Page 37 – Africa Geographic

5 things to do in Coffee Bay

Here are five activities you’ll definitely want to try when travelling to Coffee Bay on the Transkei coast.

Proteas threatened by climate change

It is an uphill battle for South Africa’s national flowers as proteas face the threats of climate change.

Drongo mimics alarm calls to steal food

Drongo mimics alarm calls to keep stealing food from other species, finds UCT biologist.

A baby black zebra

A baby black zebra is been seen in the northwestern area of the Okavango Delta – a very rare sighting, that has tourists keen to have a look

Looking after orphan elephants

Andrew White takes us through a day in the life of the elephant orphans and their keepers at the Elephant Nursery Facility at Lilayi Game Reserve in Lusaka.

Water lilies of the Delta

During a walking safari in the Delta we stop to appreciate the magnificent water lilies that litter the Okavango’s waterways.

First photos of Liuwa’s lion cubs

Liuwa’s Park Manager has captured the first clear images of the three lion cubs, born four months ago in Liuwa National Park.

Farmers along the perimeter of Serengeti National Park have tried various elephant-deterring techniques, from beating tin cans to lighting fires, most of which haven’t appeared to work. But now there are beehive fences which appear to be doing the job!

Biggest tusker elephant in Southern Africa dies

It is with deep sadness and regret that Tembe Elephant Park has announced the death of Isilo the elephant. Isilo was the king of the elephants and wildlife in the Tembe Transfrontier Park on the South Africa/Mozambique Border and was known as the biggest “tusker” in Southern Africa.

Rhino horn – To trade or not to trade: Does it really matter?

The rhino horn trade is being punted as an option with ‘if it pays it stays’ philosophy. The counter argument being that we don’t understand the market, making it difficult to play with. Each a compelling argument in its own right, however are we are dividing our forces, our efforts and the rhino population while we debate the issue?

Diving with dinosaurs

We go diving with cow sharks; a shark with very few modern adaptations that makes them one of the closest links we have to dinosaurs.

Rhino horn – Will supporters of trade make their case?

Organisers of a key conference about rhino conservation and introducing a legal trade in rhino horn claim that advocates of trade are threatening to boycott the conference because their point of view will not be represented.

Satellite tag could reveal more about mysterious coelacanths

For the very first time detailed data about iSimangaliso’s coelacanths has been collected via a satellite tag.

The Lower Zambezi beneath a copper sky

An Australian company’s scheme to mine copper in one of Zambia’s most pristine national parks.

Fight for the fynbos fish

Learn about the redfin minnow, the most widespread group of freshwater fishes in the Cape Floristic Region, and find out why these fish face a serious risk of extinction.

Rhinos: It’s time for Plan B

We do not get a second chance if we get the economics of rhino trading wrong; all the rhino in the wild will be gone. It is time for a Plan B.

Parrots and people

The lives of parrots and people have been intimately entwined for centuries, if not millennia. Given the familiarity of many of us with some of Africa’s parrots it may come as a surprise that we still know so little about their lives in the wild.

Baboon spiders: hairy monsters or furry friends?

Baboon spiders are placid, enigmatic animals that would rather keep to themselves than risk an encounter with human beings. And believe it or not, there are people who are fascinated by them…

A quarter of the world’s sharks and rays face extinction

A quarter of the world’s sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Two lion cubs born in Liuwa

Two lion cubs have been sighted in Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia, significantly marking the first birth of lion cubs in the park for well over 10 years.

How the engagement ring proves that we shouldn’t trade rhino horn

Is your engagement ring to you what rhino horn is to the Chinese? We investigate some marketing myths in light of the proposal to legalise the trade in rhino horn.

21 elephant calves a testimony to anti-poaching efforts

Twenty-one new elephant calves have been sighted at Zakouma National Park in the Republic of Chad, marking a turnaround in the fortune of the park’s beleaguered elephant herds which had been decimated by poaching in recent years.

Scientists call for critically endangered listing for West Africa’s lions

The living dead, scientists call them: populations of animals so small their extinction is all but inevitable. At the top of the list may be lions in West Africa.

New population of critically endangered riverine rabbits found

A population of critically endangered riverine rabbits was discovered in the Anysberg Nature Reserve, bringing new hope for the species.

Wild dogs collared in the name of research

An alpha female has been re-collared and two young wild dogs collared for the first time in the 13 member-strong pack at Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia, in anticipation of a natural split in the group. Read the full story here.

Lions return to iSimangaliso in memory of Mandela

After 44 years of absence, lions are being introduced into the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, affording the park with Big 7 status.

Top 10 Ugandan birds

Uganda, is known as Africa’s premier birding destination and with the list of birds found here topping 1 000, it is difficult to narrow down what we would consider the top 10, but here goes….

What’s a camel worth?

Interview with the Maasai and Samburu tribes to determine their views on owning cows vs. camels accordingly to practicality and tradition.

The sand men of Mali

Photo gallery: The “sand men” of Mali collect coarse river sand that goes into the concrete to build Bamako, the fast-growing capital of Mali

Trophy hunting in the context of community conservation

A thought-provoking blog post about how a well-managed trophy hunting operation has a positive effect on both wildlife and communities.

The birth of a pangolin

This is Roxy, the most amazing mama Cape pangolin in the whole world.

It’s a bird-eat-bird world

Bird-on-bird action as a pearl-spotted owlet catches a lovebird and proceeds to butcher and devour it in a Windhoek, Namibia garden

11 Interesting Facts about Sociable Weavers

Sociable weavers build massive colonial nests that hang 4m high in trees and telephone posts throughout the arid regions of Southern Africa

Is walking with lions good conservation? Probably not.

Is walking with lions good for conservation? NO, despite what slick marketing material and convincing volunteers and promoters may tell you

The mighty springbok migration

Gert van der Merwe’s personal account of the great springbok migration is told in Lawrence G. Green’s book Karoo. Towards the end of the 19th century, Gert’s family moved their sheep and cattle between decent grazing lands, helped by their shepherds and a San wagon leader who must have previously experienced the migration. “The trek …

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The front line of lion conservation

Eventually a shout from below, and a sad find. A young lion, killed by Maasai spears. Her claws, tail and ears are gone – prizes

Scientists discover new giant mole-rat in Africa

The world’s newest species of mole-rat: Caroline’s mole-rat (Fukomys vandewoestijneae) has been identified in Zambia by scientists

10 ways to say ‘hello’ to a South African

Even though many South Africans speak English, that doesn’t mean you’ll always understand us. With a lot of local slang, South African English has a flavour of its own, borrowing from Afrikaans and the country’s eleven official languages. Even the greeting hello has many layers to it. By MzansiGirl. Here are 10 ways to say …

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