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Wild dog diet decoded + reefs & elephants in Maputo NP + lion collar update
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From our CEO – Simon Espley
DO YOU KNOW how difficult it is to do good?
You will know by now that we donate a portion of the proceeds of every safari we craft for our guests to projects that make a difference at ground level for people and wildlife.
One such chosen project has been sponsoring lion research collars in the greater Hwange region. These free-roaming lions face huge pressure – from poaching, loss of prey base and habitat, to human-wildlife conflict and trophy hunting. These collars enable researchers to better understand lion movements and help keep roaming lions away from villages in this vast, unfenced landscape, thereby reducing loss of human lives and livelihoods. Local people are gainfully employed doing the research and responding by chasing the lions away from villages when the GPS collars trigger an alarm. It’s a win-win.
The collars are, unfortunately, ineffective at protecting the lions against trophy hunters with low or no ethical standards. Witness the hullabaloo surrounding the legal but deeply unethical killing of Blondie and a string of other Hwange pride males over the years.
Our support for local conservation projects comes at a cost to them. We insist on mutual respect, transparency, and exemplary ethical standards. This is not negotiable or up for debate.
And so I regretfully announce that, for now, we have shifted our geographical focus for sponsored lion research collars away from Hwange. We will continue to support lion research elsewhere via our donations, and we are now actively engaging with other research teams. I will keep you posted.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
A luta continua 🙂
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
Click below to listen to this editorial
Travel Desk – 2 African safari ideas
South Luangwa, Victoria Falls & Lake Malawi safari – 13 days – from US$8,280pps
Explore the majesty of the mighty Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, and then head into the heart of the raw wilderness of South Luangwa National Park, Zambia – the birthplace of walking safaris and one of Africa’s leopard hotspots. Your last stop is Nankoma Island on Lake Malawi, where you’ll enjoy sun-soaked adventure and ultimate relaxation.
Zambia luxury safari – Lower Zambezi & South Luangwa – 7 days – from US$8,370pps
A luxury safari in Zambia, where comfort meets extraordinary wildlife encounters in Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks – two of the country’s top safari destinations. Indulge in bespoke service, breathtaking landscapes, and intimate wildlife experiences, all while enjoying seamless luxury and discreet, attentive hospitality. This safari is an unforgettable journey and the ultimate safari escape.
Still dreaming of the ultimate African safari escape? Browse our safaris ideas here. Or click here to plan your safari.
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Good news from Zambia: leopards and wild dogs are thriving in Kafue National Park. This, according to Musekese Conservation, a nonprofit monitoring wildlife in the Musekese-Lumbeya section of the park. Camera-trap surveys in the area identified 95 individual leopards. At densities of up to nine leopards per 100km², some sections of the park rank among the most leopard-rich landscapes in Southern Africa. And if that’s not good news enough, wild dogs have also rebounded in Kafue – from a single pair to three active packs, with a brand-new pack spotted this year. Lions remain scarcer, but their numbers are slowly climbing too.
These results highlight what determined protection and conservation partnerships can achieve: a landscape where wildlife has a real chance to flourish again.
This week, we bring you a double dose of wild: a deep dive into Mozambique’s Maputo National Park, and fresh insights into the secret dining habits of African wild dogs.
Did you know? Your African safari choice makes a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level. YOUR African safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Our stories this week
Discover Mozambique’s Maputo National Park – a wild mosaic of elephants, dunes, forests, reefs, and turtle-nesting beaches
WILD DOG DIETS
New DNA analysis reveals surprising prey in African wild dog diets, reshaping our understanding of hunting behaviour
Collaring Kruger’s lions
Ten lions in Kruger National Park are currently part of an exciting project aiming to provide insight into how lion pride behaviour differs in fenced and open systems. Nelson Mandela University researchers (NMU), vets and teams from the Southern African Conservation Trust (SACT) fit satellite-tracking collars on the lions.
This vital project aims to compare various behaviours between open and fenced systems by:
- Testing the effect of pride strength on territory size;
- Measuring territory infringement;
- Testing the pride’s aggressive response during territory infringements;
- Comparing stress levels of prides; and
- Comparing the ratio of prey resource availability to home range size.
You can help in this important study by sponsoring a collar in full or by donating any amount – large or small – to support this critical conservation project. Learn more here.
WATCH – AFRICAN SAFARI INSPIRATION:
A poignant short documentary exploring how SANParks uses different types of K9s as part of their approach to combating poaching in Kruger National Park. (21:28)
Click here to watch
*Cover photo: Look into the light – a rare golden monkey shifts its gaze to the sky, mid-snuggle, just as a shaft of light penetrates the forest. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. © Sam Wallace – Photographer of the Year 2021 Top 101 entry
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