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From our CEO – Simon Espley
This bird has never been photographed.
There is a tiny, colourful forest bird in the misty, mountainous rainforests of the Albertine Rift that has never been photographed in its natural habitat. A few photos exist of netted birds held in the hand during biodiversity surveys. This precious avian jewel goes by the name of Shelley’s crimsonwing (Cryptospiza shelleyi) and is classified by IUCN as Endangered. The population estimate is 1,000–2,499 mature individuals, which is a precarious number for a bird that lives only a few years at best.
I have tried many times over the last two decades to catch a glimpse of this bird in three countries that share this biodiversity hotspot, but failed each time. In a few weeks, I will try again during our annual Photographer of the Year winners’ safari to Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. During our time there, I will join renowned bird guide Claver Ntoyinkima on bird walks along the forest pathways near Munazi Lodge, our home for 6 days of bliss. My last visit to Nyungwe was curtailed when I was diagnosed with COVID and had to wait it out in a hotel overlooking the park while our video crew explored this verdant paradise. I was like a puff adder on a hot tin roof!
Just think about that. In today’s world, where humankind has such an intrusive, interfering relationship with wild places, this bird has eluded cameras and remains a mystery. How awesome is Africa!
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
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Or, listen to all Simon’s past editorials here
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
A warthog bunking near spotted hyenas sounds like a very bad idea. Yet in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park, researchers found warthogs, hyenas and aardvarks repeatedly using the same den sites, often on consecutive days and sometimes within hours of one another. Most seemed to keep different hours: warthogs by day, hyenas and aardvarks by night. But camera traps also caught warthogs and hyenas close together at den entrances without obvious aggression.
So why risk it? Good dens are scarce, and warthogs and aardvarks may even help maintain and expand the burrows. Researchers are even using seismic sensors to ‘listen’ to the vibrations of hyenas, warthogs and aardvarks moving around the dens. We’re very keen to know what is actually going on down there!
This week, we help you time your Greater Kruger safari with a month-by-month guide to wildlife, weather and crowds, and head deep into Congo-Brazzaville for a guest’s hard-earned adventure to remote Capitale Baï in Odzala-Kokoua.
Lastly, the moment we’ve been waiting for: Spots on the Line, our documentary on saving the leopards of the Lowveld, premieres next week, and we’re ridiculously excited to share it with you. This is your last chance to book tickets to watch online or join us in person, and every ticket helps support the conservation work behind the film. See more below.
Did you know?
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 safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Our stories this week
KRUGER GUIDE
When should you visit Greater Kruger? Our month-by-month guide covers wildlife, weather, crowds and the best time to go
LOST IN ODZALA
Our guest’s safari expedition to remote Capitale Baï in Odzala-Kokoua, with forest trails, rare wildlife and a hard-earned adventure
Travel Desk – 2 African safari ideas
Kruger and Bazaruto luxury bush & beach holiday – 9 days
This exclusive bush-and-beach escape combines a Big Five safari in the Timbavati with barefoot luxury on the white sands of Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago. Begin with expertly guided game drives and bush walks in the Greater Kruger, then fly to a private beach villa overlooking turquoise waters, where exquisite sunsets and island tranquillity await.
Lowland gorilla trekking in Odzala-Kokoua NP – 9 days
Trek into the rainforests of Odzala-Kokoua National Park for close encounters with habituated western lowland gorillas on this nine-day Congo-Brazzaville safari. Explore forest trails and baïs in search of elephants, bongos and other elusive wildlife, cruise and kayak along jungle rivers, and experience the rainforest after dark on guided night walks. With gorilla trekking permits included and stays at remote forest camps, this is a deeply immersive journey into one of Africa’s wildest places.
Still dreaming of the ultimate African safari escape? Browse our safari ideas here. Or click here to plan your safari.
SAVING HOEDSPRUIT’S LEOPARDS
“Since 2024, nine leopards have been killed on Hoedspruit’s roads. Seven of them on the R40 alone.”
Be among the first to watch Spots on the Line – our new documentary. Join us on 19 August for the exclusive online premiere of Africa Geographic’s original documentary, following the Ingwe Research Program’s race to understand and reduce leopard road deaths in the Greater Kruger.
More than a film, this is a chance to support the research that is helping make Africa’s roads safer for leopards and other wildlife. Every ticket sold contributes directly to Ingwe’s ongoing work, from identifying collision hotspots to developing practical conservation solutions.
Reserve your virtual seat, be part of the premiere, and help turn this story into lasting conservation impact. Tickets are also available for the in-person premiere, to be held in Hoedspruit, South Africa.
Buy your tickets here for either the virtual or in-person premiere, to be held on 19 August. Your ticket helps fund conservation where it matters most.
WATCH
The world’s biggest baobab? Deep in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a remarkable baobab sparked an epic expedition by road and mokoro to find out just how big it really is. After careful measurements of its girth, height and crown, the result was extraordinary: the Mmadinotishi Tree has been confirmed as the largest known baobab in the world. (05:15) Click here to watch
Cover image: A male lion in the twilight of his reign in Kruger National Park, South Africa. © Craig Hayman (Photographer of the Year 2016 Finalist)
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