volcanoes National Park approaching, the thick indigenous vegetation contrasting with the heavily farmed hillsides. A vital conservation area, it protects critical habitat for the endangered mountain gorilla.
Our long-awaited trek into the forests of Volcanoes National Park began under an eerie fog hanging over the forest canopy. We trudged our way up Mount Karisimbi, following the trackers and guide to locate the family of Pablo the gorilla. There are 12 habituated gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park, some of which are habituated solely for research purposes. Here, tourism and science work hand in hand to benefit people and conservation.
As we turned a corner, there amongst the jungle backdrop was a family of mountain gorillas, their black fur striking against the curtain of green. The giant silverback was splayed out in a sleepy stupor while others ate leaves, tore apart bamboo shoots and nestled with their babies. A 3-year-old baby gorilla, who was particularly curious, was so close to Abby she could have stroked him! We kept backing up and tripping over each other as he approached to investigate.
The Weiss family experienced a family of mountain gorillas in misty Volcanoes National Park, including a silverback and an inquisitive youngster
Despite their intimidating size and appearance, the gorillas’ gentle nature was palpable. A core focus of Dian Fossey’s early work was transforming public perception of gorillas from aggressive beasts to creatures of great compassion and social intelligence.
We stayed in the town of Ruhengeri, situated at the foot of the Virunga Mountains. We loved staying here for its friendly people, safe streets, delicious food and top-notch coffee. Chanan and I were last here 28 years ago. So different to what we remember, it felt surreal to walk the same streets with our daughters. In addition to our gorilla trek, we visited the newly opened Karisoke Research Centre, canoeed the Mukungwa River, and trekked to see the park’s golden monkeys.
Canoeing Mukungwa River; a red-billed firefinch; cyclists laden with bags of potatoes and cabbage travel between neighbouring villages to trade; a golden monkey in Volcanoes National Park; spotting an African dusky flycatcher
Deflating on Mafia Island
Our adventure’s finale took us to Tanzania’s Mafia Island – a small tropical paradise off the coast. We spent the last six days of our trip indulging in all things coastal: swimming in the warm sea, walking out to sandbanks, reading, kayaking on the calm water, snorkelling, strolling on the fine sandy beaches, playing cards, drinking from coconuts and eating fantastic food. We even had the opportunity to watch turtle hatchlings scuttle into the sea!
The azure waters of Mafia Island; a red-bellied bush squirrel; a Seychelles flying fox on Mafia Island; heading out to snorkel the calm waters; the Weiss family witnessed turtle hatchlings scuttle into the sea
Despite our seaside stupor, we added a few new mammals to our life list: Seychelles flying fox, Zanzibar galago and Zanj sun squirrel.
Our total tally for the trip included 10 primates, 7 additional mammals, and 150 birds, thanks to Chanan’s birding skills.
Despite Rwanda’s turbulent past, the country’s approach to tourism is refreshing. We felt very safe and welcome wherever we went, and we thoroughly enjoyed the tourism infrastructure and the efforts to protect the country’s important plant and animal biodiversity. Clean, efficient and friendly, one can understand why this is a top tourist destination in Africa. A long-anticipated adventure in Rwanda, DRC and Mafia Island was better than we could have imagined and an absolute privilege to experience.
Not sure how to distinguish between the different species and subspecies of gorilla? We’ll show you how.
For those wanting to learn more about the bird and mammal offerings in Rwanda, Christian Boix’s (Africa Geographic travel director and one of Africa’s top birding guides) book Wild Rwanda is the region’s most authoritative “where to find” birds and mammals guide.
Human-wildlife conflict is one of the gravest threats facing wildlife conservation and local communities in Africa. One primary source of this conflict is the loss of livestock , such as cattle, to wild predators. Understanding when and how these predators, such as lions, select their prey is vital in generating mitigation strategies.
Research from the University of Pretoria unravels some characteristics that make cattle more vulnerable to hunting lions. The scientists found that specific situations and cattle attributes such as mottled coat colours, small horns, youth, and social behaviour placed certain herd members at greater risk.
The study was conducted in Botswana’s eastern Panhandle region of the Okavango Delta. The fringe of the Delta is a known conflict hotspot where free-ranging livestock and wildlife coexist, and livestock losses are common. During the two-year study period, 197 cattle were killed in 143 different incidents. The vast majority (82.7%) were killed by lions, while African painted wolves (wild dogs), spotted hyenas, and leopards accounted for the remainder.
As might be expected, the scientists found that 87.1% of the incidents occurred between dusk and dawn, and all attacks on cattle in an enclosure took place exclusively at night. Though the lions killed only one cow on average, there were ten incidents where more than two cows were killed in one incident. These occurred in non-predator-proof enclosures, indicating that inadequate cattle pens may exacerbate livestock losses during single incidents. However, free-ranging cattle still accounted for the most losses during the study.
During the incidents involving enclosed cattle, the lions targeted young and inexperienced calves, prone to panic and stampeding when attacked without an escape route. Conversely, calves were avoided in incidents involving free-ranging cattle. Interestingly, lions seem to avoid heifers and adult cows in both contexts (enclosed and free-ranging), suggesting that the inherent sociality of the females reduced their risk. Instead, free-ranging bulls and oxen – more likely to be solitary than the cows – were the preferred prey.
Livestock losses are common along the Delta fringe, where free-ranging livestock and wildlife coexist
Given their size and morphological similarity to buffalo, lion predation on cattle is inevitable. However, the authors point out that the process of domestication has removed many of the wild attributes – size, horns, aggression – that would have helped cattle discourage predation attempts. Thus, it was easy to understand why more polled (hornless) or small-horned cattle were killed while long-horned cattle were avoided. However, the discovery that lions preferred mottled cows over those with a solid colour coat was somewhat harder to explain. Lions have better night vision than humans, but this has come at a cost in terms of colour and detail vision, so they tend to respond more readily to movement. The scientists theorise that “the mixed pelage pattern helps identify movement” and draw the lions’ attention more frequently than solid-coloured cows.
Though it is an entirely understandable response, the research also suggests that chasing the lions off a cattle carcass may increase attacks. The data shows that early disturbance at a kill reduced carcass consumption by 40%, the equivalent of 30kg per carcass per lion. As lions need at least an average of 6kg of food per day to maintain condition (though they do not need to feed every day and usually consume more than this in one sitting), disrupting their feeding could force them to kill more frequently in “hit and run” attacks.
So, what are the implications of this research? The authors acknowledge that selective breeding for more “wild” characteristics like longer horns and aggression is an unlikely solution, as this would only make the cattle more challenging and even dangerous to handle. Regardless, the preferences displayed by the lions were subtle. The obvious upshot is that the antipredator activities fall to the humans that care for the cattle. The most productive action would be to confine the cattle at night, but this needs to be done in suitable, predator-proof enclosures to avoid the possibility of lions developing a preference for “easy, confined prey”. This is particularly necessary during the dry season when the cattle are more likely to travel greater distances for food and water.
SO my editorial of last weekstirred a few pots and affirmed what the experienced travellers amongst you were thinking. Thanks to all who emailed me or reached out via social media. I received some encouraging nods from safari industry dagga boys – much appreciated.
AT LAST, my beloved South Africa is phasing out the abusive captive lion breeding industry. There is currently a gazetted draft White Paper on the conservation and sustainable use of South Africa’s biodiversity in play, which will provide the overarching policy context to rid us of this evil industry. This process is being driven by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment – and our Minister Barbara Creecy is a critical roleplayer in that regard. I can only imagine the pressure she is under from those who believe that any practice is ok if it produces money. Strength to you, Madam Minister!
I am currently on safari in Botswana – my beloved Khwai, to be precise – with our 2022 Photographer of the Year winners. Expect a celebratory gallery from us in a few weeks!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Is there anything more magical than spending an evening dining under the stars in the African wilderness while being serenaded by the sounds of nocturnal creatures? Or taking a breather from an adventurous morning of Big 5 spotting to indulge in a scrumptious brunch under a giant baobab? This week we’re celebrating the wonders of dining out on safari with 15 of our favourite gastronomic bushveld experiences – check out our first story.
We’re also examining a distressing forecast for the yellow-billed hornbills of the Kalahari. Scientists have predicted that, due to rising temperatures, these hornbills will vanish from the area within the next five years. Read more on the impact climate change is having on this population of birds in our second story below.
Did you know that there have been 13 fatal bear attacks in North America in the last two years? In all instances where the bear responsible could be identified (and occasionally even when it couldn’t), it was euthanised.
There has been another leopard incident in the Kruger region in South Africa. Sabi Sand Nature Reserve confirmed that a male leopard in “poor condition” seriously injured an employee. She was on the veranda of her residence at the time and had to be airlifted to the hospital. The leopard in question (believed to be the Nyeleti male) was put down. Given how unusual such attacks are (in southern Africa at least), it is pretty uncanny that this latest incident came on the heels of our article on leopard habituation in the Sabi Sands.
I raised the bear fact because I’ve been trying to put what seems like a spate of leopard-human conflicts into perspective for myself. It also shows that no matter where in the world it happens, when a predator behaves like a predator, it has tragic consequences for both people and the animal.
We all send our best wishes to the employee and hope for a full recovery.
Story 1 BUSHVELD DINING
No African safari is complete without a dining experience out in the wilderness. Here are our favourite spots to enjoy dining in the bushveld
Story 2 DISAPPEARING HORNBILLS
Scientists have predicted that the Kalahari’s hornbills will start to vanish in five years – and climate change is to blame
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
Best time to see wildlife in southern Africa? INSIDER TIP from our CEO: The later in the dry season you come on safari, the better the wildlife experience. No rain for many months means predictable watering points for thirsty animals and thin vegetation – both good for wildlife sightings. If you can stomach higher temperatures and you are after pure wildlife celebration, push it as late in the dry season as you can. September to November (before the rains arrive) is usually spectacular for wildlife encounters. This is when most safari-goers have gone home and when serious photographers are out there scoring those epic images we all love to see.
With that in mind, here are a few excellent hand-made packages for the coming months:
Affordable safari in South Luangwa – 5 days. This fantastic combo of walking and driving will appeal to experienced safari-goers and first-timers alike. Expect exceptional game viewing and tracking on foot, scrumptious bush breakfasts and unforgettable sundowners. Did we mention leopards?
Three rivers safari – 7 days. This classic safari takes you to three iconic African riverine settings and two countries: Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River in Zimbabwe plus Botswana’s Chobe National Park on the shores of the broad, sluggish Chobe River, and Khwai on the eastern fringes of the Okavango Delta
WATCH: Take a breather with BBC Earth and spend time unwinding at a waterhole in Mwiba Wildlife Reserve, Tanzania, as wildlife gathers to drink (27:40). Click here to watch
Delicious meals do not a holiday make, but they are certainly a vital component of the overall experience. In Africa, the safari bushveld dining experience has evolved from basic fare to competitive haute cuisine. There’s only one problem: when your days on safari are limited, do you really want to head back to camp for a meal? Fortunately, the solution is simple, and many lodges offer their guests the opportunity to dine out against the backdrop of some of the most spectacular landscapes in Africa. Serenaded by the sounds of the wild (with the occasional surprise visit from one of the performers) and with every whim taken care of, nothing could be more immersive than indulging one’s epicureanism in this setting.
A day on safari is one of the exceptions to the old maxim about breakfast being the most important part of the day. In the bushveld, breakfast is a quick snack to be bolted down with a few gulps of coffee before rushing out to enjoy the best part of the day. A few hours later, after an early start and a couple of thrilling sightings on a game drive, everyone has worked up quite the appetite. Nothing tastes quite as good as brunch in the wild.
Perched on the top of the Oloololo Escarpment and looking down over the Mara River, Angama Mara’s vantage point emphasises just how vast this critical East African ecosystem truly is. For safari-goers, that means long full days exploring the plains, and no one wants to interrupt that to race back to the lodge for food. Fortunately, the lodge’s culinary artists will have been hard at work preparing the perfect Mara picnic so that their guests do not have to miss a moment of the Great Migration action (and can watch it with a full belly)!
Pizza for breakfast? Maybe this sounds more like a student’s lazy provisions than a gourmet meal for a safari guest, but it is well worth trusting the ingenious gourmands at Morukuru in Madikwe. After a morning of frenetic sightings (Madikwe is, of course, known for its wild dogs!), Morukuru’s mobile pizza oven arrives on the scene, making fresh woodfired breakfast pizza for the windswept, elated and ravenous guests.
Zambia is the “home of the walking safari”, and the thrill of marching through through this wilderness all morning is guaranteed to ensure that the simple, wholesome brunch spread set out by the team at Track & Trail River Camp is devoured with alacrity. A quick stop to recharge the batteries in the heart of the South Luangwa wilderness before it’s time to set off again is just the ticket!
End a morning of wandering the golden green savannah with a cooked brunch, to be enjoyed while soaking up views of the surrounding wildlife moving off to the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Guests of Lion’s Bluff Lodge can experience a wholesome meal with delectable fresh produce and rich coffee prepped under the shade of trees, after spending hours exploring the Lumo Community Wildlife Sanctuary. There can be no better setting than this unique ecosystem which encompasses one of Africa’s most ancient elephant migratory corridors.
Brunch – complete with pizza – is the perfect respite after a morning of sightings in Madikwe; overlook rolling savannahs during the morning meal in Tsavo West for the ultimate in bushveld dining; enjoy an epic picnic with a magnificent view over the Maasai Mara at Angama Mara; recharge your batteries in a wild setting in between walks at Track & Trail River Camp
Kwessi Dunes, NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
This is an exception to the brunch over breakfast approach because temperatures in the desert will have skyrocketed by midday, and the lodge pool will be calling. Instead, the Kwessi Dunes team sets out a sunrise breakfast, so guests can ogle the colour-changing dunes as the sun crests the horizon and light slowly pours over the desert sands.
Elsa’s Kopje, Meru National Park, Kenya
Considered one of the most spectacular locations in Africa, Meru National Park is a true wilderness. And Elsa’s Kopje is one of the park’s most iconic destinations. Bush brunches at Elsa’s Kopje are a chance to enjoy a full and satisfying meal, al fresco, in the middle of the plains, surrounded by wildlife. From the vantage point of one of the many rocky outcrops, travellers can look out across the diverse scenery without another person in sight. Take a moment to sit back, enjoy the spectacular views, the smells, the colours, and the gentle breeze.
Have brunch on the plains courtesy of Elsa’s Kopje for the best options in bushveld dining; enjoy an early breakfast in the dunes of NamibRand Nature Reserve
Machaba Camp is a luxurious destination on the banks of the Khwai River, built in the classic 1950’s style. Guests can intimately experience the wildness of Khwai by enjoying a luxurious picnic laid out under the trees, with wildlife not too far off. Nourishing, delicious ingredients are the order of the day, and it will be hard to not fall into a satisfying nap after enjoying the excitement of the morning game drives and indulging in a delicious brunch.
Samara Karoo Reserve, Great Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa
The incredible geological transformations of Samara’s semi-desert landscape beg to be the setting for a delicious meal. The team at Samara offers some amazing dining experiences, from a picnic lunch in a riverbed with cool water flowing past your toes, to mountain-top brunches and lunches overlooking the wide expanse of the Great Karoo below. Samara’s gourmet picnic food has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that just epitomises holiday mode.
Take in epic mealtime views at Samara – a must-visit for bushveld dining; enjoy comfortable shady brunches at Machaba Camp
Starlit suppers
If brunch in the wilderness is a chance to catch one’s breath in the middle of the day, dining under the African stars is a more breath-taking experience. Especially when the lions start to roar…
Aided by the golden glow of paraffin lamps in the middle of a vast dry riverbed, the Tanda Tula staff are well versed in setting up an elegant bush dinner experience. Guests are treated to delicious food and fine wine in the heart of the Big 5 paradise that is the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
There is something utterly primitive about Samburu – a feeling only emphasised by an al fresco dining experience. The flames of blazing torches chase away the darkness, their flickering light harking to a time long before electricity tamed the nights of Africa, as you dine out in one of Africa’s wildest places. The area around Saruni Samburu is teeming with wildlife – so be sure to take time to listen for the nocturnal sounds as you dine.
Lekkerwater Beach Lodge, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Overberg, South Africa
If you enjoy your open-air dining with a side of whale watching, Lekkerwater Beach Lodge is just the spot. The lodge is perched between land and sea atop the ancient dunes of De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa’s Western Cape. The reserve is known for offering some of the world’s best land-based whale watching. Due to its location near the beach, Lekkerwater is able to offer guests al-fresco dinners on the beach, for an immersive seaside experience.
Take your bushveld dining with a side of whale watching at Lekkerwater Beach Lodge; Experience an evening supper by lamplight in a riverbed with Tanda Tula; as well as the best in bushveld dining at Saruni Samburu
Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails has made our list because of the uniqueness of the walking safari experience. Experiencing the truly wild side of the African bushveld does not mean compromising on quality – or good food. After hanging up your boots for the day, you’ll have the opportunity to dine fireside at a different location every night. So despite roughing it on the trail, nights are made very comfortable by the mobile-camp team, who prep scrumptious meals under the stars.
Kichaka Frontier Camp, Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Visitors to this remote camp in Ruaha National Park can be forgiven for losing themselves in the intimacy of this authentic safari destination. The small camp only takes six guests at a time, who are incredibly well looked after throughout their stays in one of the most isolated areas on the continent. And with such crystal-clear nights over Ruaha, hosts maximise the potential of the night skies by hosting dinners under the breathtaking vistas of the heavens. The Kichaka team uses only the freshest local produce, and pay special attention to the tastes and preferences of guests, ensuring a fulfilling and satisfying al-fresco dining experience.
Life in wild and untamed Mana Pools revolves around the mighty Zambezi River, the region’s lifeblood during the dry season. So where better to sate one’s appetite with the Vundu Camp team than on its banks, accompanied by the gentle song of resident hippos as the blanket of the African night falls?
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
Tswalu’s food is among some of the best on the safari scene, which applies equally to meals outside the lodge. As the sun burnishes the red Kalahari sands, a dune picnic is a perfect place to indulge your inner gastronome.
Kichaka Frontier Camp dinners offer crystal-clear views of the Ruaha night sky; take a comforting meal after a day of walking with Africa on Foot; enjoy the finest cuisine – renowned for its bushveld dining options – at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve; dine out on the banks of the Zambezi at Vundu Camp
With their small body sizes, high metabolisms, and primarily diurnal activities, birds are vulnerable to changes in temperature and water availability. Hornbills in the Kalahari are at risk of local extinction
Scientists have predicted that the Kalahari’s hornbills will start to vanish in five years – and climate change is to blame. It is a frightening thought that an animal as seemingly ubiquitous as the yellow-billed hornbill could be threatened with local extinction. Yet the authors of a new study published in Frontiers warn that if temperatures continue on the same trajectory, yellow-billed hornbills at their study site in the Kalahari Desert will no longer be able to breed successfully by 2027 – resulting in local extinction.
Researchers in the Kuruman River Reserve in the Northern Cape of South Africa released their alarming results after a decade-long monitoring period, from 2008 to 2019. This included the drought during the 2015/2016 breeding season. The scientists compared the first three years of breeding data to the final three years of the study period. They found that nest success (defined by the successful fledging of at least one chick) declined from 58% to 17%, occupied artificial nest boxes declined from 52% to 12%, and the average number of chicks for each breeding attempt plummeted from 1.1 to 0.4. Most concerningly, of the 118 observed breeding attempts, not a single attempt was successful when the average air temperature was equal to or over 35.7˚C. According to current predictions, this average temperature will be exceeded for the entire duration of the yellow-billed hornbills’ breeding season by 2027, resulting in a predicted 0% breeding success rate.
Mass die-off events affecting bird species due to short periods of extreme temperatures are becoming increasingly common. However, this research shows that even sub-lethal increases in temperatures have a significant impact on the ecology of a region. Furthermore, hornbills would be expected to struggle during periods of drought due to a shortage of their insect and reptile prey. During the breeding season, the female yellow-billed hornbill seals herself off in a cavity of a tree or earth bank (or in artificial nest boxes) and is entirely reliant upon the male to feed her as she incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks. Thus, a shortage of resources caused by drought would hamper this process. Yet even in years of good rain, high temperatures still had deleterious effects on hornbill breeding habits.
High temperatures have detrimental effects on hornbill breeding habits. For more pics from Danielle Carstens, check out@dcwildlifephotography
The authors acknowledge that the higher temperatures inside artificial nest boxes compared to those of natural nest cavities may have impacted the results. However, the temperatures at the study site are, on average, lower than those experienced by yellow-billed hornbills at the hottest margins of their range. In addition, the effects of the higher temperatures are felt not just by the nesting female and chicks but by the males foraging for food during the day. Hornbills cannot shift their breeding season in the desert because it has to correspond with the arrival of the rains (and an abundance of prey) at the hottest time of the year. Climate change is changing temperatures (and other parameters) too quickly for birds to be able to adapt.
This research adds to a growing body of evidence of the effects global heating will have on Africa’s fauna and flora. With their relatively small body sizes, high metabolisms, and primarily diurnal activities, birds are especially vulnerable to changes in temperature and water availability. Those that survive in arid habitats like the Kalahari more so, as the window for successful breeding is limited to the duration of a short rainy season during the hottest months. According to the 2022 update to the State of the World’s Birds report, climate change now ranks as the second-greatest threat to birds across the globe after habitat destruction. Ornithologists are constantly finding new changes in bird behaviours and habits: climate change is affecting migratory patterns, seasonal rhythms, habitat and breeding ground use and even body size. The yellow-billed hornbills of this particular study represent challenges being faced by birds around the world.
And the threats posed are looming sooner than most people realise. As lead author Nicholas Pattinson explains in a press release from the University of Cape Town, “[m]uch of the public perception of the effects of climate change is related to scenarios calculated for 2050 and beyond. This renders the concept of the effects of climate change abstract to much of the general public not directly affected by extreme weather events, given that the effects are considered to concern future generations.”
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Hwange healing + kaleidoscopic chameleons + Mara madness
Listen up; I have something to say. My recent visit to the magnificent Maasai Mara was both epic and distressing.
Observing hordes of wildebeest and zebras crossing the Mara River again and again during the Great Wildebeest Migration, as the herds criss-cross the northern Serengeti and southern Maasai Mara, is one of Africa’s best safari experiences. It really is. One gets caught up in the drama of the moment, the chaos, the celebration of life. And death, as massive crocs and tactical lions gorge on the reckless and the unlucky.
BUT. How to manage that other great migration – that of large numbers of Homo sapiens converging on this tiny piece of Africa to witness this natural phenomenon?
At one of the crossings I witnessed last week, about 60 vehicles waited patiently for hours on both sides of the river – about 100m away – while the gnus and zebras slowly converged on their chosen crossing point. Then, when the first hooves hit the water, it was a crazy, chaotic rush as hundreds of tons of steel gunned with screaming engines to get to the best observation points. It was surreal, exhilarating and sickening as we all converged on what is only a few hundred meters of riverbank, jostled for position and somehow avoided collisions. The temptation to judge others was real. Did the fact that our guide behaved better make me less part of the problem? Did the fact that we left the grid-locked traffic jam to find calmer experiences give me the moral high ground? No, I was and am part of the problem.
Some things have changed from the old days. Now, guides have to allow the herds to commence the crossing before they approach the river bank – and officials in tiny green Jimny’s enforce slightly better behaviour. But it’s still chaotic and very stressful for the herds. It’s still not sustainable.
We, the travel industry, need to embrace this problem and find a more responsible way of showcasing this extraordinary spectacle before pressure groups and officious government agencies shut the door on the Greatest Show on Earth. Drops the mic
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Can nature nurture? Nature – or surrounding environment – can change a person’s outlook, or even ignite evolutionary processes.
In our first story this week, we feature a superb account by Aaron Gekoski (former Photographer of the Year winner) which attests to the healing power of nature. Exploring Hwange and Matobo National Parks in Zim, Aaron found catharsis through safari.
Scientists exploring how chameleons evolve their kaleidoscopic capacity have made a fascinating observation. By studying how a group of invasive African chameleons in Hawaii adapt to local environmental factors, the scientists have captured a snapshot of the evolutionary process in action. Read more in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Did you know that hooved animals are born with a deciduous hoof capsule? The soft coating avoids damage to the mother’s uterus or birth canal and is called eponychium (or “foal slippers” in horses).
I ask because Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary has released an awesome video of the birth of a rhino calf (see below). It is especially magical because the mother – Olive – was orphaned by poachers in 2013 and raised by Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary. Every rhino calf counts, and I challenge you to watch the little creature take his first steps without your throat closing up. And if you look closely, you can see his slippers.
A remarkable achievement by the devoted staff at Care for Wild and a spark of hope for us rhino lovers. Read more about Care for Wild and their rhino birth below.
Story 1 HWANGE THERAPY
Can an African safari bring healing? Aaron Gekoski heads to Zimbabwe to explore Hwange & Matobo National Parks to find out
Story 2 KALEIDOSCOPIC CHAMELEONS
How did chameleons come to evolve their kaleidoscopic capacity? Escapees from the 1970s Hawaiian pet trade may hold the answer
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
Did we mention that we offer eight carefully crafted ways to enjoy the awesomeness of the Mara / Serengeti wonderland? We cater for all budgets and all times of the year – from the busy prime season when the herds are crossing the Mara River to the secret season, which locals know is the best time to be there. Over and above that, you could plan your own safari using our app or ask us to stitch together your ideal safari.
Louwhen Bowker, Care for Wild project rep, writes on the AG forum:
“Following our announcement of a new birth at Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa, we are extremely humbled and privileged to be able to share this incredible footage with the world. White rhino cow Olive gave birth to a male calf on 11 August 2022. The birth was captured on video by Olive’s guard. Despite keeping his distance, Olive remained close to her long-term protector throughout the early stages of labour and kept him close during delivery. This is an unbelievably special moment to see this precious new life take his first breaths.”
WATCH: Watch as the Nomads, a group of four young male lions, prowl the western bank of the Luangwa River in Zambia, in search of new territory. In their pursuit, they enter the territory of the powerful MK Pride. Can a hunting party of MK lionesses keep them at bay? (08:00). Click here to watch
From chameleons the size of house cats to those smaller than the head of a match, custom colours are central to the Chamaeleonidae family survival strategy. How did they come to evolve this kaleidoscopic capacity? Escapees from the 1970s pet trade may hold some of the answers…
Chameleons can modify their skin colour thanks to specialised skin cells and a combination of different pigments. As relatively slow movers, they rely on camouflage and muted browns and greens to stay hidden from potential predators (and to sneak up on prey).
They do not however have the magical ability to match the colour of their backgrounds, and their talent for expressing bright colours has more to do with impressing potential mates and intimidating rivals. Thus, chameleon ancestors walked a delicate tightrope between flamboyant breeding displays and avoiding the unwanted attentions of those looking to hunt them.
In 1972, 36 Jackson’s chameleons (Trioceros jacksonii xantholophus) – native to Kenya and Tanzania – were brought onto the Hawaiian island of Oahu, destined for a life as pets. They arrived somewhat bedraggled and sunlight-deprived and were placed outside for some invigorating fresh air, at which point they promptly escaped. Fifty years later, Jackson’s chameleons have established themselves as an invasive species in Hawaii. A lack of snakes and avian predators made the islands a chameleon paradise, which is where evolutionary research comes in.
Chameleon colour signals change in response to different social stimuli
When two male Jackson’s chameleons size each other up in the wild, they display a lurid yellow-green colour. But when presented with a predator, they adopt a far more subtle and camouflaged approach.
Researchers wanted to test if 50 years’ worth of a carefree, largely predator-less existence would mean that the Hawaiian Jackson’s chameleons had more elaborate or brighter displays. To do this, the scientists exposed both Kenyan and Hawaiian chameleons to rival male and female chameleons, as well as fake models of predators. The colour changes were measured using an optic spectrometer.
The Hawaiian chameleons proved far more uninhibited than their Kenyan relatives, flaunting significantly brighter displays of colour across a greater spectrum when presented with rivals and females. They also stood out against the native Hawaiian vegetation even when faced with predators, particularly snakes.
Male chameleons experience intense sexual selection. During the breeding season, they change from dull green to a highly conspicuous bright yellow display signal. They also readily fight by locking horns and sometimes pierce their rival’s skin with their horns. In (A) a dominant male is shown in display colouration. (B) A subordinate male that lost a contest and turned from bright yellow to brown. (C) Two males fighting, both are in display colouration and relatively evenly matched. (D) A courting male in full display colour, while the female has turned to a contrasting colour, rejecting the male. See the Supplementary Materials for additional photos, including in response to a snake.
It would be a stretch to conclude that the lucky Hawaiian immigrants have evolved in only 50 years. Instead, this is more likely an example of biological plasticity (adaption to local environmental factors) – a snapshot of the ultimate evolutionary process in action. In this case, a lack of danger brought sexual competitiveness to the forefront of a biological arms race.
We all have our own ways of dealing with stress. Some speak to professionals or pop pills. Others release endorphins via exercise or yoga, and meditate themselves into a state of zen-ness, and some go on African safaris. Hippocrates prescribed a dose of greenery. “Nature,” he said, “is the greatest physician”. Whilst it’s unlikely that Hippocrates ever went on an African safari in Hwange, his words still ring true today. But many are discovering this great secret: the art of healing through safari. A safari is a cathartic experience, with lions or elephants playing the role of therapists, prowling their way deep into our psyche, stomping out negative thoughts (at least temporarily).
The pandemic blindsided us and brought challenges we didn’t see coming and never thought possible. We were isolated from each other, from travel, and for many, from the natural world. As we start life in a post-COVID era, can we find solace amongst the animals? I headed to Zimbabwe to find out.
A dose of the good stuff
For the past 13 years, I’ve worked as an environmental photojournalist and filmmaker, covering stories of human-animal conflict. In the process, I have witnessed the best – and the worst – of humanity. I had lived in Africa before – in Mozambique, South Africa and Zanzibar – and as the pressures of a few years of gruelling work began to weigh on me, I longed for the continent.
I missed the smells of a savannah after a heavy rainstorm and those dense, brilliant night skies. I daydreamed of wild, open spaces packed with wildlife, and sitting around a campfire chugging whiskey, listening to stories of lives spent in the bush.
As travel opened up in the post-pandemic world, I decided it was time to test out Hippocrates’ theory, and in March, my girlfriend Marie and I set off for Zimbabwe from our home in the Philippines. At first, we were unsure of visiting during the green season (the rainy months between December and April). But a good buddy, Mark Butcher (aka ‘Butch’), who runs a few lodges in Zimbabwe – one of which (Bomani Tented Lodge) I added to my itinerary – reassured me that green season meant relaxed animals due to an abundance of water and food, and fewer tourists.
Rhinos, Rhodes and rings
After four flights, we arrived at Bulawayo Airport a little bleary-eyed, to be greeted by Phil and Sharon Stead, owners of Amalinda Safari Collection. From here, it was a 45-minute drive to Amalinda Lodge in Matobo National Park: the first stop on our three-week tour.
The Matobo National Park is found in the Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the oldest national park in Zimbabwe. And it might be one of the most romantic destinations on Earth. Every part of Amalinda Lodge pays homage to Matobo’s giant granite domes. We ate amongst them, slept next to them, swam on top of them, and went on game drives with them as the backdrop.
The Matobo Hills also house one of Africa’s rhino conservation success stories and provide impressive tracking encounters. On our first morning, we came within 5m of a pair of white rhinos, as our guide Howard – aka the “rhino oracle” – explained how rhinos here are flourishing due to intensive anti-poaching efforts.
Matopos offers some of the best rhino sightings in all of Zimbabwe
Back at the lodge that evening, we made our way up to a vantage point with Sharon, Phil and a couple of bottles of Champagne. As the sun set over Matobo’s two-billion-year-old hills, I knelt down on one knee, pretended to pull a drone out of my bag, and whipped out an engagement ring for Marie instead. She said “yes”. It had been quite the first day in Zimbabwe.
The next couple of days passed by, a heady mix of celebrating, spending time with rhinos, and enjoying our honeymoon suite. We even found time to visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes, set atop a mountain with sensational views. Ending on a high, we packed our bags and headed on the next leg: to Bomani Tented Lodge bordering Hwange National Park.
Bomani, Bigboy and the Baggage Handlers
Upon arrival, it turned out that Butch was true to his word: we did indeed have the entire place to ourselves. Bomani is situated on a 2000-hectare private reserve: visitors have virtually no neighbours aside from the animals that regularly visit the waterhole in front of the lodge. Bomani has a real family atmosphere, and we were made to feel at home by the lodge manager, the charismatic Bigboy, and our guide, Ndaba.
Whilst enjoying a cup of coffee over the campfire with Butch at 5 am, mist dispersing around the lodge, a golden blur caught Butch’s eye. It turned out to be the lion Lesang (pictured in the main image of this story), son of renowned lion Cecil, a magnificent specimen who was on the lookout for a mate.
Bomani Tented Lodge is positioned on a private concession; A baboon rests near Bomani Lodge, as a giraffe basks in the afternoon light
Lesang is one of many lions that roam locally, along with a grizzled coalition known as ‘The Baggage Handlers’ (so named because they once raided the luggage of a charter aircraft on the runway to get to some vacuum-packed fillet steaks). On a couple of occasions, we were fortunate to see them with kills.
During the many coffees shared with Butch and the Imvelo team, I learnt of some of the ways they are contributing to the surrounding community, including building schools, creating employment, providing water and assisting with healthcare. They have recently been involved in an ambitious project to bring white rhinos back to Hwange. What makes the initiative so exciting is that rhinos are being reintroduced onto community land, where community members become custodians and benefit from tourism through increased employment.
The Cobras undergo training at their camp near Bomani Lodge; two members of the Cobras check their weapons prior to a drill; the Cobras prepare for their night patrol, keeping Hwange safe from poachers
Shortly after our trip, Butch and the team were busy preparing the rhinos for their trip to Hwange. Once in Hwange, they will enter into the care of the ‘Cobras’ – an anti-poaching group selected from the community and trained by Imvelo. Having seen the Cobras in action, it looks like the rhinos will be in safe hands.
In preparation for rhinos’ return to Hwange, the Cobras run a drill in which donkeys replace rhinos.
A short drive from Bomani leads to Ngamo Plain – a wide-open savannah filled with the who’s who of safari. On a single morning, Butch showed us lion, cheetah, elephant, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, waterbuck and a lot more.
Using a slow shutter speed and panning adds motion blur to animals on the move; There are few animals as photogenic as the waterbuck; As the sun sets over the Ngamo Plains, two cheetahs remain on the lookout for prey; A foal and her mother take a break to play on Hwange’s Ngamo Plains; A cheetah cub licks her lips after enjoying a meal
The final leg
Waving goodbye to the team from Imvelo, we headed north to Khulu Bush Camp in the north-eastern section of Hwange, to meet up again with Sharon and Phil. The lodge is a mirror of Sharon: elegant, stylish and beautifully put together.
Khulu is famous for its deck and plunge pool, where one can view elephants gathering at a large waterhole to drink. Sitting there with a gin and tonic in hand, we received news that a lioness and her cubs were feasting on a kudu close to the lodge.
Another highlight of our stay was hiding under a platform at neighbouring Ivory Lodge, where the elephants would congregate. Crouching with my camera, mere inches away from their trunks, made me sweat in places I didn’t know I could sweat. Shooting from this close with a wide-angle lens provides an intimate insight into elephant herds that telephotos can’t.
Taking advantage of Khulu’s famous gin bar, waiting for the elephants to arrive and drink; Lion cubs devouring a kudu, close to Khulu Lodge, Hwange; Photographing elephants under the floodlights provides even and soft lighting; Hiding underneath a platform at Ivory Lodge allows a different perspective on this herd of elephants
The Amalinda Collection also has its own conservation body, the Mother Africa Trust, which aims to empower local communities around Hwange and Matobo. Sharon took us to some of the lion bomas funded by the trust, which protect cattle from predators. Mother Africa has also been involved in building schools and has a dedicated anti-poaching unit.
While we were at the homestead, we met a man who had been injured by a bull elephant a few years ago and now struggles to walk. For many here, supporting family brings daily battles. One misplaced step and treasured cattle could be killed, or worse, human life could be lost. The daily stresses I had come to Hwange to escape paled in comparison to the true grit I witnessed here.
A trip to Africa – experiencing its raw realities and overwhelming biodiversity – brings a true sense of perspective. We left Zimbabwe humbled, thrilled, exhausted, and with renewed energy and appreciation for our natural world. For those wanting to deal with demons, there’s nowhere quite like it.
One of the ‘Baggage Handlers’ eyes up a herd of zebra on the Ngamo Plains
Want to go on a Hwange safari? To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team to arrange your safari, scroll down to after this story.
Resources
Zimbabwe’s oldest and largest national park, Hwange is a safari paradise that hosts large populations of elephants, lions and wild dogs. Read more here.
The annual wildlife count in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park is a wonderful citizen-science project for all. Tony Park tells his story.
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Moving elephants + rhino run + Serengeti migration safari
The skimpy bikini barely covered her bits, and the danger of a wardrobe malfunction was real. No robe or kikoi in sight – just a few tiny pieces of string. This was no private beach – it was a roadside cafe on the busy main road in the bustling rural town of Gede, eastern Kenya. Men were gawking (as we do) but, more importantly, several people were obviously uncomfortable (bordering on angry) at the ample display of flesh amongst the modestly dressed locals. She was a tourist from Europe and the only Mzungu in the establishment. My guide – we were parked across the road – told me that scenes like this are common in August, when western world holidaymakers descend on the tropical coastline of Kenya. What is it about some people on holiday that they abandon all sense of decency and respect for local culture? Shakes his head, walks away.
Meanwhile, the knobthorn trees in my bushveld hometown bordering the Greater Kruger are smothered in canopies of white flowers, and their sweet aroma wafts through my window as I type this note to you. Many trees are still bare, but here and there tiny green buds are popping up as the temperatures rise and daylight hours lengthen. It’s a good time to be in the bushveld!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
This week I’d like to send a shoutout to conservationists. This month, 263 elephants were translocated in a cross-country odyssey that is the stuff of legend. I can only imagine the sleepless nights, tiresome labour and toilsome hours put in by the wildlife warriors involved in the move. The elephants are starting to settle into their new home in Kasungu National Park after they were darted, loaded into trucks, and transported 350km north from Liwonde National Park in a colossal month-long operation driven by African Parks. Read more about this milestone in Malawi’s conservation journey in our first story.
Kruger’s wildlife warriors are also continuing the good fight, battling the scourge of rhino poaching in the region. Those on the frontlines defending these precious specimens could use all the help they can get. But how can you help? Simon recently accompanied the runners and walkers undertaking the epic Timbavati Traverse, an ultramarathon through Timbavati Private Nature Reserve held to raise funds for the increasing costs of fighting the rhino war. Read more about how you can support the cause below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
As any sitcom trope will tell you, the sight of a spider inspires terror and squealing in the majority of the human population. A few individuals are scooped up in the nearest glass and deposited safely outside, but I suspect most bedroom-dwelling arachnids end up as eight-legged smudges on laminate floors. So here’s a little fact that might make you think twice next time:
Did you know that scientists have discovered evidence of a REM sleep-like state in jumping spiders? The random twitching of their legs even suggests that they might dream – like a dog or a cat chasing something in their sleep. Cute, right?
Story 2 RHINO RUN
The Timbavati Traverse is an excellent opportunity for bushveld walkers & runners to make a real difference for Greater Kruger’s rhinos
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
It’s a good time to start planning your next safari. Why now, you ask? Because it’s always a good time to invest in your health and wellbeing 🙂
Desert & delta safari – 11 days traversing the Okavango Delta, Chobe and Nxai Pan national parks (Botswana) and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). Mid-range and luxury packages are available.
Serengeti great migration safari. This iconic safari will get you front-row seat action as the Great Wildebeest Migration makes its way through the vast Serengeti ecosystem, where most of the great migration occurs. Our chosen dates and camps are to maximise sightings based on where the herds are at the time.
WATCH: Malawian elephants on the move: View incredible footage from the recent translocation of 263 elephants from Liwonde to Kasungu (02:14). Click here to watch
A pod of hippos keeping a close eye on the runners
His words bounced around my head that night around the fire as Timbavati warden Edwin Pearce briefed us on the next day’s adventure. ‘Not on our watch.’ He was referring to the scourge of rhino poaching and the fear amongst us all that rhinos would be poached to extinction in the wild. Unfortunately, the Kruger region has buckled under a massive rhino poaching onslaught, and rhinos need all the help they can get – from us all. One of the fund-raising activities to finance the ever-increasing costs of fighting the rhino war is the Timbavati Traverse – a unique walking and running marathon held in the reserve.
I was thrilled to be invited to cycle the event as an assistant guide – to help keep the runners safe from dangerous wildlife. Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is, of course, home to the Big 5…
Runners and walkers enjoying the thrill of the Timbavati Traverse for a good cause
As a veteran of many mountain bike events, I have to take my hat off to Timbavati for how well managed this event is. The race village buzzed with vibey entertainment, the food tables along the route groaned with delicious treats and the armed rangers who accompanied each running and walking group were very professional. This is one slick, superbly managed event.
This crash of four rhinos kept us waiting while they watched us from a short distance away
And the animals certainly played along. My group had close (but safe) encounters with herds of elephants and buffaloes and with two crashes of rhinos – how serendipitous! One group of four white rhinos was so close to the track that we waited about 20 minutes before they headed off. The chilly morning mist was lifting, the robin-chats were announcing the new day with their sweet melodies, and hornbills were catching the first rays of the sun high up in the knobthorn trees. And four rhinos were parked about 30 meters away. It was a surreal moment for us all. Later that morning, we saw another three rhinos heading for cover after we disturbed their mud bath next to the track. So, rather than the usual race, this is a journey – something to be enjoyed at a gentle amble.
The refreshment tables en route were stocked with excellent food for this endurance event
You and I need to step up to help our protected area managers raise the cash required to fight this war. Every little bit helps. Of course, the tourism industry plays a huge role, and many fantastic NGOs move mountains daily. But the diminishing importance that governments worldwide place on wild matters makes efforts such as this vital. It’s up to the private sector to play the role our political leaders are paid to do but fail dismally at. It is what it is.
The author (red shoes) and his running companions and guides
If you enjoy walking or running, why not train up and book your place in this epic event or sponsor someone less able to afford the price ticket. Or train and raise sponsorship from friends or one of the many online crowd-funding platforms. The two distance options are a 45km run and 21km walk.
Elephants sedated and loaded in Liwonde National Park
31st of July 2022 saw the conclusion of a colossal one-month operation to translocate 263 elephants from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park, Malawi. This impressive undertaking marks another milestone in Malawi’s journey towards establishing the country as a conservation role model in Africa.
Kasunga National Park is Malawi’s second-largest national park. Once home to a population of around 1,200 elephants during the 1970s, rampant poaching desecrated elephant numbers, and just 49 individuals remained in 2015. Since 2015, IFAW has been working with the DNPW to address law enforcement, wildlife crime, infrastructure and capacity within the park. With the park’s future secured, IFAW and the DNPW formed a partnership to boost populations and fast-track restoration efforts. With the generous support of non-profit Elephant Cooperation and various other philanthropic funders, 263 Liwonde elephants were darted, loaded into trucks, and transported 350km north to their new home.
African Parks’ involvement in Malawi dates back to 2003 when the organisation first partnered with DNPW to assume managerial responsibility for Majete Wildlife Reserve. Following Majete’s spectacular revival, Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve joined the African Parks portfolio in 2015, followed shortly by Mangochi Forest Reserve in 2018.
DID YOU KNOW that African Parks offers safari camps (lodges and campsites) where 100% of tourism revenue goes to conservation and local communities? Find out more and book your African Parks safari.
In keeping with a proud African Parks tradition, these parks have flourished, with burgeoning tourist numbers, improved local community relations and increased security. Their success has become a springboard for Malawian conservation and benefited protected spaces across the country. With poaching all but eliminated, Liwonde National Park in southern Malawi has essentially reached its carrying capacity for elephants. Thus, a unique scenario exists where the national park can act as a “source population” to augment elephant populations in protected areas across the country.
The immense operation was a success as 263 elephants were moved from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park
In addition to the elephants, the move also saw 431 additional wildlife, including impala, buffalo, warthog, sable, and waterbuck translocated to supplement Kasunga’s remaining wildlife. Brighton Kumchedwa, Malawi’s Director of National Parks and Wildlife, said of the initiative that “[t]he addition of elephants and other wildlife species to Kasungu National Park will benefit Malawi tourism and communities through job creation, thereby fuelling a conservation-driven economy”.
This is not the first time that Liwonde’s elephants have moved across the country as part of Malawian conservation efforts. In 2016, the largest elephant translocation ever undertaken saw 500 elephants moved from Liwonde and Majete to repopulate Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in central Malawi. The translocations have also helped alleviate pressure on Liwonde’s recovering habitats and reduced human-wildlife conflict on the densely populated fringes of the park.
The success of this project is a testament to the DNPW’s strategy of working with partners to secure its natural resources and maintain healthy ecosystems in the country’s parks. Returning animals to protected spaces is essential in supporting the nascent tourism industry and establishing the country as a world-class safari destination.
Please take your seats, dinner is about to be served. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
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Wild Akagera + painted wolf pups + responsible safaris
1,8 metric tons – that’s the amount of carbon dioxide I added to the climate change problem during my recent safari to Kenya. I want desperately not to have my travel choices contribute to destroying our precious ecosystems and biodiversity. And so I tried to work out how many indigenous trees to plant to offset my personal CO2 emissions for this safari. Because I love planting indigenous trees.
My online research generated a myriad of requests to donate to NGOs undertaking to plant trees on my behalf. That sounds like a neat way to quickly offload my guilt without much personal effort. But it turns out that the science behind this solution is not as simple as that because many factors come into play. One suggestion that stuck out during my research is that preserving existing (and restoring degraded) habitats is a more effective strategy than planting young trees.
Coincidently, during my trip to Kenya, I spent time with a wonderful NGO securing tracts of indigenous forest by purchasing land from local communities and creating sustainable forest-related livelihoods for those communities. Of course, this project is not unique – there are numerous worldwide. But this project relates specifically to my safari. And so, I plan to mitigate my footprint by donating to this cause. More about this fantastic project when teamAG publishes my writings in the coming months.
Feel free to treat my carbon footprint mitigation attempts with scorn or to share your own strategies in the comments section below (app only) or in the forum section of our app.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
The quintessential Rwandan safari consists of trekking to find gorillas and other primates, and exploring rainforests and volcanoes. But did you know that Rwanda has a Big Five park, which is a refuge for savannah-adapted wildlife? Akagera National Park’s status as a premier safari destination has risen over the past decade, in large part thanks to African Parks’ involvement. Read our first story below to find out all there is to know about travelling to this corner of the continent.
This week, we are also delving into research that shows there is order in wild dog hunts. Scientists have long been intrigued by the social structures and hierarchies of wild dog packs. But new findings confirmed a fascinating approach in pack dynamics: when the pack makes a kill, pups eat first. Read more about what all this means in our second story below.
In the past few weeks, we’ve been analysing the issues surrounding leopard habituation. Our in-depth analysis, undertaken by Jamie Paterson and Maxine Gaines, delves into the unintended consequences this has for leopards.
This story is now available on our public website for easy access – see below.
Happy celebrating Africa!
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Now and again, a little tidbit of new research comes along that completely unsettles my understanding of how certain things work.
If you (like me and many other guides I know) were under the impression that woodpeckers’ skulls act as shock absorbers, prepare to have your world rocked. Did you know that woodpeckers’ heads function as stiff hammers rather than safety helmets? This, despite the fact that the shock of the repeated impacts exceeds the concussion threshold for humans.
I have a headache just thinking about it.
Story 1 AKAGERA, RWANDA
Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s last refuge for savannah-adapted wildlife, and safeguards Central Africa’s largest protected wetland
Story 2 WILD DOGS
New research shows that there is order in wild dog hunts, and pups are the first to eat at a carcass
Story 3 HABITUATING LEOPARDS
Does the habituation of leopards by the tourism industry create problems and result in unintended consequences for leopards?
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
This week we feature 2 epic short safaris for the time-pressured traveller and those wanting to top up their longer safaris with the ultimate finale
Botswana’s salt pans – 4 days
This could be your zen moment – those vast desolate pans and giant ancient baobabs bring out the philosopher in us all. Or take advantage of the many activities on offer (how about that salt pan sleep-out?) to end your safari with a bang. Prices to suit all budgets
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda – 3 days
This primal experience is on most ultimate traveller bucket lists. Why not add 3 days of gorilla trekking to your Maasai Mara or Serengeti safari to create the ultimate dream vacation?
DID YOU KNOW that you will find more than 340 camps & lodges on our app? And we feature ready-made packages that even the most experienced traveller will drool over. Login, select ‘Travel with us’ from the menu above and search based on place and other important choices (such as lodges in non-malaria areas or packages that include the Big 5). You can add your selection of lodges and packages to your wishlist – which will remain saved until you choose to edit or delete.
New safaris in the works
This cheetah and her cubs posed beautifully for our CEO Simon last week in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Simon has just returned from his safari, which was spent researching exciting destinations to add to our list of recommended lodges, and finding new adventures for our travel experts to add to your next itinerary. Watch this space for exciting things to come!
WATCH: How African wild dogs keep the ecosystem in check: In Gorongosa, Mozambique, where the species was wiped out completely, an ambitious scheme reintroduced them – with positive consequences for the whole ecosystem (07:31). Click here to watch
Research shows that wild dog pups are granted exclusive access as soon as they arrive to feed on a carcass
One of the most endearing characteristics of the African wild dog (painted wolf) is the bond between pack members, particularly when they have pups in their midst. While typically only the dominant female will breed each year, every individual cooperates in raising the next generation, bringing food back to the den for both the mother and the youngsters. Recent research quantifies how this altruistic approach plays out when the pups leave the den, and the pack makes a kill: essentially, the pups get to eat first.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales, the Taronga Western Plains Zoo and Wild Entrust Africa (formerly known as the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust) analysed nearly three decades of observational data from the Okavango Delta and surrounding areas. Individual painted wolves were identified by the unique coat patterns, and the research focused on established breeding packs rather than newly established packs without pups. While previous studies have qualitatively and anecdotally described the exclusive access given to painted wolf pups at a kill, the authors of the current study were able to quantify (assign values that can be statistically analysed to) these feeding patterns.
African wild dogs are cursorial predators (they run through the vegetation and flush their prey), and pack members are often separated while hunting. The adults that catch the prey will start feeding (allowing them access to the most nutritious organs first) until the rest of the pack members catch up. If the pack has pups, they are granted exclusive access to the carcass as soon as they arrive. The adult dogs will sit back and wait “patiently” for their opportunity to feed. This is in stark contrast to most other social predators, where access to food is generally determined by rank and strength. For example, lion cubs that arrive at a carcass will have to fight for their place at the dinner table and often have to wait until the pride adults have sated their initial hunger.
Once the painted wolf puppies have eaten their fill, the dominant members of the pack will feed, followed by the next youngest in line. This confirms that painted wolves do follow an age-based feeding system. Consequently, older and less dominant members of the pack may find little meat remaining by the time they get the opportunity to feed. Despite this, the researchers observed little overt aggression around kills (again, in contrast to lion feeding behaviour), even from the dominant pair.
For any predator, hunting carries an inherent risk of injury. For the wild dog, high-speed chases ending in a struggle with prey can result in broken bones, torn ligaments, and myriad other potential injuries. So, if older pack members are unlikely to get priority access, what incentivises their participation given the potential risks involved? The authors postulate that older dogs are motivated to actively participate in kills to feed before the younger pack members arrive. However, there are occasions when the pack is separated during the hunt. If remaining pack members are unaware that prey has been caught, the painted wolves responsible for the kill will feed for a while then circle back to recruit the rest of the pack. This speedy arrival of the rest of the pack likely ensures more eyes and ears on alert for kleptoparasites and larger predators like lions, which are a significant cause of natural wild dog mortalities.
Researchers observed little overt aggression between wild dogs around kills
Of course, this system also ensures that the pups are provisioned while they cannot hunt for themselves. The dominant breeding female is also guaranteed access to valuable carcass parts once the pups have fed. In packs where intra-pack relatedness is high, the subdominant pack members gain by helping to raise litters of close kin.
Like wild dogs, human beings also developed a food sharing system at some point in our evolutionary history. Though it is difficult to fully contextualise, the authors suggest that “a detailed understanding of food sharing in African wild dogs may contribute to our understanding of the origins and implications of sharing more broadly.”
Africa Geographic would like to extend thanks to first author, Dr Neil Jordan, for allowing the use of his personal graphics of the study findings. Dr Jordan is affiliated with the Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney; the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning of the Taronga Western Plains Zoo; and Wild Entrust Africa.
Every protected space in Africa comes with its own story, with elements from every genre: drama, thriller, romance and tragedy. The fates and fortunes of these parks are irrevocably bound to those of the people around them, and no two chronicles are ever the same. Each visitor to an African wilderness experiences a snapshot in time, a chapter or two at most. But for those fortunate enough to visit Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, these may just be the best chapters in the entire saga. In the past decade, Akagera has established itself as a park on the rise – demonstrating an almost unbelievable transformation into Rwanda’s only Big 5 park and one of the premier African safari destinations on the continent.
Akagera National Park
The 1,122km2 (112,200 hectares) Akagera National Park is situated on the eastern edge of Rwanda, where the boundary with Tanzania is marked by the sinuous bends of the Akagera River (for which the park is named). Akagera safeguards Central Africa’s largest protected wetland, consisting of a complex system of lakes linked by papyrus-lined swamps. Away from the marshes, the jagged lines of animal pathways weave across vast plains and sweeping highlands like a network of veins, a testament to Akagera’s status as Rwanda’s last refuge for savannah-adapted wildlife.
Find out about Akagera for your next African safari. We have ready-made safaris to choose from, or ask us to build one just for you.
As clouds gather above the rolling sandstone hills and elephants feed peacefully in woodland valleys below, the breathtaking vistas are almost primaeval. The landscape, teeming with life at every level, seems so eternal that it is hard to imagine that its very existence was so recently threatened. Yet less than three decades ago, during the Rwandan Civil War and the years of recovery that followed, the park was invaded and denuded, its wildlife decimated by poaching and human-wildlife conflict.
Sizeable herds of buffalo, topi and zebra are everywhere in Akagera, taking advantage of bountiful grasses
Akagera’s rehabilitation can be attributed to the partnership between African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board. They entered into a joint management agreement in 2009 and began the day-to-day running of the park in 2010. Their progressive stewardship stayed the destruction and turned the narrative from looming catastrophe to one of long-term, sustainable conservation. Thanks to considerable investment in the park’s infrastructure and security, existing wildlife populations began to recover, bolstered by ambitious reintroduction programmes. Tourist numbers, both local and international, grew in leaps and bounds, and by 2019, Akagera was 90% self-financing.
Most importantly, community involvement has always been a fundamental tenant of African Park’s approach to managing all the parks under their guardianship, and Akagera is no different. Today, 300,000 people on the park boundary directly benefit from its existence, while educational programmes and support for community enterprises have reshaped local perceptions. Nearly half of the visitors to the park in 2019 were Rwandan citizens.
Maasai giraffe were among some of the first large mammals to be reintroduced after poaching in the latter half of the 20th century wiped out existing populations
The return of the animals
Under certain circumstances, nature’s remarkable innate resilience allows wildlife numbers to recover independently, and the only human intervention needed is to provide them with a safe space to do so. This is always the preferred approach, but more dramatic measures are necessary when population numbers are too low to recover, if genetic sustainability is compromised, or a species is locally extinct. In Akagera, the restoration to its natural state has necessitated several large-scale wildlife reintroductions that have effectively reversed several local extinctions.
Savannah elephants and Maasai giraffe were among some of the first large mammal species to be reintroduced after poaching in the latter half of the 20th century wiped out existing populations. A small herd of young elephants arrived in the park in 1975, with giraffes following some ten years later. Today the park’s growing elephant population is estimated to be around 100 individuals, while some 80 giraffes are wandering its confines.
White rhinos have also been reintroduced into the park
Akagera is also reclaiming its title as one of Africa’s rhino havens. In the 1970s, the park was estimated to be home to over 50 eastern black rhinos, but widescale poaching hit them particularly hard. The last sighting of a black rhino occurred in 2007 before they were considered locally extinct. Ten years later, the park was deemed to be sufficiently secure for their return, and 18 eastern black rhinos made the cross-continent journey from South Africa to their new home in Rwanda. They were joined two years later by a further five rhinos sourced from European zoos – the first such operation of its kind. Despite their somewhat different (definitely colder) start in life, the zoo rhinos seem to be adapting well to life in their ancestral homeland. At the end of 2021, the first white rhinos arrived from Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa in what was the single largest rhino translocation ever conducted.
The park’s lions suffered a similar fate during the 1990s – all 300 lions in the park were killed before the 21st century. A founder population of seven lions was sourced from South Africa in 2015, followed by two males in 2017 to increase genetic diversity. To suggest that the lions have taken to their new home would be something of an understatement – the population has quadrupled in seven years. Spotted hyenas and leopards are also found in healthy numbers in the park.
Lions once again can call the Akagera home
Akagera’s flourishing ecosystem
Though the reintroductions of specific iconic species were prodigious enterprises in their own right, the natural recovery of Akagera’s landscapes and existing wildlife populations has been equally impressive. At the start of 2010, wildlife numbers were estimated to be fewer than 5,000 and are now believed to be well over 13,000 and ever-increasing.
Savannah elephants now also call the park home
Sizeable herds of buffalo, topi and zebra are everywhere, taking advantage of the bountiful grasses, while defassa waterbuck are perfectly at home wading through the swamps and reeds past pods of hippo. The endangered roan antelope may be somewhat elusive, but the towering statuesque eland are unmistakable, dwarfing surrounding impala and duiker. Klipspringer show off tip-toe agility on the rocky crags of hilly slopes. The primates are represented by large olive baboon and vervet monkey troops, the consummate survivors. Sightings of blue monkey are less frequent, but they have been spotted over recent years, firmly disproving the belief that they are extinct in the park.
Sizeable herds of zebra are found in Akagera
Akagera National Park is also one of the best birding regions in Africa, if not the world, with over a whopping 480 species recorded in the park. The diversity of habitats on display means that fervid birders can apply their skills in several different ways, from peering through reeds and rushes for a papyrus gonalek to scanning the skies for the grasshopper buzzard, or listening out for the call of a red-faced barbet in a thicket. Other notable species include Tabora and Carruthers’ cicticolas, white-crested turaco and northern brown-throated weaver. Shoebills have been seen lurking in the swamps, and, most recently, a sighting of the somewhat unfairly named plain nightjar had the birding chatrooms all aflutter.
Birding in Akagera is prolific – keep an eye out for grey crowned cranes
Explore & stay
With the plans for Akagera’s continued upward trajectory firmly rooted in tourism, every effort has been made to make the park the perfect destination for visitors from every walk of life. Each of the activities on offer was carefully selected to show off the park’s many strengths and provide the ideal way to explore every inch of the many varied habitats on display. Naturally, game drives (including night drives) form the backbone of the park experience, but guided walks, specialised birding tours and boat cruises on forest-fringed Lake Ihema offer an entirely different perspective. Very unusually, travellers can even opt for the “behind the scenes” tour of the park headquarters, where they can talk to park officials and learn more about the strenuous business of keeping a national park operational. Cultural community experiences also provide the opportunity to learn more about Rwanda’s remarkable people while contributing to local enterprises.
Explore the park on foot or by boat
Though Akagera is accessible year-round, the best time to visit is during the dry season, from June until September, when the wildlife viewing is at its best and rain is less likely to be disruptive. For the budget traveller, there are four public campsites: Shakani on the shores of Lake Shakani (where fishing is permitted), Mutamba at the highest point in the park, Muyumbu overlooking Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani, and Mihindi, near the shores of Lake Mihindi. Karenge Bush Camp is a good mid-range option, offering furnished tented accommodation. There is also a few high-end accommodation options inside the park, including Ruzizi Tented Lodge, which is fully catered.
When it comes to safari stereotypes, Rwanda is invariably associated with gorilla trekking, but in truth, this tiny country offers the full African adventure. Akagera National Park is the ideal complement to a gorilla trekking mission into Volcanoes National Park or a canopy tour of Nyungwe National Park. For those wanting to learn more about the bird and mammal offerings in Rwanda, Christian Boix’s (Africa Geographic director and one of Africa’s top birding guides) book Wild Rwanda is the region’s most authoritative “where to find” birds and mammals guide.
DID YOU KNOW that African Parks offers safari camps (lodges and campsites) where 100% of tourism revenue goes to conservation and local communities? Find out more and book your African Parks safari.
Everybody loves a comeback story, but it is even more uplifting when the main character is a vital piece of African wilderness. Akagera National Park is already unrecognisably improved from the ravaged land of twenty years ago – proof that responsible tourism and sustainable conservation bring long-term security to both people and wildlife.
In May 2022, the news broke of the tragic death of leopard Hosana, one of the well-known leopards of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa. The announcement inspired a social media furore (to the point that #Hosana trended on Twitter). It also reopened several complex conservation/tourism concerns for public dissection, analysis and, on occasion, misinterpretation. For the authors of this article, with deep personal connections to Hosana and Sabi Sand Game Reserve, his death inspired a desire to tackle some of these issues head-on.
Hosana’s end at the hands of a counter-poaching unit (CPU) may have lit the fire, but much of what follows comes from years of observing, questioning and researching conventional beliefs in old habits and established practices. The concerns raised extend beyond Hosana and deal with complex topics like guide, tracker and field-staff training, habituation, tourism ethics, and human-wildlife conflict. Given the intricacy of the issues at play, we have attempted to address each topic thoroughly to avoid misinterpretation and false conclusions.
When named and known leopards are killed in conflict with humans, the automatic assumption appears to be that habituation must be at fault – often with conflicting ideas of what that means. We set out to investigate the validity of this assumption as systematically and scientifically as possible to avoid questionable leaps of logic, speculation and hysteria. We approached scientific organisations, experienced guides, trackers and reserve managers and sifted through multiple research papers to examine the question from every angle.
We found that, unsurprisingly, human-wildlife conflict continues to be one of the leading causes of anthropogenic leopard mortalities (Viollaz 2016). However, there is no evidence that habituated leopards are disproportionately affected. Nor is there any indication that habituated leopards are more likely to be dangerous to people or livestock in South Africa. However, we did confirm that there is a dearth of appropriate training for wildlife encounters offered to most field operatives and counter-poaching units across the country. This is a danger to the humans working within wild spaces and the wildlife they are trying to protect.
The following article makes continuous reference to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve (hereafter the Sabi Sands) in South Africa. This is not an indictment of the reserve. The area has one of the highest densities of leopards on the continent and is the “home of leopard habituation” as we know it. It is an invaluable reference point for this discussion. Our conclusions are specific to South Africa, where national parks and reserves are fenced. While many of the issues raised could be applied to national parks, private reserves and private concessions in other parts of Africa, our research was region-specific.
Sabi Sands has one of the highest densities of leopards in Africa
Leopard habituation
Hosana’s death inspired considerable discussion on social media around habituation, rehashing a well-worn topic that is often debated with little appreciation of what precisely it entails. So what does habituation mean?
It is crucial to be pedantic here because, otherwise, far too much bad behaviour falls under the label of “habituation”. At its simplest definition in this context, we are referring to the habituation of leopards as the removal of the strongest feelings of fear and the desire to escape from safari vehicles (and their associated sounds, smells and so on). Repeated exposure teaches the animal not to be afraid.
Habituation should not be confused with either taming or attracting animals. We would argue that the regular feeding of wildlife by visitors (as often occurs in public campsites in national parks, resulting in aggressive “problem” animals) is taming or attraction, not habituation. When a wild animal begins associating humans or vehicles with a basic need (such as food) and loses all fear, that animal has been partially tamed. Similarly, driving too close to animals or interfering with their behaviour is not bad habituation; it is bad guiding.
When “done right”, habituation results in an animal that simply ignores the humans in vehicles around it and continues to behave naturally, allowing it to be viewed with minimal impact. From the animal’s perspective, it does not expend valuable time and energy getting away from people. The importance of this cannot be overstated because most wild animals are carefully balanced on a knife-edge of survival, and running and hiding to avoid vehicles only adds to this strain and distraction.
Leopard habituation was essentially pioneered during the late 1970s at Londolozi Private Game Reserve in what is now the Sabi Sands (Hess, 1991). Through the exceptional tracking skills and abundant patience of a few individuals, a kind of trust was established. It gave rise to generations of leopards comfortable with vehicles and established the reserve as one of Africa’s top leopard-viewing destinations (Hess, 1991; Hancock, 2000; Kure, 2003).
Young cubs learn by observing their habituated mothers’ reactions, so tourist-filled vehicles quickly become nothing to fear. Thus, over time, the habituation process in a reserve with a long history of leopard viewing gets easier and less intrusive. However, these are wild animals, so nuances and variations are inevitable. Leopards have distinct personalities, and specific individuals (even those from the same litter) may either prove impossible to habituate or be extremely confiding. Habituation can also be specific: a leopard that will lie in the shade of a green safari vehicle may be extremely unsettled by a white car following behind it.
Bad impressions or experiences are remembered, which is why habituation requires that each guide work respectfully with each animal to reinforce the message that humans in vehicles are not a threat. Detailed observation of their behaviour is essential: “listening” to the animal, watching their body language, switching off the vehicle while they are alert or hunting, keeping a comfortable following distance and so on. The aim is to be an impartial observer, and habituation makes that easier. However, months of careful habituation work can be undone very quickly by a few insensitive guides (which we address at a later stage).
When “done right”, habituation results in a leopard that simply ignores the humans in vehicles and continues to behave naturally, allowing it to be viewed with minimal impact
The benefits of leopard habituation
Of the many threats to the planet’s wild fauna and flora, habitat loss has perhaps the most profound and far-reaching effects on species and ecosystems (Purvis et al., 2000). In the face of inexorable human advancement, space for wild animals is ever-shrinking, and Africa is no exception. Ecotourism and photographic safaris have made an almost incalculable contribution towards mitigating this reality – providing a viable economic model to keep land in a (mostly) wild state and protecting wildlife in the process (Buckley, 2003; Buckley 2010, Balmford et al., 2015; Mossaz et al., 2015). There is no doubt that the presence of habituated leopards (and other predators) brings tourists to certain reserves to view them (Lindsey et al., 2005). How many visitors to the Sabi Sands travelled thousands of miles to see Hosana? There is an obvious relationship between tourism, the money generated from tourism and the ability to pay for conservation, buy and protect more land, maintain fences, provide jobs for desperately poor people and so on (Buckley 2003, Buckley, 2010).
The links between habituation and scientific knowledge are perhaps not as well known (except for the work done with the great apes). Yet the conservation of many secretive (and potentially dangerous) species hinges on this knowledge. Cryptic carnivores like leopards are challenging to study (Balme et al., 2009), and scientific work on these species primarily relies on camera trapping and collaring animals. Collaring poses many risks to the animals in question (Hayward et al., 2012), while camera trapping is far less intrusive (du Preez et al. 2014). Regardless, collaring and camera trapping are limited in terms of what they reveal about the behaviour of the studied species. Habituation of leopards has opened our eyes to much that was hidden before (Balme et al., 2013): grandmothers adopting and successfully raising their grandchildren (Balme et al. 2012), males tolerating adult cubs (Pirie et al. 2014) as well as sharing kills and mates with their independent male offspring. The philopatry of female leopards was revealed to guides by habituated leopards (Hess, 1991) years before being confirmed by telemetry studies (Balme et al. 2017; Fattebert et al., 2015; Fattebert et al., 2016). Through habituation we have been granted extraordinarily detailed insights into the secret lives of these beautiful cryptic cats. This knowledge is critical for conservation. Many assume that to conserve a species, we just need an understanding of population numbers and habitat and prey requirements. But behavioural science is crucial too.
A controversial example of how habituation can influence conservation decisions relates to recent leopard hunting regulations implemented in South Africa. These allow for male leopards of seven years or older to be legally hunted, provided you have the correct permits (DEA 2018). The justification is that at seven years old, they are mature males who have likely sired cubs and passed on their genes to the next generation (Balme et al. 2012) and are therefore expendable.
Every guide we have ever spoken to disagrees with the logic behind this. A seven-year-old male is only starting to establish himself as a dominant male with a territory. We know this because of years of habituating and following habituated males. Hosana was over six years old at the time of his death, and as far as we are aware, he has potentially only fathered three cubs that survive him. Two of these (the Nkuwa female’s cub and the Serengeti female’s cub) are still relatively young and very vulnerable to infanticide when a new male moves into his vacant territory. The other potential cub is a young male born of the Nkangala female. He is not entirely independent yet, and has a long road to travel before we can say for sure that he will survive and breed. Without the knowledge that comes from careful and long-term observations of habituated leopards, we would have to accept the suggestion of seven years being a reasonable age to hunt a male leopard. Habituation provides conservationists with crucial information to advise the government on the ethical management of leopards – management critical to the survival of the species.
Leopard habituation on foot
There is a fundamental distinction between habituating animals to people in vehicles and habituating them to people on foot. Truly wild animals are almost always human-averse. The only exceptions are wild animals on islands where human presence has been non-existent or infrequent over evolutionary time. Most unhabituated animals have an innate fear or wariness of people and will flee or hide (or, in rare circumstances, attack) when confronted by a person. Some of this response comes from recent persecution, but much of this wariness must have its roots in evolution. Humans are alpha predators and have been for thousands of years. Animals know to expect humans around manmade infrastructure (such as lodges) but respond differently to the sight of a person walking through the bushveld.
The upshot is that a wild animal comfortable around safari vehicles filled with tourists is not automatically relaxed with people on foot. However, in reserves in many parts of Africa, tracking is the only reliable way to locate leopards for the safari vehicles, so a slightly different desensitisation process is followed. Expert trackers follow tracks and find the animal. When the animal is sighted, the tracker and guide back away slowly to indicate that they are not a threat. The leopard may run initially but, given their curious natures, seldom moves far, allowing the tracker and guide team to return with the vehicle and drive to the spot where the animal was last seen.
As this process is repeated, some leopards gradually learn that people on foot come and go and do not represent a threat. This is not done with the intention of walking guests to these animals or fully habituating them on foot, far from it. Most reserves have strict policies against tracking cats with tourists in tow. Though young individuals may initially be curious and even approach or follow a tracking team, they invariably grow out of this behaviour. A wild adult leopard will move away from people approaching too closely on foot.
Hosana on foot
Jamie Paterson’s personal account:
During my time spent presenting live safaris for WildEarth on Djuma Private Game Reserve from 2015 to 2019, I believe that we as a film crew spent more time than was appropriate with Hosana on foot. I have spent months reflecting on this conclusion and seeking advice from those more expert than myself. We only started approaching him and his sister without the vehicle when they were just under a year old, but they would still have been at a highly impressionable age. It was not uncommon for us to spend extended periods sitting within their comfort zones.
Whether or not our actions contributed to his death is impossible to know and may even be unlikely. However, upon reflection, I do think spending so much time with him on foot had the potential to make him more vulnerable to anthropogenic conflict. This is my personal belief and one that is not necessarily shared by those who worked with me at the time. It is challenging to view objectively because Hosana’s death was, whatever the circumstances, a freak event. Like all adult leopards we had experience with, we know that he grew out of his youthful curiosity and began moving away from people on foot. Had he not encountered the counter-poaching unit (CPU) that day, he probably would have gone on to live a natural life with no harm done.
But in my opinion, the fact that Hosana began to behave differently as an adult does not mean that the lesson we instilled in him over the years (that people hanging around on foot do not represent a threat) was forgotten. To be clear, I do not for one second believe that this process would have made him more dangerous to people or even more likely to charge. But whatever the circumstances surrounding his death, the risk was always that if push came to shove (defending a kill, for instance), we had already shaped his natural instincts and responses to the sight of people moving into his personal space.
I raise this now not as a confession (a few thousand people watched us do it live) but because I feel there is a fundamental lesson to be learnt from this. I know that during my time at WildEarth, we as a guiding team strove to maintain a high standard of ethics and keep our impact to a minimum. We did not spend time with those cubs to exploit them for financial or narrative gain – the thought that we could be jeopardising their futures would have horrified us. We were exceedingly cautious about reading their behaviour, never frightening them and never venturing (or allowing them) too close. We experienced something magical with Hosana and wanted to share it with the world to build a connection between our audiences and a wild leopard. The circumstances all aligned – his mother was relaxed, he was young and male and curious, and so on. To my knowledge, no other leopard followed by WildEarth’s live safaris has been habituated to people on foot to the same extent.
We all have 20/20 hindsight, and I cannot speak for others, but I look back on my actions with regret. I know of guides who leave their trackers on foot with young leopards while at other sightings and those that spend their day off sitting with their favourite leopards. I am in no position to pass on instruction, but we (and the experts we have spoken to) cannot condone this. I hope future film crews and guides will remember this message when deciding how to view an individual animal on foot, particularly a relaxed predator. We must constantly remind ourselves that we are not the only people that an animal may encounter on foot and that the animal may move away to an area where they are unknown and where their accommodating nature could be misunderstood.
Famous Sabi Sands leopard Hosana
Human-wildlife conflict
Human-wildlife conflict is an enormous topic and one that is largely beyond the scope of this article. Nearly two-thirds of leopard distribution in South Africa fall outside protected areas (Jacobson et al., 2016). Leopards are highly adaptable, have a broad geographic range and readily adapt to human-dominated environments, making them a leading carnivore conflict species in South Africa (Seoraj-Pillai, 2016). Snaring and the poaching of leopards for their pelts are also significant threats to leopard safety.
Leopards have probably been lurking around human habitation, largely unseen, for as long as there have been humans and leopards in the same place. In South Africa, there is no evidence to suggest that habituated leopards from private reserves are more likely to endanger livestock or people. All the studies we accessed on leopard livestock killings and other types of conflict come from research conducted in areas where leopards are unhabituated (example: Constant, 2014; Pitman et al., 2017; Seoraj-Pillai, 2016; Viollaz et al., 2021). Leopard attacks on people, which are rare, seldom seem to involve habituated individuals (we know of two incidents involving habituated leopards during our respective careers). Our research into historic leopard attacks all involved unhabituated animals (a reminder that we consider animals around camps that have been fed or associate people with food as tamed, not habituated). Habituated leopards are still wild animals – they may go on to kill livestock or injure people – but they do not appear to be more likely to do so because they have grown up in private reserves around people.
The authors question whether young dispersal leopards who are more comfortable around humans and lodges may be more at risk of being robbed of instinctive wariness
But what of the reverse? Does habituation make these leopards more vulnerable? Young male leopards disperse in search of territory. Some may get lucky and find themselves a territorial vacuum down the road from their natal range, but others must seek further afield. The longest recorded dispersal was a subadult male that travelled a minimum distance of 353km (194.5km in a straight line) through three different countries: Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa (Fattebert et al. 2013). Thus the chances of a young habituated male leopard leaving the sanctuary of the reserve he was born in are higher than for a female.
Some young males simply disappear, never to be seen again. The majority will have died of natural causes – dispersal is a dangerous time in a young leopard’s life. However, the authors wondered if these young dispersal male leopards that have spent their lives near people and walking through lodges may be blithely walking into a far more dangerous world, robbed of an instinctive wariness that might have increased their survival odds.
Fortunately, neither expert opinion nor our research supports this conclusion. Balme et al. (2019) investigated the population dynamics of Sabi Sands and found that few leopards leave the reserve’s boundaries. According to their data, human factors have accounted for less than 2% of known leopard deaths in and around the Sabi Sands since 1975. By comparison, over half of all known leopard deaths in the Phinda-uMkhuze complex between 2002 and 2012 were anthropogenic, including legal destruction by farmers due to livestock depredation, snaring and poaching (Balme et al., 2009). (It should be noted that the leopard population in the Phinda-uMkhuze complex has since largely recovered due to policy changes.)
This may not be an apple-to-apple comparison, but these two protected areas share similar habitats, levels of prey abundance and natural leopard densities (Naude et al., 2020). As such, these are revealing statistics. They tell us that other more pressing factors are at play than habituation, such as fence quality, neighbouring-land use and even variations in local cultural perspectives of leopards. So, we can but conclude that habituated leopards – like Hukumuri and others – may still die in human-wildlife conflict because it is one of the significant threats facing leopards in South Africa today. But not because they are habituated to vehicles or people.
Another famous leopard, Hukumuri, was shot after killing livestock in a rural village near Sabi Sands
The importance of training
This is one of the most important conversations to come out of Hosana’s death and one that we believe to be far more pressing than the impact of habituation: the training of guides, counter-poaching units and field operatives for wildlife encounters. Guide, expert tracker and author Alex Van Den Heever recently informed us that over 90% of South Africa’s field rangers he has evaluated in tracking skills – those walking the bushveld daily – are not sufficiently skilled to manage wildlife encounters. This aligns with the authors’ personal experiences and is a deplorable state of affairs. It is incumbent upon reserve and park authorities to ensure that the teams employed to operate within their wild spaces are fully trained.
Approaching this topic without seeming to point fingers is nigh on impossible, and yet that is not the intention. This is not to say that every reserve and national park is employing poorly trained CPUs or field operatives. Those involved in counter-poaching operations put their lives on the line to keep our wilderness areas safe for the myriad species that inhabit them. We salute them and are forever indebted to them for being the soldiers in the war against poaching. However, if we as guides need to question our motives and ethics around habituation, and ask some tough questions, perhaps the CPUs and field rangers operating in these areas also need to question if they could do things differently.
Anyone (be they guides, trackers, CPUs, field rangers, security staff and even hospitality staff) working in a reserve or national park where wildlife will be encountered should be appropriately trained for such events. In places where animals are habituated, this training needs to consider that the wildlife may be more relaxed around people on foot and may not behave as expected or move off as readily if approached.
It is telling that over the many decades of living alongside habituated leopards in the Sabi Sands, incidents of conflict within the reserve are limited to a handful of isolated events. To the best of our knowledge (and that of those we questioned), no guide has ever had to shoot a leopard in self-defence, on foot or from a vehicle. That is as it should be. The number of leopard/human encounters on foot in the Sabi Sands is exceptionally high because, as mentioned above, they are tracked by guides and trackers for vehicle sightings. Tracking these cats often results in finding mothers and cubs and leopards with kills. In these circumstances, one would assume leopards might react defensively or aggressively, but this is rarely the case. This is due partly to the habituation process and partly to the skill of the guides and trackers at not provoking the animal, remaining neutral and appearing unthreatening.
Two vastly different forms of training are offered to those who walk in the bushveld. One approach is that of “sensitivity comes first”. Reputable guide-training facilities focus not only on rifle handling and shooting but also train guides not to provoke an animal to the point that it feels the need to charge. Through countless scenarios, training walks, shadowing experienced trackers, Big-5 pressure testing and unarmed walk experiences, guides are equipped with the experience, confidence and knowledge to approach animals on foot without threatening them. The overwhelming message in good training is that if an animal charges you, it is invariably your fault. You have to use your training to de-escalate the situation to ensure the safety of the animal, your guests, and yourself. Sensitive training emphasises that it is not the rifle that gets you out of a tricky situation but your calm assessment and reaction. The rifle is there for legal reasons, and we, as guides, must be appropriately trained to use it. But the focus is on respect for the animals and one’s ability to get out of encounters without provoking the animal to the point that it has no option but to attack.
Then there is the kind of training we will refer to as reactive training. The emphasis here is on rifle handling, speed and shot placement – how to react quickly with a rifle and put the target down as fast as possible. Unfortunately, reactive training is prevalent in the guiding industry and even more so for CPUs sent out into reserves to search for poachers. Maxine has trained guides in three African countries and has spoken to rangers in national parks and guides in Botswana and Zimbabwe – their training follows an almost identical approach. Some reserves and countries still require that you provoke an elephant or buffalo to charge and then shoot it as part of your training to be a guide (ZPGA 2022). During their careers as guides, both authors have attended “dangerous game” workshops and training sessions for rangers and guides that focus mainly on shot placement and rifle handling skills over reading an animal’s behaviour and making appropriate choices. The rifle instinctively becomes the first resort, the best defence against wild animals. There is a disconnect here, and we believe the ecotourism industry, particularly in Southern Africa, needs to evolve beyond this.
Naturally, CPUs need specialised training to face the very real threat of armed poachers. Walking with wildlife can be dangerous, and we acknowledge that there may be instances where there is no choice but to shoot an animal. There is an undeniable need for secrecy around how CPUs are trained. We are also aware that in many instances, CPUs are armed with low-caliber weapons intended for human encounters, and not for large animals (though this arguably increases the need for a sensitive approach to animal behaviour). There is no excuse for sending poorly trained (for wildlife encounters) teams out into the wild to endanger their own lives and those of the animals they encounter. We see no reason why the knowledge and experience of expert trackers, guides, field rangers and CPUs could not be shared to the benefit of all parties.
Van den Heever reports that Tracker Academy has started a new training programme aimed in part at addressing these concerns. The academy’s Rhino Guardians programme will equip field rangers with the skills necessary to improve tracking competence, dealing with potentially dangerous animals on foot, and bushcraft.
Ethics of the guides
This is a well-established topic, and we can add little new except to re-emphasise the importance of self-reflection as a guide. Many guides unfortunately lack the humility to understand that tourists come to Africa to see the animals, not the guide. Thus instead of making the wilderness the focus of the safari, they selfishly promote themselves at the expense of the wildlife. These are the “bad” guides – tip chasers and attention-seekers with little genuine respect for the wild – and this will only be exacerbated by the appeal of transient social media fame. Nothing we say is likely to change that. It is up to the reserve management and guiding teams to weed out these insensitive guides and either offer further training or dismiss them. In the best reserves, this does happen. In others, it does not, and the same mistakes are repeated again and again.
However, the truth is that even good, sensitive guides may find that certain boundaries can be hard to gauge because there is no one-size-fits-all instruction manual for ethical guiding. This is why regularly evaluating one’s choices and having open discussions is vital – ask questions of yourself and others. We spoke at the start of established practices – some are tried, tested and correct. But our knowledge of what is and is not appropriate is constantly evolving, and the best guiding teams adopt new ethical practices (like using spotlight filters, for example) when new evidence is presented. Trophy hunting may be rightly subject to considerable scrutiny, but there is no reason why the ecotourism industry – which also has a significant ecological impact – should be given a free pass.
Final thoughts
These questions and conversations are perhaps not new to those who have spent a lifetime discussing them around the fire in guiding and reserve management circles. However, they are important ones to continue addressing. They speak to the responsibilities of private reserves and “ecotourism”/photographic safaris and the role of the potentially lucrative tourism industry in conservation. Left unaddressed, deaths of animals such as Hosana leave room for misunderstanding and feed the growing cynicism directed at management teams of conservation areas.
We are gravely concerned by the apparent lack of training offered to guides, field operatives and CPUs that we expect to risk their lives to keep our wildlife safe. This is a recipe for future tragedies, human and animal alike.
Had we the time and tools to quantify the benefits and drawbacks of habituation (correctly understood and defined), there is no rational doubt that the benefits would outweigh any potential negatives by a substantial margin in the South African context. To reiterate, the Sabi Sands is home to one of the highest densities of leopards in Africa – higher than comparable habitats in neighbouring Kruger National Park (L Smythe, personal communication). Incidents of conflict within the reserve or in neighbouring villages (that we are aware of) are low compared to the neighbouring Kruger National Park and other regions with wild, unhabituated leopards.
Among the deluge of tributes to Hosana, we have seen a few scoff at the fuss made of this “named celebrity” leopard. We know the many arguments against naming wild animals – they have been debated to death and are largely moot in today’s world. But the impact of this one leopard, whose life was broadcast across the planet, cannot be overstated. He inspired a passion for wildlife across generations, cultures and continents. He brought people who otherwise might never have considered a safari, to Africa. He also brought Africa to those for whom travel was an impossibility. He taught us so much about leopard life. Human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss continue to be the two greatest threats to Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces. Hosana’s death should serve as a stark reminder of this. While questions around habituation and guiding practices will always be critical discussion points, we cannot lose sight of the fact that leopards (and Africa’s wild spaces) face other, far graver threats.
The authors would like to thank the following individuals for their invaluable assistance and guidance in compiling this article: Alex Van Den Heever, Dr Lucy Smythe, James Hendry, Dr Julien Fattebert and James Richard.
Purvis, A., Gittleman, J.L., Cowlishaw, G. and Mace, G.M., 2000. Predicting extinction risk in declining species. Proceedings of the royal society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 267 (1456), pp.1947-1952.
Stein, A.B., Athreya, V., Gerngross, P., Balme, G., Henschel, P., Karanth, U., Miquelle, D., Rostro, S., Kamler, J.F. and Laguardia, A., 2016. Panthera pardus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e. T15954A50659089. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.
Jamie Paterson, scientific editor at Africa Geographic, was born in South Africa and grew up exploring the country’s wild spaces at every available opportunity. On successfully completing her honours in law at the University of Cambridge, she returned home and dove headlong into the wilderness, working as both a research and trails guide. Jamie also spent several years as a wildlife television presenter for WildEarth, NatGeo Wild and SafariLIVE in the Lowveld of South Africa and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. A desire to tell Africa’s stories as they deserve to be told led her to Africa Geographic, where she now works as the scientific editor. Jamie is currently completing a degree in Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria.
Maxine Gaines is a wildlife biologist, with a BSc Honours degree and over 12 years of experience observing and studying leopards in the wild. Her undergrad degree was a BSc with majors in Botany and Zoology from Wits University. Maxine then went on to study a BSc Honours in Environmental Management through UNISA which she achieved cum laude. She has more than 12 years of experience observing and studying leopards in the wild, 10 of these at Londolozi Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands, Greater Kruger National Park. There, leopards were a particular interest and Maxine was one of three Leopard Specialist Guides for many years. After leaving Londolozi, she was privileged to work as a guide and trainer of field guides for &Beyond (then CCAfrica) in East Africa. She was able to add to her knowledge of leopard behaviour in this very different environment. She is currently a student again enrolled at UNISA for an MSc in Nature Conservation, with Predator Behaviour and Conservation being the focus of her studies.
This week we are celebrating African icons. In our first story, we celebrate a safari icon: the humble tent – a symbol of freedom for adventurers. From simple canvas stretched over poles to opulent villas in remote destinations, tents enable their inhabitants to be fully immersed in their surroundings and experience the rawness of the wild. We’ve put together a selection of our favourite tented camps on the continent below.
In our second story, we are delving into the evolutionary wonders of another icon of the African safari: the giraffe. How does the world’s tallest animal cope with high blood pressure? Learn more below.
We’d also like to take a moment this week to honour the rangers who make conservation in Africa possible. 31 July is World Ranger Day. But we head into this year’s commemorations under a cloud. In the past few weeks we’ve learned of tragedies befalling rangers who are dedicated to protecting rhinos and other endangered species. Whether meeting poachers on the ground or being targeted by poaching syndicates for the good work they are doing, these rangers risk their lives and families to fight for our wildlife. This day is about more than taking a moment to acknowledge their work – it is to honour the sacrifices made by these wildlife warriors. What can you do to help? Keep backing conservation in Africa, and the ranger-support and anti-poaching projects that empower rangers to do their good work.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
Taryn van Jaarsveld – Editor
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
I have been fortunate to spend a significant portion of my life staring at wild animals, but, every now and again, I still have moments of existential wonder at their remarkable shapes and sizes. When you next find yourself with a minute or two to spare, have another look at the winners of this year’s Photographer of the Year and marvel at the diversity of forms, figures and colours on display.
Did you know that giraffe have a mean average blood pressure twice that of most mammals? Blood pressures that high could easily kill a human being (or at least substantially compromise the cardiovascular system). So, how do giraffe survive it? You’ll have to read our second story below to find out.
Story 1 TENTED CAMPS
Camping in the bushveld is an immersive experience. Here are some epic tented camps in Africa – from basic budget options to luxurious glamping
Story 2 GIRAFFE EVOLUTION
Genetics reveals secrets of giraffe evolution – how the world’s tallest animal copes with high blood pressure and maintains bone density
Supertuskers in Tsavo East
Meet monitor Christine Mwende and supertusker Konomoju2. Our CEO Simon spent time with them and Tsavo Trust in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya a few days ago. Simon is currently at the coastal paradise of Watamu tracking down the Sokoke scops owl, golden-rumped sengi and other wondrous creatures before heading to the Maasai Mara National Park for the Greatest Show on Earth.
WATCH: In their mission to protect Amboseli’s wildlife, Big Life Foundation has built a barrier against poachers. Now, people from local communities work to protect wildlife. Ranger by ranger, their force has grown bigger. More than 300 rangers now protect 647 000ha (02:20). Click here to watch
A tent is a marvellous thing: not just a safe, weatherproof cocoon but a symbol of freedom for avid explorers the world over. For the safari industry, tents have always played a pivotal role in countless journeys to Africa, sometimes evolving from simple canvas stretched over poles to opulent villas in remote destinations. Yet the one thing they all have in common is a sense of absolute immersion, with just a thin piece of material between their occupants and the wilderness (and creatures) on the other side… These are our some of our favourite tented camps from across Africa:
Everything but the Range Rover
Ultra-luxury in the middle of some of the remotest corners of Africa may sound like something of an oxymoron, but these tented camps prove that nothing is impossible.
Duba Plains Suite, Okavango Delta, Botswana
This exquisite private two-bedroom tented villa is tucked away in an exclusive section of the Okavango Delta, arguably the home of the luxury safari. The suite is raised on a wooden decking offering an unparalleled vantage point to observe the Delta’s famed wildlife viewing. Elegant features and attention to detail make this one of the most luxurious tented camp options.
Mara Plains Jahazi Suite, Olare Motorogi Conservancy
The intimate Mara Plains Jahazi Suite is so beautifully designed and appointed that were it not for the sweeping views and draped canvas overhead, it would be easy to forget that one was in a tent in Africa. Dine out to a lamplit dinner on the veranda before retreating to a night of sleep serenaded by Mara’s wild creatures.
Jack’s Camp, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana
In the middle of a land of vast space and otherworldly vistas, Jack’s Camp is resplendent, swathed in muslin and canvas: an homage to a forgotten era of safaris. The rich colours and ornate décor make time spent in the camp almost as engaging as exploring the wilderness beyond.
Angama Mara, Mara Triangle, Kenya
There are few views as magnificent as the one from Angama Mara’s beautifully appointed tents, decorated in the dazzling colours of traditional Maa culture. The name “Angama Mara” was inspired by the Swahili word for “suspended in mid-air”, and each tent “floats” 300 metres above the plains of the Maasai Mara, with the dark green S-bends of the Mara River curving south as far as the eye can see.
Jack’s Camp in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans pays homage to a forgotten era of safaris; Mara Plains Jahazi Suite is intimate and beautifully designed; iconic Angama Mara offers some of the continent’s best views; find luxury in the Okavango Delta at Duba Plains Suite
The definition of glamping
With the rise of the luxury tented safari experience came the increasing popularity of the term “glamping” – a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping”. These destinations take glamping to a whole new level.
Lemala Nanyukie Lodge, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
“Nanyukie” translates as “endless plains” in Maa, the perfect description of the celebrated Serengeti surroundings. Lemala Nanyukie Lodge is based in a region of the Serengeti known for its exceptional concentration of cats, so anticipate falling asleep to the sound of a lion’s roar rumbling through the canvas walls, at one of Africa’s most comfortable tented camps.
Saseka Tented Camp, Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Greater Kruger, South Africa
Each of the luxury tents in Saseka comes with its own private deck, outdoor shower, and pool with views over the riverbed of one of the most wildlife-dense reserves in South Africa.
Mara Nyika Camp, Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya
Mara Nyika is an intimate tented camp set in a valley of one of the Maasai Mara’s largest private conservancies. Privacy and pampering are the fundamental pillars of the Mara Nyika Camp experience, set against one of the most spectacular backdrops in Africa.
Chisa Busanga Camp, Kafue National Park, Zambia
On a beautiful island in the heart of Busanga Plains you’ll find extraordinary Chisa Busanga Camp – characterised by human-sized bird’s nests inspired by the design of a weaver’s nest. Built from sticks and lined with canvas, this architectural marvel offers a unique way to experience the seasonal Kafue National Park.
Stay in Chisa Busanga’s human-sized bird nests; enjoy river views in Greater Kruger at Saseka Tented Camp; Mara Nyika is based in one of Maasai Mara’s largest private conservancies; pampering is the order of the day at Lemale Nanyukie
The tent next door
Roughing it in the wild is all good and well, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting some creature comforts while doing so. Thankfully, you’ll find the perfect balance at these tented camps.
Ongava Tented Camp, bordering Etosha National Park, Namibia
A safari classic, the Meru-style tents of Ongava Tented Camp all have ensuite facilities, open-air showers and private verandas. Tucked in a hidden valley at the foot of a dolomite hill, the camp is a natural extension of the arid landscape surrounding it.
Explorer Camp, Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Explorer Camp is the ideal destination for those looking to explore Shamwari Private Game Reserve on foot. Here, visitors will discover the natural bounty of diverse flora, abundant insects, and the region’s many large and small mammals. Rustic and intimate, Explorer Camp offers the perfect combination of simple amenities and natural immersion.
Lemala Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Hidden in an ancient acacia forest a short distance from the rim of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, the spacious tents of Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp are carefully positioned to provide privacy to their guests while keeping the impact on the pristine forest to a minimum. And it’s just a short drive to the magnificent wildlife viewing on the Crater’s floor!
Hide out in an ancient acacia forest at Lemala Ngorongoro; Immerse yourself in the Etosha landscape at Ongava; Discover Shamwari on foot with Explorer Camp as your base
Back to basics
Escaping to the wild doesn’t have to be about enjoying every convenience, and sometimes simpler really is better. There are plenty of ways to camp out in comfort without breaking the bank!
Flatdogs Camp, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
The safari tents at Flatdogs Camp encapsulate the essence of an authentic “Africa under canvas” experience, set in a prime position along a riverbank in the heart of the world-renowned South Luangwa National Park.
Ndutu Kati Kati Tented Camp, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Ndutu Kati Kati is a seasonal mobile camp, strategically situated in southern Serengeti from December to March, just in time to take advantage of the excitement of the arrival of the Great Migration. This camp is all about wildlife viewing, and the simple tents are the perfect base to rest between adventures.
Sango Safari Camp, Khwai Community Concession, Botswana
Nestled in the shade of the riverine trees overlooking the remarkable Khwai River, the ensuite Meru-style tents of Sango Safari Camp offer the perfect base from which to explore this magnificent part of the Okavango Delta. As one of the continent’s most exceptional little tented camps, Sango Safari Camp provides a neat compromise between affordability and subtle comfort.
Flat Dogs is based in a prime position along the riverbank in South Luangwa; enjoy affordable comfort in Khwai at Sango Safari Camp; be up close to Migration action at Ndutu Kati Kati
Back of beyond
Get off the beaten track and explore, then curl up in bed and embrace the sounds of the African bushveld after dark.
Ivory Trail Adventure, Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe
This mobile camping experience allows exploration of the remotest corners of one of Zimbabwe’s greatest wilderness areas. The Ivory Trail Adventure is undeniably aptly named, with simple stretcher beds, bucket showers, and a long-drop toilet.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Escape to the banks of the Ntungwe River at the Ishasha Wilderness Camp in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will share your space with resident troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys or a herd of passing elephants.
Mundulea Bush Camp and Walking Trails, Mundulea Nature Reserve, Namibia
The low-impact tents of Mundulea Bush Camp are hidden among woodland and dolomite outcrops in the unspoiled Karstveld. Each tent has its own private veranda area where guests can take a moment to soak in the absolute peace and quiet of this remote region of Namibia’s central highlands.
Mwaleshi Camp, North Luangwa National Park, Zambia
In the vast wilderness of Africa’s golden valley, North Luangwa National Park is often referred to as the home of the walking safari, and most of comfortable Mwaleshi Camp’s activities are conducted on foot. Here canvas has been replaced by thatching, but the effect is just as immersive. The simple camp perfectly matches the authentic, down-to-earth tone that epitomises the Zambian safari experience.
Mwaleshi is an iconic destination for walking safaris; experience colobus monkeys and elephants at Ishasha; explore remote wilderness on the Ivory Trail Adventure; enjoy the unspoiled Karstveld at Mundelea Bush Camp
Want to head out on your canvas safari? To find lodges, search for our ready-made packages or get in touch with our travel team to arrange your safari, scroll down to after this story.
Giraffe evolution has long fascinated biologists. Unique in the animal kingdom, their towering stature confers considerable advantages for access to out-of-the-way resources and vantage for spotting predators. Recent research delves into how giraffe genetics have shaped their ability to defy gravity. The giraffe’s great height comes with significant physiological challenges, including maintaining the necessary blood pressure and bone density to support it.
Giraffes need to pump blood up to two metres above the level of the heart to supply the brain with oxygenated blood. This, in turn, necessitates pumping blood at a pressure double that of most other mammals – pressure that would cause severe damage to the human cardiovascular system.
How the giraffe survives with such high blood pressure is a mystery slowly being unravelled by scientists
Factoring in growth
Research had previously isolated a gene known as FGFRL1 (the fibroblast growth factor receptor-like protein 1). In giraffes, this gene shows seven mutations not present in other ruminants. Given that different mutations in this gene are known to cause cardiovascular and skeletal defects in humans and mice, researchers hypothesised that the giraffe’s exceptional FGFRL1 must be responsible for some of its specialised adaptations.
To test this, the authors of the new study used cutting-edge technology to insert the giraffe gene into mice. The modified mice and a control group without the gene then received a drug to increase blood pressure. The results were pretty conclusive: the “giraffe-type FGFRL1 mice” suffered less cardiovascular and organ damage than the normal mice. In fact, after 28 days of exposure to the angiotensin II drug, the modified mice showed no indications of hypertension – their blood pressure remained at the average.
Though the mechanisms behind this gene action are still not understood, the authors tentatively speculate that this research may well contribute to future gene therapies for humans suffering the adverse effects of high blood pressure.
Giraffes have average bone mineral density, despite fast skeletal growth rates
Dem bones
Giraffes have one of the highest skeletal growth rates of any mammal – a calf will double its height during its first year. As a general rule, fast skeletal growth rates are associated with decreased bone strength, but adult giraffes have average bone mineral density. Interestingly, the “giraffe-type FGFRL1 mice” had significantly higher bone mineral densities, bone volume/total volume ratios and average trabeculae (essentially, the supportive “struts” in bone) thickness than the normal mice. Thus, it seems highly probable that the FGFRL1 gene in giraffes plays a role in maintaining compact and robust bones.
This particular finding goes to the heart of the basics of evolution and, in particular, evolutionary pleiotropy. Pleiotropy describes a situation where one gene impacts two or more seemingly unrelated physical traits. This may help explain how substantial phenotypic changes could have taken place over a relatively short evolutionary time.
Constant vigilance
In compiling the genome assembly, the study details how giraffes are adapted to have what is thought to be the best eyesight of any of the Artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates such as antelope and buffalo). This may be particularly important for giraffe because their reaction speeds are fractionally slower than most mammals because of a delay in neuron transmission caused by neuron length. Not only did the researchers identify several genes related to optical development, but they also showed that the giraffe has a reduced sense of smell. Compared to its closest relative, the okapi, the giraffe lacks at least 53 olfactory-related genes. This may well be a natural trade-off in sensory acuity seen in other animals (often arboreal species).
Unlike most other animals, a resting giraffe is not particularly well suited to rising quickly and gracefully, making them more vulnerable to predators. They also require high volumes of food. As a result, giraffe sleep durations are among the lowest recorded. The study outlines clear evidence of the rapid evolution of specific genes critical in maintaining circadian rhythms and sleep arousal systems. Thus, the giraffe’s genome allows for short and fragmented sleep.
A tall order
Though the mysteries of the giraffe’s great height are far from entirely revealed, this research goes a long way towards improving our understanding of evolution on a genetic level. In particular, it provides crucial insights into how pleiotropy and some “lucky” mutations produced one of the most fascinating creatures on the planet.
To learn about how you can contribute to the conservation of giraffes, read more about our project partner The Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Login to view – details below.
I have just arrived at Tsavo East National Park in Kenya – my first stop on an epic safari planned by teamAG
We head out soon to spend precious time with those giant dignified tuskers that define this area and perhaps even catch a glimpse of hirola – the world’s rarest antelope! I will be accompanying a biodiversity patrol for a few days – to appreciate the work that goes into keeping Tsavo safe. After that, I journey to the coastal forest of Arabuko Sokoke to learn about the work being done to preserve this precious place – and to track down Sokoke scops owl, golden-rumped sengi and other delights. And finally, my safari heads off to the Maasai Mara to join clients on a photographic safari. We will use a modified photography vehicle, and off-road driving permits only issued to approved guides who drive responsibly. That’s three stories you can look forward to 🙂
FOMO? Perhaps it’s time to contact us to start planning your next safari. You can do that by replying to this newsletter or emailing our team at travel@africageographic.com – let them know your wishlist. First, check out our packages here (website) and here (app). Safari njema!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
A few weeks ago, we ran a balanced and heartfelt reflection on famous Sabi Sands leopardHosana’s untimely death. The ensuing discussion on our story continued for weeks, as interested parties weighed in on our platforms. What became clear was that a slew of issues required consideration and investigation.
This week Jamie and co-author Maxine Gaines – who both hold deep connections to Hosana and Sabi Sand Game Reserve – have, after thorough research and enquiry, penned an exceptional and exhaustive analysis on leopard habituation and the ethics of tourism surrounding leopards. The story below is available exclusively on our app for the next few days, where you can join the discussion with the AG tribe. Get the app to view – it’s free.
Malawi’s Majete Wildlife Reserve has all the makings of a coveted safari destination. This realm of towering granite hills, grassy plains, abundant wildlife and the mighty Shire River has seen droves of tourists returning to experience a vibrant and thriving wilderness. Read our guide on this reserve, and on how to visit it, in our second story below.
Happy celebrating Africa to you all!
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
Almost exactly seven years ago, I first set foot in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bursting with excitement and somewhat wide-eyed at the position I had found myself in. Would that I could travel back in time – what words of frail wisdom would I impart? (I have some ideas, though not all are relevant to the topic at hand.)
Did you know that the habituation of leopards (and many other species), has contributed enormously to our scientific knowledge of these beautiful, cryptic animals? Our first story of the week, written by myself and my friend Maxine Gaines, is the culmination of months of work and careful consideration. It tells the story of leopards we have known, their habituation to people and the ethos of the industry we both understand well. Its messages are borne from the heart, and we sincerely hope they are received in the spirit in which they were intended.
Conservation today is a tangled web of complex challenges, each strand convoluted and inextricably linked to several others. It is often much easier to villainise and rail against the “bad guys” (and tar others with the same brush) than to face the fact that silver bullet solutions are few and far between.
Somehow taking a middle ground has become the new extremism, attracting ire and condemnation. But I still believe in honesty and transparency and hope our story below reflects that.
Story 1 HABITUATING LEOPARDS
Following the death of leopard Hosana, Jamie Paterson & Maxine Gaines take an in-depth look at leopard habituation & tourism ethics
Story 2 EPIC MAJETE
Malawi’s Majete Wildlife Reserve is a booming Big-5 destination. Epic scenery, cheetahs & wild dogs, & the Shire River await
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
Our CEO’S choice is one for the experienced safari-goer seeking the ultimate experience (and images) of raw Africa at her best. Join popular photographer guide Villiers Steyn and experienced local guides in Chitake, Mana Pools, Zimbabwe. Four places left.
JUST DO IT! For the pursuit of culinary delights and Big-5 safari heaven, there is this: Bush & beach, Pinotage to predators – South Africa – 12 days. You know you want to
Find other ready-made packages or even design your own safari. It’s easy: login to our app, tap/click the ‘Travel with us’ tab, and select either ‘packages’ or ‘lodges’. You can filter your choice by place and other important choices (such as lodges in non-malaria areas or packages that include the Big 5). You can add your selection of lodges and packages to your wishlist – which will remain saved until you choose to edit or delete.
You can help desert lions
Did you know that the AG app hosts a hand-picked selection of trusted conservation and community projects that are of real benefit to Africa’s people, ecosystems and wildlife? This empowers the AG tribe to offer support & donate to projects that make a difference.
We’ve just added Desert Lion Conservation Trust to our list of conservation projects. The trust has been collecting data on the desert-adapted lion population and studying their behaviour, biology and ability to adapt to the harsh desert environment. Their work is mitigating threats and providing much-needed help to these magnificent and resilient lions. See how you can help.
WATCH: Lemurs get high | We know many animals self-medicate. Check out these lemurs chewing on toxic millipedes and spreading them on their bodies – seemingly as an insect repellent – while becoming intoxicated in the process (02:40). Click here to watch
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments are processed through Flywire, a leading international payment gateway known for its high safety and security standards. Also, we are members of SATSA, who attest to our integrity, legal compliance, and financial stability.
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!
Maggie Nunley and her partner are currently on a cross-continental adventure with AG, celebrating their honeymoon. The couple started their adventure in Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and moved on to Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. They are finishing off their African holiday with a trip to Chale Island off Kenya’s Diani Beach to deflate in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
We’ve just added the Mouse-Free Marion Project to our selection of trusted conservation and community projects.
The burgeoning popularity of social media has allowed it to evolve into a potent force with positive and negative consequences. From raising awareness to the proliferation of misinformation, social media can significantly impact conservation efforts. 
The winners of Photographer of the Year 2022 have just returned from their safari in Khwai Private Reserve, Botswana, where they stayed at Natural Selection’s 
Marina Leuzinger and family 
Louwhen Bowker, Care for Wild project rep, writes on the AG forum:
This cheetah and her cubs posed beautifully for our CEO Simon last week in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Simon has just returned from his safari, which was spent researching exciting destinations to add to our list of 
Meet monitor Christine Mwende and supertusker Konomoju2. Our CEO Simon spent time with them and 
Did you know that the AG app hosts a hand-picked selection of trusted conservation and community projects that are of real benefit to Africa’s people, ecosystems and wildlife? This empowers the AG tribe to offer support & donate to projects that make a difference.
