Ocean sunfish, or molas, look like the invention of a mad scientist. These prehistoric looking fish vie for the title of strangest fish in the sea. Its Latin name, mola mola, means millstone.

Huge and flat, these silvery-grey fish have tiny mouths and big eyes that vanish into an even bigger body with a truncated tail. Topping out at around 2 tons, this gentle giant is the world’s heaviest bony fish. (This category doesn’t count sharks and rays. The whale shark is 10 times bigger.)

With their tank-like bodies, molas were clearly not built for life in the fast lane, but they hold their own against faster and flashier fishes and are able to live in almost all of the world’s oceans. They are known to spend time near the ocean surface but tagging shows that molas are also prolific divers and migrate long distances at depth.

Nusa Penida is the largest of 3 islands that lie the other side of the Bandung Strait from Bali’s east coast, the others being Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The water here is fairly cold, due to a deep upswelling south of Bali, but often startlingly clear, with gorgeous corals and prolific fish, some turtles and grey reef and silver-tip sharks. From July to mid-November mola mola can be seen here at a number of dive sites around Nusa Lembongan and Penida, often daily.

Most renowned for their eccentric shape, the mola mola has no caudal fin, yet displays excessively large dorsal and ventral fins, making it far taller than it is long. Although often sighted by divers in shallower water, mola mola can swim to depths of almost 600m. The diet of a mola consists primarily of jellyfish, although they are also partial to the odd salp, comb jellies, zooplankton, squid, crustaceans and small fish.

Fortunately for them, they possess relatively few predators – sea lions, orcas and sharks being their only concern. The skin of a mola mola is approximately 3 inches thick and its colouration is believed to be for camouflage; dark above fading to a lighter colour below. The fish are well known for the impressive number of parasites found on their skin: some 40 genera of mola parasites have been recorded to date. One of the most interesting facts about the mola mola involves its reproductive habits – females produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate, releasing up to 300 million eggs into the ocean at any one time, to be externally fertilised by the male.

They are frequently seen basking in the sun near the surface and are often mistaken for sharks when their huge dorsal fins emerge above the water. Their teeth are fused into a beak-like structure, and they are unable to fully close their relatively small mouths. Ocean sunfish can become so infested with skin parasites; they will often invite small fish or even birds to feast on the pesky critters. They will even breach the surface up to 10 feet (3 meters) in the air and land with a splash in an attempt to shake the parasites.

In this water colour and ink, Kelly Lance from Denver, CO, USA captures the unusual mola mola in an extraordinary symbiotic relationship with the albatross. They often line up in droves to entice albatross to pull the parasites from their flesh.

“God save thee, ocean sunfish

From the fiends that plague thee thus

Why look’st thou so? With thy large shoals,

Thou fed the albatross.”

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Because molas spend so much time drifting near the ocean surface, they are vulnerable to fishing boats that use drift gillnets. In California, nearly 30 percent of the catch in a swordfish boat can be molas caught by mistake—rivalling or exceeding the number of swordfish caught.

In the Mediterranean Sea, the Spanish gillnet fishery catches up to 93 percent molas. Gillnets usually don’t kill molas immediately, but they cut into their skin, scrape off their protective mucus and flood their gills with air.

Another hazard to molas are discarded plastic bags. When these wind up in the ocean, they float at the surface and look a lot like a jellyfish — a mola’s favorite meal. If the mola doesn’t choke as it sucks the bag in, the plastic can

clog the fish’s stomach, slowly starving the animal. Helping molas is one more reason to carry your own shopping bags with you to the store—and to make sure any plastic bags you use go into the trash can.

NUSA PENIDA DIVE ITINERARY

Choose your own dates during Mola Mola season; JULY/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER’ 15

SQ 479 JNB SINGAPORE 1435 #0700

SQ 942 SIN DENPASAR 0935 1205

* 7 nights Tulamben Resort
* Patio room
* Breakfasts
* Set lunch and dinner on day 2, 3,4,5,6
* 2 guided shore dives at Liberty wreck
* 2 guided shore dives at Mimpi or Kubu drop-off
* 4 guided boat dives at Nusa Penida to see the Mola Mola
* Spa Aroma therapy 90 minutes on last day
* Tanks, weights, guide and porter.
* Return airport Transfers

SQ 947 DENPASAR SINGAPORE 2005 2235

SQ 478 SINGAPORE JNB 0210 0700

Cost: From R25300 + 5944 taxes per diver sharing.

All prices have been quoted according to current availabilities and rate of exchange and are subject to change accordingly at any time and without prior notice

Contact:

Daniela Scotti 011 467 4704 or Email dani@hartleysgroup.com

In Indonesia’s Papua and West Papua regions lies Cenderawasih Bay, a diving location that is becoming increasingly famous throughout the world. Declared a marine national park in 2002, Cenderawasih Bay offers unrivalled whale shark encounters, beautiful reefs, diverse marine life and fascinating wrecks.

Cenderawasih Bay is famous for its whale shark encounters. The fishermen use nets, filled with small fish, to attract the bigger fish for catching. However, the whale sharks have learnt how to suck the fish out of the nets, resulting in congregations of these gentle giants around the fishing platforms. As many as six or seven can gather round each platform at a time. Whale shark encounters are always special; however, they are brief and often only involve one of these magnificent creatures. Cenderawasih, on the other hand, sets itself apart as a location where you can see many whale sharks at a time, at a very close range for extended periods of times.

Whale shark sightings are what attract most divers to this remote, idyllic location; however, an array of other diving opportunities makes Cenderawasih Bay truly special. When exploring other areas of the bay you will find beautiful coral reefs, home to a variety of endemic marine life, dolphins, sharks, dugongs and four different species of turtle. This abundance in fascinating aquatic life, along with the high percentage of endemic species, is why Cenderawasih Bay is known by some as the ‘Galapagos of the East’. Cenderawasih Bay is also home to many WWII shipwrecks and sunken planes, the most fascinating being Shinwa Maru. Lying at depths from 16 to 34 metres, the Shinwa Maru is a 120m Japanese cargo ship that was sunk in 1944 by US forces. Scattered with many fascinating artefacts and displaying its two large blast holes from its deadly demise, this sunken history is incredible for those who love wreck diving.

A visit to Cenderawasih Bay is almost guaranteed to give you the best whale shark experience of your life and what makes this location extremely unique is that the gentle giants are present all year round.

Guests visiting Sanctuary Swala Camp in Tarangire, Tanzania, now have the rare privilege of enjoying exciting night game drives, walking safaris and balloon safaris in the National Park.

Never before has permission been granted to experience the wonders of a safari at night within the park. As dusk falls, guests can relax in the comfort of their safari vehicle as they venture into the park (which appears completely transformed at night), and search for nocturnal animals rarely seen by visitors. At night, guests may encounter African wild cat and the elusive leopard, or feel the round eyes of a bushbaby peering down as the moon rises into the sky. With specialised lighting, the guide searches for lion and hyena and smaller creatures such as spotted genet, serval, bat eared foxes, owls and nightjars.

Guests can also now put on their walking shoes and experience the beautiful Tarangire National Park from a different perspective on a walking safari. With a professional walking guide and armed ranger, guests explore the grassland around camp in one of the most secluded areas of the park. The qualified guide has a wealth of knowledge which he shares as he tracks game and explains how to understand animal behaviour. Tarangire is one of a few places in Tanzania’s northern Parks where walking is possible.

There is no better way to truly experience the unique beauty of Tarangire than on a balloon safari. The balloon safaris offer an unusual opportunity to fly low over this amazing landscape which is dominated by majestic Baobab trees and has a mixture of acacia tortilis, riparian woodland, riverine and savannah grasslands. The pilot and guide sets an attractive flight path northwards following the Tarangire river, which attracts a large number of migrant animals to its banks year round.

Activities are at additional cost – please contact one of our team for more detailed information.

Aldabra has inspired ancient explorers, some of the world’s most famous scientists and now the modern travellers of today. The name itself is a mystery, believed to be a word of Arabic origin but with any number of theories about its actual meaning, which could be ‘green’ or ‘doorknocker’ or possibly the navigational star Aldebaran. Indeed, it seems there has always been a mythical aura attached to the name of the most far-flung and isolated of all the islands of the Seychelles archipelago.

Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, is the finest surviving tropical atoll ecosystem on earth. The giant tortoises on the island form by far the world’s largest population and the marine life is prolific. The last surviving flightless bird of the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra Rail, is found only here as are many other unique land birds and it is a vital breeding ground for turtles and seabirds.

The atoll was known for centuries by Arab navigators and was first charted by the Portuguese in 1511. The French were the first recorded visitors when Captain Lazare Picault, sent to chart Seychelles in 1742, came upon Aldabra. In more recent times, Aldabra has been the centrepiece of numerous conservation initiatives on account of its unspoilt environment.

The unique species that have evolved over time in complete isolation on the atoll have prompted some to call Aldabra the “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean”. In fact, Charles Darwin himself, whose work in the Galapagos is largely responsible for that archipelago’s esteemed status as naturalist’s paradise, recognised Aldabra’s unique natural properties, as well as being the only other place in the world aside from the Galapagos where giant tortoises could be found naturally, and recommended to British authorities that they ensure the atoll would be protected from exploitation or development. Soon after Seychelles’ independence, the government granted Aldabra protected status as a nature reserve, and in 1982 Aldabra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, only a small team of rangers and scientists inhabit the island, with the limited funding but wholehearted support of the Seychelles Islands Foundation, which manages the atoll for conservation and research purposes.Despite its status as one of the world’s most strictly protected natural wonders, travel to Aldabra is still – and will likely always be – incredibly difficult due to its extreme isolation.

This is your opportunity to be one of those few who bear witness to it’s marvels. Let Hartley’s take you there; with the MV Maya’s Dugong , a 40-metre expeditionary vessel, specifically for live- aboard cruising in the Seychelles, a handful of visitors will be able to experience the atoll of Aldabra and it’s fascinating sights and treasures as part of an in-depth 7 or 11-nights eco-tourism and diving expedition. Aldabra expedition 1: 11 – 20 Dec 2015 9 Night itinerary with embarkation/disembarkation : Assumption The program includes visits to Assumption, Aldabra, Cosmoledo and Astove. Explorer Cabin : R133 000 + 3056 taxes per person sharing Commander Cabin : R136 900 + 3056 taxes per person sharing Aldabra expedition 2: 20 – 27 Dec’15 7 Night itinerary with embarkation/disembarkation : Assumption The program includes the visits to Assumption, Aldabra, Cosmoledo and Astove. Explorer Cabin : R117 000 + 3056 taxes per person sharing Commander Cabin : R120 500 + 3056 taxes per person sharing Included: Return economy class flights to Mahe and on to Assumption, return ransfers to Liveaboard, 7/9 nights cruise as per plan of itinerary, full board meals, Professional crew on board, Diving with PADI instructor part of crew (tanks, belts, weights), Snorkelling equipment., Govt taxes and VAT Excludes: Any nights required in Mahe due to internal flight connections, personal expenses, dive and travel insurance, gratuities.

Contact us for further information : dani@hartleysgroup.com All prices have been costed according to current availabilities and rate of exchange and are subject to change accordingly at any time and without prior notice.

What lies beneath the surface

By: Neil Tinmouth August 2014 Having a family that is spread out over the world means that the opportunities to get together are few and far between. This led us to the creation of our combined bucket list odyssey; we meet up as frequently as possible, and together tick off the entries. What could be higher on a recreational divers list, than the opportunity to plunge into clear warm tropical waters and descend onto wrecks frozen in time? Add to this an abundance of corals and marine life that inhabit these artificial reefs and you have the perfect dive site.

We visited this dream destination, the spectacular lagoon of Chuuk, formally known as Truk Lagoon due to a mispronunciation. The South Pacific islands of Chuuk with their sheltered lagoon harboured the Japanese Combined Fleet during World War II. In 1944, Operation Hailstone, a U.S aerial assault sent more than 60 vessels and hundreds of aircraft to the floor of the lagoon.

Owing to the geography of the reefs and the number of ships harboured, they were all moored close to each other at the time of their destruction. These coral encrusted wrecks, the majority of which were of the Japanese imperial merchant fleet now lay silently in clear blue waters, and form the renowned ‘Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon’. The calm waters allowed us an unparalleled opportunity to explore the wide variety of wrecks. Unfortunately even their close proximity did not allow us to visit a fraction of them; this is where our local dive master’s knowledge paid dividends. Following our DM’s lead, we easily swam around super structures and upturned hulls, identifying telegraphs and guns that now stand silent. Decks were littered with the remnants of trucks, tanks and objects retrieved from the holds. Bowls, bottles, telephones mixed with guns and gas masks lay clustered together. The largely intact wrecks allow for penetration.

Below decks, in the holds were partially assembled aircraft, tanks, boxes of munitions, bulldozers, motorcycles, bicycles, torpedoes, spare parts, and not to mention the huge abundance of other artefacts. With a compulsion to explore, we carefully made our way around the superstructures entering galleys and bathrooms, all the while trying not to stir up the silt. From behind the camera, this unique underwater experience took on another dimension. Ambient light needed to be used strategically to enhance the captured images. Dark engine room penetrations presented their own unique challenges.

All the while, as I looked tactically at each subject, the measure of focus created an awareness of the anguish that the sailors must have felt as their world was torn apart. Each wreckage be it afreighter or the Betty bomber with its large shoal of glass fish had its own distinctive allure. Seventy years on, with storm damage, corrosion and coral growth taking their toll, the opportunities to experience a memorable moment in this underwater museum are running out. A tick done, just in time! Palau Collecting our gear together we island hopped over to Palau.

These islands were to offer us an incredibly diverse selection of ‘customary” diving experiences, but the primary reason for our visit was the opportunity to snorkel with the so called, Darwin jellyfish. After a short but gruelling walk we arrived at Jellyfish Lake, a marine lake situated on the island of Eil Malk. Donning fins, mask and snorkel we carefully entered the warm murky green stratified waters filled with golden and moon jellyfish. Around us masses of “sting less” jellyfish slowly propelled themselves through the water, gently bumping into us as they glided past.

Nature had once again put on a spectacular show for us to experience. After Jellyfish Lake, we were now ready to take on the world class dive sites of Palau. Armed with our reef hooks we took to the water. How can you top a drift dive along sheer walls, clothed in soft and hard corals, inhabited by an abundant variety of marine life and numerous turtles? Well, add inquisitive circling reef sharks slowly twisting and turning an arm’s length, and you have an opportunity for plenty of underwater photographs.

In one of our channel dives, we knelt glued to the seabed as giant mantas soared over us. Friendly Napoleon Wrasse’s intrigued by the camera housing accompanied us on many of our dives. They offered us up close and personal interaction time as well as some interesting photographs.

Dropping through the blue hole into the near perfect cave below, gave another dimension to diving. The chandelier caves provided a very different photography opportunity and once again challenges were present, not least the stalactites just above the surface. An unexpected bucket list tick came on our last day when we took a helicopter excursion.

This ride gave us the opportunity to take in the scale and incredible beauty of the islands. We picked out the different reefs and channels we had dived, which gave us a sense of order and direction. But back to our tick, from the air we saw a family of seven dugongs, swimming below us. The only word I can use is, Awesome! What a way to finish a holiday.

The Roça Belo Monte Hotel is a luxurious 15 room boutique hotel located off the coast of West Central Africa. Forming part of the twin island state of São Tome and Principe, this remote and unique island is blessed with breathtakingly beautiful surroundings that will impress even the most discerning traveller. Surrounded by dense mountain forest that forms part of the Obo National Park and standing guard over five of its own beaches, The Roça Belo Monte Hotel has become a preferred gateway to this unique island destination.

Due to island’s privileged location, along the Greenwich meridian and on the Equator, diving conditions are ideal with year round temperate waters and excellent visibility. With a multitude of dive sites that range in difficulty, this archipelago is ideal for both beginner and advanced divers. Common marine life includes, red soldiers, barracuda, turtles, snapper, eels and the occasional nurse shark.

The African Skimmers could not have arrived at a better time to uplift our spirits out of the doom and gloom of winter! Watching the Skimmers fiercely defend their nests from predators is sure to get your adrenaline pumping while witnessing tiny chicks wobble as they take their first few steps will warm your heart!

Every year during the months from July through to November these rare and endangered birds travel a long waterless journey south of the equator to nest along the exposed riverbeds and sandbanks, congregating in large numbers along the Zambezi River in the Caprivi Strip in Namibia. This event attracts bird enthusiasts and animal lovers from all over the world as they make sure to secure a front row place to watch one of nature’s spectacular events.

The prehistoric looking African Skimmer, with its oversized beak and black and white plumage, stands above the rest of our African bird species, not only for its looks but also for the way it hunts. Employing their own unique hunting strategy for which they get their name, the African Skimmers use their specially designed beaks to skim the surface of the water, ready to catch unsuspecting fish who dare to swim close to the surface. The best times to see these graceful hunters in action is at dusk, dawn and during the evening when the fish make for easy prey.

During the day the African Skimmers take a break from hunting to nurture their young and defend their nests. This includes splashing their wings with water to cool their eggs from the blistering African sun to vigorously mobbing storks looking for a tasty snack and clumsy elephants and buffaloes who accidentally crush their nests while making their way to the river to quench their thirst.

Due to wetland habitat degradation and human interference as well as the destruction caused by elephants and buffaloes the African Skimmers’ numbers and survival rate is rapidly declining. Listed as near threatened on the ICUN Red List an opportunity for witnessing their breeding season may very well be one of the last few times we’ll have the privilege. It is for this very reason why making a trip to Mudumu National Park in Namibia to watch this miraculous event should be high on your bucket list.

Misool Private Island Resort
Misool Island Resort is a true tropical hideaway, located in the remote islands of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, lying just south of the equator and fringed with powder-white beaches and pristine coral reefs. With a maximum capacity of just 40 guests and a staff-to-guest ratio of 3 to 1, Misool offers exclusive adventure holidays and transformative experiences in pristine nature.

Conservation Misool:
Misool Conservation Centre was created by a group of passionate divers and nature lovers to align the objectives of sustainable tourism and marine conservation. Misool has its own established Marine Protected Area, effectively protecting 1.220 sq km of the world’s richest reefs together with the local villages. This creates unparallel wildlife experiences for guests while maintaining healthy fish stocks for neighbouring communities.

Without Misool’s dedicated Ranger Patrol, the 1220 sq km Marine Protected Area would be just another paper-park. Their charitable foundation, Misool Baseftin, manages two private No-Take Zones, entirely independent of any government support, and here is a rare conservation success story …….
Rampant shark finning and unchecked destructive fishing were destroying some of the most important and bio-diverse reefs on earth. In 2005, Misool and the local community reached an agreement to lease the island of Batbitim, which would become the site of the resort. Misool also leased a large area of sea surrounding the resort island. This contract evicted the itinerant shark-finners the area.
The Misool Foundation has since expanded and now protects a 300,000 acres/1220 sq km Marine Reserve at the heart of global marine biodiversity. This is nearly twice the size of Singapore. The Reserve is comprised of 2 distinct No-Take Zones and a linking restricted-gear blue water corridor.
The Marine Reserve is patrolled by a team of local Rangers, with backup from Marine Police. The Rangers move between the base camp and Ranger Stations on Yellit, Kalig, and Daram. The Rangers maintain constant vigilance over the Marine Reserve with physical patrols, radar, and drone surveillance. Misool Foundation and the Ranger Patrol do not receive any support from the Raja Ampat government or pin tag system.



The Misool Manta Projects:
Established in 2011, The Misool Manta Projects’ key objectives are to study, educate, inspire and protect. The Project teaches guests, engages local community members, and conducts critical research on both Oceanic mantas (Manta birostris) and Reef mantas (Manta alfredi). The Project also provides robust population data to the government, NGO’s, communities and conservationists. This data has been leveraged to push the protection of mantas and ensure the long-term survival of these charismatic megafauna as well as their habitat.

Orpen, Tamboti tented camp, Talamati and the Maroela Caravan Park in the Kruger Park are compelling birding spots. The Red – billed quelea, in addition to many other species of birds often occur in this area, one of the reasons being that the nearby Timbavati River watercourse is a dependable food source. During midday these birds will rest in the shade and drink on average at least twice a day. Red – billed queleas nest mostly in Acacia trees which are prolific in this mixed thorn and Marula woodland habitat.

Talamati is a small bushveld camp in the mixed woodlands of the N’waswitsontso .The camp is on the edge of the N’waswitsontso wetlands, which ensures there is usually good all-year-round birding.

Considered an invasive species and also known as the red-billed weaver or red-billed dioch, the red-billed quelea is the world’s most abundant wild bird species, with an estimated adult breeding population of 1.5 billion pairs. Some estimates of the overall population have been as large as 10 billion. The entire population is found in sub-Saharan Africa and is generally absent from deeply forested regions and the southern reaches of South Africa.

Unsurprisingly, there are more Red-billed Queleas in Kruger than any other species, with an estimated 33.5 million birds moving seasonally in and around the Park. They account for over 50% of the avian biomass in Kruger, moving in flocks of up to a million birds that nest en masse in acacia trees with between 50 and 3 000 nests per tree.
Feeding habits

Watching Red-billed queleas feed is like watching the Mexican Wave at a football crowd. The birds descend in their thousands onto the ground, with the flock taking on a roller feeding movement in which the birds at the back continually hop over the ones in front to get to the food. The Red-billed quelea is mostly a seed-eater but does eat insects, including butterflies, ants, beetles and termites. After the chicks hatch, they are nourished for some days with caterpillars and protein-rich insects. After this time parents change to feeding the nestlings mainly seeds. The young birds fledge and become independent enough to leave their parents after approximately two weeks in the nest.
Red – Billed queleas as a food source

Quelea are the avian equivalent of the impala – everything feeds on them. Nesting colonies are a favourite target not only for raptors but a wide variety of birds such as the Marabou Stork, Cattle Egret, Green-backed Heron and most of the hornbills. Whole colonies of Red-billed queleas can be devastated by predator attacks on adults, nestlings and eggs. Research at four Red-billed quelea colonies in the Park showed predation rates of 13%, 14%, 35% and 60%, according to Roberts VII. Additionally, snakes, lizards and several types of mammals are regular predators and some human populations also eat red-billed queleas. During their breeding season the Hadza of Northern Tanzania quelea eat quelea chicks by the thousands.
Breeding habits

During the breeding stage, the adult male is distinguished by his more colourful plumage and red bill. Breeding plumage in male queleas is unusually variable: comprising a facial mask which ranges from black to white in colour, and breast and crown plumage which varies from yellowish to bright red. For the rest of the year both males and fledged non-breeding birds have plumage that resembles that of the adult female, which is overall a cryptic beige and cream coloration. The female’s bill is yellow during breeding, and red during the non-breeding season.

Red- billed queleas are monogamous at each breeding attempt, but also itinerant breeding in which individuals may nest at up to three different locations within a season, thus likely that serial polygamy occurs. Their breeding season is from December to April in South Africa.

Nest sites are placed approximately 2m above ground level and mostly in Acacia thorn trees.

They typically lay 3-5 eggs that are pale green or blueish in colour. Chicks hatch after 10-12 days and are fed by both the male and female adults. The chicks are fed by regurgitation – even when feeding on insects.

In recent months all eyes have been focusing (and rightfully so) in the direction of Rhino poaching and the effects thereof in Africa. Now a subject close to millions of hearts around the world, our fight to protect this magnificent species is ongoing –every birth of baby rhino a celebration and every loss brings with it a dark blanket of grief.

As conservationists, there are many facets of the natural world that have become our passion our war, our life-long searches for answers that spill over into the next generation after us and in doing so we continue to hope for relief from the devastation and havoc that man has wreaked on planet Earth.

At Hartley’s Safari’s we have a passion for Africa and East Africa is high on our priority list. Our guests are treated to myriads of natural landscapes and wild scenery as well as several of the most majestic and fascinating animals on earth. This makes East Africa a mecca for nature lovers. Many of the visitors coming to the region do so for the opportunity to enjoy a safari and to experience up close and personal interactions with those animals that have us infinitely fascinated –lions, leopards, wild dogs, rhino, elephant , to name but a few.

Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya boast a rich biodiversity of ecosystems and natural resources which is quite strange considering the level of poverty in these destinations. Unfortunately this same poverty has resulted in illegal and unsustainable trade with other countries and valuable natural resources are being lost to other countries-Europe, Asia and China. This illegal trade has proven extremely difficult to control due to insufficient resources. In turn, the poor communities of these coastal destinations suffer the most when these resources are destroyed. Global climate change in these countries is indicated by periods of persistent drought, unpredictable rainfall and drastic weather conditions.

For those passionate about fishing, you will be able to empathise with the severe threat of unsustainable fishing practices in the aforementioned countries. The interest of overfishing, is to eradicate hunger issues in developing countries all over the world, as well as to create a vast improvement of job opportunities, however due to our unsustainable fishing practices, it is just a matter of time before our oceans are completely depleted of marine species, and the destruction of the aquatic ecosystem. This issue will result in irreparable socio-economic and environmental circumstances that will be of severe consequence if we do not alter our local and international commercial fishing operations.

According to foreign media reports, Tanzania’s greatest threat at the moment, is the proposed road bisecting Serengeti National Park, which scientists, conservationists, the UN, and foreign governments alike have condemned. Home to the world’s largest migration of land animals—two million wildebeest, antelope, and zebra migrate annually across this vast grassland—many view the Serengeti plains as one of the most astounding wildlife areas on Earth, and it is certainly among the most famous. Other concerns include the fast-tracking of soda ash mining in the world’s most important breeding ground for lesser flamingos, and the recent announcement to nullify an application for UNESCO World Heritage Status for a portion of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, a threatened tropical forest area rich in species found no-where else. According to President Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzania is simply trying to provide for its poorest citizens (such as communities near the Serengeti and the Eastern Arc Mountains) while pursuing western-style industrial development.

Obviously, Kikwete’s job is not straightforward. High expectations have to be balanced with on-the-ground realities, rising commodity prices and energy shortages. Infrastructure is left badly wanting within impoverished communities. Tanzania, like many East African nations, has faced terrible droughts in the past few years that have had devastating effects on its agriculture sector. The AIDS crisis is ongoing and Tanzania struggles to provide education to all its citizens. Kikwete is facing a rash of poaching and serious management issues within conservation areas.

WWF is calling for a more integrated policy approach to ensure that land and water intensive investments are more sustainable and benefit the host country. The good news is that like WWF, there are many organisations that are working towards solutions by providing funding to organizations like Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to assist in the anti-poaching operations, by working directly with local communities to form areas of protection for natural resources and conservancies where wildlife is closely monitored and protected.

Projects such as building rainwater tanks whereby the communities can have access to rainwater, as opposed to using methods of deforestation in order to try and reach water within the forested areas.

In the Masai -Mara, eight wildlife conservancies have been formed, which offer land lease payments of US$25-40 per hectare (ha) per year to landowners (Bedelian, 2012). These schemes, financed by ecotourism operators, aim to keep land open for wildlife and provide landowners with a regular income stream. They now cover over 90,000 ha, securing vital migratory corridors and dispersal areas for wildebeest from both the Serengeti and the Loita Plains.

By taking into account wildlife and their migratory routes, people, livestock, landscapes and natural resources, a more comprehensive conservation effort can be made. Extensive communication and discussions with communities and landowners, governments, and conservation organisations is essential before any action can be taken.

Greenpeace is working on solutions with regards to overfishing that would entail a network of well enforced marine reserves across the region and sustainable fishing and fish processing operations managed and financed by Africans, providing livelihoods, food security and enabling poverty alleviation in the region. Africa’s waters need to be managed by well -funded, functioning regional oceans management organisations.

In a nutshell,although our business at Hartley’s is Safaris,conservation of our destinations is close to our hearts. Knowledge is power ,and with this in mind, we share with you a brief look into the conservation concerns and proposed solutions of these jewels of our continent that make up our majestic Coastal East Africa!