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  • Strange hairy antelope spotted in the Masai Mara
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    Strange hairy antelope spotted in the Masai Mara
    The strangest thing happened in the famous Masai Mara a few weeks ago – a hairy goat-like creature was caught on camera by veteran Italian photographer Paolo Torchio, while roaming the plains.

    Having lived and worked in Kenya for two decades Paolo is hugely familiar with the game resident in the reserve, so he was astonished to see a terrier’s face poking out of the tall grass. “I was wondering what this dog was doing out in the wild” Torchio said. When the ‘Terrier’ emerged from the grass it was clearly not a dog. The animal had all the markings of a Thomson’s gazelle but was covered with a strange, thick coat of hair, in stark contrast to the sleek Thomson’s gazelles in its company.

    When Torchio found the strange Terrier-like antelope, it seemed at ease with the other ‘ordinary’ antelopes. “Its funny look was not affecting the relations with the other gazelles”, Torchio said.

    Torchio crept alongside the shaggy creature for 15 minutes, snapping pictures, but eventually the animal took off. The Italian photographer spent the next five days trying to find the gazelle, but to no avail. Experts are not quite sure what to make of the fluffy little gazelle, especially since Torchio’s photographs are the only known example of such a beast existing.
  • Sculpture in Chyulu Hills Kenya seen from space
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    Sculpture in Chyulu Hills Kenya seen from space
    Andrew Rogers is one of Australia’s most distinguished and internationally recognized contemporary artists. He has received many international commissions and has created ‘Rhythms of Life’, the largest contemporary land art undertaking in the world, forming a chain of 46 massive stone sculptures, or Geoglyphs, around the globe. The project has involved over 6,700 people in 13 countries across six continents.

    Andrew chose the Chyulu Hills in Kenya for his first sculpture in Africa. He set up base at Campi Ya Kanzi, a small luxury camp in the Chyulu Hills which was built in partnership with the Maasai community.

    They employed 1,300 Maasai tribes people who moved 2,000 tonnes of stone to build three sculptures which are visible from space.

    The first two sculptures, a shield and a lion’s paw, were chosen by the Maasai community to make a statement about conservation and about protecting their traditional lifestyle. For the Maasai it was fantastic to leave a permanent footprint for generations to come. The third sculpture is the Andrew Rogers signature sculpture ‘Rhythms of Life’, it is the theme for all his geoglyphs and represents the line of life.
  • The shortest game drive ever?
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    The shortest game drive ever?
    At Chada Katavi, in the Katavi National Park, Tanzania, guests were recently woken in the night by loud roaring, and hippo snorting and hooting, followed by a very loud clatter. Hippo and lion were fighting right by the mess tent in camp! Tall shelves holding wine glasses and tumblers, a tea service and two tables were knocked over by a hippo fleeing through the dining tent wall.

    As dawn was breaking the camp staff emerged to investigate, firstly to hear the classic fast heavy panting of a well-fed lion by tent four, with the rest of the pride feeding on something by the mess tent. It was too dark to see, but the sounds of their growling at each other and crunching and gnawing were plain to hear.

    At 6:30, they could finally see what was going on – one side of the tent was pulled down, and five lionesses were feeding on a smallish hippo, right against the tent. Knowing how nervous lions are at seeing people on foot, and by contrast how relaxed they are in the presence of open Landrovers, the guides collected the guests from their tents in their vehicles. Then, in what is probably the shortest game drive in the history of Chada Katavi, they drove the Landrovers 100 metres to the mess tent and sat disbelieving as they all took in the scene.

    When the chef was asked what she was planning to do for lunch she replied “Maybe room service…?”
  • Northern Tuli Predator Project
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    Northern Tuli Predator Project
    The Northern Tuli Predator Project was started in 2007 and focuses mainly on the study of lions and leopards. Additional large carnivore species have also since been selected for further studies, as part of the greater carnivore assemblage in the reserve. These include spotted hyenas and cheetah. The leopard component of the project has been running since 2005.

    Leopards are notoriously difficult to study due to their secretive nature, the habitats they frequent, and their low densities. Although leopards have been studied across a wide range of habitats, there is still a need for further study particularly with respect to management and human conflict. In the Northern Tuli Game Reserve a long-term leopard project has been initiated. Aspects investigated include behavioural ecology, population dynamics, movement patterns, population density estimation, habitat preference, prey selection and human conflict. Thus far 29 leopards have been monitored by means of VHF and GPS radio collars.

    BACKGROUND TO LION STUDY IN THE NORTHERN TULI

    Populations of large carnivores are becoming increasingly threatened throughout Africa, especially when not afforded protection by large conservation areas. Humans frequently limit carnivore numbers living outside protected areas and legal and illegal hunting, road accidents, and snaring are the cause of most fatalities that occur outside of reserve borders. Lions are highly social animals that live in fission-fusion groups, and are thus susceptible to population disturbances from humans. Infanticide also plays an important role in the level of disturbances within a lion population.

    This project aims to investigate the spatial-and temporal movements of lions from the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana. Lions moved across international boundaries and through local farmland regardless of fences and land use type, but spent most of their time inside their home ranges located within protected areas. When lions are moved out of these protected areas the probability of them being killed was high. In at least two instances this included males responding to the placement of baits set to lure lions out.

    Edge effects had a severe impact on the Notugre lion population, with 82% of adult mortality found outside the borders of the reserve. There were various reasons why males left their normal home ranges and went on excursions that took them outside protected areas, one of the reasons being females. Each radio-collared lion had a unique set of characteristics that characterized the size and location of their home ranges, resulting in wide variability in size and shape. Average 90% KDE for males were 69.0 km2 for females it was 41 km2.

    There was much less variability in the 50% KDE of both males and females the presence of human activities, in the form of cattle-posts, agricultural lands and villages also appeared to influence home range selection with lions tending to avoid these areas. With increasing human populations and the destruction of natural habitat, human-wildlife conflict will continue and requires urgent attention in order to mitigate the issue.

    THE AIMS OF THE NORTHERN TULI PREDATOR PROJECT
    * Determine lion numbers and population structures of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve
    * Compare current population status with that of historical records
    * Determine lion movements - especially male lions via GPS-radio collars
    * Identify factors influencing the lion population
  • Selous Game Reserve
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    Selous Game Reserve
    Far from the madding crowd and at the three times the size of the Kruger National Park and double the size of the Senegeti National Park, Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania maintains its title as Africa’s largest reserve. It is a fitting tribute then that it is also one of Tanzania’s three World Heritage Sites. The Game Reserve reached its present size and shape in the 1940′s, when the colonial government moved the remaining tribes out of the area to combat a sleeping sickness epidemic. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

    Selous is named in honour of the Englishman Frederick Courtney Selous. During 1871 Selous lived and hunted in the area for approximately four decades and during that time he gained a reputation as the most accomplished hunter of his age. He was also known for writing, most notably he was the author of “A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa”. Selous assisted Cecil John Rhodes in his campaign to annes present-day Zimbabwe to the British Empire and he also achieved brief notoriety in 1899 for speaking out against England’s war on the Boer Republics of South Africa.

    As Captain of the Royal Fusiliers at the age of 60 and with detailed knowledge of the African bush, Selous led the chase after the German guerilla army that presided in Southern Tanzania. On New Year’s Day in 1917, Selous was shot dead by a sniper close to the banks of the Beho Beho River where he remains buried today, near Beho Neho Safari Camp. Five Years after his death, the British colonists incorporated a number of existing game reserves south of the river to extend the plains of the aptly named, Selous.

    Fauna and Flora:

    An area of 45,000km2 of unspoiled African wilderness, the Selous game reserve boasts a variety of biomes – grassy plains, open woodland, mountains and forests – all classified by their climate and dominant vegetation type, and representing large communities of plants and animals in distinct regions.

    The reserve is split into two different regions by Tanzania’s largest river, the Rufiji. The northern Selous covers only around 5% of the reserves total area. No hunting is allowed here; this area is dedicated exclusively to photographic safari’s and accommodation in exclusive camps and lodges. Hunting blocks of approximately 1,000km2 each make up the Souther section of the Selous reserve.

    Large numbers of sought after game, predators, crocodiles and hippos are resident within this massive reserve. Buffalo numbers are estimated at 120,000 – 150,000. with lion numbers estimated to be around 4000 individuals. Historically, Selous was also home to Tanzania’s largest elephant population, but sadly, due to increased poaching incidents over the years, the number of elephants have reduced dramatically.

    The birdlife here is prolific with more than 440 species of birds being recorded in the Selous. Pink-backed pelicans, African Skimmers and giant Kingfishers, carmine and white fronted bee-eater colonies just to name a few. In the Borassus Palms, pairs of Fish Eagle, Palm Nut Vulture, Ibises and Palm Swifts nest. A myriad of water birds are discovered in their thousand’s – various small waders, egrets and herons as well as the famous Pel’s Fishing Owl.

    Access to the Selous Game Reserve:

    Selous is a six to seven hour drive towards the Southern part of Tanzania, south of Dar es Salaam and is served by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam and Ruaha daily, both of these flights being under an hour in duration. Park fees and Conservation fees are normally included in the price of one’s safari and are estimated at around USD75 per person per day.

    One may chose to take a road trip from Dar es Salaam that involves taking a normal circuit route which would include a trip through the Mikumi National Park and entering the Matambwe Gate. It is such an exhilarating experience, even more so in the mornings, to take the road from Morogoro as it gives visitors the chance to enjoy the drive through the Morogoro town and the opportunity to view the town with the “Ulugulu Mountains” as the scenic backdrop. As one heads out of Morogoro town, you will have the chance to witness how the rural peopl live and work within the villages. Experience a traditional market day in rural Tanzania. Another option is to take the access road from Dar es Salaam past the Tanzanian countryside filled with scenes of tall palms and lush grassland in the hilly areas and enter into Selous that way.

    Activities:

    Tanzania offers numerous options for specialist safaris and activites, whether you wish to drive, walk, ride, fish, fly camp, ride in a hot-air balloon, dive, kite surf or go trekking after chimpanzees.

    Accomodation in the Selous:

    For nature enthusiast seeking an intimate environment and warm hospitality, the Selous offers a wide variety of accommodation types ranging from enchanting and intimate safari camps to tented camps and luxury lodges.

    Seasons in the Selous:

    Wildlife viewing in the Selous Game Reserve is best from late June to October. It is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot since animals gather at water resources and vegetation is thinner. Many lodges close from March through May.

    Quick facts:
    Best time to go: June to October
    High Season: June to Cotober (The tourists area around the Rufuji River gets quite crowded)
    Low Season: March, April and May (Many lodges are closed)
    Best Weather: June to October (Little to no rainfall)
    Worst Weather: March and April (Peak of wet Season)

    From June to October:

    Spotting animals is easier, as they congregate around waterholes and rivers and there is less vegetation. It rains very little and most days are sunny. There is less risk of contracting malaria, since there are not as many mosquitos. Humidity is lowered and the heat isn’t overpowering.

    October to May:

    Scenery is beautiful and green. Crowds are less in the low Season months (March, April, May). This period is peak bird watching time, since migratory birds are present. Roads however, become muddy and are hard to travel on.

    Malaria:

    Be aware that malaria is a health concern in Tanzania. You should protect yourself by wearing clothing with long sleeves in the dawn and evening hours. Also, wear a mosquito deterrent that contains at least 20% DEET and take anti-malaria medicine. Several vaccination are recommended as well. Please check with your local GP for precautions against Malaria.
  • McDonald’s of the Bush
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    McDonald’s of the Bush
    While the Oxford dictionary describes the impala as ‘a graceful antelope often seen in large herds in open woodland in southern and eastern Africa’, a far better description I heard was from an old Zulu guide in the Hluhluwe uMfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa when he muttered drily: “The McDonalds of the bush”.

    Looking at the trademark ‘M’ that spreads itself in black along the tail and rump of the impala, I have to admit that he does have a very fair point, particularly as this is a firm favourite of all predators – from lions, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas; I have even witnessed a particularly large python make a meal out of one over an entire evening. To further add to the fast food metaphor, the impala is incredibly agile and moves in impressive leaps that can reach heights of 3 metres and cover distances of up to 10 metres when trying to escape from becoming the next Happy Meal.

    Following a gestation period of 194-200 days, single lambs are born during early summer – making December a peak time to witness the magical birthing that usually takes place around midday. Impala ewes who are about to give birth will move away from the herd and find a secluded shady spot where they will take advantage of the predators resting during the heat of the day to become vulnerable for this precious moment.

    Almost straight after birth, the mother will encourage her lamb to stand up on its shaky legs and start moving around. Cleaning the lamb and eating the remains of the afterbirth is imperative for removing the scent which might attract predators as they wake from their afternoon siesta. The lamb will still be a bit wobbly for the next few days, and so the mother will remain with it in a protected thicket until it is strong enough to keep up with the rest of the herd.

    The newly born antelope are very naive and for the first few weeks of their lives they make very easy prey. Therefore roughly 90% of all impala lambs are born within the same 3-5 week period due to the births being synchronised as nature’s way of reducing the mortality rate of the young. When returning to the herd, the lambs will come together to form a temporary nursing group which is tended to by a few adult females. Hiding in the long grass of summer, the lamps are well camouflaged from predators. A mother will return to feed her baby but won’t hang around for too long in case this attracts unwanted attention.

    This bushveld miracle is truly wonderful to experience firsthand, and perfectly illustrates The Great Circle of Life.
  • Xonghile: The Place of Beauty
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    Xonghile: The Place of Beauty
    A couple of weeks ago found me bumping along a seemingly endless dirt road in an old Mitsubishi Colt; hungry and tired after a nearly fourteen hour drive from Johannesburg. We had just entered Mozambique through the Giriyondo Border Post and were desperate to reach our destination, Xonghile, before sunset… but the rough roads of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park had other plans and our hearts sank as we saw the Ford Ranger ahead towing the trailer with all our supplies, pull over and stop… We’d lost a bolt on the trailer’s leaf spring. After an hour of crying and traipsing up and down trying to find the missing bolt, then crying some more while fiddling with all possible bolt replacements, the scuba diver in me finally laid tear-soaked eyes on an Allen key and cable ties… we were saved!!! A crude solution but a solution none the less!

    We eventually made it to camp where we unpacked the essentials under the light of the full moon (including the torches and lamps that were packed at the very bottom) and then crawled to bed, too tired to care about double checking the rooms for an African Rock Python that we knew enjoyed making himself at home between the mattresses.

    The sound of trumpeting and long, deep rumbles got us out of bed faster than any smart phone’s fancy alarm app… a herd of elephants had come to the camp’s waterhole for an early morning drink and were playing happily with the water and mud – a true African fountain that would put any found in Italy to shame. The fact that the water had to be trucked in did not seem to bother them in the least. Nor any of us for that matter, and our group included one of the main shareholders who would have to foot the bill. In fact any care in the world was completely forgotten as we watched a tiny baby learning how to use his trunk – and found it particularly effective for slapping a slightly older sibling. When said sibling tried to retaliate, mom stepped in and put an end to the scuffle.

    The days began with our elephant family herd greeting us with every glorious sunrise and then stretched into exploring the land, stopping for impromptu picnics in the middle of the bush. As we made our way back to camp, the setting sun would paint the sky into a kaleidoscope of brilliant colour. And as we reviewed our day’s sightings around the campfire, a few lone elephant bulls, a civet and a duiker would join us for sundowners. Most nights we fell asleep to a haunting cacophony of lion roaring and hyena laughing as they competed for each other’s kills; broken only occasionally by the rasp of a nearby leopard who we never saw.

    One day we decided to break the idyllic timeless routine, and accompany the farm manager on a two hour drive back into the local village of Massingir. It was a random Tuesday morning but the people were in full swing – bottles of Johnny Walker Red were being passed around jovial groups of men, music blaring out of garish Chinese stereos, youngsters racing motorbikes up and down to impress pretty girls – it was magnificent madness!! We headed over to what looked like a restaurant to try and find something to eat for breakfast. A young man was quick to come and greet us but when we asked for a menu his friendly face became one of polite puzzlement and he ran off. Another young lady, who we later found out was his sister, came over with chilled glasses, water, Savannah Dry ciders, gin and Tonic, and Dragon energy drinks and indicated that we should take a seat. We obliged, albeit rather bemused as it was only nine in the morning. In the short time that it took for her to pour the array of drinks for us, the man reappeared dressed in a crisp white collared shirt and smart waist coat – but still no menus. After trying to ask what they offered in the way of food, we were told, slowly and carefully, “eggs, milk and restricted spirits.” How delicious. What about chicken? A hesitant nod… Great – chicken it is! Mozambique is the home of Peri-peri after all!! We decided to play a game of pool while we waited for our chicken and had soon made a group of friends who chatted away in a mixture of Portuguese and Shona. A short while later we went back to our little table – now beautifully laid with colourful woven mats, and more chilled glasses and drinks. Having been warned that the nearest decent medical facility was three hours away, food poisoning was a very real concern but we sat down and waited… the next moment platters of chicken, vegetables, thick chips and rice were carried out by our smiling host and hostess – and the chef!! It was all beautifully presented. And absolutely scrumptious!!! We tucked in happily and I am delighted to report that none of us were ill… Ironically, when I asked for peri-peri – they brought me a bottle of Nandos from South Africa.

    As I was sitting there, with my breakfast of chicken washed down with a Savannah Dry, I reflected that this was Africa: the unexpected adventure that takes you past your comfort zone and then flings you even further – and there you find that mysterious little thing called life. Whether it was creeping past lion on your way to shower in the dead of night, or lying dead still when you awaken from an afternoon snooze in a hammock only to find an elephant browsing off the tree that you are strung to, or just being pleasantly surprised by the hospitality of the people who share this beautiful land. Having been born and bred in Africa, I still find new things every day that make me fall in love all over again. Richard Mullin sums it up quite well: “The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to.”
  • Dragon’s Breath
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    Dragon’s Breath
    When first discovered in 1986, Dragon’s Breath Cave was noticed only because of the shimmer of humid air that rises from it and which inspired the name. Located 46 kilometres northwest of Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa Region near the Kalahari Desert in Namibia, the largest known underground non-sub glacial lake in the world beckons to be explored by the brave of heart.

    Bruce Barker, one such explorer and a good friend of us here at Hartley’s, recently took part in this exceptional and once in a lifetime adventure. A team of twelve divers, lead by well known technical diver Don Shirley, made the lengthy trip from Johannesburg, South Africa to the cave. After an arduous twenty four hour drive, which involved dodging the numerous animals that frequent the roads at night, they arrived to set up camp and get a good rest before attempting any dives.

    These are not straightforward dives – initially one has to enter the cave through a small opening on the surface, carefully shuffling all the necessary 1.5 tonnes of equipment along. This is the easy part as it is still relatively cool but then, 10 metres underground, the heat of Dragon’s Breath hits you as it comes up from the water 50 metres below. Then the rope work starts as each diver has to slither and slide down the rock, with three pitches to overcome and several drops to be made. It is no wonder that rock climbing qualifications and experience are needed just to access the water. The final abseil is spectacular as the crystal clear waters stretch out beneath. This whole climbing process takes over an hour and a half.

    As there is no natural ambient lighting, floodlights are set up to illuminate the cavern. Looking down into the depths, the water is so clear that one can see divers 56 metres below the surface. The setting up of the dive equipment normally takes place on a convenient beach, but due to the water levels having risen 10 metres, this had to be done on floating rafts followed by extensive equipment checks that take an hour to complete.

    Most of the team dive on rebreathers; breathing apparatus that absorbs the carbon dioxide of a user’s exhaled breath to permit the recycling of the substantially unused oxygen content of each breath. Oxygen is added to replenish the amount metabolised by the user. The others were on open-circuit systems whereby exhaled air blows directly out into the water in the form of bubbles. All divers have specially mixed air with varying levels of oxygen, nitrogen, helium and other gasses, and so allowing them to dive deeper and for longer, and minimising the dangerous effects of gas at depth. And the depths were indeed great – the deepest dive was to 131 metres!!

    The divers explored a network of tunnels and caverns, carefully following well laid lines to ensure they could find their way back after seeing “what is around the next corner”; the mystery of which makes up the essence of any true explorer. The baboon bones and space-like worms and shrimps found added to the sense that Steven Spielberg could not have dreamed up a scene like Dragon’s Breath.
  • ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE HEART
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    ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE HEART

    The Great Rift Valley, a dormant volcano, vital water tower, and a Critically Endangered forest antelope.


    Date:     Kenya’s Great Rift Valley 11 – 15 June 2018


    • A chance to see rare and elusive Critically Endangered mountain bongo
    • Active contribution to mountain bongo and Rift Valley Water Tower.
    • Conservation through camera trapping and community support.
    • Camp out on forested dormant volcano
    • Explore the floor and lakes of the Rift for flamingos and big game.

    Species and Range:
    The bongo is split into two subspecies. While the lowland bongo (T. e. eurycerus) is fairly widespread across the Congo Basin and further into West Africa, the mountain bongo (T. e. isaaci) occurs only in the mountains of Kenya’s Rift Valley. It is Critically Endangered with only around 100 mature animals remaining in fragmented forests that also happen to shelter the most important watersheds in the country making their conservation a double priority.

    Itinerary

    • 11 June: Fly Nairobi to Loldia, late afternoon lecture on bongo by Mike Prettejohn, overnight Loldia House.
    • 12 June: Morning boat outing on Lake Naivasha with an afternoon drive onto Eburu Volcano to check and reset camera traps.  Overnight Eburu fly camp.
    • 13 June: Morning forest walk, afternoon honey harvesting with Ndorobo tribesmen, overnight vigil in the bongo blind.
    • 14 June: Morning forest walk and camera trap check, return to Loldia House for lunch, afternoon boating to Crescent Island, overnight Loldia House.
    • 15 June: Early morning outing to Lake Elmenteita for flamingo spectacle, return to Loldia for lunch and onward flight to Nairobi or Masai Mara.

    Meet your Hosts

    Chris Roche – Wilderness Safaris
    Chris has spent more than 20 years working in the ecotourism industry and over the past 10 years in particular has been intimately involved in the evolution of Wilderness Safaris out of the savannahs and deserts of southern Africa into more specialised habitat niches in the rainforests of central and east Africa. He is convinced that ecotourism can do more in helping conserve these ecosystems (and the services they provide to humanity – such as provision of water) and believes that mountain bongo and flagship species will be the mechanisms through which this will take place. Armed with a Master’s degree in springbok ecology in South Africa’s Karoo and a background in biological research and guiding, Chris is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Wilderness Safaris but does his best to spend time in the field exploring new opportunities for the company.

    Dominic Grammaticas – Governors’ Camp Collection
    Dominic, a native of Kenya, grew up spending time in the pristine Masai Mara; first on long summer holidays, then later working and growing up alongside Governors’ Camp and its Masai community neighbours. Governors’ Camp, the first permanent tented camp inside the Masai Mara, was the brainchild of Dominic’s father Aris. Before ecotourism was even really defined,  Aris understood the important role responsible tourism played in the conservation of wildlife areas, beliefs he passed on to his children.

    For Dominic this, and a formative life in the wilderness, led to studying a degree in Biological Science at the University of Edinburgh. Armed with this base he later moved into a successful career in finance in both the UK and Hong Kong.  By 1999 though, the inescapable call of Africa became too loud, and Dom returned home, taking over the reins of the family business as Managing Director. Under Dominic’s leadership, involvement in wildlife conservation and community support initiatives has been integrated even deeper into the fabric of Governors’ Camp. Amongst its achievements, some 4 000 students in Kenya and Rwanda are being taught in classrooms built and equipped by Governors’ Camp, its community trust partners, and with the key support of its guests. The opportunity to play a pivotal role in the future of Kenya’s bongo population speaks to the very core of what Governors’ Camp is all about.

    Meet your Experts

    Donna Sheppard – Rhino Ark / Calgary Zoo
    Donna has been with the Conservation and Research Department of the Calgary Zoo, Canada, since 1999. After some years seconded to projects in Guyana, South America, her time has mostly been spent in Africa. From 2004 for 2014, for example, she was based in Ghana developing community-based conservation projects on hippo, western sitatunga and West African manatee. At the same time, she was able to contribute to community forestry programmes in Liberia.

    For the last three years Donna has been based in Kenya, seconded to Rhino Ark and its work on water towers and endangered species. It is a return of sorts, since Donna’s Master’s degree looked at red-tailed monkey ecology in neighbouring Kenya.

    Solomon Muriithi – Bongo Surveillance Project
    Born just outside the Eburu Forest in Ndabibi village, Solomon has known the dormant volcano his entire life. He started with the Bongo Surveillance Project in 2004 and since then has worked on tracking and camera trapping this threatened population. Before that however, he was a poacher and charcoal maker....

    Today, he estimates there to be between 10 and 13 animals only, with the reasons for their decline being human encroachment and resultant poaching and deforestation for charcoal production. Like Solomon, things have changed though. Fencing has reduced illegal utilisation of the forest, and community awareness projects (in which Solomon himself is involved) have changed local perceptions about the importance of the bongo and its forest habitat. According to Solomon, tourism is the last piece of the puzzle and will help substantially with the inevitable financial hurdles to conservation.

    Partners

    Bongo Surveillance Project
    The objective of the Bongo Surveillance Project is to protect and conserve the Critically Endangered eastern or mountain bongo and its habitat, by working with local communities and stakeholders worldwide. The project was founded in 2004 by Mike Prettejohn, with an initial focus on the Aberdares National Park, the last known stronghold of the mountain bongo.

    For the past 15 years, Mike has led a team of experienced trackers in gathering scientific data on the presence and distribution of the remaining mountain bongo, first in the Aberdares and then later on Mount Kenya, before moving further afield to confirm the species’ continued perilous existence in Eburu and the Mau Forests. He and his team have discovered previously-unknown populations and have championed the continued survival of this species in the wild in Kenya.

    It is no exaggeration to say that this small group of committed Kenyans (and their supporters such as the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forestry Service) can consider themselves responsible for bringing the plight of the mountain bongo into the public consciousness.

    http://www.mountainbongo.org/

    Rhino Ark

    Founded in 1988 with the explicit aim of staunching the rampant poaching of black rhino in the Aberdares ecosystem, Rhino Ark immediately identified that ‘good fences make good neighbours’ and that separating rural people from the inhabitants of the national park was an urgent priority. Its initial fundraising therefore focused on building an electrified fence around the Aberdares, thus preventing human-wildlife conflict like crop raiding by elephants, while simultaneously making illegal incursions into the park more challenging.

    This success and the strong partnerships that resulted with the neighbouring communities helped form the Rhino Ark philosophy of “humans in harmony with habitat and wildlife.” This is an approach that has subsequently been extended to Kenya’s other montane forest ecosystems and ‘water towers’ like Mount Kenya and Eburu. Eburu – vulnerable to deforestation through illegal charcoal production – was encircled with fencing in November 2014 and this has allowed Rhino Ark to fully engage with the rural communities here, beginning the formation of effective partnerships around education and awareness as well as livelihood diversification

    http://rhinoark.org/home/

    Beneficiary

    Rhino Ark – Eburu programmes
    Aside from the obvious commercial and awareness benefits of visiting a largely unknown destination (Eburu is hardly known, even in Kenya, and receives only a handful of visitors a year) and paying for access and services rendered, the beneficiary of proceeds generated by this trip is Rhino Ark and its local Eburu programmes – all targeted at the protection of the ecosystem and species like its flagship, the mountain bongo.

    None of the organisations involved – Governors’ Camp Collection or Wilderness Safaris – will receive payment or mark-up on this journey. Instead, any and all proceeds will be channelled to Rhino Ark for use in the urgent priorities of fence patrolling and maintenance, community engagement and education (e.g. Eburu Rafiki) and livelihood diversification (e.g. the Hifadhi Farmers’ Cooperative).

    Please click here to contact one of our consultants to assist you with a comprehensive itinerary

  • By Invitation: The Amur Falcons
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    By Invitation: The Amur Falcons
    Written by Mike Cadman

    One recent Sunday morning more than 100 small birds of prey hovered head-first into the wind as they hunted insects in the lush summer grasslands of the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve some 40 kilometres south of Johannesburg.

    The 30 cm long Amur falcons skilfully used the wind to maintain their positions about 20 metres above the ground, heads down as they searched the grass for prey. Some occasionally slipped into rapid dives as they plunged into the tall grass after prey, which is usually caught and eaten on the wing, while others banked away, darting downwind to begin searching another patch of the veld.

    Away to the west of the birds cyclists and day trippers in cars travelled along the Reserve’s tourist roads, some aware, many not, of the little birds of prey.

    Of those that noticed the birds few realized that they were witnessing birds that had only recently completed one of the most astonishing and longest migrations of any bird of prey. Every year, at the start of the northern winter the birds leave their breeding grounds in eastern Asia, fly across the southern face of the Himalayas, pass over northern India and then fly across three thousand kilometres of Indian Ocean to Somalia before heading south to the grasslands of Southern Africa. Here the birds spend several months feeding on prolific insect populations before starting the return journey in mid to late April.

    The Amur falcons, formerly known in South Africa as the Eastern red-footed kestrel, undertake the longest trans-ocean migration of any bird of prey. The birds, males average about 136 grams and females 148 grams, complete the trans-ocean journey in about three days, an astounding accomplishment.

    Their already arduous migration is made even more difficult by the fact that along some parts of the world they are eaten by people. This year the conservation world was shocked by the revelation by Conservation India that more than 120 000 – 140 000 of the birds had been caught and eaten in Nagaland, northern India. Conservation Indian estimated that “during the peak migration 12 000 – 14 000 birds are being hunted for consumption and commercial sale” a day.

    The migrating birds had stopped in Nagaland to rest, as they have many times before, but this time researcher learnt that hunters spread fishing nets 30-40 metres long and 10-12 metres high around the roosting sites in trees alongside a dam to capture the birds. This was the first time such large scale hunting of the falcons had been witnessed by conservationists and Conservation India has launched a programme aimed at preventing similar massacres.

    The birds roost communally and at one roost 20 000 birds have been counted. The high concentration of birds at roosts makes them easy targets.

    The falcons are traditionally hunted in Nagaland with guns or catapults and are also considered a delicacy in some parts of Africa.

    Until recently scientists had been unsure of the exact route the birds followed during their migration but the use of ultra-light satellite transmitters which weigh only five grams has allowed Dr Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg from Germany and his team to accurately track the birds for the first time.

    Dr Meyburg and his team fitted ten birds from a roost in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal with the matchbox sized transmitters and then downloaded information from the satellite data to plot their journeys to and from southern Africa. Not only did the team manage to accurately plot the migration routes but they also recorded remarkable details of the feats achieved by individual birds.

    One bird, falcon 95 773, on its return trip to Asia flew non-stop from Somalia to Burma in only five days. Another bird, falcon 95 778, has successfully completed the journey between Newcastle and her Asian breeding grounds for the last two years, covering in the region of 60 000 kilometres on her travels.
    The falcons arrive in Southern Africa in late November and December. Some Amur falcons spend their southern summer in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique, in late November and December. Their Asian breeding grounds spread from south eastern Siberia, through northern China, Mongolia and North Korea. Insects such as flying termites and dragonflies are usually caught on the wing and other prey, such as grasshoppers are caught on the ground without the bird settling. They occasional eat small birds like swallows.

    Sources:
    Raptor Identification Guide for Southern Africa – Ulrich Oberprieler and Burger Cillie (Rollerbird Press).
    The Kestrel Migration Project – www.kestreling.com
    The World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls (WWGBP) www.raptors-international.org
SATSA No. 207
 

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SATSA No. 207

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