Page 15 – Africa Geographic

Stories in the night sky

For centuries, African myths and legends have been recorded in the positions of the celestial bodies in the night sky. Starry starry night

Key Questions for Human-Elephant Conflict Research

Managing elephants amongst rural villages is challenging where elephant populations are increasing due to successful conservation practises

CEO note: Extinction business + 2 success stories

Cheetahs return to Bangweulu, Zambia

Three cheetahs have been successfully translocated from South Africa to Bangweulu in Zambia – the first cheetahs there in nearly a century

Operation Twiga V

15 ‘Critically Endangered’ Nubian giraffes translocated from Murchison Falls to Pian Upe in Uganda – part of ongoing giraffe range expansion

The extinction business – South Africa’s cold-blooded reptile trade

South Africa’s amphibian & reptile trade is a growing industry that is unregulated, unsustainable, and unethical – says report

CEO note: Frack the Okavango + arch enemies + Gorongosa

Paradise is closing down: The ghastly spectre of oil drilling and fracking in fragile Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta under threat as oil drilling and fracking loom on the horizon after Canadian company tests massive prospecting concessions

GORONGOSA IN IMAGES

Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique is a place of abundance; one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth – for the safari connoisseur

Arch-enemies? New research on lions vs hyenas

Lions vs hyenas is the ultimate African drama. New research has shed light on the dynamics between these two apex predators

CEO note: Crafty strategy + great news + rhino facts

RHINO

Africa’s 2 rhino species are the most numerous of the world’s 5 species. Here is everything you need to know about black and white rhinos

580 elephants return to Virunga in DR Congo – and other species follow in their wake

580 elephants have been seen moving again between Queen Elizabeth NP in Uganda and Virunga NP in DR Congo – and other species are following

Female banded mongooses incite violence for better mating opportunities

Female banded mongooses lead their groups into deliberate conflict with rival groups to increase their chances of mating – research

CEO note: Free at last + Hwange + the edge

The Edge of Existence and human-wildlife conflict – we interview James Suter

The Edge of Existence tells the story of human-wildlife conflict on the western boundary of Tanzania’s Serengeti. We interview the filmmaker

HWANGE

Zimbabwe’s oldest and largest national park, Hwange is a safari paradise that hosts large populations of elephants, lions and wild dogs

Confiscated parrots fly free again over DR Congo forests

39 poached & confiscated African grey parrots released in eastern DR Congo after being rehabilitated at Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre

CEO note: Reality check + another ‘problem’ elephant killed

Jens Cullmann, 2020 Photographer of the Year – gallery two

This fantastic gallery by Photographer of the Year 2020 winner Jens Cullmann will have you booking your next safari with Africa Geographic

Forest elephants going hungry as climate change stops trees from fruiting

Forest elephants are losing body condition – most probably due to climate impacts on forest tree fruit production – say researchers

Chacma Baboon

The baboon is one of the largest monkeys in the world, with human-like cunning and 4cm canines that rival those of leopards

CEO note: Captive-bred lion hunting not ‘fair chase’ + Lost & found

Riff Raff the ‘problem-causing’ elephant shot and killed

The ‘problem-causing’ elephant known as Riff Raff has been shot and killed by provincial authorities in South Africa

Captive-bred lion hunting not acceptable – say Dallas Safari Club & CIC

Captive-bred lion hunting “not representative of responsible, sustainable, fair chase hunting … damaging the reputation of hunters” …

Lemurs of Madagascar

The lemurs of Madagascar are a fascinating family of primates of all shapes & sizes that have evolved to fill every niche on the island

“Lost” species of chameleon found in hotel gardens

A ‘lost’ species of chameleoln – Voeltzkow’s chameleon – has been found in a hotel garden in Madagascar after it had been assumed extinct

CEO note: Perfect storm alert + Mana Pools

COVID-19 ‘perfect storm’ threatens conservation in Africa

A new report examines just how bad COVID-19 is for Africa’s wildlife and protected areas and what needs to be done to save our wild spaces

Mana Pools

Mana Pools is Africa’s iconic park for bush walking without a guide – renowned for encounters on foot with wild dogs & relaxed elephant bulls

Africa’s Wild Dogs – A Survival Story

Africa’s Wild Dogs – A Survival Story is a photographic book celebrating these charismatic predators and telling their story

Saving rodents, losing primates – we need tailored strategies to manage bushmeat trade

Viewing all bushmeat trade through one lens over-simplifies the complex situation and could lead to accelerated disappearance of some species

CEO note: Strawberry leopard + here be dragons + living next door to a poacher

Strawberry leopard – a first for Gauteng

Photos: The ‘strawberry leopard’ is a genetic rarity that seldom occurs, and is almost never seen. Well, one has now been seen in South Africa

HERE BE DRAGONS – The Nile crocodile

The Nile crocodile has evolved over millennia to be a cunning, patient and ferocious predator that is capable of taking down large prey

Cycads: Are you living next door to a poacher?

The most endangered living organisms in the world today are not rhinos, elephants, or even pangolins – they are plants called cycads

The Colours of Salt

AERIAL ART is a coffee table book by photographers Jay & Jan Roode who celebrate the spectacular Namibian coastline with astonishing images

Ruaha

The ancient Ruaha landscape, dominated by huge baobabs & elephants, is home to a wide variety of wildlife for the perfect wilderness safari

Trophy hunting – how do African people feel?

Trophy hunting: How do African people perceive and react to trophy hunting compared to those from the Western public – research

The Power of Unity – Cheetah coalition in Maasai Mara

This is the story of a cheetah coalition of five males – the Tano Bora coalition, meaning ‘The Magnificent Five’ – in Kenya’s Maasai Mara

POACHERS – the people behind the statistics – a reality check

POACHERS – who are they and what motivates them? TRAFFIC investigates the driving factors of poaching activities and suggests solutions

Ignorant complicity amongst some safari guides

This refreshingly honest opinion editorial looks at eco-ethics amongst safari guides as they go about finding animals for guests

Bee wise

On the south-western tip of Africa, a bee conservation group has spent the last seven years discovering the wisdom of our wild honeybees

Tembe elephant bull relocated to community-owned reserve

A large young elephant bull has been relocated from Teme Elephant Park to Somkhanda Community Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal

Etosha

Etosha offers that iconic African safari experience: a waterhole packed with thirsty animals & the drama of stalking big cats seeking a meal

The great elephant balancing act

Elephants are amazing animals and a favourite for holidaymakers on safari. BUT meeting an elephant at night near your home can be terrifying

Nyungwe NP in Rwanda under African Parks management

African Parks has announced the signing of a 20-year agreement with the Government of Rwanda to manage the biodiverse Nyungwe National Park

Lion farming – Lord Ashcroft submission to South African High Level Panel

Lion farming presentation by Lord Ashcroft to the High-Level Panel looking at the management of lions and other species in South Africa

Kruger waterhole problems

Kruger waterhole problems are being reported, and it is not clear which waterholes are closed as per the Kruger ecosystem management plan

KHWAI

Khwai in Northern Botswana is a wildlife haven. Bordering the Okavango Delta, Moremi & Chobe – Khwai is an iconic safari destination