CEO NOTE: 19 March 2021
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In this instance, I will leave most of the talking to my phenomenally capable colleague James. Just this: today some 20,075 sunrises ago, my mother gave birth to me. I don’t celebrate human dates, but I do worship the ground that my mom walks on. Peace out.
Keep the passion
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
From our Editor-in-Chief
I would suggest that before you delve into the meat of our main stories, you pour a cup of tea/ coffee/ malt whisky, don a pair of headphones and push play on our video of the week (scroll down). It’s an inspirational tribute to Namibia by some tremendously talented Namibians and will kindle your wanderlust for wilderness.
Our first story below is not quite as inspirational as the video. The Okavango has lost all its rhino in the past, and it looks like the ignominy of another local extinction is on the cards if the government doesn’t acknowledge the upsurge in poaching.
For our second story below, you might want to pour your second tea/ coffee/ malt whisky before marvelling at the magic of Laikipia – a spectacularly beautiful collection of conservancies in central Kenya. It must be one of the most progressive attempts to incorporate the needs of human beings and wildlife in one protected space; a mosaic of commercial farms, rangelands and wildlife conservancies with huge biodiversity and endless choices for travellers of every bent.
In our third story below, some extremely dedicated souls from Elephants Alive have developed a coding system for identifying individual elephants based on their ages, tusks and ear features. The system has some hugely important applications for elephant monitoring and management.
Finally, the tenth week of Our Photographer of the Year carries a prize of 10 000 USD and a six-day safari to Khwai in Botswana. It’s an eclectic collection of Africa’s exuberant life from desert to ocean. Here’s how to enter. If you’ve captured an image that makes you smile or ponder, send it in – it might just do the same for everyone else!
Story 1
https://africageographic.com/stories/rhino-poaching-botswana-is-pride-hampering-prevention/
SHADES OF GREY
Rhino poaching in Botswana: Is political pride hurting efforts to stop rhino poaching in Botswana? Opinion post by Melissa Reitz
Story 2
https://africageographic.com/stories/laikipia/
SAFARI MECA
Laikipia in Kenya – a land of staggering beauty & biodiversity – a mosaic of wildlife conservancies, ranchlands & commercial farms
Story 3
https://africageographic.com/stories/seek-and-ye-shall-find-elephant-identification/
JUMBO ID
Elephant identification is a difficult task – but a new system based on ear patterns is making the task easier – research by Elephants Alive
Story 4
https://africageographic.com/stories/photographer-of-the-year-2021-weekly-selection-week-10/
BEST PHOTOS
Week ten of our 2021 Photographer of the Year
DID YOU KNOW: A lion’s roar can reach 114 decibels, roughly equivalent to the volume of a rock concert.
WATCH: Namibian tourism breaking free of the pandemic shackles. (3:05)
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