November 2004     

1. Africa Update

Elephant endangered?
When it comes to elephant culling for sustainable ecosystem management, decision-making bodies face a difficult task in making a choice that will satisfy conservation authorities, animal welfare groups and the communities bordering the game reserves. Elephants, as captivating as they are, wreak havoc with ecosystems when their numbers outweigh the carrying capacity of the nature reserve. Recent meetings - one CITES conference in Thailand, and a National Parks meeting in South Africa's Kruger National Park - brought elephant issues to the fore - read more.

Great prizes to be won in Kruger National Park's wild dog and cheetah census
The Carnivore Conservation Group, with the assistance of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, is currently running the 4th wild dog photographic census and 2nd cheetah census in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Promotional material has been distributed throughout the park to all gates, camps, shops and picnic spots. Neighbouring reserves have also received their entry forms and posters. The census is based on a photographic competition in which all visitors to the Park are requested to photograph and document any cheetah and wild dogs they see during their visit as of October the 1st, 2004 - read more.

Kiddies safaris with specialist guides in Botswana
Special childrens' guides are available to families in Botswana's Kwando wildlife reserve. These guides combine their knowledge of the bush with creative personal skills, ensuring that children are brilliantly taken care of during their stay in the bush. Kids are entertained and enthralled by the learning experience. Families have their own private vehicle with their own guide and tracker who will look after them both on game drive and in camp. Staff is assigned to families so the children are taken care of in camp, allowing parents to get a break as well. Programs are different for each family based on the ages, sexes and interests of the children. Teenagers have the option of doing a junior ranger’s course, while younger children can enjoy spoor castings, using spotlights, fishing, animal and bush identification, greeting card making out of natural materials etc. In essence the kids are either busy or asleep - read more about Lagoon Camp.

2. Report from Tanzania

Ras Kutani, Tanzania, reports: "The Green Turtle Nest AG02 was recorded as being laid on 29 August. Today, one baby had found the surface at 6.00am so, in conjunction with Tabu Abdullah (one of our local turtle officers), we agreed that the nest was ready for assistance later on when it was cooler. We gathered our eighteen guests with chilled white wine on the beach as the sun was setting. After ten minutes of digging, 43 mostly spritely baby turtles were at various stages of heading towards the sea like a miniature army. John and Jill Renshaw from Surrey fended off one crab attack and we watched, as concerned parents do, as one of our resident Palmnut Vultures repeatedly overflew the scene.
Nowhere were the odds stacked against the survival of these little reptiles better illustrated than with the history of this particular nest. The nest originally contained 132 eggs and had been translocated to the beach in front of the lodge after an unidentified predator (possibly an African Civet) had eaten a few. When Catharine Muir and Tabu came to check the nest on 19 October they found that little red biting ants had discovered it. They had chewed into and ruined 53 eggs and were voraciously eating the baby turtles inside. The remaining eggs were moved for a second time, and the 43 that got to the water constitute the total yield of this nest. The little turtles remain at risk to large predatory fish, of which there is no shortage on this coastline. Only the fit and lucky will survive.


3. Client Comments

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
We enjoyed the quick visit to Hluhluwe very much. It was a chance to try and repay my 84-year old father, who now lives in Newcastle, for all the wonderful visits to South African game parks my parents took me on as a child. It was the alarmed chattering of the vervet monkeys in the wild fig tree on the riverbank which first alerted me that there was something amiss. I stopped, pulled back a little and then saw the pair of lions (one with a radio collar) appear from the bush on the far side…. We'll be back.
(Johann Schroeder, Austria, October 2004)


Botswana Overland Safari
We arrived home safely after a great Botswana Overland safari, there were only the 3 of us on it (together with the guide)..many highlights like getting stuck in the Pans for 2 nights - guide having to walk 25kml to get help while the 3 of us in the middle of no where with no one knowing where we were - getting stuck in our tents in the delta due to elephants being in our campsite - showering at a water hole with elephants all around - watch a pride of lions feeding and then coming back to see two 2 week old cubs. As you can see many highlights to remember.
(Gavin Rickett, New Zealand, October 2004)


Thirstland Journey
After having returned from an absolutely fabulous holiday, just wanted to thank you again. The trip only had one major downside: It was too short!! :-) Everything just went fantastically and I can't wait to spend more time in Namibia. Thanks again!
(Nicole Fetscher, Switzerland, October 2004)