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Armchair conservation + untamed Kafue + festive safari planning
The Christmas lights are up in shop windows ? and the electric restlessness of the silly season is peeping out above the horizon.
So where to safari this festive season? Read on to find out!
Our first story below is one for the social media fanatics. There is no question that social platforms bring awareness to conservation issues. But are the shared posts, bold declarations and passionate comments making a difference? Our story delves into how social media attention fails to address pressing conservation threats. A poignant study for the ages.
In our second story, we’re laying down all there is to know about Kafue National Park. There is something spellbinding about this untamed Zambian expanse spanning woodland, sweeping plains, wetlands and an incredible variety of wildlife. This is one to add to the bucket list.
It’s summer in the south, and sweltering landscapes dotted with baby herbivores (predators in tow) are cooled by afternoon thunderstorms. East Africa is scant of tourists – the perfect opportunity to experience the magic in peace. Read our third story below for tips on planning your December–February safari.
Happy celebrating Africa!
Taryn van Jaarsveld – Editor
Story 1
https://africageographic.com/stories/the-elephant-in-the-room-how-social-media-attention-misses-more-pressing-conservation-threats/
ARMCHAIR CONSERVATION
Social media impacts conservation. But research shows that the attention elephants receive on Twitter fails to address urgent conservation issues
Story 2
https://africageographic.com/stories/kafue-national-park/
UNTAMED ZAMBIA
Kafue is Zambia’s oldest & largest national park – known for sweeping plains, wetlands & abundant wildlife
Story 3
https://africageographic.com/stories/safari-season-dec-jan-feb/
FESTIVE SAFARI
Keen to safari in Dec, Jan & Feb? See our tips & recommended destinations for visiting Africa in the festive season & beyond
TRAVEL DESK UPDATES:
Choose your next adventure! Chat to our travel experts and you could soon be jetting off to the heart of the wilderness.
If you’d like front-row seats as the Great Wildebeest Migration makes its way through the Serengeti ecosystem, this iconic Big 5 safari is for you. Our chosen dates & camps are to maximise on sightings, based on where the herds are at the time.
Head out in search of adventure in Kenya’s most diverse wildlife region, teeming with endemic & endangered species. This safari will have you at the centre of the action on foot, on horseback, or from the comfort of a vehicle. Spend nights sleeping under the stars, and afternoons at a rock hide waiting for wildlife, or simply chilling – at the pool, with some yoga or a massage.
From our Scientific Editor – Jamie Paterson
For the sake of ruffling some feathers, so to speak, what manmade threat accounts for the greatest number of bird mortalities every year (not counting habitat loss)? The answer is domestic cats – by a substantial margin. Did you know that cats kill an estimated 1.4 to 3.7 billion birds in the United States each year? Research from other countries, including Australia, Canada, China and South Africa, reveals similar trends.
With our uncanny capacity to polarise every debate, the outdoor/indoor cat conversation invariably descends into a vicious slanging match (I anticipate at least one angry email in the next few days). Leaving aside the discussion on “natural behaviour” and cat welfare, why is it so difficult for avid cat lovers to acknowledge their beloved furbabies’ impact on the environment? To do so does not imply that the cats are at fault! So mystifying is this level of denial that scientists even dedicated an entire paper to untangling the cognitive dissonance.
Please keep your cats inside. It’s safer for them, and it’s better for the environment.
Mouse-Free Marion
We’ve just added the Mouse-Free Marion Project to our selection of trusted conservation and community projects.
In the early 19th century, house mice were accidentally introduced to Marion Island, a seabird haven in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, south-east of South Africa. This has had a devastating impact on the ecology of the island. The Mouse-Free Marion Project aims to remove the invasive mice, which are endangering the long-term survival of the seabirds and other native species of the island. Learn more about how the project is working to eradicate the problem, and see how you can help.
Browse our hand-picked selection of trusted conservation and community projects to see how you can collaborate with others who share your passion for Africa. Log in or sign up to the app to view our projects.
Pictured: Grey-headed albatross colony on Marion Island © Michelle Risi
WATCH: Botswana is the safari connoisseur’s choice, offering some of Africa’s best game viewing, huge wilderness areas, superb lodges and most experienced guides. In this video, enjoy striking scenes from Botswana, a land of endless wildlife encounters (01:15). Click here to watch
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