2013 is set to be the worst year yet for rhino poaching. One of Africa’s most iconic animals is being hunted to extinction by poachers wanting to cash in on the outrageously lucrative Asian market for rhino horn. One of the most distressing memories from my recent safari in Madikwe was the sight of a black rhino that had been[…]
Read moreMadikwe Safari Diary Day 3 After 2 pretty hectic days where we had been driving to all corners of the reserve, JP announced that this morning would be more sedate. We were just going to ‘bumble around’ and see what turned up; spending time with some of the other, less high profile, animals. That was fine with me. We’d enjoyed[…]
Read moreMadikwe Safari Diary Day 2 – Morning drive Where are the dogs? If there is one thing that Madikwe is renowned for it is African Wild Dogs. It is supposed to be the park where visitors stand the best chance of seeing these amazing predators because there are 2 resident packs. This was certainly one of the primary reasons why[…]
Read moreMadikwe Safari Diary Day 1 – Morning drive After a whole day of travelling yesterday – we’d driven over hours to get from Karongwe, in the North East, to Madikwe in the North West – it was great to be back out amongst the wildlife. After the dull, overcast conditions at Sabi Sands it was also great to see the[…]
Read moreSafari Diary, Sabi Sands, Day 3 Morning drive ((Excuse the quality of the photographs. I’m still on safari and not able to process photos properly on my old Toshiba Portege. I’ll re-do them all when I get back home)) As promised I have had a go at re-working the photos and you can find them in the African Wild Dog[…]
Read moreSafari Diary, Sabi Sands, Day 2 Afternoon drive ((Excuse the quality of the photographs. I’m still on safari and not able to process photos properly on my old Toshiba Portege. I’ll re-do them all when I get back home)) The skies showed no sign of clearing as we headed out for our afternoon game drive. In search of leopards We’d[…]
Read moreIf this is the best you can do you’ll never beat the poachers One of South Africa’s most iconic species is facing a devastating threat; a threat that – if unchecked – could all but wipe out both species of African rhinoceros. For some time now, conservationists and activists have been trying to make the world – and in particular[…]
Read moreWe woke to a cool overcast morning. Leaving the lodge via the back road, the first animal we saw was a lone female Kudu. Something had clearly alarmed her but we couldn’t see what it might be. Julius, our tracker, pointed over the where a group of buffalo were lying together in the grass. As we made our way towards[…]
Read moreI touched down early on Sunday morning at OR Tambo International airport after a long – long and boring -flight from London via Abu Dhabi. I was very pleased to see from the arrivals screen that Pat’s flight from Perth had landed half an hour early so I wouldn’t have to wait around too long. Thanks for the fact that[…]
Read moreIn January I flew over Kenya’s Rift Valley and was surprised to see the incredibly high water levels of Lake Nakuru. The lake had swollen so much, rising around 2 metres, that the roads used to circumnavigate the lake were now submerged. Water everywhere but no flamingoes More alarming was that the flamingoes for which Lake Nakuru is renowned were nowhere[…]
Read moreThis thought provoking opinion piece from Calvin Cottar and Wycliffe Muga in Nairobi’s Weekend Star looks at some of the reasons why Kenya’s tourism plans are not panning out as they had hoped and what can be done to put things back on track before it is too late.
Read moreAre wildlife conservation and wildlife safaris just for rich foreigners? Someone recently posted on our forums that wildlife conservation was just for rich westerners. The gist of his argument was that the parks and reserves where wildlife is conserved and protected are usually remote and once you get there you need a 4×4 to get around. In addition to that[…]
Read moreMy purchase of a Tamrac Expedition 6x photo backpack marks a transitions for me. After 2 decades of Billingham bags and 5 years of Domke, I’ve decided that it’s time to try out a different style of camera bag. Ever since I started getting paid for taking photographs I’ve only ever owned 2 camera bags. (strictly speaking 3, but my[…]
Read moreThe Ugandan government is working to diffuse a bitter row between the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and local tour and travel operators over the country’s most lucrative tourist attraction, Mountain Gorillas. The local operators, through their body—the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) are not only opposed to UWA’s initiative to have Gorilla viewing permits sold online, they have also[…]
Read moreThere are several new developments at UWA, among them being the introduction of the smartcard entry system to national parks. Gorilla Permits to go Online However, the most intriguing development that has put tour operators at loggerheads with UWA is the move to put gorilla trekking permits online for booking. The move, which starts in 2014, according to Dr Andrew[…]
Read moreWWF warns of environmental disaster and permanent conflict if British firm begins drilling for oil inside Virunga national park. Once again fragile wildlife environments and endangered species find themselves under threat from big business and the eagerness of a government to cash in on it’s country’s natural resources. This amazing park in Africa supports a wide variety of biodiversity, but[…]
Read moreYellow Fever Certification for East Africa. In line with a recent statement from the Kenyan Ministry of Health, please be informed that it is no longer just recommended but now mandatory for travellers to Kenya, travelling FROM or THROUGH “endemic” countries, to have proof of the Yellow Fever vaccination. What is important to note is that Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda[…]
Read moreIn the wilds of Kenya’s Northern Frontier District, Martin Wheeler, aka ‘bird-man’, and team use paraglider, car and footwork in surveillance effort to help thwart illegal wildlife trade. Africa’s wild elephants are being killed at their fastest rate since 1979-89, the bloody decade in which their number more than halved from 1.4m to 600,000. Wheeler, like many conservationists, is on[…]
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