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From our Editor-in-Chief
It’s around this time of year that my body starts to anticipate the holiday season. This has nothing to do with cretinous businesses that insist on erecting Christmas decorations sometime in late August. Rather it has to do with nature’s glorious cycle. I am in the lowveld of South Africa currently, absorbing the wonders of the Greater Kruger. The impala ewes have dropped their lambs, the tiny, spring-loaded antelope cavort around on the new carpet of green forging out of the dry season dust. The afternoon skies are pregnant with storms, the cicadas are singing (if you can call it that) and the cuckoos are in full cry. The smell, sounds and sights of new life are a balm to the human soul, as is the sense of comfort that comes with nature’s endless cycle.
Speaking of that holiday feeling, the Garden Route of the southern Cape in South Africa offers some of the country’s most picturesque and exciting destinations. Have a look at our first story below to find out more and contact our Travel Team to book your adventure.
Despised by some stock farmers and adored by nature lovers, the caracal is an enigmatic, mysterious and stunning cat somewhere between a tabby and a lion. Our second story below celebrates this resilient and legendary felid.
Back to that holiday feeling – Our travel team is offering a brilliant Kenyan safari special. It’s a 7-day safari in Kenya’s most spectacular wildlife areas – Maasai Mara & Samburu. From US$3,640 per person sharing. Note that the cheapest options are for our club members. Have you joined?
From our Scientific Editor
Many years ago, when I was but a callow teenager embarking on the beginnings of my career in the bush, I met a “tame” caracal. She had been rescued as a kitten after her mother was killed by a passing car (sadly, an all too common occurrence). The caracal was initially raised by a well-meaning farmer but was given the wrong nutritive balance in her first few weeks. This resulted in growth deformities and she was moved to the care of more experienced guardians to live a half-wild, half-domestic existence in the heart of the Green Kalahari.
She was utterly entrancing – for all the world like a giant house cat that curled up on the couch, purred and looked out upon the world with Cleopatra eyes. Until one day she stole the steak off my plate. When I went to grab it (I’ve never been a fussy eater), she turned upon me a look so utterly wild and feline cold that I stopped dead in my tracks, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I backed off, she ate the steak.
Medium-sized cats like caracals and servals are becoming increasingly popular as exotic pets, usually with disastrous consequences for them and their ill-prepared owners. Fortunately, this has not yet had a major impact on wild populations (as it has with cheetahs) but I still feel it is grossly unfair to take an animal with wild instincts and force it into a cage of domesticity. The fact that it is undeniably ego-driven makes it all the more repugnant to me, however popular these exotic pets may be on social media. Let’s leave rehabilitation to the experts and wild animals where they belong.
If the whole world is indeed a garden, as Frances Hodgson Burnett once wrote, then the Garden Route of South Africa was cultivated by a maverick horticulturist. In truth, the name is somewhat misleading because the Garden Route is about as far from the average garden as could conceivably be imagined. Here, myriad landscapes culminate in a dramatic meeting of mountains, gorges, forest and the Indian Ocean, interspersed by quaint towns and bustling beach cities. Not for nothing is this glorious stretch of coastline one of South Africa’s most popular tourism hotspots – it is a region best explored at leisure, taking every moment to appreciate nature in her wildest glory.
In truth, neither “garden” nor “route” are particularly accurate descriptors, though the moniker has proved such an effective marketing tool that nearby towns clamour for (or simply claim) inclusion. Although the exact boundaries differ depending on the source, the Garden Route generally refers to an area that extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, east to the town of Stormsrivier in the Eastern Cape – a straight-line distance of around 200km. Inland it encompasses the town of Oudtshoorn right up to the Swartberg Mountain Range. This magnificent region includes rugged patches of coastline, pristine sandy beaches, forests, mountains, gorges, lakes and rivers, all easily and quickly accessible. At the right time of year (August/September), many sections are covered in a glorious carpet of flowers, only adding to the beauty of the surroundings.
Visitors can select a base from Olde Worlde towns and explore the extraordinary scenery day by day before rewarding themselves with an evening of fine dining or perhaps an afternoon at a picturesque wine farm. With the added advantage of several malaria-free nature reserves and national parks in the vicinity to tack on a safari adventure, a trip to the Garden Route can be individually tailored to every need – from families with small children and sedate couples to intrepid solo travellers and adventure seekers.
The Storms River gorge
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a town steeped in history and marks the spot where the very first European set foot in South Africa. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias stopped here in 1488, searching for fresh water to replenish his ship’s supplies. As he was to discover, the land was already occupied. In a sad portent of this region’s future race relations, one of Dias’ men shot a Khoikhoi herder with a crossbow. Unsurprisingly, the locals reacted with anger and sent the mariner and his scurvy-riddled sailors scuttling back to their ship in a hail of stones. Human history in the area goes back considerably further than Dias’ misadventure. The caves below Pinnacle Point contain some of the earliest artefacts of modern man – believed to be about 164,000 years old. These Middle Stone Age people could not have chosen a more picturesque home; the caves look out on the turquoise of the Indian Ocean below.
These days, visitors to Mossel Bay visit the cave networks and admire the view before visiting the museum complex to explore the full-sized replica of Dias’ ship. Though the coastline is relatively rocky here, a couple of stunning beaches and sheltered coves are perfect for swimming in the warm sea. The quaint St Blaize Lighthouse is a popular attraction and serves as a landmark for some of the region’s popular hiking routes. There is also a Seal Island (smaller than the one close to Cape Town) where Cape fur seals gather in enormous numbers.
Clockwise from top left: Wilderness beach; view of the Swartberg mountains near Oudtshoorn; Mossel Bay in the evening
George
One of South Africa’s oldest towns and once a historic timber hub, George is nestled in the sublime Outeniqua Mountains, just eight kilometres from the ocean. As one of the Garden Route’s largest towns, it is sometimes nicknamed the “Gateway to the Garden Route” and sports a curious mixture of big city vibrance and small-town atmosphere. There are several historical landmarks to appreciate, including an ancient English Oak tree called The Slave Tree, the King Edward VII Library, the Outeniqua Transport Museum and several old churches. The Garden Route Botanical Gardens, which exclusively showcases the unique vegetation of the southern Cape fynbos, are also situated in George.
The various scenic drives around the town, including Montagu Pass, will reveal unexpected antique shops, art galleries and craft stalls, while golf enthusiasts can enjoy a round at some of South Africa’s premier courses.
Clockwise from top left: Tsitsikamma; Groot Brak beach; the bridge at Bloukrans; a view of the Outeniqua Mountains from George
Oudtshoorn
To the north and inland from George, the town of Oudtshoorn marks the northern boundary of the Garden Route region. Here the vegetation has changed from the iconic fynbos of the Cape coastlines to the sparse Klein Karoo, at the meeting point of the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountain ranges.
Offering the usual rural town charm so characteristic of the Garden Route’s urban areas, Oudtshoorn is also home to the largest farmed ostrich population in the world. This tradition goes back to the days of the Ostrich Feather Booms of the late 19th century/early 20th century, which saw the rise of “feather barons” and dynasties that built the mansions lining the Grobbelaars River. Before World War 1, ostrich feathers were South Africa’s fourth-largest export and worth almost their weight in diamonds. Today, ostriches are farmed for their meat and feathers and continue to be a major tourist attraction.
Just outside Oudtshoorn are the Cango Caves, enormous limestone caves with massive stalagmite formations, some of which date back 4,5 billion years!
Tremendous fun to be had on the Garden Route. Clockwise from top left: Cango Caves; paragliding; a steam train experience; some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world
Wilderness and Wilderness National Park
In keeping with Garden Route naming tradition, Wilderness is less “wilderness” and a more tranquil seaside town, situated on the banks of the Touw River Lagoon. It is, however, surrounded by true wilderness in the form of the nearby Wilderness National Park, which protects over 2,500 hectares and encompasses forests, five rivers, five lakes, two estuaries and a stretch of coastline. Though usually still referred to as Wilderness National Park, since 2008, it is technically the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park which also includes the Knysna Pools and Tsitsikamma sections (see below).
Wilderness National Park is a paradise for campers, hikers, kayakers, mountain bikers, paragliders, abseilers and kloofing enthusiasts. The magical forest paths wind their way to various waterfalls. They are filled with the calls (and occasional glimpses) of kingfishers and the colourful Knysna turacos (or ‘loerie’ if chatting to a local). The coastline section comes to a head at Dolphin Point, which, like much of the Garden Route, is a great place to look for southern right whales during their annual migration (from July until early November).
Not far from Wilderness, en route to Knysna, is the seaside village of Sedgefield – an excellent spot for families looking for a quieter seaside holiday – and the Goukamma Nature Reserve, which protects an extensive vegetated dune field.
The stunning Knysna Forest
Knysna
The original route between George and Knysna is the historic Seven Passes Road which crosses over ten rivers and seven gorges and provides a taster of the exquisite scenery awaiting keen explorers. As beautiful Southern African towns go, Knysna is near the top of a very long and competitive list. Situated on the banks of a picturesque lagoon that is part of a protected marine reserve and surrounded by lush indigenous forests, Knysna is renowned for its dynamic charm and genial hospitality. The Knysna River feeds the warm water estuary. It passes between two prominent headlands –The Heads – creating an occasionally treacherous narrow strip for boats to pass through as they head for the open sea.
The town is surrounded by temperate forests that hide what ecologists believe to be the last remaining elephant of the Knysna/Tsitsikamma region. The cow is thought to be around 45 years old and is the sole survivor of the effectively extinct southernmost population of elephants in Africa. Centuries of persecution have genetically programmed her to be understandably wary of humans, and actual sightings of her are few and far between. Most of what we know about her movements come from tracks, dung and camera traps as she haunts the ancient trails of the fairy-tale forests and surrounding farms – a lonely and poignant figure.
Clockwise from top left: Knysna turaco; Knysna woodpecker; an ostrich trying to stay cool near Oudtshoorn; southern right whale; humpback whale; cape fur seal with cephalopod meal
Garden Route National Park and the Tsitsikamma Forests
Her ancestors, which experts estimate probably numbered around 3,000 individuals in the 18th century, would have wandered far and wide through the dark and mysterious forests and surrounding habitats. Though the elephants are long gone, parts of their historic range are protected by the Garden Route National Park: a disconnected amalgamation of the existing Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks, the Knysna National Lake Area, and various other protected tracts of state land.
The Garden Route National Park covers patches of the south coast between George and Port Elizabeth. Its magnificent forests are characterised by giant Outeniqua yellowwoods, stinkwoods, and Cape chestnuts, blooming upwards from thick ferns on the forest floor. From west to east, the topography becomes increasingly dramatic, culminating in the plunging cliffs and steep gorges of Tsitsikamma and Storms River, which marks the “end” of the Garden Route.
Here visitors can test their head for heights by crossing the bridge over the Bloukrans River. Adrenaline junkies can get their thrill fix by leaping from the bridge at one of the highest bungee jumps in the world – an astonishing 216 metres (roughly 70 stories) above the base of the gorge. The suspension bridge over the Storms River mouth further east offers a more sedate and less vertiginous approach to taking in the spectacular scenery.
Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay
The town of “Plett” is known for its expanses of white sandy beaches and glorious cerulean sea, making it one of the best choices as a base to explore the rest of the Garden Route. Nature lovers will find themselves enthralled by a circuit of the Robberg peninsula at the Robberg Nature Reserve or watching the Cape fur seals navigating the surf. Southern right (July to November), Bryde’s, humpback (May/June and from November to January), killer and sei whales are regular visitors, and dolphins are permanent residents.
Country living on the Garden Route – from backpackers to ultimate luxury
Explore and stay
Want to head to the Garden Route? 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.
The weather along the Garden Route is temperate and idyllic, with temperatures seldom dropping below 10˚C or rising too far above 29 ˚C on the coast. Unusually for South Africa, there is no set rainy season, and rain can fall all year round (and it does – the Garden Route receives some of the highest rainfall levels in South Africa, hence the verdant foliage). There is a slight peak in rainfall during the winter months from June until August, which coincides with the arrival of migrating whales. The flowers celebrate the arrival of spring in September.
As already discussed, this is not a “route” but rather an exploration and visitors can make the best of their stay by choosing one or two places to stay and travelling to the various attractions from there. Careful planning and research will ensure the best out of a trip, and even when time is limited, it is better to make the most of specific areas rather than cramming in every attraction.
It’s hard to encapsulate the magic of the Garden Route – there are many beautiful coastlines in the world. Yet, this special patch of Africa stands out as a truly extraordinary destination. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the Garden Route offers everything from dramatic scenery, hiking and wilderness adventures to beach holidays, scuba diving and wine farms, all in the same vicinity. The eclectic collection of local artists, writers, musicians, retirees, and big-city escapees who have chosen to live there adds to the vibrant atmosphere. Whatever it may be, it is undeniable that the Garden Route casts a kind of spell over those fortunate enough to explore its many wonders.
All felids are beautiful. It is a shared trait made even more appealing by the uncanny impression that they are fully aware of their own allure. However, with its luminous eyes, bold facial markings and dramatic ear tufts, the caracal is arguably Africa’s most exquisite cat. Our appreciation of the caracal’s beauty goes back thousands of years, and historians believe that caracals were of considerable religious significance in ancient Egyptian culture, with sculptures guarding the tombs of pharaohs.
Introduction
The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium-sized wild cat found throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. They are slightly stockier than their serval cousin, and their robust bodies are covered in a uniform coat of burnished red. Their bottle-green eyes are lined by the kind of natural eyeliner that would make Elizabeth Taylor jealous, with thick black lines running down the sides of their noses, emphasising the elegant jawline. The name “caracal” was inspired by their most distinctive feature, with the Turkish word “Karrah-ulak/coulac” roughly translating as “cat with black ears”. The outlandish ears combine with the caracal’s overall aesthetic to emphasise the impression of a proud and no-nonsense cat.
The tufted ears have led to the obvious comparison with the various lynx species, and the caracal is sometimes called the desert lynx. Phylogenetically, however, caracals are only distantly related to lynxes. Their closest relatives are the African golden cat (Caracal aurata) which inhabit the rainforests of Central Africa. Together with the serval (Leptailurus serval), these cats are all descended from the caracal lineage. Though not yet fully recognised on the IUCN’s Red List, the IUCN Cat Specialist Group suggest a tentative division into three subspecies: C. c. caracal of Southern and East Africa, C. c. nubicus of North and West Africa and C. c. schmitzi of Asia. Like the subspecies divisions proposed for the serval in the same report, these distinctions are based on a trend observed within other widespread mammal species. They could easily change with future genetic evidence.
The solitary and secretive caracal is found in a wide variety of habitats but shows a preference for more arid areas with suitable cover. In wetter areas, it is primarily outcompeted by the serval, while golden cats hold dominion over the central forested parts of the continent. Like servals, the caracal is usually classified as nocturnal, but in reality, they can be active at any time of the day, especially when the weather is cool.
The caracal’s distinctive ear tufts, bold facial markings and red coat make it unmistakable
Quick Facts
Shoulder height:
40-50cm
Mass:
7-19kg
Length (not including the tail):
71-100cm
Social structure:
solitary apart from mothers with kittens
Gestation:
62-81 days
Life expectancy:
around 10 in the wild, up to 20 in captivity
Caracal coats blend beautifully into the arid vegetation they prefer to inhabit
Setting the cat among the pigeons
Like all members of the cat family, caracals are efficient and deadly predators. They typically prey on small mammals and birds but can take down animals an astonishing two to three times their mass. Small they may be but beneath the sleek red coats are muscles of steel, capable of launching these agile cats more than three metres into the air. This prodigious pouncing power is shared with the serval but, while servals generally use these leaps to catch ground-dwelling rodents by surprise, caracals are experts at snatching up birds in flight. This is accomplished by a combination of exceptional depth-perception, an ability to twist and turn in the air, and proportionately enormous paws which spread open to expose needle-sharp claws.
The expression “to put the cat among the pigeons” may well be attributable to the caracal’s bird-hunting prowess. Until the 20th century, they were kept and trained by the Indian elite to hunt small game. In keeping with the human competitive streak, this inevitably resulted in a desire to test whose caracal was the better hunter. Caracals were set in arenas filled with pigeons, and bets would be placed on which caracals would kill the most. Unfortunately, like most wild animals caracals have been hunted for sport – even today.
Caracals continue to be hunted for sport and as livestock farming pests
Not just pigeons
Caracals are extremely versatile and adapt their hunting style to the habitat and type of prey. While the ambush approach typifies most hunts, they are adept climbers and exceptional runners. In fact, the caracal is probably one of, if not the, fastest member of the smaller cat species. They have been clocked at 80km/h, and while they are not endurance runners, their stamina is usually more than sufficient to chase down the prey of choice.
Small birds and rodents are dispatched by long canines and consumed immediately in their entirety. Larger birds and prey are killed by a bite to the throat and then carefully plucked. Caracals may stash exceptionally large kills for later consumption. They can extract most of their moisture needs from their food and are relatively water independent, though they will readily drink if water is available.
Caracals are largely independent of water but will drink when it is available
Catcalls
Though caracals’ social and sexual lives are still relatively understudied, they are known to be solitary and territorial. There is a considerable degree of overlap between territories, the boundaries of which are marked with urine and claw scratching. Like leopards, it seems that the territories of males are far more extensive than those of the females and encompass the territories of several different females. Territory size and caracal density are dependent on the resources available to them. When the habitat is suitable, and prey is abundant, the territories will be smaller, and the population density higher.
The bold facial markings and ear tufts are believed to play an essential role in visual communication within the species, but caracals also display a wide variety of vocalisations. These include a kind of twittering meow as well as growls, hissing and purring. Adult males and females only associate when the female is in oestrus, which the female advertises through frequent urination.
Caracal kittens
Caracals breed throughout the year, but most litters coincide with the arrival of the rainy season when prey is most abundant. The litters consist of anywhere between one and six kittens. The female will seek out an appropriate den site in dense vegetation or abandoned porcupine or aardvark burrows. Though born blind and helpless, the kittens rapidly transform into adorably fierce, tiny predators and start attempting to hunt around the den as early as three to four weeks old.
They are fully weaned by six months and reach sexual maturity early – between seven and ten months. However, they will likely only breed successfully after leaving their mothers at around 12 months.
Persecuted felines
The IUCN’s Red List currently classifies the caracal’s overall conservation status as “Least Concern”, but this is highly variable. Habitat loss and human expansion threaten most Middle Eastern and Asian populations, and caracals are thought to be close to extinction in North Africa. They are frequent victims of vehicle collisions and regularly come into conflict with livestock farmers.
Caracals are considered mesocarnivores/mesopredators – a loose grouping of medium-sized predators that include species such as foxes and jackals. These animals often prove to be highly adaptable to and tolerant of human encroachment. With the removal of competition from the bigger predators (who, by virtue of their size, are less resilient to human presence), such midrange carnivores seem to flourish. Unfortunately, this places them at a much higher risk of conflict with farmers. Caracals can and do kill livestock, though research shows that they prefer natural prey and that livestock is only utilised as a supplement.
As a result, in many parts of Southern Africa, particularly South Africa and Namibia, caracals are considered “problem animals” and are persecuted extensively in certain areas. As caracals are exceedingly challenging to count, the effects of this conflict are not fully calculated or understood. The Cape Leopard Trust currently has several research programmes to understand the extent of the problem and find solutions to mitigate it. Interestingly and almost counterintuitively, some farmers in parts of South Africa have been introducing caracals to their farms in the hopes of reducing stock losses. This is because caracals and black-backed jackals (also responsible for livestock loss) operate in direct competition, so the presence of one controls the numbers of the other – balancing out the system, essentially. The effectiveness of this approach has not yet been thoroughly evaluated.
Caracals are NOT good pets
Pet Caracals
Caracals are beautiful, they tame easily and are naturally expressive, which has led to surging popularity in the pet trade. Keeping pet caracals is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years in many parts of Asia, but today exotic pet breeders are flourishing. It should go without saying that caracals do not make good pets. Without thousands of years of domestication, the instincts of any wild animal remain close to the surface, and most end up in a rescue centre when the owner realises just how difficult to manage they genuinely are.
Where to find one in the wild?
Though they are widespread throughout Africa, the best places to see caracals are the more arid parts of Southern Africa. Here they are the dominant mesocarnivore, and sightings are far more common due to reduced vegetation cover. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve boast excellent sightings, as do many of the parks in Namibia.
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The adventurous amongst you will already know this. The latest update to our club app for computers and mobile phones is that you can now search for the best lodges and prices on both a list and map view. The map view is our latest update – you all know how I love maps! AND you can now select from a range of currencies, and voila, all lodge prices update to your currency of choice! Stand by for more in the months to come – as we build THE platform for the best-priced safaris that make a difference. Thanks for the enquiries already flowing through from the club – this is the fuel that drives our mission. And please keep the donations coming – we hand those over unblemished to the beneficiary projects.
As you read this I will be loving the first day of a 3-day mountain bike stage race that spans the mountainous vineyards and coastline near Cape Town – the ‘Wines2Whales’. And then I will be out of action for two weeks, hiding out on a farm in the gorgeous Garden Route – my first break since Covid descended on us all. I leave you in the capable hands of my STELLAR team. See you in a few weeks.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
While most of South Africa has been up in arms over Stage 4 load shedding (rolling blackouts resulting in over six hours a day without electricity), I’ve been celebrating the return of power to my flat after a five-day outage.
The long hours in the dark (without phone signal, as there is none here) gave me plenty of time to think about how desperately reliant on electricity and technology I am. Most of us like-minded souls love to escape to the wild somewhere to detox from the modern world, but, truth be told, we also like to come home to our modern conveniences. More than that – we need electricity to prosper.
As the 2021 Climate Change Conference draws to a close, the disparity between the “First World” and developing nations could not be more apparent. The average person in Ghana or Tanzania consumes less electricity than a US family’s fridge. Studies show that Africa has contributed the least to the current climate crisis but is likely to bear a disproportionate burden as climates shift. With the fastest growing population in the world, Africa needs the same opportunities to grow and develop infrastructure – which will take power and contribute to emissions. So, where is the balance, and who gets to judge?
From our Editor-in-Chief
COP 26 draws to a close today. It is difficult not to look at the expositions of concern and commitments from the great and the good without eye-rolling cynicism. My prediction? We will make almost no progress towards changing our inexorable march to self-annihilation, and the annihilation of countless other species, if we rely on politicians or the CEOs of multinational industries. In the first, we have (and yes, this is a generalisation) a breed of a human being (or vacuous parasite) whose raison d’etre is predicated on staying in power and, therefore, on pleasing whichever lobby will keep them there. In the second, we have a smooth-talking operator with strong opinions that say nothing, beholden to an invisible blob of unaccountability known as ‘shareholders’.
Very few of our so-called leaders demonstrate a deep-seated calling to navigate us away from our self-inflicted climate catastrophe with compassion, openness and honesty. So what to do? Well, it really is up to each and every one of us who care. Be more aware of your effect on our fragile planet – use less, give more, learn more, act more. Put the needs of our species above the needs of self or country. Hold the politicians and CEOs to account – they work for you, not the other way around.
After that, you might feel the need for a positive human tale. Our first story below will rekindle some faith in the human spirit to overcome against the odds. It is a story of one of the most profound 24 hours in South African history set in the majestic gorges and mountains of KwaZulu.
In our second story below, Dr Hayley Clemments describes an inspirational mission to quantify and enhance Africa’s biodiversity with local knowledge. (Club members only)
Lastly, we take a look at the least-known and most enigmatic of the four hyena species – the marvellous striped hyena.
• Wanna see the ‘elusive 5’ species of the Kalahari?This wonderful video by Tswalu Kalahari provides a brief peek into the lives of a few highly sought-after safari species. Did you know that club members get the best available prices at Tswalu Kalahari and other superb camps and lodges?
• The Government of Zambia has announced a 50% reduction in tourist visa fees from January 2022 in a move that is expected to boost the number of tourist arrivals and help boost the recovery of the tourism sector.
• Namibia has adopted the Trusted Travel System – an online digital platform for the verification and authentication of COVID-19 test results from a network of participating COVID-19 testing laboratories, port health authorities and transport industries.
About 14 kilometres southeast of the, to be polite, tumbledown settlement of Dundee, we turned east off the potholed tar road into the rough, hill country. We wound our way through farmland and rural Zulu settlements. The lowlands were blanketed in golden winter grass and pimpled with termite mounds. Copses of green and patches of shale fringed the drainage lines. The slopes were on fire with aloe flowers.
My enjoyment of the scenery was briefly interrupted by a homicidal farmer who had not the patience to deal with my slow appreciation of the landscape. He came haring up the hill in front of us, his giant pick-up hooting angrily. I took evasive action and ended teetering on the edge of a precipice in a cloud of dust. As the fine clay cleared from the air, the strange sphinx-like mountain of Isandlwana appeared in the distance.
We were travelling on a road that, historically, led to nowhere in particular – between Isandlwana and another mountain called Ishiyane. In the lee of the latter lies the mission station of Rorke’s Drift, where one of the most remarkable 24 hours in South African history took place.
It is a testament to the abominable teaching of history in South Africa that by the time I’d finished school, I’d learned incessantly about the Boers and their Great Trek, the Russian Revolution and something about Japan’s economic troubles in the wake of the 1865 rice shortage (I may have made that up). I had only vaguely heard of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Yet it was a war, the origins and consequences of which still reverberate through South Africa with lessons, warnings and parallels.
Aloes in flower on the Fugitives’ Drift farm, Isandlwana in the background
Fugitives’ Drift
Just past Rorke’s Drift, we turned due east. Down a hill and halfway up the other side, we arrived at a gate, and a guard quickly materialised at my window. I greeted him in Zulu. He rolled his eyes slightly and asked for my name in English, and then smiled. He opened the gate. As we crested the hill, the sphinx mountain appeared again in the distance. Much closer, giraffe, blesbok, wildebeest and a few zebra dotted the woodland and grassy slopes leading to the precipitous gorge of the Buffalo River.
Fugitives’ Drift is owned and run by the Rattray family (not to be confused with the Rattrays of Mala Mala fame). Although the beautiful farm has been in the family for a few generations, the lodge was started by the late David Rattray and his wife, Nicky. Together, they pioneered history tourism in South Africa through a unique combination of Nicky’s natural hospitality, David’s mesmerising story-telling, and the lodge’s location midway between Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift – the two sites of the famous battles on which the fantastical legend of this area is built.
Fugitives Drift’s 31-year history very nearly ended before it began.
But for brave history aficionados, visitors to this remote part of KwaZulu were few and far between in 1990. There were a few historical guides in ropey straw hats taking intrepid buffs to the battlefields. Some school busses filled with bored kids and more bored teachers passed by from time to time. The battlefields did not resemble a tourism hotspot.
Firm in self-belief and the captivating power of the stories leaping from a countryside littered with the bones of long ago, David and Nicky took a colossal, courageous gamble to build a little lodge in a place on the road to literally nowhere.
Clockwise from top left: A room at the main lodge; the deck at the main lodge; lunch on the deck of the Harford Library; the Buffalo River gorge
The experience
In the beginning, David took all the battlefield tours – Isandlwana in the morning, curry for lunch, 40 minutes on his back, Rorke’s Drift in the evening. He fixed the plumbing, and he cut the flagstones that make up the floor of what is now the gorgeous little museum. While he was doing this, Nicky was supervising miraculous meals, ingredients sourced from god-knows-where. She was checking in the guests, making bookings, doing the accounts.
The Rattrays were also raising three sons.
Fugitives’ Drift is set on an idyllic 2000 hectares of undulating bushveld, acacia woodland, and rocky viewpoints over 22 kilometres of Buffalo River frontage. To the east, over the rough country where the fugitives from the battle of Isandlwana fled, the sphinx mountain rises. To the northwest, the view is dominated by the Ishiyane mountain, behind which Rorke’s Drift nestles.
The farm takes its name from the third great story of the 22nd of January, 1879 – that of the Fugitives’ flight from the battle at Isandlwana. The river widens briefly not far from the lodge, and it is here that some of the fleeing British soldiers managed to cross the raging torrent. Two of these, Lieutenants Melville and Coghill, were to earn the first two posthumous Victoria Crosses in history. They died in a futile attempt to save the Queen’s Colour of their regiment and, with it, regimental honour. The graves of these two men are a gentle 15-minute walk from the lodge.
The wildlife of Fugitives’ Drift
Where to stay?
Want to go on safari to Fugitive’s Drift? 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.
There are three accommodation options- all of them excellent. For the more budget-conscious, there is Mzinyathi House, a lovely old stone and corrugated iron farmhouse. There’s a fireplace, three en suite bedrooms and a kitchen for self-catering. For those who do not wish to feed themselves, meals at the main lodge are easily arranged.
The Guest House is the site of an old general store. The original building has been altered into a stunning dining and lounge area where guests can sit around a fire in the winter or on the verandah of a summer’s evening, as they marvel at the day’s stories and listen to the faint whispers of history floating on the breeze. The en suite rooms boast views of the Buffalo River valley and Isandlwana rising in the east.
The five-star lodge is where the Rattrays built the original, humble Fugitives’ Drift Lodge. Now it is a gorgeous testament to the Rattray legacy and a tastefully luxurious way to soak up the history and natural beauty of the area. Each suite is individually decorated, opening onto views of the plains, often dotted with antelope, above the Buffalo River gorge. Scrumptious meals are served in the communal dining room or on the deck beneath a colossal fig tree where the birds hop about, squabbling over the fruit while cheeky monkeys watch to see what’s on the menu. You might have tea and while away an afternoon in the Harford Library or browse the artefacts in the museum – the floor stones of which I mentioned earlier.
Tearjerking historical stories. Clockwise from top left: Isandlwana; The church at Rorke’s Drift; the graves of Lts Melville and Coghill; the British memorial at Rorke’s Drift; Douglas Rattray in full flow.
Tear-jerking epics
While Nicky set about creating an atmosphere of homely luxury at the lodge, David (with his photographic memory, passion for history, and Zulu language skills) sallied forth into the countryside with his childhood friend, Satchmo Mpanza, to find the Zulu side of the Anglo-Zulu war story. He spoke to the children and grandchildren of the warriors who fought at the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.
Armed with this knowledge, a booming voice and a knack for theatre, David spawned an industry in historical storytelling. He took the initial, irregular trickle of guests onto the battlefields and told the jaw-dropping story of the Day of the Dead Moon. Those guests told their friends of the tears they’d shed on the bones of the brave, dead men of both sides. That trickle of travellers turned into a torrent.
The first battle took place in the eerie quarter-light of a solar eclipse on the slopes of Isandlwana. On the 22nd of January 1879, the Zulu army, inspired by their king Cetshwayo and led by their 70-year-old general Ntshingwayo, inflicted the heaviest defeat ever suffered by a colonial British army. They did so to repel a massive British invasion of Zululand and defend the old Zulu order.
Later on the same day, a small band of some 150 British soldiers, many injured and sick, defended Rorke’s Drift from 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. They fought through the night behind barricades of biscuit boxes and bags of maize, their Martini-Henry rifles turning red as they fired round after round into their attackers. More Victoria Crosses were awarded for valour at Rorke’s Drift than at any other battle in history.
The magnificent museum
David sadly died in 2007, but his legacy as the country’s premier historical storyteller lives on in the guiding team at Fugitives’, lead by his son Douglas. Indeed, there are any number of storytellers knocking about South Africa making a living from talking about our country’s rich and turbulent history. Just about all of them have borrowed inflexions and style from the master himself. (Do yourself a favour and listen to David tell the Anglo-Zulu war epic here).
I have had the privilege of hearing David and his sons, Andrew and Douglas, tell the stories of these battles. On this trip, Douglas delivered the Rorke’s Drift epic on-site at the little mission station. As the sun turned carmine in the dusty west, Douglas extolled the courage of the British soldiers and Zulu warriors. As the dusk closed around us, he removed his peaked hat, placed it on the end of his stick and finished with Laurence Binyon’s immortal words:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
I have heard Douglas deliver this talk twice. Both times, I have had to turn away as the tears rolled down my cheeks.
Fugitives’ Drift is a rejuvenating getaway for heart and soul, where the hills breathe history and ghosts whisper in the moonlit gorges. The lodge is a haven of family hospitality in a breathtaking natural setting.
Memorial to the Zulu fallen at Isandlwana
Resources
Fugitives’ Drift does a lot of work in the communities surrounding the farm, mainly in education and sustainability. To find out more, have a look at Khulu Education
How much biodiversity can we lose before it starts impacting our quality of life? We all depend on well-functioning ecosystems, whether we are aware of this or not. Yet measuring how much biodiversity we are losing across the African continent, and what that means for our well-being, is a difficult task. To address this challenge, we are mobilising hundreds of African biodiversity experts to produce a continental map of ‘biodiversity intactness’ that is credible and useful to African decision-makers.
Biodiversity and human well-being
Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being. A recent assessment of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found that biodiversity and its contributions to people in Africa are ‘essential to providing for the continent’s food, water, energy, health and secure livelihoods’. The report highlights biodiversity as ‘a strategic asset for sustainable development and achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals’.
As the sun dips to the horizon, burnishing the plains of East Africa in shades of gold and orange, spotted hyena whoops and cackles fill the air. Burning with fierce intelligence, they band together in groups to hunt and patrol territories or set out on solitary foraging missions. As darkness descends over the rocky outcrops bordering the plains, another hyena watches – a silent and mysterious cousin. Seldom seen and poorly understood, the striped hyena lurks in the shadows, shy and elusive.
The basics
In Africa, the timid and retiring striped hyena is eclipsed almost entirely by its bolder and more conspicuous spotted and brown cousins. So much so that few people even realise that this hyena species occurs on the African continent . Even the aardwolf is more readily recognised. Unusual for a large carnivore, the exceptionally secretive habits of striped hyenas have resulted in piecemeal research, particularly in Africa. However, this air of mystery makes them decidedly intriguing, simply because we know so little about a species in one of the major carnivore families.
The little we know about striped hyena ethology stems largely from the populations found throughout Asia (the striped hyena is the only hyena species found outside of Africa). There are only a handful of published papers on the behavioural ecology of striped hyenas in Africa. Much of what is inferred comes from a handful of observations or second-hand anecdotal evidence.
Despite this dearth of information, the striped hyena is widely (but patchily) distributed across most of North and East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and sections of West Africa, albeit at low densities. They have a preference for semi-arid regions and avoid deserts or thick forests. In places where striped hyenas overlap with spotted hyenas, they are outnumbered and largely outcompeted. Unlike their spotted counterparts, striped hyenas are almost exclusively scavengers, though they occasionally hunt small and manageable prey.
A striped hyena comes for an evening drink
Quick Facts
Social structure:
solitary or small family groups
Mass:
between 22-55kg (average 35kg)
Shoulder height:
60-80cm
Gestation period:
90 days
Litter size:
1-5 cubs
Life expectancy:
probably around 12 years in the wild but over 20 years in captivity
Family resemblance?
There are four extant species of hyena: the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) and the aardwolf (Proteles cristatus). Despite their dog-like appearance, all members of the hyena family (Hyaenidae) are more closely related to the genet (Viverridae) and mongoose (Herpestidae) families, as part of the Feliformia (cat-like) sub-order of Carnivora.
Though the striped fur and thick mane of the striped hyena most closely resemble the aardwolf, careful observation reveals a closer similarity with the brown hyena. Indeed, take away the fur, and one can see that the two share an almost identical body shape, though the brown’s skull is more robust. Unlike the rounded ears of the spotted, both the brown and striped sport more dog-like and expressive ears. Both are mainly scavengers with bone-crushing jaw strength and massive carnassial molars but lack the spotted’s head and neck power. Their short torsos and reduced hindlimbs emphasise the sloping posture so characteristic of the hyena family.
The physical similarities are reflected in the phylogenetic relationships within the Hyaenidae. The aardwolf (a specialised termite-eater) is only distantly related to the other three species; the spotted diverged over 10 million years ago, and the brown and striped evolved from a common Hyena ancestor. Like spotted hyenas, striped likely evolved in Africa before spreading north and east into Europe and Asia. However, unlike the spotted, which disappeared from these regions due to reduced habitat and competition with wolves and humans, the smaller striped hyena survived. The answer to why and how goes to the heart of survival strategies and, most likely, differences in social structure.
The face of the striped hyena is distinctly dog-like
Private lives and social tendencies
The evolution of social versus solitary approaches to survival is just as important as the anatomical features of a successful species. Though many factors determine the development of sociality, it is influenced by resource and spatial use, and competition with other predators. One of the aspects of the Hyaenidae that is a source of endless fascination for researchers is the diversity of social structures within the relatively small family. As a highly social apex predator, the spotted hyena is well known for its complex hierarchies and cooperative hunting. The (mostly) monogamous aardwolf lives in pairs but forages alone, while the brown hyena lives in small groups but usually hunts/forages alone (behaviourally solitary).
The striped hyena was long believed to be entirely solitary, apart from mothers and young offspring. However, in the last two decades, detailed fieldwork and camera traps have revealed that striped hyenas are somewhat more complicated than initially thought and probably have a social structure not dissimilar to that of brown hyenas. We know that groups of up to seven individuals have been observed resting, feeding, and travelling together. Individual reports exist of sub-adult youngsters helping their mothers raise the next litter of cubs, and males (on occasion, more than one) have been observed attending cubs in rocky cave dens. One striped hyena in Israel even appeared to join a wolf pack, indicating the possibility of a strong social drive.
The study of the behavioural habits of any animal is a never-ending process, and we are still very much in the early stages of understanding the nuances of the striped hyena. This is not just an academic process – it has a considerable impact on their conservation because the more social an animal, the higher we should expect their densities to be. This, in turn, means viewing population assessments through a different lens.
A striped hyena on the prowl
It’s just a phase
Female spotted hyenas have gained considerable notoriety for their unique genitals. They are equipped with an extended clitoris that functions as a pseudo-penis with a fused vaginal and urethral opening. This design comes at a considerable cost: the death rate for whelping females is exceptionally high, and first-time mothers regularly lose their first litters during birth. A universally accepted theory behind why this is the case has continued to elude researchers.
Striped hyenas add to the mysteries of hyena sex in a slightly different way. In young striped hyenas between one and 18 months of age, the genitalia of both sexes converge in appearance. In other words, they display traits that mimic the characteristics of the opposite sex. The females develop swellings resembling a scrotum (the only other example of transient masculinisation in mammals is the fossa). In contrast, young males develop swellings similar to labial folds. This is temporary, and adults develop typical mammalian genitalia upon reaching sexual maturity.
What this tells us about the evolution of the Hyaenidae is open to interpretation, but indicates that theories surrounding the functions of genital anomalies have to be broadened beyond Crocuta to include the Hyena genus. Anatomical evolution can only be understood in combination with an intimate understanding of the social structure and selection pressures of every species in the family – including the striped hyenas.
An incredibly rare sighting of mating striped hyenas (follow photographer Chelsea Zhu)
Bad omens and fertility symbols
Throughout history and across cultures, human beings have assigned an astonishing variety of superstitions and beliefs to animal parts in the hope that they will increase reproductive prowess. In today’s troubled times, rhino horns (and tiger bones and pangolin scales and so on) have fabricated powers. In Ancient Greek and Rome, the unfortunate striped hyena attracted this attention. It became a symbol of fertility, with any number of uses for striped hyena parts, including an amulet that would make a man irresistible to the person of his dreams.
Either way, it would not make much of a difference to the striped hyena, but this positive association with hyenas was a rarity. Most cultures across Africa and Asia assign negative mythology to the hyena. They represent everything from evil spirits to witches’ mounts. The striped hyena has found itself persecuted at every turn – a problem compounded by their tendency towards grave robbing.
Nowadays, the striped hyena is classified as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List, and their numbers (known to be decreasing) are estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals. The truth remains that this estimate is openly based on scientific guesswork drawn from outdated assessments. The striped hyena, with its preference for rugged habitats and secrecy, is exceedingly challenging to count. The task of blindly conserving them is even more difficult because they are not yet divided into recognised subspecies – despite the significant size differences between Asian and African specimens. Striped hyenas occurring in the Middle East, Asia Minor, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent are larger than those found in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
Conclusion
Few people ever have the chance to glimpse the elusive, forgotten, fourth hyena of Africa. The striped hyena remains shrouded in secrecy yet could quite possibly hold the key to unanswered questions on hyena evolution that have vexed experts for decades.
For those intent on seeing an African striped hyena in the wild, the best place to start is one of the private concessions in Kenya or northern Tanzania that offers night drives. For accommodation options at the best prices visit our collection of camps and lodges: private travel & conservation club. If you are not yet a member, see how to JOIN below this story.
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Summer in the Lowveld has arrived with a vengeance – with several days exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and deciduous trees pushing out green shoots to replace the waning explosion of spring flowers. Cuckoos call frantically, and large songololos trundle around in anticipation of delicious rotting leaves. No dung beetles yet, but tortoises can be seen hunting down succulent early buds.
Life is now a smidgeon easier for the browsers, but there is still no respite for the ribby warthogs and other grazers as the first deep rains and grass shoots are still awol. Rotund female zebras and impalas look likely to drop their babies soon – good news for local young leopards looking for easy kills. We have enjoyed a few thunderstorms but with disappointing rain, and so we gaze in hope at the daily build-up of cumulonimbus clouds.
Seasonal blessings, special ones, thanks for your support over the years.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
There is something akin to childlike excitement on Christmas day when checking the memory card of a camera trap (a motion-sensor camera often used to monitor wildlife). Of course, sometimes it yields 5,000 images of a twig blowing in the wind or 200 pictures of impala legs (or worse, clear evidence of something happening outside of the field of view). But there is always the chance of capturing something extraordinary. Imagine how the folks at Panthera and Birdlife felt when one of their camera traps set up on De Hoop Nature Reserve yielded an albino honey badger!
From our Editor-in-Chief
Yesterday, I was tapping away at my keyboard when I heard a high-pitched whistle from outside. It was an unfamiliar sound; definitely a bird and a bit like the start of a sunbird call. There are limited options for wilderness discovery in springtime Johannesburg so I dispensed with my email, grabbed my binoculars and dashed outside. After a few minutes, I discovered the source of the whistle was an adult Cape robin-chat trying to coax its young fledgling into flying. I returned to my labours with a great sense of peace and satisfaction – this is what wild discoveries do for me (and many human beings!).
Our first story below is about the rescue of five white-bellied pangolins from the markets of Lagos, Nigeria. It’s also about selfless dedication to the welfare of the earth’s wild creatures.
In our second story, award-winning photographer, traveller and storyteller Marcus Westberg delves into the pros and cons of tourism – especially the luxury kind – as he seeks a greener future for travel post the pandemic. (club members only).
Finally, our third story below is an exposition of the romance and wildlife wonders of Samburu – one of two destinations on our brilliant Kenyan travel special.
We have two extremely well-priced travel specials to some of Africa’s most epic safari locations:
• This epic 7-day safari to Kenya’s most spectacular wildlife areas – Maasai Mara & Samburu – from US$3,640 per person sharing
• Our Okavango special offer (7 days for R39,000) has been selling like hotcakes and expires in late December. Unfortunately only for African country citizens & residents. Follow this link to paradise.
• Digital/biometric passports become a reality: Airlink will be the first airline in Southern Africa to test the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Travel Pass. The contactless travel app allows passengers to create a digital passport, receive tests and vaccination certificates, and share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities.
This is Kenya’s Samburu County – an arid land steeped in culture and traditions, where people, livestock, and wildlife walk side by side, sharing precious resources. Like the relationship between the Samburu and elephants, a visit to the county is as much about the colourful, resilient people as the weird and wonderful wildlife and fascinating scenery.
A Samburu legend tells of a young girl leaving home for the first time with her new husband. Though her father commanded her not to look back, the girl’s heart was aching with sadness, and she turned to glance at her family manyatta (home). Angered by her defiance, the god N’gai punished her. That night she began to swell before eventually bursting out of the hut as the first elephant and running off into the night. Thus, the Samburu people say that elephants are related to them by blood. Elephants are revered, and, to this day, every time a Samburu elder encounters an elephant skull, they will place green grass and saliva on it (representing water and good growth) as a sign of respect.
Samburu County
Samburu County in north-central Kenya stretches from Laikipia and Isilio counties in the south all the way to the southern shores of Lake Turkana in the north. It marks the dramatic transition from the lush savannas of south Kenya and the vast deserts that extend through the Horn of Africa. Situated at a much lower altitude than the neighbouring Laikipia Plateau, the weather is usually hot, and rainfall levels low. The resultant scenery is beautiful in a way unique to arid areas – rugged and austere, overlooked by magnificent outcrops and rolling hills.
The exception to this can be found on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro River, situated on Samburu’s southern boundary, and surrounded by the Samburu National Reserve. The Ewaso Ng’iro arises from the streams flowing off the slopes of Mount Kenya, fed year-round by the mountain’s glaciers. It flows all the way to Somalia and, in otherwise dry surroundings, has been key to the survival of wildlife and people. Water always equates to life, and, in Samburu, the transition to the verdant green oasis is startling. Even during the driest times of the year, when the river slows to just a trickle or dries out completely, the underground water sustains the groves of doum palms and dense riverine forests along its banks, attracting a plethora of wildlife.
The silhouette of doum palms lining the river, as dawn breaks over Samburu
Samburu’s Wild Spaces
Samburu National Reserve is northern Kenya’s most popular park, and visitors often combine the more “traditional” Laikipia safari experience with Samburu’s astonishing scenery and wildlife oddities (see below). Though just 165 km2 (16,500 hectares), Samburu National Reserve packs a significant biodiversity punch and forms part of the much broader Ewaso ecosystem. In fact, Samburu National Reserve is one-third of a trio and is contiguous with the slightly smaller Buffalo Springs National Reserve in neighbouring Isilio County. Shaba National Reserve further to the east completes the trifecta, and an entry permit for any one of the three will provide access to the other two reserves.
The entire Samburu National Reserve is surrounded by a mosaic of operational conservancies that expand the habitat available to wildlife (and the experiences available to tourists). These conservancies are not exclusionary wilderness areas – the local communities reside here and raise their livestock alongside the wildlife while simultaneously offering tourism pursuits. This model has been vital to the conservation of vast swathes of land. Given that 65% of Kenya’s wildlife is found outside formal national parks and reserves, conservancies are vital to the conservation of the country’s wildlife.
The major protected areas within Samburu County are:
Ltungai Community Conservancy:
190 km2 (19,000 hectares)
Nkoteiya Community Conservancy:
157 km2 (15,700 hectares)
Meibae Community Conservancy:
125 km2 (12,500 hectares)
Westgate Community Conservancy:
362 km2 (36,200 hectares)
Kalama Community Conservancy:
500 km2 (50,000 hectares)
Sera Community Conservancy:
3,400 km2 (340,000 hectares)
Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy:
3,940 km2 (394,000)
Matthews Range/Lenkiuio Hills
(part of Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy)
Kirisia Forest:
920 km2 (92,000 hectares)
Ndoto Mountains Forest Reserve:
932 km2 (93,200 hectares)
Mount Nyiru Forest Reserve:
454 km2 (45,400 hectares)
Under the direction of the Northern Rangelands Trust, many of the above conservancies offer their own intimate safari experiences and, where contiguous, are managed as one ecological entity. The conservancies have faced tremendous challenges, and the majority are shining examples of how community involvement can change the face of conservation through inclusivity and tourism.
The Samburu ‘Special 5’, clockwise from top left: Beisa oryx; reticulated giraffe; Somali ostrich; Grevy’s zebra stallions locked in combat; a gerenuk foraging.
The Samburu Special 5
Catchy phrases like “the Big 5”, “the Secret 7”, and “the Ugly 5” in reference to certain wildlife species are tremendously effective marketing tools that sell everything from t-shirts and curios to safaris. In the case of Samburu, the “Samburu Special 5” is a fitting moniker for a more exclusive wildlife checklist in this arid section of Africa. Included in the Special 5 are the gerenuk, the reticulated giraffe, the Grevy’s zebra, the Somali ostrich and the common beisa oryx.
Nothing can really prepare a person for their first sight of a gerenuk in the wild. Looking for all the world like a stretched-out impala, these peculiar antelope are one of Africa’s genuine oddities – designed to stand on their hindlimbs and use bizarrely elongated necks to nibble on hard-to-reach leaves. They are in equal parts graceful and hilarious.
The endangered Grevy’s zebra is the largest of the three zebra species and quite possibly the most attractive. They can be easily distinguished from their plains zebra cousins by their large round ears, neat and close-set stripes, white bellies, and fawn-coloured muzzles. The majority of the remaining wild Grevy’s zebras are found in northern Kenya, with some small and isolated populations in Ethiopia. Equally geometrically easy on the eye are the reticulated giraffe, the rarest of the giraffe species after the Northern giraffe.
The Somali ostrich was only recently identified as a separate species, rather than a subspecies of the common ostrich found throughout most of Africa. They are native to the Horn of Africa and are also sometimes referred to as the blue-necked ostrich – during courtship the necks and legs of the males turn blue instead of flushing pink! And finally, the common beisa oryx is one of two subspecies of the East African oryx found in Kenya.
Clockwise from top left: Vulturine guineafowl; white-fronted bee-eater; orange-bellied parrots; Von der Decken’s hornbill
…and their equally special compatriots
While Samburu is not necessarily at the top of the list for many first-time safari-goers, it offers an astonishing abundance of wildlife, including the more iconic creatures. Thanks to concerted conservation efforts, elephants abound, and the population increases significantly during the two rainy seasons when they migrate north from Laikipia. Samburu is home to the headquarters of Save the Elephants, established by Iain Douglas-Hamilton, meaning that the elephants here are some of the most extensively studied in the world. Buffalo are common in the wetter areas and riverbanks. Apart from the aforementioned gerenuk and oryx, other dry-country antelope include the lesser kudu and the adorable (and ubiquitous) Kirk’s and Günther’s dik-diks.
Samburu is also a predator haven for the three big cats, African painted wolves and even the rare and elusive striped hyena. There is always a constant element of surprise to wildlife viewing in Samburu, with the added advantage that it is far less crowded than the more popular southern Kenyan safari areas.
Though rhinos are almost entirely extinct in Samburu, visitors to the Sera Community Conservancy can spend time tracking newly introduced black rhinos on foot in a massive 540 km2 (54,000 hectares) sanctuary. Given the notoriously cheeky nature of these remarkable animals, this is guaranteed to be a thrilling experience within the safe parameters laid out by expert Samburu guides.
As it occupies such a unique position between desert and savanna, it is only to be expected that the birding on offer in Samburu would be sublime. There are several coveted endemic and arid specialists to be found across its heterogeneous landscapes. Some bird species to watch for include the charismatic vulturine guineafowl, Somali bee-eater, golden pipit, white-headed mousebird, D’Arnaud’s barbet, and rosy-patched bush-shrike. Have a look at AG director Christian Boix’s Samburu National Park’s top 10 birds list, as well as our CEO Simon Espley’s account of his birding adventures in Samburu.
Hospitality and fun in Samburu
Samburu’s colourful people
From the reserves to conservancies and from budget accommodation to the ultra-luxurious lodges of Samburu, everything is almost exclusively operated, managed and staffed by local Samburu people. The Samburu people refer to themselves as the Lokop/Loikop people and were traditionally semi-nomadic pastoralists, following the rain to provide food for their livestock. Their nomadic lifestyle has been largely phased out, but cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, and camels (a more recent addition) are of tremendous cultural importance. The Samburu language is a dialect of Maa, the language of the Maasai people, with whom the Samburu share many lifestyle similarities.
The Samburu people are known in particular for their beautiful and intricate beadwork (which is always on sale for entranced tourists) and vivid traditional outfits. However, their wisdom and deep connection to their homeland add to the depth and wonder of the Samburu experience. Expert Samburu guides will freely share their knowledge and traditions with fascinated tourists, and visitors to the Namunyak Conservancy can visit the local “Singing Wells”. Here the warriors gather in the dry riverbeds to dig wells to satiate their livestock, singing haunting traditional melodies as they work.
A leopard cub practising her climbing skills
Explore & Stay
Want to go on safari to Samburu? 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.
Wild and remote, Samburu is the perfect combination of stark, untamed wilderness and luxury safari destination. Here visitors can choose to view the wildlife on a guided walk, horseback or even on the back of a camel. There are several public campsites within Samburu National Reserve, as well as budget chalets and fixed tent accommodation, mostly situated near the Ewaso Ng’iro River. Like the Laikipia approach, the surrounding conservancies offer a high-quality, low-density approach to tourism. Many are home to extremely luxurious lodges and greater freedom for novel experiences.
There are two rainy seasons – one between April and May and the second between October and November. However, due to its relatively low rainfall averages, Samburu is largely accessible throughout the year unless unexpected floods occur. Wildlife viewing is at its best during the dry seasons, but it tends to get quite dusty and hazy, which can obscure the spectacular scenery somewhat.
An African painted wolf; a cheetah contemplating the Samburu dawn
After a year that brought us record high temperatures, a pandemic facilitated by international travel and the lowest tourism numbers in three decades, it is difficult to imagine that the tourism industry can, or indeed should, simply return to business-as-usual. Despite the ever-increasing threat of climate change, however, I would argue that tourism is an asset we cannot afford to lose, often a powerful conservation tool in its own right, and that Africa is ahead of the game.
Travel, Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
The looming threat of anthropogenic climate change is one that is and will continue to force us to re-think many of our habits and choices, especially in the affluent parts of the world where per capita carbon emissions are the highest. Tourism, by its very definition something we do for pleasure rather than because we have to, is undoubtedly deserving of close scrutiny in that regard, not least because of the environmental impact of air travel.
I run an animal charity called the Rare & Endangered Species Trust (REST), which focuses on the rescue and re-release of wild animals. My speciality is the raising, rehabilitation and research of ground pangolins (Smutsia temmickki). In mid-2021, I found myself with no pangolins under my care for the first time in a decade. Politics and COVID-19 seemed to be delaying new animal permits, and I had taken time off to write a book. Then, one day I opened up my email and found a plea to help raise five white-bellied pangolin pups in Nigeria.
Soon I was in touch with Mark Ofua, who runs the St Marks Animal Rescue Foundation in Lagos. It is the only animal shelter in a city of 24 million people and accepts any animal for rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming – domestic or wild.
St Marks Animal Rescue Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria. My room is top right.
A long way to go
It was intimidating. Nigeria is very far away, REST’s funds are extremely limited, and I had never worked with white-bellied pangolins before. They are tree pangolins found in northern and central Africa. They’re highly adept climbers with all four feet and their long tails operate as hook, hoist and anchor.
When I asked what to expect on arrival, Mark calmly explained that I should bring everything I might need and expect “ground zero”.
No one in the world had ever tried to raise five pangolin pups of any species simultaneously. The few of us who have successfully raised pups of any species will tell you these scaly mammals are some of the hardest animals to raise. They need complete devotion, while veterinary and dietary needs are sketchy, and there are no established protocols for the release, tracking and monitoring of tree pangolins.
One of REST’s donors jumped in, and within weeks I had a visa and plane ticket and was packing a few clothes and as many veterinary items as possible.
I arrived in a different world – full of people, traffic, noise and pollution. I knew heat from Namibia, but mixed with humidity, the hours going through immigration were stifling. I walked with my trolley full of bags to the pick-up area, followed by ten chancers offering to help for a fee. Once in Mark’s car, I was introduced to the traffic of Lagos, which is incomparable to anything I’d seen before. It was rather overwhelming, but I instantly felt at home when we arrived at St Marks’ tiny clinic and met the pangolins.
The tiny white-bellied pangolin pups
Very little sleep
Upon arrival, I was especially concerned about the health of two pups. Numbers 3 and 5 were weak – refusing to take the bottle. As a result, Number 5 had a lung infection and almost died soon after I arrived.
It is a horrible experience to watch an animal weaken, especially in the absence of a proven treatment protocol. We had to rely on gut feel, the equipment available and experience. Treatment began with antibiotics, rehydration and vitamins.
Number 5 needed constant care and coaxing to eat as many small meals as often as possible. I also had four other pups to feed and so quickly designed a schedule that allowed each pup one hour, four times a day. That took up to 20 hours, and number 5 needed extra care throughout the night. Needless to say, I was sleep-deprived and amazed the St Marks staff by being able to fall asleep instantly and deeply for short periods whenever I could!
Results and data
Soon, Number 5 started to recover, Number 3 strengthened, and the others continued to feed well. Eventually, feeding would begin at 08h00, and the third and final feed would end around 01h00. As they grew, exercise also became a key need and since we were in the middle of a large city, going outside was not possible.
We designed a playpen in my room, furnished with sand, artificial grass and tree branches. Soon, each pangolin was spending time developing the coordination they would need in the wild.
Having five pangolins raised under the same conditions at the same time by the same person allowed us to collect valuable data about veterinary care, diet, and exercise requirements. This will be very useful in setting up protocols for the rescue and rehabilitation of the white-bellied pangolin.
The dedicated workers of St Marks and the five growing pangolin pups
Life in Lagos
I rarely left the babies, as their care schedule did not allow me to be away for more than a few hours at a time. Once a week, Dr Kalista and I would go food shopping. I also ventured out to walk the dog named Tongo I’d adopted from Mark’s shelter. The pangolins were thriving under my care, preparing for release and providing invaluable data for the species.
Unfortunately, in August 2021, disaster struck on a personal level. Food poisoning soon had me barely able to move, and I was having difficulty caring for the pups, so it was decided that I should recover in a nearby, inexpensive hotel. After two days, I was beginning to recover and then suddenly, my health deteriorated. I tested positive for malaria and was hospitalised. What followed was a fight for my life and, finally, the tough decision to return to Namibia to heal with my family.
I was heartbroken but too weak to protest, and Dr Kalista took over the care of my pups. We are in constant touch, and I have used the time in Namibia to heal but also source and buy camera traps and pangolin trackers in preparation for the white-bellied pangolin releases.
A pangolin pup in his homemade exercise space
Success
The heaviest, named Sunny after a special donor and the only female, is ready for release (as of October 2021). Aiden (Number 5), who was so sick, should be ready sometime in early 2022, with others leaving in between.
I intend to spend at least three months a year at St Mark’s, helping with pangolin rescue and rehabilitation. The facility receives animals daily and pangolins at least once a week, so we have big plans for the future. Currently, there is a small, dedicated staff of six and resources are pushed to the limit. We hope to soon offer internships and sabbaticals for vets, biologists, and others with a passion for conservation while raising funds for a dedicated pangolin rescue centre – Nigeria is now the world’s leading pangolin trafficking country.
There is a wealth of engaging pangolin information and stories here
About the author
Maria Diekmann established the Rare & Endangered Species Trust in 2000 and has been the director for the past 21 years. She is most well known for her work with Cape griffons and Cape/ground pangolins. Maria remains passionate about combining conservation with research and education and is now continuing her work with pangolins in other countries to better understand and train others in raising and rehabilitating these fragile species.
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HUGGING LIONS – suitably drugged & de-weaponised – has really taken off as a tourism product in the murky corners of this glorious planet. How proud South Africa’s ‘sustainable use’ wildlife industry must feel for having spawned this wretched commercial exploitation of our lions. Thanks to Brian Sugden for posting this appalling video on our club forum. How happy these tourists appear – playing their part in the ongoing abuse of lions and other big cats. Please have a look and let us know your thoughts.
We all feel sorry for ourselves now and then – it’s a human condition. For me, the ongoing preference by social media algorithms for emotional linkbait and misinformation is a source of enormous stress. But I console myself knowing that YOU support our focus on fact and considered opinion. Thanks so much for the support over so many years. A luta continua!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
The process of creating a systematic, logical way of grouping the planet’s vast number of different yet related organisms is an ongoing exercise, greatly aided in recent years by advancements in genetic research. Of course, these techniques were not available to the naturalists of ancient Greece. Thus, the story goes that Plato once gave a tongue-in-cheek definition of man as a “featherless biped”. The philosopher Diogenes the Cynic promptly burst into Plato’s Academy carrying a plucked chicken and cried out, “Behold, I’ve brought you a man!”
And so, “featherless biped with broad, flat nails” was added to the Academy’s definition of the human race. How far we have come…
On an entirely unrelated note, thank you very much to those who have added some fascinating thoughts to our club conversation about interfering in the lives of wild animals. I have thoroughly enjoyed your input.
From our Editor-in-Chief
I have just returned from the most marvellous self-drive camping trip to the iconic Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. We camped on the banks of the Zambezi River and spent lazy days exploring the blue-lit woodlands of ana, sausage and mahogany trees where elephants, eland, buffalo, wild dogs and baboons foraged in the heat, waiting for the first storm of summer. What a remarkable place – made all the more so by the relative lack of other campers at this time of year. The best part? You can buy a permit to walk – nowhere else do I know of where you can walk in big five country without a guide. (This is obviously not to be done by punters with no bush experience!).
In our first story below, we take a deep dive into one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Cape Town. It is a must-stop travel destination for anyone coming to magnificent South Africa – full of ocean wilderness, unique ecosystems, delicious cuisine and quirky people.
Up in Zambia, we still have hope that the new government will halt some of the environmentally ruinous developments that their predecessors allowed in or near precious national parks. In our second story below, Kasanka National Park (home of the world’s largest mammal migration) is sadly still being threatened by industrial agriculture.
More cheerfully, bees are not only playing a part in pollinating Africa’s indigenous plants and agricultural produce. They are also, with help from NGO Nikela, helping to mitigate human-elephant conflict with some success as our third story below celebrates.
• Ancient rainforest surrounding a working tea plantation: expect soul-food experiences including gastronomic picnics, wild chimpanzee tracking and indigenous open-air spa treatments. Check out this exquisite video by Rwanda’s One&Only Nyungwe House and feel the stress peel away …
Remember that club members get the best available prices at this and many other camps and lodges.
• Planning your next safari but worried about the kids?. Find out how to make the most of your time on the ground and keep the whole experience relatively stress free for you and the kids. Safari tips: Going on safari with kids.
Human-elephant conflict is a major threat to African wildlife. Many conservationists and local people are trying to develop innovative, non-lethal solutions that benefit people and elephants.
Imagine a herd of 50 elephants visiting your maize field. This crop is your livelihood. It feeds your family and earns much-needed cash for other necessities. You watch, helpless, as the elephants trample and devour your harvest. Last year the same thing happened. But your neighbour couldn’t stand it. He grabbed a club and chased a huge elephant feasting on his ready-to-harvest maize. It didn’t end well.
Imagine Elizabeth, a subsistence farmer trying to eke out an existence by growing vegetables for her family of five. The rains have been good, she’s toiled in her field, and her plants are growing nicely. Then, one warm summer’s day, an elephant matriarch and her twenty closest relatives come calling. Months of hard work is eradicated. Elizabeth stands there heartbroken. Where once she saw a promising harvest, only a few ragged stalks remain.
Jino Moja
Jino Moja! Mention of the bull elephant called One Tusk spreads fear among the villagers. Mr Gere, a farmer in northern Tanzania, tells of his first encounter with this legendary pachyderm.
“I was inside the house at around eight pm when I heard my wife scream. I took my machete and ran outside. There I saw sugar cane in my farm knocked down. A herd of elephants was inside my farm. I had heard stories about this herd. They invaded a neighbour’s farm and ate half of his maize crops. Everyone knows that Jino Moja is the stubborn one of the herd.
“One farmer tried to chase him away. He was struck by the one tusked elephant. The man went down, and the elephant herd went over him. He was crushed to the bone! In our village, we know better and stay away when we know it’s him.
“So even this night, my machete was no match for Jino Moja. I just stood and watched while they trampled and destroyed my crops.”
Elizabeth and Mr Gere are just two of many farmers living along the border of the Arusha National Park. This reserve is near Arusha, Tanzania’s third-largest city, with a population of over 700,000 (when you include the surrounding sprawl). The national park covers 137 square kilometres and is home to elephants, buffalo, giraffe, antelope, and some leopards.
People vs Elephants
Where humans and wild animals live in close proximity, conflict happens. As human populations expand and wildlife habitat shrinks, the problem grows. This is especially true when villages surround unfenced protected areas. Other than in South Africa, most African protected areas are unfenced and surrounded by buffer zones intended to form a natural barrier between wildlife and farms. However, elephants and other wild animals never got the memo. But then, neither did most farmers whose cattle and goats wander freely through buffer zones into protected areas.
It is difficult to see how human-wildlife conflict isn’t inevitable. After all, you can’t expect an elephant to stay out of a delicious field of maize or sugar cane forever. And, you can’t expect an irate farmer to stand and watch his livelihood being destroyed time and again.
Construction of beehives destined to form part of a beehive fence
One man, an idea and the humble bee
Fortunately, a young man from Arusha, Moses Ryakitimbo, heard of the plight at Lendoiya village (home to around 1,500 souls). Moses, the founder of Alert for Endangered Wildlife Species (AFeWiS), was already actively engaged in protecting elephants. After interviewing farmers and doing some research, he thought he might have a win-win solution to protect crops and elephants. Not only that, the solution was natural, sustainable and quite simple… bees!
Elephants are afraid of bees. Why? An elephant’s trunk is rich with nerve endings, and this extraordinary sensitivity makes for excruciatingly painful bee-stings. Because of this, elephants tend to stay clear of bee swarms and hives. (Bees have been used in parts of Tanzania for a while now).
Moses learned that by placing beehives to create a fence, one could redirect elephant corridors. In early 2019, Moses approached us at Nikela for support. We funded the pilot project (Phase One) of what Moses envisioned to be a massive beehive scheme. He projected safeguarding multiple village farms around Arusha National Park and other areas where human-elephant conflict occurs.
Erection of the hives on the fenceline
Phase One – a temporary success
The construction and installation of the first beehives went smoothly. It was surprising how quickly wild bees found the hives. Moses reported that within days of installation, half the beehives had residents. Within a few short weeks, the elephants adjusted their routes, bypassing five farms. The farmers were predictably delighted.
Mr Baraka, one of the first farmers impacted by the bee project, said: “Over 50 elephants used to cross boundaries and destroy food crops like maize, potatoes and banana plantations. Since the beehives were mounted four and a half weeks ago, I have seen a big difference in elephant numbers encroaching.”
This success led to many more requests for hives. Fast forward to mid-2021, and 100 beehives later, farmers are harvesting the best crops of maize, sugar cane, bananas and other vegetables in years.
The human-elephant conflict success didn’t happen without challenges along the way. During a maintenance run, several months after the completion of the ten pilot beehives, problems occurred. One, other insects were finding their way into the hives and negatively impacting the bees. Two, the beehives themselves weren’t holding up structurally.
Moses, ever the problem solver, went looking for solutions. He discovered that a different, more complex beehive design was necessary. The ten original beehives were torn apart. What materials could be salvaged were used to construct replacement hives.
A beehive funded by donors Jim and Lisa
A long-term solution appears to be working
The next 90 hives (completed in several phases) were patterned after the new design. To date, they have remained intact, even when pushed over. Again, Moses is on it. Every month he and his team check each beehive fence. Periodically a beehive is found on the ground, and the support poles need to be reinforced or replaced. The poles supporting each beehive also require regular painting to keep the invading insects away. Grasses and vegetation need to be cleared along each beehive fence. And, most importantly, honey must be harvested regularly. Honey has been a very welcome bonus, not only to eat but to sell.
All in all, the elephants are staying away, and Moses’ mission to protect them is accomplished, at least in this once conflict-ridden area.
Bees bring peace to the land
The individual stories from the farmers say it all:
Mr Elidaima: “We actually didn’t believe that bees could make such a big difference chasing away almost 50 elephants and bringing the number down to zero. We now harvest our food crops in large amounts and live in harmony with elephants.”
Mr Baraka: “Nikela has been a blessing to our village here in Lendoiya. I have witnessed a peaceful coexistence between man and this big mammal called ‘elephant’. Staying in peace with elephants and bees helping out the process. It’s a miracle.”
Elder Balozi: “At my old age, I thank God to have seen this miracle of bees protecting our farms from elephants. We now don’t have elephants disturbing us in the nighttime; we just hear them in other neighbouring villages.”
Mr Nanyaro: “I have ten beehives on my farm…since then I have never even seen elephant dung around…this means elephants don’t come here anymore…this gives me a feeling that elephants are good mammals because they don’t disturb my maize farm anymore.”
Elder Wella: “It’s now almost one year since I’ve seen the one tusked elephant. We plant, we harvest, and we eat what we planted in the soil. Beehives are just a blessing.”
Mr Emanuel: “I am new to the project but very happy to be part of this major accomplishment – seeing elephants stepping out of my farm in a peaceful manner. Thanks to Nikela for supporting us with beehives that keep our crops safe and at the same time protect the elephants from the human-wildlife conflict.”
A completed beehive fence
Building beehives
It takes a specific design to attract the bees and provide the right environment for a colony to thrive. The 100 beehives were constructed and installed in several phases allowing for refinement and calibration along the way.
The hives are professionally built with a shiny metal roof, and the necessary partitions placed perfectly inside for the bees. Each gets a coat of paint and a label. If sponsored by an individual or company, the name is proudly displayed. The completed hives are erected using a system of timber stands and support wires. Within a few weeks, the bees are quietly going about their ‘peacemaker’ duties.
Looking to the future?
With 100 beehives in place, the major elephant corridors through Lendoiya village have been disrupted. Moses has assessed that another 64 beehives will protect the remainder of the village. Eighteen of these are anxiously anticipated by Ester and Tumaini, two adjacent women farmers. In September 2020, three elephants entered their banana plantation, not leaving much behind. Now their maize is growing, and they fear the elephants’ return.
Completed hives with the craftsmen who made them
Can this be scaled?
With this human-elephant conflict model proving successful over the past two and a half years, Moses is ready to expand. Most recently, he has had requests from villages surrounding the Tarangire National Park – not too far from the Ngorongoro Crater and the famous Serengeti National Park.
Will this model work anywhere there is human-elephant conflict? Not necessarily. Only where the climate and habitat are suitable for such beehive fences and where wild bees readily populate the hives.
As with many such grassroots projects, the problem is not the ideas, skill or expertise, but funding to operationalise a vision, and even more than that, funding to maintain a project. Moses is off to a grand start. He is knowledgeable, thorough, consistent, admits mistakes and is ready to learn. All traits are essential for long term success.
A final note
We at Nikela have had nothing to do with the plans or designs of this beehive project. It has all been grassroots. We have provided (thanks to individual donors) the funding to make Moses’ dream a reality. (Nikela is an AG Club project partner – visit to donate safely and easily. Please note the Moses (from Uganda) mentioned in the AG club write up is not Moses Ryakitimbo, the designer of the beehive project in Tanzania ).
Resources
Learn more about Nikela and this human-elephant conflict beehive project here
Nestled between a rugged mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Africa. This multicultural city enjoys a superb natural setting, pristine beaches, sophisticated infrastructure and a mild, Mediterranean climate.
According to Xhosa legend, a great battle once raged between the god Qamatha and Nkanyamba, the sea dragon, over the creation of dry land. Qamatha’s mother came to his aid by creating four giants to defend the points of the compass. With the battle won, the giants turned to stone to guard the land for eternity. Umlindi Wemingizimu, the “Watcher of the South”, looks down on the city of Cape Town as Table Mountain.
Find out about Cape Town for your next African safari. We have ready-made safaris to choose from, or ask us to build one just for you.
Cape Town
The looming form of Table Mountain dominates views from the city that is sandwiched between its edifice and the icy Atlantic Ocean. The capricious seas are tamed by the harbour of the aptly named Table Bay – a gateway to South Africa that sets the stage for a rich history and melting pot of colourful cultures. Situated in South Africa’s southwestern corner, Cape Town is one of the country’s largest cities and most popular tourist destinations – for good reason. It offers a curious combination of laid-back beach town and edgy urban expression.
The cosmopolitan atmosphere is offset by spectacular natural surrounds that captivate locals and visitors. From the rich plant life of the Cape Floristic Region (more on that later) to the abundant marine ecosystems and pristine white beaches, Cape Town is a nature enthusiast’s playground. With the addition of every convenience of modern city life blended with a history of transformation, the result is a traveller’s paradise.
Table Mountain. Clockwise from top left: The tablecloth over Table Mountain with Devil’s Peak to the left; Table Mountain as seen from Lion’s Head at dawn; walking on Table Mountain; the cable car ascending to the tabletop
Table Mountain (and friends)
People often describe the topographical set-up of Cape Town as “armchair-like”, with the sprawling City Bowl nestled in the seat. The “chair” consists of the northern end of the Cape Fold Mountain range that extends along the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope. The back of the chair is formed by the iconic Table Mountain, with Lion’s Head to the west and Devil’s Peak to the east, creating the arms on either side. This natural amphitheatre forms the iconic backdrop to the city below, while the opposite side, the “Back Table”, includes the gentler eastern slopes of some exquisite conservation areas. The Back Table’s western edge (the Atlantic side) is home to the mountains of the Twelve Apostles.
Table Mountain is a significant tourist attraction and one of South Africa’s most photographed landmarks. The top section includes a plateau over 1,000m above sea level and roughly three kilometres long. Here visitors can stroll along a network of paths to take in the spectacular views from every angle before stopping for a snack at the restaurant (or a sugary drink to steady the nerves of the vertiginous and wind-swept mountain). The easiest way to access this mountain is via the cableway, which has been operational since 1929 and the five-minute journey in the transparent car allows for plenty of time to take a multitude of photographs. Naturally, the view is occasionally obscured by orographic clouds which form when south-easter winds blow in from the sea, ascend the cliffs and condense in the cooler air. This tablecloth of clouds is guaranteed to rouse a local raconteur from somewhere. They will then promptly launch into the headache-inducing tale of a smoking contest between retired bad boy buccaneer Jan Van Hunks and the devil himself. Nearby Devil’s Peak also owes its name to this Dutch folk story.
Table Mountain National Park, along with several other surrounding protected areas, Lion’s Head (and the lion’s rump, Signal Hill) and Devil’s Peak are all crisscrossed by a series of well-established hiking trails of various difficulty levels. Most of the more popular routes can be accessed free of charge, though some will require a relatively cheap permit. Of all of Cape Town’s many drawcards, the hiking opportunities are probably at the top of the deck. From casual ramblers to skilled adventure-seekers, there are trails on offer for anyone wishing to revel in the breath-taking vistas. It is important to plan these hikes ahead of time and travel in a group to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all concerned, as the weather in Cape Town is famously unpredictable.
Top left: King proteas; bottom left: pincushion proteas; right: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Fynbos and the Cape Floral Region
Part of what makes the scenery so special is the unique, astonishingly diverse plant life of the Cape region. Endangered (and in some cases critically endangered) fynbos types dominate the scrubland vegetation, with probably the most famous species being the dramatic proteas (South Africa’s national flower). The flora is part of the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms: the Cape Floristic Kingdom. It consists of 9,000 highly endemic vascular plant species, around 80% of which belong to fynbos families. So, while the Cape Floristic Region covers less than 0.5% of Africa’s surface area, it is home to close to 20% of the continent’s plant species. For this reason, Table Mountain National Park and seven other representative regions are the “Cape Floral Region Protected Areas” – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the best places to take in this spectacular array is in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, which nestles against the eastern edge of the Back Table. The world-famous garden was first established to preserve the native flora of the region but has now extended to include cultivated exhibits of representative vegetation types from throughout the country. The many paths and displays should not be rushed, and visitors should set aside at least a day for exploring this hotspot of natural and cultivated beauty. Several trails lead up into the mountains, including Skeleton Gorge, one of the most accessible routes to the top of Table Mountain.
Cape Point
Chapman’s Peak and the Cape of Good Hope
The next tick off the Cape Town checklist has to be a round trip along the Cape Peninsula via the picturesque town of Hout Bay and winding Chapman’s Peak Drive. Though Chapman’s Peak Drive comes with a small toll, the views along the road cut into the side of the eponymous mountain are well worth the price. The precipitous cliffs plunge to the rocks below, which in turn are battered by the waves of the ocean. The drive is also an excellent place to look for whales from around August until November.
A journey through the Cape Peninsula needs to be conducted at a sedate pace (this principle applies to Cape Town in general – see more below), with plenty of time set aside to explore the quaint seaside villages and beaches along the coastline. Arty seaside haunts like Noordhoek, Kommetjie and Fish Hoek are lined with boutique shops, tiny galleries, and family-run restaurants. Simon’s Town, once a naval base, is also famous for Boulders Beach and Foxy Beach and their resident African penguin colonies. These endangered little characters are found only on the southwestern coast of Africa and are completely habituated to the comings and goings of eager tourists. However, it is well worth remembering that while the penguins will allow people to get incredibly close, there is a limit to their forbearance and a bite from the razor-sharp, fishy beak of a penguin will not be readily forgotten.
The southernmost 20% of the Cape Peninsula is a section of Table Mountain National Park known as the Cape of Good Hope. This rugged and wild ecosystem is a haven for many different species of sea birds. To make things a touch confusing, Cape of Good Hope is also used to refer to the rocky headland on the southwestern tip of the Cape Peninsula, while Cape Point and its two lighthouses occupy the south-eastern tip. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the southernmost point of the African continent (that title goes to Cape Agulhas further east), nor does it mark the exact spot where the warm Agulhas Current of the Indian Ocean and cold Benguela Current of the Atlantic meet. Though it is undoubtedly true that the intermingling of these two monstrous currents contributes to the micro-climate of Cape Town, their actual meeting point fluctuates and is usually closer to Cape Agulhas.
Camps Bay with the looming Twelve Apostles mountains
Beaches and bays
After a few strenuous hikes and activity-filled seaside town visits, a day on the beach is called for, and Cape Town has a number of stunning options. The beaches offer everything from dazzling white sands and turquoise waters to ample space and calm coves. The accompanying promenades are usually filled with joggers, courting couples and happy families. There is only one minor drawback – the water is my-feet-have-turned-numb-and-my-shins-hurt cold. Fortunately, during the blistering summers, a refreshing dip is precisely what is called for. Some of the more famous beaches include Clifton 1-4, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Muizenberg (warmer water and a great place for novice surfers), Long Beach and Bloubergstrand (both popular kite-surfing spots). During the height of the tourist season (December and January), these beaches can be pretty crowded, and it may well be worth befriending a local to get inside information on the less frequented options.
Though the cold seas do not necessarily make for the best casual swimming, they provide the ideal environment for a plethora of marine life. This is because cold water holds more dissolved oxygen than warm water, supporting greater ecological diversity. Firm favourites with visitors are the Cape fur seals, which are regularly encountered sunning themselves around the waterfront. For a more authentically wild experience, visitors can take a trip to Seal Island in False Bay, where tens of thousands of fur seals gather together in a noisy, smelly, pinniped extravaganza. There is also an option to join the seals in the water and watch as they transform from awkward land-dwellers to sleek and agile underwater predators in the kelp forests.
Of course, they are not the only predators that navigate the icy waters, and seals have to keep a sharp eye out for sharks. Once considered the great white shark capital of the world, with photographers flocking to capture their famous “breach”, there has been a distressing reduction in the number of shark sightings around Cape Town in recent years.
Clockwise from top left: Seal Island; African penguin; chacma baboons which have become completely habituated to life on the peninsula; great white shark hunting a seal
Eat, drink and be merry
The city itself is as vibrant and diverse as the natural world that surrounds it. Each neighbourhood comes with its own particular ambience that can range from laidback (bordering on horizontal) or hip and happening to arty and urbane or kitsch and shiny. It is not uncommon to arrive at a coffee shop only to find that, in defiance of regular business hours, it is closed because the owner is off surfing. There is an endless array of cosy cafes to experience and a collection of some of the best seafood restaurants the world has to offer. The psychedelic nightlife is usually in full swing for the younger crowd in one of Cape Town’s five major party precincts. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront at the harbour offers a more sedate and classy collection of shops, museums, and accommodation.
A Constantia vineyard – in the suburbs of Cape Town
Some of South Africa’s most famous winelands are found just inland from Cape Town, extending to the university town of Stellenbosch and beyond. Here, against the verdant background of mountains and valleys, wine enthusiasts can enjoy the best of South Africa’s celebrated bouquets, and amateurs can pretend to be able to tell the difference. Whatever the experience levels, a good time is guaranteed for all.
Top left: A view from Table Mountain, Lion’s Head to left, Robben Island in the distance. Top Right: the colourful buildings of the Bo-Kaap. Bottom: The city bowl at night as seen from Table Mountain.
Colourful Cape Town
As lively as various parts of Cape Town are, Bo-Kaap takes home the prize as the most colourful area – quite literally. Situated at the foot of Signal Hill, Bo-Kaap was once home to the city’s slave population, most of whom hailed from Malaysia and Indonesia. The old buildings that line the cobbled streets were built in a mix of Cape Dutch and Georgian architectural styles and are painted in a wondrous combination of just about every colour imaginable. The effect is both beautiful and joyful, despite the area’s troubled history.
A more sombre Cape Town activity that is, nevertheless, an essential part of any visit is a trip to Robben Island and a tour of the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years incarcerated, along with many other apartheid dissidents. The site operates as a living museum and is a World Heritage Site due to its importance to South Africa’s turbulent history.
Beautiful, stylish and quirky accommodation options abound all over Cape Town
There are so many reasons to visit Cape Town that the difficulty comes down to deciding how best to spend one’s time there, especially for shorter stays. Fortunately, navigating the city is a relatively painless exercise, and public transport is readily available for the inner city. It is essential to remember that despite being one of South Africa’s main hubs, the typical Cape Town approach is still one of a relaxed seaside town, and the pace is relatively serene. The best course of action is to have a rough plan in mind but be flexible in the execution.
There are many accommodation options that range from backpackers for the budget-strapped to ultra-luxury guest houses situated right on the sea.
Unlike most of South Africa, Cape Town is a winter rainfall region, and from June until the beginning of September, the weather is blustery and cold. However, July/August marks the peak whale watching season when both southern right and humpback whales gather to calve in the calm waters of the bays. The busiest time of year falls over the December/January period when the weather is spectacular, and the long, balmy days can be enjoyed to the full. Both South African and international tourists flock to the city at this time of year, and the beaches and major attractions can be very crowded.
It may well be best for those with a more flexible schedule to wait until February or even March when visitor numbers calm down, and prices drop, but the weather remains idyllic. The second “shoulder season” falls around September/October, and this is arguably the time of year when the city is at its most spectacular. This is when the wildflowers bloom, adding bright patches of glorious colour to the landscape. It is important to remember that even during these spring months, the Cape Town weather may still have a few tricks up its sleeve, and it’s not uncommon for a cold front to come barrelling in to deposit snow on the inland mountain tops.
Cape Town is one of Africa’s most evocative tourism destinations – a first-world city steeped in history in one of the most magnificent natural settings imaginable.
Resources
For great bush and beach combos that include Cape Town see here
Fanscinating research on domestic cats and their effects on Cape Town wildlife
African Penguin Conservation – Birdlife South Africa is project partner for our private travel & conservation club. You can find out more about their work here
UPDATE: The Zambian High Court has ruled in favour of the communities and wildlife of Kasanka National Park, granting an injunction that restrains Lake Agro Industries and Gulf Adventures Limited from carrying out any more damaging activities in Kafinda Game Management Area. The ruling, delivered on 25th January 2022, will halt the deforestation of protected land and water abstraction within the area.
Up until this ruling was made, Lake Agro Industries, a Tanzanian company, continued to clear forest within the Kafinda Game Management Area (GMA) in the Kasanka National Park buffer zone. The Kasanka National Park is home to the world’s most numerous mammal migration – that of the straw-coloured fruit bats. (For background to this story, see here). Since our previous report, satellite imagery shows the company had, between August and September, illegally cleared more than 80 hectares of additional, protected forest within Kafinda. This is despite the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) ordering them to stop all clearance in July 2021.
For more than two years, Kasanka Trust has been working closely with DNPW to fight this illegal development that threatens the internationally important biodiversity of Kasanka National Park. Other government ministries, departments and regulatory authorities contacted regarding this matter include the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Lands, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), Zambia Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), Central Province Administration, Office of the President, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), Office of the Public Protector Zambia, Chitambo Local Council, and the District Commissioner’s Office Chitambo.
Everything culminated in a petition to the President of Zambia, signed by more than 6000 people who want to stop this illegal activity. Yet Lake Agro Industries continues to ignore all orders to desist clearing the land, demonstrating disrespect for Zambia – her laws, her natural heritage and her people.
Lake Agro Industries claims to have title to the land, but the DNPW director (who has to authorise land allocation in the GMA) knows nothing about it. It is a rather confusing and distressing situation, not least because the government departments don’t seem to be talking to each other.
Lake Agro Industries submitted an EIA report to ZEMA in May, and as far as we know, ZEMA has not made any formal response or comment on the issue.
Separately, there have been four Stop Orders issued over the past two years. The most recent was in July 2021 when DNPW issued a Stop Order saying that Lake Agro Industries could continue to farm the seven pivot circles already cleared, with the proviso that they obtain the relevant water abstraction permit and clear no other land.
Lake Agro Industries maintains that they have not cleared any new land at all in 2021 and is respecting the latest Stop Order. On the 4th of August, Kasanka Trust was present at a meeting in which the manager told DNPW that no more land would be cleared until receipt of the formal decision from ZEMA.
This latest satellite evidence (see below) is significant. It shows that Lake Agro Industries is not truthful and strengthens the argument that it can’t be trusted. They began clearing the eighth pivot circle three days after that meeting with DNPW.
Their practice destroys protected habitats and seriously threatens important ecosystems, critical to the survival of both wildlife and local communities.
Timeline of events
July 2019:A subsidiary of the Tanzanian Lake Group illegally occupies land in the Kafinda GMA. It clears 160 hectares of pristine forest to set up two centre pivot circles for agricultural irrigation.
August 2019:Department of Forestry issues the first Stop Order instructing that no further clearance takes place.
October 2019:Lake Agro Industries continues clearing, creating a total of seven pivot circles, representing over 560 hectares of illegal deforestation.
November 2019: Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts (P. S. MOTA) issues a second Stop Order after field verification.
March 2020:The Director of DNPW issues a third Stop Order. This time, DNPW follows through and closes the farm. Urgent meetings are held between Lake Agro Industries and DNPW, and permission is granted for the farm to re-open to harvest crops only – but no further activity is permitted.
April 2020 to November 2020:Lake Agro Industries continues to farm the seven established pivot circles.
December 2020:P. S. MOTA and the French Ambassador to Zambia fly over the farm to confirm the development. P.S. MOTA demands that Lake Agro Industries submit documentation and follow legal procedures.
April 2021:The Director of DNPW visits the farm and instructs the developer to stop all activity.
May 2021:Lake Agro Industries submits an Environmental and Social Impact Statement (ESIS) to the Zambian Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) requesting permission for a commercial agriculture development over a 7,000-hectare footprint (3,000 hectares of arable land plus associated infrastructure).
Lake Agro Industries begins clearing a new land area for cattle farming (apparent from analysis of satellite imagery).
June 2021:Kasanka Trust submits a 21-page statement summary outlining how the ESIS fails to meet even the most basic principles of EIA and must be rejected. The statement is supported by over 40 organisations from Zambia and beyond, representing the tourism industry, community groups, conservation NGOs, filmmakers and researchers. At least 500 different representations are also made to ZEMA by organisations and members of the public objecting to the scheme.
July 2021:DNPW issues a fourth Stop Order, allowing Lake Agro Industries to farm the cleared 560 hectares (but advising that the relevant water abstraction permits can only be granted by WARMA), and prohibiting any further clearance.
Kasanka Trust works with WWF Zambia to deliver a letter to the former president, urging him to save Kasanka.
4th August 2021:DNPW visits the farm and reminds the Lake Agro Industries manager that no further clearance is permitted.
7th August 2021:Lake Agro Industries begins clearing a new area of land for arable crops and continues clearing the cattle farming area (apparent from analysis of aerial imagery).
28th August 2021:Kasanka Trust prepares a petition for delivery to the new president, having obtained more than 6000 signatures from all over the world.
9th September 2021:Aerial imagery shows that since May 2021, over 100 hectares of additional land have been cleared for cattle, plus almost 80 hectares to install an eighth pivot circle since August 2021.
25th January 2022: The Zambian High Court grants an injunction restraining Lake Agro Industries and Gulf Adventures Limited from carrying out any more damaging activities in Kafinda Game Management Area.
Caption: Aerial pictures of land clearing in the Kafinda GMA (near Kasanka National Park) in 2021. The 3rd of April shows the clearing (five of the pivot fields visible were cleared post the first Stop Order). The 1st of May shows a new clearing had begun. On the 5th of July, the April clearing had been expanded; this continued through July until the 3rd of August, the day before DNPW arrived to inspect whether the Stop Order had been respected. Lake Agro Industries denied clearing any more land (against the obvious satellite evidence). Three days after the DNPW visit, on the 7th of August, clearing for the eighth centre pivot began. The clearing of the 8th pivot can be seen progressing until the 9th of September. Clearing for a 9th pivot began just before the 17th of September.
About the author
This story was prepared by the Kasanka Trust, a wildlife charity based in Zambia, the UK and the Netherlands. It manages the Kasanka National Park in Zambia’s Central Province. The Trust’s main objectives are to secure the future of biodiversity of Kasanka National Park and to stimulate, as well as sustain the local economy through its mission of “Tourism for Conservation”. The Kasanka Trust relies entirely on donor funding and income received through tourism to run and manage its projects.
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So. Jamie has raised a few eyebrows with her CANDID thoughts on rescuing a duiker from a lingering death in sticky mud. Read what she has to say in her editorial below and join the debate in our club. Park the emotions, please, and debate the issue.
Our new app is cooking and thousands have already signed up – thanks so much! Watch this space. We have a 100-YEAR PLAN to host the most important people in the African safari and conservation space, and you are invited. Our travel & conservation club is for those who wish to debate the issues, donate to worthy projects and travel responsibly.
With so many of our safari clients now travelling again (have you seen our Botswana special offer?) or at least booking for what will be an epic 2022 safari year – YAY! – we shed light on travel opportunities across Africa in the coming few months. Our second story below refers.
And our final story below is about that most striking of African gladiators – the oryx. A farmer once told me that if you flick a coin at a gemsbok it will easily smack it aside with those rapier horns. I pity the desert-adapted lion that ends up on the sharp end of these handsome creatures.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
A few years ago, several lion prides in a reserve in South Africa contracted mange. As the images of scabby, miserable lion cubs made their way onto social media, the reserve management was bombarded with abusive messages about how heartless and cruel it was not to treat them. Some pleasant missives even found their way into my inbox, despite the fact that I was totally removed from any kind of decision-making power. Management stood firm and many of the lions died.
And I believe that was the right decision. Yet fast forward a few years later to a duiker struggling in the drying mud of a manmade dam. With the previous furore in mind, I recruited a couple of willing volunteers, we pulled her out (in a true comedy of errors known only to those involved) and kept our mouths shut. In that moment, I had absolute sympathy for the management’s decision not to interfere. Every decision to intervene has to be judged on the nuance of circumstance but a public decision to do so creates an expectation and fury when that expectation is not met in the future.
The point is this – social media frenzy and the rise of the armchair activist have added a new dimension to the age-old debate on treating wild animals. With the current challenges facing our wild spaces, it may seem trivial. But our perspectives on it go to the heart of the ethics governing every decision – from human-wildlife conflict (and the shameful lack of consideration afforded to local people living with wildlife) to trophy hunting. What is the “‘Greater Good” and how do we balance the utilitarian needs of a living, balanced ecosystem?
I’ve penned some of my thoughts in our first story below (for club members only), but it only just touches the surface of a deeply complex issue. Now we want to hear your opinions!
Finally, one of our main objectives in the creation of our private travel & conservation club is to provide a platform for trusted organisations involved in practical conservation and research to present their work and ask for support when needed. Our friends at Elephants Alive are asking for your help – have a look at their club forum post.
Story 3 https://africageographic.com/stories/oryx/
DESERT GLADIATORS
The four oryx (gemsbok) species are robust, dignified and courageous – icons of the desert & perfectly adapted to their arid environments
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Intervention, interference – should we or shouldn’t we?
A few years ago, I decided to pull an antelope out of the mud of a drying, man-made dam (I was not alone, but my fellow conspirators will have to remain nameless). Until now, only a handful of people knew about this because we were given strict instructions not to help the antelope as per the reserve’s policy. We claimed it had escaped on its own and hid the mud-splattered evidence. We intervened. Quite possibly, we interfered.
From a human perspective, there are times when nature seems abominably cruel. For instance when young animals are allowed just a brief glimpse of their new world before being snatched up by an opportunistic predator. Or when hundreds of wildebeest are crushed beneath the hooves of their fellows crossing the Mara River during the Great Migration and wretched elephants are eaten alive by hyenas while trapped in the dried, cracking mud of dry season Mana Pools. Not for nothing has the phrase “circle of life” become such a popular refrain – for wild animals, death begets life and life almost invariably means a painful, frightening death.
Heraldry, Renaissance artworks, animated films, cutesy toys, and the national animal of Scotland all bear testament to mankind’s appreciation of the mythical unicorn. Of course, most of us over the age of ten are aware that there are no horned horses in real life (a great disappointment to many). However, the ancient Greek scholars of natural history were entirely convinced of their existence. Ctesias describes them as fleet-footed wild asses, red, white, and black and sporting a one and a half cubit (around 70cm) horn. Aristotle took it one step further and described this particular creature as the unicorn’s ‘prototype’. He was, in fact, referring to the (admittedly two-horned) oryx.
While certainly not unicorns, there is something mythical about an oryx. Robust, dignified and courageous, the majestic sight of a spear-tipped oryx cresting a red dune, silhouetted against the setting sun, is iconic. In moments like these, this antelope is an embodiment of Africa’s desert spirit.
The Oryx family
The oryx refers to four large antelope of the genus Oryx: the Arabian oryx (O. leucoryx), the scimitar-horned oryx (O. dammah), the Beisa oryx (O. beisa – also referred to as the East African oryx) and the gemsbok (O. gazella). All four are well-adapted to life in arid areas and can survive for several weeks without access to surface drinking water (more on this below). Black and white markings adorn the faces of all oryxes, but their coat colours vary from the white and cream of the Arabian and scimitar-horned oryxes to the tan of the almost identical Beisa oryx and gemsbok.
Another family trait is the formidable pair of horns that can reach over a metre in length. These sabre-like weapons are carried by both sexes and are used in battles for mating rights (or to ward off unwanted attention from enthusiastic males), and in defence from predators. Like other horned animals, oryx display exceptional proprioception when it comes to the tips of their horns. Even lions exhibit trepidation when tackling the scything weapons of a desperate gemsbok.
The Oryx genus is part of the larger Hippotraginae subfamily, also known as the grazing antelope. This subfamily includes the addax, as well as sable and roan antelopes.
Clockwise from top left: Gemsbok (Oryx gazella); Beisa oryx (O. beisa); Arabian oryx (O. leucoryx); Scimitar-horned oryx (O. dammah)
Scimitar-horned oryx (O. dammah)
Like the Arabian oryx, the once widespread scimitar-horned oryx was hunted to extinction across North Africa, and they were officially declared extinct in the wild in 2000. They remain listed as ‘regionally extinct’ by the IUCN, as all populations in North Africa are fenced and managed such that they are not considered “wild” populations.
These striking antelope are almost entirely white, apart from their russet chests and necks. Unlike the other members of the oryx genus, the horns of the scimitar-horned oryx curve backwards towards their shoulders. Several captive populations are kept in research centres – most notably the Smithsonian National Zoo – so a fair amount of research into oryx morphological adaptations and social structure has been conducted on scimitar-horned oryx.
Scimitar-horned oryx (this animal is wearing a tracking collar)
Beisa oryx (O. beisa)
The East African oryx was once considered a subspecies of the gemsbok, and the two species are physically very alike. However, genetic and morphological studies have proved their separate status. The Beisa oryx as a species is listed as ‘endangered’ by the IUCN.
There are two recognised subspecies of Beisa oryx. The common Beisa oryx (O. b. beisa) is found north of Kenya’s Tana River and into the Horn of Africa while the fringe-eared oryx (O. b. callotis) is distributed south of the Tana River and into parts of Tanzania. Both subspecies have been allocated their own IUCN classification, with the former considered ‘endangered’ and the latter ‘vulnerable’.
Beisa oryx (these are the fringe-eared subspecies)
Arabian oryx (O. leucoryx)
In the early 1970s, the Arabian oryx was declared extinct in the wild. The wild populations in Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE today owe their existence to intensive reintroduction projects from zoos, breeding programmes and private collections. There are now an estimated 1,600 Arabian oryxes in the wild, and while they are still listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the IUCN, their population is considered stable.
The Arabian oryx is the smallest member of the Oryx genus, and the species name leucoryx refers to their almost luminously white coat.
Arabian oryx
Gemsbok (O. gazella)
Also known as the South African oryx (though its range extends across Namibia, Botswana and southern Angola), the gemsbok is the only oryx that is not vulnerable, endangered, or extinct in the wild. It is the largest species of the genus, with males standing about 1.2m at the shoulder and weighing up to 240kg.
As the most common of all the oryx, the information below relates to gemsbok unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Quick facts
Social structure:
Herds of 10-40 animals, occasionally accompanied by a dominant bull
Mass:
150-240kg (males heavier than females)
Shoulder height:
1.2m
Gestation period:
270 days (9 months)
Number of young:
1 calf (twins extremely rare)
Average life expectancy:
around 18 years in the wild, longer in captivity
The gemsbok is a large antelope, around the same size as a sable or roan and only fractionally shorter and lighter than a greater kudu. Their hooves are disproportionately large, and the two halves are flexible, preventing the antelope from sinking into the soft desert sand. They have been recorded reaching speeds of up to 60km/h.
They are highly nomadic, following rare seasonal rains and subsequent green flushes. Where drinking water is unavailable, gemsbok feeding habits become more selective. They target succulent plants such as tsamma melons and cucumbers and dig to access roots and bulbs.
Gemsbok
Keeping a cool head in the face of great thirst
All oryx species are adapted to living in arid areas where daytime temperatures can easily exceed a sweltering 50˚C. A human exposed to such scorching weather would soon be awash with sweat in an involuntary physiological effort to cool down. However, the oryx does not have the luxury of wasting precious water on sweat unless absolutely necessary.
Instead of fighting a losing battle, oryx metabolisms are adapted to run at higher temperatures than most other mammals (something they have in common with camels and other desert-dwelling creatures). The internal temperatures of gemsbok have been recorded rising by over 4˚C during the day. Research conducted on scimitar-horned oryx showed that their body temperatures could increase to over 46˚C before they began to perspire. This is primarily due to the carotid rete – a network of blood vessels that essentially “trick” the brain’s hypothalamus into thinking the animal is cooler than it is.
Contrary to misconception, this selective brain cooling does not seem to protect the brain, nor is the brain more sensitive to rising temperatures than any other part of the body. (In fact, it is the digestive system that is most vulnerable to internal temperature changes.) Instead, selective brain cooling is a water conservation strategy. Many animals, including most of the artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates), have an operational carotid rete. Blood travelling from the carotid artery divides into fine blood vessels that run parallel to a network of veins carrying cooler blood from the oronasal passages. The arterial blood is cooled as it passes the cooler venous blood and then flows into the brain, cooling it slightly. The thermoreceptors in the hypothalamus typically respond to increased internal temperatures by triggering sweating and panting, which results in a loss of moisture due to evaporation. Even a small cooling effect on the receptors can conserve considerable amounts of body water. Thus, selective brain cooling is closely correlated to dehydration or lack of available water rather than external temperatures. This process is complex and is regulated by different physiological factors, including the salt concentration in body fluids.
Oryx are brilliantly adapted to staying cool and minimising water loss in their arid ranges
In addition to the carotid rete, the kidneys of the oryx are specialised to reabsorb as much water as possible from the urine and oryx show greater water reabsorption levels from the colon. These methods, along with certain behavioural modifications (shade-seeking, for example) and specialised feeding, allow some oryx species to survive without drinking for up to 10 months at a time!
All’s fair in love and war
Gemsbok males are loosely territorial, and while fights are rare and generally short-lived, the horns are sharp and occasionally deadly at close range. However, a victorious male still has to face the ire of his intended mate, and female gemsbok are equally combative in their approach to love. Thus begins the “mating whirl around” phase of courtship as the female turns to meet her intended head-on, presenting him with a literal barrier of spears (and, from his perspective, the wrong end). Her eventual submission may well reward a persistent male, but only once he has proved his mettle in battle.
Nine months later, the cow moves away from her herd to give birth to a tan calf that initially looks nothing like the striking antelope it is destined to become. The tiny calf is highly camouflaged and will spend the first six weeks of its life in hiding, emerging only to suckle when its mother visits roughly twice a day. As the black facial markings and budding horns emerge, mother and calf reunite with the rest of the herd.
Enemies beware
Lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and African painted wolves (wild dogs) all prey on gemsbok, though all do so with a considerable degree of caution. Renowned naturalist Jonathan Kingdon records instances of lions dying from gemsbok-inflicted wounds. Though the gemsbok will almost always flee if it has the choice, a trapped antelope will turn on the offensive, swaying, whirling, and stabbing at attackers with the grace of a fencing champion.
Beisa oryx at war – all oryx species are formidably equipped to deal with challenges from predators or pretenders
Conclusion
Whatever the Ancient Greek naturalists may have thought to the contrary, the oryx is about as far from a fairytale, horned pony with a penchant for maidens as conceivably possible. Instead, these mighty creatures with their fearsome horns and black warpaint markings exude an unmistakable “don’t mess with me” aura. This rugged design has allowed all four species to survive in some of the most inhospitable habitats on the planet. Yet for three of the four, it has done little to save them from a human fascination for their horns and pelts or from human-introduced diseases like rinderpest. Though the gemsbok is relatively common, the sad fact is that we have come disconcertingly close to losing the other three spear-tipped species.
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There I was, slaving away WHEN the Whatsapp ping comes through: Debbie is walking a pangolin nearby – wanna go see? Grabs mobile, car keys and bolts out the door …
I spent the next hour trundling along behind the determined Lilly (and her human minder – respected wildlife vet Debbie English) as the pang sniffed out and devoured delicious ants in their thousands. At times her entire head was down a hole, eyes screwed tight in blissful rapture as she hoovered up the tasty morsels. I, on the other hand, spent much of the time bouncing around, swatting at the savages as they swarmed over me and attacked with vicious intent.
Lilly, twice poached and confiscated, is again undergoing rehabilitation and eventual reintroduction to the wild. Handling is kept to a minimum and according to strict protocols, and best left to experienced professionals. This is a time-consuming and expensive process. Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked animal, and their worsening status is of massive concern. There is a steady procession of these precious creatures into the care of Debbie and the Provet team, as demand in the Far East drives poaching. To donate much-needed funds to help Lilly and her kind, please email ProVet.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
While taking a break from the formalin-infused aroma of the dissection hall earlier this week, I sat alone beneath a fever tree and watched a flock of tiny bronze manikins. (I am a veterinary student when not working for AG). My head had been reeling with what felt like a thousand different things and an encroaching sense of panic at my week ahead. Yet five minutes in the company of the tiny birds, so engrossed as they were with their seed search that they came less than a metre from my feet, was enough to bring balance to my world. Time spent with wild creatures, no matter how fleeting, is a powerful restorative.
From our Editor-in-Chief
I recently travelled to the Maasai Mara – my first international trip since Covid imprisoned us at home. Regulations are easing, but many remain hesitant to travel, especially to Africa. They are justifiably afraid of the virus but also cowed by idiotic fearmongers in the media and Afropessimists in general. In this forum post in our club I’ll tell you that if you’re thinking about travelling to Kenya, you should book now. The Kenyans have strict but seamless Covid protocols in place and travellers can feel as safe there as they can anywhere.
In our first story below, Sam Turley tackles the tricky ethics and potential pitfalls around human beings developing tactile relationships with wild animals. Sam takes us through three fascinating case studies.
Then, in our second story below, Dr Anna Spenceley summarises the devastating effects of the Covid pandemic on African tourism, conservation and local livelihoods. It’s not all doom and gloom, there are some inspiring options for sustainable recovery. (For club members only).
Chad in central Africa…not a country many people would associate with epic safaris. Zakouma National Park, run by the NGO African Parks, is helping to change that perception. See our third story below for an exciting deep dive into the adventure safari of a lifetime.
• Travel revival now in full swing: Uganda Airlines is now flying from Dubai to Entebbe three times a week, and British Airways is flying from Heathrow to Nairobi four times a week. Virgin Atlantic will be reinstating twice-weekly flights from Heathrow to Cape Town in January
• Safari dreaming 🙂 If you are looking for the perfect add-on to your safari check out this marvellous video of Victoria Falls River Lodge. Join our private travel and conservation club to enjoy the best rates at this and other camps and lodges
Acknowledgements: This article is drawn from a recent report from the Luc Hoffmann Institute by the author, “The Future of Nature-based Tourism: Impacts of COVID-19 and paths to sustainability” and other resources.
What impacts has the COVID-19 pandemic had on nature-based tourism in Africa?
In 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, over a third of all direct tourism contributions to gross domestic product (GDP) in Africa, and 8.8 million jobs were attributed to wildlife tourism. The UN World Tourism Organisation estimates that entrance, gate and park fees from all types of protected areas in 14 sub-Saharan African countries were an estimated USD 142 million per year, and safari tourism in Kenya alone generated USD 1.1 billion in 2019.
Revenues from tourism generate a substantial proportion of conservation area budgets in some countries. Many wildlife tourism operators base their business models on sustainable development principles. They have actively contributed to biodiversity conservation, including species and habitat conservation, directly through their operations or by channelling donations towards them (see Figure 1). Local people also benefit from nature-based tourism, including through tourism jobs, by selling products and services that
Zakouma National Park is one of Africa’s most recent examples of a park pulled from the brink that has rapidly returned to a vibrant and spectacular wilderness teeming with life and bursting with biodiversity. Africa’s remaining intact ecosystems are a marvel of circumstance, both ancient and modern, wild and human. They are often described as fragile – a label undoubtedly apt but overly simple. For although the survival of the continent’s wild spaces is never certain, they are fragile in the way that new leaves of a sapling are fragile. Given a chance, with the right resources and protection, history has proved nature to be remarkably resilient.
Complicated though its story may be, the complexity is compelling. Zakouma’s extraordinary recovery only adds to the appeal of a journey through this magnificent landscape. It doesn’t offer the most conventional safari experience, but for seasoned travellers looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure off the beaten track, Zakouma is perfect.
Zakouma National Park
Zakouma National Park safeguards 3,000km2 (300,000 hectares) of savanna habitat, marking the transition between Africa’s central rainforests to the south and the inhospitable Sahara Desert to the north. It is situated in the southern part of Chad. As the country’s oldest national park, Zakouma’s fates and fortunes have been inextricably linked to human politics, bad neighbours and civil war. It was the arrival of African Parks at the invitation of the Chadian government that prompted the park’s gradual return to its former glory. The non-profit conservation organisation took over management in 2010 (in partnership with the government). In keeping with what is rapidly becoming an African Parks tradition, they set about protecting the remaining wildlife and working closely with local communities (which has been fundamental to Zakouma’s success) to the lay foundations for the park’s long-term survival.
For tourists, this means a safe visit to one of North Africa’s most precious ecosystems to revel in vast numbers of wildlife and spectacular scenery. The greater Zakouma landscape includes the national park and extends over an enormous 30,693km2 (over 3 million hectares) of Sudano-Sahelian vegetation (characterized by shrubland, tall grasses, and Acacia – now Vachellia – woodlands). This ecosystem includes the Bahr-Salamat Faunal Reserve (13,000km2 – 130,000 hectares), which surrounds the park, as well as Siniaka-Minia Faunal Reserve (4,260km2 – 42,600 hectares) and a further 10,000km2 of adjoining wildlife corridors. African Parks manages all of these protected areas. The reserves act as vital buffer zones while adding to the space available to burgeoning numbers of wildlife.
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.
This vast ecosystem is primarily flat, with perennial river systems and marshy floodplains lined by patches of verdant gallery forest, woodlands, and savanna grasslands. The only exceptions are the granite inselbergs located in the southwestern section of the park. The vast area of available land allows the animals to survive the dramatic differences between the distinct dry and wet seasons – with a seasonal migration seeing many animals returning to the heart of the park when water is scarce.
On a canoe safari in Zakouma
Protected pachyderms and journeys of giraffe
It is the return of the park’s elephants that is perhaps most symbolic of the rehabilitation of Zakouma. Once whittled down by ivory poaching to fewer than 460 individuals, the elephant population has increased slowly but steadily over the last decade. This is a remarkable achievement in a part of the continent where most elephant populations are either extinct or in terrifying freefall. Perhaps even more astounding is the elephants’ capacity to offer what, to the human interpretation, looks somewhat like trust. The atrocities committed are easily within living memory for most herd members yet, while still occasionally nervous, they are sufficiently relaxed in the company of rangers and tourists to allow for intimate glimpses into their world. The elephants are breeding again – there are over 560 elephants in Zakouma, and the population is predicted to reach over 1,000 in the next few years. A baby elephant is always a joy to behold no matter the circumstances, but knowing the history of the park and the value of each youngster is guaranteed to make a sighting even more heartwarming.
Six black rhinos were also reintroduced to the Zakouma area in 2018. These population pioneers were the first to set foot in Chad since rhinos were exterminated over half a century ago. Sadly only two survived their first few months, the rest succumbing to the various strains of relocation. The remaining cows are constantly monitored and thriving. If Zakouma continues its upward trajectory, both white and black rhinos could once again move through its savanna habitats.
In addition to the growing number of pachyderms, Zakouma is also a population stronghold of the Kordofan giraffe, a critically endangered subspecies of the northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). Experts estimate that there are only around 2,300 of these giraffe left in Africa, and around 60% are found in Zakouma. Read more about Kordofan and Africa’s other giraffe species here.
An elephant bull enjoys respite from the heat
Hundreds and thousands
Though the elephants are a highlight for most visitors, equally entrancing are the enormous herds of antelope and Central African savanna buffalo that roam the park’s plains. The antelope include rarities such as the northern greater kudu, red-fronted gazelle, Lelwel hartebeest, tiang (a type of topi), roan antelope and Buffon’s kob. You’ll also find Defassa waterbuck, oribi, Bohor reedbuck, duiker, and warthog.
Of course, this profusion of prey (and any number of suitable hiding places) makes Zakouma a predator haven. The three big cats – lion, leopard, and cheetah – are all present in increasing numbers, while a visitor might also see smaller species such as serval, caracal, jackal, and pale fox. Though African painted wolves (wild dogs) have yet to settle in the park, they have been glimpsed passing through it. Spotted hyenas are present in small numbers, their whoops and cackles a warning to their rare and silent striped hyena cousins also found in Zakouma. Few guests glimpse these shy, nocturnal creatures, but there is always the chance of becoming the first to snap a photograph of one inside Zakouma.
Vast flocks of birds gather at the wetland areas of Zakouma
Birds of a feather
The mammal life is matched and possibly eclipsed by the park’s avifauna. Zakouma has 373 recorded species. The wetlands form part of the RAMSAR site “Inundation Plains of Bahr Auok and Salamat”, one of the largest RAMSAR sites in the world. These habitats are vital for migrating birds, which use them as stopovers or breeding grounds. The wetland areas attract enormous flocks of pelicans, storks, geese and black-crowned cranes, especially as the water starts to recede during the dry season and life concentrates around the remaining pools.
Away from the water’s edge, the arrival of the northern carmine bee-eaters decorates the skies in pink as they search for appropriate nesting sites in the sandbanks. The black-breasted barbet is at the top of the ‘Most Wanted’ list for most birders, the Abyssinian ground hornbill a close second. The latter can be heard at dawn, serenading visitors with a deep booming call that carries across the Sahel.
Zakouma is also home to what experts believe is the largest number of North African ostriches – a subspecies that is all but extinct in most of its historic range.
A young male lions stalks the plains of Zakouma
Seasons
In Zakouma, the ebb and flow of life and animal movement is powered by the pulse of the wet and dry seasons. During the wet season from June to October, the park receives an average of 850mm of rain which inundates much of the park and floods the roads. Zakouma is closed to visitors during this period because it becomes almost inaccessible. The early dry season offers the best scenic photography as the surroundings are still green, but the later dry season ensures the best wildlife sightings. The temperatures regularly reach over 40˚C during the dry season, and there are sections of the park where tsetse flies congregate.
African Parks run accommodation – top left: Tinga Camp; right and bottom left: temporary mobile camping sites
Visiting Zakouma
Want to go on safari to Zakouma? 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.
Tourism remains a vital part of African Parks’ strategy for Zakouma’s future. Visitors with a taste for adventure can rest assured that they are playing a role in protecting one of the continent’s most important ecosystems.
There are currently limited accommodation options in Zakouma: a couple of basic campsites and Tinga Camp – a basic and budget-friendly camp originally constructed in 1965. African Parks is currently working on tourism development options in Zakouma to improve the diversity of accommodation options available for both local and international travellers.
A Zakouma safari is not necessarily the best option for first-time safari-goers or families with young children. Yet, for some, the rustic accommodation, remote location and hot weather is exactly what make Zakouma sought-after – a truly unique, off-the-beaten-track adventure where their visit directly contributes towards an ongoing conservation success story. Zakouma’s Lazarus-like recovery is nothing short of remarkable and has set it on the firm path to becoming one of the continent’s top (and most unusual) safari destinations.
Forming a relationship with a wild animal (i.e. not a dog, cat or horse etc.), or crossing the human-wildlife barrier, requires tremendous patience, motivation, knowledge and expertise – not to mention consideration of a whole host of ethical concerns.
Humans in nature
Humans have always been linked to wild animals through hunting and domestication for work, transportation, pest control, food, and, more recently, companionship. Having said this, modern humans are now so far removed from nature that many of us long to rekindle that forgotten connection – to cross the human-wildlife barrier. This desperation can often lead to confusion. What we may think is a special connection with an animal may not be – especially for the animal.
As the human population grows, wilderness areas do the opposite. Competition for space and resources is at an all-time high resulting in increased human-wildlife conflict. Although we have implemented a wide range of social, technological and behavioural approaches to reduce this problem, most of our interactions with wildlife (outside of ethical tourism) have become negative. We must find ways to coexist with wildlife, for if we don’t, it will lead to our ultimate demise.
Yet, as wildlife becomes rarer, many of us are drawn to it like a moth to a flame. However, how close is too close and when do we end up getting burnt? Wild animals are, after all, just that, wild.
Top left and bottom right: an orphaned blesbok; top right: an orphaned, hand-raised pangolin; bottom left: filmmaker Kim Wolhuter with wild spotted hyenas
Human-animal relationships
When I think about crossing the human-wildlife barrier, I struggle to think of positive examples. Poaching or “pets” that turn into problems, spring to mind. For many, nature is a place to be feared, with many species viewed as dangerous pests. So how can we shift this perception, and is it possible to form relationships with wild animals without it being detrimental to them?
During my time working with wildlife in Southern Africa, I have been fortunate enough to witness several human-wildlife relationships. Over the past year, I have made it my mission to document, analyse and, where possible, celebrate the human-wildlife connection.
Wildlife interactions can be controversial, depending on the unique circumstances of each animal and the motives of the organisation or individuals involved. There are positives and negatives to be considered when crossing the barrier between humans and wild animals and the best interests of the animal should always be of paramount importance.
In this story, I feature three unique and extraordinary human-wildlife relationships that I have been lucky enough to photograph. I discuss the often controversial ethics surrounding each.
Mateo (dedicated handler) and Marimba (pangolin orphan)
Mateo and Marimba
Marimba, a ground pangolin, was around a year old when her mother was poached for her scales. Marimba was simply too young to fend for herself. Her rescuers took her to Wild is Life sanctuary in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she met her full-time carer Mateo.
Pangolins are notoriously difficult to look after in captivity, requiring particular and personal care. Mateo’s gentle nature seemed like a perfect fit, and a remarkable relationship was born.
Pangolins are naturally nocturnal; however, for their safety, Marimba and Mateo go out in the day so she can satisfy her insatiable appetite for ants and termites. Marimba and Mateo have spent ten hours a day together for the past 13 years, and it shows – they are inseparable. Many attempts have been made to rewild Marimba, but she always finds a way back to Mateo. She is simply too attached to him and has never learnt the essential skills required to survive in the wild – perhaps because she was orphaned so young.
As Marimba cannot be released, she will now live out the rest of her life at the sanctuary as an ambassador for her species so that others do not succumb to the same fate as her mother.
Do not be fooled by their reptilian appearance – pangolins are affectionate, gentle, sentient creatures. And they are rapidly disappearing from our planet. As the most trafficked animals in the world, most human-pangolin interactions end in another pile of lifeless scales.
In a perfect world, the close connection between Marimba and Mateo would have never existed. However, this relationship has elements of what all humans should strive to emulate in our relationship with pangolins if we are to save them from extinction—one of trust, love, and compassion.
Like me, I am sure many would rather see Marimba released into the wild than live an unnatural lifestyle with Mateo. However, even if Marimba could be released, the reality is that pangolins are being poached all over Africa at an unprecedented rate, so where could she be released safely? Her habituation to people means that releasing her at this stage could be a death sentence.
Vera (carer) and Meme (orphaned blesbok)
Vera and Meme
Meme is a blesbok – a beautiful, medium-sized antelope characterised by a striking white blaze. They occur at Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy in Zimbabwe, although they are naturally endemic to South Africa.
I played a significant role in this particular rehabilitation. Meme was only two weeks old when she was found roaming Imire without her mother. On the third day of searching, we found a dead cow, her enlarged teets indicating that she’d recently given birth. After much deliberation, we decided to catch Meme and raise her.
Why were we interfering with nature? Why did we cross the human-wildlife barrier? It seems to go against Darwin’s survival of the fittest. There were, however, some unique circumstances surrounding Imire that we considered carefully. At the time that Meme was orphaned, there were no predators on Imire. There is no doubt that if she’d been left alone, she’d have died a long and painful death – without predators, a total waste of life. For me, hand-raising any wild animal should only be considered almost as a last resort.
Vera was tasked with the rehabilitation and ultimate release of Meme. She spent hours on end trying to convince the tiny calf to drink milk from a bottle. Sometimes force-feeding was required, but eventually, Meme took to drinking from a bottle with ease.
This example highlights some crucial points pertinent to crossing the barrier between humans and wildlife. Raising Meme was a constant internal battle between doing what was right for the animal versus doing what made us happy. I mean, let’s be honest, how amazing is it to have a blesbok following you around wherever you go? It is an entirely natural and almost unavoidable feeling to become attached to an animal you have raised.
A considerable part of that connection from the animal’s side was, of course, the food. It was tricky to judge exactly when to stop feeding her, and it became more difficult as both parties enjoyed the process. We probably fed Meme for at least a month longer than necessary. Luckily feeding her for longer than required wasn’t to her detriment, and she remained fit and healthy throughout the process.
Meme on the day she was released and joined a herd of wild blesbok
Throughout the entire process, the goal remained to release Meme back into the wider reserve. The rehabilitation would have been pointless if we had simply kept her as our pet and denied her the right to live as a blesbok should. Meme was released at eight months old. Remarkably, she’s joined a herd on the reserve, leaving her human parents behind for a life in the wild. This was the perfect outcome for her and for our crossing of the human-wildlife barrier.
During our time with Meme, we gained a newfound appreciation for this often overlooked antelope species. Although the life of one antelope is just a drop in the ocean for conservation, it is everything for that individual. Many successful conservation projects rely on compassion, and rehabilitation stories like Meme’s can have profound and far-reaching effects. Teaching others to care about nature is half of the battle for, as Jane Goodall said, In the end, we will conserve only what we love.
Kim Wolhuter and a completely wild but habituated spotted hyena
Kim and the hyenas
Kim Wolhuter is a renowned wildlife filmmaker and conservationist from South Africa. What distinguishes his work from all other filmmakers is the incredible bonds that he forms with his subjects. Kim spends a minimum of eighteen months on each project and this extended period ensures that the animals he works with are completely relaxed in his presence. Through gaining unprecedented access to his subjects, Kim’s goal is to dispel myths that cloud certain species and ultimately restore our connection to nature.
There are very few mammals with a worse reputation than the spotted hyena. Kim has made it his mission to change that. Disney started villainising hyenas with The Lion King – smelly, dirty, ugly, devious scavengers.
Kim is based in the Sango Wildlife Conservancy in Zimbabwe, where he has formed a remarkable, tactile relationship with completely wild hyenas.
He works with three basic but critical rules:
He never carries a weapon – being armed can lead to arrogance which some animals might detect (although not as arrogance obviously but possibly as overbearing dominance).
The hyenas come to Kim apparently purely for affection. He NEVER feeds them. When food is involved, Kim will often remove himself from the situation.
They make the rules. Every interaction happens on their terms. Kim positions himself near the hyenas and waits for them to come to him.
Many people regard Kim’s work as unethical, interfering with wildlife and changing their natural behaviour. There is an element of truth behind changing their behaviour because, of course, if Kim wasn’t there, the hyenas wouldn’t walk up to him. However, this can also be said for safari vehicles. Just because an animal has become used to vehicles does not mean they enjoy the interaction. I have seen countless examples of safari vehicles having adverse effects on animals, yet far fewer people think of these as unethical.
Is Kim’s interaction with the hyenas harming them? From my experience, not. As pictured here, the hyenas appear to love the affection, and after all, the interactions are strictly on their terms. If they didn’t want it, they wouldn’t approach him.
The other often raised concern is that the animals habituated to Kim will be more vulnerable to poaching. There is no doubt that animals pick up on our body language, and a poacher will move very differently from somebody with innocent motives. The hyenas also know Kim individually; just because he has got the clan used to him does not mean that they will be comfortable in the presence of others. I experienced this firsthand.
To get these immersive, eye-level images, I also had to be low to the ground in and amongst the hyenas. Many of the cubs approached me in a familiar setting for the clan out of curiosity but with extreme caution. None of the adults came to within five meters of me, whereas they were more than happy to receive scratches from Kim.
I think most of the opposition to Kim arises because he is doing what no others are. It is in our nature to fear the unknown and to question different practices. A lot of people discount his work as unethical without ever researching what he does. Kim has dedicated his life to protecting wildlife, and by showcasing the relationships that he forms with his subjects, he allows others to feel what he does. A love of wildlife. The value of that alone to wildlife conservation is impossible to quantify.
Potential pitfalls
Apart from the concern that habituation makes wild animals more vulnerable to poaching, there are a number of other pitfalls associated with crossing the wildlife-human barrier.
Habituation can be potentially catastrophic for both people and the animals involved – animals that lose their fear of human beings could become a risk to people and property. It is important to remember that all wild animals pose a risk, no matter how “fluffy” or “cuddly” they appear to be. In my opinion, that risk increases tenfold with the introduction of food. Animals close the gap in order to enjoy whatever morsels we have to offer. I have witnessed it many times whilst working with wild animals, things can change quickly. When we introduce food, we are often too close to the animal to react in time and this is when accidents happen. More often than not, strong food-related habituation ends in disaster. It is hugely important that a holistic view of the risks associated with habitation be taken before any attempt to cross the human-wildlife barrier is made. Could the animal become a danger to human beings? Could it become a danger to property?
There are, however, different levels of habituation and I assume that with our ever-growing human population and the resultant pressure on habitats, most animals on our planet are now habituated to some degree. Whether they have become used to game drive vehicles, people, or our infrastructure, habituation is now unavoidable. For the safari industry, some level of habituation is necessary for good sightings of animals. You wouldn’t want to pay $20,000 on your dream safari just to see the backsides of animals running away from your vehicle but equally, you wouldn’t want to spend that amount of money to be charged by an expectant elephant whose lunch is late.
It’s a fine balance, but there certainly are different levels of habituation and not all are bad. Having said this, wildlife should never become reliant on humans for food. Food-related habituation should only be explored in rehabilitation or wildlife management scenarios, and even then, it should be undertaken with the highest level of care.
There is also the fear that people might try and mimic situations they do not understand, resulting in injury or death and the subsequent euthanasia of the animal involved. Caution should therefore be taken with any publicity associated with human-wildlife interactions. Warnings and ‘do not try this at home’ admonitions should always accompany careful explanations of situations where the human-wildlife barrier is crossed.
Conclusion
Each scenario is unique. Before working in conservation, I was sceptical of almost all interactions that crossed the human-wildlife barrier, and I would dismiss them as unethical. In today’s social media culture, I think it’s essential to do your research before judging organisations and individuals that get close to wildlife. Still, I think it’s equally important to ask those difficult questions. Why is the animal there in the first place? Is the interaction necessary? Does it negatively affect the animal? What are the long-term goals, and can the animal eventually be released? If not, why not?
Crossing the human-wildlife barrier is not something that should be taken lightly. Wildlife is, after all, wild, and although I have highlighted what I believe are three success stories, it does not always go that way. I have heard of a wildebeest disembowelling a horse, a warthog killing a child and a cheetah mauling someone. No matter how cute or cuddly wild animals may be, they are all potentially dangerous.
Having said this, when done correctly, there are substantial potential benefits to crossing the human-wildlife barrier. As modern-day humans, no matter how far we remove ourselves from nature, we will always be a part of it. Wherever you live in the world, every action affects the natural systems of our Earth. With our ever-expanding population, we have no choice but to interact with wildlife. With the current state of our planet, we also have no choice but to interact positively.
About the author:
Sam Turley was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1992. Growing up in the countryside, Sam’s fascination with the natural world started at a very young age and has never left him. He has since dedicated his life to wildlife conservation, and after studying zoology in the UK, he went on to qualify as a field guide in South Africa, where he worked for three years. During a trip to Namibia in 2016, Sam’s passion for wildlife photography ignited, and he has been obsessed ever since. He was the overall winner of the 2020 Wilderness Safaris People’s Choice Award and was a three-time finalist in the highly prestigious 2020 Natural History Museum’s Photographer of the Year competition. His work has also been featured in many magazines, including The Telegraph, Getaway and Travel Africa. Sam is moving back to the UK in October to start a family. He is available for photographic and videographic conservation-related projects. You can contact Sam on sturleyphotography@gmail.com
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HOW CAN I HELP? is a question seldom asked in today’s self-absorbed society as we barrel along our evolutionary journey to algorithmic subserviency. Even just asking the question seems to change the chemistry of our minds, nudging us towards being decent, caring creatures. Is it too late to recalibrate to an earlier form of us?
We hope that once our new travel & conservation club has evolved out of its ‘beta’ development phase, it will be a tool to find African people and conservation projects to support. To get there, we need you. Yes, YOU. Go on, I dare you, join us on this journey and help teamAG make a difference where it matters – here in Africa. Some early-adoptors have already donated to the carefully selected projects via the club – yay!
I leave you with this thought, totally unconnected to my ramblings above: “The more chopped and packaged the animal in your freezer is, the more socially acceptable it gets.” (unknown source, altered)
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
Is it a bug or a beetle? If its front wings are hardened into a solid pair of wing cases (elytra), then chances are you are looking at a beetle, a member of the Coleoptera order. This is the largest of the insect orders – so far, over 400,000 different species have been discovered, about 40% of all insect species described. They range in size from the smallest free-living insect (Scydosella musawasensis just 0.3mm long) to some of the heaviest and strongest insects on the planet. Have a look at our “Did you know” fact of the week below to learn more about the astonishing size of Africa’s largest Coleoptera member.
From our Editor-in-Chief
One of the benefits of having worked in the safari industry for so many years is my body’s natural desire to wake with the dawn. A tar-thick espresso with rusk as the birds begin their morning oratorio is the perfect way to begin the day. For those not from South Africa, a rusk is a bizarre piece of confectionary that might be confused for a small brick or piece of diamond-hard, stale sweetbread. Here, it is a safari delicacy – go figure.
In our first story below, we plunge into the chasm of Mosi-oa Tunya with the raging waters of the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls is a tourism mecca boasting wildlife, adventure and stunning hospitality on both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the river. Chat to our safari experts to book your Vic Falls experience.
For many people, fencing protected areas is the best way to secure them. For others, fences represent the devastating closure of corridors for migratory animals. In our second story below, Gail Thomson gives a succinct and brilliant overview of the debate for and against fencing our wild spaces (club members only).
I love lying on my back in the wilderness, staring up at the sky. There is something profoundly peaceful about watching eagles soaring overhead – floating specks in the endless blue vault. In our third story below, we bring you the first part of our two-part series on Africa’s majestic apex predators of the sky.
• Fantastic news as 21 African countries have been hauled off the UK’s red list – meaning that travellers returning from these countries will no longer need to enter hotel-managed quarantine on arrival in England. The steps to be taken following arrival will be determined by the traveller’s vaccination status. Read here for more information. The 21 newly removed countries include Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia & Zimbabwe. Note that Kenya was previously removed from the red list.
• The awakening continues: Uganda Airlines is now flying from Dubai to Entebbe three times a week, and British Airways is flying from Heathrow to Nairobi four times a week.
The rivers of Africa are her lifeblood. Streams trickle down the mountains and gradually unite to form some of the most spectacular and biodiverse waterways, carving gorges across the continent. Nothing, not even geography, can hold them back as they tumble off cliffs and through dramatic ravines. As the largest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls needs little introduction.
Even to the uninitiated, the name conjures images of breathtaking vistas, verdant vegetation, thrill-seeking and water thundering down into gorges, releasing spray that can often be seen kilometres away. The falls are also officially known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or “The Smoke That Thunders” in the Lozi language of the area – a name that perfectly captures the almost mystical atmosphere of this World Heritage Site. Victoria Falls is a place of myth, magic, and romance.
Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River
The world-famous Victoria Falls marks the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, where the mighty Zambezi River gathers its strength and tumbles off a fractured basalt plateau into a series of dramatic gorges 100 metres below. Though not the tallest waterfall (on land, this title is held by Angel Falls in Venezuela), at an impressive width of 1,708 meters, the Victoria Falls creates the single largest continuous falling curtain of water in the world. At the height of the rainy season, five hundred million cubic meters of water hurtle over the edge every minute, sending up clouds of rainbow spray. From there, the river is forced through a narrow and twisting path between walls of steep rock – a churning tumble of Grade V rapids ideal for thrill-seekers looking to test their nerve.
Zambia lies on the northern and eastern sides of the falls (topographically slightly higher), while Zimbabwe is situated south and west. The neighbouring cities of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side and Livingstone on the Zambian side are thriving tourism hubs easily accessed by road, rail or air. Upstream of the falls, the Zambezi River flows across an almost flat basalt plateau in a shallow valley teeming with wildlife and dotted with sedate luxury lodges away from the bustle of the central tourism regions. The Victoria Falls Bridge connects the two countries – a 1905 marvel of engineering that spans the Second Gorge, designed as part of Cecil Rhodes’ Cape to Cairo Railway vision.
The mighty Zambezi River widens to plunge over the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on the left bank, Zambia on the right
Zimbabwe or Zambia?
For those new to Victoria Falls, the first question is usually where to stay – the Zimbabwean or the Zambian side. Fortunately, crossing over to either side is a relatively painless process that requires a simple visa purchase and can be easily accomplished on foot. While both sides offer spectacular views of the falls and most activities, there are subtle differences between the two towns and certain attractions that can only be accessed from one or the other side.
Victoria Falls is the smallest of the two towns and is almost entirely tourism-based, with many backpackers, cafes, lively bars, and colourful local markets. The falls are just two kilometres away. Livingstone is slightly larger and offers a more city-like feel and a better representation of authentic local life. It is situated somewhat further from the falls, but the Zambian side is known for its stunning accommodation options along the riverside.
Around two-thirds of Victoria Falls is situated on the Zimbabwean side, which means more viewpoints are accessible from this side. It is also slightly lower than the Zambian side, and during the dry season (see below), water still flows even if the Zambian side has dried up completely.
However, the lower water levels at the start of the dry season open up the seasonal chance to visit Livingstone Island and Devil’s Pool, which are only accessible from the Zambian side. Livingstone Island is often touted as the point at which David Livingstone first set eyes upon Victoria Falls. However, given that the island sits right on the edge of the largest waterfall in the world, one has to imagine that he had an inkling before then. Whatever the case, the island is still a historical landmark and marks the site where Livingstone reeled out a length of calico weighted with a bullet to measure the height of the falls. From there, courageous visitors can swim out to either Angel’s Armchair (June-August) or the more famous Devil’s Pool (late August-December). Here, thousands of years of erosion have excavated a deep pool, with a thick rock wall right at the edge of the falls that allows tourists to take daredevil photographs without being carried over the edge by the current. It is vital to accompany experienced tour guides to these attractions, as rigorous safety measures and an intimate knowledge of the river are essential.
Clockwise from top left: a microlight flies through the water vapour at dawn; white-water rafting is extreme fun; sedate sundowners above the falls; a guided tour to the edge of the falls; just one of the many ways a person can fling themselves into the Zambezi gorge below the falls; taking a dip in the Devil’s Pool.
Adrenaline Capital of the World
Devil’s Pool is just one of the many adventures on offer in Victoria Falls that have marked it as the “adrenaline capital of Africa”. The rapids below the falls are classified as Grade V and present some of the best white water rafting in the world. Adrift on inflatable rafts, armed with just a plastic oar and a lifejacket, visitors throw themselves on the river’s mercy, safe in the knowledge that expert guides are on hand in kayaks to assist as necessary. Nothing is quite as humbling as experiencing the sheer power of a churning river (especially while underneath it), but the calm stretches also allow for peaceful moments of quiet appreciation of the exquisite gorge views. White water rafting is only possible at certain times of the year – depending on the rainfall. It is guaranteed in August and September, but the season may extend between June and September.
Suppose rafting alone is not sufficient to fill one’s adrenaline quota. In that case, there are several other anxiety-inducing options, including bungee jumping or swinging off the Victoria Falls Bridge, cable gliding/ziplining, abseiling and skydiving. After all that excitement, it is essential to decompress with a more sedate activity like a sunset cruise, a train trip with canapes and cocktails or even the time-honoured tradition of a High Tea in a historical setting.
A rainbow over the falls.
Seasons and water levels
Naturally, the main attraction is the waterfalls, surrounded by lush forests nourished by spray emanating from the crashing water. The river is usually at its most dramatic from February to May when the greatest volume of water tumbles over the falls. The flip side of this is that there is a chance the falls may not be clearly visible – obscured by the spray. After months of dry weather during the subsequent winter months, the volume of water reduces, and the river reaches its lowest levels from November to December – when large bare rock surfaces become visible (especially on the Zambian side).
At certain times of the day, the mist from the waterfall catches the light at just the right angle, creating arched rainbows. Viewed from the forest amidst clouds of butterflies and accompanied by the cries of trumpeter hornbills, the effect is like something out of a fairy tale. Possibly even more magical are the lunar rainbows, visible for three nights a month.
Gorgeous accommodation with awesome views and a relaxed, magical atmosphere
A Victoria Falls trip offers the perfect escape for almost every traveller, from the solo adventurer and budget-strapped student to families with children and romantic couples. There is a vast range of hospitality options, from shared accommodation in backpacking establishments to ultra-luxurious lodges on the Zambezi banks. The lively towns are filled with historical and cultural experiences.
Two small national parks protect the falls and their surroundings: the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambian side and its twin, the Victoria Falls National Park, on the opposite side of the river. Neither are ‘Big 5’ reserves, but they are teeming with wildlife. Elephants are everywhere in Victoria Falls (and should be treated with the requisite respect and caution). Visitors can spend time tracking rhinos on foot in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Those searching for a more traditional safari experience (and large predators) can visit the nearby Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe or travel further afield to Hwange National Park or Chobe National Park in Botswana. Upstream, canoe safaris navigate between hippos and crocodiles while admiring elephants feeding on the banks and searching for the 460 bird species found in the Victoria Falls region.
Comfortable shoes with sufficient traction are always good, especially for the slippery paths around viewpoints or descending into the gorge. Waterproofing for all equipment is essential, especially when water levels are high. Victoria Falls is a known malaria area – with quite a high human population density – so it is important to take precautions as your doctor advises.
Conservationists working throughout Africa have recently engaged in a fascinating fencing debate about how best to conserve wide-ranging wildlife, such as lions. The debate centred on a single important question: should protected areas in Africa be fenced? As human populations on the continent continue to increase, this timely debate provides food for thought as we contemplate the future of Africa’s wildlife under growing human pressure.
The debate centres around lion conservation, yet has important implications for many other wildlife species. As Africa’s largest predator, the lion is seen as a key species for conservation. Because they roam over large areas, require large numbers of prey, and are especially feared by humans, it appears that if we can conserve lions effectively, then we can conserve their associated ecosystems and a host of other species. I present the cases for and against fencing, as expressed by Africa’s top predator conservation scientists, and look into some of the implications of this debate for Botswana.
Africa’s iconic terrestrial predators – the three big cats, the African painted wolf, and the spotted hyena – are all wondrously proficient predators that fit neatly into place in their ecosystems. Tourists flock in their droves to admire the unique hunting styles that include coordinated killing, stealth and ambush, high-speed chases and remarkable displays of stamina. In the skies above these dramatic scenes, the avian apex predators soar. Sharp-eyed and fierce, African eagles bring unexpected death from above.
Birds of Prey – The Accipitridae
When distinguishing between African eagles and other birds of prey, most guides (and likely most safari guests) are taught that the “true eagles” have feathers that extend to the foot. While this would certainly simplify matters, the exact definition of what constitutes an eagle is simultaneously broad and somewhat vague. It is a definition usually based on size and a rough description of “power”. Fish eagles, bateleurs, and snake-eagles lack the feathered legs of “booted” eagles, but ornithologists still consider them eagles.
The term ‘eagle’ encompasses several different genera of large birds, some of which are not particularly closely related but all of which belong to the Accipitridae family. This is an enormous family with over 230 species of raptor, including eagles, kites, hawks, buzzards and Old-World vultures. At present, eagles can be informally divided into four subfamily groups:
Aquilinae – “booted” eagles (not to be confused with the booted eagle Hieraaetus pennatus/Aquila pennata, this grouping encompasses multiple species such as the martial, steppe, tawny and crowned eagles) and hawk-eagles
Circaetinae – snake eagles
Harpininae – harpy eagles
Haliaeetinae – sea and fish eagles
With ever-improving genetic technology, our understanding of phylogenetic relationships between species is changing. Many eagles will likely be shifted to a new genus or grouping as research continues. In Africa, they range in size from the relatively small snake eagles to the stocky martial eagle, the fifth heaviest eagle in the world.
Whatever the definition used, most people associate African eagles with hunting proficiency and strength – a well-earned reputation. These sleek masters of the skies are efficient and intimidating predators that use a combination of skill, speed, and power to survive.
Juvenille Verreaux’s eagle
“Two eyes with wings”
The description of “two eyes with wings” was coined by Rochon-Duvigneaud about the pigeon but is no less applicable to eagles. They are sight-hunters, capable of spotting potential prey from several kilometres away. Most bird species have exceptional visual acuity, but eagles are probably at the top of the list. The reason behind this is two-fold: the physical structures of the eye and the brain’s ability to process visual information. These physiological adaptations confer eyesight that experts estimate to be between four to eight times sharper than humans.
Like other raptor species, the eyes of eagles are approximately 1.4 times larger than birds of equivalent size and weight. The eyes are so large that there is little room for muscles to move the eyeball, which is the case in most birds. In addition, a sclerotic ring of bone holds the eagle’s eye in place, and thus eagles need to turn their heads to view anything outside the peripheral range.
Though the eyes are forward-facing, eagles can use both monocular and binocular vision, meaning that they can see straight ahead and to the side simultaneously. This is made possible by two foveae (humans only have one) in each eye – focal points consisting of clusters of specialised cells known as photoreceptors. On average, the retina of an eagle has roughly twelve times the number of cone cells as a human – photoreceptors that are associated with clear colour vision at high resolutions. They are also able to see ultraviolet light, which helps them detect urine trails on the ground.
Muscles in the eye itself can contract rapidly to change the shape of the lens, allowing the bird to focus on prey while diving. Their brains are able to resolve moving stimuli far faster than mammals, and they process that information exceptionally quickly. This is how birds of prey can navigate a forest hunt at speeds that would simply be a blur to the average human.
A bony projection above the eye, known as the supraorbital ridge, is responsible for the typical raptorial scowl. Absent in owls, this ridge is believed to provide support and protection to the eye socket, as well as shading the eye while the eagle is in flight. The spin-off is that eagles give the distinct impression that they are deeply annoyed by everything and everyone in their vicinity.
An adult (left) and a juvenile (right) African fish eagle scrap over a fish (follow the photographer here on Instagram)
Formidable weaponry
Eagles generally use razor-sharp talons backed by the considerable momentum of their bulk to dispatch prey. Hurtling out of the sky at speeds of over 100km/h, they collide with their unsuspecting quarry, often breaking the neck and spinal column instantly or penetrating the skull with a curved talon. The four-toed feet of eagles are specifically designed for this purpose, powered by strong muscles and covered in a thick, protective coating of scaly skin. The talon is solid bone, the distal phalanx (final joints) of the foot enclosed by the protective layer of keratin similar to fingernails.
Three talons are forward-facing, while the fourth points backwards and secures a solid grip on struggling prey. This hallux claw is the first digit and is sometimes referred to as the “kill claw” because it may be used to spear prey or grip tightly enough to cause asphyxiation. Naturally, there are variations in its size depending on the habitat and hunting style of the African eagle species concerned. For example, crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) are believed to have the largest hallux claw of any eagle. This may relate to the restrictions of the forest habitats they prefer. There are also anecdotal accounts of a martial eagle breaking a man’s arm with its talons. (This account is chronicled in old hunting records and, as such, should probably be treated with the same scepticism given to fishermen recounting catch size.)
The talons of eagles will be used during territorial battles, where two opposing eagles clasp their talons together and cartwheel through the sky, pulling out of the freefall at the last moment. This cartwheeling display was once believed to be courtship behaviour, but recent research suggests it is more likely related to competition.
Long-crested eagle (follow photographer Graeme Gullacksen here ( here )
Leading ladies and doting fathers
Like most birds of prey, African eagles exhibit considerable sexual dimorphism, which is relatively standard in the avian world. However, unusually in the animal kingdom, the females are heavier and stronger than their male counterparts. No one is entirely certain as to why exactly. Still, several theories have inspired what one scientific paper refers to as a “passionate debate” that goes back centuries.
Explanations include reduced food competition between the sexes (seldom born out by research and failing to explain why the male is not bigger) and the female being able to protect her nestlings from the male’s predatory instincts. More recent theories lean more towards the fact that the female does most of the active guarding of the nest and young. As such, a heavier, stronger female has been evolutionarily selected. However, no one theory has received universal acceptance, and every approach has exceptions.
African eagles are monogamous, and most species are known to form lasting pair bonds, where the males share much of the parental load. Even migratory species will reunite after a long journey to breed, though a missing or delayed mate will be summarily replaced. Mating pairs build the messy nest of twigs, formally referred to as an eyrie, and regularly reuse the same nest site (known as strong “nest site fidelity”). While the female incubates the eggs and guards the nestlings, the males will see that they are kept well-fed.
A tawny eagle considering a wasp (follow photographer Lars Roes of Lifejourney4two here)
What’s on the menu? (Us?)
African eagles hunt and feed on a wide variety of prey. Naturally, the size and the exact breakdown of prey are extremely species-dependent, but almost all eagles can tackle animals heavier than themselves. For example, Africa’s three prodigious eagle species – the martial, Verreaux’s and the crowned – have been observed catching and killing adult antelope. Certain eagle species maintain a specialist diet (such as fish eagles), while others have adopted a much broader palate.
Fascinatingly, the Taung Child, a young Australopithecus africanus whose remains were discovered in South Africa, is believed to have been killed by an eagle. According to Professor Lee Burger, the damage to the skull’s eye sockets matches that of monkey specimens collected from crowned eagle nests. The crowned eagle shows a particular preference for primates, and there have been a couple of isolated incidents in modern times where crowned eagles have killed or injured small children. However, this is highly unusual behaviour, and an eagle is far more likely to target a small dog or cat.
Wahlberg’s eagle
The inevitable descent
Unfortunately for African eagles, humans present a far more significant threat to their survival than they do to ours. In recent decades, most eagle populations have suffered at our hands in one way or another. The dramatic fall in vulture numbers has been relatively well-documented in recent years, but conservationists are also raising the alarm for many other birds of prey, including eagles. The distressing decline has been particularly pronounced in West Africa but is widespread throughout the continent and has affected most of the larger raptors. The reasons behind this drop are likely diverse and can be linked to habitat loss, power lines and poisoning. Large eagles, particularly martial eagles, are also targeted by farmers who blame them for killing their livestock. As a result, a 2020 Red List update saw the bateleur, martial eagle, and secretary bird raised to the higher threat level of ‘Endangered’.
Persecution at human hands is exacerbated by the fact that the larger, territorial eagle species naturally occur at low densities. Their reproduction rates are slow, and a breeding pair may only raise one chick every two years. It will then take a young eagle between six and eight years to reach sexual maturity. This makes it extremely difficult for African eagle populations to bounce back once their numbers begin to fall.
Conclusion
It is little wonder that African eagles are associated with powerful symbolism in religion, mythology and even heraldry. They are silent and deadly killers, devoted parents, and fierce combatants.
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Well that was special! Daily encounters with hunting cheetahs, painted wolves and mating lions in Botswana’s Khwai Private Reserve was the tonic I needed to remind me why I am so in love with Africa, my home. And of course elephants everywhere and even a few sightings of stunning sable antelopes.
My personal highlight was hours spent watching thousands of birds working the drying out channels for fish and molluscs. Flotillas of pelicans shepherded the shoals amongst hovering pied kingfishers while marabou and yellow-billed storks stabbed away and black herons, slaty egrets and open-billed storks worked the fringes. And of course, fish eagles kept everybody on their toes. Simply breathtaking. And somewhere a leopard lurked on the fringes, but we could not see it.
Expect my report back in a month or two – and some mouth-watering images 🙂
Have you ever wondered why, when you were a child, the summer holidays seemed to last forever but now whole years seem to pass in the blink of an eye? Our perception of time is extremely subjective and tends to speed up as we age. In other words, people are fairly bad at objectively comprehending the passage of time.
Why do I mention this? Have a look at our “Did you know” fact of the week about the tallest tree in Africa. Experts estimate that this particular tree is between 500-600 years old but there are some pine trees in North America that are over 5,000 years old and still living. Imagine if our lifespans extended that long – would we be more invested in protecting the planet’s future?
From our Editor-in-Chief
The storms are beginning to build over Southern Africa, the hot afternoons pregnant with anticipation for the dry season’s breaking. For many areas, we are still a month or so away from the first big rains that will coax the exuberant green from the dusty, brown-grey landscape. As the heat increases, so the herbivores are forced to the diminishing waterholes. The predators know this and provide a terrifying gauntlet for the thirsty herds.
Now, if you live in Africa, you can go and see these epic dramas unfolding in Botswana for a bargain price – check out this amazing special. Alas for African residents only.
While you are considering where to find the cash to take us up on this amazing offer, have a read through our first story below which delves into the lives of what many consider Africa’s most beautiful antelopes – sable and roan.
In our second story below, CEO Simon Espley leads teamAG into the remote mountains of Magoebaskloof in search of Africa’s rarest parrot as part of the conservation efforts directed at saving the Cape parrot.
Finally, to inspire you further into safari mode, our third story below is a deep dive into Chobe National Park, Botswana – a stunning, diverse wilderness heading into its most action-packed month.
• Safari dreaming? Check out this seductive video of the stunning Elsa’s Kopje in Meru National Park, Kenya. For the best prices for this and many other camps and lodges check out our club lodge collection.
• Wonderful Covid-related news is that Kenya has been removed from the UK red list and Malawi has loosened its requirements to a 72-hour negative PCR test window and no prior clearance required from the Ministry of Health. Visit our club forum for Covid-related travel advice from our members.
• Did you know that tipping can be an anxious moment for some safari-goers, and the subject of much debate and advice? Well, stress no more because here is all the information that you need: Tipping while on safari.
Many places offer excellent elephant viewing, but Chobe National Park of Botswana boasts the world’s highest density. From rich riverine habitats to vast dry savannas, names like Chobe, Savute, and Linyanti are imbued with the spirit of safari legend. Of the many safari wonders on offer in Africa, time spent in the company of elephants is always something to be treasured. With their complex intelligence and delightful social dynamics, every sighting of these grey giants is unique – whether it involves babies swinging their trunks around, a breeding herd cooling off in the mud or the calm towering presence of an old bull.
Chobe River and Chobe National Park
The Chobe region is dominated by Chobe National Park (NP), an 11,700km2 (117 000 hectares) park situated in the northeastern corner of Botswana. As Botswana’s third-largest national park, it is arguably its most biodiverse, divided as it is into four distinct habitat regions (more on that below). The park is also surrounded by private and state concessions and reserves. These protected areas act as buffer zones around the park and extend to and link with other reserves to create a massive open system for wildlife movement. This enormous Chobe-Linyanti Ecosystem is open to Namibia’s Zambezi Region to the north, the Okavango Delta region to the west and Hwange National Park and surrounds in Zimbabwe to the east.
The Chobe River marks the border between Namibia and Botswana. Its banks and flood plains are Chobe NP’s most popular destinations, attracting vast numbers of wildlife (and eager tourists) during the dry season. The river enters Botswana further west as the Kwando River, which historically would have linked with the Okavango River to feed the once enormous Lake Makgadikgadi. The same tectonic shifts that created the Okavango Delta and, ultimately, Victoria Falls redirected the paths of the rivers. The Kwando River divides into the Linyanti Swamps and continues east as the Linyanti River, cutting a jagged path across the country’s north. It feeds into the seasonal Lake Liambesi before finally emerging as the Chobe River. Its confluence with the Zambezi River marks “Africa’s Four Corners” – the meeting point of Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. When the Zambezi is in flood, it pushes water back up through the confluence, making the Chobe flow in the opposite direction.
These vast waterways are the lifeblood of the Chobe region, and whether viewed by boat or safari vehicle, the scenery and wildlife on display are, quite simply, breathtaking.
Goliath heron cooling down in the Chobe heat
Chobe National Park can be conceptually divided into four distinct areas, each with its own unique character, vegetation, and wildlife highlights. These are the Chobe Riverfront on the northeastern edge of the park, Linyanti to the north-west, Savute to the south and the Nogatsaa area/Ngwenzumba Pans.
Chobe Riverfront
Also sometimes referred to as the Serondela area, this is the most popular part of the park and is easily accessible from the nearby town of Kasane. Unsurprisingly, given the availability of water, this region has the highest wildlife concentrations and offers some of the best boat-based safaris in Africa. Naturally, many luxury lodges offer packages that include various activities, including game drives, guided walks, and boat trips. Self-drive visitors can opt to stay at the public Ihaha Campsite.
The lush floodplains attract enormous herds of elephants, buffalos and zebras. Away from the river, the deep sands are dominated by gorgeous forests with Zambezi teak (Baikiaea plurijuga) as the starring attraction. The Chobe Riverfront is also home to Botswana’s only puku population (a fawn-coloured relative of the waterbuck that is more commonly seen in Zambia).
The contrast between the emerald green wet season and the dusty heat of the late dry season is almost incongruous
Savute
The western stretch of the park is Savute (occasionally spelt Savuti), which borders Moremi Game Reserve to the southwest. Wild and remote, this region is popular with self-drive travellers who approach from Botswana’s safari capital, Maun, and aim for the Savute Campsite, the second of Chobe NP’s public campsites. Perhaps the most famous attraction (and the most geographically significant feature) is the enigmatic Savute channel, which empties into the Savute Marsh. This once-forgotten river was dry from the late 19th century until it flowed some 75 years later in 1958. Since then, it has followed an entirely unpredictable rhythm, drying up for decades at a time, seemingly unaffected by neighbouring floods (though possibly influenced by small tectonic movements), before flowing once again. The haunting silhouettes of dead trees lining the Savute Marsh bear a sun-bleached testament to the effects of the channel’s temperamental nature.
In an often-arid region, the presence (or absence) of water changes the landscape and forces the wildlife to adapt in new and innovative ways. Regardless of whether or not the channel is flowing, animals have to adjust their behaviour to the pattern of the seasons, from wet to dry and back again. The lions of Savute have become famous for their dry season elephant hunting techniques, often targeting adolescents on the fringes of breeding herds and using numbers and sheer determination to secure themselves the biggest meal possible. Leopards stalk the outskirts of the drying pools of the marshes, displaying no cat-like concern for cleanliness when diving into the mud to catch the flailing catfish.
The savannas are dotted with rocky outcrops where leopards seek refuge and survey the beautiful landscape. The hills were also the haunts of ancient humans who lived to the pulse of the seasons in Savute. The rocky outcrops of the Gubatsa Hills are decorated with their ochre drawings.
The Linyanti swamps at dusk
Linyanti
This delta-like and predator-rich section of the park lies in the north-western corner, bordered by the Linyanti River and Namibia to the north and linked to the Okavango by the Selinda Spillway. Though getting to Linyanti is something of a journey in itself (and occasionally impossible by road during the height of the wet season), the effort is well rewarded by one of the most spectacular and unspoilt wilderness areas in Southern Africa. Another watery wonderland, the Linyanti Marshes are divided by a series of lagoons and waterways just begging to be explored by motorboat or in a mokoro (a traditional canoe-like vessel). The marshy reedbeds hide unusual antelope such as sitatunga and red lechwe. The open habitats away from the riparian woodlands are perfect for viewing Linyanti’s famous packs of African painted wolves (wild dogs).
Though most of the accommodation options are at the higher end of the luxury spectrum, there is a third public campsite in Linyanti. Private concessions like Linyanti Game Reserve and Selinda Game Reserve expand the opportunities to explore the Linyanti ecosystem beyond the confines of Chobe NP. The surrounding private concessions also offer additional budget-friendly options.
Nogatsaa grasslands/Ngwenzumba Pans
The fourth and final region of Chobe, Nogatsaa, is known for a series of clay pans surrounded by mopane woodlands and grasslands. It is notoriously difficult to get to, with the roads alternating between wily thick sand and disagreeable black cotton soils. This tends to keep all but the most hardcore nature enthusiasts at bay, resulting in a pure and unspoilt wilderness experience for those who do brave the journey.
On land or water, exploring Chobe is full of fun and animal action
Wild Chobe
Chobe NP is a safari enthusiast’s playground – an unapologetic spectacle of Africa at her most wild. Quite aside from the more “traditional” wildlife, few people realise that Chobe is part of the longest mammal migration in Africa: the Chobe-Nxai Pan zebra migration. Every year around 20,000 zebras make a round trip of nearly 1,000km, spending the dry months around the Chobe River from June until early November, before massing and returning south to Nxai Pan. Chobe is also a fantastic place to view some of the more unusual antelope like sable, roan, tsessebe, puku, oribi and lechwe.
The waterways are filled with pods of hippos that emerge to mow the grasslands at night or during cool weather. They share their world with the Nile crocodiles, which prey on everything from incautious lions to the savage-looking African tigerfish. Undeterred by this array of teeth, elephants take to the water during the heat of the day, swimming with surprising grace for such massive animals and using their trunks as built-in snorkels. The enormous troops of baboons that spend their days foraging for fruit around the riverine forests are often overlooked but are hugely entertaining.
The birding is as remarkable as the mammal viewing, with over 450 species on offer. Of course, the water birds are of particular interest. Even the most disinterested birder could not fail to be charmed by the oversized feet of lily-trotting jacana chicks or the water-shading antics of the black heron. Every year, a noisy cloud of pink heralds the arrival of the southern carmine bee-eaters and birders can spend time at the Kasane rapids searching for rock pratincoles, African skimmers and Pel’s fishing owls hidden in the huge riverine forest trees.
From five-star to camping – accommodation for all tastes and wallets
Explore & Stay
Botswana’s Chobe National Park is the quintessential Southern African safari experience, bursting to the brim with extraordinary wildlife, spectacular scenery, and a constant sense of adventure. The remote areas offer the perfect opportunity to unplug and enjoy a digital detox while serenaded by Chobe’s birds, beasts, and frogs. The Chobe River can be enjoyed on a day’s river cruise or, for those wishing to take in the experience over several days, on one of the region’s houseboats.
The dry season from June until October is the busiest time in the park. For good reason – the dwindling drinking water concentrates the wildlife around the river and remaining water points, and the sightings are extraordinary. However, the green season offers its advantages, including the arrival of migratory bird species, a baby boom, and lower accommodation rates. During the height of the rainy season, many of the roads become waterlogged and difficult to navigate, so self-drive travellers would be well advised to plan their routes well and ensure some level of 4WD driving proficiency.
Chobe NP has three public campsites for those travelling on a budget: Ihaha, Savute and Linyanti. These are extremely popular during the dry season and need to be booked well in advance to avoid disappointment. The town of Kasane – which briefly rose to fame as one of Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding destinations (an honour shared by just seven other venues) – offers several budget accommodations outside of the park. Visitors looking for more exclusive alternatives can take their pick from any number of luxury lodges and, during the high season, mobile camps.
Want to go on safari to Chobe? 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.
An elephant calf enjoys the coolth of the Chobe River
Twenty-seven of Africa’s rarest parrots – the Cape parrot – cavorted in the pecan nut trees above us, screeching as they played, squabbling and scoffing delicious, ripe nuts. I was entranced and rooted to the spot, absorbed by the energy and amazingness of the moment. But for the next few days, when it mattered, we saw no parrots.
Our beautiful counting site on a mountain top near Magoebaskloof
We were in Magoebaskloof, South Africa, enjoying a sneak peek at these national treasures at a popular Cape parrot hangout the day before our participation in the annual Cape Parrot Big Birding Day. For the following two days, our designated count site was atop a remote mountain a few hours drive away. My counting partners and I – teamAG – were in an old pecan nut grove on a working farm, with local birdman extraordinaire and professional guide David Letsoalo. The tasty nuts are an irresistible temptation for parrots – especially with the decline of South Africa’s Mist-belt forests that contain the birds’ natural food sources (yellowwood and other indigenous tree fruit and nuts). Unfortunately, regular feasting on pecan nuts is terrible for parrot health – a bit like too much pizza for humans.
Top: a half-eaten pecan nut. Bottom: A Cape parrot using its dextrous feet and sharp beak to crack open a tasty pecan nut.
Before I get into the count itself, a quick shout out to Amorentia Farm owner Howard Blight and manager Wynand Espach, who host not only these unique birds that descend to mutilate their crop but also welcome crazy bird-watchers like me who come to see the Capes. The farm’s business model has moved away from pecan nut harvesting (although the trees have been left standing for the Capes to feast on) and now focuses on dragon fruit, ornamental flowers, avocado, and macadamia saplings. Howard and Wynand are rapidly becoming legendary ‘parrot-whisperers’, so passionate are they about their former nemeses. Thanks also to John Davies of Endangered Wildlife Trust, who put in long hours to arrange the Magoebaskloof counting groups.
Before heading to our count site the following morning, we spent more time with David scouting the indigenous forests around Magoebaskloof – his backyard. We were lucky again, relishing a few sightings of Capes, one at a nest site high in an old (alien) gum tree and another of a black sparrow-hawk hunting a flock of five parrots. During this thoroughly enjoyable morning, we also ticked off olive woodpecker, olive bushshrike, yellow-streaked greenbul, yellow woodland warbler, blue-mantled crested flycatcher and black-fronted bushshrike, amongst other avian jewels. David was a superb guide, and his intimate understanding of Cape parrots and immense birding skills make him a must-have guide for any birding trip to this area.
Cape parrot pair at their nest site in an old gum tree. Bottom photo: Male on left, female on right.
Okay, so back to the count. It was May, early winter, and even the Lowveld at this altitude can be inclement. And so it was – cold and blustery. TeamAG (me, safari product manager Nadia and Photographer of the Year runner-up Marcus) was allocated a never-before monitored site overlooking a deep ravine with snatches of forest below. Our spot was on a remote mountain plateau, so we required a four-wheel drive and camping equipment (including a spade …) for this off-the-grid adventure.
We sat diligently at our posts for the allocated late afternoon and early morning slots and heard a flock of three to five parrots noisily chattering as they winged their way to their roosts in the evening and again the following morning as they left to forage at lower altitudes. But unfortunately, we did not see them, because each time they flew by just below the lip of the ravine below us. This is why the farm and forest visits the day before were so special.
The two-day sojourn was thoroughly enjoyable, and we will be back next year – hopefully with more volunteers.
Clockwise from top left: At the count spot; in the forest enjoying the expert avian knowledge of David Letsoalo; David Letsoalo listening to a bird call; our remote campsite; our dining room
Others positioned in and around Magoebaskloof were luckier – as were groups at other count sites in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. That said, fewer birds were counted this year (1,477) than in 2019 (1,804).
Quote from Colleen Downs – Cape Parrot Working Group chairperson
“This was the 23rd count since we launched this fantastic citizen science project in 1998. The only year we did not count was in 2020 – for Covid reasons. This year 163 volunteers were posted at a minimum of 70 localities across the provinces. 2022 will be the 25th anniversary of the first count – a significant milestone. Please diarise Saturday 7 May and Sunday 8 May 2022 if you wish to help.”
Contact The Cape Parrot Working Group via email if you wish to volunteer for this epic adventure and become a much-valued citizen scientist.
Taxonomists have prodigious power – their choice of the scientific name for everything from viruses to large mammals leaves behind an enduring historical footprint of our understanding of evolutionary relationships. In recent years, newly discovered species are given names based on everything from bad puns to popular culture (Agra vation – a type of canopy beetle, Polemistus chewbacca – a wasp). Taxonomists of old went in for a more descriptive approach, and while it is impossible to know whether or not it was ever tongue in cheek, the outcome is sometimes equally entertaining. Enter the Hippotragus (sable and roan antelope) – the two magnificent “horse-goats” of the ungulate world.
Early artistic representations of the roan antelope (left), the sable antelope (top right) and the now extinct blue buck (bottom right)
Hippotragus
With long faces, caprine ears, and brawny, equine musculature, there is something “horse-goaty” about the only two surviving members of the Hippotragus genus. Both the roan and sable are among the most attractive antelope in Africa. Characterised by striking markings, robust bodies, and backward curving horns, the family resemblance between the two is evident in shape if not in coat colour (both species take their English names from the predominant colour of their fur).
One glance at their morphology should be sufficient to see an unmistakable resemblance to the oryx family, albeit with a different approach to weaponry. Thus, the roan and sable are grouped into the subfamily Hippotraginae (the “grazing antelopes”) along with the four oryx species and the addax – a collection of seven extant species belonging to three genera. These likely evolved from a common ancestor, with the Oryx and Addax settling in northern Africa initially and the Hippotragus adapted to the savanna habitats of the south. Ruminant classification, particularly antelope, remains a work-in-progress, but great strides have been made with recent genetic analysis.
Though the roan and sable diverged some five or more million years ago, they still show considerable similarities in behaviour, features and adaptations. Fascinatingly, even though they have spent millions of years evolving sympatrically (within overlapping ranges), recent evidence indicates that they can and do hybridise. Hybridisation is most frequently observed in Angola, where declining giant sable numbers (more below) have seen sable and roan interbreeding. This is sometimes referred to as Hubb’s principle or ‘desperation’ hypothesis and creates a vicious cycle where a rare species is more likely to mate with a similar species. (Disappointingly, there is no record that these hybrids are ever referred to as either “soans” or “rables”.)
Quick facts
Roan
Sable
Mass
223-300kg
220-235kg
Shoulder height
135-160cm
117-140cm
Gestation period
278 days
273 days
Number of young
One calf (twins occasionally recorded)
One calf (twins occasionally recorded)
Average life expectancy
Up to 25 years in captivity (around 17 years in the wild)
15-20 years in captivity (less in the wild)
Even without hybridisation, the tiny calves of sable and roan antelope are almost indistinguishable during their early months. However, by six months, the youngsters begin to take on the distinctive colouration of the adults. The two species stand almost the same height at the shoulder, but the roan is slightly taller and significantly heavier. Roan and sable are both specialist grazers and, as a general rule of thumb, both flourish in regions where competition with other grazers is reduced.
Sable and roan share a virtually identical social structure, with territorial bulls, a breeding herd of females and their youngsters and bachelor groups of immature or displaced males. The only significant difference is that roan breeding herds tend to be slightly smaller on average (5-15 as opposed to 15-22) but show more variation. Like many other antelope species, the bulls defend suitable territories (ideally with plentiful resources) and the females come and go, despite the male’s best efforts to detain them. The females have a strict hierarchy that is usually age-related and maintained by regular displays of low-intensity aggression.
The females hide their calves after birth and will only introduce them to the rest of the herd after a few weeks. The calves then spend most of their time with others of a similar age, and research indicates that sable calves, at least, have preferred playmates whose company they choose over others.
The IUCN Red List lists both species as ‘least concern’, but it must be remembered that these classifications are based on an overall view of the species and are not always applicable to specific regions.
A sable antelope bull
Sable (Hippotragus niger – the “black horse-goat”)
The remarkable sable cannot be mistaken for any other antelope. The coat of the males is jet-black (hence the name), the inky hide broken only by vivid splashes of white on the belly and face. Adult males are equipped with sharp-tipped crescent horns that extend back over their arched necks. Males usually carry their heads high in a show of dominance except for threat displays when they drop their heads and scythe their horns from side to side. The females are furnished with arched horns, and while these are shorter and thinner than those of the bulls, they are still potentially deadly weapons. The cows lack the ebony sheen of the males, and their coats are more subtly chestnut coloured.
Sable can be exceptionally defensive when provoked, attacked, or injured, and, as adults, their only natural predators are lions and crocodiles (and very occasionally, Africa painted wolves and spotted hyenas). Like most antelope, sable are generally shy around people, but captive individuals are less nervous. A warning charge from a sable bull can be singularly terrifying. (Watch here for an entertaining insight into how quick wildlife vets need to be on their feet.)
Sable have a preference for miombo woodland and are found in savanna and grassland habitats across south-east and south-central Africa, with a small isolated population found in Angola. While classified as specialist grazers, they readily browse during the dry season when they compensate for poor grazing with leaves and forbs. There are four recognised subspecies of sable (though the validity of these divisions remains in question and most are not yet recognised by the IUCN): the southern sable (H. n. niger), Zambian sable (H. n. kirkii), eastern sable (H. n. roosevelti) and the giant sable (H. n. variani).
Though the first three subspecies occur in relatively stable numbers, the resplendent giant sable of the Angolan savanna is critically endangered. Despite being a national symbol of Angola, the latest assessment of their numbers by the IUCN suggests that fewer than 250 mature individuals remain. As the descriptor “giant” indicates, they are the largest of the four sable subspecies, and their horns can reach over 1.5m in length.
Roan antelope cow
Roan (Hippotragus equinus – the “horsey horse-goat”)
As their vernacular name suggests, roan range in colour from a pale grey to reddish-brown, with their faces marked by bold black and white patterns. They are the second tallest and third heaviest antelope in Africa. Their horns are proportionately shorter than those of the sable (the record is just over 90cm) and are slightly less curved. The sexual dimorphism is considerably less marked in roan, and adult females are only fractionally smaller than the males. The most beguiling feature of roan antelope is their elongated and angled ears, which add a somewhat absurd edge to an otherwise handsome animal. Like sable, roan are placid until provoked, at which point they fight viciously and have been known to kill lions in self-defence.
Roan antelope inhabit woodland and grassland savanna habitats, and their range overlaps with that of the sable in several areas. However, roan are the only Hippotragus antelope found north of the Equator and across into West Africa. Six subspecies are currently recognised, which has made fragmented populations challenging to manage and added to conservation challenges. There are parts of Africa where the roan numbers have plummeted, particularly in South Africa’s Kruger National Park and the Ruma National Park in Kenya.
The extinct blue buck
Bluebuck (Hippotragus leucophaeus– the lost “horse-goat”)
Until the late 1700s, a third Hippotragus antelope roamed the southern tip of Africa. The bluebuck was the first large mammal to become extinct in historical times, hunted to extinction around 1800 and followed shortly by the quagga a few years later. The unfortunate bluebuck was likely restricted to a small range within the Cape area of South Africa. And genetic studies indicate that bluebuck numbers were low even before European settlers arrived in South Africa. Though hunting finished them off, there were likely several other contributory factors, including disruption of ancient migratory pathways due to natural climate shifts, loss of habitat and competition with roan and then livestock.
While the blue buck was once considered a subspecies of the roan, genetic studies confirm that it was a distinct species. However, experts have had to work extremely hard to clarify its exact history because many of the collected specimens were either roan or sable. The bluebuck was probably more closely related to the sable, with a small population becoming geographically isolated and eventually evolving into a separate species.
Slightly smaller than both sable and roan, the bluebuck was likely equally attractive and charismatic.
Where to find them in the wild?
Though both sable and roan have a relatively widespread distribution throughout Africa, there is nowhere that they could be considered to be particularly common. Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park in Botswana, as well as Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe are good places to spot both. Malawi’s Nyika Plateau is an excellent location to view roan antelope, as are the Busanga Plains of Kafue in Zambia. The miombo woodlands of southern Tanzania and western Zambia both support large populations of sable.
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A sable bull chases some vultures off an elephant carcass
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Most heroes get on with their hero work anonymously. Often their only reward is the personal knowledge of a job well done, or, a pat on the back from a proud spouse, parent or colleague. Many have and will die, as they lived – in penury, rewarded with memories rather than money.
We can all think of such people – courageous rangers who, as we acknowledge on World Rhino Day on the 22nd of September, risk life and limb to protect our precious wildlife; passionate researchers who toil in heat, cold and dust in the pursuit of knowledge; tireless fundraisers who pry open the coffers of the well-to-do; the generous donors who hand out largesse without ever asking for acknowledgement.
In our first story below, we take a look at a tiny proportion of the substantial academic literature related to lion hunting in Africa. This is a fascinating and important area of research undertaken by academic heroes who work in politically and physically dangerous spaces, making a huge difference to African predator conservation.
Our second story below is a wonderful tale of a family smitten by African wilderness. While on a canoe trip, they passed an idyllic spot on the Zambezi River bank below Kariba Dam and fell in love. Now their lives are dedicated to restoring nature at Mukalya Private Game Reserve.
Reading academic tomes can be like mainlining anaesthetic drugs. Our third story below is an exception. It is a summary of a massive report compiled by the School of Wildlife Conservation at the African Leadership University. It’s the result of years of often thankless research compiled by unsung heroes at the coalface of trying to understand the future of Africa’s wild spaces.
James Hendry – Editor-in-Chief
From our Scientific Editor
The distressing decline of insect numbers across the globe is cause for tremendous concern. Not only do these helpful animals play a role in removing detritus but, most importantly, they pollinate many of the crop species that feed the world. Whatever the reason for this disappearance, it could exponentially worsen malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies (particularly vitamin A) for hundreds of thousands of people. Have a look at our “Did you know” fact of the week – it is a terrifying realisation that the future of our chocolate supply potentially rests on the tiny shoulders of the cacao plants’ midge pollinators.
• If this evocative video filmed in Tanzania’s remote Katavi NP does not get you dreaming of your next safari, nothing will. Tip: visit our club lodge selection and search for ‘Katavi’ or ‘Tanzania’ for the best lodges and prices.
• Travel insurance is vital for your safari plans. Make sure your insurance package includes cancellation or curtailment of the safari (including due to Covid), emergency evacuation expenses, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, damage/theft/loss of personal baggage, money and goods.
• Intrepid travellers are taking advantage of killer prices – out there as you read this enjoying their safaris arranged by teamAG. Check out this review of an excellent safari to Greater Kruger, South Africa.
In March 2021, the School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC) at the African Leadership University published a report – State of the Wildlife Economy in Africa – based on research to determine the value of wildlife in Africa. The goal: to encourage more public and private investments in natural landscapes to improve conservation outcomes and support economic development.
Africa possesses extraordinarily rich and diverse wildlife resources. They comprise the planet’s largest mammal species assemblages, second-largest tropical rainforest and three of the most productive marine ecosystems. Africa’s wild resources – its wildlife (fauna and flora, marine and terrestrial) and its natural landscapes are, however, largely not recognised for their economic, livelihood, and health contributions. And they should be, as should ecosystem services linked to wild resources such as agriculture and commercial forestry.
Given that the Global Risks Report has ranked biodiversity loss as one of the top five global risks in the next ten years (WEF, 2019), it is critical that governments invest in protecting biodiversity. This will stimulate development by supporting the growth of the wildlife economy, increasing revenues and employment. Investments in conservation deliver competitive returns compared with other mainstream sectors. Therefore, African governments must step up to create an enabling environment for investment in the sustainable use of wildlife and natural landscapes. This is especially important given how many local livelihoods and macro-economies are tied to and reliant on wildlife and other natural resources.
The sun slips towards the horizon, turning the sky from blue to shades of pale pink and orange. We’re staying at Mukalya Private Game Reserve (upstream from Lower Zambezi National Park) and have just spent the afternoon fishing on the Zambezi River in Zambia. As we drift downstream, we catch sight of an elephant, a lone young bull, who uses his prehensile trunk to grasp clumps of grass and leaves. He slowly ambles along the bank, almost keeping pace with our drifting boat for a couple of kilometres, before he climbs the steep bank and disappears.
My husband resumes fishing, and I continue to watch the bank where groups of women gather to wash the family laundry and children splash in the shallows. Men relax, chat, and doubtless discuss the merits of various fishing sites and methods. We drift past islands, big and small.
The massive corkscrew horns of a kudu bull loom above the boat as we glide on, while impala gaze passively down from the riverbank and pied kingfishers dive for fish. Then, a movement on the bank catches our eyes. A magnificent male leopard, indifferent to us, saunters along the soft sand. We watch until he disappears.
My husband begs for “one more cast”, and his afternoon suddenly improves as he hooks a tiger fish. The river predator puts up a brave fight but, after a brief tousle, is landed, weighed, measured, photographed and returned to the water. A leopard and a ‘tiger’ in one afternoon – impressive.
Clockwise from top left: African fish eagle; water monitor lizard; puku cows; kudu bulls; a young leopard; a territorial hippo.
Mukalya Private Game Reserve
We are staying at Mukalya Private Game Reserve on the banks of the Zambezi. Seventy years ago, this was an area of incredible biodiversity and wildlife. It was also where most of Zambia’s rhino lived. However, poaching, habitat loss caused by deforestation (both for farming and charcoal production) denuded the area of wildlife. Just over a decade ago, barely an animal was to be seen. Then in 2006, on a canoe trip down the river, a family fell in love with the area and decided to restore it. They developed a vision for reintroducing wildlife, protecting the forests and restoring the space to its former glory.
Once they had securely fenced the reserve, they began reintroducing wildlife and educating the local villagers about the value of wildlife conservation. To date, the family has reintroduced 14 mammal species (including sable, eland, tsessebe, giraffe and zebra). This was not a process without its challenges. Some animals died during transportation; others failed to adjust to their new environment. A severe drought necessitated additional feed while elephants and hippos regularly broke fences, causing costly repairs. A pride of lions swam across the river from the Zimbabwean Hurungwe Game Management Area and consumed many newly introduced residents.
Local fishermen plying their trade on the Zambezi River
Conflict
Initially, there were also challenges with the members of the local community. Poaching, conflicts over boundaries, and widespread tree felling were some. But the family’s hard work has paid off. Local people are now benefitting through much-needed employment and social projects that include community schools, clinics, solar lighting, agricultural inputs for local farmers, wells and the provision of water pumps. In addition, the family has worked with the Zambian Wildlife Authority to reduce poaching and have not lost a single animal to illegal hunting in the last six years. Indeed, when an animal escapes from the Mukalya now, the local villagers inform the family and play an active role in herding the escapee home.
Mukalya’s stunning hospitality experience
Turning to tourism
The re-stocking project was costly, as were the ongoing costs of staffing and maintaining the reserve. With this in mind, the family recently decided to open a tourism operation to help the reserve support itself.
The previous afternoon we had headed upstream and into the Kariba Gorge. The river here has carved its way through the basalt rock, creating dramatic cliffs. As we entered the gorge, the river narrowed. Water swished and swirled around our boat. The precipitous banks are covered in dense vegetation, and we passed the occasional sandy beach and seasonal waterfall cascading into the river. There were scores of fish eagles dotted in the trees above the turbulent waters. In the shadows of the gorge, we saw two rare, rufous plumaged Pel’s fishing owls.
Precipitous gorges of the Zambezi River
Heading further upstream, towards the Kariba Dam (the largest dam in the world for storage capacity), we passed ‘Nyami Nyami Rock’. Local legend has it that this rock island is the Zambezi River God, Nyami Nyami, trapped forever in the river below the wall, while his wife remains trapped in the dam above. Traditionally, superstitious fishermen wouldn’t pass this rock and would never fish upstream of it, but time has softened traditions, and we saw a couple of dugout canoes and local men trying their luck as we headed towards the wall.
The closer we got to the wall, the more the water seethed and swirled, rushing over rocks and creating hundreds of tiny whirlpools. Then, suddenly, it loomed out of the water ahead of us. We sat in the boat, engine idling, and looked up at the massive construction, holding back 185 billion cubic metres of water.
Nyami Nyami rock
Strolling in the wild
The following morning, we explored the local area on foot – a 12km round trip to some hot springs. We walked through the reserve, surrounded by groves of false chestnut trees (local name Mundoli, scientific name Triplochiton zambesiacus). These vast, wide-canopied trees, with mottled, grey-white bark, large-lobed leaves and clusters of pale yellow flowers, are restricted to the Zambezi Valley.
We spotted kudu, duiker, sable and waterbuck in the dappled shade. An African golden oriole flew overhead, and we stepped over the fat tracks of a python. We had hoped for a sighting of the elusive, migratory African pitta (formerly Angolan pitta), which is in the area from November to February. It was March, and sadly there were no lingering pittas. We did see and hear a variety of other birdlife, however.
Between August and November, thousands of southern carmine bee-eaters paint the sky, bushes and steep, sandy riverbanks dazzling pinks and blues. We stood in the dry bed of one the Zambezi’s tributaries and marvelled at the extensive network of tunnels excavated into the towering banks above.
We were there at the right time to examine some of the smaller critters, including creepy, omnivorous (and occasionally cannibalistic) harvester crickets. We also watched numerous spider-hunting wasps, which paralyse their prey, burying it live with their eggs, to provide the young with ‘fresh’ food.
Elephants cooling off in the Zambezi River
Hot Springs
Leaving the reserve behind, we walked through local villages, waving at cattle and goat herders, greeting school children and stopping to have a chat with the village headman, before reaching the hot springs. At 90°C, the water was much too hot to touch, and clouds of mist rose above it in the cool morning air. Local women sometimes bring their pumpkins here to cook in the hot water while they tend the fields nearby. Further from the source, in a shaded clearing, the water was cooler, and our guide told us that bathing here, with the natural salts, sulphur and other minerals, has numerous health benefits. We didn’t stop to swim though; our tummies were rumbling.
Brunch was a scrumptious affair, and after our morning exertions, we felt we had earned it. Zebra looked on while we sat and chatted with the family. Uncle Josh regaled us with tales of the past, the giant trees that had grown here, and the wild animals roaming the area before poaching and human encroachment changed everything.
Sitting, coffee in hand and bellies full, we chatted with Michael, the driving force behind the project. He spoke of Mukalya’s future – the expansion of the reserve, the reintroduction of more animals, combating deforestation, plastic waste reduction, recycling projects, sustainable local fishing methods and future community projects. The family hopes to drop fences with neighbouring properties to increase the conservation footprint.
We couldn’t help but be inspired by the passion and commitment that has gone into the development of Mukalya Private Game Reserve. We hope the future will be a bright one and that it won’t be long before we return to check on progress.
In the wake of the bow-hunting of Mopane the lion, we searched for some literature and expert commentary on the sustainability of the trophy hunting of free-roaming lions in Africa, particularly around Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. We came across extensive scientific literature on African lion hunting and its effects on population dynamics and numbers.
Around 20 – 30 male lions are shot by trophy hunters every year in Zimbabwe. Some of these are in community-owned conservancies and some private hunting concessions, which may border national parks.
Hwange National Park
We wanted to know if the hunting of lions around Hwange as it is currently practised might drive lions to local extinction. The answer is most likely not. Hwange is part of a massive, open system stretching to Victoria Falls in the northwest and the Okavango Delta (and beyond) in the west. Hwange hunting is like ‘nibbling on the edges’ of the greater transfrontier protected area.
That is not to say the effect of hunting is negligible by any means. Between 1999 and 2012, of 206 recorded lion mortalities in Hwange, human beings caused 88% of male and 67% of female deaths. Trophy hunters caused the vast majority of male deaths while lionesses fell to bycatch snaring, retaliatory killing and hunting 1.
Lion hunting in Hwange has wrought tremendous changes on lion demographics and has certainly reduced lion numbers 2. When male lion offtakes were highest, survival of all age and sex classes were lowest. Over the period 1999 – 2021, reduced hunting quotas coincided with an increase in the overall population (62%) and a male density increase of 200 %! According to the 2016 study (footnote 2), the population started to decline again with increased hunting pressure and higher mortalities. When hunting was most intense in the early 2000s, population ratios were highly skewed towards females.
The Hwange situation has been repeated in various parts of Tanzania, where over-hunting has reduced lion numbers on a national scale 3 and lower population growth rates are expected where trophy hunting persists 4.
It is also important to appreciate that anthropogenic lion deaths around Hwange are not only caused by trophy hunters. Unintentional deaths from snaring and intentional killing due to human-wildlife conflict also reduce lion numbers. All of these causes combined could lead to a population crash – but at the moment, this seems unlikely. In many parts of Africa, it is simply not known how many lions are lost to anthropogenic mortality 5.
Why the six-year-old threshold?
In Zimbabwe, the minimum age for a trophy-sized male lion is six years old. This threshold comes from a mathematical model developed by Anthony Starfield in the early 1980s in the Kruger National Park, South Africa 6. The model was expanded and refined in 2007 by Whitman et al. 7. Further research, however, indicates that harvesting males after they have reared their first cohort of cubs can be sustainable but that in Southern Africa, where lions appear to mature more slowly than in East Africa, the threshold of six years is too low and should be increased to at least seven 8.
However, this assessment of sustainability assumes two things. First, the hunting operator is ethical in so much as he will not allow a client to shoot an animal too young (not always the case9), and second that he can accurately age the lion his client is about to kill. One study shows that hunters achieved a success rate of only 63% when ageing lions, normally overestimating the ages10. The study recommended that to negate the effects of these errors, the minimum threshold for lion hunting should be greater than seven years. Beyond this age, hunters were much more accurate at ageing their targets. This is supported by at least one study 11 that showed lion population numbers to be negatively affected by the hunting of lions under the age of seven years.
Sinks
What killing lions on the edge of Hwange does cause is a change in lion demography and a vacuum or sink effect. It is not impossible for old lions like Cecil (13) and Mopane (12) to be dominant over prides in an area where lion trophy hunting is prohibited, but it is not common. It is possible and even probable that these old lions were still dominant because trophy hunting has created a dearth of male lions in the Hwange area. By continually shooting dominant males on the edge of the reserve, i.e. by creating vacant territories, males looking for territory will naturally move into these areas – often young nomads looking for their first territories or older males who have already been excluded from their first or second territories. This ‘sink’ effect pulls males into the hunting area and denudes other areas 12.
Likewise, trophy hunting on the Hwange boundary seems to exert a measurable edge effect where lions of all ages and genders living close to the boundary exhibit lower survival compared with more distant groups 13.
Should lions be hunted on the Hwange boundaries?
From a PR perspective, hunting male lions on the boundary of one of Africa’s most famous, most visited photographic safari destinations makes absolutely no sense. In the case of named lions, tourists come to see specific animals and take photographs of them. This is a sustainable, largely non-consumptive practice that lasts for the lifetime of the lion concerned. Famous, named lions attract tourist dollars and act as ambassadors for conservation 14. Shooting a named lion ends this long-term conservation and tourism reward.
Less directly, the negative publicity associated with killing lions – especially when bowhunters are involved in maiming them – could easily result in a booking reduction for photo tourism operators in Hwange. Why would a safari-goer travel to a destination where the latest headlines lament the maiming and killing of a famous lion? Tourists can choose from hundreds of safari locations where the killing of lions is not allowed, thus many, with cash to burn and a dislike of sport killing, will simply spend their money elsewhere. It is possible that for the hunting operators, the adage ‘no publicity is bad publicity’ applies, but it seldom applies to tourism marketing.
Sources in the Hwange area say that local safari guides who ply their trade in the National Park (and other high-profile hunting areas) where hunting on the boundaries is allowed also resent the hunting of iconic animals. Not only do they face the risk of cancelled bookings at their lodges and a reduction in occupancy, but they’re also unable to show their guests the iconic animals that have made their areas famous. This could directly impact their ability to make a living.
Conclusion
So is lion hunting driving lions to extinction, or is it contributing to their conservation counter-intuitively as it may sound? One model suggests that there are no continuous harvesting strategies that do not result in population declines15. The model suggests that hunting periods should be interspersed with periods of no hunting and that the cost of lion hunting should increase due to diminished supply.
While the argument that keeping areas for trophy hunting (which includes lions) keeps that land under wildlife seems to be anecdotally supported, there is a dearth of research confirming this16.
More worrying is the difficulty of following the money trail. In the end, it doesn’t seem to make a great deal of sense for a private landowner and hunting operator on the borders of a national park to benefit from shooting lions that contribute so much to the incomes of so many involved in photo-tourism. If lion hunting takes place in community-owned conservation areas that lack income from photo tourism and the money flow is transparent and equitable (for land, people and lions), then it makes more sense. This is not always the case. In some Zimbabwean CAMPFIRE areas (community-run conservation zones set up to benefit local people and promote positive attitudes to wildlife conservation), residents bemoan the fact that they earn very little from hunting and that wildlife continues to menace their lives17.
Other than in Namibia, it is extremely difficult to determine exactly what proportions of hunting revenue are directed to local communities18.
The sport hunting of lions to satisfy human needs is repellant to many of us (me and many of the scientists referenced here). What many of these scientists desperately want, however, is to find the best possible way of conserving lions into the future while taking into account myriad complexities (the needs of local people, habitat protection, economic necessity). As Macdonald et al.(2017) suggest, lion hunting should be strictly regulated to ensure that it contributes to conservation (people, land and lions). Where hunting is banned, suitable alternatives need to be found for the economic shortfall. It is also worth bearing in mind that overall, the cost of biodiversity loss exceeds income from both photo tourism and hunting.
References (this is a tiny fraction of the available academic literature on trophy hunting)
1 Loveridge A.J., Valeix, M. Elliot, N.B., & Macdonald, D.W. 2017. The landscape of anthropogenic mortality: how African lions respond to spatial variation in risk. Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54, 815–825.
2 Loveridge A.J., Valeix, M., Chapron, G., Davidson, Z., Mtare G., Macdonald, D.W. 2016. Conservation of large predator populations: Demographic and spatialresponses of African lions to the intensity of trophy hunting. Biological Conservation 204 (2016) 247–254.
3 Packer, C., Brink, H., Kissui, B.M., Maliti, H., Kushnir, H. & Caro, T. 2011. Effects of trophy hunting on lion and leopard populations in Tanzania. Conservation Biology 25:142–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01576.x.
4 Packer, C., Loveridge, A., Canney, S., Caro, T., Garnett, S.T. & Pfeifer M et al. 2013 Conserving large carnivores: dollars and fence. Ecology Letters 16: 635–641. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12091.
5 Macdonald, D.W., Loveridge, A.J., Dickman, A., Johnson, P.J., Jacobsen, K.S. & Du Preez, B. (2017) Lions, trophy hunting and beyond: knowledge gaps and why they matter. Mammal Review, 47(4) 247 – 253.
6 Starfield, A.M, Shiell, J.D. & Smuts, G.L. 1981. Simulations of lion control strategies in a large game reserve. Ecol. Modelling, 13: 17-28.
7 Whitman, K.L., Starfield, A.M., Quadling, H., Packer, C., 2007. Modelling the effects of trophy selection and environmental disturbance on a simulated population of African lions. Conserv. Biol. 21, 591–601. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00700.x.
8 Miller. J. R. B., Balme, G., Lindsey, P.A., Loveridge, A.J., Becker, M.S., Begg, C., Brink, H., Dolrenry, S., Hunt, J.E., Janssoni, I., Macdonald, D.W., Mandisodza-Chikerema, R.L., Cotterill A.O., Packer, C., Rosengren, D., Stratford, K., Trinkel, M., White, P.A.,Winterbach, C., Winterbach, C.EK., & Funston, P. 2016. Ageing traits and sustainable trophy hunting of African lions. Biological Conservation 201 (2016) 160–168.
9 Loveridge, A.J., Searleb, A.W., Murindagomo, F., Macdonald, D.W. 2007. The impact of sport-hunting on the population dynamicsof an African lion population in a protected area. Biological Conservation 134 (2007) 548 – 558.
11 Creel, S., M’soka,J., Dröge, E., Rosenblatt, E., Becker, M.S., Matandiko, W. & Twakundine, S. 2016. Assessing the sustainability of African lion trophy hunting, with recommendations for policy. Ecological Applications, 26(7), 2016, pp. 2347–2357.
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RIGHT NOW, I am loving it in Botswana’s spectacular Khwai Private Reserve – hosting our 2021 Photographer of the Year winners. This is my first international foray since Covid descended on us all, and it’s good to be back in the saddle.
I have always enjoyed excellent wild dog encounters in Khwai (both the private reserve and community concession) and look forward to the same thrill on this safari. Mostly though, I will be kicking back and enveloping myself in the heady aroma of wild sage, the soothing motion of a mokoro sliding along water channels, and the early morning avian chorus.
I will also be checking out new lodges on behalf of our travel desk and being re-acquainted with others – stand by for my thoughts.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
The microbiological world is a battlefield. Everyday, our immune systems face down microscopic invaders and every now and again, something slips past our defences. Of the seven and a half billion people on the planet, scientists believe that at least two billion are infected with a microscopic protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. Luckily, most healthy adults are asymptomatic. Now, new research shows that this same parasite alters hyena cub behaviour – often with fatal consequences. Could this parasite be programming its hosts to sacrifice themselves? Read our second story to find out and then perhaps go and clean out your cat’s litterbox.
From our Editor-in-Chief
I was jogging through a reserve last weekend as dawn broke. Giraffe watched, their jaws chewing the night’s cud and a herd of wildebeest scattered into the woodland at the sight of my (less than impressive) human physique. The rhythm of my footfalls, combined with a burgeoning hangover, conjured a song in my mind. ‘There is enough’ croons Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil, ‘for everyone.’. My thoughts drifted to trophy hunting – I try and keep an open mind to it. I know it funds conservation. But the Oil’s lyrics kept repeating ‘there is enough’.
If people can afford to come to Africa to destroy elephants, lions and leopards (as our first story below refers) and often because they claim to love nature, why not just donate the money to conservation? Why the need to hold swathes of land to ransom by refusing to conserve it unless they can kill something and extract it? How is that love? ‘I love you so much that I must shoot you and hang you above my mantlepiece. This is how I express my profound love.’
I have descended from my soapbox now to tell you to sit back and dream of the bizarre, wacky and wonderful world that is Madagascar in our third story below. This is the first of a four-part series on Madagascar, and it takes you on a journey to the northern reaches of the magical island.
If you haven’t joined the AG Club yet, then you can do so here. You could join in wonderful forum discussions created by club members such as guide Greg Lederle who wrote a thought-provoking post on naming wildlife after human beings (see our fourth story below).
• Dreaming of a beach holiday? Seychelles has eased Covid restrictions and is now accepting travellers from all countries except Brazil, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cote D’Ivoire & Guinea.
In a recent Government Notice, (482 of 2021) signed on the 2nd of September, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) of Botswana announced the wildlife hunting quotas for the year 2022. The total number of leopard trophy hunting quotas allocated equates to 70 leopards across the country.
The quotas are allocated per area/concession. Of the 70 leopards, 15 were allocated to the region around the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 16 come from the area between the Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi, 12 from the area west of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and six from the Chobe region. The Government Notice can be found here and a map of relevant areas can be found here. This Government Notice was sent to Africa Geographic by one of our sources and we have been unable to confirm its veracity or trace a version officially released by the Botswana government that is freely available to the public.
Though the Government Notice includes quotas for a total of 16 different species (including elephants but not lions), this article focuses specifically on leopards. As largely solitary, territorial big cats, unsustainable trophy hunting can have potentially devastating effects on leopard numbers and demographics (Balme et al., 2009).
How many leopards are there in Botswana?
As they are a cryptic species, obtaining a reliable population count of leopards is notoriously difficult. An actual physical count at national level is next to impossible so scientists rely on a number of different techniques such as camera trap studies, spoor (track) counts, and citizen science photographic surveys. The density of leopards (usually in number of leopards/100km2) is then calculated and extrapolated to give a rough estimate of leopard numbers depending on the vegetation type/habitat. As a result, population estimates of leopards usually have extremely large confidence intervals (the population could be anywhere within an extensive range). The next step is to use this method to analyse the population trend over the years to determine the impact of human activity, including legal and illegal “offtake” and conservation measures.
A report from the DWNP from May 2020 gives an estimated population of 4,295 leopards, with a caveat to this being that this number could range from anywhere between 1,893 and 6,700. The report also breaks down the estimated leopard population. The DWNP acknowledges that data on leopard population trends is limited, though comparison with a previous count in 2004 from the Central Statistics Office shows a decline in numbers. The DWNP suggests that this is due to an overestimate of numbers by the 2004 report, rather than a declining leopard population. They also point to other “proxy trend measures” such as a stable number of leopard attacks on livestock to demonstrate that the population is stable.
The report states that the data for leopard numbers and densities were compiled by the Botswana Carnivore Forum (a coalition of carnivore projects). We have attempted to reach them for comment on the hunting quotas for leopards and asked if they are happy that the numbers specific to allocated areas are sustainable. We have not yet received a response but will update as and if we do.
The Government Notice includes quotas for a total of 16 different species including elephants but not lions
CITES quotas, hunting quotas and over-estimates
Each year, CITES issues export quotas for various species. These quotas are a limit on the number or quantity of specimens of a particular species that may be exported from the country concerned within a 12-month period. This is not the same as the hunting quota set by the national government, the two numbers are set independently but clearly if a national government sets a hunting quota for a particular species at a number higher than the CITES quota, then that country will not be able to export that excess.
The May 2020 report from the DWNP was compiled as part of a legal CITES requirement for member states to submit a review and non-detriment determination for their annual CITES export quota of leopard hunting trophies and skins. The high CITES leopard export quotas up to 2018 came under fire from academics as being “fundamentally at odds with principles of sustainable use, precaution and adaptive management” (Trouwborst et al., 2019). See Leopard hunting: CITES quotas not sustainable for further information.
At present, Botswana has a CITES export quota for 130 leopard trophies – a number that the May 2020 report states is sustainable and that the DWNP requested be maintained. It states that “the leopard population sustainably supported trophy hunting offtakes when the annual quota was set at 130, and there is no reason to expect that there has been a subsequent decline in leopard numbers and no evidence of such a decline”. Similarly, Namibia and South Africa both requested that their CITES quotas remain the same, at 250 and 150 respectively. Both Kenya and Malawi have scrapped their quotas entirely.
It is important to note that these quotas are not targets and many of the 12 leopard range states with export quotas do not make use of their full quotas. So Botswana has an international export quota from CITES for leopard trophies and skins of 130 but has only issued 70 national hunting quotas, so they do not intend to fill their quota for 2022. South Africa is another good example here, where the most recent national leopard hunting quota was set at 11.
In response to the 2018 national reviews of leopard hunting quotas, the IUCN Cat Specialist Group released a position statement cautioning that “robust information on distribution, abundance and population size and trends at the national level and in hunting areas” is “largely missing” and that “extrapolations based on incorrect assumptions have resulted in overestimates of abundance”. Botswana, Namibia and South Africa all went some way towards addressing these concerns in their subsequent quota reviews.
Apples and oranges
To put Botswana’s leopard quotas into context, it is useful to compare their approach to that of both Namibia and South Africa, especially as these two countries offer arguably the most robust data on national leopard densities. However, it is important to bear in mind that each of these countries has its own unique circumstances, leopard densities, and pressures.
In South Africa, the government imposed a moratorium on leopard hunting in 2016 and 2017 after the country’s Scientific Authority expressed concern that the number of leopards in South Africa was unknown and that trophy hunting posed a high risk to the remaining population. Quotas for seven and 11 leopards were then allocated in 2018 and 2020 respectively. The government has not yet released the quota allocation for 2021. However, South Africa differs from both Botswana and Namibia in that protected areas only cover eight per cent of the country. Recent studies suggest that leopards are extinct in 67% of South Africa (Jacobson et al. 2016) and that the population could be declining by as much as 11% per year (Mann et al. 2018). There is no reliable estimate of the national leopard population. (See Leopard Quota Review: South Africa.)
In contrast, around 40% of Namibia falls under some level of ecological protection, a percentage similar to that of Botswana. Leopards are believed to be present in around 63% and 70% of Botswana and Namibia respectively (Jacobson et al. 2016 and Stein et al. 2011). Between 2004 and 2017, an average of 142 leopards were hunted per year in Namibia, with the highest number of leopards hunted being 161 in 2017. Namibia’s leopard population was most recently estimated at 11,733 leopards in an extensive study from 2019 that delves into everything from leopard densities and population trends to human-wildlife conflict and the sustainability of current trophy hunting quotas. The methods used are clearly outlined, as are the potential limitations of the study, and can be accessed here: the National Leopard Census and Sustainable Hunting Practices Study Report. Importantly, the study does not necessarily indicate a country-wide decline in leopards between 2011 and 2019, despite the relatively high number of leopard trophy hunting quotas.
Disparities
Even when taking into account that estimating leopard populations is complex, there is a glaring discrepancy between the estimated totals and densities in Botswana and Namibia (4,295 versus 11,733). In Botswana there are swathes of what should be prime leopard habitat: the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and Savuti for example, yet the density of leopards is approximately 0.7 per 100 square kilometres, while Namibia’s leopard density is almost twice that in a more arid country. Is it really likely that Namibia has a leopard population twice the density of Botswana’s? If so, this is surely something that warrants further investigation. With such massive uncertainty, how can the effects of trophy hunting (or indeed, any other anthropogenic offtake) be effectively monitored?
Trending
Experts believe that global leopard populations have likely declined by over 30% in the last three leopard generations – less than 30 years (Stein et al. 2016), resulting in their recent change in listing to “Vulnerable” on the IUCN’s Red List. Of course, this does not necessarily reflect the trend for every individual country within their range.
Leopards are notoriously secretive which in the past has led to the misplaced “assumption that their conservation status is assured” (Balme et al. 2010). Quotas should, in theory, always be based on the best available data and age restrictions should be in place to ensure that the offtake is sustainable (Packer et al. 2009). When that data is deficient, the approach should always be to err on the side of caution in line with the precautionary principle. This does not automatically translate to “when in doubt, don’t”, but rather suggests a high standard of proof required when setting quotas. Given how difficult it is to accurately count leopards, it is safe to assume that confidence intervals within estimates will always be large, even as counting and extrapolation methods become more accurate.
There are places, such as the Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa, where leopard populations are accurately known. This is, however, a product of a high density of tourist vehicles over a relatively small area, with each individual leopard tracked down regularly. Guides are able to identify individuals on sight and this is recorded in a Pathera database that tracks every leopard sighting. However, this is clearly not possible in most places which is why an analysis of population trends is essential to inform adaptive management policies that allow for quotas to be changed depending on available data. As leopard densities differ tremendously depending on area and habitat, it is vital that long-term data is relevant and specific to the areas where trophy quotas are allocated.
It is interesting to note that the DWNP’s review of leopard hunting quotas makes no reference to adaptive management, though there is a promise of a planned national census of leopard populations.
Effective communication
We have had no response to our request for comment from the DWNP. It also required considerable digging to find Botswana’s most recent leopard data. These quotas clearly took planning and with trophy hunting a predictably emotive issue, it is hard to understand why the Botswana government has chosen such an opaque approach once again – particularly if they are confident that the data is reliable and that the quotas are sustainable. Empirical evidence surrounding leopard populations is one thing but analysing sustainability is another, longer-term process that needs to be subject to scientific scrutiny. Namibia has gone a long way towards demonstrating the sustainability of their hunting practices and acknowledging a willingness to adapt their strategies if necessary. Are we satisfied that the DWNP have done the same? Now that the hunting moratorium has ended, is there a plan in place to ensure it is done sustainably? Who should the onus fall on to prove that is the case?
References:
Balme, G. A., Slotow, R. and Hunter, L. T., (2009) Impact of conservation interventions on the dynamics and persistence of a persecuted leopard (Panthera pardus) population. Biological Conservation, 142(11): 2681-2690.
Balme, G.A., Hunter, L.T., Goodman, P., Ferguson, H., Craigie, J. and Slotow, R., (2010) An adaptive management approach to trophy hunting of leopards Panthera pardus: a case study from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Biology and conservation of wild felids, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp.341-352.
Jacobson, A.P., Gerngross, P., Lemeris Jr, J.R., Schoonover, R.F., Anco, C., Breitenmoser-Würsten, C., Durant, S.M., Farhadinia, M.S., Henschel, P., Kamler, J.F. and Laguardia, A., 2016. Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range. PeerJ, 4, p.e1974. https://peerj.com/articles/1974/
Mann, G., Pitman, R., Broadfield, J., Taylor, J., Whittington-Jones, G., Rogan, M., Dubay, S., and Balme, G. (2018). South African Leopard Monitoring Project, Annual report for the South African National Biodiversity Institute.
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan that reproduces in felid (cat) hosts. The microscopic, single-celled organisms are then passed on to intermediate hosts, including humans, often through faecal contamination or consumption of infected tissue. In rats, an infection by Toxoplasma gondii has been shown to alter their behaviour to increase the likelihood they will be preyed upon by cats. Now, new research reveals this process playing out on a much larger scale in the Maasai Mara, Kenya: hyena cubs infected by the protozoans are more likely to be killed by lions! The kicker? The parasite can only sexually reproduce in felid hosts…
The study was conducted by Michigan State University’s Mara Hyena Project – one of the longest-running studies of any mammal species anywhere on Earth. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, are based on three decades of field observations and reveal that T. gondii infected hyena cubs approach lions more closely and have higher rates of lion mortality.
T. gondii has long been suspected of being an example of host manipulation by a parasite. Infected rodents demonstrate diverse self-destructive behaviours, including reduced avoidance (or even attraction to) feline urine and increased boldness. Many scientists hypothesise that this is an evolved method for the protozoan to facilitate prey-predator transmission and allow the parasite to return to its definitive felid host. (Recent research now suggests that human infections – estimated at around 2 billion people – may be associated with behavioural risk-taking. There is even a possible link with bipolar and schizophrenia.)
Of the 166 surveyed hyenas, 65% presented with antibodies specific to T. gondii – indicating exposure to the parasite. Unsurprisingly, adult hyenas are more likely to have been exposed to T. gondii, as many cubs have not yet consumed infected tissues or faeces. (Like healthy human adults, the adult hyenas are often asymptomatic.) Of the cubs tested, 17 cubs (35%) were infected by the parasite. Eleven of these cubs died – all of them killed by lions. In other words, lions accounted for 100% of the infected hyena cub mortalities. By contrast, only 17% of uninfected cub mortalities were due to lions.
Like most predators, the first year in a hyena’s life is the most dangerous, and for hyena cubs, lions are their main external enemy. Yet infected cubs were consistently recorded venturing closer to lions. This pattern was not observed to the same degree in adult infected/uninfected hyenas, possibly because older individuals could assess threats and inhibit risky behaviour. (Adult hyenas also stray closer to lions than juvenile hyenas, as a matter of course.)
While widely tested under laboratory conditions, this study offers important insight into the impact of T. gondii on wild host/felid interactions. However, whether or not this behaviour is induced via adaptive parasitic traits evolved to facilitate transmission remains unanswered. The exact mechanism behind why infected hosts exhibit costly boldness in the presence of feline species remains something of a mystery. The parasite may be manipulating the host’s behaviour to “sacrifice” itself to a felid species, but there are other plausible theories that could explain the effects. One such explanation is that the parasite causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and the fearless behaviours are a simple side-effect. (This does not explain why the mortalities were all caused by interactions with lions specifically.)
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It’s surely time for the ENTIRE safari industry to take stock of the sustainability of doing business in our wild areas – the true costs to ecosystems and biodiversity and the genuine benefits for local people. This has to be an honest, transparent process if we are to protect Africa from the ravages of human population growth and the headlong rush to extract every resource as quickly as possible.
So many safari camps and lodges are the LIFEBLOOD of entire regions – without them, we would see a catastrophic reduction in our wild areas. But others seem to believe that sponsoring a local village vegetable garden is nothing short of heroic. As for tour operators and travel agents (AG included) – including many that are hidden from the public eye – how many are involved in long term, genuine conservation activities?
The core message from Michael Schwartz’ exceptionally well-written and BRAVE opinion post below feeds this thought process. Are we all exaggerating the benefits and ignoring the true costs of what we do?
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
Spring has sprung, the weavers are building, the blossoms are, well, blossoming. For the dryer areas, a few months of expectantly looking at the sky await as the heat builds to a crescendo. It is a special time of the year, but then, every season has its charms.
Renewable power is an essential part of our species’ future, but it doesn’t come without ecological consequences, especially when tacked onto the buffer zone of a premier ecotourism destination. Our first story below examines an industrial-scale wind farm on the borders of South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park.
Conservation is often unfathomably complex. In our second story below, Michael Shwartz has encapsulated and explained so much of this complexity in a brilliant treatise on our desperate efforts to protect Africa’s last remaining wild areas. Full story for club members only.
While it may seem slightly incongruous to have a story on autumn travel in the spring (our third story below), this is the perfect time for you to think about booking a safari at the end of the southern summer.
• Great News: Namibia has extended the negative Covid PCR test requirement to 7 days before arrival – making travel easier. This requirement also applies to vaccinated travellers. Unfortunately, antigen rapid diagnostic test results are not accepted for entry into Namibia.
• While you plan your next epic Namibian safari why not immerse yourself in this live video stream from Ongava Lodge – bordering the spectacular Etosha National Park. Tip: As a club member, you have access to the best rates for Ongava and other camps.
• Now that you are suitably inspired to travel to Africa take a look at the ultimate packing list for your Safari.
In 2015, I submitted what I’d then considered an infallible op-ed to the East African Wild Life Society’s SWARA magazine. The published title was Conservation: Is It Warped by a Love For Animals? This was before the killing of Cecil, famed lion of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. I argued that sport hunting is sometimes necessary for African wildlife protection and the conservation of their habitats. I made the case that derision and mounting global pressure against hunting would result in swathes of African wilderness being swallowed by human expansion while opening the doors to more illegal poaching. Eden could only be protected in certain places with a well-regulated sacrifice made at the altar of what for many (including myself) is an incomprehensible act.
Now in 2021, I write from a hopefully matured perspective. We would do well to remember hunting’s role in habitat protection (significantly more than that of Africa’s national parks). If effective wildlife conservation boils down to the fraternal order of gun and bow, then the upshot should mean a bolstering of biodiversity. Apart from some success stories, parts of Namibia and Mozambique being two examples, this doesn’t appear to be the case.
Bayview Wind Power (Pty) LTD plans to build a wind farm (wind energy facility or WEF) on the western slopes of the Sundays River Valley with the closest turbine just five kilometres from the western boundary of the internationally acclaimed Addo Elephant National Park. The development is planned to consist of some 40 turbines with a turbine tower height of 150m and a blade diameter of 150m – a total height of 225m. (This is more than twice the height of the Statue of Liberty). The proposed wind farm falls within both the park’s buffer zone and viewshed protection area.
A number of groups have raised concerns about the proposed development, the major ones being SANParks (as the custodians of Addo Elephant National Park), Wilderness Foundation, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, and Indalo (a consortium of private game reserves that form the nucleus of the proposed Addo to Great Fish corridor). Grass Ridge WEF, a neighbouring wind farm concerned about the impact of the new development on their energy production, has also objected. (Note that Grass Ridge’s location to the west of Bayview means that it is not subject to the same environmental concerns as Bayview).
A representation of the Bayview windfarm as seen from Addo Elephant National Park
Environmental Impact Report number 1
Around 20 September 2018, the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the Bayview WEF was submitted to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). This was after a public consultation process that included public engagement on the Draft Scoping and Draft EIR reports. Rather bizarrely, the records indicate that SANParks was either not adequately consulted or had nothing to say about the EIR for a massive industrial development on the doorstep of one of their greatest assets: the Addo Elephant National Park.
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) documentation was sent to three SANParks email addresses. One address had a spelling mistake, one was to an official no longer working at Addo, and the other was to a junior who saw no reason to pass it on to anyone else. Whatever the reason, the right people at SANParks did not appear to have had sight of the wind farm EIR. Strangely, the environmental consultant (CES) apparently did not pursue comment from SANParks. It is unclear why CES did not persist in trying to contact Addo management, given their major role in the region and the development being located in the Addo buffer zone and viewshed. It is also unclear as to why CES failed to mention in their reports the fact that the Bayview development would be in the Addo buffer zone.
On 4 February 2019, the environmental authorisation was granted by the DFFE. This authorisation galvanised Grass Ridge WEF, and they lodged an appeal. In broad strokes, the basis of their appeal was that the Bayview turbines’ proposed locations and specifications would cause turbulence for the Grass Ridge turbines, which would, in turn, cause a decrease in efficiency for Grass Ridge, as well as an increase in wear and tear.
A Reversal
After this appeal, the Minister duly set aside the authorisation for the wind farm and sent it back for further ‘wake impact assessment’ on 14 October 2019. Bayview then undertook a wake impact assessment and rejigged their turbine layout plan, increasing the turbine height to 150m and dropping three turbines from the plan. They then resubmitted the second EIR for public comment.
Environmental Impact Report number 2
This time around, the right people at SANParks saw the amended EIR during the public consultation phase and were predictably alarmed. They objected for several reasons (see below). The Wilderness Foundation, which carries out anti-poaching aerial patrols in and along the Addo boundary using light aircraft, also objected.
SANParks objected on the basis that:
The low-frequency noise produced by the turbines could seriously hamper elephant communications and social interactions in Addo;
The viewshed of the wind farm would impinge on tourists’ experience
Light pollution at night would impinge on tourists’ experience
Addo is a major economic driver in the Eastern Cape, and this type of development en route to the national park and in sight of the national park impacts tourist “sense of place”.
The potential harm to birds flying in the area (cranes, endangered black harriers, and vultures in particular)
SANParks submitted a specialist report on elephant communications. Despite the objections, the second EIR was submitted to the DFFE in November 2020. SANParks’ concerns were either dismissed or downplayed and, in some cases, seem to have been ignored. SANParks then formally met with the DFFE in December 2020 to alert them to the seriousness of Bayview’s impact on the park but apparently to no avail.
Enter Indalo
A group of private game reserve owners called Indalo, realising that SANParks seemed to be at the mercy of the DFFE, then decided to make common cause with SANParks as a ‘friend of the environment’. They enlisted another environmental consultancy (EScience Associates) to complete an independent environmental assessment of the Bayview wind farm. EScience compiled independent specialist reports and found that the same objections made by SANParks were valid and wrote to the DFFE warning them of the fatal defects of the EIR for the following reasons:
Noise and faunal noise impacts:
The low-frequency noise generated by the turbines will impact elephants and elephant communication. A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Dr Angela Stoger-Horwath of the Mammal Communication Lab of the University of Vienna considered the impact of wind turbine noise on elephant communication and found that it could be a significant problem for one of the country’s most iconic elephant herds. Of further relevance, an acoustic engineer from Machoy (consulting acoustic engineers) noted that the general noise level at the boundary of Addo would exceed permissible limits.
Visual and tourism impacts:
An independent visual impact study found that the Bayview WEF would significantly impact Addo’s southern game viewing section. This was contrary to the CES visual impact assessment that did not consider any views from Addo even though the closest turbines are just five km from the park. The impacts of a wind farm situated so close to the boundary of a national park that relies heavily on tourism for income and acts as a tourist focal point for the Eastern Cape is clearly not desirable. (SANParks generates around 85% of their income from tourism and relies on 15% additional income from DFFE).
Aviation impact: The turbulence caused by the turbines will cause dangerous conditions for the light aircraft flying antipoaching patrols.
Expansion strategy: The new wind farm will severely hamper the government’s protected area expansion strategy envisaged to help nature conservation and nature-based tourism.
Biodiversity: Parts of the Bayview operation fall within or near a critical biodiversity area, causing a threat to various amphibians, reptiles (including a critically endangered species), birds and mammals (particularly bats).
Precedent: The Indalo and SANParks group make the point that allowing a large-scale industrial development in the national park’s buffer zone will set a dangerous precedent that could threaten all protected areas in the country.
Financial: The Bayview project has not been shown to be financially viable, and it may not be able to compete with better-resourced wind farms. There is no energy yield assessment business plan in the environmental application, and a high-level independent assessment indicates that the site is marginal.
General objections:
Indalo and SANParks also objected to the methodologies used in the EIR, claiming they were subjective.
If the first objection (relating to the wake impact for Grass Ridge) was considered, then there can be no reason why the objections raised by SANParks and Indalo should not be considered in the second appeal.
Authorisation number 2
Even though SANParks made formal objections during the EIR process and Indalo made substantive submissions based on independent studies, the DFEE granted environmental authorisation for a second time on 23 March 2021. It took no notice of the SANParks and Indalo objections. Based on the decision, it seems that the DFFE ignored the objections from private and government conservation and ecotourism operators in the area.
Indalo and the Wilderness Foundation have subsequently launched an appeal with the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries. They requested the DFFE for access to the documents that informed the authorisation to ascertain why the decision to authorise was given despite the objections. Following various delays, DFFE provided the documentation, following which Indalo put together an appeal which was also distributed to interested and affected parties.
The Appeal statement
In the appeal, Indalo asks the minister to convene an independent panel to assess the Indalo submissions because they contain detailed, specialist reports. In Indalo’s view, either the minister will see that the Bayview project is fatally flawed, or she will need to constitute a panel to reassess the environmental authorisation.
On 5 July 2021, Bayview sent an appeals response that mostly avoids, or otherwise tries to contradict, the Indalo submission. They stand, and possibly fall, by the following two arguments:
That Indalo doesn’t have the standing to make submissions on the matter. (Indalo disputes this on the basis that anybody can act in the interests of the environment.)
That the post appeal EIR which SANParks commented on and Indalo made comprehensive submissions on, is limited to the wake impact aspect.
In response to queries by AG, CES furnished no further details other than those in the public record. CES gave the official line that all legal requirements as stipulated by the relevant acts were adhered to, and that all concerns raised were dealt with as legally required.
Indalo thinks that the response does not address the substantive issues of the appeal. The minister is likely to dismiss them and constitute a panel to address the Indalo (and SANParks) concerns.
This is an interesting story to watch. There is no doubt that South Africa needs to move from toxic, fossil-fuel power generation to more renewable sources of electricity. At the same time, the country’s natural heritage is the source of significant tourism revenue and preserves biodiversity crucial to our human future.
See life from a different perspective – Lewa, Kenya. Find this paradise in our private travel & conservation club. @Lewa Wilderness
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I met an eccentric Australian couple years back while hosting AG safari clients in Uganda – including an epic few days on the mighty River Nile at Murchison Falls. I say ‘eccentric’ because I have never before seen such intense, almost child-like, passion for nature, blended with a clear scientific focus and interpretation of what they encounter. Bob and Sally are extremely experienced and qualified scientists. We have since become close friends, with regular meetings in various places across Africa. And they hosted Lizz and me in Perth when we visited the Australian outback to assist in the annual count of the rare and gobsmackingly beautiful Gouldian finch. It was Bob who identified the fig tree in my garden, which I refer to in last week’s note.
I mention these two wonderful humans because this dreadful pandemic has cauterised personal encounters, and I miss their energy and insatiable appetite to learn from their observations. I am sure that many of you have similar stories and that you all miss your African safaris.
Hang in there; this too shall pass.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
A pair of Cape sparrows have taken up residence in the rafters of my loft. Perhaps it is my imagination, but a distinct glint in the male’s eye seems to emphasise the fact that spring is well on its way. After a few long, cold (and, in the highveld, ugly) months, this is a thrilling prospect.
Our first story takes a somewhat chilling look at the first observation of chimpanzees attacking and killing infant gorillas. The question as to why may well go to the heart of our human evolutionary history.
The second story of the week is a celebration of resilience: in this case, the gradual return of Murchison Falls National Park to one of Uganda’s (and Africa’s) premier safari destinations. And finally, our third story examines research on the impact of a tourism growth corridor in Namibia. Assessing the contribution of tourism to rural communities is one of the first steps in developing long-term, sustainable strategies for the future.
• Wondering what a Maasai Mara safari is like under the Covid shadow? This review of a recently completed safari speaks volumes: Trustpilot.
• Xigera Safari Lodge in Botswana’s Okavango Delta has undergone a stunning refurbishment – can YOU imagine reclining on the catwalk with your ice-cold G&T? Check out this video that had teamAG drooling. Tip: As a club member, you have access to the best rates for Xigera and other camps.
One of the fundamental arguments for wildlife tourism in sub-Saharan Africa is that it theoretically offers the ideal sustainable development plan: simultaneously stimulating poor rural economies, offering local value and preserving natural ecosystems. The success and value brought by tourism operations are contingent upon a host of different factors, including infrastructure. At the same time, the tangential benefits extend to external industries such as local agricultural production and transportation. Now, comprehensive new research delves into the benefits and challenges facing Namibia’s Zambezi region and associated Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor.
The concept of a development/growth corridor as a spatial development instrument is a relatively simple one. In tourism, it essentially means an area that is identified as being particularly valuable for investment in infrastructure and targeted interventions to boost industries. In this example, the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC – based upon the previous Trans-Caprivi Corridor) was created to connect Namibia’s capital city Windhoek to the remote and previously hard-to-reach Zambezi region. The development went beyond simply tarring the road and improving infrastructure to lay down the groundwork for “hubs”, “gateways”, and targeted value-chain promotion (involving private individuals, businesses, and state organisations).
In analysing the effectiveness of the WBNLDC, the authors set out to answer two main questions: whether or not the growth corridor succeeded in enhancing value creation from tourism in the remote Zambezi region and whether the local residents could appropriate the created value.
To answer these questions, they set about a complex analysis of several different data sets, including a business survey, qualitative interviews with tourism stakeholders, a traffic census, and a household survey. They also considered the history of the Zambezi region, scientific and government reports going back decades and the policy plans and reports relating to the WBNLDC. By collating a multi-perspective approach, their research goes to considerable lengths to convey just how complex such an analysis of tourism can be.
The number of accommodation establishments in the Zambezi region doubled from 2005 to 2018, as did the estimated number of visitors. Around a third of these visitors were domestic tourists, with Europeans accounting for the most numerous foreign visitors. The qualitative interviews with tourism operators indicated that the tarring of the main road, in particular, had contributed to the expansion of the tourism sector.
The authors conclude that there is a definitive link between infrastructure development and tourism-orientated policies on the one hand and increased value creation from tourism in the region on the other. In other words, the development of the WBNLDC was successful in helping to foster tourism in the Zambezi region by improving access.
However, despite intentions to the contrary, proportionately few rural residents have benefitted. Within the Zambezi region, only 4% of the respondents to the survey (652 households) are employed in tourism or the conservancies. Almost all of those were employed in low-wage jobs such as waiters/waitresses, security guards or bartenders at the lodges. The authors calculated that tourism contributed just 5.5% of the household income of the rural population in the Zambezi region. The indirect contributions – such as the procurement of food and building materials – were also found to be relatively minimal. However, through contributions to the national tax base, the expansion of the tourism industry also benefits households through social grants.
The loss of wildlife habitats in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the greatest threats facing conservation on the continent. Most conservation scientists agree that to mitigate this problem, the livelihoods of local residents need to benefit from wildlife. The findings of marginal benefit to rural residents are in line with previous studies from Botswana and Uganda and speak to the necessity of investigating why this is the case and how to remedy the problem. To this end, the authors point to three issues in need of further exploration:
The configuration of the tourism industry – particularly with regard to where operations and their spin-offs are situated and who owns these.
The distribution of benefits from tourism activities.
The entry barriers that hinder local residents from participating in the industry other than via low-wage jobs.
The study also suggests that tourism should be used as a catalyst to stimulate other economic activities connected to conservation because wildlife tourism cannot simply be upscaled without risking the environment’s integrity.
Studies such as these are vital to increasing our understanding of the effectiveness of specific development plans, tourism projects, and wildlife policies. It also goes some way to establishing repeatable methods of analysing these vast social development strategies. Rather than interpreting this research as a criticism of the growth of the Zambezi region and the WBNLDC, it should be viewed as a case study that can be used to guide future research and decisions.
In the heart of Murchison Falls National Park, the stone edifice of an enormous, historic lodge looms out of the tangled, overgrown vegetation. The shell of the old Pakuba Lodge, complete with an algae-tinted, blue-tiled swimming pool, is all that is left of the once grandiose establishment overlooking Lake Albert. Through the empty rooms and deserted grounds, whispers of sinister history wind their way through the ruins. Pakuba was once the favourite hideaway of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin – he gathered here with his inner circle to plot and plan their dominance over the region’s people.
Today, over four decades later, the wild has reclaimed old Pakuba Lodge (watch). Lions and spotted hyenas slink through the rubble, and leopards stash their kills in surrounding trees. Warthogs and porcupines have excavated tunnels below the foundations, baboons and monkeys leap from pillar to wall, and elephants feed peacefully on the savannah below. It is undeniably allegorical – a testament to the resilience of Africa’s wild, the astonishing recovery of Murchison Falls National Park and the gradual healing of Uganda.
Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is situated on the western edge of Uganda and covers some 3,840km2 (384,000 hectares) of wilderness on both sides of the Nile River, east of Lake Albert and west of Karuma Falls. It is one of Uganda’s oldest and largest protected areas and was once Africa’s most visited park. Today, the national park is part of the greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area. To the south, west and east, it is contiguous with Bugungu Wildlife Reserve (782km2 – 78,200 hectares), Budongo Forest Reserve (825km2 – 82,500 hectares) and Karuma Falls Wildlife Reserve (720km2 – 72,000 hectares). These reserves, while diverse ecosystems in their own right, serve a vital function as buffer zones between the national park and the rural villages of western Uganda.
The landscape is dominated by savannah-woodland habitat dotted with Borassus palms and encompasses vast tracts of tropical forests, swathes of grassland and wetland habitats. The park is divided by a stretch of Nile River known as the Victoria Nile, which creates a tapestry of riverine habitat and flows into the park’s eponymous waterfall – its most distinctive feature. Murchison Falls, named after famous British geologist Sir Roderick Murchison (who, incidentally, believed Africa to be a geologically boring continent), marks the river’s entry to the East African Rift. Here some 300 cubic metres of water per second is forced through a narrow gorge just seven metres wide before plunging 43 meters in a cloud of mist and churning water. These dramatic falls, lined by verdant plant life, can be viewed from above after a short hike or at a more leisurely pace in a boat from below.
Murchison Falls National Park is home to the second largest elephant population in Uganda
A brief history of recovery
During the first half of the 20th century, Murchison Falls and its surrounds were a hunting playground for the wealthy. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt famously paid a visit to the region as part of the most lavish hunting safari of all time. By the end of his year-long trip across East Africa, the Smithsonian-Roosevelt Africa Expedition had killed and collected 11,400 specimens for the Smithsonian Institution.
By the mid-century, hunting activities became more regulated and, as animal populations recovered, the then Bunyoro-Gulu Game Reserve became Murchison Falls National Park. In the 1960s, it was one of the premier safari destinations in Africa, boasting up to 60,000 visitors annually. However, with the rise of Idi Amin’s despotic reign and resultant genocide, the park’s (and Uganda’s) wildlife populations were decimated by uncontrolled (and state-encouraged) hunting and poaching. Murchison Falls National Park’s rhinos were killed off entirely, and the elephant population was reduced to fewer than 500 individuals. Carnivore and herbivore numbers suffered equally at the hands of soldiers and desperate civilians.
Though Amin was ousted in 1979, it was to be another two decades before the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda Conservation Foundation were able to stabilise the core tourism area of the park. Recovering tourist numbers supported the painstaking work of restoring the park to its former glory. Though poaching, particularly snares set for bushmeat, has remained a serious concern on the outer fringes, concerted efforts have been made to ensure there is investment in surrounding communities. In addition to everything from education initiatives to employment schemes, 20% of the gate fees are fed back to the community.
In short, the restoration of Murchison Falls National Park has built a solid foundation for the park’s long-term future.
Clockwise from top left: an inquisitive herd of African buffalo; a lion pride against the magnificent Nile; a journey of Nubian giraffe; and a reflective chimpanzee in the Budongo Forest
An Assortment of Animals
The restoration efforts have proved exceedingly successful for much of the wildlife of Murchison Falls, and visitors today are likely to find themselves overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of life on display. Resident hippos cast a wary eye in the direction of the various boats, while enormous Nile crocodiles up to six metres long glide silently through the water or wait patiently for their unsuspecting prey. Against the backdrop of magnificent scenery, lions stalk herds of Ugandan kob or fill the night air with their sonorous roars, accompanied by the “whoops” of spotted hyenas. Though leopard sightings are not guaranteed, it is well worth scanning the crown of the enormous sausage trees in the hopes of a spotted cat draped across a bough.
Murchison Falls is also home to the largest population of the threatened Rothchild’s giraffe (now believed to be conspecific with the Nubian giraffe and a subspecies of the Northern giraffe). The park is also well-known for its huge herds of buffalo and elephant. Rare, ground-dwelling patas monkeys pick their way through the grasslands. Rhinos have yet to be reintroduced to the park, but visitors can easily spend a day tracking them on foot in the neighbouring Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
(Photo credit: Musiime P Muramura) Teams from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (follow link to join our club and donate) and the Ugandan Wildlife Authority capture a Nubian giraffe for reintroduction to the Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve. Murchison Falls is a stronghold of these critically endangered animals and these individuals were relocated to establish thriving populations in parts of their former range.
The Chimps
Chimpanzee trekking is another major highlight for many visitors to Murchison Falls. The adjacent Budongo Forest is home to 600-700 chimpanzees. Some of the families have been researched and habituated for the past 30 years. Field Assistants from the Budongo Conservation Field Station can recognise individual chimpanzees on sight, which only adds to what is already a profound and humbling experience.
Under certain circumstances, visitors may also be allowed to participate in chimpanzee habituation – a rare opportunity in the world of large primate tourism. While typical chimp treks only allow for an hour spent with the animals, the habituation experience typically entails an entire day spent in the company of chimpanzees. For lucky tourists, this means accompanying our closest cousins from the time they rise until they make their nests for the evening. The experience is made even more memorable by the giant mahoganies, figs and ironwoods of the magical forest scenery.
A prehistoric-looking shoebill uses its powerful beak to snatch up a fishy meal
The Birdlife of Murchison
Not to be upstaged by the mammal abundance, the birds of Murchison Falls present an equally spectacular profusion with over 450 recorded species. For birders and non-birders, the prehistoric Shoebill is high on the list of must-sees, and the swampy delta of the Nile and Lake Albert is one of the best places to spot one. Birders can cruise the river, scanning the reeds for a flash of slate-grey feathers and listening out for the characteristic call of the black-headed gonolek or checking closer to the waterfall for rock pratincoles.
The next step for avian enthusiasts is a trip along the Royal Mile in the Budongo Forest Reserve. White-thighed hornbills fill the air with their loud croaks while Nahan’s francolins, Cassin’s and Savine’s spinetails, blue-throated rollers, Ugandan woodland-warblers and tiny chocolate-backed kingfishers are all present along the mythical Royal Mile.
The list of exciting birds to spot in Murchison Falls is seemingly endless: brown twinspots, red-throated bee-eaters, northern carmine bee-eaters, blue swallows, Abyssinian ground hornbills and Beaudouin’s snake-eagle. From the aptly named beautiful sunbird to the genuinely great and decidedly blue great blue turaco, even non-birders will find themselves appreciating the diverse avifauna of Uganda.
The Nile River and its tumbling falls offer the perfect backdrop for a relaxing safari experience
Explore & stay
The exceptional variety on offer in Murchison Falls spills over into experiences and accommodation options. There are numerous basic yet pleasant camping sites and lodges for the more budget-restricted traveller, and the year-round warm climate makes camping a convenient and cheap possibility. (However, it is essential to remember that tsetse flies are present in the park, and precautions should be taken to keep them at bay). For those keen on an even more intimate natural immersion, arrangements can be made to camp in a private section of the park with an armed ranger. Self-drive through the park is permitted, though this should be done with some forethought and planning, including factoring in a ferry ride to cross the Nile from one side of the park to the other.
There are a handful of lodges that offer exclusive accommodation and facilities, including a vehicle and guide to make the most of the safari experience.
Want to go on safari to Murchison Falls? 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.
Weather-wise, Murchison Falls has something to offer all year round. The dry seasons from June to August and December to March offer the best wildlife viewing, and the entire park will be accessible. The Nile is also relatively low, making the dry season the best time to view the falls. This may sound counterintuitive, but spray due to high water levels can obscure the view entirely and force the sightseeing boats to stay further away. The rainy seasons are best enjoyed by the more relaxed traveller, content on enjoying lower rates, a quieter park, green surroundings and the best birding.
It is also possible to view the park from a hot air balloon. The experience of silently (mostly – the burner is loud when it is fired) gliding through the sky and watching the landscape racing below is exciting and evocative. Though perhaps a bit of a stretch, it is easy to imagine what a bird of prey might see as they glide through the air.
Murchison Falls – a park on the rise
Whatever its history, Murchison Falls National Park has its gaze fixed firmly on the future. Careful planning has created a positive feedback loop of increased tourism and improved conservation measures. Step by step, the park is well on its way to returning to its historical place as one of Africa’s most prized safari destinations.
Researchers have recorded the first known instance of chimpanzees killing gorilla babies. During the two observed events in Loango National Park, Gabon, chimpanzees approached and intimidated smaller troops of western lowland gorillas. In each case, an infant gorilla was killed.
Interestingly, the Loango Chimpanzee Project has researched these chimpanzee troops for over 16 years, yet this is the first time they have observed lethal coalitionary attacks. This, in turn, has led researchers from the Osnabrück University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, to question whether habitat loss and climate change have increased competition for food and led to increasingly aggressive encounters between the two species.
Intraspecific killing (within a species) has been observed across chimpanzee and gorilla groups throughout their various ranges in Africa. Male coalitions of chimpanzees, in particular, are known to travel into neighbouring communities and launch attacks on adjacent troops of chimps. However, where chimps and gorillas overlap, their interactions have previously always been observed to be relaxed, peaceful and, occasionally, playful.
The two attacks are described in detail in a paper published in Scientific Reports. The supplementary material includes two videos of the interspecies clashes. [Editorial note: if wearing headphones, we would advise, from experience, turning the volume down somewhat before playing these. We cannot link the videos to this post, so please see them at the bottom of the original paper.]
An angry chimpanzee
The first lethal encounter occurred in February 2019, involved a confrontation between chimpanzees of the Rekambo community and gorillas, and lasted for 56 minutes. A subgroup of 18 chimpanzees encountered approximately five gorillas, including a silverback. Though the silverback attempted to defend himself and the rest of the group, he was surrounded by a group of around nine male chimpanzees who eventually chased him off. During the chaos, an infant gorilla was separated from its mother and killed. Its body was passed between chimp group members but not eaten.
The second encounter also involved some of the same individual chimpanzees from the Rekambo community and played out over 79 minutes in December 2019. A group of around 27 chimpanzees encountered a group of gorillas in the canopy and surrounded them. This time, the silverback climbed out of the trees and fled. When one female tried to escape with her infant, she was challenged by the adult male chimpanzees, who then tried to pry the infant from her. She managed to escape, but another female gorilla was not as fortunate. Surrounded by eight adult male chimpanzees and one adolescent female, she was apparently unable to hold on to her infant and was observed without it a short while later. An adolescent chimpanzee was then observed holding the infant gorilla carcass. In this instance, the dead baby was almost entirely consumed.
The researchers offer several possible explanations for these attacks. The first, and probably most obvious, is that the attacks are opportunistic predation by the chimpanzees. However, the behaviour during the attacks does not fit with observed hunting behaviours – both before and after the interactions. During the encounters, the chimpanzees were highly vocal, emitting alarm barks and screams and performing threat displays. After the baby gorillas were killed, the adult male chimpanzees showed little interest in the carcasses; in contrast with hunting forays when the adult males are normally first to feed.
Another possibility is that the encounters were a product of interspecific competition (as might occur between lions and hyenas, for example). Gorillas and chimpanzees have high dietary overlap, and the attacks occurred during times of food scarcity with increased competition for fruit resources. Previously peaceful co-feeding between the two species occurred during April – a month of low dietary overlap. This explanation also fits the behaviours of the chimpanzees, which bore similarities to intraspecific encounters between rival groups. Infanticide is common during these raids.
Whatever the reason, it remains to be seen if and when a fatal encounter between the two species will be observed again. This research provides the first evidence that chimpanzees can have a lethal impact on gorillas. It will be vital to understand if this kind of conflict is being driven by competition for resources – particularly as reduced fruit availability has already been shown to be negatively affecting forest elephants.
Over the course of our human evolution, our ancestors would have interacted with other sympatric ape species – occasionally in competition. The researchers suggest that information from these “living models” (the chimpanzees and gorillas) could be combined with new insights from fossil records. This we could use to interpret the ecological constraints and mechanisms that would have shaped our own coexistence (or lack thereof) with other species.
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It’s early morning as I write this message to you from the stoop (verandah) of our home. The hairy rock fig tree 20 meters away bustles with squabbling black-headed orioles, acacia pied and black-collared barbets, grey hornbills, tree squirrels and a pair of spectacular green pigeons – all cashing in on the second fig crop of the year. The huge knobthorn tree above me has a crown of white flowers, and the scent wafts down to mingle with the strong aroma of my black coffee. Life is good!
Each day I am thankful for nature’s wonders, her mysteries and her exuberance. Thanks so much for joining our team as we indulge our passion for this magnificent continent.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Scientific Editor
When I was a little girl, the highlight of my year was our annual Kruger trip – rising in the dark and being allowed a small cup of condensed milk coffee (in hindsight, my parents were very brave). We would drive through the gates as the sun appeared over the horizon, and I would stick my head out of the window, ignore the accompanying squawks about letting the cold air in and revel in the smell of the early morning bushveld and the excitement of the unfolding day.
I miss that unadulterated enjoyment of the wild, that barefoot, innocent faith in the permanence of our natural world and her wonders. Bombarded as we are by bad news, it is so easy to find oneself overwhelmed by fear and sadness on behalf of our planet. Scientists have even come up with a name for this pervasive melancholy: “ecological grief“.
This is why it is so important to keep celebrating the good news, the success stories and those who fight to protect the majesty of the continent’s wild spaces and creatures. We can still embrace our childlike hope while tempering it with adult wisdom. Our first story is just that: a celebration of Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, a patch of pristine Central African habitat safeguarding astonishing biodiversity.
Our second story for the week takes an in-depth look at the state of leopard conservation in South Africa, including the need for a more transparent strategy at government level, as well as more conservation-applicable research. It is time for us to face the fact that these secretive spotted cats are not simply in hiding – they too are in decline.
Finally, join me and others in the club for a discussion about the naming of wild animals – the good, the bad, and the occasionally bizarre. See the discussion link below.
Along the Earth’s equator, vast, tropical rainforests spread across the continents like enormous green lungs, absorbing carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. These dark and often mysterious worlds are estimated to hold some 50% of the world’s terrestrial life forms – boasting higher biodiversity levels than any other habitat. They even play a role in controlling weather patterns. After the Amazon, Central Africa’s rainforest is the largest in the world. It includes the enormous section protected by Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Odzala-Kokoua National Park
Odzala-Kokoua National Park or Parc National d’Odzala (Odzala from hereon) is one of Africa’s oldest national parks. The expansive 13,500km2 (1.35 million hectares) park is situated in the northern reaches of Congo-Brazzaville – not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the east. As part of the much larger Congo Basin and an integral part of the TRIDOM Transfrontier forest, this magnificent reserve encompasses the famous forests, colourful swamps and vibrant swathes of savanna brimming with life.
The park has always been somewhat off the beaten track, but its fortunes turned when, in 2010, African Parks entered into a 25-year-long agreement with the ROC’s Ministry of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment. The park has been operating under African Parks management ever since. African Parks also runs the Sangha Trinational further north on the borders of the Central African Republic and Cameroon.
The complex and intricate community initiatives by African Parks recognise that the fortunes of the park and its people are inextricably linked. Their efforts even included an amnesty program, where poachers were allowed to surrender their weapons and train as park rangers. The result is a thriving ecosystem.
A herd of forest elephants foraging on the forest margins
The baïs and surrounds
The park’s multitudinous habitats encompass everything from dense forests to open savannas, each with unique characteristics. The northwest’s dense forests open up into what is termed Marantaceae forest – defined by the flowering plants of the Marantaceae or arrowroot family that form a dense understory. These give way to gallery forests lining the floodplains of the more extensive waterways such as the Mambili and Lokoué Rivers – tributaries of the Congo River. The dry savannas are dotted with enormous termite mounds that create an other-worldly atmosphere.
However, the most distinctive characteristic of the Congo rainforest is the forest baïs – island clearings in the sea of trees. Here, marshy areas rich in minerals and salts attract a plethora of wildlife, from enormous flocks of green pigeons to western lowland gorillas and critically-endangered forest elephants.
Of the region’s megafauna, the forest elephants and western lowland gorillas are probably the park’s two main drawcards. A wildlife census conducted by African Parks in 2012 revealed that the park is home to some 9,600 forest elephants, and those that inhabit the more popular parts of Odzala have gradually become more accustomed to people.
Despite the devastating effects of the Ebola outbreak in the 2000s, Odzala is still a population stronghold of the western lowland gorilla and boasts the highest density on the continent. The gorilla numbers have gradually recovered, and there are now estimated to be around 25,000 gorillas in the park. The western lowland gorilla, a subspecies of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), is the smallest of all subspecies. In Odzala, observing gorillas from elevated lookouts on the edge of baïs or visiting habituated family groups is particularly exciting because lowland gorillas are more arboreal than their mountain counterparts (such as those viewed in Rwanda or Uganda), and they are almost constantly on the move. The expert guides and trackers know the forest and the gorillas intimately. Wild chimpanzees are also in the forest, though none of the groups has been habituated yet.
Odzala is also one of the best places in Africa to see the bongo – a striking spiral-horned antelope. These shy animals are sometimes spotted on the forest baïs, along with sitatunga. The final two ‘Forest Five’ members – the forest buffalo and the giant forest hog are also drawn to the saline soils of the baïs.
Great blue turaco
Wildlife – the rest
Odzala-Kokoua is a naturalist’s paradise, bursting with almost incomprehensible biodiversity at every turn. Scientists estimate that the forest is home to some 4,500 species of plants, at least 100 mammal and over 440 bird species. You could search for dwarf crocodile, golden potto, Demidoff’s dwarf galago, Lord Derby’s flying squirrel or a host of other mysterious creatures. The open Marantaceae forest teems with insect life, and crocodiles, fishes, and frogs populate the swamps and rivers. View the Odzala mammal and birds lists here.
Expect to be fascinated by the variety of monkeys leaping through the canopy and intrigued by the possibility of spotting one of several small duiker species or even a serval or African golden cat. Though seldom seen, camera trap studies have revealed the presence of leopards, and spotted hyenas prowl the outskirts of the camps.
The antics of the red river hogs, with their hilariously tufted ears, are guaranteed to keep you entertained, while clouds of delicate butterflies add splashes of colour to the forest scene.
The birding in Odzala-Kokoua is excellent. The bird species tally of over 440 includes Hartlaub’s duck, Nkulengu rail, spot-breasted ibis, Congo serpent eagle, long-tailed hawk, vermiculated fishing owl, bare-cheeked trogon, white-crested hornbill, chocolate-backed kingfisher, lyre-tailed honeyguide, African piculet, grey parrot, African pitta, rufous-bellied helmetshrike and western bluebill.
With long-term stability in Congo-Brazzaville, tourism infrastructure has improved immeasurably. Odzala-Kokoua now offers tourists a safe way to experience one of Africa’s most breathtaking ecosystems. Even for the seasoned traveller, Odzala-Kokoua is a safari experience unlike any other.
A visit to Odzala-Kokoua is about adventure and discovery in one of Africa’s wildest spaces – it is not for the luxury-minded traveller looking for a laidback holiday. Most exploring is done from elevated lookouts on the edge of baïs, or on foot on elephant trails in the forest and wading through the small waterways or paddling along the Lokoué River in a kayak. The camps offer guided night walks to investigate the creatures that come out to play when the sun goes down for those entranced by the forest and eager to learn more.
Of course, taking a moment to soak in the atmosphere is always important. So, a day spent scrambling along forest paths in pursuit of gorillas can be rewarded by soaking tired feet in a crystal-clear stream. Or perhaps lounging on the lodge deck, serenaded by the strident cacophony of the rainforest.
The park has a few accommodation options, all designed to blend seamlessly into the scenery. Camp Imbalanga is a rustic, off-the-grid camp. Imbalanga baï is about 400m (3-minute walk) from the camp – offering an elevated lookout to watch western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and other wildlife. To find out more about this camp and make a booking, click here.
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.
Apart from the extraordinary wildlife, the magic of Odzala-Kokoua lies in its remote, undiscovered status. It is not unusual for a tourist to be one of only a handful exploring over one million hectares of pristine, Central African habitat. The verdant greens of the park’s swamps and primary forests are spectacular all year round, though there are officially two rainy seasons: from March to May and September to October. It is a rainforest on the equator, so wet weather is inevitable, but with sufficient preparation and sensible packing, this will not put a damper on the activities. Two pairs of comfortable shoes are a must, as is waterproofing for all camera gear, books, and binoculars.
Malaria is present and guests are advised to take suitable precautions and chat with a medical professional before travelling. A yellow fever vaccine is compulsory.
The hunting season for many species in South Africa has just begun. This has prompted people interested in leopard conservation to make enquiries regarding the leopard hunting quota for SA for 2021 – a task that should be quite simple, given that the public is legally allowed access to this information. However, it has proven almost impossible to obtain any information regarding 2021 quotas, the science that advised the upping of quotas from 2018 to 2020 and for some areas, how many leopards were hunted in 2020.
Enquiries to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the North West Province have been ignored completely. LEDET (Limpopo Province) was more forthcoming. In answer to a query as to whether any of the nine leopards allocated to this province for 2020 had been hunted, they responded that four were hunted. They also revealed that a 2021 leopard hunting quota for Limpopo Province had not yet been set. Therefore, I can only assume that quotas have not been set for any province in SA for 2021.
It seems that more openness, honesty, and a willingness to share information on this topic are sorely needed. If the DFFE were to provide clarity and less obfuscation regarding who the public should turn to for enquiries regarding permits, quotas and the latest population trends, they would instil more trust in those of us concerned with leopard conservation in South Africa.
Declining leopard numbers
To understand the concerns regarding the current status of leopard conservation in South Africa, it is important to outline some recent history related to the species in this country. In 2002, leopards were listed as least concern on the IUCN Global Red List (Figure 1). Alarmingly, however, due to continuing decline in leopard populations globally and nationally1, this status changed to “Near Threatened” in 2008 and then “Vulnerable” in 20162. A study3 showed leopards to have disappeared from at least 37% of their historic African range. However, more recent studies1,4, paint a bleaker picture of an extensive leopard range reduction in the region of approximately 60%-70%1,4 with only 17% of the existing range protected and disturbingly, that leopards are extinct in 67% of South Africa4.
Figure 1: IUCN global red list classifications
Improving leopard science
Before 2016, leopard hunting in South Africa was very poorly regulated. National population estimates to inform the CITES leopard quotas were based on outdated and meaningless studies20 that used rainfall and vegetation types to estimate population numbers and assumed that leopards occur at maximum population densities in all available habitats. These studies massively overinflated leopard numbers5. Credit needs to be given to the Scientific Authority (a group including scientists from SANBI, SANParks, one representative from each of the provincial conservation agencies and representatives from some NGOs such as Panthera and EWT). In the lead up to the hunting quotas being set in 2016, and against a massive backlash from the South African hunting community, the Scientific Authority fought for a zero hunting quota to be adopted by government. This allowed time to gain a comprehensive and more scientifically informed understanding of leopard populations across the country. Additionally, they wanted the opportunity to develop a framework for better regulated leopard hunting in SA. Thankfully, government took heed of the concerns raised, and the leopard hunting quota was set to zero for the years 2016 and 2017. This bought some time for scientists to collect the necessary data required for more informed decisions.
Undoubtedly, most scientists working to achieve these goals would have loved nothing more than to stop leopard hunting in the country altogether. Realistically, however, they understood the power and influence of the hunting lobby. They dealt with the pervasive threats by members of the hunting and game farming fraternity, who claimed that if they could not make money from the leopard on their land, they would simply shoot them and bury the evidence 21, 22. The scientists also acknowledged the contribution that hunting makes to conservation in terms of the land set aside for wildlife, which could easily be given to livestock farming, or worse, should hunting become unprofitable.
In a race against time, at huge expense and with the hunting community baying for blood, a concerted effort was made to set up an adaptive management framework for ethical hunting practices. This included establishing the South African Leopard Monitoring Project, a cooperative effort between the NGO Panthera, SANBI and other partners. Panthera had been monitoring leopard populations using camera trap surveys in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo since 2013. SANBI provided additional funding to expand the project to other provinces in 2016. These surveys were intended to inform leopard conservation policy and provide a reference point to gauge the impact of future management decisions6.
Illogical quota increases
Shockingly, until the 2016 leopard quota review in South Africa, there were no restrictions on the size, age or sex of leopard that were legally hunted7. CITES allowed any leopard trophies to be exported as long as they were within quota and accompanied by the requisite permits. CITES, by the way, has a track record of bad decision making for leopards and other species. The existing quotas are unsustainably high5. It beggars belief that with global and regional red lists over the last 20 years showing a concerning decline in the status of leopard, the CITES quotas for leopard in all African range states has INCREASED or remained unchanged since 1983 (Table 1). Not a single reduction in CITES export quotas for leopard for African range states has occurred5.
The new SA management framework stipulated that only male leopards aged seven or above were allowed to be legally hunted in South Africa. Although this age has come under harsh criticism from many, (particularly because leopards are an infanticidal species, seven-year-old males are in the prime of their breeding lives, and hunters have proven very poor at ageing leopards)7, there is no doubt that it is a huge improvement on what was in place before. For more details on problems with the government’s proposed norms and standards for leopard hunting8, see the objection9 submitted to government in 2017 in the references.
A continued decline
The results of the South African Leopard Monitoring Project’s population survey for 2017 to 2018 suggested a concerning 11% per year decline of the leopard population in SA6. The monitoring was conducted in protected areas across the country. If these “protected” populations showed 11% declines, then it suggests non-protected areas, which form the bulk of South African leopard habitat (and where leopard hunting will take place), are experiencing far greater declines.
The survey report called for urgent action to combat the illegal trade in leopard body parts, which the authors saw as the biggest and most immediate threat to leopard in South Africa. In a devastating response to this report, the government, rather than implementing a plan to stop the illegal killing of leopard for traditional use, immediately set a leopard hunting quota of seven animals for 2018 and suggested that the CITES export quota of 150 leopard trophy’s stay the same. The hunting quota has since increased to 11(nine allocated to Limpopo Province and two to North West Province) in 2020, and Government has remained steadfastly quiet about its plans to deal with the traditional and cultural use of skins.
A note on the CITES quota of 150: In the years between 2005 and 2016, South Africa never fully used its export quota of 150 skins, but rather an average of about 70 per year. With hunting quotas set so low at the moment, it seems strange that the DFFE would have wanted to retain the high CITES quota unless they are planning on increasing hunting quotas quite dramatically over the next few years. By CITES own admission, exporting species at a level that is well below a CITES quota normally implies that the quota was set arbitrarily. Yet, our government asked for this obviously ridiculous quota to be retained. WHY?
Pointless research
Researchers have been rapped over the knuckles by scientists12, who found that most leopard research in South Africa had little relevance to the conservation of the species. Most studies were concentrated in areas of low conservation concern and focused on basic research, like feeding ecology in protected areas, rather than applied research relevant to the conservation of the species. Other findings 10,11 questioned the necessity of leopards being collared for research purposes. They drew attention to many studies submitted to the South African Journal for Wildlife Research that lacked ethical clearance or permitting approvals. Radio telemetry11 was found to be the most common method used to study leopard in South Africa, but the costs often outweighed its benefits, as collars frequently caused death or injury to the animals. They suggested that non-invasive methods like camera traps be used where possible and proposed a method to enable researchers to balance the welfare concerns of individual leopards with the urgent requirement for accurate data to inform conservation decisions. Organisations doing the most relevant research were found to be NGOs. Researchers urgently need to focus their attention on studies that will contribute to the conservation of the species by identifying the preeminent threats to leopards and designing research activity around those threats.
Why not consider metapopulation management of leopard?
Conservation scientists, government, ecotourism, NGOs, law enforcement and the game farming industry need to pull together to establish a Metapopulation Management Plan for leopard, similar to those in place for cheetah and African wild dog. Essentially a Metapopulation Management Plan, instead of managing leopard in each game reserve or area separately, treats the population in the country or sub-region as one large metapopulation. Animals can then be regularly moved from areas where populations are healthy and growing to areas where the species is locally extinct, or numbers are low15. A system like this allows managers to increase the genetic diversity of small fragmented groups of a species and creates opportunities to move problem animals to other areas instead of shooting them.
Like parts of the Drakensberg, some areas in our country have perfect leopard habitat but seem to have virtually no leopards, according to recent camera trap surveys6. Leopards that are earmarked for hunting could theoretically be used to repopulate these empty areas. This warrants consideration as a matter of urgency for leopard before, not after, the species becomes critically endangered. Perhaps metapopulation plans have not been put into place for leopard because the perception is that they are notoriously difficult to relocate, but recent research suggests that as long as certain conditions are met, leopards can and have been relocated successfully. 16, 17, 18, 19
Conclusion
In closing, there is no doubt that leopards are in trouble in South Africa – as confirmed by the above population surveys. Historically, the hunting fraternity, The SA Government, and CITES have all failed to protect them. The adaptive management plan put in place by the Scientific Authority, while far from perfect, is an attempt to rectify this. However, it is unacceptable that the government has not been more direct in tackling the cultural and traditional use of leopard body parts, rather relying on organisations like Panthera13 to run these programmes with little visible support from the DFFE.
The gauntlet has also been thrown down by some of the preeminent leopard specialists in the country, the ones who are providing quality research that is relevant to the conservation of the species. Conservation scientists and ecotourism businesses need to play their part in furthering our knowledge of the species in a relevant way to their conservation. This will enable us to improve on the adaptive management plan for the benefit of leopard conservation.
It is unacceptable that the public is not granted access to information on the latest leopard population trends and hunting quota information. It creates an atmosphere of secrecy, suspicion and distrust. Concerned South Africans need to be informed to ensure that our government doesn’t follow the example of CITES and keep putting quotas up when all evidence points to a population in dire straits.
For further reading on South African leopard hunting quotas a look here, here,here and here
Swanepoel LH, Balme G, Williams S, Power RJ, Snyman A, Gaigher I, Senekal C, Martins Q, Child MF. 2016. A conservation assessment of Panthera pardus. In Child MF, Roxburgh L, Do Linh San E, Raimondo D, Davies-Mostert HT, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa. https://capeleopard.org.za/images/docs/publications/2016_Swanepoel_et_al_A_conservation_assessment_of_Panthera_pardus.pdf
Jacobson, A.P., Gerngross, P., Lemeris Jr, J.R., Schoonover, R.F., Anco, C., Breitenmoser-Würsten, C., Durant, S.M., Farhadinia, M.S., Henschel, P., Kamler, J.F. and Laguardia, A., 2016. Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range. PeerJ, 4, p.e1974. https://peerj.com/articles/1974
Trouwborst, A., Loveridge, A.J. and Macdonald, D.W., 2020. Spotty data: managing international leopard (Panthera pardus) trophy hunting quotas amidst uncertainty. Journal of Environmental Law, 32(2), pp.253-278. https://academic.oup.com/jel/article-pdf/32/2/253/33482581/eqz032.pdf
Mann, G., Pitman, R., Broadfield, J., Taylor, J., Whittington-Jones, G., Rogan, M., Dubay, S., and Balme, G. (2018). South African Leopard Monitoring Project, Annual report for the South African National Biodiversity Institute.
Balme, G. A., Hunter, L., & Braczkowski, A. R. (2012). Applicability of age-based hunting regulations for African leopards. PloS one, 7(4), e35209. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0035209
Balme, G., Dickerson, T., Fatterbert, J., Lindsay, P., Swanepoel, L., and Hunter, L., (unpublished manuscript) A decision framework for reconciling ethics, science and conservation in wildlife research.
Balme, G.A., Lindsey, P.A., Swanepoel, L.H. and Hunter, L.T., 2014. Failure of research to address the rangewide conservation needs of large carnivores: leopards in South Africa as a case study. Conservation Letters, 7(1), pp.3-11. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/conl.12028
Weise, F.J., Lemeris, J., Stratford, K.J., van Vuuren, R.J., Munro, S.J., Crawford, S.J., Marker, L.L. and Stein, A.B., 2015. A home away from home: insights from successful leopard (Panthera pardus) translocations. Biodiversity and conservation, 24(7), pp.1755-1774. https://www.academia.edu/download/61094290/Leopard_Translocation20191101-1919-10b5t5w.pdf
Hayward, M.W., Adendorff, J., Moolman, L., Hayward, G.J. and Kerley, G.I., 2007. The successful reintroduction of leopard Panthera pardus to the Addo Elephant National Park. African Journal of Ecology, 45(1), p.103. https://www.ibs.bialowieza.pl/g2/pdf/1621.pdf
Martin, R.B. and De Meulenaer, T., 1988. Survey of the status of the leopard (Panthera pardus) in sub-Saharan Africa. Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
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The edgy but respectful discussion about the controversial Hwange lion hunt has been FASCINATING and a good example of the type of engagement that is so important for Africa going forward. Enough of the barking and bullying on social media! Soon our private travel & conservation club will include ongoing safari tips and other useful info. Stand by.
CLUB note: If you haven’t yet made use of your invitation code to join up (emailed to you on 9+11 August – check your spam folders), please please please do so. The club is free – with significant travel and other benefits. Non-newsletter subscribers have to go through a vetting process in order to join the club. If you can’t find that emailed invitation code, please email teamAG and request one.
Chuffed, got my second Pfizer Covid jab a few days ago! The sooner we’re all jabbed up the sooner Africa’s safari industry will recommence.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
Zambia has a new president-elect. Congrats to him etc. Now, if we might prevail upon his soon-to-be Excellency Hakainde Hichilema and his liberal government to reverse some of the, to put it mildly, bizarre decisions to exploit that magnificent country’s exceptional national heritage (mining and commercial agriculture).
In our first story below, we journey to Western Namibia. It is difficult to describe the feeling of driving down the salt highway, the Atlantic on one side, the Namib desert on the other; of being lost in the red dunes; of exploring the ephemeral rivers and craggy mountains. This is a landscape that sings rich songs to the human soul.
In our third story below, we treat you to a gallery of wonders from our Photographer of the Year – a selection of Hannes Lochner’s favourites and the stories behind each image. A perfect way to settle into the weekend and inspire your next trip to the African wild.
From our Scientific Editor
Our newsletter this week features two different aspects of western Namibia – the first a more complicated look at a local community’s conservation strategy, the second a celebration of its beauty and tourism wonder.
As is always the case when trophy hunting in Africa is placed under the spotlight, the furore over the death of Mopane the male lion has once again raised familiar questions about the benefit of hunting to local communities and conservation in general. The inevitable outcome is that popular opinion tars all hunting operations by the same disapproving brush.
Of course, the situation is always far more complex. As our third story attests, there are places where, by all accounts, sustainable hunting has proved a successful conservation tool. Read more about how one community in western Namibia turned from cattle farming to wildlife hunting – protecting precious habitats, saving wildlife and improving livelihoods in the process.
DID YOU KNOW: The word porcupine’s roots are the Latin words ‘porcus’ or pig and ‘spina’ meaning thorns – a thorny pig. Of course, the porcupines are rodents not porkers!
Hannes Lochner, our 2021 Photographer of the Year, shares a selection of his favourite images.
This National Geographic Cover of Luna is one of my favourites. My wife Noa and I followed her for two and a half years. To work so hard and be rewarded with a National Geographic cover four years later was very satisfying after our time and effort.After a good meal, a Cape cobra came down from a sociable weaver nest in which it was looking for chicks. The leopard, meanwhile, wanted to return to the springbok he had stashed on top of the nest. The cat and the snake stared at each other for a few seconds before deciding a conflict wasn’t worth it. The snake went up, and the leopard lay down again. This photo is where my career started – where I decided to become a full-time photographer. I love images that tell stories. And this is one of them.I have spent nearly five years perfecting this remote wireless technology to photograph intimate portraits of wild African animals (at night predominantly). In the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, I set up a camera near a waterhole, hiding it from lions especially – their playful ways can cause damage! I was settled in my vehicle just as the sun set, the dust in the air creating a special kind of Kalahari light. A pride of lions arrived, and by repeatedly clicking the shutter, I coaxed the ever-curious cubs forward. This bold individual gazed into the lens as it sniffed the strange object. All the camera settings were on manual, and I had pre-focused. I just hoped I had judged the lighting and angle correctly.A lion cub tries to nudge dad, but the male is grumpy. At the click of the shutter, a fly passes through the focus point and the pupil of the eye. The blunt teeth indicate an old male – but clearly, one still to be feared. Cubs always tread lightly around the males, weary of a swipe. This is my Africa Geographic 2021 Photographer of the Year winning image.A different image altogether. I overexposed and blew out all the detail in the background. I love the simplicity. The star is actually the little oxpecker!One of my favourite sightings in Namibia recently was an albino black-backed jackal. Albinism is a congenital disorder that can be only be expressed if both parents carry the recessive albino gene.This young male seemed blissfully unconcerned by the lightning and thunder rolling in across the Kalahari. I came across him stretched out next to the road. He raised his head to look at me a couple of times, but he wasn’t interested in either me or the dramatic goings-on behind him. I worked fast, framing the lion against the illuminated night sky at the moment a bolt of lightning flashed to the ground. Just after I took this picture, there were a few more lightning bolts, and then everything went still and dark again.A lunar moth emerges from a mopane thicket and alights on an elephant. A harmless meeting of two different worlds.After a massive fight between two hippo bulls, the older one succumbed to his wounds. The crocodiles took their share before the smell attracted some hyenas that dragged the carcass out of the water. They feasted for a while before two lions appeared on the other side of the river. The cats walked downstream, crossed where it was narrower and arrived at the carcass to chase the hyenas away. They feasted long into the morning. Every so often, the hippo responsible for the carcass walked out of the water and chased the lions off his victim for some strange reason. I tried to capture the whole scene, two lions feasting, hippo and the river in the background, all overhung by the Milky Way.I love spending time with baboons; the bigger the group, the better. There is always something to photograph. I tested out the latest Sony 600mm lens with a 2x converter and was blown away by the sharpness. Monday blues for this baboon, after an evening of fermented marulas.A leopard’s eyes reflect the moon in my 600mm lens. We waited until it rose over a dusty African plain in the Kalahari Desert. I shot images with different light sources from the side, front and back. But this one with just the reflections of my lens remains my favourite.The last rays of the hot Kalahari sun caught the mane of this magnificent, black-maned lion. I purposely underexposed to make the sunlit areas stand out.I was fortunate enough to be in a game reserve during the lockdown, staying in a house close to a small ravine. I set up a camera on a game path among some ruby gnidia flowers that had popped up after the first rains of the season. One of the tracks I saw had been made by a bushpig, a rarely seen nocturnal mammal that forages in leafy vegetation.Photography is all about timing. A fly was irritating a meerkat while it looked out for danger. I snapped this image as he seemed to shield his eyes from the sun. Timing can change everything.The Kalahari desert is a hot, harsh place, but the creatures that live there are experts at making the most of every opportunity. Rain had brought out a host of insects and, in turn, geckos looking for a meal. The Bibron’s thick-toed gecko is an acrobat, running, jumping and leaping from bush to bush to catch insects. They ran across our tent roof, leaping up to grab meals mid-air. After one such leap, this individual landed on a tumbleweed that was glowing in the light of the campfire. Gambling on capturing the Milky Way as a backdrop, I risked a long exposure. Using a soft flash to freeze the gecko as it paused, I captured the spiky reptile, the spiky seedpods and the stars.A pack of African painted dogs tried to corner an impala against a crocodile and hippo infested river. The antelope took a leap of faith and jumped into a pool of hippos in an attempt to escape. Two hippos immediately swam towards the impala, flung it in the air, and then bounced on top of it. An hour earlier, a similar scene had played out with another impala. This one was luckier, though, and it escaped. Shocked but with only a small cut on its back.
Hannes uses Sonyalpha systems, and both Noa and Hannes use Cartoni camera supports for equipment support and Lacie tech drives for image and video storage. You can follow Hannes on Instagram or his website.
When rural communities see long term benefits from hunting, such as this elephant-proof water pump and storage, they prioritise wildlife over farmed animals
By Emmanuel Koro
If you want to be the number one enemy in rural African communities, tell them to stop using their land for cattle production. Cattle are considered a status symbol in Africa. A family’s wealth or status is generally measured by the size of the herd of cattle it owns.
Despite this, Namibia’s Anabeb Conservancy residents switched from using their land for cattle production in favour of wildlife trophy hunting. Why did they do this?
The benefits that the Anabeb Conservancy’s 200 households have been receiving from hunting over the years led to a decision in 2019 to completely abandon a centuries-old African culture of using land to support cattle. Today, wildlife roams freely where herds of cattle used to graze. It is a rare cultural transformation brought about by the extraordinary and life-changing wildlife hunting benefits.
For Anabeb Conservancy members, wildlife hunting brings more money and makes more economic and conservation sense than cattle. Cattle need more water and grazing land than wildlife. The wildlife land-use option also reduces human-wildlife conflict, as there are no wildlife revenge-killings for attacks on their cattle.
Water made available to remote communities because of hunting
“If you sell one cow you get US$125(N$2000) while a kudu fetches US$935 (N$15 000) or more depending on size,” said Anabeb Conservancy Chairman, Ovehi Kasaona, in an interview this week. “Therefore, our Conservancy decided last year to sell all our cattle and use the land for wildlife hunting and tourism lodges that we have built using hunting revenue.”
The hunting benefits to Namibia’s Anabeb Conservancy include the provision of water “within a five-metre distance for each household.” This has drastically reduced the long distances women and children would walk every day to fetch water in the dry landscape.
These impressive advancements due to hunting revenue have resulted in a significant improvement to people’s livelihoods in the Anabeb Conservancy, including better educational, health and sanitation services. The Conservancy recently used some of this revenue to buy an ambulance for the local clinic, making it easier for pregnant women and other residents from this community to receive emergency medical care. This, in turn, helps to prevent needless loss of lives.
Chairman Kasaona said that other infrastructural developments include the recent construction of a children’s learning centre or kindergarten, known as a crèche in some parts of southern Africa.
“Last year we built a kindergarten using hunting revenue,” he said. “We also upgraded ablution facilities at a local school. So, whoever is doubting the benefits of hunting must come and witness the benefits that Anabeb Conservancy where residents are getting significant benefits from hunting.”
He said that more crèches and primary schools would be built in the future. Every village with 50 households shall have a kindergarten and a primary school.
“We want to cut down on walking distances to school for our children,” said Chairman Kasaona. “We will also start a trust fund to send people from this Conservancy to university to study tourism.”
All the 200 households in Anabebi Conservancy now have tap water, unlike before when women and children walked long distances to fetch water. This has removed the risk of being bitten by snakes while fetching water and crossing dangerous roads. It has also lessened the danger of women and children being victims of crime.
Cattle are not good for ecosystems – wildlife is the better option
“Wildlife hunting revenue has brought us water and backyard gardens,” said Chairman Kasaona. “The Anabeb Conservancy residents are now producing their own fruits and vegetables. That’s empowerment. They no longer need to go and buy fresh produce from the market. This helps fight poverty as they are now saving money that they used to buy vegetables and fruits from local stores. Anyone can come and witness for themselves these rare life-improving developments.”
Chairman Kasaona said that residents of Anabeb Conservancy are very excited about the socio-economic benefits that they are enjoying from wildlife revenue.
“When our animals see us, they are happy, and they don’t run away from us,” he said. “We are friends.”
Reacting to the anti-hunting Western animal rights groups, Chairman Kasaona said that these Western people “seem to be ignorant” about how people love wildlife in Anabeb Conservancy.
“We protect our wildlife, he said. “Therefore, we condemn such anti-hunting attitudes because we are harvesting wildlife sustainably and so protecting them. We totally reject the whole Western animal rights movement’s anti-wildlife-use ideology. For us, in Namibia, we are sorted, and we love our animals. We look after them. We are co-existing with wildlife very well. We are happy.”
The benefits of wildlife have brought a complete change of attitude towards wildlife in the entire community. Some of the Anabeb Conservancy residents, once wildlife poachers, have become the protectors of wildlife. Apart from being the leader of Anabeb Conservancy, Chairman Kasaona perhaps represents the most dramatic mindset reformation – from being a poacher to a wildlife conservation champion.
“I remember poaching a big kudu for meat,” said Chairman Kasaona. “My friends were also poachers for meat, including my father and grandfather. My uncle even poached for rhino horn sale. In the past, when we saw wildlife, we saw meat for the pot. Now we are associating wildlife with tourism business such as lodges that we have built using money from wildlife hunting. This has created employment for people who work at the lodges and those involved with game drives.”
The important wildlife conservation lesson from Anabeb Conservancy is that when people benefit from wildlife, they see the need to conserve it.
“When they see a poacher, they inform the police about the presence of suspicious people in the area,” he said. “We benefit a lot from hunting. Species that are hunted here include kudu, mountain zebra, springboks, baboons, lions and oryx.”
Rural community school – built from hunting revenue
The gains of wildlife hunting revenue also include the potential of even bringing electricity to brighten up rural communities that get plunged into darkness when night falls. Accordingly, the Anabeb Conservancy has already planned to roll out in 2021, a wildlife hunting revenue funded solar power supply to all the 200 households.
“We want to invest in our children and the future generation. Our children do not have to suffer the hardships that we endured when we were growing up. The introduction of solar lighting means that our school children will be able to study for longer hours in comfortable environments, achieve pass rates and go on to do better professions,” said Chairman Kasaona. “This will further help uplift the community from poverty. The investment in solar lighting is a great investment since it is environmentally friendly as it removes the cutting down of trees for firewood and lighting and reduces climate change-causing carbon emissions. Indeed, we made a wise decision by shifting from cattle farming to wildlife hunting.”
About the writer: Emmanuel Koro is a Johannesburg-based award-winning independent environmental journalist who writes and has written extensively on environment and development issues in Africa
Scattered along the regions of Western Namibia, half-buried ghost towns are being reclaimed by the sand. Quite aside from providing the perfect setting for reflective social media posts by a travelling influencer, these towns are a testament to the immutable powers of desert and ocean. In a land of extremes, the daily battle for survival plays out against the backdrop of stunning scenery.
Western Namibia and the Namib Desert
Namibia has one of the largest percentages of protected land in Africa, with some 40% of the country falling under either state, private or community protection. Much of this is found along the country’s western edge, bordering the savage Atlantic Ocean coastline. Here desert meets sea where ocean winds and thick sea fogs have shaped a rippling vista of sinuous dunes sheltering some of the most superbly adapted life on the planet.
The Namib Desert (from which Namibia takes its name) is one of the world’s oldest deserts – some 55-80 million years. The word “Namib” has its origins in the Khoekhoe language and essentially translates as “vast place”. The desert stretches in a narrow strip along Namibia’s coast, from the Olifants River in South Africa to the Coporala-Carunjamba catchment in Angola. There are sections where the average annual rainfall is just two mm. Despite the exceptional aridity, scientists believe that it is home to more endemic species than any other desert.
The Namib is also extremely rich in diamonds, which has played a significant role in the shaping of Namibia’s history. The Tsau ||Khaeb National Park (formerly Sperrgebiet) along the southern coastline remains entirely inaccessible to self-drive tourists, despite mining operations taking place in five per cent of the park. It was here that the Bom Jesus, a 500-year-old shipwreck, was found sheltering secrets of the historic ivory trade. Further north, however, is where the true Namibian jewels are to be found – otherworldly landscapes, magnificent scenery, desert-adapted wildlife and star-studded night skies devoid of light pollution.
Sossusvlei (and the Namib-Naukluft National Park)
Sossusvlei is perhaps Namibia’s most famous landmark and is undoubtedly one of the most photographed places in sub-Saharan Africa – for good reason. It is an endorheic drainage basin for the Tsauchab River, with “Sossusvlei” roughly translating as “no return” or “dead-end marsh”. The salt and clay pan is surrounded by spectacular dunes, coloured bright red and orange by oxidised iron. The Tsauchab River is ephemeral, and years of dry can pass before it flows, filling the bottom of the pan with precious but short-lived water.
Sossusvlei is at the heart of the enormous Namib-Naukluft National Park, which is Namibia’s largest protected area at 50,000km2 (5 million hectares). However, so renowned is Sossusvlei that it is often colloquially used in reference to any of the surrounding landmarks and vleis. The rich, soft sand has blown in over the centuries to create some of the largest dunes in the world, their shape dynamic and ever-changing. The tallest of these in the national park is Dune 7, standing at 388m, while Big Daddy overlooks the Sossusvlei area from a height of 325m. Scampering up to the top of these dunes on sliding sands presents a view unlike any other – with the umber sands stretching as far as the eye can see.
Not far from Sossusvlei and flanked by Dune 45, Deadvlei is equally scenic. Here, the skeletons of trees fed by a river now long redirected bear testament to the harshness of the desert. The lack of moisture has prevented the trees’ natural decomposition, leaving them standing as eerie silhouettes against the pale white of the salt pan.
Staring in awe at the night sky is a human experience shared across continents, cultures and circumstances. From practical navigation to fanciful myths and legends, people are drawn to the infinite splendour of the Milky Way, studded with diamonds and the silvery glow of the gentle moon. Without so much as a hint of light pollution, stargazing in the Namib-Naukluft National Park is a positively humbling experience. NamibRand Nature Reserve, a private reserve adjacent to the park, is the only official International Dark Sky Association Reserve in Africa.
A victim of the Atlantic Ocean
The Skeleton Coast
North of the town of Swakopmund, the desert coastline continues as the aptly named Skeleton Coast, which includes the 16,000km2 (1.6 million hectares) Skeleton Coast National Park. The San people of Namibia’s interior are reputed to call it “the land god made in anger”, while Portuguese traders referred to the “gates of hell”. At the mercy of perfidious tides and cruel winds, the beaches are strewn with the debris of countless shipwrecks where everything from liners to gunboats have foundered over the centuries. No one knows for sure how many ships have been claimed by Namibia’s wicked coastlines – many buried quite literally by the shifting sands of time. However, the skeletal remains of luckless vessels are not alone, and bleached white whale bones bear testament to the leviathans’ struggles to navigate the waters. The net effect is an eldritch but astonishingly beautiful setting.
Sailors of old who survived their near-drowning would have found themselves stranded in an inhospitable setting, faced with the rolling dunes and rocky hills of the Namib Desert. It seems counterintuitive that anything could survive here, especially large mammals, but the Skeleton Coast is home to desert-adapted elephants, rhinos, and lions. Here, the long-limbed elephants cover up to 60km in a day, with ancestral survival skills passed from mother to offspring in an enduring repository of herd memory. The predators, too, have learnt to live on a knife-edge. Lions, jackals, and hyenas trawl the beaches for food. A rotting whale carcass is a rare boon, not to be passed up.
While the icy seas have made the land uninviting, the cold currents are rich in marine life, which in turn supports a massive colony of Cape fur seals at the Cape Cross Seal Reserve just north of Hentie’s Bay. Here visitors can watch the bulls fight during the breeding season in November and December, timed to coincide with the emergence of the tiny, vulnerable seal pups. Though deeply endearing, a gathering of this many seals is a viscerally pungent experience capable of singeing the nose hairs and bringing tears to the eyes.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the putrid stink does little to deter hungry predators. Resourceful jackals and brown hyenas are always lurking on the periphery, waiting to take advantage of an overly adventurous or lonely pup. Since their recovery in the park, the beach-combing lions have once again learnt to capitalise on marine resources, and up to 79% of their diet will consist of seals and sea birds. (For more on the fascinating lives of Namibia’s beach lions, see here.)
A Cape fur seal mother and pup have a disagreement
Huab River Valley (Damaraland) and Kaokoland
Bridging the gap between the Skeleton Coast to the west and Etosha National Park to the East, Huab River Valley (Damaraland) and Kaokoland mark the transition from desert to arid savanna habitat. Equally as dramatic and breath-taking as Sossusvlei, the scenery here is all hard lines and granite angles, moulded from rock instead of soft, shifting sands. There are no national parks – instead, the land is “unofficially” protected by a series of private and community conservancies. The entire region is a kind of open-air museum exhibiting everything from ancient geological wonders to early human history.
Hidden within the sun-burnished rock formations and mountains is one of the finest collections of prehistoric rock art in Southern Africa. The vast majority are found at the Twyfelfontein engravings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are around 2,500 different etchings of people, wild animals (including a penguin and seal, though the coast is 100km away) and cattle. The petroglyphs are believed to be between 2,000 and 6,000 years old and were probably instructional in nature – teaching young hunters about their wild prey. Further south, the many caves and overhangs of Brandberg Mountain are a gallery to over a thousand rock paintings. The most famous of these is the “White Lady”, now believed to depict a mystical, shaman-like figure.
Left and top right – Engravings and a painting from Twyfelfontein; Bottom right – The White Lady found of the Brandberg mountain
Geological wonders of the area include the famous Spitzkoppe granite inselbergs and the Organ Pipes – a series of jagged, narrow pieces of rock formed when the supercontinent of Gondwana began to pull apart. Even older than the Organ Pipes, the Petrified Forest displays the remnants of a flood going back well over 200 million years ago, when enormous trees were washed downstream as an ice age ended. The trees were covered in cloying mud and eventually fossilised. Research indicates that they belonged to the ancestral family of European firs and spruces.
Though perhaps not in the same numbers as those that inspired their rock art representation, the wildlife still flourishes in this section of north-central Namibia. Many of the concessions and conservancies are contiguous with the Skeleton Coast National Park. The desert-adapted elephants and lions are always highlights, but visitors can also spend time on foot tracking the critically endangered black rhinos that inhabit the area.
Clockwise from top left: A herd of desert-adapted elephants forage in an ephemeral river; lithops in flower; desert-adapted lions have an argument; flamingos enjoy a saline pan; a desert rhino searches for danger; a little crab scans the beach.
Life on the edge
Consistent across western Namibia is nature’s astonishing capacity to adapt to life in extreme conditions. This applies to everything from plants to elephants. For the smaller plants and creatures, it is often the thick ocean fog (so cursed by the sailors) that is key to their survival. The primitive welwitschia, with its gnarled and unassuming appearance, can survive for hundreds of years on mist and dew alone. The marvellous little lithops are equally fantastical. These plants are living stones – clever succulents perfectly designed to blend into the pebbles. Their fenestrated leaves and transparent epidermal windows allow the plant to photosynthesise without losing water.
An ancient welwitschia plant
On a more mobile level, Namibia is home to a family of beetles that have inspired several water-saving biomimicry designs. A series of specialised bumps, ridges, and grooves on Namib desert beetles’ exoskeletons help harvest the fog and direct dribbles of water to their mouths.
Clockwise from top left: Searching for desert animals; ballooning over the Namib; eating out in the desert; dune boarding; a midday picnic out on drive; exploring on a quad bike.
Travel, marvel, explore
As unwelcoming as the landscape may seem, travelling in Namibia is so safe and easy that it is sometimes referred to as “Africa for beginners”. A self-drive adventure is relatively straightforward, and while some of the dirt roads are bumpy and corrugated, the slow progress offers a chance to explore the charms of the country. When travelling from delightful, isolated farmhouse accommodation to quaint souvenir shops, the boundless scenery provides every opportunity to take romantic, appropriately filtered Instagram shots or photos for canvas masterpieces. Though accommodation options tend to be quite pricey away from the main cities, low budget campsites are readily available. In a country with the second-lowest population density in the world, a journey through Namibia can feel like stepping back in time.
Want to go on safari to Western Namibia? 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.
Accommodation for most budgets
Close to the main city of Walvis Bay and the town of Swakopmund, the daredevil traveller will find more adrenaline-inducing activities like sandboarding down the dunes. However, the real magic of western Namibia lies in the ability to lose oneself in the exquisite surroundings and bask under a blanket of silence and in the sense of pure isolation. In today’s fast-paced world, it is the perfect way to return to a more human schedule.
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5 days old, and our private travel & conservation club is GROWING like a dry season bush fire, fanned by the August winds!
And already the JUICES are flowing with our first donation – for Lion Landscapes (apt, considering our first story below). Thanks for getting the ball rolling Ulla Meixner, and to others for your donations since then. Remember that every Dollar counts, and that AG takes no share in donations made. We will forward donations to the relevant conservation projects every few months.
And club member Anthony Robinson has shared this shocking video of crazy guide behaviour during the Maasai Mara migration river crossing season. HAVE YOUR SAY about what can be done to stop this irresponsible behaviour.
Obviously, your favourite AG stories are all available in the private club, as well as on our public website. That said, as from today, we have de-activated comments on our public website.
Remember that, as a newsletter subscriber, you have been PRE-APPROVED for club membership – your invitation code and instructions were emailed to you this week. If you have not seen our email with subject line “Your invitation to join our private club” then please scroll through your email spam folder.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
In many parts of South Africa, there is a hint that winter may be ending. In some cases, this hint is a little disturbing – trees seem to be flowering slightly earlier, possibly as a result of our warming planet. Still, I’m only too pleased for the lengthening days. The expectation of birds, flowers, smells and greenery makes me smile.
I try to keep an open mind about trophy hunting and I am prepared to listen to arguments in its favour where benefits genuinely flow to local people in marginal areas. Our first story below, detailing the death of a lion called Mopane, however, shows the outright savagery of various echelons of the trophy hunting industry.
Yesterday was world elephant day and the Elephant Crisis Fund has launched a campaign for the critically endangered forest species. Our second story below explains the importance of these hidden gardeners of the forest.
I’m not sure how the subjects of our fourth story below feel about the changing season. No doubt, the meerkats will be looking forward to easier foraging as temperatures warm, but this will be tempered by the fact that they live in some of the hottest (though most beautiful) parts of Southern Africa.
From our Scientific Editor
Our relationship with dogs goes back further than any other domestic species. Though hard to imagine now, every pampered pinscher or breathless brachycephalic pug can trace its lineage back to the wild wolves of old. At some point at least 15,000 years ago (though probably more), our ancestors realised that our lives would be infinitely improved by a four-legged companion.
Since then, working dogs have been bred for various tasks – from hunting and herding to security and sniffing out illicit substances. In keeping with this fine tradition, the Cheetah Conservation Fund has been supplying farmers in Namibia with Anatolian shepherds to protect their livestock from wild predators. Read our third story to find out how these dogs are contributing to cheetah conservation.
A lion called Mopane was shot by a bowhunter on 5 August 2021 on a hunting concession bordering the unfenced Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. He was 12 years old and a breeding pride male.
What we know about the hunters:
Information extracted from a Tweet by LionExpose! and confirmed via reliable sources:
The trophy hunter who killed Mopane is Phillip Smith of Columbia, Missouri, United States.
The professional hunter accompanying the hunt was Dennis Nyakane, working for Chattaronga Safaris – a South African hunting operator/agent. Nyakane is listed as ‘hunting staff’ on the Chattaronga website. We contacted two email addresses and two phone numbers for Chattaronga Safaris but had no reply to any of our queries.
The Zimbabwean hunting operator was Dinguzulu Safaris ZTA HOP 0257 – the same operator responsible for the death of Cecil the lion.
What we know about the hunt:
Mopane was feeding on a bait (i.e. a dead animal used to lure the trophy lion into a position where the hunter could shoot him).
The killing took place on the border of Hwange, in a hunting concession called Antoinette. There are no fences between Hwange and Antoinette. The Antoinette concession is co-owned by a Mr Honest Ndlovu and is the same concession where Cecil was killed.
Mopane did not die immediately. Instead, he apparently spent the next 24 hours wounded, after which time he was finally killed. We do not know if his misery was ended by another arrow or by a bullet. We cannot confirm the time he suffered because Chattaronga Safaris, the hunting outfitter, did not reply to our queries.
We do not know if Mopane was lured out of the park intentionally or if he simply happened upon the bait. We do know that he was apt to cross park boundaries, most likely because his territory extended into these areas.
Mopane was advertised as a trophy specimen as early as 5 December 2020 by Big Game Safaris International (see image below).
The advertisement on social media (since taken down) for Mopane (spelt mopani). The hashtags give some insight into the mentality of potential clients and the advertiser.
At the time of his death, Mopane was dominant over two prides. He leaves behind two lionesses and six subadult offspring aged around 17 months – the Somadada pride. His other pride, an offshoot of the Guvulava Pride, consists of two lionesses with two cubs, likely sired by the Chiz Boys. Interestingly Mopane seemed to have adopted these roughly six-month-old cubs. It would have been fascinating to see how the dynamics of this fledgling pride played out. Mopane was in a coalition with another male lion, Sidhule, with both lions frequently seen by photographic lodges in Hwange. In August 2019 Sidhule was lured from Hwange and killed by another Chattaronga client.
Mopane, the two lionesses of the Guvulava offshoot and two cubs belonging to the deceased Chiz Boys
No Zimbabwean national laws were broken, and therefore, there was nothing illegal about this hunt.
Over the last 12 years, hunters have killed more than 20 named lions in the region. Some of their names include The Ngamo Boys (four lions), Judah, Scaredy-cat, Ugly, Seamus, Oliver, Cecil, Xander, Xander’s brother, Sidhule (killed on World Lion Day, 2019), Chikarubi, Almondo, Bush, Castor, Isipoko, Ebusuku, Kakori, Lumuno, Nxaha, Peugeot, Cruiser, Raah, Tequila, Vanilla,
Of the 62 Hwange lions (28 males and 34 females) tagged during a five-year (1999 to 2004) research project by Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, 24 were killed by trophy hunters. Of these, 13 were adult males and six were sub-adult males. Let’s be clear about this point – 72% of male Hwange lions identified by a research project were killed by trophy hunters and, of those, 30% were under four years old. Source.
Lions trophy hunted in the Hwange region over the last 12 years
Questions
There are plenty of questions to be asked about trophy hunts like this. In an attempt to understand the whole situation, we attempted over the course of the last week to contact Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks), the Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides Association and Chattaronga Safaris. We have had no reply from anyone, despite promises by ZimParks of a response.
These are the issues we would like to understand:
Why is the legal age for a trophy male in this area six years and older? Mopane was 12 years old and still dominant over two prides. He had sub-adult offspring and his presence protected them from marauding interlopers. Surely the justification for killing a lion this age because he supposedly no longer has an ecological role to play must be reconsidered? Cecil was 13 and still dominant. Cecil’s son Xanda was six when killed – and father of several cubs at the time. Xanda’s brother was also killed by trophy hunters – at the age of four (below the required age). Questions like these beget further questions about the sustainability of lion hunting in this area.
2. Where did the money go? If the trophy hunting fraternity wants those who find their entertainment abhorrent to listen to their arguments in favour, they need to come clean with where the money goes and in what proportions. How much of the hunt proceeds went to local people and conservation authorities vs how much went to the hunting operators? How many long-term, sustainable opportunities for local people were created by this and other trophy hunts? These questions were asked of ZimParks, but as is often typical when asking for facts and figures relating to the benefits of trophy hunting, there seems to be a shroud of secrecy that only serves to increase suspicion.
3. What manner of logic sees ZimParks so deaf and blind to the atrocious publicity caused by hunts of this nature? Cecil’s death created an international stink from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to Harare. Why allow the same practice here? Why on earth would you allow a known photographic icon to be advertised, then horrifically injured by a bowhunter and left to suffer on the borders of a world-famous national park? This is not only bad for trophy hunters but more so for the photographic tourism operators whose businesses will be affected by this ongoing tragedy.
4. Trophy hunters often justify their industry by invoking the claim that it provides economic viability to areas that are unviable for photographic tourism. How then is a hunt like this justified given that the animal killed was a photographic favourite in Hwange?
5. How does baiting an animal qualify as ‘fair-chase’? Surely sitting in a blind waiting for a territorial male lion to scavenge on a carcass cannot be considered ‘fair chase’?
6. Lastly, why is it necessary for trophy hunters, who claim to love nature, to use bows and arrows to kill animals? How on earth can they possibly think this is a humane way to take an animal’s life given how high the chances of injuring the animal are? Cecil the lion, shot by an incompetent bow hunter, spent TEN HOURS with an arrow injury before he could be found and finally killed. What is the conservation justification for this practice? What possible rationale can there be for increasing the risk of inflicting a drawn-out, painful death on an animal?
Hwange tourism stakeholders fear to speak out
Some of the Hwange tourism stakeholders affected by hunting on the national park’s borders issued the following statement to us.
We, as stakeholders in Hwange, are forced to speak anonymously due to imminent threats posed by hunters and ZimParks profiteering from the hunting of lions. We are absolutely devastated by the killing of Mopane, a dominant pride male that lived in Hwange National Park and its boundaries. The killing of dominant males on the boundary areas is not conservation. It is unsustainable and will lead to the further demise of an already depleted and dysfunctional lion population.
That said, these stakeholders have had productive interactions with members of the Zimbabwean Professional Hunters and Guides Association, some of whom are apparently appalled at Mopane’s demise but had not replied to our questions at the time of writing. They feel that any hunter in Zimbabwe should have to be part of their organisation and subject to their ethics committee. We are not sure what this means for lion hunting or the methods trophy hunters choose to use.
An approximate location of Antoinette Hunting Farm in relation to Hwange National Park
Conclusion
Far more questions than answers remain about this hunt.
Given what we know about lion biology, it is frankly bizarre to assert that the hunting of an animal like Mopane will not affect lion population dynamics. The killing of Mopane could result in the deaths of up to eight cubs and subadults and possibly their mothers. The consequences of his demise were entirely predictable and avoidable – Mopane was not an unknown lion living in a far off concession with unfathomable lion dynamics. He was a well-known, territorial pride male in a popular photographic safari area. Indeed, he was advertised as a potential trophy many months before being shot. To assert that Mopane was in some way superfluous to the lion ecology of the area is patently ridiculous.
Unfortunately, the same could be argued to a greater or lesser extent for just about any large or old male mammal. Evolution has not blessed many animals with life after their ecological role is complete – it simply doesn’t work that way. And so every old animal is special – ecologically. The more we learn about older animals, the more we learn about their ecological functions. Old elephants have a social role. This old lion Mopane was still playing a breeding and protective role.
When Cecil was killed, the outcry was criticised by some commentators who bemoaned animal activist tears over the death of a lion while those same eyes remain dry in the face of so much human suffering. This was often valid commentary. However, the death of Mopane (and Cecil) is less about animal rights and much more about poor conservation, profiteering, and appalling PR, which will harm a tourism industry that provides long-term jobs and foreign income.
So, where does this leave the question of trophy hunting male lions? Well, if this is how trophy hunters are going to conduct themselves: baiting and then horrifically injuring breeding territorial male lions with archaic weapons while giving no consideration to the consequences for other lions or photographic tourism operations, how can the practice be tolerated? Likewise, if the veil of secrecy around revenue flows continues, then it is impossible to justify hunts like this on the basis that the income is paying for conservation.
Whenever African elephants are mentioned, it is understandably the savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) that receives the most headlines. Ask any child in the world, and they would probably be able to identify one from a line-up. I doubt many of these children, or even most adults, are aware of the lesser-known forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).
The magnificent, intelligent, and highly endangered forest elephant made headlines in March this year when the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) updated its status to critically endangered. Their population is believed to have declined a staggering 86% in just 31 years. Yet, most people would be forgiven for not knowing about them. Despite being recognised as a separate species by some experts since 1900, this year marks the first time the IUCN has declared forest and savannah elephants to be two distinct species.
Logging is just one of the threats facing forest elephant habitats.
Elephants are elephants, so what?
According to genetic analysis, forest elephant and their savannah cousins diverged from a common ancestor around 5.5 million years ago. This is around the same time Asian elephants split from the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), and humans split from chimpanzees. The two African species have therefore been living separately for a very long time. (See here for a detailed look at the three different elephant species).
A close inspection of forest elephants reveals they are morphologically quite different too. Compared to their savannah cousins, their tusks are straighter, thinner, and direct, mainly downwards. Their ears are smaller and more rounded, and their forequarters are lower than their hindquarters, making forest elephants’ bodies more compact. Having lower forequarters is a trait shared with other rainforest dwelling mammals of Central Africa, like the striking and enigmatic western bongo. This allows them to move around the rainforest so effectively that they seem able to melt away in a moment, which is partly why they have been so understudied.
One of the main reasons scientific bodies like the IUCN have only just defined the forest elephant as a separate species is that they have been known to produce fertile hybrids with savannah elephants. Observed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), western Uganda and parts of West Africa, hybridisation is quite a divisive topic amongst geneticists and taxonomists. It is often said that truly distinct species cannot interbreed. However, paleogeneticist Dr Eleftheria Palkopoulou points out [1]that reproductive hybrids amongst closely related mammals are not unprecedented. Furthermore, she stresses that the “capacity for hybridisation is the norm rather than the exception in many mammalian species over a time scale of millions of years”.
Uncontrolled fires and slash and burn agriculture continue to reduce forest elephant habitat in Central Africa.
Rapid population decline
Forest elephants occur in the tropical rainforests of Central Africa and fragmented habitats in West Africa. They have been observed living in savannah environments in many areas, including Gabon and parts of West Africa. To make things more complicated, savannah elephants are known to live happily in forests in Kenya and elsewhere.
Gabon is home to the largest population of forest elephant. A diminutive country by African standards, around 88% of its landmass is covered by forest. However, a recent study estimates that in just one decade from 2004-2014, the population in Minkébé National Park declined by 78-81%, a loss of more than 25,000 elephants[2]. This amounts to almost seven elephants killed every day for ten years and serves as a stark warning that nowhere in Central Africa can be considered genuinely safe from poaching.
A small herd of forest elephant drinking in Odzala-Kokua National Park, Republic of Congo
Fragile amphitheatres of Eden
Because they spend most of their time in small family groups of three to four female relatives, with the males roaming the forests by themselves, forest elephant can be tough to study. Therefore, most observations are limited to forest clearings known as “bais”, a word from the Babenzélé language spoken by the nomadic pygmy peoples who also inhabit these forests. In Dzanga Bai (meaning “village of the elephants”) in the CAR, it is not uncommon to observe 60 to 70 elephants congregating, interacting, and feeding in what is one of nature’s greatest spectacles.
The architects of these fragile amphitheatres of Eden are forest elephants, who excavate and compact pits with their tusks and feet. In turn, these clearings are frequented by many different species seeking out the water, minerals, and clay soils the elephants unearth. The disappearance of the gentle giants would herald the end of these vital rainforest oases, impoverishing the entire ecosystem as a result.
A herd of forest elephant feeding in Dzanga Bai, Central African Republic
“Mega-gardeners” of the forest
The great rainforests of Central and West Africa provide forest elephants with a vast larder to choose from. Their frugivorous predilection means they consume the most diverse range of seed species compared to any other rainforest mammal. They then disburse these seeds, often several kilometres from the parent tree. Many plant species rely on elephants for their distribution, and so these elephants play an integral role in the maintenance of forest structure and diversity. Their excellent excrement is responsible for planting over a hundred species of plants and trees, which in turn support myriad other invertebrate, avian, and mammalian rainforest life.
It is little wonder they are dubbed the “mega-gardeners” of the forest. They maintain it primarily by breaking it, opening areas by knocking down trees, trampling vegetation, and stimulating decomposition by shattering rotting logs. The absence of this constructive destruction would bring about severe shifts in the stability of Africa’s rainforests, which in turn, would affect the lives of innumerable species that share these habitats.
Impact on our lives
One of the species whose lives would be significantly affected by the disappearance of the forest elephant, is ours.
Studies have suggested that forest elephants contribute to carbon sequestration. In simple terms, by preferring to eat smaller tree species over trees with high wood density, elephants thin out smaller trees with less carbon-storing capabilities, allowing the larger trees to grow. Worryingly, it appears that climate change is already destabilising the delicate balance of these rainforest ecosystems. The fruiting trees, upon which elephants and a host of other species depend, require subtle decreases in temperature to come into flower. As a result of rising average temperatures, scientists have observed an 81% decline in fruit yields between 1986 and 2018[3], hampering the development of muscle and fat in elephants. Over a 20-year study, researchers noted an 11% decline in their body condition[4].
We have shared a very long history with elephants. Civilisations in the Indus Valley domesticated Asian elephants (Elephas maximas) as early as 5,000 years ago. You may be familiar with the exploits of the great Carthaginian leader Hannibal, who used African elephants to cross the Alps to wage war with Rome. These elephants are believed to have been part of an extinct subspecies, imaginatively called the North African elephant (their Latin name, as is often the case, is far more poetic: Loxodonta africana pharoensis). Yet, it is widely agreed that African elephants do not appreciate being handled by humans and are not generally used in circuses or zoos as they are too dangerous. But did you know that humans have tamed forest elephants?
During the Belgian rule over what is today the DRC, King Leopold II personally funded a project to tame elephants, a feat not achieved on the continent for over two millennia. These were forest elephant, and they were used due to the lack of trade routes and viable methods of transporting goods. Most draft animals succumbed very quickly to the sleeping sickness of the Tsetse fly, and elephants seemed an effective solution.
Capture began in 1901 in the village of Api, northern DRC. In 51 years, around 600 elephants were trained in several camps and sent off to work in various locations throughout the country. The advent of the tractor and the gradual destabilisation of Belgian rule brought an end to this fascinating historical footnote, but a few elephants were still being trained until the 1980s.
Mining for gold in the DRC destroys forests
What does the future hold for Loxodonta cyclotis?
Forest elephants are one of the slowest reproducing mammals in the world, a recent paper calculated that it would take 60 years for the population to double if killing rates remain as they are. To put this into context, it is three times slower than the average savannah elephant population growth rate. To save the forest elephant, “nations must cooperate by designing multinational protected areas, coordinating law enforcement, and prosecuting nationals who commit or encourage wildlife crimes in other countries”[5].
About the Elephant Crisis Fund
The Elephant Crisis Fund was created by Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. It works with a coalition of individuals, scientists, conservation organisations, and governments to stop the killing of elephants, prevent ivory from reaching markets, reduce the profitability of the trade in ivory products, and promote human-elephant coexistence. It has so far granted USD 25 million to partners since 2013.
This August 12, for World Elephant Day, we’re launching a campaign to save this important species and the habitats they call home. Join us on social media in our efforts to create a safer world for forest elephants. Learn more at elephantcrisisfund.org/worldelephantday.
About the author: Josh Clay grew up in Herefordshire and London and studied French and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He joined Save the Elephants as an intern in May 2021. Having harboured a mild obsession for the natural world since he was young, Josh is keen to share his passion through writing, with a particular focus on local and international solutions to the problems facing human and wildlife coexistence.
[1] Palkopoulou, Eleftheria et al. “A comprehensive genomic history of extinct and living elephants.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 115.11 (2018): E2566-E2574.
[2] Poulsen, John R et al. “Poaching empties critical Central African wilderness of forest elephants.” Current biology: CB vol. 27,4 (2017): R134-R135.
[3] Bush, Emma R et al. “Long-term collapse in fruit availability threatens Central African forest megafauna.” Science (New York, N.Y.) vol. 370,6521 (2020): 1219-1222.
[4] Bush, Emma R et al. “Long-term collapse in fruit availability threatens Central African forest megafauna.” Science (New York, N.Y.) vol. 370,6521 (2020): 1219-1222.
[5] Poulsen, John R et al. “Poaching empties critical Central African wilderness of forest elephants.” Current biology: CB vol. 27,4 (2017): R134-R135.
The sands of the Kalahari dunes are thick and soft – murder on the calves of the uninitiated – especially after a day spent following meerkats, feeling ungainly in their light, scampering presence. I was with a reserve meerkat monitor, and we were returning to the burrow ahead of the energetic foraging team in order to witness the reunion between adults and the pups left behind. As the sun began to dip, we arrived at the burrow to find it abandoned and silent. Worse still, I spotted a thick and unmistakable snake track cutting through the sand into one of the main tunnels. A glance into the gloom revealed a sinister, scaly head.
I was silently devastated, having watched the four tiny pups suckle from their mother just a few hours earlier. My heart clenched as the rest of the meerkat mob arrived, chattering and racing anxiously from entrance to entrance, searching for their youngest members. The night was drawing in, and temperatures were plummeting when one of the meerkats gave an excited chitter and raced off through the silky Stipagrostis grass.
We followed them to another set of tunnels, about 500 metres away, just in time to witness the joyous reunion as the four pups emerged and dived into their mother’s warm embrace. Their two young babysitters, without help or guidance and not yet fully grown themselves, had ferried the youngsters away from the snake to the safety of a new burrow.
Of all the endearing traits of the charismatic meerkat, it is their altruism that is perhaps their most attractive. Their complicated, soap-opera-like lives embroiled in trials, triumphs, and tragedies have entrenched them in hearts and minds the world over. From intense battles to complex alliances, these tiny creatures have enormous personalities (or the animal equivalent).
An enchanting meerkat pup
Introduction
The meerkat (Suricata suricatta), or suricate, is a small, desert-dwelling mongoose found across the more arid regions of Southern Africa. These attractive little characters are known for their complex and intriguing social lives and are categorised as eusocial, the highest form of sociality in the animal kingdom. Each meerkat takes responsibility for the good of the clan as a whole. They are phylogenetically grouped with other social mongooses (like banded and dwarf) in a specific clade of the Herpistidae family.
Though they are one of the smaller mongooses, what they lack in size, suricates make up for in attitude and powerful curiosity. They have a phenomenal sense of smell, and their front paws are highly adapted for digging and foraging. A generalisation in nature is that the more social animals in a particular group are, the higher the intelligence (as we understand it). Meerkats fit this pattern very neatly. They can coordinate as a group when problem-solving but have also been shown to use individual thought and rationalisation in the process.
Meerkats defend territories of around 5km2 of open habitat with minimal woodland cover available for shelter. They move between various burrow systems within their territories and rely on their highly tuned eyesight to keep them safe from aerial and terrestrial predators. While their coats are perfectly coloured to blend with their desert surroundings, the dark rings around their eyes are believed to reduce glare. Members of the group take turns keeping watch while others forage. The sentinels give off specific vocalisations for different threats.
Pups learn to be alert from a very early age
Quick facts:
Social structure:
A mob/clan of between two and 30 individuals
Mass:
0.62-0.97kg (dominant females may be heavier)
Length:
24-35cm
Gestation period:
60-70 days
Number of young:
three to seven pups
Average life expectancy:
five to 15 years (record in captivity is over 20 years)
Pocket-sized predators and fierce fighters
Like all mongoose species, meerkats are lithe and efficient predators. Though most of their diet consists of insects, they will also eat other arthropods, reptiles, small birds, and eggs. Meerkats are water independent and meet their moisture needs through ingesting plant and fungal material, including assorted fruits, roots, tubers, tsamma melons and even Kalahari truffles.
There is a common misconception that meerkats, as part of the mongoose family, are immune to both snake and scorpion venom. This is not entirely accurate, and while they may have a level of resistance to some toxins, a sting from a Parabuthus scorpion or bite from a venomous snake could seriously compromise, if not kill a meerkat. They rely on lightning-fast reflexes to tackle dangerous prey like scorpions and remove the tail as quickly as possible. They then rub the exoskeleton on the sand to scrape off any remaining venom that may have sprayed in the process.
Members of the clan often mob dangerous snakes, especially near burrows. A rallying cry from one of the clan will bring the rest of the family rushing with tails upright and teeth bared, bristling with irritation. They surround the snake and take turns rushing it while the others stay just outside striking distance. More often than not, even the most venomous snakes will admit defeat and slither away from the barrier of sharp teeth.
A hapless meerkat that failed to spot a swooping pale-chanting goshawk
Desert survivors
Surviving the extremes of a desert requires specific adaptations, including excellent thermoregulation and water conservation. Research has shown that meerkats have a remarkably low basal metabolic rate compared to other carnivores, which in turn helps conserve water. When the temperature drops overnight, their heart rate and oxygen consumption drop to save energy and they huddle together, sheltered by the microclimates of their tunnels.
Alpha autocrats and altruism
The true secret to the meerkat’s survival strategy is their social structure, which is highly organised and, most importantly, based around cooperative breeding. Like any other mammal social grouping, the more individuals there are in a group, the more complex their pecking order and intrapersonal relationships. This is especially true in animals such as meerkats, hyenas, or primates, where the group consists of related and unrelated individuals.
Meerkats have a strict dominance hierarchy and are ruled by the iron fist (claw?) of the dominant male and female. These coveted positions are usually held by older individuals and often acquired through physical combat or sustained aggression and assertion. Only the dominant female will breed, and when the pups are born (usually around the rainy season, but birth can be at any time of the year), the clan’s life revolves around protecting, feeding, and nurturing them. Pups from a subordinate female could divide the clan’s attentions – a risk that the dominant female is seldom prepared to tolerate. It is not uncommon for her to kill pups other than her own or ostracise the disgraced subordinate mother (even if it is her own adult daughter).
Of course, the biological drive to reproduce is potent. Subordinates are faced with three options: wait it out, disperse, or risk a sneaky liaison. Both males and females do disperse, but females are less likely to do so. Instead, they usually choose to linger in the hope of a chance at the top spot. Males may disperse alone or in coalitions and search for an existing group to join. It takes time to be accepted into a new clan, but the males have a far greater chance than emigrant females. Other males have found a slightly less permanent solution to the problem and have been observed sneaking off into rival territories searching for willing females. These rascals have found a way to have the best of both worlds – fathering pups without having to leave the clan. Astonishingly, one study suggests that around a quarter of meerkat pups in the whole population are sired in this manner.
A tasty scorpion, the venomous tail most likely removed before consumption
And baby makes three (and four and five and…)
A dominant female may have up to four litters in the space of a year, so a meerkat clan is almost constantly involved in raising youngsters. Subordinate females, denied pups of their own, will even suckle the dominant’s offspring. Meerkat pups are astonishingly cute, especially when they first emerge from underground at around 16 days. They begin foraging with the adults some ten days later. After a few initial wobbles as they find their feet, meerkat pups race around bow-legged from adult to adult, chittering and begging for food. They learn vital skills in this way, especially when finding food and tackling more dangerous prey. An adult will remove a scorpion’s tail and then leave the pup to figure out how to tackle the pincers.
Everybody’s talking
Meerkats are highly vocal and chatter away to each other almost constantly throughout the day. Their most common vocalisations are used to communicate while foraging so that every member of the group stays in contact with the others. This broad repertoire also includes alarm calls specific to different predators – a jackal, for instance, will provoke a distinct sound and reaction compared with those for an eagle. Meerkats are also able to communicate distance and urgency or recruit members to mob a snake.
Famously, the fork-tailed drongos have learnt to capitalise on this tendency. These shiny, black birds are notorious mimics, and through observation, some individuals have learnt to imitate the alarm sounds that send meerkats rushing for cover. The drongo will bide its time until the meerkat has secured a juicy meal before causing pandemonium and swooping in to claim its prize. So why don’t the meerkats learn? Research shows that some drongos can produce over 30 different alarm calls, including their own “drongo-specific” cry for genuine threats. They rotate between them and make sure to give off an alarm call for real predators. In short, the meerkats cannot afford to ignore the drongo that cries falcon, even if they know that they may be hoodwinked.
Wild meerkats habituate easily to human beings
Final thoughts
For the last three decades, researchers at the Kalahari Meerkat Project have been studying sixteen groups of meerkats over multiple generations. Their work has offered unparalleled insight into the daily lives of these intelligent mongooses and the generational battles that play out across the years.
From Meerkat Manor to Timon in The Lion King, meerkats have scampered their way across popular culture. While much of their portrayal usually comes with a great deal of anthropomorphism, the truth is that the meerkats are surprisingly relatable animals. From acts of astonishing bravery to treacherous moments of betrayal, life in a meerkat mob is never dull.
Mitigating human-wildlife conflict is one of the foremost challenges facing conservation organisations in Africa. In Namibia, 90% of the cheetah population is found outside protected areas, and the risk of conflict with farmers is high. Over the past 25 years, a Cheetah Conservation Fund programme has supplied farmers with Anatolian Shepherds as livestock guarding dogs. A new study based on the longest-running research in Africa confirms that these dogs have reduced livestock losses by 91%.
Livestock guarding dogs (LGD) are used as a non-lethal protection technique to facilitate coexistence between farmers and wild predators. The dogs deter predators mainly through marking territories and barking and are particularly effective at guarding smaller livestock species (sheep and goats) across many continents and in multiple contexts. This study offers the most extensive collection and longest reaching data set of the LGD technique in Africa.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund’s Livestock Guarding Dog Program is specifically targeted at protecting cheetah. These cats hunt during the day on open farmlands and are at high risk of conflict with farmers. Anatolian Shepherds originated in Turkey, and were specifically bred over 6,000 years ago to protect livestock. They are known for their independent personalities (critical for dogs left alone with livestock for extended periods). They are large, intimidating-looking animals that tolerate extreme climates and harsh terrains. The dogs are bred and trained on a CCF farm before being supplied to farmers at a young age (around 10-12 weeks) to bond with the herd and, hopefully, treat the livestock as conspecifics. The dogs are carefully trained, and the CCF works with farmers throughout the dog’s life to monitor its health, supply veterinary care and determine efficiency.
Throughout the programme, the CCF has conducted regular surveys with farmers to determine the effectiveness of the dogs and analyse the changing attitudes towards wild predators. Over 1,500 surveys from 1994 (the programme’s inception) to 2018 were analysed, during which period 634 LGDs were placed with farmers. The responses were overwhelmingly positive.
Puppies trained and cared for by the Cheetah Conservation Fund
The complete study also details the demographics of the LGD population over the years, the average life expectancy, leading causes of death, and age-related effectiveness. Interestingly, the research shows that the dog’s age did not affect livestock losses, but it did change the farmers’ perceptions of efficiency – younger dogs, under 12 months, were assumed to be less effective.
The research goes on to analyse the physical condition of the LGDs (which was monitored by the CCF), as well as any potential behaviour issues. Some challenges such as “staying at home” and “chasing game” were noted in specific dogs, and 48% of puppies were observed to be playing too roughly with their livestock companions. The behavioural problems were often linked to the poor physical health of the dog concerned and were shown to have decreased over time as breeding and training improved.
Most importantly, the surveys indicated that the LGDs showed a high level of stock protectiveness. 97% of farmers reported that the dogs were bonded to their stock, with almost all being submissive to the livestock animals. The surveys indicated that 89% of respondents said that the dogs’ performances were ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, 94% indicated that the dogs effectively guarded livestock, and 94% found them economically beneficial. Those farmers who reported poor performance were 69% more likely to have dogs with poor body condition. All in all, the dogs reduced livestock losses by 91%.
The use of LGDs has proved to be so effective that the CCF has helped other organisations launch similar programmes in South Africa, Botswana, and Tanzania. “With fewer than 7,500 cheetahs remaining in the wild, and with Namibia’s tourism industry dependent on having healthy populations – we are ‘The Cheetah Capital of the World’. Helping farmers develop non-lethal approaches to control predation is critical”, said Dr Laurie Marker, CFF’s Founder and Executive Director. “The CCF Livestock Guarding Dog Programme was born from the need to reduce losses and facilitate coexistence.”
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We are gathering the most important people into one place & YOU are invited.
Finally, I can share with you that, after a year of intensive under-the-hood technology work, AG has evolved into a PRIVATE TRAVEL & CONSERVATION CLUB for safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference! So what has changed, and why are we going old school – back to the future? For that and more see the story link below, after my colleagues have told you why this club is so important.
Keep an eye on your email inbox on MONDAY – for your invitation code and instructions to join the club. It’s free – for now. As a valued tribe member, you have been pre-approved for club membership. Others have to go through a manual vetting process to ensure no creepy trolls or fake profiles.
Be the change! See you on the inside 🙂
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
Christian Boix – travel director
TRAVELLING WITH PURPOSE is so important to us all. Our unique selection of authentic camps and lodges across Africa (many are owner-run) not only ooze charm and excellent services levels, they have also bought into the AG ethos of conservation values and local community empowerment. AND we offer the BEST PRICES available at these fine establishments!
Watch this space because we have plans to evolve from this simple listing with great prices to a powerful SAFARI PLANNING TOOL for YOU, supported by our inhouse safari experts.
Antje Mouton – marketing manager
How often have you come across desperate pleas for financial assistance to fund research or to relocate a free-roaming lion from a rural village – amongst other worthy projects? And yet how to assess legitimacy, let alone DONATE EASILY AND SECURELY?
In our travel & conservation club, you will find carefully considered conservation projects that deserve your support. And the donations process is quick and easy – every Dollar counts. We have taken the guesswork and hard slog out of the process for you. And we do not take any share of your much-needed donation – this is our pledge to you and to the projects gathered in the club.
Jamie Paterson – scientific editor
One has only to look at the current misinformation surrounding vaccinations to realise how popular it has become to twist and reject science or practical experience with dogged scepticism. So it is in the public world of conservation. Most of us know that there are no simple solutions, no silver bullets, no one-size-fits-all fix to the challenges facing our wild spaces and animals. We believe in the critical importance of SCIENCE, CONSIDERED OPINION and CONSTRUCTIVE DISCUSSION. Yet the vociferous minority are dominating the conversation with overly simplistic perspectives and making it impossible for the majority to have a say. Our club was curated to remedy this problem by providing a safe platform for scientists, ecologists, rangers, policy-makers, community members and conservationists to share their hard-earned knowledge with each other and with you. THEIRS are the voices that deserve to be heard.
That is not to say we all have to agree. But we do owe it to ourselves, others and the continent we all love to ensure our opinions are based on a reflection of the most pertinent information available.
James Hendry – editor-in-chief
African wildlife is a global asset – but the costs of its conservation are often borne by rural Africans teetering on the breadline. Potentially dangerous animals leave parks and wreak havoc on livelihoods. Protected areas suffer from a legacy of colonial attitudes and forced removals. This is a disastrous recipe for conservation.
As we forge into the third decade of the 21st century, Africa Geographic commits to fostering a future that prioritises inclusive AFRICAN SOLUTIONS to African conservation challenges for the benefit of local people and the whole planet. We commit to giving a platform to local voices and experiences that will inform the conservation of African wildlife into the future – enriched by your involvement at whatever level you choose – be it safari, discussions and/or donations.
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A few weeks back I quietly observed two young ladies take selfies after composing themselves suitably – duck lips pout, come-hither eyes – you know how it goes. And then, once their faces had resumed the usual format, they did what seems to be de rigueur these days. They spent minutes editing the images on their phones to resemble a fictitious person. I know what they were doing because there was a running commentary of the physical ‘shortcomings’ that were being removed and replaced with suitable alternatives. Then, once happy with the alterations, they shared their selfies on social media.
I mention this because that process (of replacing physical reality with preferred but ultimately fake versions) is how some people approach conservation. What they want to see in Africa is preferred over the reality on the ground, and some go to extraordinary lengths to keep the dream alive – despite clear and present evidence that Africa requires a different approach.
Watch out for your newsletter next week – expect exciting news 😉
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
Our first story below was supposed to be a short lament on the killing of another huge-tusked elephant by a wealthy trophy hunter. Instead, it forced me to take a painfully honest look at my own perceptions. It will continue to do so. I had a productive and illuminating discussion with the Botswana government and the Botswana Wildlife Producer’s Association. To be clear, I continue to abhor trophy hunting. I seriously doubt anything I argue will influence what either party thinks, but I am grateful for their unusual and refreshing openness.
In our second story below, we take a look at the dozy looking wildebeest…except it turns out he ain’t nearly so snoozy as he looks. Wildebeest function on far less sleep than the average human nightclubber.
Finally, our third story below is a voyage down the east coast of Africa in search of endangered turtles and their nests. It’s a perfect virtual escape to warm, tropical islands in these troubled times. If you want an actual escape for cocktails, white sands, azure oceans and adorable turtles, give our travel team a call.
Elephant bull shot in the CH8 concession, Botswana, on or around 17 July – a so-called ‘100 pounder’.
Around 17 July 2021, a hunter shot a massive elephant bull (a tusker) in the Controlled Hunting Area (CHA) CH8 in the Chobe region of Botswana. The hunt was legal from what we can gather (i.e. conducted with the requisite permits, licences, etc.). According to the owner of the hunting operation that led the hunt, it was conducted ethically. What this means is not entirely clear as no further details were forthcoming despite repeated requests. The hunting operator was cagey, as is often the case.
Map of Botswana hunting concessions and the 2020 elephant quotas allocated to each. (Courtesy of Elephants without borders)
The measurements for this bull were as follows:
108-pound (49 kg) tusker (mass of the heaviest tusk or an average of the two tusks)
57 inches out (144 cm) (length of the tusks from the lip to the tip)
19 1/2 inches at the lip (49.5 cm) (circumference of the tusk at the lip)
These measurements provided by our sources could not, unfortunately, be verified. The owner of the concession, Thys de Vries, responded as follows:
Unfortunately, I cannot comment on your query (for reasons I am sure you are aware of with the social media frenzy shit storm that happens when things go public). All I will say is it was an ethical, legal hunt within our CHA CH 8 Concession out of an overpopulated Botswana elephant population.
This elephant gives a good idea as to how big a ‘hundred pounder’s’ ivory is. This is NOT the bull shot on 17 July. This elephant’s story can be found here.
This was supposed to be a short, sad story on the death of another great tusker at the hands of a wealthy hunter armed with a high-calibre hunting rifle. Instead, it has turned into a rather tricky, often intensely personal, exercise in considering all the stakeholders in the Botswana hunting melange – the rural communities, the trophy hunters, the Botswana government and, not least, the elephants. The government of Botswana and the Botswana Association of Wildlife Producers, unlike the hunter, were refreshingly forthcoming with facts and figures.
Declaration
I must admit at the outset that I consider trophy hunting to be archaic and distasteful. I think it will eventually be consigned to the scrapheap of humanity’s abuse of nature. But I might be wrong. I cannot, in good conscience, not examine why I feel like this and ask if my feelings are justified while accepting that virtually nothing in this world is black or white, wrong or right. I must admit that my perspective is coloured by genetics, upbringing, education, experience and those with whom I have associated. The revulsion I feel about trophy hunting is not necessarily correct, right or even justified – no matter how real it is to me.
Some background: I wasn’t raised fishing and hunting. My parents hated guns, and no amount of begging could convince them to give me a pellet gun. We never talked about hunting; the activity was entirely beyond our frame of reference. We ate meat, and I can’t recall ever discussing where it came from or considering the living conditions of the animals we braaied on summer Saturday afternoons. I still eat meat, although seldom, and only if I am relatively satisfied that the animal wasn’t treated with cruelty.
When I left university, I trained to be a guide and in the course of the training, I had to learn to use a high-calibre rifle in case I should ever have to defend my guests from a charging animal.
I have shot animals.
The first impala I shot left me awash with wildly differing emotions. I fired the rifle and ran from cover to find the ram, eyes open, tongue lolling, the final twitches of death shuddering through him. Tears flowed. I felt ashamed and sad and elated all at once. I dragged the hapless ram back to camp, where a line of cheering people clapped me on the back and told me how clever I was. I felt elated again. Then I felt sad again. This was the final test I had to pass to become a guide – it tested my skill with the weapon and the bushcraft I had learnt. We ate him a few days later.
I have shot other impala for the pot, thankfully all clean hits – this was harvesting from a vehicle for food. I did not feel awful about this – it would have been illogical as a meat-eater. We are predators – human beings have consumed animal products for millennia. Our physiologies are adapted to this (even if we are not obligate carnivores).
A few years after my first impala hunt, a runaway fire caught a herd of elephants in the Kruger National Park. The traumatised animals came onto the concession where I worked, and the Kruger section ranger asked me to help him euthanase them – they were horrifically burnt and suffering terribly. I remember standing in front of the first big cow. She turned to face us, her head held high, ears out.
We shot her.
I have to confess to a certain sense of exhilaration as the massive animal fell. I felt, for want of a better term, powerful. For me, this quickly faded to sadness. I can only assume that the thrill is more permanent to people who repeatedly hunt – that the rush of standing in front of an adult elephant, front on, and then ending its life is something they crave.
Hunting in Botswana – lifting of the moratorium
On 23 May 2019, the Botswana Government lifted the five-year moratorium on hunting. This created a predictable flaring of the pro versus anti-hunting rhetoric, the same arguments rehashed and shouted from various soapboxes.
Regardless of how you feel about the trophy hunting of elephants, elephant populations in Botswana, what constitutes an ethical hunt (if such a thing exists), research shows that the numbers of tuskers like the bull shot on 17 July are in decline. This is not the fault of all trophy hunters operating today but rather a legacy of centuries of ivory trading, poaching and trophy hunting.
Various elephants shot in Botswana
Why the need for big ivory?
Poachers will target so-called ‘hundred pounders’ or any large tusked elephants – the more the ivory, the greater the pay. However, it is not clear why some trophy hunters, who bleat about how they only hunt because they love nature, would seek to shoot the remaining big tuskers. It is also unclear to me (as a non-hunter of trophies) why an animal with big tusks is more rewarding to shoot than one with smaller tusks – the tracking, risks, etc., are the same. There is nothing more dangerous or difficult about hunting a big tusker compared with a tuskless animal.
Unfortunately, to my mind anyway, the desire to shoot large-tusked bulls must surely have its roots in the human ego and not in the love for tracking, nature or ‘fair chase’. It must come from the desire to say ‘mine is bigger than yours’. The same goes for record antelope horns. We assign arbitrary human value to a genetic expression.
At the same time, I must acknowledge that by bemoaning the hunting of big tusked elephants, I am also assigning an arbitrary value to elephant tusk size and suggesting that, if people insist on shooting elephants, they choose ones with smaller tusks. Smaller tusked elephants would be justifiably alarmed by this – who is to say that they are of less value to the species in general than their larger tusked compatriots? I am not aware of any science that suggests this. To the average marula or knobthorn tree, the ideal elephant is a tuskless one.
That said, I don’t think anyone – from the most ardent hunter to the most rabid anti-hunter – would disagree with the assertion that it would be sad to lose the last remaining tuskers. They’re impressive beasts, fantastic to photograph, and evolution has dictated that they are here, so let’s not make a dodo or quagga of them.
In the case of the bull that started this reflection, perhaps the hunter thought he was beyond breeding age – we don’t know because the hunter wouldn’t comment. Botswana Wildlife Producers Association committee member, Debbie Peake, justified the shooting of tuskers as sustainable because, by the time their tusks reach 100 pounds, they have already mated any number of times and, therefore, their genes exist in the population.
Dr FJ Verreynne (BVSc, M.Phil Wildlife Management), Coordinator: Research and Veterinary Working Group Botswana Wildlife Producers Association notes the following:
‘Controlled hunting of elephant bulls in Botswana under the international CITES annual export quota of 400 individuals is part of the sustainable utilization policy of the Government of Botswana. There is no legal ceiling on the size of the tusks to be hunted although tusks of less than 11kg may not be exported. It is therefore expected for bulls with bigger tusks to be hunted in Botswana. It is encouraged to hunt older bulls which genes have already been spread within the wider population.
‘BWPA acknowledges the intrinsic value of big tusk elephant bulls. We have therefore approached the DWNP in December 2020 to fund and fit monitoring collars on ten of the big tuskers known to be present in Northern Botswana. This will allow the Association, anti-poaching authorities and our members to look after the animals, and protect them against poaching and hunting. We have received no response from the Department on our request and therefore refer all enquiries regarding the hunting of big tusk elephant bulls to The Director: Department of Wildlife and National Parks.’
This does not explain the research showing a decline in large tuskers. It gives no hard facts about how many youngsters the tusker may have sired or how many he could have sired before being shot. In theory, elephant bulls are perfectly capable of breeding almost until they die. If there was a chance that this animal could breed again, then the hunt reduced his genetic legacy. Indeed research shows that far from slowing down as they get older, 50-year-old bulls move twice as fast and over 3.5 times the area when in musth compared with their 20-year-old counterparts. Other research (here and here) shows that elephant bulls of all ages are important in elephant society – as mates, mentors and disciplinarians.
Was the sacrifice of this bull worth it? Well, let’s examine what these hunts are worth financially.
An elephant bull in Nxai Pan National Park, a park surrounded by hunting concessions
Background to current Botswana hunting
The Botswana Government argued, in broad strokes, that the hunting moratorium should be lifted because:
There was inadequate community consultation when the ban was imposed;
The ban was not based on scientific evidence;
There had been an increase in human-elephant conflict (HEC);
There had been an increase in human-predator conflict; and
The lack of hunting was having drastic adverse effects on rural livelihoods.
The Ministry reasserted Botswana’s sovereign right to lift the hunting ban and claimed that all stakeholders were consulted (NGOs, conservationists, scientists, leaders of neighbouring countries). The decision was made in the best interests of the rural communities and aimed to stem HEC and encourage communities to support sustainable use conservation and tourism. It also claimed that Community-Based Organisations (CBO) that have marginal land would again benefit.
The statement claims that ‘following the implementation of the moratorium, it became abundantly clear that non-consumptive practices on marginal lands did not contribute to economic development.’ (For complete statements from the Botswana government, see here and here.)
I am not sure how seriously anybody takes the justification of hunting on the grounds that it will reduce HEC. It stretches the limits of credulity to suggest that the hunting of 277 elephants from a population of some 130,000 will stop or minimise HEC. However, the economic arguments are worth considering and, for anti-trophy hunters like me, they’re even more critical.
How much money and where it is going?
What follows applies to the Special Elephant Quota (70 animals) and not the Citizen Quota or the Community Concession Quota (see below in the section ‘From the Director-General’ for further explanation).
The government put the 70 elephants up for auction. The quota was allocated to marginal areas that do not benefit from photographic tourism because they are unsuitable for various reasons. In broad strokes, hunting operations bid for allocations of ten elephants at a time. Because of the travel bans caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, the quotas for 2020 were rolled over to 2021.
The Special elephant quota generated a total of BWP 25.7 million (approx. USD 2.3 million) for the Conservation Trust Fund, which is administered by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism. People in rural areas can apply to the fund for various development projects (see comment below from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks).
After the auction, the hunting operators sold the hunts at a profit. This season, the prices from various operators ranged from US$ 28,000 to US$ 80,000, depending on the area. This is the package cost of the hunt and will include accommodations, professional hunters fees, government hunting fees, conservation fees, trophy fees – all of which vary according to the area. Some areas are difficult to access, have rustic camps, are challenging to hunt in and have more people living in and around them. Others are wilder, easier to access and have luxury camps.
In addition, the government collected around BWP 5.74 (USD 521,000) million from license fees.
Meat from hunts is distributed to residents or adjoining communities where possible, and processed meat generates significant revenue for local-level households. It is difficult to quantify this, but the amount probably extends to a few hundred thousand pula over all the concessions (according to the Botswana Wildlife Producers Association).
From the Director-General
Below is an outline of the hunting process and the benefits outlined to me by Doctor Kabelo Senyatso, director-general of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP).
Simplified, the hunting quota in Botswana consists of 3 components:
Community/concession quota. The DWNP issues a quota to Community Based Organisations (CBOs), which are legal entities representing communities where the CBO exists – or concessionaires of particular Controlled Hunting Areas (CHAs). They then dispose of their quotas as they see fit, e.g. some auction their quotas as single lots, some in several lots. Some enter joint venture partnerships where profits are shared after hunts. Income from these sales goes directly to the CBOs.
Citizen quota. These are issued to CHAs and not CBOs. They are disposed of via a raffle system to citizens. They are transferable only once to other citizens, and during the transfer, the winner of the raffle sells off their right at a rate negotiated with the ‘purchasing citizen’.
Special elephant quota. These are auctioned by DWNP, and funds go into a Conservation Trust Fund (CTF) managed by DWNP. The CTF is then used to support (i) elephant conservation projects and (ii) community livelihoods projects in the elephant range. One hundred per cent of the special elephant quota goes into the CTF, from which elephant conservation projects (70%) and community livelihood projects (30%) are funded.
Added to the above, the CBOs also charge hunting parties various fees associated with the hunts, all of which then add to the average price of a hunt.
Doctor Senyatso went on to say, ‘In June 2020, we reached a milestone of BWP 100,000,000 (USD 9,070,000) of the CTF having been disbursed for elephant conservation and upliftment of communities in the elephant range (since CTF inception in 1999), which is worth celebrating.’
Conclusion
Even the most ardent anti-trophy hunter cannot fail to be impressed by some of these figures. Only the most heartless and ignorant (of facts at ground level) would claim that the poor people living in these marginal areas do not deserve to benefit from maintaining the wildlands and not turning them into cattle ranches and ploughed fields.
That said, I find the justification that wealthy hunters are saving marginal wildlife areas offensive – even though it is inescapably true in some cases. The logic broadly being that unless the moneyed hunter who loves nature can get something out of that nature (in the form of a trophy, an adrenaline rush etc.), they will not invest in protecting it. But the same could be said of any commercial tourism operation – all the employment and other benefits that come with a prosperous business would disappear without profit – their investors would put their money elsewhere. Many luxury photo tourism operations have a significant environmental footprint per guest and, therefore, are extractive and damaging. Both trophy hunting and much photographic tourism are subjecting nature conservation to forces of the ‘market’. This is despite the fact that the ‘market’ is utterly oblivious to its effect on the environment in countless industries.
It is also beholden on me to acknowledge the contribution that trophy hunting operations make to rural people’s well-being and economic development if the figures quoted above are accurate. They come from two independent sources and I do not have any reason to doubt them at this stage.
So, where does that leave the argument?
I don’t know. But I do know that productive engagements like the ones I had with the Botswana government and with the Botswana Association of Wildlife Producers are extremely helpful. As offensive as I find the idea of shooting an animal minding its own business, stuffing it and mounting it on a wall, I can accept that the practice is not entirely harmful, albeit a practice I do not understand and still believe will disappear in the future. For anti-trophy hunters, the challenge remains – who will fill the financial gap if/ when the trophy hunters shut up shop?
Finally, back to the tusker shot on 17 July. I do think there is little value in shooting tuskers for the sake of it. Detailed research shows that the practice is reducing their genetic legacy. They provide no more meat, tracking challenge or adrenaline rush to the hunter than smaller-tusked elephants.
In all of this, let us try, impossible as it may be, to keep our minds open, our egos at bay and to be aware of where our particular perspectives originate.
Africa is bounded by seemingly limitless turtle habitats, from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Five of the world’s seven sea turtles (leatherback, olive ridley, green, hawksbill, and loggerhead) inhabit these waters and nest on Africa’s shores. Sea turtles are amongst the most widely ranging creatures on Earth, and many that nest outside Africa still spend time in African waters.
All African sea turtles face anthropogenic threats, and pressure from humans has taken an enormous toll on populations. Although most coastal African countries have enacted laws specifically to protect sea turtles, and while local NGOs and communities lead conservation and research, there is still much to be done.
I have travelled the islands of northern Tanzania, the Mozambican archipelagos and coastline, and the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. In all these places, I have seen, swum with and watched sea turtles in their natural environment, learning about the threats they face.
A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) with eager observers
A trip to Juani
We climbed aboard a traditional wooden dhow on Mafia Island for a 30-minute voyage to nearby Juani Island. Mooring at the base of some of the biggest baobabs I’d ever seen, we set off on foot across the island through dense rainforest till we reached the island’s eastern shore. We were there to witness and count newly hatched, endangered green turtles. Plastic waste littered the white sand beach. This was not local rubbish, but litter carried on ocean currents from far away. Every wave brought in a few more pieces of plastic: straws, bottles, a single flip flop, a worn-out toothbrush, a couple of earbuds, and various other unidentifiable detritus. High up on the beach, community volunteers, trained by NGO Sea Sense, stood protectively over a patch of uneven sand. They gestured us over, telling us that tiny turtle hatchlings would start to emerge at any moment.
We waited and watched. At first, nothing. Then what looked like mini ‘eruptions’ started. First, one miniature head, then another, started to break through the sand. Flippers flapping wildly, like windup toys, the pocket-sized babies dug their way up and out of the sand.
An endangered green turtle hatchling
That afternoon we counted 87 newly hatched turtles making their instinctive and erratic scramble down the white, sandy beach into the warm Indian Ocean waters. The waves proved a formidable obstacle, and a number of the hatchlings were deposited back up the beach to try again. A few started having second thoughts, and halfway to the water, turned around and tried to head back to the nest. It was tempting to reach out a helping hand and set them back on track, but it is strictly forbidden to touch or interfere with them in any way. Eventually, they came to their senses, and we felt like proud parents at a school athletics day as they finally reached the shoreline before disappearing out to sea.
Only one in every thousand of these little turtles will survive to adulthood, but those that do, will return to the waters around the islands to mate, and, in roughly 30 years, the females will lay their eggs on the very same beach where we watched them take their first steps.
Green turtle hatchlings rushing for the sea
A rich history
Sea turtles have been nesting on what are now Tanzanian beaches for more than 150 million years. Between June and September, it is possible to see this amazing phenomenon for yourself. But if it wasn’t for the vital conservation activities of Sea Sense, this might not be the case. Sea Sense supports and trains community conservation officers who, in turn, play an important role in the conservation of nesting sites. Each conservation officer undertakes a daily foot patrol of their local beach, looking for evidence of sea turtle nesting activity. ‘Tractor style’ tracks in the sand are an indication that a female has come ashore the previous night. Each nest is checked to confirm it contains eggs and is allocated an identification number. If the nest is at risk from predators, poachers or the tides, the conservation officer will carefully relocate it to a safer spot.
Each nest is monitored for the approximately two month incubation period. After hatching occurs, the conservation officer calculates the success rate by excavating the nest and counting the number of empty shells, rotten eggs and failed embryos. This data is centrally stored and used to identify important nesting sites, determine nesting seasonality and assess trends in nesting activity.
Sea Sense, now in its 20th year of operations, has protected over 6,400 turtle nests, enabling 502,000 green and hawksbill hatchlings to safely reach the sea and begin their long journey to adulthood.
A traditional wooden dhow sails the Indian Ocean
Quirimbas
Five hundred km south of Mafia, in the far northeast corner of Mozambique, is the Quirimbas Archipelago and the Quirimbas National Park. This is the largest marine protected area in Africa, stretching 110 km along Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coast. We travelled the length of the Quirimbas, north to south, and were amazed at the incredible beauty and diversity of the underwater wonderland. The marine park is home to dugongs and dolphins (including rare humpbacked dolphins), and migrating humpbacked whales pass through the archipelago with their young, while bull (Zambezi), hammerhead and tiger sharks are all found around the reefs.
After several days of sailing on a traditional wooden dhow and camping on local beaches, we arrived at the gorgeous Quilálea Island. The waters around the island form the Quilálea Marine Sanctuary, the first marine protected area in the Quirimbas Archipelago. From this sanctuary, the 500,000 hectare Quirimbas National Park grew. Just off the island, a stunning coral reef teemed with colourful fish, rays, nudibranchs, starfish and more. We spent a few days submerged here on the reef, either scuba diving or snorkelling, and every time we put our heads underwater; we saw turtles, some swimming, some resting on the sandy seabed, and some hiding in caves and crevices amongst the coral.
When we were back on dry land, we circumnavigated the island on foot till we reached Turtle Beach, where several green turtles bobbed up and down in the waves, each eyeing the beach for potential nesting spots to lay their eggs in the night. Quilálea is an important site for green and hawksbill turtles, both of which nest here. Under cover of darkness, a female will crawl out of the sea and, using her front flippers, drag herself up the beach to a nest site. Here she will excavate an egg chamber and spend up to an hour laying a clutch of leathery-shelled eggs. Once the eggs are laid, she will refill the chamber with sand and, three or four hours after emerging from the water, crawl back to the ocean, exhausted.
Green turtle hatchlings embark on their ‘lost years’
Peril
Sea turtles are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems, but they are under increasing pressure despite legislative protection. Climate change, overharvesting, pollution, habitat loss, fishing nets, illegal trade, nearby towns and villages, and burgeoning tourist developments present threats to the turtles and their habitats both on shore and at sea. Today, nearly all sea turtle species are classified as endangered, with three (including the hawksbill) being critically endangered.
A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
SEA TURTLE BREEDING INFORMATION
At around 30 years of age, turtles return to the beaches on which they were born to lay their own eggs, some swimming more than 2,600 kilometres to reach their breeding grounds. This ability to return to their birthplace is known as natal homing. Males also have this ‘homing instinct’ and return to their birthplace to mate.
The incubation temperature within the nest determines the hatching time and sex of the babies. Hatchings occur more quickly in warmer nests, and nesting sites with temperatures of 28-29 degrees Celsius tend to give an even mix of male and female hatchlings. Nesting site temperatures above 30 degrees favour the development of more females, and those with lower temperatures tend to produce more male hatchlings. An egg’s position in the nest also affects sex determination, with eggs in the warmer centre of the nest tending to hatch as females.
Scientists are worried that, in addition to the rise in global temperatures, plastic, particularly microplastics, can change the composition of beaches where marine turtles nest. Microplastics may increase the sand temperature, especially if the plastic pigment is dark. This could affect turtle nesting environments, biasing the sex ratio of hatchlings towards female and influencing reproductive success.
After about 60 days incubation, the babies begin to pip or break out of their shells, using a small, temporary tooth located on the front of the snout. In a natural hatching situation, anywhere from 25-30% of the hatchlings will be taken out by predators on the beach (birds, crabs, lizards etc.) and some will even get stuck inside their eggs, never to emerge. The hatchlings, which are about 4cm across at this point, make their way to the water in a coordinated group effort, orientating themselves to the brightest horizon. The hatchlings face a 90% hatching rate and only a 75% chance of surviving their trek to the sea. Once they reach the water, they begin a ‘swimming frenzy’, which may last for several days and gets them away from the dangerous shoreline where predation is high.
Once the hatchlings reach the water, their ‘lost years’ begin and their whereabouts can be unknown for as long as a decade. When they have grown to about the size of a dinner plate, these juvenile turtles return to the coastal areas, where they forage and continue to grow. Experts estimate that only 1 out of 1,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood.
Want to go on a turtle 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.
Travel writer, mountain guide and mother, Sarah Kingdom was born and brought up in Sydney, Australia. Coming to Africa at 21, she fell in love with the continent and stayed. Sarah guides on Kilimanjaro several times a year, and has lost count of how many times she has stood on the roof of Africa. She has climbed and guided throughout the Himalayas and now spends most of her time visiting remote places in Africa. When she is not travelling, she runs a cattle ranch in Zambia with her husband.
Sleep is a source of endless fascination for some scientists. It is a highly conserved physical cycle across animal evolution, and there are very few creatures that can survive without it. For humans, a lack of sleep is debilitating and, eventually, fatal. Yet despite its enormous importance, we are far from understanding the diverse processes and mechanisms behind sleep, and scientists are regularly revealing fascinating similarities and differences in mammal sleep “architecture”. New research demonstrates that wildebeest sleep just 4.5 hours per day.
The new study, compiled by researchers at the School of Anatomical Sciences at the University of Witwatersrand, recorded the sleep of two free-roaming male wildebeest in Dinokeng Game Reserve in South Africa. Most studies examining animal sleep are conducted in controlled environments (zoos or laboratory situations). This is one of the few carried out under relatively natural conditions.
Wildebeest sleep for 4.5 hours in 24 hours – mostly between 03.30 and 04.30 in the morning
There are two significant stages of sleep – rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM) and slow-wave or non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (non-REM) – which alternate in a cycle that may be repeated several times during a sleep episode. The way these cycles are repeated, their duration and phasing (in total, the sleep architecture) varies considerably in different mammal species. The authors suggest that comparative studies could provide insight into the function and evolution of sleep.
To examine the wildebeest sleep architecture, the scientists used two different monitoring methods: polysomnography (PSG) and actigraphy (ACT). The PSG method is more invasive than ACT and requires the surgical implantation of electrodes on the brain’s surface. ACT is a more modern method widely used in human sleep monitoring but has not been thoroughly tested in other contexts. Part of this research aimed to test the concordance between the two methods in the hope that the less invasive ACT method could eventually replace PSG (which is currently considered the “gold standard” in sleep monitoring).
The researchers found that wildebeest slept for around 4.5 hours a day, with 4.3 hours spent in non-REM sleep and just 18 minutes in REM sleep. Their main sleep bout was between the hours of 03.30 and 04.30 in the morning. These results appear to be in line with other Artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates), though there is little comparative research on wild, free-roaming herbivores. The only other phylogenetically comparable wild mammals that have been studied are giraffes and Arabian oryxes.
Though total sleep time is consistent across both wild and domestic Artiodactyl species, the study points to a possible trend in the percentage of REM sleep. Domestic animals appear to have a substantially higher proportion of sleep occupied by REM when compared to wild species. This could indicate that domestication may have been a factor in increasing REM sleep. The authors also suggest drawing an analogy between humans and chimpanzees. Though chimpanzees have a longer average sleep time per day than the average human (10.8 hours compared to 8 hours), the chimpanzee’s total REM sleep is still less than a human’s (97 minutes compared with 114 minutes).
The study also shows a fair amount of concordance between PSG and ACT techniques but suggests that further refinement will be necessary before ACT can be used as a suitable replacement. However, if certain adjustments can be made, ACT could prove to be a far more viable alternative for monitoring sleep in natural settings. Most importantly, it could provide a technique for long-term monitoring. At present, we have little idea about whether or not sleep changes under different environmental conditions, during the breeding or birthing season or when wildebeest are migrating long-distance. Validating ACT methodology would open up opportunities to study sleep in a multitude of large mammalian species.
Dr Illke Malungo, the lead author of the study, plans to build up a vast body of data for comparison purposes by conducting similar research on more mammal species, including predators. It will be interesting to see how claims that lions sleep up to 22 hours every day will bear up under scientific scrutiny…
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How often have you seen self-appointed experts claim that there are ‘too many’ elephants and that we have an ‘elephant problem’?
No scientific evidence – just generic claims based on casual observation or vested interests. And that chorus line is repeated again and again – and usually followed by wild speculation to do with dead trees and habitat carrying capacity. After a while, of course, the accumulated opinion becomes ‘fact’. And then often we hear about the need to kill even more elephants than we are losing in any case to poaching, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and trophy hunters (those large-tusked elephants). My colleagues have put together the best factual summary about this controversial issue that I have read. Ever. Next time you bump into the ‘too many’ or ‘problem’ arguments please paste the link below into the discussion. Prepare yourself though for the usual backlash when facts butt up against beliefs 😉
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
In our first story below, we take a deep dive into the vexing question of the so-called ‘elephant problem’. It is a convoluted story, and there are no blanket management regimes applicable to all areas where these great pachyderms occur. The situation is made more complex by commentators, armchair naturalists, ecologists and peanut galleries weighing in with preconceived ideas and deeply held ideologies not based on science. To look after our elephants, we require minds as dynamic as the ecological systems of which elephants are the principal architects.
One would have thought that by 2021, three decades after the advent of democracy in South Africa, the government would have made sure that the socio-economic development potential of conservation areas would be maximised. Well, our government in its limitless capacity for ineptitude, corruption and apparent cruelty, has allowed a 8,000 ha piece of prime Greater Kruger go to waste while the people living on its borders suffer unnecessarily. Our second story below is the first part of our look into the sad tale of the Mthimkhulu Game Reserve.
After all that heaviness, let’s go on safari. Our third story below is a celebration of one of the most iconic safari destinations in Africa – the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Travel is opening up so max out your credit cards, cash in your investments and come for some wilderness healing in Africa. Our safari team is on standby for your enquiries.
Some two million years ago, a volcano roughly the size of Mount Kilimanjaro exploded dramatically and collapsed in on itself. Millenia later, its caldera’s ancient walls in what is now the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) are still intact, encircling and cradling one of the most biodiverse and precious wild spaces in Africa. The effect is almost cinematic, creating an impression of motionless time, sheltered and protected from the unrelenting advance of human development.
People and wildlife share the swamps, grasslands, forests, and savannas of the NCA in Tanzania; a spectacular wilderness that offers wild marvels, breath-taking scenery and complex insight into human history at every turn.
Quick facts
The NCA covers a massive area of 8,292 km² (829,200 hectares) in northern Tanzania. It is situated on the Serengeti National Park’s south-eastern boundary and is also contiguous with Maswa Game Reserve to the west, the Loliondo Game Controlled Area to the north and the Lake Natron Game Controlled Area to the north-east. It is part of the much larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and, while the Great Migration essentially follows a circular route, the northwest of the NCA is considered its starting point.
The Crater is the area’s flagship tourism feature, but the NCA also encompasses several smaller craters, forests, gorges, mountains, lakes, and wetlands in a smorgasbord of ecological variety. Wildlife aside, the secrets of humanity’s ancient histories are enfolded within Ngorongoro’s unique landscapes, and to many, this is the ‘cradle of humankind’. Some of the most famous paleoanthropological sites in the world are found in Olduvai Gorge, while Laetoli is home to literal footprints of hominid history.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, given the exceptional biodiversity and historical value, the NCA is a designated World Heritage Site. However, under Tanzania’s national law, it is neither a national park nor a game reserve. It is managed independently by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority as a parastatal organisation.
Clockwise from top left: elephant bulls meander through the flowers; a successful morning hunt for a caracal; a lion’s breath on a chilly Ngorongoro morning; a cheetah cub enjoying breakfast
The brief, recent history
In the mid-20th century, Ngorongoro was proclaimed part of the Serengeti National Park, but this was met with considerable backlash from local Maasai pastoralists, who had already been excluded from vast swathes of their homelands to make way for protected areas. Ngorongoro was born of a compromise between conserving history and biodiversity while recognising the value of the land to the Maasai people and neighbouring tribes. This unique multiple-land use area was the first of its kind in Africa, and the experiment has proved largely successful. However, burgeoning human populations have necessitated certain policy changes.
These Tanzanian conservation areas are recognised for their ecological importance, historical significance, cultural value and utility for traditional land uses.
A black rhino strolls across the crater floor
The Crater
At 264km2 (26,400 hectares), Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world, surrounded by a heavily forested rim that rises some 2,300m above the grasslands below. The crater’s centre is dominated by the seasonal Lake Magadi (also spelt Makati), fed by the Ngoitokitok spring and the Munge River. Courtesy of a complex geological history, the alkaline lake is mineral-rich, and every year, lesser flamingos are attracted to its salty, shallow waters during the breeding season between October and December.
Given the extraordinary biodiversity, it is only to be expected that the wildlife on offer is equally varied and exciting. Almost all of Africa’s most iconic animals, including the Big 5 and beyond, shelter in this geological cradle. Visitors to the crater have the highest chances of seeing one of the region’s fabled black rhinos, which are otherwise notoriously difficult to spot. The crater’s black rhino spend their evenings hidden in the yellow-green fever-trees of the Lerai Forest but descend to the open plains during the day. Though hit hard by poaching in the last century, the numbers have been bolstered by translocated black rhino from South Africa, and each rhino is now individually monitored and protected.
The crater is also rumoured to be home to the highest lion density in Africa, possibly by creative marketing teams. Regardless of this speculation’s veracity, it is highly unusual to visit the crater without encountering Africa’s largest cat. Their fiercest competition, spotted hyenas, are also present in large numbers and are the subjects of a decades-long research project. Keep an eye out for these misrepresented predators lurking along the banks of Lake Magadi, waiting for the opportunity to charge through the shallow waters and snatch up an unsuspecting flamingo.
Massive flocks of flamingos in Lake Magadi
Souvenirs of history
Olduvai (or Oldupai) Gorge is a steep-sided ravine, named for the Maasai word “oldupai”, which means the “place of the wild sisal” in reference to the plants which dominate. The archaeological research in Olduvai Gorge, nearby Lake Ndutu and surrounding sites, has yielded a timeline of our evolution as a species. It traces the progression from scavenging/hunting to stone tools and the eventual progression to iron. The scattered fossils, tools and bone fragments reveal the gradual development of communal societies and social complexities that would eventually define our successes (and failures) as a species.
Bone fragments of Homo habilis (approximately 1.9 million years old), Paranthropus boisei (about 1.8 million years old), Homo erectus (1.2 million years old) and, eventually, Homo sapiens (17,000 years ago) have all been found around the gorge.
Just 45km south of Olduvai, the discovery of several sets of footprints preserved for close to 4 million years settled the archaeological debate about whether bipedalism or large brain size evolved first. Famed archaeologist Mary Leakey and her team excavated the Laetoli footprints, which are tentatively believed to have belonged to Australopithecus afarensis. This discovery has been interpreted as proof that early hominids were bipedal long before the evolution of the human brain. Somewhat whimsically, the footprints were discovered by Andrew Hill, who was visiting Dr Leakey at the time. He dodged an elephant dung missile lobbed by a colleague, fell over and found himself staring at history preserved in solidified volcanic ash.
The footprints have since been covered over to prevent damage by erosion, and none of the active archaeological sites is open to tourist visitors. However, as one of the largest onsite museums in Africa, the Olduvai Gorge Museum offers curious tourists the opportunity to view the footprints’ casts and read about their interpretation. Founded by Mary Leakey in the 1970s, the museum sits on the gorge’s edge and showcases many of the paleoanthropological artefacts from the area.
Walking in the steps of humanity’s history
Ngorongoro’s wildlife
While the geography and history of Ngorongoro are deeply fascinating, the main attraction for most is the spectacular wildlife – even beyond the crater.
From December to February, over a million wildebeest halt their almost ceaseless migration on the short grass plains of Serengeti and the Ndutu region of Ngorongoro to calve over a two week period. The resultant spectacle is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for dazzled tourists. Predators and scavengers of every description throw themselves into the wildebeest melee, dodging the sharp horns of defensive mothers to take advantage of the vulnerable calves. For Ngorongoro’s carnivores, this yearly glut increases their own offspring’s chances of survival while providing ample opportunity for inexperienced youngsters to practice their hunting skills. Fortunately, with over 8,000 calves born every day, it is not all death for the calves, and visitors can also soak up the joy of watching the wobbly, fawn-coloured calves find their feet and learn to run.
Quite aside from the adrenaline-inducing battles for survival, Ngorongoro is a paradise for keen birders. From the highland forests draped in orchids and lichen on the crater rim to the marshes and lakes below, the varied habitats of Ngorongoro make it a bird Eden for more than 500 species.
Some of Africa’s most scenically placed lodges line the rim of the ancient crater
Explore Ngorongoro
Want to go on a safari to Ngorongoro? 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.
So many are the exciting opportunities for Ngorongoro visitors that an article covering the basics reads like a checklist. If there is a drawback to a safari in the Maasai Mara or Serengeti, each day is focussed on exploring the largely open scenery in search of the more conventional sightings, which can translate into a kind of safari overload. In contrast, a safari through Ngorongoro can be interspersed with the many diversions and learning experiences.
For example, the Ngoitokitok spring is a popular picnic spot with visitors. Lunch can be enjoyed to the serenading of grunting hippopotamus bobbing about in the pool below the spring. Alternatively, the two smaller craters, Olmoti and Empakaai, can be explored on foot with an experienced guide and official NCA ranger. Not far from Olduvai Gorge, the gneiss inselberg of Naseru Rock protrudes sharply from the plains, and a trip to the neighbouring Lake Natron Game Controlled Area will allow visitors to see Ol Doinyo Lengai (“The Mountain of God”), an active volcano whose recent rumblings suggest that eruption is imminent. And while the craters are often bursting with eager tourists, the geologically fascinating Gol Mountains are more remote and less crowded for the adventurous traveller.
There are high-end lodges dotted about the Crater’s rim and surrounding areas, sporting spectacular views and luxurious facilities for the discerning (well-healed) tourist. July to October and December through until January are the area’s busiest tourist seasons. Still, the entire region is spectacular at any time of the year, and budget-strapped visitors can take advantage of the less expensive camping options during the quieter seasons.
For accommodation options at the best prices visit our collection of camps and lodges: private travel & conservation club. If you are not yet a member, see how to JOIN below this story.
There is so much more to experience in Ngorongoro than the traditional safari drives
Conclusion
Some 3.5 million years ago, a trio of our hominin ancestors took a stroll through some soft volcanic ash towards the local waterhole. They left behind a powerful reminder of our ancient, varied human roots. One can but wonder at the lives experienced by the people who left their footprints in the ash.
In many ways, this legacy has continued in the NCA. The multiple-land use policy recognises the intimate connection human residents have to land and its creatures. For tourists, the NCA presents an opportunity to dive back and reconnect with history, wild spaces and animals against the primordial backdrop of breath-taking Ngorongoro.
At a dinner party, round a campfire or in a pub, someone raises the topic of the ‘elephant problem’ in Southern Africa…
‘When are they going to do something about the elephants in Kruger? They just everywhere. They destroying the place, you must see. The trees are down, debarking everywhere, dead baby trees, nothing for the other animals to eat. I tell you, those elephants are outta control. Somebody needs to do something about them.’
Often, the speaker has just returned from a dry season visit to the Kruger National Park, where every artificial waterhole they’ve driven past has been attended by a herd or two of elephants, and the vegetation in the vicinity has been decimated. If they’ve been out at midday, the dust, oppressive heat and mangled bushes give the impression of their beloved park on the verge of desertification.
Does our after-dinner ecologist have a point? Do we have an elephant problem in parts of Africa?
There are many strongly held views and beliefs about elephants and how they should be managed. Many of these are not based on science but on casual observation, cultural norms, stories and ‘experience’ (all of which vary widely, inevitably coloured by myriad human biases).
Herds of elephants gather at artificial water points in the Kruger National Park, September 2018
For whom is there an elephant problem, and what is it?
For our after-dinner ecologist, there are simply too many elephants. A rural farmer living with elephants might agree locally. For elephant conservationists, the elephant problem is a lack of space for our remaining elephants, which have suffered alarming population reductions on an Africa-wide basis.
As many scientists and rangers have advocated for a while now [1],[2], we need to take a holistic view of elephants and their long term effects on an entire system while considering changing landscapes, human beings living with elephants, anthropogenic changes to the land and the elephants themselves. We’ll look largely at Southern Africa in this story, but many of the principles and ideas discussed apply anywhere elephants might live.
History
Let’s take a quick squizz at the history of elephants in the Lowveld of South Africa.
When the Sabi Game Reserve (roughly the southern half of the present-day Kruger National Park) was proclaimed, there were fewer than ten elephants left in the area. Voracious ivory hunting had denuded the area of these great creatures. While many thousands were killed for their ivory, many upped sticks and left the neighbourhood for fear of falling to our insatiable desire for their teeth. This situation had been escalating for a century or more until the herds that used to roam what is now the Kruger disappeared.
Elephants are a keystone species. In other words, if you take them out of an ecosystem, then that system will change. We do not have accurate records of the vegetation of the greater Kruger area prior to the arrival of the ivory hunters. When they arrived, they didn’t take particularly accurate measurements of the vegetation structure or pay too much heed to the composition of the grass sward as they blazed away.
The indigenous people of the area kept no written records of the vegetation, and accurate oral histories of ecology from 200 years ago are almost certainly impossible to come by. We can infer something about the historical extent of woodlands in southern Africa from paleoecology[3] – such evidence indicates that woodland extension and contraction seem to have been influenced by climate. Again, it is complicated to understand the relationships between elephants and woodlands in these times, nor is it possible to understand exactly what elephant numbers were. [4]
Elephants’ historical relationship with human beings is easier to understand. People kill animals and always have. We are the most effective predator the world has ever known (just ask the swathe of extinct species whose ghosts whisper in stories and travelogues). We do not tolerate wildlife that inconveniences us or threatens to kill us and our children. Meat is also an important protein source for human beings. This means that we have preyed on elephants from time to time for food and defence. So even before the colonists arrived with their guns, elephants would have avoided areas where human beings lived.
The point of this trip back through time is to illustrate that we do not know what the vegetation looked like before the colonialists started blazing away, mad with ivory and blood lust. This is important because this lack of knowledge has not stopped us from assigning dogmatic, ideal variables to how the vegetation should look and then attempting to manage the biggest architects of the system based on supposition and unscientific dogma.
A young elephant browses on a black monkey thorn (Senegalia burkei)
Where do elephants like to live?
Savanna elephants like to live close to water and far from people. They are most at home in savannas and will avoid thick forest and grassland devoid of trees. They need shade in the hottest parts of the day, mud for cooling down and a diverse range of plants to eat. They will graze where good grass is available and browse when herbaceous forage quality drops. When grass cover drops, elephants, especially bulls, have the greatest impact on woody plants.
Elephants are now constrained from moving through much of their potential range (they occupy just 17% of their potential range)[5] by fences and human habitation. They are no longer free to move through heterogeneous landscapes, suffering and enjoying the whims of climate-induced habitat change. Instead, elephants occupy smaller areas with insufficient space and heterogeneity of habitat for their numbers to stabilise naturally.
The Kruger National Park, although large by national standards, is long and narrow. East-West migration routes between the coastal plains of Mozambique and the Drakensberg in the west have been cut off entirely. As a result, the variety of foods and habitats available to elephants are greatly reduced. Where bulls (the most destructive feeders) would previously have spent much of their time feeding on the floodplain grasses of the coastal plain, they can no longer do that in the Kruger region. Likewise, access to such habitat has been reduced by fencing and human activity.
Elephants are lured to green croplands when times are tough, especially when cultivated fields are close to water sources. However, when the density of humanity or the land conversion attains a threshold, elephants will leave (thresholds change from place to place).
How do elephants affect vegetation?
The link between diminishing big trees and the presence of elephants is not as strong as it may seem [6].
There is no question that elephants break trees – debark, push over, stunt. But in the process, they provide habitat for other species, disperse seed, fertilise the landscape, and open up woodlands. In open systems, they seldom, if ever, destroy ecosystems irreversibly. They’re massive animals, so their effect on vegetation is obvious to the casual observer, but the effect of their absence really isn’t immediately obvious at all (yet it is no less profound[7]).
Research indicates that one to four percent of trees are destroyed by elephants each year in the protected areas of Southern Africa [2]. This level of loss may be supportable, but at the same time, it must be appreciated that this kind of utilisation will change the structure of the vegetation. It is also important to understand that elephants are not alone in their destruction of trees (from seedlings to much larger individuals – for example, there is evidence to suggest impala eat a far greater volume of tree seedlings[6]). The combined effects of other herbivores, fire, flood, drought and disease all contribute to tree survival rates.
Elephants have an especially noticeable effect on the vegetation along riverbeds. Much concern is expressed about the destruction of marula, thorn trees and baobabs in Southern Africa. (Elephants also tend to stunt mopane and combretum woodland). Little heed is given to three important factors here, however:
There is a natural die-off of hardwood species and prolonged decay and thus an accumulation of ‘destroyed wood’.
The rinderpest epidemic and over-hunting cut a swathe of destruction in the early 1900s, decimated wildlife populations and numbers didn’t recover for at least 50 years afterwards. Clearly, this lack of animals provided an opportunity for unusual woodland development, especially along the riverbanks. The current usage patterns and vegetation structure in these areas are likely more ‘natural’, and this is reflected in floodplains throughout Southern Africa[2].
Historically, where people lived (often along watercourses), they would have come into conflict with elephants (through defence or predation). This would have caused elephants to avoid areas of heavy human settlement. In turn, those areas occupied by human beings would have had vegetation that exhibited far less elephant impact than those further afield.
There is one other thing to bear in mind when considering elephants and their effect on vegetation. A cycle of vegetation change in line with elephant population change in natural areas is almost certainly longer than a human life span. In other words, even dedicated scientists assessing elephants are just seeing snapshots of a much greater cycle in nature (many scientists acknowledge this) that is very difficult to understand, much less manage for.
A young elephant bull debarks a marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea) in winter
The golden carrying capacity
In 1967, when elephant culling began in earnest in the Kruger National Park, wildlife managers were focused on maintaining a ‘natural balance’ of species. During the 1960s, 70s and 80s, controlling animal numbers was the primary focus of much wildlife management. [2]
The Kruger National Park aimed to maintain the elephant population at 7000. This number was based on a supposed carrying capacity of one elephant per square mile, but it is difficult to locate the exact science behind this number. Indeed, it seems rather conspicuous by its absence [8].
More than 70 000 elephants were destroyed in the attempt to maintain the golden carrying capacity in Southern Africa (mostly in Hwange) and, in so doing, protect elephant habitat and the species they shared those habitats with. With hindsight and much better science, it seems that the culling programme was rather simplistic.
For starters, the amount of artificial water provided for animals in Southern Africa does not appear to have affected the management approach to elephants – there seemed to be ignorance (willful or otherwise) that pumping water everywhere was increasing elephant numbers through better survival rates and decreasing emigration.
While the provision of artificial water may have been done with the greater good in mind, the results were dubious at best. As Professor Rudi van Aarde says: ‘the control of elephant numbers did little to address their impact. This is not surprising considering that impact is due to factors other than numbers alone…’[2]
Alan Savory, distinguished from many experts by his ability to admit to mistakes, was responsible for slaughtering 40,000 elephants in Zimbabwe during the 1960s. After that period in his life, he decided that elephants were not the problem and that culling them did little to improve the conditions of the rangelands where he worked.[9]
Elephants need water to drink and cool off…and enjoying playing in it too
Life’s most precious resource
Elephants seldom go further than ten km (pers. comm. Bruce Clegg) from water but ideally like to be within five km of water [2]. When food in the vicinity of water depletes, then elephants will move further afield. This movement creates stress, especially in drought times and has a negative effect on calf survival. Artificial water clearly removes this effect.
In the large protected areas of Southern Africa, water is concentrated in perennial rivers and, during the wet season, in annual streams and seasonal pans. This distribution of water means that during the dry winter, elephants (and other animals) will congregate along perennial water sources and spread out during the wet summer. Clearly, movement like this will allow a heterogeneous use of the landscape by browsing and grazing herbivores.
Up until 1994, more than 300 artificial water points blossomed in the Kruger. Unsurprisingly, the elephant population increased. This was great initially because wildlife needed to be nurtured – it was recovering from more than a century of pillage. But the maintenance of the water points into the 1990s was ill-advised. Likewise, the provision of water in Hwange National Park, Etosha National Park and Chobe National Park accentuated the impact on vegetation in the vicinity of the water. It intensified die-offs during droughts (and still does in some cases).[2]
It is not only elephants that benefit from the provision of artificial water. Wildebeest, zebra and impala (particularly the latter two) are highly dependent on water and will not stray far from it. When their numbers increase in the presence of artificial water, they outcompete some species and attract predators. More mixed feeders like impala mean a greater toll on tree seedlings. In the Kruger, this meant the demise of healthy sable, roan and eland populations and also the local extinction of brown hyena [10].
If we look at the private reserves on the western boundary of the Kruger, we see a patchwork of tiny properties with landowners all managing for their (or their tourists’) needs. All the little properties have numerous dams and pumped pans. Many are the times I’ve heard landowners bemoaning the fact that the elephants are pushing down trees but not making any connection to the fact that by pumping water, they are ensuring that the elephants don’t ever have cause to leave their land. Pumping water means that the most desperate times (droughts) – when trees are most likely to be pushed over for forage – are precisely the times when elephants will concentrate on their land.
Elephants use areas close to water much more intensively than they do areas further afield. If water is equally distributed across a landscape as it is in the Sabi Sands, for example, (compared with the Kruger where there are now large swathes of land without artificial water) then the impact of elephants will be uniform. Areas that might build up a bank of forage that could be used in times of drought are used intensively all the time with the consequence that die-offs from starvation during drought are that much more intensive in areas where water is provided.
Population numbers increasing or decreasing?
In much of Southern Africa, elephants have not been intensively managed. We’ve given them water in some places and provided anti-poaching. In South Africa, we have subjected them to far more intensive management through the provision of huge amounts of water, culling, translocations and fences. Population growth in South Africa is less variable and much higher than in areas where elephants are left alone, suggesting that our well-meaning intentions stimulated population growth.[2]
You might be surprised to hear that elephant numbers in Southern Africa are actually relatively stable. In northern Botswana, the elephant population has remained stable at around 130,000 animals for more than a decade. There is some debate over this number but it is possible discrepancies come from cross-border elephant movements. This is not to dismiss any concerns about their impact, but it does suggest some sort of natural equilibrium being reached. How long this might last is not clear, and the situation should be constantly evaluated.
Human-elephant conflict
One of the major calls for elephant numbers to be reduced comes from people living with them – outside or near unfenced protected areas. This is understandable. Very few people, especially those who could lose all they hold dear (crops, family, livestock) in a single, aggressive elephant encounter, could tolerate the risk to life and livelihood. Sadly, the plight of rural people living with elephants has been co-opted by politicians and elements of the trophy hunting fraternity to encourage the lethal reduction of elephant numbers[11]. It is doubtful that trophy hunting, unless implemented on an industrial scale, will have any effect on human-elephant conflict – it may even cause the reverse by making elephants more terrified of human beings and therefore increase the likelihood of aggressive encounters.
As human and/or elephant populations grow outside protected areas, the chances of conflict between elephants and humans will increase. We have similar habitat needs – human settlements need to be close to water while the growing of crops in fertile soil attracts the attention of elephants, especially bulls. There are a lot of people working to mitigate the conflict between elephants and people in rural areas. However, it must be noted that while elephant populations in unfenced areas across Southern Africa are relatively stable, human populations are growing. Therefore defining the problem in terms of the number of elephants alone is incorrect.
That said, it is crucial that rural people don’t see elephants as a threat to survival. Ideally, they need to benefit from elephants (through tourism and, much as it stings to say, perhaps through protein and trophy fees – avoiding targeting large-tusked animals and removing their genes from the population). The bottom line is that the people who live with elephants have to see an advantage to their existence.
Heterogeneity – a key management objective
The key goal for most conservation organisations is to improve and maintain biodiversity. One of the ways of achieving this is to manage areas for maximum heterogeneity. In other words, management for an area like the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) needs to maximise the number of different habitats. Some of these will be prime areas, some marginal, some vacant, some occupied. Densities should vary naturally across time and space in accordance with patchy resource availability. In large enough areas, this heterogeneity of landscapes would, ideally, result in subpopulations that will vary in number, growth rates etc. These would then be managed through the lens of a metapopulation.[12], [14]
One of the ways that the Kruger is currently aiming to do this is by closing waterholes and leaving large areas with no artificial water. Between 1995 and 2008, Kruger management reduced the number of waterholes from 340 to 116. This allows less water-dependent species to flourish in the absence of competition from those that are more water-dependent. Indeed SANParks management initiatives focus on spatial manipulation to control impact rather than ‘command and control’ approaches used between the 50s and early 90s.[2], [13]
Our after-dinner ecologist doesn’t understand that when he drives his family down the main road between Mopani and Shingwedzi Rest Camps of an October midday, the waterhole that looks as if an apocalypse has befallen it is placed where it is so that he and his family will see the elephants (and other animals) coming for their midday snifter. He is failing to understand that the proportion of the park he can behold is a very tiny fraction of the entire system. And one that, because of the waterhole’s location and time of year, looks fairly dire.
Reducing artificial water is probably the most important intervention we can make. Closely distributed waterholes cause uniform impact over an area, reduce roaming distances, and reduce stress on young elephants, increasing their survival rates. Closing water points results in more intensive use of vegetation around water, which could cause stress on calves and reduce population growth. At the same time, vegetation away from water can recover. Clearly, this only applies to large heterogeneous areas and not to small, fenced reserves where much more direct management of elephants is required (contraception, translocation etc.). The larger the area, the greater the chance that elephants will experience a variety of living conditions that could limit their population growth rates across the region and possibly across the continent.[2]
The way forward
Ideally, elephant areas need to be joined with corridors and augmented with buffer zones to create a variety of landscapes and habitats and uneven use of vegetation. In many parts of Africa, elephants roam widely out of protected areas – which are also important repositories of biodiversity, even when people are present. It is here that human-elephant conflict must be mitigated, and people who are expected to live with elephants should benefit from their conservation in some way. As distasteful as this may be to many of us, arguments in favour of hunting must be heard.
Adaptive management is also crucial – the questions are complex and require dynamic solutions based on a constantly changing knowledge base. We need to continually re-think conservation and management, especially of keystone species that are both emotive and emotional. The ‘command and control’ approach to keeping the ‘balance of nature’ is no longer in vogue outside of small parks. It has given way to approaches that aim to mimic the dynamism of natural systems. Modern approaches focus on land and ensuring the integrity of ecological processes rather than on elephant (and other species) numbers. In the case of elephants, this means excluding them from sensitive areas and restoring areas by removing artificial water (as has been done in Kruger).
Transfrontier parks also play a massive role – the fewer fences we have, the more easily elephants can move between protected areas. The less concentrated their effects will be as long as we do not discourage emigration by providing water.
Has any of this actually been tested? Yes, in the GLTP and the Kruger. When culling ended in 1994, there was a massive growth in elephant numbers, but since 2003, the growth rate has slowed (from 6.5 % during the culling period to roughly 4.2%). Growth rates in areas more than five km from water fluctuate without trend, and those within this five km zone are constant [2]. In 2017 there were an estimated 19 927 elephants in the Kruger National Park. Will it level off? We don’t know yet but quite possibly given the landscape management (as opposed to numbers management) of the GLTP. Encouragingly, come 2012, 22 of 36 elephant populations across East and Southern Africa had stabilised for roughly a decade. It is not certain that this will remain the case forever, but it points to natural processes limiting elephant numbers.
As human beings with an interest in nature, it is imperative that we understand that we do not have the historical records or ecological understanding to be implementing ‘command and control’ approaches to the conservation of keystone species in large protected areas. We have to manage the land for heterogeneity and do our best to mimic nature while accepting that anthropogenic landscape changes are irreversible in some places. We also have to accept that sometimes, as a very last resort, lethal measures may be necessary.
So, do we have an elephant problem? It depends on your perspective, where you live, what piece of land you are referring to and what your goals are. As with all things in nature, it is a question with answers more complicated than our current understanding.
An elephant bull considers the Maasai Mara
Acknowledgements
My gratitude to Rudi van Aarde (Emeritus Professor, University of Pretoria), Bruce Clegg (Resident Ecologist Malilingwe Trust) for answering my questions and SANParks for information on elephant numbers.
The 8,000 ha Mthimkhulu Game Reserve is part of the Greater Kruger, an open ecosystem with Kruger National Park and the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park where animals roam more than 3.5 million ha with no internal fences. One would think that an 8,000 ha piece of the Greater Kruger with more than 40 km of river frontage would be a cash cow for the lucky owners. After all, similar land in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve has been valued at more than ZAR 70,000/ha. Let’s be conservative here and halve that for Mthimkhulu because it’s not an established tourist hotspot and the soils and vegetation probably won’t support quite the same density of animals that places in the Sabi Sands might.
So, at ZAR 35,000/ha, we’re looking at a piece of land worth roughly ZAR 245 million. Let’s halve it again just to be safe because there is minimal infrastructure on the reserve, the fences need to be fixed, and a crack anti-poaching unit is required. That gives the owners an asset worth somewhere in the region of ZAR 120 million – still a lot of ZAR.
Yet, on the borders of the Mthimkhulu Game Reserve, about 50 km north of Phalaborwa, there are two of the most impoverished rural villages you could ever hope to find. The people of Mbaula and Phalaubeni should, by rights, be the owners and beneficiaries of this piece of paradise on the Kruger’s western boundary – they are the only people living anywhere near the reserve and were forcibly removed to their current location in 1967.
That they are not benefitting from Mthimkhulu is a long, sad story of callous politics, corrupt trophy hunting and ineptitude of the highest order. Mercifully, things may be turning around for the reserve and, therefore, the people.
Mthimkhulu is dotted with gorgeous, granite koppies
On our first morning walk, we left camp heading south, parallel with the Klein Letaba. On the bank, we walked beneath ancient jackalberries, apple leaves (the season’s fallen foliage crunching underfoot), and some of the hugest leadwoods I’ve seen. In the sandy riverbed, our guides from Manukuza Walking Safaris pointed out myriad tracks – buffalo, giraffe, elephant, waterbuck, genet, civet and a male leopard. We also found a dragonfly nymph in a little crystalline pool. As the morning warmed, we shed layers and made for a granite outcrop that, apart from a grazed knee, offered an endless panoramic view of a landscape bathed in the reds, bronzes and greens of the early winter; a landscape that has inspired adventures and dreams for centuries.
Geography
Mthimkhulu is bounded by the annual Klein Letaba River on the east and the perennial Groot Letaba River to the south. The vegetation is a mix of mopane woodland, broad-leafed combretum woodland, marula-topped crests and riverine woodland dominated by apple leaf and jackalberry trees. Several granite koppies stand guard, topped with white kirkias and Natal rock figs, giving stunning vantage of the area. The region receives an annual rainfall of around 550 mm.
The grass sward shows many signs indicating a dearth of large grazing herbivores, the result being swathes of relatively low-grazing value species. This situation can only be remedied by the influx of buffalo, elephant and other bulk grazers – all animals that avoid the reserve because of poaching.
To the south of the Groot Letaba River is the Letaba Ranch, a reserve administered by The Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism (LEDET). As far as the Letaba Ranch is concerned, the only thing accurate in the LEDET name is the word Limpopo. Economic development, environmental care and tourism are phantoms. In practice, the reserve has been plundered, allegedly with tacit approval from officials, hunters, and, if you can believe it, a miner. This fine, upstanding fellow removed half a hillside before a community involved in a land claim chased him off. Parts of the western fence (effectively the western fence line of the Kruger National Park) wouldn’t hinder an asthmatic duiker, let alone an elephant.
We returned to camp around 13h00 and, after some midday snifters and a meal, my seven comrades and I fell into various states of slumber as the perfectly still afternoon passed lazily overhead. The evening stroll netted us a fleeting view of a buffalo bull, who took exception to our exploring and disappeared into the mopane woodland. Perhaps he’d been spooked by the male lion whose pug marks dotted the river bed. There was also an incongruous pool set behind a natural granite weir. Myriad fish shot between the smooth pebbles coloured emerald with algae. The highlight for me was a female painted snipe foraging in a muddy puddle. As dusk fell, we lit a fire on the banks of the river, cooked a basic but delicious meal and shared stories beneath a star-sprayed sky.
Apartheid’s relics
So why is the community living on the reserve’s boundary not benefitting from it? Well, mainly because the government (provincial and national) cannot or will not decide who the correct traditional authority of the area is supposed to be. (The fact that there is a debate over who has the genetic right to benefit from a piece of land in a constitutional democracy is a brain-melting discussion for another time.)
In brief, the chief who claims ownership of the reserve and dominion over Mbaula and Phalaubeni villages, Ngove, lives some 50 km away near Giyani. The chieftaincy was created by the Native Commissioner in the 60s, before the Mthimkhulu community’s forced removal from the Tzaneen area. The Mabunda family, who live in Mbaula, claim that the chieftaincy is theirs. Extensive research completed by a University of South Africa academic indicates that the Mabunda claim is valid. Obviously, Ngove doesn’t want to give up the cash cow that Mthimkhulu could be.
The dispute has been to court any number of times over the last 26 (!) years. For reasons that go well beyond the scope of this story (but including allegations of political collusion and skulduggery), the dispute has never been settled. As I write this, another application based on a constitutional provision that allows communities to benefit from the land they live on, regardless of which traditional authority is in charge, is with the courts. In it, the people of Mbaula and Phalaubeni are applying to benefit from their land without the need for the chieftaincy to be resolved.
The upshot of this convoluted legal/ cultural/ social/ story is that there is no clear landowner. This means that no investor or tourism operator can sign or secure a long-term lease. Without a secure, legally binding lease, money is impossible to raise, and potential investors are understandably reticent.
Tracking a leopard in the Klein Letaba during the wet season
As the second frigid morning dawned, our guides hustled us into the vehicle before it was light. There was a lot of grumbling. We drove down to the confluence of the Groot and Klein Letaba Rivers, where, finally, we were allowed to mainline some caffeinated liquid as the sun rose over the historic confluence. There is a profound sense of memory about the place. As the mist rose off the water, we could almost sense the ghosts of the Khoisan, refugees from the Zulu wars, ancient traders coming to barter their wares from the coast, and the Boer hunters looking for winter biltong.
Where are the animals?
While all this political tomfoolery has ground on with the speed of frozen treacle mooching uphill, the people of the two villages have suffered through neglect, corruption and unscrupulous trophy hunting operations. For many years, various trophy hunting outfits have plundered Mthimkhulu. They have bribed community leaders for access and made minimal contributions to the running and upkeep of the land from which they took the animals. An estimated 20 million rand has flowed to the hunters over the years, with less than a tenth making it into the villages.
Sadly, poaching is rife. It is essentially meat poaching – some for the pot and some for the commercial bushmeat trade. There is simply not enough financial input to maintain the fences and keep a permanent anti-poaching unit.
Several photo-tourism operators have done their best to obtain a lease for Mthimkhulu because it has such potential. Most have eventually left with their tails tucked firmly between their legs. Without an indisputably legal, long-term lease, no funder with a quarter of a brain is going to invest the kind of money required to develop an ecotourism hotspot. Likewise, no conservation NPO is going to step in and foot the bill for looking after the reserve if there is no certainty. SANParks, who look after the Kruger, will also not get involved until the dispute is settled.
The upshot is a poached and pillaged, yet potentially thriving safari hotspot.
Clockwise from top left: Armoured ground cricket (Acanthoplus sp.); western yellow-bellied sand snake; red-veined drop wing; wild cotton (Gossypium herbaceum)
After our warming drinks, we headed inland away from the rivers. Mammals we did not see, but we saw plenty of encouraging signs as we wove between the mopane trees towards another gorgeous koppie. Aardvarks, hyenas, warthogs and buffalo clearly wandered the game paths with relative frequency. On the koppie, we watched a bateleur searching the seemingly endless wilderness for signs of brunch. A zephyr blew the last of the leaves from the Kirkia trees as we contemplated the winter woodlands below. Those ghosts from the confluence seemed to have followed us up, and I couldn’t help but wonder who else had rested on the rocks over the millennia – what marvels they must have seen.
The Villages
Travelling through Mbaula and Phalaubeni, one can scarcely be surprised that some people have taken to poaching – there is very little to eat, and employment is a dream so far from reality it may as well include unicorns. There is no running water and very little in the way of electricity (and only for those who can afford it). The nearest medical facility (and that is to give it a compliment it almost certainly doesn’t deserve) is 20 km away in the village of Makhuba. If you do not have a car and you have a medical emergency, then good luck.
I am always struck by how different the villages feel depending on the time of day. Midday is the worst – the harsh light makes the dusty, litter-strewn lanes, wilting gardens of maize and half-built homes look that much more desperate. But as the evening comes, the light softens, and people – tremendously resilient people – come out of their homes to chat to neighbours. Children play amongst the goats, donkeys and clucking chickens. The sound of cattle bells grows as men return the cattle to their kraals for the night while women light fires for cooking or warmth in their yards. Those with enough cash might head to the local tavern to drink quarts of beer.
Life in these villages is hard. All of the social ills that come with an economically depressed area manifest, yet the people somehow carry on. They collect water from intermittently dry boreholes (often privately installed), clear mopane woodland by hand to plant maize and a few other crops, herd their livestock into the woodlands to graze and do whatever odd jobs they can. The children go to school (covid allowing) and try their best to glean something from the human rights tragedy that is our government’s idea of education.
Clockwise from top left: a homestead; children wandering the street of a Sunday afternoon; many of the houses are incomplete with owners building as and when they have money to spare; a fallow maize field; wood remains the primary fuel for cooking and heating
The afternoon passed like only a Lowveld afternoon can – warm, gentle and smiling. As the sun moved towards the mountains in the west, we made our way onto a massive island of rocks in the middle of the Klein Letaba River. We watched a pied kingfisher trophy hunting one of the pools, silhouetted against the tangerine orb in the west. We listened as the corn crickets crackled at each other. Someone claimed they heard a leopard sawing nearby. Just before dark, we wandered back to our campfire for a sing-song and more stories – stories all the more richly told for the atmosphere created by the fire, the Milky Way and the wilderness where we sat.
Potential
Mthimkhulu’s potential is enormous. Mbaula and Phalaubeni are relatively small villages. There is a lot of communal land outside the reserve that could be incorporated into the fence or be more productively used for farming, grazing or projects that could supply tourism operations. This is not a luxury of which many reserves on the borders of Greater Kruger can boast. A brief gander at a map of the Sabi Sands will reveal villages right up against the western boundary fence – this is not the case for Mthimkhulu.
Two sides of the reserve are bounded by rivers. Mthimkhulu has more river frontage than any other similar-sized private game reserve in the Lowveld. The nearest commercial airport is a 60 minutes drive away (Phalaborwa) on an excellent tar road. It is a shorter, more pleasant drive than, for example, that from Hoedspruit into the northern Sabi Sands, which will leave you in need of severe chiropractic and dental attention. An airstrip could easily be built outside the reserve to service charter flights.
What is needed is a valid authority to sign a valid lease with a seriously innovative tourism operation (or more than one). Ideally, the costs and practicalities of maintaining the reserve should be borne by a conservation NPO in partnership with the government. The land management needs to be cutting edge. Strong consideration should be given to using the herding four health (H4H) model being employed in parts of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, where communities graze their cattle as one herd inside the park according to holistic resource management principles. This will benefit not only the cattle and their owners but also the grasses and soils of Mthimkhulu.
Poaching remains a problem at Mthimkhulu.
On our last morning, we headed north up the river as the sun poked its head over the Kruger. We were rewarded with an excellent view of a small buffalo herd moving east across the riverbed post a dawn drink (substantially more algae rich than mine had been). We crossed back onto the Mthimkhulu side, cautiously walking along a game path fringed by thick riverine bush when our guide motioned for us to freeze. He went ahead slightly then turned, waving for us to retreat quickly.
‘Go, behind that bush,’ I said to the two behind me. I expected a buffalo to come thundering out of the undergrowth at any second.
‘But there’s a person!’ hissed the sharp-eyed woman in front of me.
‘It’s cattle, not buffalo,’ the guide realised.
Two of us leapt up the bank to see if we could find the man but he’d melted into the mopane. As we returned to join the rest, the guide spotted something shiny in a tree – a thick wire snare, expertly strung with bark sinews, purposed to catch a buffalo.
We spent the next hour removing a total of 24 snares from the area – all made from cable most likely stolen from the Kruger fence just to the north.
Sharing stories around the fire after a great day on foot in the wild
A new dawn
There is hope for Mthimkhulu. In the next few months, another court date could well see the disputes finally put to bed. This will allow the people of Mbaula and Phalaubeni to sign a lease with a serious investor. And there are quite a few groups standing by to get things going. One of these is Manukuza Walking Safaris, which is forging ahead and delivering excellent bush experiences on this historical game reserve despite the challenges. If you’re thinking of a rustic, authentic experience in some of the wildest parts of the Greater Kruger that will make a meaningful conservation difference, then give them a shout.
Resources
For more on the politcal, cultural and hunting debacle of the wider area see here
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So the Aspinall Foundation plans to spend a fortune of donor money to rehome captive-bred elephants from their zoo in Kent, England to a wildlife reserve in Kenya. This, while wild-caught baby elephants are being taken from their mothers and sold by the Namibian and Zimbabwean authorities to zoos in China and elsewhere. Am I alone in believing that the donor money could be better spent?
GREAT NEWS is that the attempt to STRIP MINE Selati Game Reserve near the Kruger NP has been CALLED OFF. I confirmed this with the reserve general manager Bryan Havemann. Well done to Bryan, his team and everyone who helped publicise this attack on wildlife land.
Thanks to all who provided feedback on the new citrus farm on the Greater Kruger border. My team and I are glad to see that most people value objective journalism and the need for accurate facts to best assess this unfortunate situation. But thanks also to the gent who criticised me for being too ‘balanced’ and for his ‘outrage’ that I was not more radical in my reporting. His right to express an opinion aside, feedback like this reminds us of the vast chasm between reality and ideology. Another person was less subtle in her rant and personal attacks on me and on brand AG – for reporting the facts! We soldier on …
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
As I watched the carnage unfolding in South Africa this week, reported on by international news agencies, I, like most people, was filled with a deep sense of depression. This is not the place to discuss the travesty and its social causes. It is, however, the place to lament the damage it could do to our already fragile tourism industry, much of which depends on international travel.
To those of you thinking about coming to South Africa for your safari, please take heed not of the thugs but rather of the volunteers, mostly poor and often unemployed, who emerged to clean up their streets and communities. These selfless, beautiful, determined, stoic and resilient people are the South Africans that will demonstrate the spirit of our country to you when you arrive here to marvel at our natural wonders.
As our first story below refers, ReconAfrica, the hideous Canadian company that think it would be a great idea to drill for oil in the Kavango basin, have been exposed as a pack of penny-stock pedlars.
If you’re after the wildest kind of safari in one of the most untouched and vast wilderness areas in Africa, then look no further than the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, showcased in our second story below. It is the perfect place to escape the madness humanity has created for ourselves.
Lastly, in our third story below, we discuss the rather fascinating science behind rebranding Lycaon pictus. It would seem that ‘painted dog’ evokes the most positive response.
Independent financial research organisation Viceroy Research has released a damning report on Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd (ReconAfrica) – the Canadian oil and gas company that has set its sights on the Kavango Basin in Namibia and Botswana. The Viceroy report labels ReconAfrica a “stock-promoted junior explorer, drilling imaginary oil basins in a fragile ecosystem”. It concludes by saying that the detailed findings have been shared with Canadian regulators.
ReconAfrica has rejected suggestions that it is a “pump and dump” stock. In this illegal practice, stock prices are inflated through misleading assertions, allowing insiders to sell off their shares for profit after a surge in interest before the price crashes. ReconAfrica’s share price has risen from around USD 0.5 to USD 13 in the past 18 months, despite serious concerns about the environmental implications of the proposed mining operations.
However, Viceroy’s report states that “once (ReconAfrica’s) promotional veil has been pulled back, we believe the company will revert to trading as a speculative, but highly unimpressive, penny stock”.
In summary, the report highlights the following geological and practical concerns:
Drilling blind
ReconAfrica has been marketing its exploration allotment as a potential shale (unconventional) play – a type of exploration banned by the Namibian Government. The Botswana Government has denied that ReconAfrica has permission to conduct this type of exploration and has stated that the company is only in the initial stages of assessing geological data.
The company has used surface geology analysis, geochemical sniffing and aeromagnetic data to indicate the possibility of a basin that might justify real oil and gas exploration – “this severe overreaction is the equivalent of justifying a gold mine at a beach because a metal detector pinged”.
The company is years and tens of millions of dollars away from drilling an exploratory well with any chance of discovering commercial oil or gas. The three stratigraphic wells were drilled to “justify overly optimistic press releases, swindle investors and fulfil their immediate commitments to the government to retain their leases”.
No well data has been released because the two wells drilled so far failed to encounter oil or gas.
“This approach of drilling blind was common in the 1940s to the 1960s among the oil and gas giants who had billions to burn; for a smaller company with limited case and time, this is a last-ditch effort.”
Their licence to drill
ReconAfrica’s license requires them to forfeit 75% of the lease area by January 2022, and it is unlikely they will have sufficient data to determine which sites to relinquish – “they are rapidly running out of time to do anything that would yield a commercial discovery.”
The Sproule Report
The report produced by Sproule, an external reserves auditor, was purely conceptual, based on potential analogues in other countries – it is a work of “geo-fantasy”.
Regardless, Sproule estimates just a 3.3% chance of commercial success.
The “Kavango” Basin
The Viceroy analysts believe that ReconAfrica’s lease is likely on the Owambo basin rather than the previously unexplored Kavango basin. The Owambo basin has been extensively prospected but with limited success
Along with the environmental concerns, the Viceroy report also indicates that various members of ReconAfrica’s management come with chequered histories, ranging from bribery to incompetence and a trail of ecological damage and unrehabilitated wells. The retail interest they have acquired, according to the report, is due to a strategy of duping unsophisticated investors through crooked analysts, stock promoters, YouTubers and “ClickBait masters”. ReconAfrica’s association with Namibian businessman Knowledge Katti created the impression of insider political connections to “do the magic” with government officials.
The critical report concludes by stating that ReconAfrica is a “tale as old as time”, manipulating investors that will ultimately be burned when the fiction is revealed as such. Viceroy’s report prompted a brief dip in share price and an immediate backlash from ReconAfrica in a press release refuting the “false, short report”, to which Viceroy responded as follows.
[Editorial note: Viceroy is headed by short-sellers whose research has, in recent years, triggered stock collapses in German company Wirecard and South Africa company Steinhoff.]
From individual identities to brands, names carry significant weight in human interpretation. The words associated with particular objects or animals create a series of mental connections and a perception of certain qualities or traits. For this reason, some scientists have been calling for a rebranding of the African wild dog – to escape the negative connotations and associations with stray or feral domestic dogs. However, the IUCN and many conservation organisations still refer to them as African wild dogs. A recent paper puts forward an evidence-based approach for understanding the conservation implications behind the vernacular name of choice for the charismatic Lycaon pictus.
The scientific name Lycaon pictus translates roughly into a “painted wolf-like creature”, but the African painted wolf belongs to a distinct genus only distantly related to either domestic dogs or wolves. It is well-established that painted wolf populations have suffered dramatically through human persecution and habitat loss throughout the continent. In many situations, they are still perceived as blood-thirsty and brutal predators. The question is whether their name has contributed to this persecution and whether or not a rebranding could invest people in their conservation.
The author, ecologist Bryony Blades, was inspired by the 4th episode of BBC’s Dynasties, titled “Painted Wolf”, and the subsequent debate that resurfaced with little evidence-based support on either side. To provide evidence in a more quantifiable manner, she investigated previous scientific journal entries and conducted online surveys aimed at the general public. The first of these surveys was a willingness-to-pay (WTP) survey to establish the influence of the name on the donating behaviour of the participants. Every participant was presented with a picture paired with one of the four names for painted wolves: African wild dog, painted wolf, African hunting dog, or Cape hunting dog. The responses from the 781 respondents across six different continents showed no significant differences in donations between the name variations.
An interesting aspect of these results was that Australasia donated the second largest mean amount by continent, even though the term “wild dog” is used in Australia to refer to feral domestic dogs, dingoes and dingo-domestic dog hybrids. Though the negative perceptions of the name choice were expected to be pertinent to donations from Australia, this was not reflected in the data.
The second survey yielded more potentially significant results. This word association survey used the individual terms “hunting”, “wolf”, “wild”, “dog”, and “painted”. Respondents were asked to associate these terms with another word, and these responses were then judged as being either negative or positive/neutral. Somewhat predictably, the word “hunting” returned the highest number of negative reactions, though the author acknowledges that this may have been due to its association with human activities. However, as the purpose of the survey was to ascertain the primary, subconscious response to a word, the negative reactions are still valid. The responses to “painted” and “dog” were almost all positive. Interestingly, of the 730 responses, there were 51 negative associations with the word “wolf” and 23 associated with the word “wild” as being “dangerous” or “scary”.
As the author explains, the common name of Lycaon pictus is only a part of a much broader conservation issue. However, it is helpful to frame the debate in marketing terms to understand why some conservationists are searching for a rebranding that distances the endangered canids from historic negative associations. Changing a brand name is commonplace in the commercial world, and it is worth considering the effects on environmental conservation. While the linguistic choice does not seem to impact donating behaviour, it does influence perception. Overall, the research concludes that “painted dog” triggers the most positive linguistic associations.
Whatever the ultimate conclusion, there is no question that any attempt at rebranding (or rejection thereof) must be a collaborative and collective effort. This, in turn, should be driven by the scientists and organisations most invested in the future of Lycaon pictus.
It is easy to understand why the symbolism attached to valleys is similar across cultures and continents. They are places that represent life and beauty – inspiring artists, poets and musicians. For the more practically-minded, valleys are sheltered places of safety, guarded by mountains and made fertile by rivers and streams flowing from their slopes. Luangwa Valley is the perfect African example – a vast Zambian wilderness; a playground for tourists seeking an authentic, unfussy safari experience.
It is rugged unspoilt, and best explored on foot in the company of some of Africa’s best guides.
Being on foot in Africa is a connective nature experience like no other
A river runs through it
Life in the Luangwa Valley centres around the Luangwa River and its rich floodplains that spill over into the surrounding plains, savannas and woodlands. The eponymous river is one of Zambia’s most extensive, rising in the north-eastern corner of the country and meandering south-west before flowing into the Zambezi River. As part of the tail-end of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, the ancient tectonic forces that shaped the landscape laid the foundations for spectacular scenery. The magnificent Muchinga Mountains form an escarpment that plunges some 700m to the valley floor, which reaches a width of up to 100km wide. The river changes its course regularly when in flood, creating new oxbow lakes and hairpin bends for the hippos to occupy in their hundreds.
There are four national parks within the Luangwa Valley: South Luangwa National Park (SLNP), North Luangwa National Park (NLNP), Luambe National Park (Luambe NP) and Lukusuzi National Park (Lukusuzi NP). These are surrounded by numerous unfenced Game Management Areas and, with the Mid-Zambezi Valley, the ecosystem covers a relatively undisturbed 70,000km2 of wilderness.
The rich and vibrant habitats are home to some of the highest densities of wildlife in Zambia. According to the Zambian Carnivore Programme, this section of eastern Zambia boasts the largest lion population in the country and the second largest population of African painted wolves. The region is also home to a Luangwa endemic: the Thornicroft’s giraffe (suspected subspecies of the Masai giraffe). Other Zambian specialities include the Cookson’s wildebeest (a subspecies of the blue wildebeest) and the Crawshay’s zebra (a subspecies of the plains zebra).
On foot in the valley
Luangwa is often referred to as the home of the walking safari, and the region was among the first places on the continent to offer walking safaris. Game warden, conservationist, and travel-pioneer Norman Carr famously believed that it was impossible to know an area without exploring it properly on foot. Generations of expert guides have followed in his footsteps, trained to embrace the same ethos and appreciation for the wild as the first walking guides.
There is a twinge of adrenaline heading out on foot into the presence of Africa’s most revered (and potentially dangerous) animals. The genuine value, however, lies in the complete nature immersion. For most, the ordinary human senses are dulled by overstimulation and frenetic schedules. So, it is almost astonishing how, when in the company of an expert guide, it is suddenly possible to revert to a far more primal state of awareness. The sudden amplification of sound, smell and touch (and fear) can be profoundly grounding.
What is more, the Luangwa Valley is a biodiversity hotspot. Rather than hoping for an encounter with a big animal (which will likely happen regardless), revel in the small things. Appreciate the morning light catching the dew of a perfect spider web or marvel at the tenacity of a dung beetle in action. Stop to admire the intricate network of veins in an elephant track and the careful construction of a batis nest or run a hand over the rough bark of an ancient ebony tree. The magic of the Luangwa Valley is so overwhelming that it takes time to soak in fully.
The Luangwa Valley offers some of the best walking safaris in Africa
South Luangwa National Park
The largest of the valley’s four national parks, SLNP, is also the most popular (though it remains almost entirely unspoilt and operates at relatively low tourist densities). The Muchinga Escarpment borders the 9,059km2 (90,000 hectare) park along its western and northern edges, while much of the infrastructure centres around the Luangwa River and its many tributaries. As a general rule, the Mfuwe area is the park’s busiest, and sightings can become somewhat frenetic during the high season. The Nsefu sector of the park is quieter and more remote, offering a more exclusive feel.
Along with enormous herds of elephants and buffaloes, SLNP is renowned for its dazzling leopard sightings, and visitors are regularly treated to more than one leopard in a day. SLNP is also home to one of the most well-known elephant herds in the world. These brazen pachyderms famously return year after year to snack on the wild mangos in Mfuwe Lodge. The herds merrily stride through the reception area, oblivious to the amazement of guests and staff (or perhaps simply accepting it as their due).
Just before the start of the rainy season in November, the park’s skies are filled with flashes of pink as the carmine bee-eaters return for the summer. These gloriously coloured birds nest in holes excavated in sandbanks, and appreciative guests can while away the hours at a hide watching the flashing colours as the birds prepare for the breeding season. (Have a look at this wonderful trip report for an account of a South Luangwa safari)
An African painted wolf observes a flock of carmine bee-eaters, their nests in the riverbank below
North Luangwa NP
North Luangwa National Park is far more remote, and visitors here are unlikely to encounter another tourist group in the entire 4,636 km2 (46,000 hectares). The road network is relatively sparse, and the camps are rustic and fully immersive, designed to be dismantled during the rainy season.
This park is not suitable for solo exploration, and permission to enter must be secured from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Services ahead of time. Though elephant and leopard sightings are not as common as in SLNP, there are large prides of lions accustomed to people on foot.
Forty years ago, Zambia had one of the largest black rhino populations in Africa, with around a third of them found in the Luangwa Valley. In 1998, they were declared extinct in Zambia due to rampant poaching. With increasing efforts to secure SLNP and NLNP in particular, the North Luangwa Conservation Programme has released 25 black rhinos into the park since 2003, effectively re-establishing a viable population.
The woodlands of the escarpment offer the best chance of spotting both sable and roan antelope, as well as unique birding opportunities. Over 400 different species of birds have been recorded in both SLNP and NLNP.
Luambe National Park
Situated between NLNP and SLNP, Luambe NP lies on the eastern side of the Luangwa River and, at less than 300km2 (30,000 hectares), is one of Zambia’s smallest national parks. After decades of neglect and a shortage of resources, a 2014 report found that the park held just 5% of its wildlife potential. Fortunately, things have turned around in recent years. The Luambe Conservation Project was created to restore the park to its former glory as one of the most biodiverse parks in Zambia.
As a result, the wildlife is gradually recovering, and visitors have the entire park to themselves. There is only one camp currently offering accommodation in Luambe, consisting of five comfortable safari tents. Not only are tourists treated to Zambian-style rustic luxury, but they can also witness the restoration in action. From monitoring camera traps and tracking African painted wolves to tagging vultures and recording nesting patterns of the carmine bee-eaters, guests are welcomed as an essential part of the conservation recovery process.
Lukusuzi NP is the fourth and final national park considered to be part of the Luangwa Valley. Situated to the southeast of Luambe, the park is devoid of infrastructure, facilities, or accommodation. A single dirt track traverses the park, but even this is only traversable in a 4X4 vehicle during the dry season. Little is known about the state of the park’s wildlife populations.
Ecotourism in the Luangwa Valley offers a multitude of activities for all tastes. From the pampered to the basic, they’re all designed to connect humans to nature
The when, why and how
Luangwa Valley is best experienced during the dry season, especially for novice safari-goers. From around May until October, all camps are fully operational, and wildlife sightings are best as animals congregate around the remaining water. From November onwards, the rains arrive and turn the valley’s black cotton soils into a sticky sludge that not even the most experienced drivers will be able to navigate. Only a handful of South Luangwa’s lodges remain open during the wet season. Most bush camps are packed away, only to be resurrected in a flurry of activity at the start of the following dry season. Those lodges that do remain open during the green season, when birding is spectacular, take advantage of the water by offering river trips and boat cruises.
Accommodation options range from budget camps (only in or bordering SLNP) to more luxurious and exclusive lodges and private villas. However, true to form for Luangwa Valley, even the most expensive lodges share the authentic, down-to-earth tone that epitomises the Zambian safari experience. It is an approach that recognises that the real grandeur lies in the scenery, the wildlife, and the stories. Why waste time fussing with canapes when you can watch the sunset with your feet soaking in the cool waters of the river, swapping tales of the day’s sightings?
Want to plan your Luangwa Valley safari? Scroll down to the end of this story to research and get in touch with our travel team to start the discussion.
Camping to uber-luxury – the Luangwa Valley has it all
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I wrote the elephants & oranges story below because I had to see for myself what is going on down the road from my home. We covered this controversial situation from the beginning – but mostly from the perspective of being against this citrus farm in ‘our’ wildlife space.
I was and remain opposed to this intensive farming operation on the border of the Greater Kruger. BUT I now understand better the context and the complexities, and I hope that my notes below will resource you to debate this controversial topic from a factual perspective.
Also, I had my first Pfizer Covid jab yesterday. For some reason, I now feel more in charge of my own future. If you are fortunate enough to live in a country that is pro-actively vaccinating its population, just do it. Aside from the obvious health benefits, being vaccinated means you have a clearer runway to your next safari! Peace out.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
Imagine, if you will, Zorg, an alien biologist from the planet Hegzabra. She’s been commissioned by the Ministry of Intergalactic Zoology to do a routine study of a primitive, bipedal mammal living on the planet Earth. After long and arduous study (Hegzabrans have a lifespan of roughly 600 human years), Zorg is utterly perplexed. Here is a species capable of astonishing acts of kindness, self-sacrifice and, unlike any other species on the planet, it is capable of profound self-awareness. Yet, despite this awareness, it is also apparently hell-bent on its own annihilation. Despite ample evidence of their destructive ways, this strange life form chooses to be led by people obsessed with obliterating the only fragile biosphere that can support it.
This rather fanciful musing came to me as I contemplated yet another multinational bunch of weapon’s-grade buffoons, in connivance with our less than useful government, trying to wreck our natural heritage in their search for fossil fuels and greenbacks.
I am as perplexed as Zorg.
That said, this morning, as I contemplated the delicious silence before dawn, a Cape robin chat began singing from a leafless oak. I drew some encouragement from the fact that although we have done our best to destroy nature, she is strong, resilient and will be here long after we’ve gone.
In our first two stories below, we have a look at the dire conversion of natural heritage to commercial agriculture.
In our third story below, we forget all the bad stuff and escape to gorgeous Lake Malawi – its azure waters, stunning islands, colourful fishes and beautiful people.
Story 3 https://africageographic.com/stories/lake-malawi/
SAFARI FINALE
Lake Malawi is one of Africa’s best-kept travel secrets. A freshwater lake surrounded by gorgeous beaches, islands and biodiversity
A new intensive citrus farm bordering the renowned Timbavati and Klaserie private nature reserves – Greater Kruger – is now a fait accompli. This I state without any shadow of a doubt.
I did not understand this reality when I arranged to meet farmer Kobus van Staden at his new project Casketts Sitrus. But I do now.
Van Staden met me at the gate to Casketts and jumped into my venerable Landy Defender to guide me to the farm HQ. I had loaded up a key question: whether he would consider dropping the intensive farming idea and instead partner with others to open a lodge or other tourism service. That question disappeared like mist under the African sun when we emerged from hectares of scrappy thorn scrub to a vista of ploughed fields with rows of plastic irrigation pipes and a newly-planted cash crop of gem squash seedlings. Here and there, on the cleared fields, large marula, leadwood and knobthorn trees had been left standing their ground defiantly. I saw a large area enclosed by shade-net to the side of the fields – sheltering the citrus saplings that will be planted once the season turns and the cash crop is harvested. About 60,000 trees.
OK then, this is a done deal. With that level of investment, there is little realistic chance of an about-turn in land use and rehabilitation of this farm back to ‘bushveld’ status.
Clockwise, from top left: Ploughed fields with a cash crop of gem squash + Citrus saplings awaiting planting + the Casketts entrance a short distance from the gate to Timbavati and Klaserie private nature reserves.
I followed van Staden and fellow Casketts owner Jurie van Vuren to a rustic farmhouse veranda overlooking the Klaserie River and beyond to prime Big 5 safari country – the Greater Kruger. What followed was a cordial but frank discussion, followed by a tour of the farm. My every request for information was met without hesitation, and I was left free to photograph anything – including a cleared area beyond the authorised limits.
There has been much said and written about this controversial situation, and the battle became intensely personal, with van Staden taking body blows to his reputation. Team AG initially requested members of the public to exercise their legal right to have a say in December 2018 and then followed up with regular opinions from respected scientists opposed to the new farm – who also questioned the Impact Report. However, what we had failed to do to date, was speak to the farmer, a situation I was keen to remedy.
Context to these notes:
I was and remain opposed to this intensive farming operation on the border of the Greater Kruger. BUT I now understand better the context and the complexities, and I hope that my notes below will resource you to debate this controversial topic from a factual perspective.
Caskett’s farm, Greater Kruger area
The farm Casketts
The 420ha farm was subdivided and purchased from former owner Rocco Gioia for about R35million (US$2,5m) – and is entirely surrounded by Gioia’s remaining farms. The authorities have authorised 102 hectares for irrigated citrus orchards based on an existing water right.
The farm was purchased in 1967 by Libero Gioia, who farmed cattle, tomatoes and cattle fodder. When his son Rocco took over the farm, he focussed on tobacco, mangoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, chillies, lucerne and blue buffalo grass and various game species – some of which are hunted. Rocco Gioia continues to utilise the remaining 2,400ha surrounding Casketts primarily for game farming.
Water rights
Casketts has a legal right to extract sufficient water to irrigate 120 hectares. This right was granted in 1950 when the Klaserie Irrigation Board was constituted by the then governor-general of the Union of South Africa.
That water offtake is sufficient for Casketts purposes – they have made no application for additional offtake, and no other water use license is required in terms of the Water Act.
The Klaserie Dam was built in the 1950s on the Klaserie River about 22 km upstream of Casketts specifically to enable the farmers to access reliable water for their crops. The total water listed for farmers from the dam is to irrigate 1,100ha, of which about 500ha is currently utilised.
Water is regularly released from the dam to provide the farmers’ required water and maintain the river’s ecological state (theoretically). Casketts has a pump to extract that water directly from the river as it flows past. This water is then pumped to earth dams for storage and then irrigation.
Left: A 1965 map of Casketts and its neighbours on the Klaserie River – note the irrigated fields on either side of the river, including on land that is now incorporated into the Greater Kruger. Right: Casketts pump on the Klaserie River.
Water right conflict of interest?
A perceived conflict of interest has been raised in some quarters because Casketts co-owner Jurie van Vuren is also a board member (and chairperson) of the Klaserie Irrigation Board. The general suspicion being whispered is that he either used his position to grant the necessary water rights (not possible because the water rights were allocated in 1950, as described above) or will influence future decisions related to water and Casketts.
The Department of Water Affairs owns the Klaserie Dam, and the relevant farmers own allocated water volume rights. The only way to be on the Irrigation Board is if you are a water right owner. All board members are beneficiaries of decisions made by themselves. In other words, this is not a public democracy; it’s a club of people who own rights to a water resource and who rely on their collective intent and skills to best manage that resource. This is no different to the many other forms of cooperative resource management boards, such as those governing the Timbavati and Klaserie private nature reserves (PNR), for example.
When I questioned van Vuren about the timing of his appointment to the Board, he advised: “I became a shareholder of Casketts on 09 September 2018 and a board member of Klaserie Irrigation Board on 23 November 2018.”
So, van Vuren was not alive when the water right was granted. Could he conceivably influence water-related decisions in favour of Casketts? Yes, absolutely. But then so could every other Klaserie Irrigation Board member serve their interests in this way. The conflict of interest is there, it’s intentional, and it is no different to other boards that serve a similar purpose. Perhaps boards such as these – with significant environmental impact – should be opened up to include independent board members? But that’s a conversation for another day.
The farm dams
Casketts has four long-existing dams on a drainage line that feeds into the Klaserie River. Two still hold water, and two were breached during the 2012 floods and are currently empty. Van Staden has repaired the largest of the broken dams and indicated that he wouldn’t repair the other dam. The EIA conditions stipulate that he cannot increase the size of the repaired dam – from the original 70m length, 6m width and 5m height.
Our tour of Casketts included the dam in question. It was apparent that the dam floor has been scraped – “to remove the accumulated sand from the rocky floor of the dam”, he told me. The repaired dam wall does not appear to exceed the permitted 5m height limit. The wall is now wider than 6m, increased to 12m in places. Van Staden’s explanation that this was to ensure no further breaches during floods makes sense, as does his further justification that the wider wall now permits them to use the dam wall as the main road to access the portion of the farm on the other side of the drainage line with heavy farming vehicles. In this way, they avoid making roads through the protected riverine area. The length of the wall has been increased to allow for a spillway to prevent future floods – the original dam did not have a spillway. The spillway does not increase the holding capacity of the dam.
I am no dam expert (obviously), but I was no more alarmed at what I saw here than I was last year when one of the largest landowners in Timbavati PNR repaired the 2012 flood-damaged dam wall at his lodge on the Nhlaralumi River. He moved large amounts of sand from the dam floor. I was alerted to this by a downstream property owner who was surprised to see little or no flowing water immediately after excellent rains early this year when the Nhlaralumi was flowing bank-to bank a short distance upstream. This is a large dam with no agricultural benefit. The flow of this non-perennial river is impeded to provide a visually appealing lodge site and attract wildlife for those gin&tonic moments. As an aside, one reason for the concentration of elephants in the Greater Kruger during the dry months, and subsequent destruction of local trees, is these man-made dams. But that’s another discussion entirely.
Do these increases in width and length of the Casketts dam wall represent an opportunity for legal and punitive action? Time will tell. Should every dam repair, regardless of where, be appropriately scrutinised for environmental reasons? Certainly.
Protected trees and clearing beyond the demarcated area
The EIA stipulates that no protected trees may be removed during the bush clearing process – without a permit. Van Staden assured me that no such trees were removed, but of course, I have no way to verify that claim. Google Earth shows old fields with scant natural cover – much like the damaged scrubland we drove through on the way from the gate to the orchards. Nevertheless, there were some sizeable, defiant leadwood, marula and knobthorn trees dotted amidst the moonscape – and each had been marked with plastic tape.
I noticed that part of the clearing was taking place beyond the clearly defined EIA boundary limits and questioned van Staden about that. He explained that he had to decide how to make up the permitted 102ha of land to be cleared because some of the area approved for clearing featured more trees than the area he chose to clear. This transgression did not result in him exceeding the 102ha allocation, and he seemed philosophical about potential ramifications.
Clockwise from top left: The newly repaired dam on a drainage line that feeds into the Klaserie River + Looking across cleared fields and over the drainage line towards recently revamped farm structures + A spared leadwood tree stands defiantly on the cleared fields.
Chemicals and groundwater contamination
Another primary concern is how Casketts will ‘deal with’ the overload of insects that can be expected to invade the citrus orchards from the neighbouring biodiversity-rich Greater Kruger area. The likely chemical warfare will surely impact groundwater pollution and wildlife that feeds on poisoned insects.
Van Staden dismissed my concerns – mainly on the basis that Casketts will, like his other farms, be GLOBALG.A.P. certified to export their fruit and that the requirements are so precise, traceable and transparent that there is no room for errors. He also emphasised that he requires his chemical processes to be bee-friendly to ensure the fertilisation by bees of his orchards. He mentioned using predator insects as one tactic to remove insects that could harm his citrus crop. He further added that GLOBALG.A.P. is very sensitive to negative social media publicity and extra vigilant during the annual audit process.
I found myself silenced by his confident dismissal and not knowledgeable enough to counter. And yet, I am mindful that scientists cite the ubiquitous use of agricultural pesticides and the spread of monoculture crops as a primary reason for the fall-off of the world’s insect populations. Other scientists conclude that insect declines are linked to the intensification of agriculture in the last 50 years.
Legal action and the authorities
Much of the legal tussle going on between the parties seems to hinge on whether any of the bush clearing occurred while the appeal process was underway – which would be illegal. This Daily Maverick article provides the relevant detail, and I won’t go into this matter in any further detail. Van Staden did not want to comment on this matter because of the impending legal actions, but he did express frustration at the costly delays related to the appeal process. In this timeline below, it becomes clear that the authorities (office of the M.E.C., Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment & Tourism (LEDET)) took 21 months to finalise an appeal process that they are obligated to complete in 90 days. Despite the LEDET tardiness, appeals lodged by some parties after the stipulated 20-day deadline were rejected as being late!
Legal timeline
23/03/2017: Application for subdivision of property;
24/07/2017: Dept. Agriculture grants permission to cultivate the property;
28/11/2017: Subdivision of the property approved;
15/10/2018: Transfer of property into the name of Soleil Mashishimale Pty Ltd;
15/10/2018: EIA process initiated;
02/08/2019: EIA approved;
02/08/2019: Appeals lodged by Timbavati PNR, Klaserie PNR and Elephants Alive, amongst others. Various other appeals were not submitted timeously and therefore dismissed;
24/03/2021: Above appeals dismissed, approval of the EIA granted on 02/08/2019 upheld;
04/2021: Application by above appellants against the M.E.C: LEDET & Others for a judicial review of the decision by the M.E.C.
04/2021: Urgent application by above appellants to prevent any further development until the judicial review has been finalised;
08/06/2021: Dismissal of the above urgent application.
It is unlikely that the above application (in bold) will see the courtroom sooner than eighteen months from now – we can expect Covid-related delays – and by then, the citrus trees will be in the ground, and the farming enterprise will be well on its way.
WHY is this farm not included in Greater Kruger?
Farms in this area are sought-after because they are close to the Greater Kruger and could one day conceivably be incorporated into this successful conservation endeavour – which would add significantly to their value and revenue-generation potential.
I was curious as to how this valuable wildlife land could end up as a citrus farm. My enquiry as to why Casketts was not fenced into the prestigious Timbavati or Klaserie private nature reserves was referred to the previous owner, Rocco Gioia. As a local landowner, Gioia co-operates extensively with Timbavati and Klaserie management during their anti-poaching efforts to protect their rhino – his farms border those reserves – and maintains a good relationship with them.
HOWEVER, Gioia pointed out in an email that his requests for his farm to be included in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve were turned down.
I discussed these historic rejections with a former Timbavati warden, who confirmed that the decision-makers viewed Gioia’s property as not suitable for inclusion. We also extracted this statement from the Timbavati chairman Anthony Hare: “We took a decision based on our ability to absorb a large property, beyond our natural footprint. This would have meant considerable extra resources and cost required and without being able to leverage the existing operations to take it on. We did not rule it out forever, just at the time.”
Gioia also mentioned several attempts to have his farm included in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, including one request based on operating as a hunting camp. We were advised by the current Klaserie warden Colin Rowles that according to his records, Gioia applied at some stage in the 1990s but subsequently withdrew that application.
Gioia provided several examples of specific requests made by him to both reserves going back about 30 years, and the reasons for rejection varied each time. His obvious frustration provides a clear indication that things need to change if we are to avoid similar scenarios repeating themselves. Angry neighbours, of whatever level of economic empowerment, make for bad conservation bedfellows.
Elephants and oranges
The concern about animals being killed by various means as they target the citrus trees is valid, and this scenario is mirrored on most commercial farms in the world. Animals will die in their pursuit of nourishment from these trees – from insects to birds and mammals. Hopefully, there will be mitigation strategies in place (van Staden says there will be), but the reality is that some animals will die.
The issue that has hogged the limelight has been the likelihood of elephants targeting the oranges and what will happen if and when they do.
Van Staden seemed open to any considered, well-managed collaborations to reduce the risk of this happening and to prevent elephant crop-raiders from being killed or harmed – by working with local authorities and NGOs. He seemed to be relaxed about this risk and confused about the focus on elephants as the main issue at play. “Elephants will have to come through four fences before they get to my property”, he said – the Greater Kruger fence, a neighbour farm fence, the Gioia farm fence and the Casketts farm fence. The EIA requires him to install an elephant-proof fence on Casketts – and he assured me that this would be done.
To help me understand the elephant-oranges issue better, I spoke to Kevin Leo-Smith, manager of Rietspruit Game Reserve, just outside Hoedspruit and across the busy R40 road from the Greater Kruger area in question. His input is very relevant because he recently managed the re-introduction of elephants to Rietspruit, which borders directly onto established citrus farms. The neighbour consultation process involved explaining to concerned farmers his mitigation procedures if elephants escape Rietspruit to raid the citrus orchards.
Leo-Smith explained that there is no scientific evidence that elephants specifically target citrus as a general rule. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of elephants eating oranges in farm orchards, but elephants target just about anything edible. For example, three bull elephants that escaped from the nearby Balule Private Nature Reserve (Greater Kruger) about four years ago followed the Blyde River upstream as they pursued their natural dispersal instinct. They did not make their way to nearby citrus farms; instead they feasted on the mango orchards along the way before being captured and returned to the reserve. The Malelane and Komatipoort areas, about 250 km south of Hoedspruit, are awash with huge sugar cane and citrus farms, amongst other crops, and few if any elephant issues are reported by farmers.
Leo-Smith explained that bull elephants in particular will, through learned behaviour, regularly visit sources of reliable nutrition – including citrus crops – but that they are more likely to target grass crops like sugar cane, maize (corn) and sorghum, which more closely resemble their preferred grass diet.
‘Pristine, virgin bushveld’
Several people I have spoken to recently seem under the impression that this area bordering the Greater Kruger is unspoilt bushveld. I live here and can tell you that this is a fallacy. The area has been farmed extensively, and the veld bears the scars – with large tracts of invasive shrub species such as sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea and no sign of palatable grass or large trees. We also have massive mining operations nearby (including on the Kruger National Park border) and even a railway line running through the Greater Kruger delivering mica and other minerals to insatiable international markets. Brief scrutiny of the area on Google Earth reveals massive currently used irrigation fields at several places on or near the Greater Kruger border. I mention this to add a touch of reality to some perceptions.
A man who is better placed than me to provide input is local businessman and conservationist Trevor Jordan, who added these interesting notes about the history of the Hoedspruit area (click the link to open a new website tab).
Left: The Casketts farm area between the cleared lands and the farm entrance gate consists of arid shrub veld dominated by the invasive (but indigenous) sickle bush. Right: An area beyond the EIA limits being cleared, with large trees left standing.
Where to from here?
One thing I am sure of is that this citrus farm will go ahead. What remains to be seen is how much financial damage is to be suffered by the warring parties before the storm passes.
On the one side is a wealthy, astute local farmer who is meticulous in his planning. On the other side are extremely wealthy, mostly non-resident landowners and a respected team of elephant scientists.
As much as van Staden has outmanoeuvred his opponents to date, his journey has been made easier by a notoriously lax local government that is the bane of most wildlife landowners. LEDET should hang their heads in shame for twiddling their thumbs while their missed deadlines wreak havoc for all of us.
There is no question in my mind that a significant conservation concern is the lack of employment for local people – and Caskett’s promised 60 permanent and 120 seasonal local jobs (employees need SA identity documents and local bank accounts) trumps what was on offer before. Perhaps things would be different if Gioia’s application for his farm to be included in the Greater Kruger had been successful?
We all recognise the critical role that both farming and wildlife tourism play in SA and that where they meet/compete, we have to be pragmatic in finding ways to solve problems and work together. Perhaps once the time and money have been spent on legal proceedings, all parties should sit down and agree on a mitigation strategy for the inevitable consequences of this intensive citrus farm on the Greater Kruger’s border. Perhaps the conservationists should also work out how this happened on their watch and make sure it does not happen again.
As a long-term resident of Hoedspruit, a wildlife property developer, and conservationist, I believe it is vital to understand that long-term conservation sustainability must consider the intersection of conservation organisations, agriculture, tourism, the causes of poaching and job creation. I believe it is necessary to address certain statements and misconceptions regarding the Casketts citrus farm.
Before I publicly air my views, I wish to state that the opinion expressed herein is personal and not representative of those held by any entities with which I am associated. I have no financial interest whatsoever in this matter. Instead, my involvement and interest are to seek the best possible outcome for all affected parties and the conservation ethos of the area.
Wide-open, undisturbed natural spaces, pristine landscapes without human interference, teaming with wildlife are the first prizes and dreamsfor me! This would, however, mean the exclusion of humans and their requirements. Is this possible? I do not think so, especially considering the world’s continued population growth.
It is, therefore, necessary to manage reality in the best way possible, to strike a balance between the conservation dream mentioned above and the burgeoning needs of human beings.
The Lowveld is a mixed-use area and has been for over a century. Hoedspruit town was founded in the mid 1900s as a railway siding on the Selati railway line and has been at the core of a growing economy that has still maintained ecological integrity and natural resources.
Mines opened in Phalaborwa, Gravelotte and Mica, and towns like Acornhoek and Bushbuckridge sprung up. The railway line and roads came a bit later. The Kruger National Park (KNP) was proclaimed a protected area to demarcate a zone that could not be mined, farmed, or occupied by human settlements.
Over time we have become ‘greener’ and endeavoured to practise more sustainable land use in the face of surging human population numbers. It is a difficult balance to achieve, but in Hoedspruit, we have accomplished many positive outcomes. We have removed many fences, creating more space for wildlife, partially restoring the historical, seasonal east-west migration patterns between the Mozambique coast and Drakensberg Mountains west of Hoedspruit.
Tourism played a significant role in this progress in the early 1980s. The opening of Eastgate Airport (previously the SANDF Hoedspruit air force base) with scheduled flights provided easy access and boosted tourism.
The success of tourism lodges has driven the demand to expand wildlife areas, with Big-5 safari operations being in high demand. These have created many jobs and opportunities for skills development.
The agricultural sector saw a swing away from livestock, with cattle farms converting to game areas to take advantage of the demand for tourism. Some areas close to perennial rivers were further cultivated under irrigation with high density and high-value crops. Like the tourism industry, the farms also created jobs and transferred skills. Both industries contributed to a vibrant economy and generated valuable foreign currency.
However, both these sectors face threats. For example, irrigation farms have limited water resources, while tourism could cause an overuse of land, threatening the exclusive ‘low volume, high value’ tourism model.
The neighbouring towns of Acornhoek and Bushbuckridge, previously tribal trust lands, are now some of the most densely populated areas in South Africa. They also experience one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Despite the employment offered in tourist lodges and allied industries, these private reserves are perceived to be of little benefit to the communities. They are regarded as playgrounds for the privileged few. The populations are outgrowing the job availability in the tourism sector, exacerbated in these COVID times with job and income losses over 50%.
We need all forms of responsible economic development as there are many socioeconomic issues that, if not addressed, will become a significant threat to the stability of the region.
The Casketts citrus project is one that, as a conservation community, we should be encouraging and supporting, if not even partnering. It should not be seen as an enemy of conservation, as indicated by some. Rather it should be seen as a contributor to the local economy and one that will aid the socio-economic challenges that the region faces.
In 1991 I was involved in discussions regarding the western boundary fence of the Kruger, which led to the incorporation of the private reserves that now make up the Greater Kruger. The discussions were between the leadership of the KNP, the Transvaal Department of Nature Conservation, SA Department of Veterinary Services and Peace Parks. They were all very enthusiastic about the idea.
After discussion with the private reserves, independent landowners and other interested and affected parties, a conference was held at the Thornybush Game Lodge on 10 and 11 August 1991. Besides the KNP fence and private land incorporation discussion, the conference’s central theme was: “Die bewaarings toekoms van die Laeveld” – The Conservation future of the Lowveld.
After robust discussions, the delegates came to the following non-negotiable directives that were to be implemented in conjunction with the removal of the western fence:
There was a need for a collaborative process involving all interested parties;
That a task force be established;
Unifying conservation in the region to enhance its benefits and be of relevance to all its inhabitants. Consideration was to be given to some critical points:
Our natural resources are there for all the region’s inhabitants and should be considered an asset to everyone;
The disproportionate population increase in the region, which was well more than the average birth rate, presented the prospect of increased deprivation, unemployment and pressure on the land;
Historically, the perception existed that conservation and the current model of land usage were irrelevant to the requirements of the various human communities. This was to be addressed through consultation, participation, and optimal economic development;
The region’s resources and existing forms of economic utilisation, such as commercial lodges, hunting andagriculture, constituted a competitive advantage in the national and international market, capable of elevating these businesses through increased revenues and job creation;
Economic development and tourism expansion need not be inconsistent with nature conservation, as long as the concept of sustainable utilisation is applied;
The meeting concluded that we all needed to work together, respecting each other’s interests and land-use rights to ensure the conservation success of the region.
In an ideal world, we would prevent agricultural development from happening near this highly prized conservation area; however, if this massive job creator can conserve our rhino through feasible employment (thereby reducing one root cause of poaching), I feel this is a reasonable and necessary compromise to make.
We cannot afford the luxury of pure wildlife conservation areas – the dream I wrote of earlier in this letter. I believe that sustainable, responsible agricultural developments that create much-needed employment for neighbouring communities should be wholeheartedly embraced and not seen as an enemy to conservation.
———-
Trevor Jordan is a property developer and conservationist. His residential estate and game lodge developments are dotted throughout the Lowveld area of South Africa, and his many conservation activities in the region have added significantly to the cause.
It probably would have come as something of a surprise to the local inhabitants of Lake Malawi to learn that their lake was “hitherto undiscovered”, but even by traditional standards of colonial “discovery”, Livingstone was mistaken. His arrival came some 13 years after that of several Portuguese traders. To add possible insult to unintentional injury, he then proclaimed Lake Malawi as Lake Nyasa – which translates as “Lake Lake” in Chiyao – a name that has stuck in both Tanzania and Mozambique to this day.
Livingstone’s alternative moniker, Lake Nyinyesi or “Lake of Stars” (in reference to the lights of the fishing boats bobbing about on the lake’s surface at night), was perhaps a better fit. This at least does some justice to the enchanting atmosphere of the lake and its surroundings. Whatever the label ascribed to this magnificent body of water, there is no question that Lake Malawi remains one of Africa’s best-kept travel secrets. A crystalline freshwater lake surrounded by sandy beaches fringed by palm trees – could there be a better way to wash off the dust at the end of a safari trip?
The Lake
Lake Malawi/Lake Nyasa is an African Great Lake – the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system. It is the fifth-largest freshwater lake in the world (by volume) and the third-largest in Africa (behind Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika). The lake is around 570km in length and some 75km at its widest point, with one central depression extending to a depth of over 700m. (If this doesn’t fully put things into perspective, Lake Malawi holds an estimated 7% of the world’s available surface freshwater.) It lies between Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania and the exact position of the international boundary between Malawi and Tanzania remains a matter of considerable contention that has boiled over into frequent diplomatic skirmishes.
The largest river feeding the lake is the Ruhuhu River, which flows south from Tanzania, while the renowned Shire River serves as the lake’s primary outlet. The basin is believed to be around 8.6 million years old, formed as the African tectonic plates began to diverge. Research indicates that water levels have varied considerably over the millennia, including periods where the lake dried out almost entirely.
Lake Malawi is classified as a meromictic lake. This means that the layers of water (surface and deep waters) do not mix, unlike the more common holomitic lakes where physical mixing of the layers occurs at least once a year. This stable “stratification” of the waters creates radically different environments for the lake’s organisms as the deeper waters are almost entirely without oxygen and considerably cooler.
The water is usually exceptionally clear for a freshwater lake, with visibility often extending further than 30m. Beneath the warm cerulean waves, Lake Malawi’s ancient but turbulent geographic history has created truly spectacular underwater scenery decorated by electric flashes of vibrant fish.
A plethora of fun for the super active or the deeply relaxed
Snorkel, scuba, kayak, sail (or just sunbathe)
Across the extensive shoreline of Lake Malawi, tiny beach villages, resorts and lodges offer the adventurous tourist a plethora of opportunities to explore the waters – above or below the azure ripples. Sailing and kayaking are at the top of the list for those eager to investigate the various bays and coves along the shoreline. This also provides the opportunity to marvel at the enormous granite boulders scattered by the forces of a more primordial earth, or perhaps even catch a glimpse of a fish eagle swooping in to snatch up an inattentive fish. For those intent on sticking to a more sedate pace, boat trips provide the perfect vantage to appreciate the lake’s famous, blazing sunsets. Snorkel or dive beneath the surface to take in the fishy kaleidoscope darting around the rocks in the shallows.
There are two caveats to exploring the lake’s waters. The first is that there are crocodiles and hippos in residence, though they very seldom spend time in clear waters away from murky river deltas. Fortunately, they are easy to spot in the clear water. It is worth remembering that Malawi’s rainy season runs from December to around March and the consequent runoff affects water visibility. The second is that bilharzia is a potential risk for those entering the water. The risk is highest close to more densely populated areas and negligible on the secluded islands. Infection is extremely rare, and bilharzia can be quickly and efficiently treated with a single course of anthelmintic drugs.
Clockwise from top left: cichlid; malachite kingfisher; spotted-necked otter; trumpeter hornbill
Something fishy
In terms of wildlife, crocodiles and hippos take second place behind the astonishing variety of fish that inhabit the lake – over 1,000 species – more than any other lake in the world.
The majority of these are cichlids, whose evolutionary radiations have been a source of eternal fascination for biologists intent on unpicking their taxonomic complexities. (Though their bright, shiny colours are the most attractive characteristic for the average diver.) These stunning little fish are everywhere, though most numerous in the shallow shoreline areas where they create nesting ‘sandcastles’ (officially termed bowers) and ferry their tiny fry by mouth.
Fishing is an integral way of life for local Malawians living on the lake’s shores. Exploring the tiny fishing villages, learning about the culture of fishing is fascinating. Unfortunately, overfishing has become a serious concern in recent decades. This is due less to artisanal and small-scale fishing and more to large-scale, commercial fishing operations.
Kaya Mawa with Mozambique in the distance
Paradise Island(s)
Though far from over-developed, there is a distinctive ‘beach-town atmosphere’ to some of the more popular sections and resorts of Lake Malawi, particularly along the southern shoreline (most notably, Cape Maclear). These hubs are desirable to low-budget travellers, and several backpacking establishments offer affordable accommodation and an enthusiastic nightlife.
Several upmarket lodges boast their own private beaches for those keen on a more exclusive experience. Here residents can step straight out of their cabins onto the white sand. There are many of these on Lake Malawi’s scattered islands, some of which are entirely private, set aside for exclusive use by lodge guests. These tropical escapes offer the same amenities as any other luxury beach holiday, usually at a fraction of the cost. The two largest islands, Likoma and Chizumulu, are inhabited by small populations of some 10,500 (Likoma) and 4,000 (Chizumulu) people. Fascinatingly, despite having no tarred roads or electricity after 10 PM, the town of Likoma is home to the enormous, gothic, stone edifice of St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral.
This rich sense of history extends across the lake, and the Lake Malawi Museum documents the story of the first naval battle of World War I. However, to call it a naval battle might be something of a stretch. The story goes that Captain Rhoades of the SS Gwendolen was the first to receive official orders and immediately set out to disable the German steamship, the Hermann von Wissman, while it was being repaired. His friend and supposed drinking buddy, Captain Berndt, was entirely unaware that the war had started so when bombs began raining down on the docked Hermann von Wissman, Berndt rowed out to the Gwendolen to inquire if his old pal Rhoades had perhaps had one too many.
There are accommodation options from backpackers to super luxurious privacy
Bush and beach
Though not one of the normally fancied safari destinations, Malawi’s conservation and ecotourism ventures have gone from strength to strength in recent years. Many of the country’s pristine protected areas offer a ‘Big 5’ experience, with the added advantage that they are unspoilt by mass tourism. Just a short journey from the southern shore of Lake Malawi lies Liwonde National Park, bordered by (and indeed accessible to) the Shire River. Along with the adjacent Mangochi Forest and under the auspices of African Parks, the national park is flourishing, and translocated animals from other reserves have bolstered local wildlife populations.
Malawi’s birding is equally varied and exciting with 684 species on the list. Liwonde National Park is the population stronghold of Lilian’s lovebird.
The Lake of Stars
From spectacular hiking trails to pristine white beaches, Lake Malawi’s true magic lies in the fact that it is still relatively “undiscovered” (despite Livingstone’s best efforts). Removed from the famous safari circuits, its crystal waters and pristine biodiversity make for the perfect tropical escape accompanied by the warm embrace of local hospitality.
Want to go on a safari to Lake Malawi? 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.
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After the helter-skelter and deadlines of our Photographer of the Year season, it’s great to again focus on unearthing fascinating topics and digging deeper into important issues that plague us all.
Importantly, the African safari industry is still reeling from the impact of Covid – not only in terms of the third wave of infections but also financially. Many tourism-related businesses have gone under, and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed. Here in South Africa, the brief respite afforded to lodges by highly discounted offerings to local travellers was dealt a hefty blow when our government enforced a third-wave shut down of leisure travel in and out of Gauteng – our economic powerhouse. Lodges in the Greater Kruger area (and others) relied on Gauteng travellers to at least fund basic overheads such as some salaries – but for now that door has been slammed shut. Again. As a result, those lodge owners, staff members and suppliers that were not already DIGGING DEEP are most certainly now doing so.
That said, this is a resilient industry and we will bounce back. That’s the thing about industries driven by PASSION – the bottom line is only one metric that we apply to measure success.
Here at AG we were as badly affected as the rest – with a 100% revenue reduction at the time that Covid lockdown was enforced. We have seen a gradual recovery from ground zero, with our loyal safari clients now planning for 2022 and the more intrepid taking advantage of huge discounts to travel this year. Thanks to all of you for your support and for helping refloat the African safari industry.
We have taken this opportunity to reflect and reboot ourselves – expect THE BIG REVEAL in about a month. Till then, please enjoy our stories and consider planning your next safari with us. Safari njema!
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
The wilderness is a great tonic to mind, body and spirit. If you are stuck at home, unable to travel because it’s too dangerous or you are stricken with this awful plague, then this week’s stories will draw you away to the profound healing of the wild.
In our first story below, we take a look at travelling in Africa during September, October and November. There’s heat, dust and action in the south, magic in the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean is gorgeously inviting.
In 2006, Al Gore made Kilimanjaro’s receding glaciers one of the rallying points for the climate crisis. Well-intentioned this may have been but science it was not as our second story below explains.
Otters are some of the most adored of all wild animals. Yes, they smell like rotting fish innards much of the time but they’re cute, affectionate and clever. In our third story below, we take a look at the four delightful otters that ply their trade in the waterways of Africa.
“Within the decade, there will be no more snows of Kilimanjaro.” Al Gore (2006), An Inconvenient Truth.
It is now 15 years since Al Gore’s startling pronouncement, and, for now, Africa’s tallest mountain still has its iconic white icecap. In the intervening years, Mount Kilimanjaro has become a poster-child for the grim effects of climate change. Yet buried beneath the avalanche of panicked headlines and shock-inducing before-and-after pictures, the voices of scientists have largely been lost. Glaciologists who have studied the ancient volcano for decades argued that the link between climate change and Kilimanjaro’s disappearing glaciers is tenuous at best. Which, bizarrely, has turned out to be a far less convenient (and less emotive) truth.
Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are disappearing – rapidly. Over the last century, the ice coverage has shrunk by over 90% and, if things continue at the same rate, conservative estimates suggest that most of the ice will be gone by 2040. At the same time, global average temperatures have been steadily rising, and, throughout the world, wide-spread glacial retreat at mid and low altitudes can be directly attributed to this increase. It is not hard to see how the connection was made between Kilimanjaro and global warming. But Kilimanjaro, say the experts, is different.
What sets Kilimanjaro apart?
The relative size of any glacier is determined by a combination of energy and mass exchanges between the glacier and the surrounding air. Depending on where this balance falls, the glacier can either grow or shrink. Precipitation (rain or snow) replaces what is lost to melting or sublimation (when a solid moves directly to the gaseous phase without melting to liquid). It will also affect the reflectiveness of the glacier’s surface: rain makes the surface darker and light absorbent, while snow lightens the surface and makes it more reflective.
Most glaciers are sensitive to immediate air temperature changes because they lie close to the mean 0˚C level (the mean freezing level). However, Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers occur about 1000m above where this freezing level exists. In other words, they lie at altitudes too high to be affected by small local air temperature changes. Research indicates that the temperatures at the glacial point on the ancient volcanoes that make up Kilimanjaro have remained well below freezing.
So why then is the glacier disappearing if not melting due to air temperatures? The answer lies in absorbed solar radiation, much of which results in the sublimation of the ice, which then causes a loss of glacier mass. Precipitation should replace this loss, but where Kilimanjaro is concerned, there has been a dramatic reduction of precipitation over the last century. The effects of solar radiation on glaciers are complex and variable depending on cloud cover, shade, and the reflective surface. The shape of glaciers also impacts how falling snow gathers and whether it will become part of the glacier. The vertical cliff faces of the plateau glaciers on Kilimanjaro make it particularly difficult for snow to settle, freeze and become part of the ice sheet.
Why is there less precipitation?
Analysis of historical observations and measurements, climate modelling, sea sediments and corals all indicate that at some point in the late 19th century, the dynamics of the Indian Ocean shifted (specifically the major currents and atmospheric flow above the ocean). As a result, less moist air flows into East Africa from the Indian Ocean. The increase in the frequency of dry air masses complicated cloud formation over the volcanoes, resulting in less precipitation. Snowfall over Kilimanjaro decreased, and the glaciers began to shrink.
This shift in ocean dynamics was natural in origin but, in recent years, has likely been maintained by global warming. However, research suggests that climate change would have accounted for only a fraction of the decline in glacier size.
Scientists have also disproved the idea that deforestation has caused a decline in precipitation over the summit. (Though there is evidence that this has reduced rainfall in the forest belt of the mountain.)
In summary
Glaciology is complex and the physical processes that impact the size of a glacier are multi-faceted. The glaciers on Kilimanjaro have shrunk because there is less snow falling over them. Changes in Indian Ocean dynamics are the culprits for decreased precipitation, and global warming has played a small role in maintaining this state of affairs.
The scientists investigating Mount Kilimanjaro do not suggest that climate change due to global greenhouse gas emissions is not of tremendous concern, and there is no question that it has significantly impacted some glaciers. The end of Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers is a devastating prospect and will mean the loss of vital equatorial glacier biodiversity. However, using Kilimanjaro’s glaciers as an example of the drastic effects of climate change is misleading.
The effects of climate change will be far-reaching and unpredictable. Determining the parameters of causality will be a fundamental challenge to be faced by conservationists, policymakers, and the public. Awareness around the meticulous research of scientists is vital in sorting fact from fiction. Kilimanjaro was a powerful symbol of climate change – it just wasn’t an accurate one.
There is something unaccountably beguiling about otters. Perhaps, as Ted Hughes wrote, it is their duality: a creature equally at home on land or in the rivers and oceans of the world. Or maybe it is the coiled tension in their sinuous bodies, which melt, sleek and powerful, into the water. Like their cousins worldwide, the otters of Africa have lively eyes, expressive features and utterly adorable squeaks, which have gone a long way to securing literary and internet fame.
Otters are intelligent and fascinating predators with an irresistible propensity for play. In Africa, this appeal is complemented by a sense of the mysterious – otter sightings are brief, infrequent and treasured by those fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of these extraordinary, amphibious mammals.
The musky mustelids
There are 13 recognised otter species, four of which are found in Africa. They belong to the mustelid family – the largest family within the order Carnivora and one of the oldest and most diverse. Other mustelids include weasels, badgers, wolverines and honey badgers. Almost all mustelids share a similar morphological design, with long slender bodies, short legs, and thick fur. Most are fierce, little predators. Another characteristic held in common is that almost all mustelids possess anal glands which produce a pungent (and to the human nose, obscenely malodorous) secretion used in olfactory communication.
The otters of Africa are sometimes referred to as “fisi maji” in Swahili, which translates as “water hyena”. Though the initial similarities may seem somewhat obscure, this is a surprisingly apt description. Like hyenas, otters are fast-paced and efficient hunters, but they are also opportunistic carnivores with mighty jaws capable of cracking open even the hardest crustacean shells. Otters are also expert problem-solvers.
The largest of the 13 otter species is the sea otter, which is also the heaviest member of the mustelid family and an exception to most otter “rules”. Sea otters are the only entirely marine species and, as a result, do not return to land or occupy burrows. Survival on the open sea has also necessitated a more flexible social structure than most freshwater otter species. Those plying their trade in fresh water spend much of the time on land and use holts/couches (the official names for otter dens) underground or in dense vegetation. All the otters of Africa otters are freshwater dwelling, though most will happily venture into the sea.
The African clawless otter is Africa’s most well-known and is widely distributed throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa (though they are most common in Southern Africa). As the second-largest freshwater otter species in the world, African clawless otters can reach over 1.5m in length and weigh up to 36kg (though the average is between 12 and 21kg). While not entirely clawless as their name suggests, their claws are significantly reduced, and their toes are only partially webbed, allowing for much greater dexterity.
Adaptable and resilient, African clawless otters can be found in various habitats, from dense forests to semi-arid savannas (provided there is a permanent body of water surrounded by sufficient vegetation). Though most are found in freshwater rivers and dams, African clawless otters will also readily enter the shallow ocean surf to hunt. They will also scavenge along beaches in search of crustaceans. Clawless otters are not picky eaters, and everything from fish and shellfish to amphibians and invertebrates are on the menu. Unlike the spotted-necked otter (discussed below), their thick whiskers allow them to hunt in murky water.
African clawless otters are primarily solitary but live within relatively tolerant family groups. Each individual occupies its range in a communal territory, marked by anal gland secretions, urine, and droppings (referred to as “spraints”). The females usually have between two and five pups, and the male plays no parental role.
Clawless otters are preyed upon by pythons, crocodiles and fish eagles in the wild, but habitat loss and water pollution are far greater threats. These factors have contributed to significant population declines over the last century. The IUCN currently lists African clawless otters as near-threatened.
Congo clawless otter
Congo clawless otter (Aonyx congicus)
Fractionally smaller and slenderer than the African clawless otter, the Congo clawless otter was once believed to be a subspecies of the former (a matter that some zoologists still contest). As its species status is still relatively new (and their habitat comparatively tricky to traverse), this is probably the least researched or understood of the African otters.
They inhabit the swampy areas of the Congo Basin, and researchers believe that they are likely to be more terrestrial than other otter species. The agile fingers on the front feet are used to dig through the mud in search of molluscs and worms. Though little is known about their populations, the IUCN lists the Congo clawless otter as near-threatened.
Spotted-necked otter
Spotted-necked otter (Hydrictis maculicollis)
This tiny otter is considerably smaller than the two clawless species, though its distribution overlaps with both. Even the heaviest individuals seldom weigh more than 6kg. With their keen eyesight and webbed feet, spotted-necked otters are expert fish hunters, though they have been recorded eating crustaceans and amphibians as well. They are sight hunters and prefer deep, clear, flowing water.
The little white markings and spots on their chests are unique to each otter and can be used to identify individuals. They are also more sociable than the larger African otter species, though solitary when hunting. Spotted-necked otters manage their busy social lives through a wide range of vocal squeaks, and they are known to chatter merrily away during social encounters. The IUCN lists the spotted-necked otter as near-threatened
Eurasian otter
Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
The Eurasian otter, while highly elusive, has one of the widest distributions of any Palearctic mammal. These are probably the most well-known of all otters, yet few people realise that they occur in northern Africa (as well as across most of Europe and Asia).
Eurasian otters are strongly territorial and solitary, apart from mothers with young pups. Hunting and water pollution (particularly by pesticides) decimated otter numbers over the latter half of the 20th century. Increased restrictions have seen numbers recover in parts of their range, particularly in the United Kingdom. Their current population numbers in Africa are unknown and in urgent need of further research, according to the IUCN’s Otter Specialist Group. Overall, the species is listed as near threatened.
Pet pebbles and other otter oddities
Though tricky in itself to define, tool-use in the animal kingdom is often used to measure cognitive ability and subject to considerable research. Many animals use tools to varying degrees – including primates, elephants, cetaceans, birds, and, of course, otters. Sea otters are the most famous example – they use rocks to break open abalone shells and show a distinct preference for a specific rock suited to this purpose. These favoured rocks and pebbles are stored beneath a flap of skin in the otter’s armpit and are often kept for life.
Other otter species have been observed ‘juggling’ favourite rocks, displaying a considerable degree of dexterity and skill in the process (have a look here). The reasons behind this entertaining behaviour are a matter of considerable debate. It has been described as displacement behaviour (often observed in captive otters) or possibly as an indication of hunger-frustration. Whatever the biological reasons, this unusual behaviour comes across as playful and charming to the casual observer.
African clawless otter
Pet otters
Unfortunately, there is an inevitable aspect to the charisma and charms of otters. “Celebrity” pet otters have seen a meteoric rise to fame on social media in recent years, and, inevitably, this has precipitated a demand in the pet trade (both legal and illegal). Worse still, “otter-petting cafés” have sprung up in parts of Asia, with the predictable associated welfare concerns. Though this trend has yet to affect African otters, the ever-increasing demand for exotic pets may well add the illegal pet trade to the list of threats facing otters in Africa.
Though exacerbated by social media in recent years, this is not a new phenomenon. Perhaps most famously, otters captured the heart and mind of Scottish naturalist Gavin Maxwell. However, the loving, playful character of Mij, the pet otter, described by the novel (and film) Ring of Brightwater, eclipsed a much darker tale. Edal, Maxwell’s female African clawless otter, was as famously misanthropic as the author himself and regularly attacked visitors. Edal once removed two fingers from one of her caretakers with one swift bite in a fit of understandable pique born of her captive frustration.
It should go without saying that otters do not make good pets. They are territorial and fierce, driven by wild instincts and possess strong jaws full of sharp teeth capable of biting through bone. These powerful and fascinating carnivores are designed to spend their days gliding through the waterways of the world, and it is in the wild that the otters of Africa are best appreciated.
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What an incredible array of Photographer of the Year images we feasted our eyes on this year! James adds more detail in the gallery below, but know this from me: Each year, I feel so honoured and humbled that so many passionate people share their images with us that my head feels like it will explode. And I marvel at the dazzling variety and the brief glimpses into this majestic, mysterious continent that is my birthplace and home. PROUD African!
After you scroll down to our 2021 Photographer of the Year gallery (the last for this year), please take the time to read our other stories. The first story is an unfolding tragedy that has a CALL TO ACTION – this is where YOU can help. Please share this appeal to anyone that cares.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
I am one of those people who thinks summer is around the corner as soon as the winter solstice passes. This is bat-guano illogical of course. In the rarified atmosphere of Johannesburg, we are still a good two months from any warmth – on the odd occasion this mad city has received snow, it has normally been in September. Yet while it is skin-scaling dry, frosty and despite the fact that no South African architect has worked out how to insulate a home (for hot or cold), nature still finds a way to provide a little wonder. Yesterday, I was banging away at my computer when the call of a grey hornbill interrupted my thoughts. I assumed my wife was editing a video of the birds but then, lo and behold, two of them landed in the magnolia tree outside my window. I dived for a camera and, rather like a first-time safari-goer, took 400 mostly unusable pictures in my feverish excitement.
Our first story below is rather devastating. Some shady dealings, bizarre legal decisions and a lot of weapons-grade dim-wittery have seen the last barriers to an open cast copper mine in Lower Zambezi National Park finally removed. We are still hopeful for an 11th-hour political or legal intervention but this may be a pipedream.
Many are the naturalist photographers who bemoan the presence of collars on wild animals. A collar definitely detracts from a feeling of wilderness but, as our second story below shows, they are integral to our understanding of the wild species we aim to conserve and they appear to have a little adverse effect on the animals concerned.
With that all out of the way, it is time to celebrate photographs of beautiful Africa. In our third story below, we share the experiences of last years winners as they travelled into the Greater Kruger recently (Covid-delayed) to share stories and take great pics.
And finally, with a great drum roll, trumpet fanfare and ululation, we reveal the winner, runners-up and highly commended images of this year’s Photographer of Year. Well done to EVERYONE who submitted their art, your gracious willingness to share your creativity with us is hugely appreciated. I shall look forward to next year’s competition in eager anticipation.
Our 2021 Photographer of the Year has come to a glorious finale as we present the best submissions. The winner and two runners-up will share the princely sum of USD 10 000 and join their partners and our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana, where they’ll take more wonderful snaps of our wildlife, landscapes and fascinating, resilient people.
MESSAGE FROM OUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
It has been a great joy and privilege to receive your entries each week, to see the vastly different perspectives of Africa. Over the desert sands, across the savannas, through the forests, under the ocean and from the mountain fastnesses, you have sent us images that inspired awe, wanderlust and a connection to wild places we so desperately need.
We have managed to pick a winner from 25,023 photographs of our magnificent continent (well, 99.9% celebrated Africa; a few entries celebrated motorcycles, house pets and body parts – but they do not feature here).
It is fashionable in competitions to lament how hard the judging process is. We must repeat the cliche because it was genuinely challenging to pick the winners.
We judge images on their ability to tell a story, evoke emotion and capture the essence of Africa. We also look at technical aspects of the photos – both in the capture and edit stages of creating an image. We are but human, and therefore the judging cannot be entirely objective – many entries may well succeed in other competitions.
To all who had the courage to enter, thank you from Africa Geographic and all our tribe who have enjoyed their vicarious connection to African wilderness through your efforts. We hope you’ll take part again next year. Entries open on 1 January 2022.
A lion cub tries to nudge dad, but the male is grumpy. At the click of the shutter, a fly passes through the focus point and the pupil of the eye. The blunt teeth indicate an old male – but clearly, one still to be feared. Cubs always tread lightly around the males, weary of a swipe.
Judges’ comment
With one snap of the shutter, this image succeeds with so many of the criteria that make an excellent photograph. It is technically brilliant from the perspective of timing, anticipation and setting the camera perfectly for the predicted behaviour. The edit is also captivating – the colour and contrast create a mood that complement the lion’s palpable anger. Then, as with so many great wildlife shots, luck played a huge part as the fly just happened into frame at the right time.
About the photographer Hannes Lochner – Read more
Hannes Lochner is a renowned, award-winning wildlife photographer and has been taking pictures professionally since 2007. He has long been fascinated by the arid zones of Southern Africa, which of course, include the Kalahari. His name is now synonymous with the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the park’s leopards in particular.
Hannes was born in South Africa and knows the countries of Southern Africa exceptionally well. Since childhood, he has travelled to Namibia at least once a year and has a profound knowledge of that country and its photo spots.
He has published several, amazing books, two of which were entirely dedicated to the Kalahari. To realise these projects, he lived for six years in the Kalahari and invested hundreds of hours in photographing the magical landscape and fascinating wildlife. His new coffee table book, Planet Okavango, was published recently. Hannes spent two years completing it in Botswana.
Hannes is extraordinarily talented at image composition and the interplay of various light conditions. His pictures show the essence of the landscape and its animals while telling their stories. His passion for art ensures that his pictures stand out from the work of conventional wildlife photographers. His skills enable him to produce work that attracts great attention continuously. Hannes is also passionate about passing on his knowledge.
He has been awarded various international awards over the past few years.
This photo was taken in a Mursi village in southern Ethiopia. Many people believe that photography in Africa is all about animals and landscapes. However, the people of this part of the world are actually more fascinating to me. Whether it is Ethiopia or Morocco, there is a great depth of culture and history.
On my way out of the village, I saw this woman holding an AK47, nursing her child. As I walked closer, it was the baby’s eyes that attracted my attention. He stared straight at me. I used body language to ask the mother if I could take a photo of her and her baby. She granted permission, and I started to use my wide-angle lens to focus solely on the baby boy. It felt like he was talking to me through the lens – I believe this is what photography is meant to do. I asked my guide for the reason the mother was holding the weapon and he answered that she was simply trying to show off that she has a husband who is a good warrior.
Judges’ comment
This is an exceptionally powerful image that is as incongruous as it is moving. It captures the hardship experienced by so many women in Africa while managing to express their strength and resiliance at the same time. Add the myriad gorgeous textures – warthog tusk, rifle stock, rope, bell, hair – and you have a cracking shot.
About the photographer Bob Chiu – Read more
Bob Chiu was born in Hong Kong and lives in Los Angeles, USA. He is a visual storyteller whose images from travel to street photography convey the beauty of various human cultures, emphasising human interactions. He aims to capture precious moments of unique human interaction in a rapidly changing world. He hopes his work can help make the world a smaller place by allowing people from different parts of the globe to know each other better.
Besides the United States and Canada, Bob has travelled to China, India, Ethiopia, Cuba, Iran, Morocco, Israel, Russia, Ecuador (Amazon Rainforest), the Balkans and other parts of Asia and Europe. In 2018 and 2019, he held exhibitions and talks at Leica India where he showcased his work on Ethiopia. His work was also part of the Leica Club International of Moscow’s exhibition in 2019.
His work, “The Land of Buddha”, was a finalist at the 2020 “Art of Building” annual competition of the Chartered Institute of Building in the UK.
Bob holds the following photography distinctions:
Grand Master (GMPSA), Gold (GPSA) – Photographic Society of America PSA
Associate (ARPS) & Licentiate (LRPS) – Royal Photographic Society RPS
Excellent (EFIAP) – Federation Internationale de I’Art Photographique FIAP
Certified Master (CMP) & Certified Excellence (CEP) – Professional Photographers International PPI
Follow (FAPAS) – Association of Photographic Artists Singapore
I found this white rhino mother and calf resting in the heat of the day and returned to a nearby waterhole just before sunset, hoping they might visit to drink. I realised that the dusty ground would create a dramatic effect if I shot into the sun and underexposed as the rhinos were walking past. So, having snatched a couple of shots of them drinking, I relocated to get a view of the route I expected them to take when they left. With lots of trees in the area, the rhinos would only be in the open for a few seconds, and if they left in a different direction, I wouldn’t get a single shot. Fortunately, the gamble paid off.
Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of rhino poaching, I wanted my picture to convey a sense of hope – a new beginning almost – as if these were the first rhinos being forged in the fires of creation. The effect of the backlit dust, creating a blurred shadow image, added to the ethereal effect. Botswana’s battle against poaching has been well-documented. Sadly, the health of the rhino reintroduction programme has been hit hard, particularly in the last year when the lack of tourists has left conservation areas unguarded. For me, the decreasing rhino numbers give this image even more resonance. It is now vital that the remaining rhinos in Botswana are conserved for future generations.
Judges’ comment
This is the sort of image in which you see something new every time you look at it. It’s a clever capture that shows the photographer has a great appreciation of light and how his camera interacts with it. It conjures a feeling of awe and positivity with regard to rhinos.
About the photographer James Gifford – Read more
Based in Botswana for the last 15 years, James Gifford is a multi-award-winning photographer, writer and videographer, with two published books and numerous magazine credits to his name. In between guiding specialist photographic safaris and creating marketing content for safari companies, he takes every opportunity to get into the bush to create images that can influence how we think about the world and conserve the bounty of wildlife that is still left on our planet.
I titled this image ‘The Murderous Pharaoh’ because of the nature of the cheetah’s pose and the blood dripping down the chin, very much resembling a pharaoh’s beard. The brutality of a cheetah kill often goes unnoticed. The violence involved and the fierceness displayed left me at a loss for words.
Judges’ comment
This image manages to be both brutal and somehow darkly amusing at the same time. The viscera dripping from the cheetah’s face evokes the savagery of a hunt on the plains but his expression indicates a slight dissatisfaction with the mess he’s made.
About the photographer Aditya Nair – Read more
My name is Aditya Nair, and I specialise in wildlife photography with an added touch of surrealism. I grew up in Kenya snd couldn’t help but feel connected to the wildlife around me. Every time I saw a different species for the first time, I felt responsible for telling stories about us and them.
Several media platforms helped form my strategy of digitally capturing the true essence of nature and translating it into a format that creates a bond with anyone who views it.
Photography, videography, and editing allow me to document my relationship with these beautiful creatures. It’s an emotion rather than a conversation. The wilderness is the only place in the world I can happily wake up before sunrise and still be able to describe why!
On a calm afternoon, I spotted a mother giraffe and her newborn calf on the plains of the Maasai Mara. As I approached them, I noticed that the calf had discomfort in its right eye, maybe due to the fall at birth. It was uplifting to see how caring the mother was. She attended incessantly, tenderly cleaning her minute son.
Judges’ comment
This lovely image reflects so beautifully the mammalian bond between mother and offspring – it evokes the mother’s affection and the calf’s (reluctant?) acceptance. The black and white with added contrast pulls the animals from the distracting wonder of the Mara backdrop.
About the photographer Ana Zinger – Read more
From Brazilian jazz clubs to Africa’s national parks, Ana Zinger sings and photographs. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she majored in music and vocal performance in 2003. She developed an interest in photography at an early age, only to find her inspiration reached a peak when she visited Africa for the first time in 2000. Mesmerised by the beauty of the African wilderness, she started travelling back to Africa to photograph its wildlife. It has been 20 years now… Her work has featured in several expositions, magazines, Brazilian newspapers and Africa Geographic. Ana’s mission has been to connect people to Earth’s wild inhabitants through her lenses, throwing light on the importance of a respectful human-wildlife coexistence in a changing world.
“I found myself and rediscovered photography on this continent to which I have been travelling for twenty years. In Africa, I heard my own voice whisper: ‘I am home.’ The wild places of Africa and its creatures are part of my identity, and without them, I would suffer from a profound loneliness of spirit. Photographing and being in the wild gives me a deep sense of belonging and gratitude.”
I almost did not go out this day; it was cold and overcast, but the need for some “phototherapy” at one of my happy places, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, overrode the urge to stay in my warm bed. I am so glad it did as I managed to capture this beautiful male yellow-crowned bishop (Euplectes afer) in full breeding plumage. He was trying his best to attract a female to his nest with his beautiful song, flaring his yellow feathers, putting on quite a show in a field of pompom weeds. While I know the pompom weeds are rapidly becoming a serious threat to the conservation of grasslands in South Africa, they do make for a colourful backdrop complimenting the stunning yellow plumage of the bishop. The moral of the story, get out of bed and explore our stunning Africa to see the beauty in even the simple things like this little bird on a stick.
Judges’ comment
It is the lovely combination of colour in this image that grabs the attention first. Then, possibly, the detail in the animated bishop’s feathers and expression. Overall the photo gives a sense of excitement at the breeding season.
About the photographer Eleanor Hattingh – Read more
I am an amateur hobby photographer raised in South Africa. I have a deep-seated love for wildlife, photography and the African bush.
I bought my Nikon camera in 2013 (I still use it today) and so began my journey in wildlife photography. Being a full time working, single mom of two amazing boys, I do not get to the bush to photograph as much as I would like, so I make the most of every opportunity. Even a day trip to the local botanical gardens or nature reserve offers great opportunities for bird photography which, in turn, has ignited a new passion for birding.
My photography has taught me to see the beauty in the simple and ordinary things that most tend to overlook in the busy lives we lead. This beauty is what I hope to share with the world through my lens.
Quench – I think it would be safe to say that 2020 turned out completely different from the way we expected it to. For a waterman and somebody whose energy is rejuvenated by spending time in the ocean, the hard lockdown in South Africa left me feeling like a fish out of water for many months.
Fortunately, I had access to a backyard facing open space. And so I started to focus my attention on the wildlife which could visit me. I set up various hides and started to observe and photograph the birds in the area.
One morning, a Cape weaver (Ploceus capensis) came to quench its thirst by catching water dripping from above. I was elated when I managed to capture, in those few fleeting moments, a perfectly shaped drop a split second before the weaver caught it, despite the slow frame rate of my camera. This moment quenched the “drought” I was feeling as much as it quenched the weaver’s thirst.
Judges’ comment
This remarkable capture radiates a sense of joy and relief of the kind that comes with harvesting Africa’s most precious resource, a resource that, as this photo demonstrates, is precious to the last drop. It’s a very tricky shot that took a great deal of patience, skill and luck.
About the photographer Geo Cloete – Read more
Geo Cloete is a multi-talented artist with an architectural degree from Nelson Mandela Bay University (South Africa) in 1999. The fruits of his labour have seen him complete award-winning works in architecture, jewellery, sculpture and photography. Sharing the beauty and splendour of the natural world, especially the underwater world, is a primary focus of his photographic projects. In recognition of his contribution to spreading awareness of ocean conservation, Geo was invited to become a Mission Blue partner in 2015.
His photographic work has been awarded multiple times in many of the most prestigious national and international competitions.
The event took place in the Maasai Mara ( Olare Motorogi Conservancy) in Kenya. During a morning game drive, I saw two lionesses watching a giraffe and her calf from the cover of a croton bush. Soon the lions started stalking the giraffes and I told my guests to get their cameras ready. The lions managed to jump onto the calf, but the mother giraffe chased them away. Once the rest of the pride arrived, they surrounded the giraffes, and after about half an hour, a lioness managed to jump onto the mother’s back and distract her. During the brief separation, the lions killed the calf. The mother eventually escaped.
Judges’ comment
This is an unadulterated image that conveys the vicious side of the African wild. Although the giraffes are unable to express their emotions facially, the photo manages to display the mother’s terror and calf’s hopeless predicament. It begs the question ‘what happened next?’
About the photographer James Nampaso – Read more
I grew up in a small nomadic Maasai community in the southern part of Kenya. I now work as a professional safari guide showing international guests the beauty of nature in Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
I developed my photography skills by guiding many photographers from around the world and learning from them.
On this fine morning in Kolwezi, DRC, as I gazed at a chinspot batis that was hawking insects. I noticed she wasn’t consuming her prey. Then to my surprise, she landed on a nearby nest with two chicks in it. The nest was situated on a fallen branch, allowing me to observe the birds at eye level. I visited the area during weekends, and on the 3rd week, I was lucky enough to witness the two chicks fly to a nearby branch. This image reminded me that I am one with them and one with nature.
Judges’ comment
This image just radiates warmth. The colours, the perfecton and comfort of the tastefully decorated nest, and the dedication of the mother all combine to give a sense of peace and wonder.
About the photographer Kirkamon Cabello – Read more
Kirkamon Alarin Cabello was born in the Philippines. Nature hikes led him to a love for photography at an early age. He worked as a signage layout artist in a mining company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. During this time, he became even more enamoured with nature photography and birding. Through this art, Kirkamon eased his loneliness away from family and loved ones. It was therapy to keep him sane and happy. He has successfully entered several local competitions in the Philippines for birding photography.
“For me, bird photography is about having a sense of connection to the environment and the audience. It is having a thousand words printed in the pixels. Photography is a never-ending passion – a desire to translate an image into a wonderful, pictorial representation – which I find both enjoyable and rewarding.”
The ears, large and wide, manage to save this fennec fox from the sweltering weather. This is the smallest fox in the world, here immortalised while walking in the perfect dunes of the Tunisian desert. It is comfortably camouflaged despite the hostile climate of this region.
I have always been fascinated by deserts and their colours. I have long looked for an ideal location to photograph the mythical fennec fox. After much research, I decided to go to the heart of the Tunisian desert with expert guides. After several days of searching at temperatures above 45 degrees, I finally managed to immortalise my fox in its natural environment in the midst of splendid dunes.
Judges’ comment
This is an astonishing shot of a very rare and elusive animal about which little is known. That it was captured in beautiful light, with such clarity is a testament to the photographer’s determination and skill in tricky conditions.
About the photographer Marcello Galleano – Read more
Marcello Galleano, an entrepreneur in the field of nutraceuticals and herbal medicine, has always been a lover of nature and adventure trips. He has visited more than 86 countries worldwide and collaborates with non-profit associations in Africa and South America. Passionate about wildlife photography, he loves to capture the most incredible moments that the various environments offer and share the world’s beauty.
I visited the northern section of the Kruger National Park in April, a couple of months after the area had received an exceptional amount of rain accompanying cyclone Eloise. As a result, the vegetation in the area had flourished to unprecedented densities, making game viewing (and photography in particular) a real challenge. After another unsuccessful drive, we retired to our camp for the evening when a light shower provided some relief from the heat. The bush came alive when the rain subsided, and insects congregated around the camp’s lights. Among the ranks of creatures hunting them was an eruption of small amphibians brought out by the rain. I found this individual on a low hanging rain tree leaf. Backlighting by the camp’s lights and my headlamp provided the effect I was looking for. Having nothing but an ancient kit lens in my arsenal for this focal length, I was well pleased with the result. It just goes to show that there is always something to see in nature and many ways of getting interesting compositions if you just look a little closer (you also don’t always need the most expensive kit).
Judges’ comment
This image makes great use of available opportunities and imagination. The detail in the leaf is stunning, all the more so because of the lack of colour, while the frog, despite being a tiny part of the frame is the obvious star of the show.
About the photographer Mattheuns Pretorius – Read more
I am a conservation scientist, drone pilot and an avid wildlife photographer based in Gauteng, South Africa. I completed my formal training in 2007 as a nature conservation student in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, whereafter I conducted a postgraduate study on the vulnerable African Grass Owl on the Highveld of South Africa. I am currently employed by a non-profit conservation organisation. My primary role is to study novel ways to protect wildlife from power line electrocutions and collisions. I also pilot unmanned aerial vehicles for various conservation missions. My love for wildlife photography blossomed in the Kgalagadi and has since been nurtured by a passion for birding, scuba diving and various other outdoor hobbies I share with my wife.
I took this photograph from the low water bridge over the Sabie River near Lower Sabie Camp in the Kruger National Park. It was January and extremely hot; most of the animals had retreated to the shade of tall trees in the riparian zone. This hippopotamus found relief in the cool rapids below the bridge and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying itself. Completely unperturbed by the human onlookers, it even fell into a brief midday snooze. I wanted to capture the scene in a way that brought across the peaceful expression on its face and opted for a slow shutter speed to enhance the feel of flowing water around the hippo in its ‘natural jacuzzi’.
Judges’ comment
This is such a cleverly designed and considered, artistic shot. The sharpness of the hippo contrasting with a blur of the water and the expression of apparent relaxation of the hippo’s face are utterly captivating.
About the photographer Mattheuns Pretorius – Read more
I am a conservation scientist, drone pilot and an avid wildlife photographer based in Gauteng, South Africa. I completed my formal training in 2007 as a nature conservation student in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, whereafter I conducted a postgraduate study on the vulnerable African Grass Owl on the Highveld of South Africa. I am currently employed by a non-profit conservation organization. My primary role is to study novel ways to protect wildlife from power line electrocutions and collisions. I also pilot unmanned aerial vehicles for various conservation missions. My love for wildlife photography blossomed in the Kgalagadi and has since been nurtured by a passion for birding, scuba diving and various other outdoor hobbies I share with my wife.
I captured this image of a Hartlaub’s Gull at ‘The Kom’, in the seaside village of Kommetjie situated in the South Peninsula of Cape Town.
The morning the image was taken, ‘The Kom’ was calm and glassy. The gulls were jumping and diving, a perfect scenario to capture the Hartlaub’s Gull in action with a partial reflection in the still water.
‘The Kom’ is a small sheltered bay almost entirely enclosed by a ridge of boulders which was once a Stone Age fish trap. When conditions are right, it is one of the best sites on land from which to see seabirds.
Judges’ comment
This is a perfectly timed image from a wonderful angle that probably took a good deal of patience and experimentation to achieve. The edit really makes the bird and the water pop out of the background.
About the photographer Philip Jackson – Read more
Philip Jackson was born in the United Kingdom. In 1992, at the age of 28, in need of adventure and tired of grey skies, he embarked on a bicycle ride to South Africa to start a new life. He fell in love with the country and has lived there ever since.
Being a nature lover his whole life, it was finally the lure of birds that encouraged him to pick up a camera and start photographing all things feathered. Seven years later, his passion for bird photography is still on an upward trajectory. He is often spotted wading into swamps, oceans, rivers or bushes in an attempt to capture the perfect bird shot. Philip now resides in Imhoff’s Gift, on the edge of Wildevoelvlei in the Western Cape. He is fortunate enough to have fish eagles, swamp hens, pied kingfishers, flamingos and many other bird species on his doorstep.
The graceful Mozambican long-fingered bat (Miniopterus mossambicus) is a fast-flying predator of insects, targeting them with echolocation signals emitted through the open mouth (many bats echolocate through the nose). A large colony of this species lives in the limestone caves of the Cheringoma Plateau in Gorongosa National Park. They emerge at dusk to hunt moths and beetles before returning to the safety of their cave shortly before sunrise. I took this photo using an infrared beam that triggered the camera as soon as the bat broke it with its body.
Judges’ comment
Photographing bats on the wing, especially the nocturnal ones, is very tricky. This image is a great example of the skillful use of technology combined with an artistic eye and a great understanding of the subject’s behaviour.
About the photographer Piotr Naskrecki – Read more
Piotr Naskrecki is an entomologist, conservation biologist, and photographer with over 20 years of experience in biodiversity research in academic environments and non-profit conservation organisations. He received his PhD in entomology from the University of Connecticut, USA. His interests concentrate on sound communication in insects and other animals, new species discovery, biodiversity conservation, and popularisation of scientific knowledge.
Piotr has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, several books, and numerous popular articles. He has discovered and described over 150 species new to science, including new katydids, crabs, bats, and lizards. He has conducted biodiversity research and led expeditions in tropical areas across the globe. Currently, he directs the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, where he designed and helped create a unique research and education facility that includes a molecular laboratory, biological synoptic collections, and a comprehensive bioinformatics infrastructure. He has also initiated and helped develop an extensive biodiversity education program for Mozambican students, including Mozambique’s first graduate program leading to the M.Sc. degree in conservation biology, all in the remote wilderness of Gorongosa.
He is actively involved in the work of the IUCN Red List and serves as the first Chair of the Half-Earth Project of the E.O. Wilson Foundation, leading the Half-Earth Scholars initiative in Mozambique. In addition to conservation and education work in Mozambique, he has an active research program in systematics and insect behaviour, including a comparative study of acoustic and other behavioural responses of katydids to bat echolocation in the Old World (Mozambique) and the New World (Costa Rica).
Piotr is also an accomplished photographer whose images have been among the winners of major competitions, such as the Big Picture and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He has authored several books illustrated with his photos (“The Smaller Majority”, “Relics”, “Hidden Kingdom”).
Marimba is a Ground Pangolin. Like many others of her species, her mother was poached for her scales to be used in traditional Chinese medicine. Marimba was thought to have been just a year old when she was orphaned – too young to fend for herself. The decision was therefore made to take her to the Wild is Life sanctuary in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she met her full-time carer, Mateo.
Pangolins are notoriously difficult to look after in captivity and require particular and personal care. Mateo’s gentle nature seemed like a perfect fit, and a remarkable relationship was born.
Pangolins are naturally nocturnal. However, for their safety, Marimba and Mateo go out in the day so she can satisfy her insatiable appetite for specific species of ants and termites. Marimba and Mateo have spent ten hours a day together for the past thirteen years, and it shows – they are inseparable. Many attempts have been made to rewild Marimba, but she always finds a way back to Mateo. She is simply too attached to him, and being so young when her mother died, she never learnt the essential skills required to survive in the wild.
As Marimba cannot be released, she will live the rest of her life at the sanctuary as an ambassador for her species. Her story has already touched the lives of so many, highlighting the importance of protecting these wonderfully unique creatures so that others do not succumb to the same fate as her mother.
Do not be fooled by their reptilian appearance. Pangolins are affectionate, gentle, sentient beings that are rapidly disappearing from our planet. They are the most trafficked group of animals in the world, and unfortunately, most human-pangolin interactions end in another pile of lifeless scales.
In a perfect world, the close connection between Marimba and Mateo would have never existed. However, I hope that this image portrays the relationship that we as a species should strive to have with pangolin to save them from extinction—one of trust, love, and compassion.
Judges’ comment
The story told by this powerful image is both sad and encouraging – speaking of humanity’s destruction of nature and of the selfless commitment many have made to save our most vulnerable species.
About the photographer Sam Turley – Read more
Sam Turley was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1992. Growing up in the countryside, Sam’s fascination with the natural world started at a very young age and has never left him. He has since dedicated his life to wildlife conservation, and after studying zoology in the UK, he went on to qualify as a field guide in South Africa, where he worked for three years. During a trip to Namibia in 2016, Sam’s passion for wildlife photography ignited, and he has been obsessed ever since. He was the overall winner of the 2020 Wilderness Safaris People’s Choice Award and was a three-time finalist in the highly prestigious 2020 Natural History Museum’s Photographer of the Year competition. His work has also been featured in many magazines, including The Telegraph, Getaway and Travel Africa. He now lives and works in Zimbabwe on a rhino conservancy where he plans to run photographic workshops and tours.
“My unique background in zoology and my experiences working as a guide help me to understand complex conservation issues. Through my photography, I aim to highlight and celebrate successful conservation initiatives whilst connecting audiences to the natural world on an emotional level. I believe that our relationship with the natural world has never been more important than it is today. I hope that my images help people to fall in love with wildlife and to ultimately understand the importance of protecting it. For, in the end, we will only conserve what we love.”
It was a particularly rainy December in Hillcrest, the garden shrubs and trees green and growing. The insects, including flies and mosquitoes, were also thriving.
On this morning, I happened to see a little tree frog hiding in a Ligularia leaf which is a bushy plant that attracts lots of flies and insects when in flower. Of course, not to miss a wonderful opportunity, I ran to grab my camera, which happened to have a flash attached to it. I managed to take several shots before the frog disappeared into the leafy trees above. My settings were Manual Mode, F16, shutter speed 100, ISO 800, Macro lens, handheld.
Judges’ comment
This image is beautifully presented. The way the frog is looking at the camera, his right foot draped leisurely over the edge of his leafy refuge, gives a sense of fairy tale curiosity and joy. The gentler side of nature.
About the photographer Shirley Gillitt – Read more
I was born and educated in Zimbabwe, moved to KwaZulu Natal, South Africa to complete a midwifery diploma as a young woman and married a South African farmer who is passionate about wildlife. So it was that my interest in wildlife and photography slowly began.
I am an amateur photographer who takes photography seriously, exploring most genres. However, my passion is wildlife, a genre that requires patience, perseverance and observance. To watch and understand animal behaviour is hugely rewarding for me. The abundance of game reserves available to us is an absolute privilege, and we try to visit most as much as possible. On many trips to game reserves, I spend time admiring the small creatures, birds and flora while trying to bypass the other 80% of people chasing the big five.
I live in Hillcrest, KwaZulu Natal, a subtropical temperate climate where the tree frogs hang out.
I have been lucky and privileged to have visited the mountain gorillas of Bwindi in Uganda a few times and what surprises me the most each time I encounter them is how similar they are to us. I was attracted to this silverback who was very relaxed and lying down, observing my movements and keeping a close eye on the rest of us.
His hands caught my attention; I was amazed at how similar they are to our human hands. Perhaps they are not like modern-life hands, but rather hands that have worked and harvested – like a farmer without modern machinery.
Judges’ comment
This image somehow manages to convey contemplation, power and vulnerability all at once. The hands’ likeness to our own also demonstrates humanity’s connection to nature and wilderness
About the photographer Valentino Morgante – Read more
From Italian origins, Valentino Morgante was born in Malawi, in the heart of Africa, where he spent his first 18 years living in close contact with African nature and culture. He completed his last years of study in Johannesburg and then moved to Italy. There, he began his working life, where he developed, among other things, a passion for nature and sports photography.
In the 90s, the call of Africa brought him back to his native land, this time to Namibia, where he started as a specialised tour guide and then a tour operator. Valentino is still living his dream and leads small groups of photographers to iconic African parks. His unconditional love for Africa is clearly recognisable in his passion for nature photography, which represents an artistic expression capable of enhancing the beauty of African nature and wildlife.
I visited Kenya for photography in 2019. The trip aimed to capture Kenya’s natural scenery, wild animals, and local people. On this day, before dawn, we drove from the Lentorre Lodge, where we stayed to a nearby village of Maasai people. When we arrived, the village was just coming alive. The children began to play, and the adults drove the cattle and sheep. Animals are important assets to the Maasai people, and animal husbandry is their main source of livelihood. This was an unforgettable day in my photography career.
Judge’s comment
This image has so many layers to it. The glorious colours of the dawn and the Maasai shukas, the movement of the goats and sheep, the children playing to the left and the dust. It also manages to convey a sense of peace and daily rhythm.
About the photographer Ying Shi – Read more
Ying Shi is a Chinese photographer who has lived in Canada for nearly 20 years. He is a member of the Canadian Association For Photographic Art, a council member of the Jiahua Elite Photography Association, and a member of the Photographic Society of America. He was awarded The Distinguished Canadian Photographer by the 126th Toronto International Salon of Photography in 2019. His photographs in Kenya have won many awards in international photography competitions.
Nestled on the northern banks of the mighty Zambezi River, opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, lies the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. It is one of Africa’s most pristine wilderness areas – remote, unspoilt, and spectacular. For years dedicated individuals and organisations have been fighting against the proposed Kangaluwi mine, but the final appeal was dismissed in February 2021.
Mwembeshi Resources Ltd holds the licence for the mine, and the proposed mine site would cover 12km2 (1,200 hectares), situated between two seasonal rivers that discharge directly into the Zambezi River.
After close to a decade of delays and obfuscations, the High Court dismissed the case on a legal technicality in favour of Mwembeshi in 2018. The final appeal to the Court of Appeal of Zambia was dismissed in a judgement delivered by Justice Ngulube in February 2021, possibly marking the end of any legal challenges open to those looking to stop the mining operations.
The final barrier was the validity of the Decision Letter (and thus the Environmental Impact Statement) granting mining rights. After the ruling in their favour, Mwembeshi Resources immediately applied for an extension of validity. David Ngwenyama, an expert ecologist and one of the parties fighting against the mine, confirmed that the Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) had granted the extension in June 2021.
The argument that the previous judge had failed to consider the public interest of the matter was summarily rejected.
The timeline
Early 2000s – Australian company Zambezi Resources Ltd applied for and was granted an exploration licence for an area of 240km2 in the Lower Zambezi Game Park. They registered a subsidiary called Mwembeshi Resources Ltd.
2010 – 17 local chieftains in the region signed an agreement to oppose all mining. An application was made to open Kangaluwi Copper Mine.
2011 – Zambezi Resources and the local subsidiary, Mwembeshi Resources, were granted a 25-year mining licence by the Zambian government and began prospecting for copper. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was submitted to ZEMA for the Kangaluwi Copper Project shortly afterwards.
2012 – ZEMA rejected the EIS and released the following statement: “The proposed site is not suitable for the nature of the project because it is located in the middle of a national park and thus intends to compromise the ecological value of the park as well as the ecosystem.”
January 2014 – The minister of lands, natural resources and environmental protection, Harry Kalaba, overturned the ZEMA decision, and the project was given full permission.
February 2014 – David Ngwenyama, acting in his personal capacity, and five different NGOs began legal proceedings to appeal the decision to allow mining in Lower Zambezi National Park. The court granted an injunction to halt mining during the proceedings.
November 2014 – Dr K Leigh prepared a damning independent analysis of the EIS and proposed mine site for the Lower Zambezi Tourism Association.
April 2015 – the Appeal was adjourned by the High Court, pending judgement by Justice Chali.
April 2015 – 2019 – The court process stagnated. Upon the death of the presiding judge, a new judge was assigned under a mandate to clear the backlogged cases.
October 2019 – High Court of Zambia upheld the decision to grant mining rights in Lower Zambezi National Park on a legal technicality (a failure to file a Record of Appeal in the early stages of the proceedings).
January 2020 – Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela announced that the project would not go ahead because the EIS was no longer valid. Experts and insiders warned that this did not necessarily confirm that the project would be cancelled.
February 2021 – The Court of Appeal of Zambia dismissed the final appeal brought by David Ngwenyama. For various reasons, many of them financial, David Ngwenyama was unable to take this matter to the Supreme Court after the appeal was dismissed.
June 2021 – Mwembeshi was granted an extension of validity for the Decision Letter (and, therefore, the EIS).
The company and legal loopholes
Bermuda-registered Mwembeshi Resources Ltd is a subsidiary of Australian-owned Zambezi Resources Ltd (subsequently renamed Trek Metals). The parent company was then sold to Dubai-based Grand Resources Limited – a company that has proved to be impossible to contact.
The Zambian Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2008 does not contain any substantial provisions relating to mining in protected areas. The Environmental Management Act of 2011 does not require a developer to carry out a fresh EIS following the expiry of the period of validity of the Decision Letter (usually three years). All that is required is a request for extension – an administrative arrangement that does not require a public hearing nor any other form of consultation with stakeholders.
For foreign investors who face more robust legislation in their own countries, Zambia is an easy target. Political games and murmurs of corruption have conferred a relentless momentum to a project that may not even be economically viable. Hamstrung by procedural regulations and an insubstantial legal framework, the courts have done little to stand in Mwembeshi’s way. Ultimately, the final judgement did not even delve into the case’s merits.
David Ngwenyama investigating an unrehabilitated exploration shaft
Collective objection
It goes without saying that an open-cast copper mine in the centre of Lower Zambezi National Park would do tremendous damage to the environment and biodiversity of the park. The devastating effects would extend to polluting the Zambezi River itself and affect neighbouring Mana Pools, the surrounding ecosystem in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The mine saga galvanized a diverse community of people in Zambia to rise up against the mine – NGOs, private individuals, community organisations, conservationists and ecotourism operators. The potential mine has also given rise to a new generation of environmental activists that didn’t have a voice before. Zambian youth formed a group called IMPI and organised marches to deliver petitions, held press conferences, and created a lot of noise when the appeal was dismissed in 2019.
One of the people involved is ecologist David Ngwenyama. He joined the original court battle in 2014 in his personal capacity, believing that it represented a collective fight to protect his country’s heritage. When the High Court dismissed the case, he filed the appeal at a personal legal cost of some $50,000. For seven years, he has fought for the future of Lower Zambezi National Park.
Mr Ngwenyama has now reached out to ZEMA to allow the setting up of a tripartite meeting with the developer and ZEMA to set strict biodiversity offset and associated conditions including a program of environmental social monitoring if the mine is allowed to proceed as is. ZEMA seems agreeable to this.
Protesting the mine
The future
There is also some disagreement over whether or not Mwembeshi is legally obliged to re-do the EIS given that nine years have passed since the original EIS but Mr Ngwenyama is of the opinion that Mwembeshi is now free to break ground. Various stakeholders are looking into possible legal alternatives to stop the mine, and there are glimmers of hope in this regard.
The approval process seems to be irregular and the stakeholders above are trying to inform the public. The fact that two extremely contentious projects (farming in the Kasanka National Park buffer zone and the Lower Zambezi mining) which will both impact significantly on the environment were signed off with Parliament dissolved in the run-up to the elections, is worth consideration.
The WWF, CI, CLZ and a number of other stakeholders have developed a social media campaign to educate the local public on what the approval of the mine could mean (see below).
A long-term study of spotted hyena in the Maasai Mara uses tracking collars extensively
Tracking collars have revolutionised the amount of information available to wildlife researchers since their introduction in the 1960s. The benefits are enormous, but naturally, researchers need to ensure minimal cost to the animal’s welfare.
Researchers from the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute set out to examine the short-term, welfare effects of collaring captive scimitar-horned oryx.
Scimitar-horned oryx
The scimitar-horned oryx is an antelope that was once widespread from Senegal to Sudan but eventually went extinct in the wild due to hunting and habitat loss. All remaining individuals were captive in institutions around the world. In 2016, a massive joint project reintroduced 194 scimitar-horned oryx into the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve in Chad. Each individual has been or will be fitted with a GPS collar. Naturally, the information gathered will be critical to monitoring the reintroduction process.
The data collected from GPS readings can be used in myriad ways for wildlife studies including resource selection, behaviour, migration, home range, demographics and understanding human-wildlife conflict. Animals from elephants to birds and fish are fitted with tracking devices and, as technology develops, some of these animals may wear the devices for extended periods, possibly even for life. Naturally, scientists have recognised the need to ensure animal welfare during the process and biologists wanting to collar animals usually need to undergo a thorough review from professional committees before permission is granted. There are several restrictions, including that the device itself should weigh less than 5% of the animal’s body weight.
Fitting robust tracking collars to research species, both large and small, is a delicate and highly-skilled process.
During this study, researchers assessed the impact of the collars in three different ways: through behavioural observation, measurement of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (indications of an animal’s stress levels) and through tri-axial accelerometers in the collars (able to detect head shaking which might indicate physical discomfort). As these animals were captive and habituated to humans, no anaesthetic or chemical sedatives were administered; instead, the oryx were physically restrained to fit the collars.
The study concluded that while there was an indication of increased stress levels after the fitting of the collar (that could also be attributed to being restrained), the animals quickly reverted to normal. There was no indication of long-term, adverse effects of using tracking collars. However, headshaking did increase dramatically initially and then dropped below the normal amount witnessed before the collaring. This may be an attempt to avoid discomfort and irritation from the collar. The feeding and movement patterns of the oryx remained the same. This was one of the main concerns that the study hoped to allay.
While there is no evidence for the long-term, negative effects of tracking collars, they can cause temporary discomfort
While the researchers are clear that there is no evidence to preclude the use of tracking collars, they encourage further studies to examine the long-term effects of collaring. There are potential concerns regarding the extra weight, regardless of how small, as previous studies have suggested this could harm an animal. There is also some concern regarding the chafing effect of the collars, which can also place the animal at higher risk of infection and increase the growth of harmful microorganisms, hence the need to ensure a good fit for the collar. They acknowledge that in many wild situations, researchers are unable to study the effects of a collar once it has been fitted, for both financial and logistic reasons. This is why they encourage researchers and manufacturers of tracking devices to work with zoos, which offer the opportunity to address at least some of these questions in a controlled environment.
There is no doubt that tracking collars have contributed tremendously to our ecological understanding of many different species and the authors of this study describe these tracking devices as “essential elements to an ecologist’s toolbox, vital for assessing conservation action, and one of the only cost-effective means for evaluating the fate of every individual in reintroduction efforts, especially across large remote areas.”
Imagine four exceptional and diversely talented photographers together on safari in the world-renowned Sabi Sands Game Reserve …
After an extended covid-delay, our 2020 Photographer of the Year winners joined me and my wife Lizz to enjoy their prize-winning safari in South Africa’s Lowveld – a great way to soak up some of Africa’s magic.
It was March 2021, and the bushveld was still dense after an excellent rain season – and yet the Sabi Sands was thrumming with wildlife and delivered on its reputation as predator-central.
We each brought our significant others – which meant that thankfully fireside discussions went beyond f/stop and the latest gear – although one winner brought a photographer friend. Our first game drive was a mere few minutes old when painted wolves ruthlessly dispatched an unfortunate impala a few meters from us. That emotional rollercoaster of excitement, sorrow and quiet contemplation was an apt introduction to what was an epic safari.
We were hosted by Djuma Private Game Reserve (no longer open to the public) in the northern Sabi Sands – we stayed at what was then the self-catering Tumbeta House. My significant other – Lizz – ran the kitchen for our party of eight – and we dined like royalty. Hats off to her and the Djuma staff – mere words cannot describe the behind-the-scenes action behind running an operation like this.
I won’t go into detail about our time in paradise – that would be cruel in the current covid-restricted dimension that we all are enduring. This brief selection of images pays testament to the combined talents of the diverse group but barely hints at the exhilarating time had by all.
Sony ILCE-1| FE 400mm f2.8 GM OSS| aperture f2,8 | exposure 1/80 | focal length 400mm | iso 2000
AND THEN
After five enriching and relaxing days in the Sabi Sand, we spent the last day of our adventure hosted by one of the most respected ladies in African conservation – a personal friend of long-standing. CEO of GKEPF, Sharon Haussmann is at the frontline of anti-poaching efforts and forging the way to cement strategic alliance partnerships between private and state landowners in this region – including a private Mozambique game reserve bordering the Kruger National Park. Sharon and colleague Marion Bourn gave us an interesting briefing of the issues and how GKEPF is tackling them. This behind-the-scenes reveal was followed by an afternoon with Timbavati warden Edwin Pierce and his rangers at a remote outpost and a helicopter flip with renowned veteran flyboy Gerry McDonald. The rangers are my heroes in the battle to protect our wildlife from the evil ones – they live in remote areas away from friends and family and put their lives on the line. I can never find the words to thank them for what they do.
Our last night in paradise, again hosted by Sharon, was at the ultra-luxurious Africa House – an exclusive-use and villa of Royal Malewane in Thornybush Game Reserve, Greater Kruger. Our late-night discussions under the twinkling stars about the last few days were a fitting end to an exceptionally uplifting sojourn.
Want to go on a safari to Sabi Sands? 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.
Africa’s final gift was an enchanting time spent with a lioness who brought her five cubs into the open for the first time while we were on game drive in Thornybush. Prepare to be smitten by the cuteness of the following video:
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We have an epic newsletter for you this week – so please budget for EXTRA TIME because each of the five stories below is an excellent read.
After our Botswana rhino poaching story of last week, my inbox has been flooded with further information and helpful input – thanks to all. Several people mentioned how many of Africa’s protected areas are under threat from organised crime – poaching or shady elements in extractive foresty, mining and trophy hunting. Many lamented our governments’ INABILITY to deliver on their biodiversity protection mandates. Several of our stories below bear testament to these concerns. We live in challenging times indeed.
BUT we will eventually prevail in our drive to keep Africa’s ecosystems and biodiversity safe from the evil ones. Lots has to change. Be the change.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
The world’s most famous lion died last week. Scarface, famed king of the Maasai Mara, breathed his last while resting comfortably in the waving red oat grass. He wasn’t shredded by hyenas or mauled by young pretenders. This is not a death that many wild animals can look forward to. To some, Scarface was a controversial figure. He was given the benefit of at least ten veterinary interventions that probably extended his ‘natural life’. Far more than that, however, he was an ambassador for his species and for wilderness in general. Who knows how many tourist dollars came to the Mara, contributing to the preservation of wild places because of this grizzled legend of the plains. His image, which hangs in homes all over the world, will continue to inspire nature travel and a passion for Panthera leo.
When I started guiding in the dim mists of prehistory, we were given strict instructions never to give wild animals names. ‘They are not pets and we don’t want guests to think our cats are tame.’ As a wet behind the ears biologist, I thought this was excellent. Most guides heartily agreed, despite some rather obvious contradictions. We’d refer to the Clara Dam female as ‘Clara’ or the Pink-nose Mxabene Young Male as ‘Pinky’.
Cecil and Scarface changed my mind. Their fame built awareness for the plight of their species and the wilderness in general. In our first two stories below, we consider the nameless thousands of lions living in captivity in South Africa. What will happen to them in the wake of our government’s proposed ban on the national disgrace that is captive lion breeding and trade?
Our third story below is also quite heavy going and frustrating. Kasanka National Park in Zambia, home to the world’s largest mammal migration, is under threat from commercial agriculture. Allegations of skulduggery abound.
Our fourth story below is an encouraging tale of nature’s resilience in the face of human idiocy. Wars have ravaged South Sudan for the best part of four decades now, yet one of nature’s greatest mammal migrations appears to be almost intact.
Finally, we bring you the finalists in this year’s Photographer of the Year. It’s been such a privilege to enjoy the contributions each week. Our choices are inevitably born of human biases and subjectivity and we make them in humility, full in the knowledge that not all will agree. A huge vote of thanks to all who had the courage to enter – we hope that you will do so again next year.
Here, at long last, are the Finalists in our 2021 Photographer of the Year! We will announce the overall winner and two runners-up next week. They will share US$10 000 in prize money and join their partners and our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana.
A recent survey by Space for Giants in South Sudan shows that one of the largest mammal migrations on earth, the white-eared kob and tiang migration, continues, apparently oblivious to the decades-long civil conflict. Numbers are sketchy for obvious reasons, but around 1 million white-eared kob, 200 000 tiang (a close relative of the topi) and a smattering of Mongalla gazelles (possibly a subspecies of the Thomson’s gazelle) continue their annual migrations.
South Sudan is a large country – one and a half times the size of South Africa. It is also a country that has seen horrific, long-standing conflicts. The First Sudanese Civil War dragged from 1955 until 1972. The Second (essentially a continuation of the first) went from 1985 to 2005 and resulted in independence for South Sudan (previously controlled by Khartoum in the north). A multi-sided South Sudanese Civil War then kicked off in 2013 and only really ended in February 2020.
Migration overview
Between January and June, the kob, tiang and gazelle move north and east from the wetlands on the eastern bank of the White Nile towards Boma National Park and Gambella National Park just across the border in Ethiopia. They return to Boma National Park and the vast inland delta known as the Sudd between November and January. The delta is the biggest in Africa and, in the wet season, may extend to 130,000 square km. It is home to 400 bird species and, in addition to the kob, tiang and gazelle is a refuge for the endangered Nile lechwe. Fifty years ago, there were 80,000 elephants in the region; now, there are probably fewer than 2,000.
With all the civil war, conservationists have been unable to monitor the extent of the herds or the effects of the conflict. Soldiers killed masses of bushmeat to supply the war effort while ivory was exported from the region via Juba. The war for independence saw the local extinction of zebras and rhinos, once abundant in the southern areas.
Hope
In March 2021, Dr Max Graham, founder and CEO of the international conservation organisation Space for Giants, led a rapid conservation reconnaissance survey of a selection of South Sudan’s protected areas. The goal was to understand the country’s wildlife better and explore options to support the government with its conservation work and, eventually, attract conservation tourism investors. The five-person team logged 33 hours of aerial surveys from a low-flying helicopter, travelling across Rumbek, Tonj, Yirol. Shambe National Park, Shambe Port and The Sudd, Jonglei, Bor and Boma National Park.
A key area of their focus was the status, following South Sudan’s most recent civil war, of the world’s second-greatest large mammal migration of tiang and white-eared kob.
Dr Graham talked to Africa Geographic about the survey mission and its findings.
Can you give us some broad findings from the recce?
There was a paucity of large wild animals in the areas we visited in and around Shambe National Park, west of the Nile, except for aquatic or semi-aquatic species, including sitatunga, Nile lechwe, hippos, and Nile crocodiles. Reedbuck, bushbuck, and duikers were seen but were uncommon. We saw indirect evidence of elephants and buffalo from old spoor around watering holes and came across a significant population of roan antelope west and north of Shambe.
Clearly, the elephant population here is under extreme hunting pressure given their local scarcity and the ubiquitous presence of ivory bangles among local herders. I think it could also be said with some confidence that the possibility of the Shambe area holding any remnant population of northern white rhino is extremely low given the large number of armed individuals, including specialist local hunters, and the territorial ecology of rhinos.
The area to the immediate east of the massive, abandoned, German-built machine designed to dig the Jonglei Canal was abundant in wildlife at the time of our recce with large populations of tiang, lechwe, white-eared kob and Bohor reedbuck. (The abandoned Jonglei canal project aimed to divert water from the Sudd to deliver more water downstream for agriculture in Sudan and Egypt). There was very little evidence of people in this area, east of the Nile, and it is clearly a stronghold for wildlife. Subsequent discussions with key informants suggest this area may be a no man’s land between conflicting ethnic groups, creating a haven for wildlife. As we travelled south towards Bor, wildlife began to disappear in the face of human presence, charcoal burning and deforestation.
Boma National Park and its immediate vicinity held the bulk of white-eared kob seen on this reconnaissance survey. We observed them in their tens of thousands, with smaller but significant populations of tiang. A small group of just four giraffes and around twelve eland were also observed. Both groups were highly nervous and it is clear they were under intense hunting pressure. We observed armed people throughout the park.
The abandoned, German-built machine designed to dig the Jonglei Canal
How have the numbers of migrating animals changed with the civil war?
After the wildebeest migration of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, these herds of white-eared kob, tiang, and associated other species, are the largest concentrations of large mammals left on the planet. That this is one of the wonders of the world is indisputable. That it has survived the long, persistent, armed conflict within South Sudan is testament to how little development there is in the country and the inaccessibility of the seasonally water-logged flood plains east of the Nile and into Ethiopia.
Research led by South Sudanese wildlife ecologist Dr Malik Morjan and supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society found that white-eared kob numbers were not dramatically affected by the 1985-2005 South Sudanese Liberation War. However, tiang were affected, with numbers estimated to have dropped from 500,000 to 160,000, mainly due to hunting by the armed forces at the time. This may be because the tiang dry season range is closer to the conflict. It isn’t clear what has happened to Mongalla gazelles which were counted at around 66,000 in the 1980s but could actually number many more today.
It also isn’t clear how the recent civil war, from 2013 to 2020, has affected overall numbers of all of these species, as we could not undertake a complete aerial survey during our recce. What surprised us was the numbers of tiang we came across to the north of their dry season range, near the Jonglei canal. Given the absence of human settlement here, possibly due to insecurity created by the civil war, we wonder if the tiang might have recovered from the negative impacts of the Jonglei canal construction, which began in 1978 but stopped at the opening of the 1985 war and never restarted.
We were also struck by the number of hunters and scattered settlements in and around Boma and Bandingilo National Parks and the clear evidence of hunting evidenced by the many animal carcasses. When we did come across kob in large numbers in parts of Boma National Park, there were always people in relatively close proximity, suggesting they may be under pressure, despite their large numbers.
I would tentatively suggest that white-eared kob may have been worse affected by hunting in and around the national parks in the Boma-Jonglei ecosystem than tiang, which used a different part of the range, towards the Sudd swamp, during the recent civil war. This would need to be verified through a complete aerial survey.
White-eared kob
How much pressure is there in the Boma and Bandingilo corridor?
What is important to note is that most of the kob and tiang migration actually falls outside of the two protected areas so it is not so much a ‘corridor’ as an entire 200,000 square km ecosystem, stretching from the Sudd and White Nile in the north-west, to Boma National Park and the Ethiopian border in the south and east. The animals move across this whole landscape seasonally. Currently, the only pressure on the corridor is hunting by local people and armed forces. This may have been amplified during the recent civil war because of the lack of alternative food sources.
The medium-term pressure is, however, far more significant. According to research led by Dr Morjan before the recent civil war, 72% of the known kob migration, and more than 99% of the tiang migration, fall within leased oil concessions. With the country desperate to exploit the benefits of oil revenue, the associated infrastructure development that might emerge could be devastating for the migration. For example, three of the ten priority roads planned by the government cut through the migration. Furthermore, South Sudan has a high population growth rate, and settlements within the ecosystems could soon become urban centres.
Local settlements occur within and around the national parks of South Sudan
Has the migration route changed with human encroachment and settlement?
It appears from our recce survey that the distribution of ungulates was similar to that found in previous dry seasons, if not a little more extensive in the north than described previously. It is important to note just how big this migration is. Kob have been recorded moving across 68,805 square km and tiang across 35,992 square km, both sparsely populated by people. However, there appears to be growing pressure on the kob in the southern part of their range due to increasing human settlement and possibly an increase in hunting.
How secure are Boma and Bandingilo from human encroachment?
Both have significant, growing human settlements within and outside the parks, accommodating traditional villages that existed before the parks’ establishment. What isn’t clear is the extent to which people here are engaged in commercial bushmeat poaching due to a lack of alternative food sources given the effects of the civil war.
The inundated swamps to the east of the Nile
What is the condition of the rangelands in the national parks and corridor areas?
The habitat, currently, is intact across the 200,000 sq km Boma-Jonglei ecosystem. However, there is extensive burning of habitat nearly everywhere we travelled. This is associated with the cultural tradition of using fire as a rangeland management tool to improve pasture for livestock. It isn’t clear what role the extensive burning plays on the ecology of the ecosystem. It is possible that, on the one hand, this burning could be a factor in driving migration patterns of wild ungulates by providing them with highly palatable grasses, whilst it could also be threatening overall species diversity.
How much pressure is there from local livestock?
There is a large scale pastoralist movement into parts of the ecosystem during the dry season. There is clear pressure around watering points in Boma and Bandingilo, which we presume could accentuate conflict and hunting during the dry season.
What are the barriers to setting up a viable safari circuit that might support conservation in the area?
There is no tourism infrastructure in the parks, and indeed very little accommodation in South Sudan as a whole. Access to these wild places is very challenging, given the absence of road infrastructure. Furthermore, sporadic and unpredictable conflicts, together with the proliferation of arms, mean that travel needs careful planning and local knowledge. All of that said, there is very little evidence to suggest that visitors to South Sudan have been targeted during all the years of conflict. I was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the welcome we received from local people. Any tourism initiative would have to begin with an air-based travel solution which could be possible and very rewarding for intrepid travellers. Putting in place a simple and effective tourism visa system would also help.
Migrating herd of tiang
What’s needed next?
Space for Giants recommends that the government works with conservation partners to undertake an immediate aerial survey of South Sudan’s national parks to establish the distribution and density of wildlife populations and identify key conservation priorities. That should include provisions for specialist survey methodologies for rhinos if credible intelligence networks can identify suitable survey areas. It should also include identifying the full extent of the area required by the white-eared kob and associated species for their annual migration and prioritise their protection through an expanded protected area system. South Sudan could submit to the United Nations for designation as a World Heritage Site and “wonder of the world”.
Through the Ministry of Conservation and Tourism, the Sudanese Government could also convene a summit of conservation NGOs and associated partners in Juba to agree on a road map for national park protection, expansion, ongoing management, and development. Based on our expertise advising national governments elsewhere, primarily in Uganda, Gabon, Kenya and now Mozambique, Space for Giants would suggest South Sudan put in place co-management agreements with reputable conservation NGOs to resource wildlife security, park infrastructure and management. In partnership with regional mobile tourism operators, South Sudan could then launch expeditionary tourism to visit its unique offerings to global tourism, including birding, sports fishing, cultural heritage, and the kob migration, to build the country’s brand as a wilderness destination.
Last month, South Africa’s government took a significant step forward for animal welfare and lion conservation when the Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), Barbara Creecy, announced plans for a complete ban on the controversial captive lion breeding industry. But as we stare into the face of the horror created over two decades, one question remains: what will happen to the thousands of captive-bred, genetically impaired and diseased lions and cubs?
Conservationists and welfare experts have pushed to shut down the captive lion breeding industry for years, saying it is cruel, has no conservation value, and is damaging to South Africa’s international image. The industry has been exposed for the unethical ‘canned’ or captive lion hunting, the questionable tourist cub petting industry and, more recently, the lion bone trade to Asia.
Now, as processes to close the industry are unfolding, welfare activists ask: “What will become of all the lions?”
The answer is not only shocking but also sobering. With so many welfare and genetic defects, more than half, if not all, of the approximately 12 000 captive-bred lions will need to be euthanised.
The unregulated captive industry has led to the inbreeding of lions, resulting in physical defects, inferior genetics, and a breeding zone for pathogens that threatens other lion populations and humans.
“We must not ignore the catastrophic consequences created by this horrific industry. Let’s hope South Africa and the rest of the world does not easily forget the shameful outcome of such animal exploitation,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International.
Conservationists say rewilding captive-bred lions is no solution due to their diseases, compromised genes and human habitation. And there is simply not enough wild habitat available to accommodate so many lions.
Furthermore, despite many facilities promoting themselves as wildlife sanctuaries, only a handful of true sanctuaries exist in South Africa. None have the capacity or financial ability to home hundreds of big cats.
Yet the industry must be stopped. Left unchecked, the captive predator breeding industry is a self-perpetuating animal welfare disaster. During the mid-nineties, when the Cook Report first exposed the horrific cruelty of the industry and Director of Blood Lions, Ian Michler, began his intensive investigations, there were fewer than 1000 lions held in captive facilities.
“When I started investigating, there may have been about 800 predators living in captive facilities. In 2005, I submitted a report to the government at the time, estimating that there were roughly 3500, and when we researched Blood Lions, the number was in excess of 6 000. Today it’s estimated that there are over 10 000 lions in about 300 captive breeding facilities,” says Michler.
If the captive breeding of lions were left to continue, the number could explode to tens of thousands of genetically inferior lions living in captive squalor and destined for trophies or slaughtered for their bones.
“Captive lion breeding does not contribute to the conservation of wild lions and… legal trade in lion body parts risks stimulating demand and illegal trade, posing major risks to wild lion populations in South Africa and among vulnerable wild lion populations in other countries where poaching is on the rise,” says Dr Paul Funston, director at the international wild cat organisation, Panthera.
In addition, a recent study found that captive lion facilities create a dangerous breeding ground for zoonotic diseases, highlighting the potential health risk to thousands of tourists and staff working at the facilities.
According to Blood Lions, the first plan of action needs to be an immediate ban on captive breeding through sterilisation. Following that, there needs to be an audit to ascertain exact population numbers, the welfare of individual lions and the state of the facilities.
The audit will also reveal true sanctuaries from commercial breeding facilities. A true sanctuary provides a permanent home for animals and does not buy, sell, breed or trade-in animals or their parts, nor do they allow any human interaction.
“Strict guidelines on breeding, keeping, animal husbandry and welfare need to be imposed on such facilities, and a definition of a true sanctuary must be addressed in existing legislation.”
Environmental and animal welfare NGOs are now eagerly awaiting the DFFE’s Policy Paper to begin the process of shutting down the captive predator breeding industry.
But lion breeders and canned hunting outfitters are frantically lobbying Creecy to reconsider her decision and many fear this an attempt to bully the minister into watering down the policy report, which would be a devasting blow to such a bold move by government.
In addition, there is a concern that lion breeders may begin illegally killing their lions and pushing the illicit lion bone trade before new legislation comes into effect and clamps down.
“It’s a matter of urgency that the process is swift as we would hope that the industry is not allowed to flourish while details are being sorted,” says Michler.
Banning the captive predator breeding industry is a significant shift in South Africa’s attitude towards utilising its wild animals. Hopefully, we will not easily forget the shame of being forced to dispose of nearly 12 000 lions humanely.
(Melissa Reitz is an investigative wildlife and environmental journalist. As the full-time staff writer for Animal Survival International, she aims to continue raising awareness to the issues impacting on wildlife and animals across the globe. Animal Survival International is a non-profit organization that acts as a voice for animals around the world to raise awareness and take action against the threats that endanger their survival. )
In the recent report provided by the High-Level Panel on the management of iconic wildlife species in South Africa, the majority of the panel recommended that the government of South Africa ban captive lion breeding. One of their reasons was the risk associated with zoonotic diseases. It is a risk that has been highlighted by several lobbying groups and individuals but is often lost beneath the layers of moral debate that tend to dominate. So what diseases are associated with lions, and how acute is the risk? A recent study analyses 148 different research papers to start providing answers to these questions.
A zoonotic disease is a disease caused by any pathogen – bacteria, viruses, prions, fungi and parasites – capable of transmitting from vertebrate mammals to humans. Outbreaks of zoonotic diseases such as ebola, foot-and-mouth, psittacosis, or tuberculosis are often associated with severe human illness and death, as well as heavy livestock losses. Any farming and commercial use of animals is associated with an increased risk of zoonotic transmission, which is why biosecurity is so stringently regulated in most countries.
Wild animals can also act as reservoirs of infectious disease, some of which may, as yet, be unknown to the scientific community. Commercial wildlife operations are typically conducted with high concentrations of animals, poor hygiene conditions, and close contact between animals. In wild animals without domesticated instincts, high stress levels caused by captive situations might lower immune response and increase the risk of disease spread. Even though there are now thousands of lions and other predators housed in captive situations throughout South Africa, this was the first attempt at compiling a list of pathogenic organisms associated with lions from recent scientific research.
The authors analysed 148 different scientific papers from the last ten years to collate a list of diseases that have been identified in lions. Sixty-three different pathogens were reported, most of which were parasites but also included viruses and fungi. The authors also list 83 clinical symptoms and diseases associated with the identified pathogens. Several were singled out as potential threats to human health:
Echinococcosis – a disease caused by tapeworms that may often be present without symptoms for many years but may result in the formation of cysts in the brain, lungs and liver.
Human African trypanosomiasis – lions are a potential carrier of African sleeping sickness, though the disease is not typically present in South Africa.
Bovine tuberculosis – tuberculosis transmission at the wildlife-livestock-human interface is a growing concern and can have severe health and economic implications.
A pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli – these bacteria are present in the intestines of most mammals, including humans, but pathogenic strains cause diarrhoea and digestive distress.
Toxoplasma gondii – a protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis (generally symptomless in healthy adults but can cause serious conditions in those with weakened immune systems). Some Toxoplasma species can cause severe inflammation to pulmonary, cardiac and nervous systems and have been linked to foetal death and abortion.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum – one of the tick-borne Rickettsia bacteria, causing tick bite fever.
Microsporum gypseum – a fungus that causes dermatomycosis (ringworm).
Toxascaris leonina – a parasitic roundworm that has been known to invade human hosts.
Mange – a contagious skin disease caused by parasitic mites and resulting in scabies in humans.
Of significant concern is the mutation and spread of viruses. Coronaviruses are one of the most common virus types in the world, and almost every human is infected with one or more during their lifetime. It is the more lethal strains of the virus (such as COVID-19) that are of concern. The feline coronavirus has not yet been known to spread from cats (lions or domestic cats) to people. However, the unsanitary conditions and proximity in lion farms increase the risk of these viruses mutating and making the species leap to humans. There are documented cases of COVID-19 in captive big cats, and farmers in the Netherlands contracted COVID-19 through close contact with infected mink. Pathogens could also transmit from farms to the surrounding wildlife.
In many instances, managing disease within captive lion populations is especially difficult because the lions appear asymptomatic for years or may act as carriers of disease. With little to no legal regulation, most captive lion farms have no biosecurity measures in place. This, in turn, will have implications for what happens to the lions currently in captivity.
The authors indicate that the list of identified pathogens is far from exhaustive but was intended as a baseline inventory of key pathogens associated with diseases in lions. They conclude that regardless of the moral debate surrounding the commercial breeding of lions, the industry poses a potential risk to other wildlife and public health.
Straw-coloured fruit bats in Kasanka National Park
The Kasanka National Park in Zambia – home to the world’s largest mammal migration – is under immediate threat from agricultural development. Update.
Up to ten million fruit bats migrate to the wetlands in Kasanka for a few months every year. It is a globally significant biological spectacle that draws in tourists and helps to underpin the fastest growing economic sector in Zambia. This is the world’s largest mammal migration.
Kasanka National Park receives the highest level of protection in Zambia – because of the unique flora and fauna that it supports. Critical to the whole ecosystem is the habitat immediately surrounding the park. This land is currently being illegally deforested by the Tanzanian based Lake Group and its subsidiary Lake Agro Industries. They apparently aim to grow wheat, maize and soya amongst other crops.
The habitat around the park is designated the Kafinda Game Management Area (GMA) and also receives protection but this is being ignored. Lake Agro Industries have cleared over 560ha of natural woodland in the zone. The future of the whole area now hangs in the balance.
The world’s largest mammal migration occurs when straw-coloured fruit bats visit Kasanka National Park each year. It’s a spectacle that’s been filmed by the BBC, Netflix and is currently part of an ongoing project for National Geographic / Disney
The current situation
The Zambian government has temporally halted the destruction but Lake Agro Industries is persevering. They have submitted a formal Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for consideration, requesting permission from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to develop commercial agriculture and associated infrastructure over a 7,000ha footprint inside the GMA, less than three km from the national park where the bats roost. The result of the ESIA will be given on 18 June 2021 but the actual ESIA still does not appear on the ZEMA website and public comment is thus almost impossible.
The clearing began in 2019, well ahead of obtaining any formal permissions. The Kafinda GMA is officially classed as part of Zambia’s Protected Area Network. In practice, this is supposed to be implemented by the General Management Plan (GMP), which was signed by the Ministry Of Tourism and Arts and the Zambian Wildlife Authority. This splits the area into zones and sets out what type of land use is permitted in each. The Lake Agro footprint sits across the ‘Wilderness Zone’ and the ‘Development Zone’.
The wilderness zone is supposed “to be used for tourism and preservation of habitat”. “The purpose of the zone is to provide low volume tourism. It allows for minimum development with non-permanent structures. Visitor activities focused on are game walks, game viewing and photographic safaris”. Roads, settlements, hunting, and farming are not permitted.
The development zone: “covers 56 % (2,162 km2) and is the largest of all the zones. It generally surrounds the buffer and the special use zones. It allows for developments such as settlements and basic amenities such as education and health”. Small scale community farming is permitted within the Kafinda GMA, but not commercial farming. All development proposals within the GMA require an EIA or an Environmental Project Brief.
Lake Agro Industries claim they have permission to occupy the land because they made a payment to the local traditional authority, Chief Chitambo; however, the chief doesn’t have the authorisation to give away that amount of land or override the legal restrictions set out in the GMP, and he did not consult DNPW.
Local ecologist and conservation biologist Helen Taylor-Boyd says: “The value that the Park and GMA buffer provides through ecosystem services such as water catchment and carbon sequestration, as well as tourism livelihoods, cannot be underestimated. Kasanka National Park is also host to the world-famous fruit bat migration and impacts here will have a knock-on effect for seed dispersal locally, nationally and beyond borders”.
Kasanka National Park
Kasanka National Park hosts a number of exceptional natural features, including:
The largest mammal migration in the world. A seasonal colony of up to ten million straw-coloured fruit bats, a significant part of the subequatorial population of this IUCN Red List Near-Threatened species and a major tourist attraction.
The second-longest bird list of all Zambian national parks and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. It is home to a highly diverse avifauna that includes many threatened species.
Important populations of the scarce sitatunga, offering the best viewing in Zambia and beyond; the IUCN Red List Near-Threatened puku; and the little known Kinda baboon.
A healthy and diverse complex of rivers. The park is of great importance to the ecological and socio-economic functioning of these watercourses.
A unique small-scale diversity of intact habitats, including threatened habitats such as the mushitu and mateshe evergreen forests, hosting enormous biodiversity.
The area under threat, the GMA, is crucial to the integrity of the park, providing a buffer and transition into other sustainable land uses. When the world’s largest mammal migration occurs in October each year, the straw-coloured fruit bats take up residence in a small area of evergreen forest in the very heart of Kasanka National Park. Every evening they leave the roost to forage well beyond the artificial boundary of the park, venturing deep into the Kafinda GMA.
Research has shown that these bats migrate huge distances from countries including DRC, South Sudan and Tanzania. Along the way, they deliver invaluable ecosystem services, such as seed dispersal and the promotion of reforestation. Effects in Kasanka will have repercussions felt across Central Africa.
Concerns with the ESIA
Despite the legal status of the GMA, its protection is not being enforced. The landscape is being deforested and degraded at an alarming rate, posing a direct threat to the integrity of the park’s ecosystems and the animals it supports. In 2019, Lake Agro Industries cleared over 560ha of pristine woodland in Kafinda GMA without the appropriate permission. Government departments issued three-stop orders before closing the farm in March 2020.
The proposed 7,000ha Lake Agro site lies entirely within the Kafinda GMA, less than three km from Kasanka National Park
Proposals in the ESIA include drawing water directly from the Luwombwa River, which feeds the wetland habitats of Kasanka National Park. It is estimated that abstraction at peak demand in September would be greater than 90% of the remaining flow of the Luwombwa River.
The ESIA report from Lake Agro Industries concludes that “the identified environmental impacts have been fully mitigated against”, with proposed mitigation to compensate for deforestation being “avoid clearing or damaging intact habitats” – despite the 7,000ha scheme being situated entirely within the intact habitats of the GMA.
Potential impacts on the Protected Area network (Kasanka National Park and Kafinda GMA) are not given any consideration in the ESIA and, in 245 pages, there is not a single mention of a bat.
Conclusion
Kasanka Trust maintains that it would be negligent of ZEMA to grant approval for the proposals. The site selection and occupancy of the GMA would result in devastating impacts to biodiversity conservation on an international scale.
It should also be noted that elsewhere inside the Kafinda GMA, another subsidiary of the Lake Group, Gulf Adventures, has occupied approximately 5,000ha of pristine forest and constructed a game farm. The introduction of species not native to the local area such as ostrich and impala is a further breach of the GMP that is designed to support the protection of the GMA.
In theory, there should be no way that the project will be granted approval. It’s situated entirely in a protected area and would have very serious consequences for a national park of international importance for biodiversity conservation. On paper, it has the highest level of protection available. The company has already demonstrated their lack of regard for the environment and the law and there are also serious concerns about the validity of the EISA.
Note that AG attempted to contact the Lake Group for comment but to no avail.
TAKE ACTION:
If you would like to support the Kasanka Trust in stopping this development, please contact James Mwanza of the Kasanka Trust – gm@kasanka.com. To support the objection against the Lake Agro ESIA, the Kasanka Trust needs to hear from you by 16th June 2021.
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Rant warning!
Do we expect too much of our elected leaders in governments around the world? Should I ratchet down my expectations that they treat our natural heritage with respect and not as expendable political tools? And what about enquiries from responsible media brands like Africa Geographic – why are the relevant government departments ignoring our respectful and patient requests for clarity about the poaching crisis that bedevils their wild areas?
The Botswana government has a deserved reputation for stellar wildlife conservation. How quickly that will change if the current leaders continue to duck and dive in the midst of a massive increase in poaching of rhinos and elephants. While old scores are settled and egos assuaged, the crime syndicates are making a fortune out of the slaughter.
Our first story below refers.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
As a child I detested winter. I grew up in Johannesburg so this is reasonable – it’s skin-scalingly dry, frosty and the air is clogged with asphyxiating horrors. There also isn’t a builder in South Africa who’s worked out how to construct a vaguely insulated home. While I could put this down to some sort of national incompetence, (of which there is an ample supply) I actually think it’s national amnesia. Come the first of September, we forget entirely that we’ve been freezing to death, looking forward instead to the long summer.
When my parents sent me forth to make a living (i.e. ejected me from the nest), I moved to the Lowveld where the winters are surprisingly pleasant – as they are in most of southern Africa’s safari hotspots. Yes, it is frigid on early morning game drives, with many of our international travellers utterly astonished that Africa could be cold at all, but the chilly dawns are followed by balmy days with lots of animals frequenting the dwindling waterholes. The colours of the winter – bronze, copper, orange and gold – also offer a gorgeous backdrop for photography. In my opinion, a leopard’s pelage is much better complimented by the palate of winter than the verdancy of summer.
So, once you have immersed yourself in the 101 finalist photos for the 2021 Photographer of the Year competition (two exquisite galleries below), why not book yourself a winter safari? You can take your own happy snaps for next years competition, and, if you are a town-dwelling southern hemispherite, you can escape the smoggy air and respiratory distress that accompanies the city’s winter. Our travel desk is open for enquiries by emailing travel@africageographic.com or navigating to the website links at the end of each of our stories below.
Here, at long last, are the Top 101 entries in our 2021 Photographer of the Year! We will announce the overall winner and two runners-up in late June. They will share US$10 000 in prize money and join their partners and our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana.
Here, at long last, are the Top 101 entries in our 2021 Photographer of the Year! We will announce the overall winner and two runners-up in late June. They will share US$10 000 in prize money and join their partners and our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana.
That we are seeing increased rhino poaching in Botswana’s Okavango Delta region is no secret, as your news feeds will bear witness to.
During the last few months, I have received several phone calls from respected members of the African conservation and tourism industries. The clear and urgent message has been that rhino poaching in Botswana is rampant and that Africa Geographic should investigate and let the world know what is going on. But, unfortunately, my requests for specific facts and evidence were initially rebuffed for fear of persecution by the Botswana authorities.
Eventually, bits and pieces of information and documents from various sources started dripping in. We also received a batch of photos taken off the mobile phone of a poacher – a unique behind-the-scenes look into this sordid industry.
What follows is our attempt to make sense of the toxic mix of official silence and considered input from members of our networks. We do not present this summary as hard facts – we suspect that even the Botswana authorities do not know precisely the scale of the rhino poaching problem. Instead, this is as close as we can come to at the moment to understanding the scale of the problem regarding the poaching of Botswana’s rhinos.
At the outset, I must emphasise that my team and I attempted to contact individuals within the relevant Botswana government departments over the last two weeks. In the spirit of a request by Dr Kabelo Senyatso, Director of the DWNP, on 2 March 2021 that we all “…verify any anti-poaching data with DWNP before making irresponsible and misleading statements that may have a negative implication on Botswana.” we did just that. Initially, there was no response from any Botswana government official – no returned phone calls, emails or social media messages. Finally, last week we managed to make telephonic contact and were provided with two email addresses to forward our queries to, which we did. To date, there has been no response, despite several reminders.
Extinction and the come-back
Botswana’s free-roaming rhinos were poached to extinction during the mid and late 1990s – with the last black rhino going down to poachers in 1992. The decision was then made to re-introduce rhinos, and several private and government projects have focussed on just that – bringing rhinos back to northern Botswana’s wild areas. The project was by most accounts a success, with a 2017 IUCN report estimating that Botswana had 452 white and 50 black rhino– 502 rhinos in total – at the time.
Poaching volumes – estimates
Between 2010 and 2018, only one rhino was poached – by a fisherman poacher in what appeared to be a random, opportunistic killing. The poacher was arrested. In mid to late 2018, poaching escalated rapidly – initially in private game reserves and then in the vast Okavango Delta area.
These are the estimates we have gathered about the number of Botswana rhino that have been poached:
Our sources estimate that the number of rhinos poached in the last 2 1/2 years amounts to a minimum of 100-140 (ave 4 per month). Some sources suggest that a further 60-odd rhino are unaccounted for and almost certainly poached – resulting in a higher estimate by some of up to 200 rhinos poached (ave 6,7 per month).
Former Botswana President Ian Khama estimated the number at 120 in the 18 months to March 2021 (ave 6,7 per month).
Various government officials announced figures related to specific periods – as follows:
46 over ten months (April 2019 to February 2020) (ave 4,6 per month) – Moemi Batshabang, a deputy director DWNP
56 over two years (to August 2020) (2,3 per month) – Dr Cyril Taolo, Acting Director DWNP
36 over 21 months (April 2018 to December 2019) (ave 1,7 per month) – Philda Kereng, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation & Tourism.
Whether you are inclined towards the higher or lower estimates, these figures are significant. Even a conservative estimate based on the above of 120 rhinos poached over 2 ½ years (ave 4 per month) amounts to 24% of the estimated population before the poaching commenced. By comparison, South Africa lost 32% of its rhinos to poaching in the two years to 2019 and 67% over the nine years to 2019. South Africa has 8-10 times more rhinos than Botswana and the number of rhino being poached is therefore significantly higher.
Relocations and dehornings
Some black rhinos were successfully captured and moved to a safe area, and it is believed that there are now few, if any, free-roaming black rhino in the Okavango Delta – the others having been poached. Some white rhinos were dehorned, but dehorned rhinos were amongst those poached – as has been the case in South Africa.
The poachers and networks
Our sources tell us that up to six poaching gangs now operate in the Okavango Delta area, and we have viewed evidence that alleges at least one Botswana Defence Force helicopter pilot was/is involved (more about that later).
Evidence suggests that the poaching gangs have branched out from elephants to now include rhinos. Many of the poachers are from Zambia and Namibia and are assisted by locals. Minister Kerenge explained in parliament: ‘Let me explain that it is a network and syndicate of both Batswana and foreigners’.
Rhino horns captured in seizures as far afield as the Democratic Republic of Congo have been DNA-traced to Botswana. Similar testing of ivory indicates that the elephants were poached in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA). According to our sources, ivory and rhino horn poached in Botswana are trafficked to Congolese buyers in Lusaka (Zambia) and Chinese buyers in Windhoek (Namibia).
Inside job?
According to evidence that we have studied, at least one Botswana Defence Force helicopter pilot was being investigated in 2019 for allegedly working with known poachers – providing real-time rhino locations and security updates. Furthermore, it is alleged that the pilot is related by marriage to one of the known poachers.
Threats & oppression, smoke and mirrors
Several in our networks expressed fear about being blacklisted by the Botswana authorities if they were to be associated with this article. One suggested that this is often a subtle process – with permissions/licenses/permits etc., to operate in Botswana being withdrawn and economic opportunities being denied.
When former President Khama publicly stated that this failure to manage rhino poaching would negatively impact the tourism industry, DWNP director Dr Kabelo Senyatso responded with “…security sensitivities of the subject matter … potential negative implication on tourism … economic sabotage.”. And yet, various ministers have made equally concerning statements relating to rhino poaching (read the links provided in this article).
Senyatso goes on to claim that “…DWNP has a long-standing policy of not discussing operational and security-sensitive anti-poaching information in the media, as that only serves to increase the safety risks that our on-the-ground operatives face.” And yet, the links in this article prove that government ministers do not respect this secrecy policy.
One bizarre (in the circumstances) statement by Minister Kereng during a parliamentary discussion in August 2020 seems to make a mockery of this supposed strategy of keeping poaching-sensitive information out of the public eye: “After de-horning, the horn grows back, same as a nail. When the tourism sector reopens, tourists are going to find our rhinos with horns.”
Where to from here?
My observation is that rhinos and elephants are now such highly leveraged political collateral in the battle to influence people and win votes, there is unlikely to be much common sense in the public rantings of politicians and others who have spotted the same opportunity.
This tunnel-vision strategy is surely preventing meaningful discourse, sharing and collaboration – and wreaking havoc at ground level. That information vacuum is being filled with conspiracy theories and guesswork. And the dominance of political manoeuvring over best-practise is creating an opportunity for well-organised crime syndicates. The same crisis exists in South Africa – for similar reasons.
Who knows what is going on behind the scenes, which valuable experience is being ignored and even suppressed because it originates on the other side of some ideological fence? The Botswana government has a deserved reputation for stellar wildlife conservation. How quickly that will change if the current leaders continue to duck and dive in the midst of a massive increase in poaching of rhinos and elephants. While old scores are settled and egos assuaged, the crime syndicates are making a fortune out of the slaughter.
Accurate rhino poaching statistics will, one day, rise to the surface. And by then, we will know how effective the Botswana government is at curtailing what appears to be rampant poaching. My sincere hope is that someone in the Botswana government rises above the noise soon and starts making good decisions. Am I hoping for too much? Time will tell.
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
Africa Geographic has a policy of not disclosing specific locations of rhino and other target species. Locational terms such as ‘Northern Botswana’ and ‘Okavango’, as used in this story, do not provide new or useful information to criminal syndicates, who rely on real-time and granular locational information provided primarily by insiders and local people.
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I am buried deep in research for a future story. My location is currently about midway between bureaucratic bungling and misinformation juiced by algorithms. Or thereabouts. Over to my raconteur colleague James to regale you with his dry wit and immense charm. See you next week.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
A few months ago I was going through a trunk of memorabilia when I happened upon a large packet of photographs – yes, printed snaps. All of them were wildlife shots sent by various kind guests in the early 2000s. I don’t want to be unkind here so I’ll just say that none have ever decorated a wall, desk, mantelpiece or even privy in any of the hovels I’ve occupied.
Our 2021 Photographer of the Year competition is now closed and we now face the intimidating task of picking a winner and two runners up (to be announced in July). Here are a few thoughts on how we assess the images.
In the days of manual, film cameras, taking a good shot required patience, exceptional knowledge of the camera, the conditions, the animals and a great dose of luck. Now, cameras and editing software are so clever, that just about anyone can take a decent wildlife shot. The result is that what may have been forgiven in the past (slight blur, exposure issues etc), can’t be forgiven now.
Yet, still, most of the principles that defined great shots of the past, define them today: An exceptional prediction of animal behaviour, patience (time), large doses of luck and the ability to tell a story with a picture.
You can see the final gallery of Africa’s wonders below – it’s a long and lovely one so best enjoyed with some good music and drink. A huge thank you to all who entered this year’s competition.
Tourism operations are increasingly offering guests the chance to participate in conservation. In our second story below, two AG tribe contributors share their fascinating experiences of hands-on conservation in the field.
In our final story below, genetic research indicates that there are four species of giraffe and seven subspecies. The research has mighty important conservation ramifications.
Our Photographer of the Year 2021 is now closed for submissions, it’s been a wonderful 21 weeks. We will announce the overall winner and two runners-up in late June. They will share US$10 000 in prize money and join their partners and our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana.
A number of ecotourism operations are beginning to offer conservation activities to their guests – opportunities to see hands-on conservation in action. Lodges and parks are formalising guest safety protocols for taking their guests on rhino dehorning, elephant collaring, game capture and other veterinary interventions.
Here, two of our AG tribe share their accounts of firsthand conservation experiences.
Game capture in Mokala National Park, South Africa
By Sharlene Cathro
During a recent visit to Mokala National Park – one of the newest SANParks Reserves, my husband and I discovered the building of a large boma in the middle of the reserve. This could only mean one thing – ‘game capture’. We spoke to the rangers and they agreed that we could experience the event.
As retired, hobbyist photographers, we spend an average of three to four months of the year in various SANParks reserves; this was the first time we’d had the opportunity to witness something like this. It turned out, I had no idea what actually transpired during a game capture.
Clockwise from top left: Just prior to closing the first division; two divisions closed with the animals in the truck; SANParks officials monitoring the animals in the truck; tranquilising a herd of captured zebra.
Preparation
First, the boma area was built bearing in mind factors such as animal pathways, wind direction, trees and space for the massive transport trucks. Then, the helicopter took off to locate a herd of the desired species (not, as I had envisaged, with different herbivores herded together). Meanwhile, the ground crew entered the boma area and positioned themselves out of sight, behind trees and the tarpaulin curtains. The first target for our capture team was a herd of zebra.
After just 15 minutes, we heard the siren from the helicopter warning the crew that the herd was close. Then a different siren sounded as the animals were about to enter the boma. This told the ground crew to pull the first tarpaulin curtains closed behind the advancing herd. All this happened in seconds.
Then the hard work began.
The second tarpaulin division closing behind a herd of eland
Execution
We watched the ground crew guide the herd towards the holding pen, still with the assistance of the helicopter. This is far easier said than done as zebras have an excellent sense of smell – if they scent human, they can panic and dart off in the opposite direction. It took a while, but finally after three different curtain closures, each one smaller than the last, the herd was in the holding pen.
All the captured animals were then counted, sexed and finally tranquillised for the onward journey. This was done by a professional team of SANParks veterinarians. The procedure was performed methodically by marking each animal with a green stripe after the first tranquilliser, followed by a yellow stripe after the second. Once completed the zebras were loaded into the trucks. Depending on the species, some are loaded and only then tranquillised through the roof of the vehicles.
I was fortunate enough to photograph the eland capture from the top of one of the trucks. The eland were quite happy to run from the holding pen straight up the ramp into the truck where the tranquillising was done through the roof.
The three large trucks interlinked in a U formation – the animals walked through the first and second trucks and into the last. This meant there was no moving, reversing or changing trucks after each capture – therefore less stress on the animals.
The entire day’s experience was one of the most exhilarating and educational of my life. I can only admire the dedication and hard work of the SANParks team. They worked tirelessly for the entire day, hiding up trees and wrapped in tarpaulin curtains; all to ensure the animals were captured and transported to their new homes in the safest, most humane way possible.
To quote Ben, a long time SANParks employee, ‘You must come and help so that you can tell your children and grandchildren you were involved in relocating wild animals; this is not something many people get to do in their life.’
The author enjoying her game capture experience
Conclusion
Mokala National Park is known as the breeding park for our unusual and endangered animals. It has no natural predators and the herds grow to numbers greater than the park can sustain. It is, therefore, necessary to control the numbers – hence the game capture and redistribution programme.
All the animals from this day’s capture went to various rigorously screened game farms in the Northern Cape as part of an effort to create a greater spread of species across the country. The farms were pre-approved after undergoing a rigorous screening process by the SANParks.
Thank you to Rudi and Lawrence for giving us the opportunity to be a part of the team and photograph the day’s proceedings.
Hands-on conservation: elephant collaring in Zimbabwe By: Ben Sheil
Have you ever seen a collared wild animal and wondered why it is so? Tracking wildlife with remote radio collars stretches back to the 1960s and since its inception, it has seen widespread use by those studying and conserving wildlife. Collars are the most widely used tracking devices for mammals because they are relatively easy to fit and have minimal impact on an animal’s wellbeing. Powered by batteries, they are designed to run for a set period (usually influenced by the frequency of data transmission) before being manually removed.
Most collars are equipped with a VHF radio transmitter and/ or a GPS transmitter, allowing the animal to be tracked directly in the field, and online. By observing an animal’s long-term movements, researchers can develop a better understanding of their behaviour, habitat selection, home range size, and potential for human encounters. Collars provide researchers with detailed pictures of species’ ecology – information critical for conservation.
Guests receiving a safety briefing from vets and field workers
Joining the mission
I was fortunate to have the chance to join an elephant collaring mission in Zambezi National Park, situated just outside Victoria Falls in northern Zimbabwe. The mission was orchestrated by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks). The project was part of an effort to understand the elephant population in the little-studied park which is part of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier conservation area.
As you might imagine, collaring an animal the size of an elephant is a complex operation, with many precautions in place to minimise the risk to both human and elephant. With a relatively large team consisting of researchers, rangers, vets, hunters and a small group of university students from Australia, there was no margin for error.
We assembled at the gates of the park in the early afternoon, and after a safety briefing, we headed off. Our convoy bumped along the dirt tracks that navigate through the thick bush, before opening up to the Chamabondo Vlei, a strip of open grassland that runs through the otherwise densely forested southern half of the park. Elephants are frequently sighted here, and sure enough, we encountered a herd at a watering hole.
The experts in the team quickly identified a suitable individual – an adult cow. Although only one individual would be collared, the information collected from the collar was expected to represent the entire herd. Adult cows are selected as they are the most likely to remain with the group and will not outgrow the collar.
The perfect shot
We waited at a distance as the herd slowly abandoned the watering hole and headed for the thick bush that flanks the grassland. One truck, with the vet on the back holding the loaded dart gun, approached the herd. As soon as the opportunity presented, the shot rang out. Through my telephoto lens, I saw the dart impact the elephant’s right thigh. A perfect shot.
The herd quickly ran into the forest and the rest of us on the ground scrambled in chase. We parked up next to the boundary of the forest and set off on foot, following the tracks of the retreating herd. A couple of hundred metres in, we found her lying on the ground, completely knocked out.
The collaring had to be swift, and this is where the importance of having a hugely skilled team is crucial. Some pairs of hands were dedicated to attaching the collar, some took measurements and tissue samples while others fanned her ears and sprayed them with water – regulating her temperature. A great deal of attention was also focused on the surrounding bush, making sure the rest of the herd wasn’t about to charge to the aid of the downed female.
Within a few minutes, the collar was attached and measurements recorded. The team packed up and left hastily. As we walked back through the bush, we began to hear the bellows of the waking cow. We returned to the vehicles and took a deep breath to fully absorb the experience.
This particular elephant was one of three collared in Zambezi National Park over the course of a few months and researchers gained the ability to track the movements of the herds online. The information received remotely is valuable alone, but it also allows the researchers to better locate the herds in the field. Twice a week the team ventures into the park to gather data from the ground.
The collared elephant cow just prior to her antidote
After the collaring
Locating these specific herds in the field is still no easy task even with the aid of the radio collars. Before heading out in the mornings, the researchers check the last-known GPS location online. They then drive as close as possible to the coordinates before using radio telemetry to zero in on the elephant. This involves holding an antenna in the air and listening for beeps that come through the receiver, roughly indicating the distance and direction of the collar. Often, the elephants are situated in areas of thick bush inaccessible to the team, but the job has become even harder after two of the collared individuals joined other herds – an example of how socially dynamic elephants can be.
When the elephants are spotted, the team take recordings on the herd size, demography, health and behaviours, and this, coupled with the long-term movements of the herd, provided by the GPS, gives the researchers an enhanced understanding of the status of elephants in the park. The purpose of this information is used to advise conservation initiatives such as mitigating human-elephant conflict in the region.
It is true that seeing a collar wrapped around the neck of a wild animal isn’t pretty, but the value of these instruments shouldn’t be understated. The efforts of conservation organisations have a big part to play in the fight to save threatened animals – and with issues such as climate change, habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict all adding to the uncertainty of what lies ahead, these efforts are needed now more than ever.
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It’s no surprise that a WHISTLEBLOWER has fingered the high-profile oil drilling operation in the Okavango basin in a complaint registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This dubious project, previously described by me here as a ‘pump-and-dump investor SCAM’, will likely burn many naive (greedy?) investors before it sinks beneath the Kalahari sands. What these thugs will inevitably leave behind is environmental damage and yet another abused and discarded African community. Read all about the SEC complaint here.
And, along similar lines, the plot thickens regarding attempts to strip-mine the bushveld paradise that is Selati Game Reserve, a conservation success story near the Kruger National Park. The man behind this particular GET-RICH scheme has a history of fraud and corruption. Read all about it in this sterling bit of investigative journalism. Thanks to Ritchie Morris for sending us this link.
Lastly, we have received many nudges about our exciting new development that I have hinted at in the last few months. Soon YOU will be invited to get involved in AG’s mission to up our game.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
Many things in the world baffle me. For example, I cannot comprehend why, despite the regular passing of the seasons over humanity’s entire history, we still comment, with great surprise, when it’s cold in winter or hot in summer. Another thing beyond the realm of my intellect is banking – I suspect it is so to many bankers too. Because of its inscrutable nature to the layman, bankers are excellent at hiding behind jargon. Many enjoy delivering treatises on market variables with an intimidating array of obfuscating vocab – usually with a supercilious air that indicates they really don’t expect a bottom-feeding biologist to understand. What has any of this to do with conservation? Well, money must flow for people to be paid for things and suitcases stuffed full of greenbacks are difficult to haul about these days. In our first story below, we look at some new research that points a finger at banks and calls on them to flag money flowing in the illegal wildlife trade – about time too!
As a guide, driving back at night after a long game drive, guests in a satisfied gin funk, my mind used to wander. One evening, the spotlight was flicking from side to side, and I was trying to convert 4.4 light-years to kilometres, the distance from the earth to Alpha Centauri. Suddenly, Elvis shook the spotlight violently and there, in its beam, was a cat I’d been hoping to see for years. Utterly oblivious to my stupified guests, I slammed on the brakes. Knees clattered into seat frames, binoculars flew, cameras hit the floor. ‘Serval!’ I yelled. The cat disappeared long before any guest could recover sufficiently to see it. Our second story below is a deep dive into the life of this magical, miniature cheetah/leopard/moggy type cat.
Then it is time for your weekly chill session with some gentle tunes. We’re into the very final stages of our Photographer of the Year and this week’s selection holds some rare and stunning delights from all over Africa. You can still enter your best African snap here.
Probably best to watch our video of the week after your Friday afternoon cake. You will need this to fuel your soon-to-start trail running regime.
Story 2 https://africageographic.com/stories/serval/
SPRING-LOADED CAT
Species focus: With its long limbs, spotted coat, and characteristic spring-loaded pounce, the serval is one of Africa’s most striking cat species
The classification of giraffe species and subspecies has proved unexpectedly contentious. Various scientists have suggested that giraffe be divided into anything from two to nine different species. New research facilitated by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) confirms that a division into four giraffe species division is the correct approach. This, in turn, could have an important impact on giraffe conservation throughout Africa.
The northern giraffe is divided into three subspecies: the west African giraffe (G. c. peralta ~600 remaining), the Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis ~3,022 remaining) and the Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum ~2,297 remaining). The southern giraffe has two subspecies: the South African giraffe (G. g. giraffa ~20,675 remaining) and the Angolan giraffe (G. g. angolensis ~20,192 remaining). The study also suggests that the Luangwa giraffe (G. t. thornicrofti) should be recognised as a distinct subspecies of the Masai giraffe. The distinctions are important because some species/subspecies are of more conservation concern than others. The southern giraffe is the most common, while two subspecies of the northern giraffe are critically endangered.
At present, the IUCN only recognises one giraffe species classified on the Red List as ‘Vulnerable’. However, the IUCN also recognises nine different subspecies, each with a separate conservation status (although the South African giraffe has yet to be assessed). As in the case of the forest elephant, acknowledging new species takes time, especially when science does not provide an unequivocal answer and there is disagreement over what criteria to use when distinguishing species. For giraffe, some contention arose due to a degree of hybridisation in captivity.
The four-species division was initially suggested in 2016, based on collaborative research conducted by the GCF, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre and partners. “We were extremely surprised to find such large genetic differences in giraffe in our initial study as their morphological and coat pattern differences appear limited,” says Dr Axel Janke, a geneticist at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre and Goethe University in Germany. “However, to put our results into perspective, the genetic differences between the distinct giraffe species are similar to those between polar and brown bears.”
Nevertheless, the 2016 study was met with some controversy, and debate ensued about the correct classification. However, the new research published this month was analysed with additional experts from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences and ITMO University to produce the most inclusive genomic level analysis of giraffe relationships. The researchers conclude that the four distinct giraffe lineages diverged between 230,000 and 370,000 years ago.
Clockwise from top left: Reticulated giraffe, Masai giraffe, west African giraffe, Nubian giraffe (courtesy www.afripixo.com), Angolan giraffe, Kordofan giraffe, South African giraffe
Why is this important? “We estimate that there are fewer than 6,000 northern giraffe remaining in the wild. Their numbers have declined by more than 90% in the last 35 years. As a species, they are one of the most threatened large mammals in the world, and we need to urgently increase our protection efforts of this species before it is too late. The conservation implications of this genetic research are immense, and it would be ignorant to ignore these new findings. It’s time to act now!” says Dr Julian Fennessy of GCF.
Genomics is vitally important to our understanding of species and subspecies divisions, and, most importantly, it is enhancing our perception of biodiversity. Not only does it highlight how vital it is to act on this research to conserve what remains, but it also serves as a sobering warning about how much we may have lost already without knowing. In the case of the giraffe, there is still time to appreciate the significant differences between the various species and protect those that remain.
Our Photographer of the Year 2021 is open for submissions, with cash prizes of US$10,000 for the overall winner and the two runners-up who will be announced in late June. They and their partners will also join our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari in Botswana.
According to the Financial Action Taskforce’s 2020 report, illegal wildlife trade (IWT) generates between seven and 23 billion USD annually for international, organised crime syndicates. Investigations by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) show that cartels are using formal banking systems to launder the proceeds, largely undetected. The authors of the new EIA briefing call on major financial institutions to play their part in helping authorities identify transactions linked to IWT. The failures of banks to scrutinise the financial footprints left by syndicates have resulted in the loss of vital opportunities to disrupt trade.
According to the report, while IWT is a global concern, the main markets for the bulk of the trade are in east Asia. This is particularly true for elephant, rhino and pangolin parts, which the UN Office on Drugs and Crime recently identified as the three species accounting for some 56% of all illegal wildlife seizures.
Using case studies broken down into different species and routes, the EIA report analyses the financial flow linked to specific forms of illegal wildlife trade and major seizure incidents. In many cases, syndicate members received payment directly from buyers into their personal bank accounts (or those of family members) without any apparent concern for detection.
One case study documents how, in late 2013, some 4.8 tonnes of ivory valued at 5.9 million USD was seized in Tanzania. (Tanzania has lost more elephants to poaching than any other African country in recent decades – its population plummeted by 60% between 2009 and 2014). Upon investigation, it turned out that the smugglers were using a network of front companies ostensibly involved in the trade of agricultural products, food, and marine products. On one particular day, half a million dollars moved through a Tanzanian bank account linked to a front company, but the bank failed to identify or flag the suspicious transaction. The formal banking system was used for transfers in both dollars and Tanzanian shillings, but large cash deposits failed to attract any attention.
Flow of the proceeds of illegal wildlife trade
According to the EIA, the apprehension and prosecution of wildlife traffickers for money laundering offences are extremely rare, even though this line of investigation can pinpoint high-level people within a syndicate and strengthen criminal cases. Fortunately, there are signs that this is gradually improving, and financial intelligence units are putting more emphasis on wildlife crime cases. This, in turn, should see financial institutions following suit.
The briefing emphasises that it is critical for these financial institutions to recognise the potential risk that wildlife trafficking brings to their organisations. Naturally, the larger, local institutions in emerging markets carry the most significant risk. While global banks have shown limited progress, regional and local banks are not involved to the necessary level. According to the authors, this can largely be explained by a lack of conformity across jurisdictions in terms of the treatment of wildlife trafficking, with disparate classification, laws and policies acting at cross-purposes. Given the lack of legal frameworks to establish potential liability, it is perhaps unsurprising that wildlife crimes are not a risk priority for many financial institutions.
Even once the gaps in the law are filled, the resources directed towards the financial aspects of wildlife crimes are also minimal, left to a small number of law enforcement agencies with powers relating to money laundering and banking and a handful of NGOs. Notably, financial crimes are often viewed through the lens of fighting organised crime and are often very transaction-specific. However, the EIA points out that many of the banking services provided (such as loans or credit facilities) may be having a far greater impact on IWT than once-off transaction dealings.
As such, the report argues, IWT in the financial sphere should be viewed as part of a broader effort to conserve the environment, not just as a pursuit of organised crime. Disrupting wildlife trafficking will require complex strategies at a deep structural level as the current piecemeal approach is not effective. Financial institutions need to coordinate and play their part in the fight against wildlife crime.
As Julian Newman, EIA’s Campaigns Director explains, added: “Private sector banks have a vital role to play in ensuring that wildlife criminals cannot hide their ill-gotten gains in the financial system… They can start by assisting governments to follow the money and reduce the profit incentive behind illegal wildlife trade, helping the authorities to build anti-money laundering cases and to seize assets.”
Across the runways of Paris, New York and Milan, supermodels parade the latest fashions draped across their slender frames. With steely looks and pronounced cheekbones, these young and glamorous walking clothes horses are, in theory at least, the pinnacle of human attractiveness. Yet for all the effort that goes into achieving this particular look, there is an African cat that effortlessly achieves the same effect: the serval.
The striking servals that stalk the savannahs, plains, wetlands, and forests of Africa bear a certain similarity to these leggy models, sporting a matching kind of composed elegance. These servals are, in essence, the ultimate masters of the catwalk (and stalk and leap and pounce).
The leggy serval knows just how to strike a pose.
Introduction
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a medium-sized cat that looks somewhat like a cross between a small cheetah and a large house cat. In reality, they belong to the “caracal lineage” of the Felidae family, along with caracals and African golden cats, though their peculiar shapes, spotted colouration and missing ear tufts set them apart from the other two species. Servals have the longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any of the cat species (hence the model comparison) and a tawny-gold coat dotted with a mixture of spots and stripes. Like caracals, their tails are relatively short in comparison to other cat species. There are rare sightings of melanistic servals, particularly in East Africa, and leucistic individuals have been born in captivity.
Though the serval is the only member of its genus, there are currently three proposed subspecies recognized by the IUCN’s Cat Specialist Group: L.s. serval of Southern Africa, L. s. lipostictus of East Africa and L. s. constantina of Central and West Africa. These distinctions, however, are based mostly on the trend observed within other African cats, rather than genetic analysis, and may change as further research comes to light.
Solitary and silent, servals are seldom seen but surprisingly widely distributed across a range of habitats in most of sub-Saharan Africa. There are also some small and isolated populations scattered in North Africa – specifically in Morocco and Tunisia. As a general rule, servals are not fond of arid areas. They prefer wetter habitats where rodents tend to be densely populated, with the exception being the central tropical rainforests of Africa, where they are notably absent.
This blue-eyed serval was photographed in Amboseli. Their eyes are usually brown/tan in colour.
Quick facts
Height:
54-62cm at the shoulder
Mass:
8-18kg (the males are usually larger than the females)
Length (not including the tail):
67-100cm
Social structure:
solitary
Gestation:
around 73 days
Life expectancy:
10 years in wild, over 20 years in captivity
The pounce
The lanky limbs of the serval are not only useful in navigating long grass and dense wetland vegetation, but they confer the serval’s most well-known ability – a gravity-defying leap. The extended metatarsal bones and elongated and unusually mobile toes provide the perfect attachment points for a complex arrangement of tendons and muscles that store and release elastic energy. The result is that servals have been recorded leaping close to 3m straight up and 4m forwards, occasionally snatching hapless birds out of the air at the same time.
Aided by this penchant for pouncing, servals are exceedingly proficient hunters. While current research indicates that the diminutive black-footed cat holds the highest hunting success rate of any member of the cat family, the serval vies closely for the top spot. Studies conducted in Tanzania indicate that some servals have a hunting success rate of over 60%, with the possibility that this number is closer to 80% when only rodents are considered.
The characteristic leap of a hunting serval.
The hunt
The secret to this success lies in the serval’s hunting strategy. They are consummate ambush predators that use their massive, radar-like ears to detect the smallest movements of anything from rodents, insects and reptiles to birds and antelope lambs. Prey detected; the serval stealthily moves into a spring-loaded crouch, frozen until the time is right to launch an attack with legs drawn up to their chests and descending upon unsuspecting victims from above. Anything that manages to dodge this aerial assault is rapidly chased down in long strides. Snakes require a more combative approach, with lightning-fast blows from the forepaws dispatching them from a comfortable distance.
This particular strategy is most effective at night, and servals are described as primarily nocturnal. However, they are equally comfortable utilizing the daylight hours, particularly in the early mornings and at dusk. When large kills are made, servals have been observed caching the carcasses, hiding them beneath leaves and grasses.
A hunting serval uses it’s large ears and exceptional hearing to pinpoint its prey.
The kittens
Efficient hunting is vital for mothers of young kittens. As is the case with all solitary cats, the females with dependent kittens expend approximately twice the energy and time hunting to keep their litters well-fed. The altricial kittens are born blind and weighing just 250g, covered in soft grey fur and entirely dependent on their mothers. The litters of between one and four kittens are hidden beneath dense vegetation or in abandoned burrows, and the mother starts to bring food back to the den when they are around a month old.
The transformation from vulnerable fluffballs to fierce little predators is a rapid one, and the kittens start hunting at around six months old as they acquire their permanent teeth. They will accompany their mother on hunts for the next six or so months before reaching full independence at around a year old. Overly attached youngsters who exhibit a reluctance to leave their mother’s side are eventually met with aggression as she chases them out of her territory.
Like all cats, servals are lithe and agile.
The sexes
The serval social structure and territory layout is not dissimilar to that of leopards, albeit over smaller home ranges of 10-32km2. Both males and females mark and defend territorial boundaries against members of the same sex, though physical confrontations seem to be quite rare. The territories of the males are larger than those of the females, and one male’s range may overlap the ranges of several females. Territory size and serval density are dependent on the resources available to them. When the habitat is suitable, and prey is abundant, the territories will be smaller in size and the population density will be higher.
The males and females generally only associate when the female is in oestrus, a state that she advertises through increased urination and repeated vocalizations.
Serval are, by nature, solitary cats.
The threats
Naturally, the main anthropogenic threat to servals is the constant degradation and loss of suitable habitats, particularly wetlands and grasslands. Fortunately, however, servals have proved to be highly adaptable and appear to be more tolerant of disturbed landscapes than many other mammal species. Recent research seems to indicate that the highest density of servals anywhere in Africa is in Secunda, South Africa, in the buffer zones surrounding a coal liquefication plant where they prey on the abundant rodent population.
To a lesser extent, trade in serval skins poses a particular threat to the servals of North and Central Africa. At the same time, in West Africa, their parts are used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. Rural pastoralists may also target servals as a potential threat to livestock.
For now, however, the serval is listed on the IUCN Red List as “Least Concern”, though the populations north of the Sahara are considered to be “Critically Endangered”. These northern populations are primarily isolated to Morocco, though servals were reintroduced to Feijda National Park in Tunisia. While servals were once recorded in Algeria, fears are that they are now extinct there.
Servals are highly adaptable and are found in most sub-Saharan habitats, preying on a variety of species.
The pets
Over recent decades, the serval has seen a surge in popularity as an exotic pet, and the first savanna cat (an occasionally fertile hybrid between a serval and domestic cat) was bred in 1986. Most countries have strict regulations around keeping wild animals as pets, but in areas where such restrictions are more relaxed, exotic breeders have flourished.
While fortunately, the breeders supply most of the pet trade without significant impact on wild populations, there are practical and ethical realities to keeping a serval as a pet. Slender they may be, but a serval is an immensely powerful animal that can weigh close to 20kg and live for 22 years. Most importantly, their wild instincts are imprinted from birth. While pet sites are full of testimonials about how servals make wonderful, almost dog-like pets, the various rescue centres now home to abandoned, “troublesome” adult servals tell a vastly different story. It is unaccountably cruel to breed an animal genetically programmed to stalk the wilds of Africa and put it in a harness or cage as a status symbol and ego-boost.
Conclusion
For those looking to see an elusive serval where it truly belongs – in the wild – there is good news. Over recent years, particularly in East Africa, serval sightings are becoming increasingly common as more time and effort has been put into understanding their movements. For a fortunate few, this has resulted in astoundingly intimate glimpses into the lives of one of Africa’s most graceful cats.
And, the more time we spend with them, the more we will learn about these mysterious little cats with their model-like limbs, handsome faces, and sense of absolute self-possession.
Want to go discover the Garden Route and South Africa while on an African safari? 
Travel writer, mountain guide and mother, Sarah Kingdom was born and brought up in Sydney, Australia. Coming to Africa at 21, she fell in love with the continent and stayed. Sarah guides on Kilimanjaro several times a year, and has lost count of how many times she has stood on the roof of Africa. She has climbed and guided throughout the Himalayas and now spends most of her time visiting remote places in Africa. When she is not travelling, she runs a cattle ranch in Zambia with her husband.
Hannes Lochner is a renowned, award-winning wildlife photographer and has been taking pictures professionally since 2007. He has long been fascinated by the arid zones of Southern Africa, which of course, include the Kalahari. His name is now synonymous with the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the park’s leopards in particular.
Bob Chiu was born in Hong Kong and lives in Los Angeles, USA. He is a visual storyteller whose images from travel to street photography convey the beauty of various human cultures, emphasising human interactions. He aims to capture precious moments of unique human interaction in a rapidly changing world. He hopes his work can help make the world a smaller place by allowing people from different parts of the globe to know each other better.
Based in Botswana for the last 15 years, James Gifford is a multi-award-winning photographer, writer and videographer, with two published books and numerous magazine credits to his name. In between guiding specialist photographic safaris and creating marketing content for safari companies, he takes every opportunity to get into the bush to create images that can influence how we think about the world and conserve the bounty of wildlife that is still left on our planet.
My name is Aditya Nair, and I specialise in wildlife photography with an added touch of surrealism. I grew up in Kenya snd couldn’t help but feel connected to the wildlife around me. Every time I saw a different species for the first time, I felt responsible for telling stories about us and them.
From Brazilian jazz clubs to Africa’s national parks, Ana Zinger sings and photographs. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she majored in music and vocal performance in 2003. She developed an interest in photography at an early age, only to find her inspiration reached a peak when she visited Africa for the first time in 2000. Mesmerised by the beauty of the African wilderness, she started travelling back to Africa to photograph its wildlife. It has been 20 years now… Her work has featured in several expositions, magazines, Brazilian newspapers and Africa Geographic. Ana’s mission has been to connect people to Earth’s wild inhabitants through her lenses, throwing light on the importance of a respectful human-wildlife coexistence in a changing world.
I am an amateur hobby photographer raised in South Africa. I have a deep-seated love for wildlife, photography and the African bush.
Geo Cloete is a multi-talented artist with an architectural degree from Nelson Mandela Bay University (South Africa) in 1999. The fruits of his labour have seen him complete award-winning works in architecture, jewellery, sculpture and photography. Sharing the beauty and splendour of the natural world, especially the underwater world, is a primary focus of his photographic projects. In recognition of his contribution to spreading awareness of ocean conservation, Geo was invited to become a Mission Blue partner in 2015.
I grew up in a small nomadic Maasai community in the southern part of Kenya. I now work as a professional safari guide showing international guests the beauty of nature in Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
Kirkamon Alarin Cabello was born in the Philippines. Nature hikes led him to a love for photography at an early age. He worked as a signage layout artist in a mining company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. During this time, he became even more enamoured with nature photography and birding. Through this art, Kirkamon eased his loneliness away from family and loved ones. It was therapy to keep him sane and happy. He has successfully entered several local competitions in the Philippines for birding photography.
Marcello Galleano, an entrepreneur in the field of nutraceuticals and herbal medicine, has always been a lover of nature and adventure trips. He has visited more than 86 countries worldwide and collaborates with non-profit associations in Africa and South America. Passionate about wildlife photography, he loves to capture the most incredible moments that the various environments offer and share the world’s beauty.
I am a conservation scientist, drone pilot and an avid wildlife photographer based in Gauteng, South Africa. I completed my formal training in 2007 as a nature conservation student in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, whereafter I conducted a postgraduate study on the vulnerable African Grass Owl on the Highveld of South Africa. I am currently employed by a non-profit conservation organisation. My primary role is to study novel ways to protect wildlife from power line electrocutions and collisions. I also pilot unmanned aerial vehicles for various conservation missions. My love for wildlife photography blossomed in the Kgalagadi and has since been nurtured by a passion for birding, scuba diving and various other outdoor hobbies I share with my wife.
Philip Jackson was born in the United Kingdom. In 1992, at the age of 28, in need of adventure and tired of grey skies, he embarked on a bicycle ride to South Africa to start a new life. He fell in love with the country and has lived there ever since.
Piotr Naskrecki is an entomologist, conservation biologist, and photographer with over 20 years of experience in biodiversity research in academic environments and non-profit conservation organisations. He received his PhD in entomology from the University of Connecticut, USA. His interests concentrate on sound communication in insects and other animals, new species discovery, biodiversity conservation, and popularisation of scientific knowledge.
Sam Turley was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1992. Growing up in the countryside, Sam’s fascination with the natural world started at a very young age and has never left him. He has since dedicated his life to wildlife conservation, and after studying zoology in the UK, he went on to qualify as a field guide in South Africa, where he worked for three years. During a trip to Namibia in 2016, Sam’s passion for wildlife photography ignited, and he has been obsessed ever since. He was the overall winner of the 2020 Wilderness Safaris People’s Choice Award and was a three-time finalist in the highly prestigious 2020 Natural History Museum’s Photographer of the Year competition. His work has also been featured in many magazines, including The Telegraph, Getaway and Travel Africa. He now lives and works in Zimbabwe on a rhino conservancy where he plans to run photographic workshops and tours.
I was born and educated in Zimbabwe, moved to KwaZulu Natal, South Africa to complete a midwifery diploma as a young woman and married a South African farmer who is passionate about wildlife. So it was that my interest in wildlife and photography slowly began.
From Italian origins, Valentino Morgante was born in Malawi, in the heart of Africa, where he spent his first 18 years living in close contact with African nature and culture. He completed his last years of study in Johannesburg and then moved to Italy. There, he began his working life, where he developed, among other things, a passion for nature and sports photography.
Ying Shi is a Chinese photographer who has lived in Canada for nearly 20 years. He is a member of the Canadian Association For Photographic Art, a council member of the Jiahua Elite Photography Association, and a member of the Photographic Society of America. He was awarded The Distinguished Canadian Photographer by the 126th Toronto International Salon of Photography in 2019. His photographs in Kenya have won many awards in international photography competitions.
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