ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive April 2000 Britain Warns Visitors to Zimbabwe, April 2 2000 Britain has warned visitors to Zimbabwe to be alert for signs of violence and to avoid trouble areas where possible. But the statement issued by the Foreign Office stopped short of advising people not to travel to Zimbabwe. Relations between Zimbabwe and its former colonial power have been strained for months, mainly over Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s economic policies. U.S. Embassy Issues Public Announcement Regarding Zimbabwe, April 2 2000 The U.S. embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe issued a public announcement, not a travel warning, alerting U.S. citizens about "certain conditions" which could potentially affect their safety. "These conditions include the occupations of commercial farms, the potential for unrest during the run-up to the parliamentary elections in May or June 2000, and flooding and fuel shortages." The statement notes that "the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association" is occupying commercial farms throughout the country. "Police authorities view these farm occupations as a political issue and have been unwilling to dislodge the trespassers," the statement continues. U.S. visitors and residents "are urged not to visit any occupied commercial farm." The statement also warns U.S. citizens to avoid political rallies and street demonstrations connected to the election run-up. "These demonstrations and rallies have the potential to turn violent, and they typically occur in the central business districts of cities or in high-density suburbs." And the statement warns that recent cyclones have caused heavy flooding in major cities, and suggests that travelers check with hotels to ascertain the area’s conditions before traveling. Finally, fuel shortages have resulted in long lines at gas stations, and visitors are warned to check with rental car companies to determine what the situation is like in the area they will visit. For the most part, commercial airlines, hotels, businesses, restaurants, taxis, and travel agencies continue to operate normally. Ultimate Africa would like to note that the flooding is now past and this is not an issue for the majority of travelers to Zimbabwe. Recently ended fuel supply negotiations have greatly eased fuel shortages in Zimbabwe so this issue should not affect travelers either. Cape Bushwillow Tree may Cure Cancer, April 2 2000 Bark from the Cape bushwillow tree, which is indigenous to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, might be the cure for cancer the whole world has been waiting for. In 1987 a United States researcher isolated small organic molecules called combretastatins from the bark of the Cape bushwillow tree. Now, after more than 10 years of research, development and trials, this work has culminated in the combretastatins being transformed into a cancer-busting drug called Combretastatin. The drug is expected to be released on the market within the next four years. Combretastatin's method of attack differs radically from traditional approaches to treating cancer. Most cancer drugs attack the cells in a tumor directly, causing severe damage to both healthy and malignant cells and causing unpleasant side effects for the patient. Combretastatin, however, targets the network of blood vessels that sustain life in the tumor instead, effectively cutting off its blood supply. It only attacks the blood vessels that feed the tumors, leaving the healthy vessels intact. British Airways Covers Africa, April 2 2000 Europe's biggest airline, British Airways (BA), continues to span its wings over Africa and the nearby Indian Ocean islands, swooping up and down like an air hawk on over 16 destinations with an incredible 76 flights a week. A strategic 18.3 percent (17 million pounds sterling) deal with South Africa's second largest airline, Com Air, has been completed and BA has recently increased its non-stop weekly flights to South Africa from 17 to 19. The giant airline now lands at Cape Town six times a week, up from the previous four, while maintaining 13 weekly flights to Africa's busiest airport, Jan Smuts in Johannesburg. The strategy here is to guarantee timely arrival for a customer who purchases one BA air ticket in London or Windhoek, Namibia, irrespective of whether he gets onto BA or Com Air. Although BA also lands at Gaborone, Botswana, Com Air is the connection to South African cities like Durban, Port Elizabeth and Windhoek. BA lands daily at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, arriving non-stop from Gatwick, London. It is very competitive, perhaps making Kenya Airways decide to introduce direct non-stop flights from Nairobi to London daily, with quick turn-around. Kenya Airways now flies twice a day to Amsterdam and has withdrawn from the Amsterdam-London route citing high landing fees in Europe. Other major BA African destinations include Entebbe, Dar Es Salaam, Mauritius, Harare and Lusaka. World's Second Largest Butterfly Center in Kenya, April 2 2000 Visitors to Kenya will now be able to visit a very special butterfly center. The center is said to be the second largest collection of butterflies after the main British Museum of Natural History in London. The main aim of the center is to create awareness of conservation of African butterflies and butterfly experts from all over the world will be able to do their research in the library there. Ivory Trade to be Debated on the Web, April 2 2000 From April 10-20, 2000 the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be holding their 11th Conference of the Parties (COP-11) in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. These COP meetings invariably attract considerable political and public attention, and the upcoming COP-11 is no exception. As this is the second COP in a row to be held on African soil, and therefore likely the last to be held here, it is no co-incidence that the status of the elephant is receiving so much attention. The fate of the species will in many ways be sealed by the decisions made at the upcoming Conference. Thanks to the power of the internet, people worldwide will be able to stay up to date with and air their views on the COP-11 meeting. Since 1996, Pretoria-based publisher WildNet Africa has facilitated the distribution and publication of wildlife-related news, events and opportunities via the internet. To encourage public participation, and thereby enlightenment, in the CITES debate, WildNet Africa today launched a website dedicated to the COP-11 meeting. With the focus on African conservation issues, the main topic is inevitably the ivory trade issue. The website enables the visitor to become fully informed of the issues at hand, and to contribute to the debate by posting an opinion and voting for or against the proposals. The support of organizations and celebrities for either of the proposals, as well as relevant position statements, are posted on the website by the company as requested. There are easily accessible links to media releases, news articles and other on-line resources, as well as to information from the previous meeting, COP-10. The CITES website can be found at http://wildnetafrica.com/cites Tanzania Teaches Children about Wildlife Care, April 2 2000 Tanzania is offering wildlife education courses to children, especially in primary schools, helping them to become more environmentally aware. The co-ordinator of Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Anna Lema told a three-day workshop on wildlife near Arusha, Tanzania that top priority should be given to primary school teachers to lay down a good foundation on wildlife awareness among pupils. "Wildlife education is of vital importance to Tanzanian children so that they may become responsible adults." She said survival of wildlife and sustainable utilization of available natural resources should top the agenda in Tanzania and the whole African continent. In other news Lema said that with the help from the Messeli Foundation of Switzerland, Tanzanian has so far spent US $350,000 on the construction of a modern laboratory for wildlife at Tarangire National Park. Poaching Persists in Northern Kenya, April 2 2000 The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) reports that, despite heavy losses, poachers continue to operate in the country's Samburu and Laikipia districts where at least twelve elephants have allegedly been killed for their ivory since September last year. The KWS Protection Units have been involved in five contacts with poachers since last Christmas eve, and six poachers have lost their lives in the pursuit of ivory. KWS says that, despite the intensification of anti-poaching activities, which include aircraft surveillance, poachers have continued to search for ivory, killing two more elephants in the Kipsing area around January 3, 2000. According to the KWS, it has seized over 2,000 kg of ivory in transit from different parts of Africa by illegal dealers during 1999 - four times the average for the previous six years. Much of this may be attributed to new screening measures that have been recently put in place at the country’s main airport and not to a rise in poaching. Botswana and Denmark extend Environmental Agreement, April 9 2000 Botswana and Denmark have extended their five-year agreement on environmental co-operation and assistance for another two years. The first part of the agreement expired in November after Denmark had provided Botswana with approximately 30 million pula (US $6.25 million). The new extension entails that Denmark will commit another 30 million pula above the existing provision for the period covered by a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries last week. The extension of the agreement is meant to help Botswana strengthen the gains already made towards environmental conservation and preservation. Denmark has been providing environmental assistance to Botswana since 1996. Cableway to Close for Maintenance, April 9 2000 The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway will close for routine maintenance from 2 to 6 May.It will also close for an additional week during the course of the year to replace the heal and haul ropes. The date for this has yet to be confirmed. It will also close between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM on April 28 to accommodate the All Africa Bungy Jumping Championships. Zimbabwe Update, April 9 2000 With all the publicity regarding Zimbabwe, Wilderness Safaris management decided to visit Zimbabwe and see the situation for themselves. Here is their report: "We landed at Bulawayo and everything was as normal. There was fuel in the airport and everyone was their normal friendly and relaxed self. We then headed up to Hwange and visited Linkwasha and Makalolo. Again the staffs were very relaxed about the whole Zimbabwean "crisis" and all were positive that Zimbabwe would come out of its economic trough successfully. Yes there was the general feeling amongst all staff that there had to be some form or sort of change and the economy needed a kick-start to get going again. But on the whole our staff seemed to be very positive about Zimbabwe as well as the country's ability to rise out of its economic doldrums. The guests we met in camp were having a great time. Most were starting in Victoria Falls and ending at Chikwenya or doing the safari in reverse. We did not encounter one bad comment about any of the camps nor about Zimbabwe. We are at the tail end of summer and we are having the last of the localized afternoon thundershowers before the start of their long dry season. These showers lasted for about an hour or so. By late evening it was very clear with blue skies and this continued onto the following afternoon. The air was crisp and clean and fresh. Hwange park is looking lush and green and the game viewing was good. We bumped into two male lions just down from the airstrip and most guests had been seeing lion and leopard regularly. Wild dog and cheetah are in the area as are smaller herds of elephants. The buffalo are around but are not on the plains right now. Guests have been seeing them in the thicker country. Our rhino seem to have done their summer "mini-migration" and should be back once the pans in the backcountry start to dry up. Linkwasha is looking great, especially at this time of year. The plain in front of camp is incredible. I rate this as one of our best views in all our camps. In front of camp we could count seven different species of animals excluding the lion which were roaring off in the distance. The hide on the plain (about 1km from camp) is wonderful and has become a real attraction. There are now 11 resident hippos in the pan, right in front of the hide and game is all around. Bird life is incredible. Courtney Johnson and Mark Honman are our top guides at Linkwasha this year. Makalolo has been enjoying a great summer. A lot of guests who were forced to move out of the Kruger / Sabi Sands area ended up at Makalolo. Again the game has been great. The plains in front of camp are still full of game and some guests don't move far from the camp's telescope. Dave Christensen rules the roost at Makalolo this year, while Benson Siyawareva is back managing Little Makalolo after a spell in charge at Makalolo. Sefofane has finally moved out of Victoria Falls and is now based in Harare. The telephones are so bad in the Falls that it became impossible to run a good operation from here. Our feelings about Zimbabwe - We are very positive about the resilience of the country and its ability to deliver a great wildlife based safari. We are 100% confident that we can produce a great safari experience at all our camps. We have the food and the fuel and the wildlife product to do so. Our staff are really motivated to produce the goods for our guests. Sefofane charters are guaranteed to produce the goods and deliver guests to their destinations. Zimbabwe Update 2, April 9 2000 President Mugabe is using the land issue to attract votes to his political party. Veterans (who are amazingly only about 20 years old!!!), from the country’s 1970’s independence struggle, are being bused to white owned farms near Harare where they take over the property. Most of the voters understand that the commercial farmers are vital to the economy of the country and by claiming land and giving it to people who have no expertise let alone equipment to run the land is a suicidal move. In fact there are plenty of farms that have already been taken by the government over the last 5 years, which have been given to government ministers etc, and which all are lying idle and which can be distributed immediately. Tourist areas are far removed from the farming areas and clients are safe in the various national parks. In these wild areas guests are totally removed from the pressures of everyday living and any problems. The parks are looking the best they have in 10 years due to the wonderful rains. There is abundant water, great grazing and the animals are in incredible condition. We have just said goodbye to a big American group who traveled to Matusadona, Hwange, Songwe and Victoria Falls and they just loved it. Presidential Elephants Arrive, April 9 2000 Jeremy Otter is the new manager at Kanando Tree Camp, bordering Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. His arrival seems to have coincided with the Presidential Elephant herd, which has taken up temporary residence around the always prolific waterhole at Kanando. Kariba’s Latest Lodge, April 9 2000 Discerning palates in Kariba, Zimbabwe will welcome the arrival of cordon bleu chef Klaus Maurer, formerly proprietor of the Cellar in Harare. Maurer recently opened the Bomwood Safari Lodge at the lake resort. Bomwood comprises 4 luxury, double-bedded air-conditioned suites overlooking Kariba and its harbors. The lodge is an ideal base for the company’s walking safaris in Matusadona Game Reserve. Other activities include day and overnight safaris to Mana Pools Game Reserve, boat tours to Matusadona, and angling and lake cruises. All this and gourmet dinners too.... Rainbow Hotel at Victoria Falls Expands, April 9 2000 Work on the expansion of the Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls commenced earlier this week. An additional 42 bedrooms are under construction which will provide a total capacity of 88 upon completion. Construction will be carried out with minimal noise and disturbance to guests and completion is scheduled for mid-November this year. Victoria Falls Safari Lodge Wins Award, April 9 2000 The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is one of four companies to have received the Green Globe Distinction Award for Outstanding Environmental Performance. Green Globe’s annual Achievement Awards for 2000 were presented two weeks ago at I.T.B. in Berlin. The winners were assessed on their environmental performance against each of the 13 agenda areas defined for the tourism industry by the World Travel & Tourism Council, World Tourism Organization and the Earth Council. These include: waste minimization, re-use and recycling, energy efficiency, land-use planning and management, involving staff, customers and communities in environmental issues, design of environmentally sensitive products and environmentally sensitive purchasing policy. Dave Glynn, the Safari Lodge’s developer, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the award. The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge has led with many simple but benchmark conservation concepts from its inception. It is wonderful to have them recognized by Green Globe. Hopefully this will raise awareness that it is not difficult to care for your surroundings." Established in 1994, Green Globe is a global environmental management and certification scheme dedicated to the world’s travel and tourism industry. The full list of winners is as follows: Winner Large Accommodation: La Cabana All Suite Beach Resort, Aruba Winner Small Accommodation: Strattons Hotel, UK Winner Other Travel & Tourism Sectors: Turtle Island, Fiji Winner New Member: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Victoria Falls Hotel Tours, April 9 2000 In order to cater for the growing number of people who want to see the Victoria Falls Hotel, a visitor center is to be opened near the entrance. The center will be staffed by a multilingual team who will provide a detailed history of the famous hotel, which was built in 1904 and is today regarded by many as a monument to colonial nostalgia. Guided tours will be available around the magnificent gardens with their spectacular views over the Zambezi gorge and the Victoria Falls bridge - that enduring testimony to Cecil Rhodes’ grand imperial dream of constructing a railroad from the Cape to Cairo. Chimanimani Road under Repair, April 9 2000 It appears that it will take two years to repair the recent cyclone damage done to the Mutare – Chimanimani Road in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands. There are unconfirmed reports that Cashel Road will never reopen. Elephants the Big Issue at Cites Conference, April 16 2000 Emotions are running high as the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species conference in Kenya tackles proposals to relax global bans on the trade in elephants, whales and sea turtles. Four southern African nations with healthy elephant populations are seeking permission to sell off part of their stocks of ivory tusks. Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi weighed into the debate as he opened the conference, saying elephants were again being poached after Cites agreed to allow Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia "one off" sales of ivory stocks last year. Those three nations, now joined by South Africa, are requesting approval to make further sales from their stocks. Kenya and India have countered by demanding a return to the full ban on the ivory trade, saying the southern African sale encouraged poachers to again stalk elephants and that Cites states had failed properly to track a surge in ivory smuggling. "We in Kenya see evidence that the illegal killing of elephants has increased, while no reliable monitoring system has been put in place," Moi said on Monday. Africa’s elephant population was halved the 1970s and 80s with some 650,000 shot and mutilated for their tusks, but the numbers began to recover after Cites imposed a total ban on the ivory trade in 1989. Southern African delegates say they are as opposed to poaching as anyone else but simply believe that limited and controlled ivory sales could actually help elephant populations by raising money for conservation efforts. They also dispute Kenya’ claims that poaching is already on the rise following last year’s auctions. "If we had any evidence of an increase in poaching because of the sales, we would withdraw our proposal," said Crispian Olver, director-general of South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. "But the evidence is just not there." The Cites ivory trade ban was put in place to ensure that the African elephant did not become extinct. With enormous, well managed elephant populations in Southern Africa and large, ill managed, herds in east Africa there is little likelihood that the elephant will become extinct any time soon. European Union Lends Hand in Ivory Battle, April 16 2000 Kenya’s battle to save the African Elephant has received crucial backing from Europe, but only for the time being. Owing to the lack of information on the threat posed by the partial resumption in ivory trade, the EU has taken what its leaders call "precautionary principle" in the debate over international trade in elephant products. This means Europe will support a ban on the international trade in ivory until it is known whether the recent one-time sale of ivory conducted by several southern African countries has led to increased elephant poaching. At the same time, the EU stand will not supersede any consensus by the protagonists – Kenya and southern African states. The decision on whether or not to maintain the ban would remain with African elephant range states. Japan Supports Trade in Ivory, April 16 2000 Japan supports the reopening of the ivory trade saying elephant were safe from extinction. Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia want approval from the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, to sell ivory. They say the large number of elephant in their countries are damaging the environment and argue they should be allowed to control the herds and reap the benefits. In 1997, the UN convention authorized a one-time sale of 54 tons of ivory to Japan from Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Some 2,000 delegates from 151 countries and scores of non-governmental organizations are currently attending the CITES conference. SADC Countries Defend Stance to Sell Ivory, April 16 2000 Four southern African countries, namely Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia, have maintained their pressure at the on going CITES meeting in Nairobi to have the ban on ivory trade lifted. Botswana’s wildlife deputy permanent secretary, Gayland Kombani, Namibia’s permanent secretary for environment, Tangeni Erkana, Narend Singh from South Africa and Charles Chipato of Zimbabwe told journalists in Nairobi that their proposals were based on rational arguments aimed at development. "We are for the preservation of elephants. Our intention is to sell ivory from elephants that have died from natural mortality and stockpiles that have accumulated over the years," said Chipato. They observed that their collective position on trade in ivory and the elephant in general was made public long before the CITES conference. Kombani said the decision was based on a sustainable regional protocol on conservation signed by the four countries much earlier. The SADC representatives said they were still negotiating with Kenya and India, which are calling for the total ban on ivory sales to curb a resurgence of poaching. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has maintained that it will continue trading in ivory for ecological reasons. "Some animal rights groups believe that if developing countries are allowed to trade in ivory...they will cull elephants to produce ivory for sale. This is untrue," the country’s representatives stressed. They added that ivory would continue to be produced in southern Africa and the product marketed accordingly. "With or without culling, ivory will continue to be produced from well-managed elephant herds in southern Africa and the product marketed to the best of the advantage of the Range states," they said. Botswana, France Sign Tourism Agreement, April 16 2000 Botswana and France have signed a tourism cooperation agreement that is aimed to strengthen ties and promote eco-tourism between the two countries. Under the pact, signed in Gaborone, Botswana the French government is going to provide advise on the development of Botswana’s tourism business to diversify it from over reliance on wildlife. The French intend to achieve this by enhancing Botswana’s cultural and environmental features so that they can attract tourist business. Botswana sees tourism as a way to diversify its economy, which relies heavily on diamonds and cattle. New Developments at Okavango Camp Sites, April 16 2000 Okavango Tours and Safari’s relocation of their Delta and Oddballs Camps in Botswana is nearing completion. Oddballs is now located at Delta’s old site and would be a campsite only with improvements to ablution facilities. The luxury Delta Camp would be located at Oddballs’ old site. Improvements included a new lounge and dining area, fireplace and open bar, as well as refurbished and upgraded chalets. Due to the ample supply of water in the area the elephant population has dispersed in all directions with only occasional sightings at present, but other game sightings, including lion, buffalo, zebra and giraffe have remained good. High Water Stops Rafting at Victoria Falls, April 16 2000 Due to high water levels the Rafting Association of Zimbabwe and Zambia have concluded that the Zambezi River is unsafe to raft and as of April 10, 2000 have stopped rafting trips. Rafting will resume sometime in the next 4 to 8 weeks when they feel that the river is running at a safe level. Giraffe Springs Lodge Closes for Year, April 16 2000 Zimbabwe’s Giraffe Springs Lodge situated within Hwange National Park has been closed with immediate effect, for the duration of 2000 due to poor occupancy. SOL Aviation Takes off in Zimbabwe, April 16 2000 Zimbabwe’s SOL Aviation has announced that, as of May 1, it will operate daily scheduled services between Harare, Bumi Hills, Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park. SOL will operate a 19 seat, twin turbine LET410 aircraft, giving passengers an effective twenty-kilo total baggage allowance per person. Matusadona Buffalo Dying, April 16 2000 The wildlife rich shores of Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park are being submerged by the rising waters of Lake Kariba. These waters have submerged the succulent lakeside torpedo grasses [panicum repens], spelling disaster for resident buffalo. A recent aerial survey conducted by the Zambezi Society shows that the buffalo population has fallen to around 500 from a previous "high" of some 4000 animals. Remote Skeleton Coast Camp Opens in Namibia, April 16 2000 Wilderness Safaris new 10-bed luxury tented camp in the heart of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast Park is now open. The new camp is built on an island in a dry riverbed about 20km inland from the coastline. Each large, en-suite tent features en suite facilities. An ancient gnarled leadwood tree serves as an outdoor dining area and offers shelter from the elements. As the area is so vast and there is so much to experience, traditional early morning and afternoon activities are abandoned and guests spend the full day exploring the Park. Nature drives include visits to the clay castles of the Hoarasub, Rocky Point, lichen fields, seal colonies and shipwrecks. Due to the pristine nature of this area, many parts of the reserve are accessible only on foot. Guests also travel out of the park to meet up with Southern Africa’s last truly nomadic and traditional peoples - the Himba. Wilderness Safaris offers a four-night/five-day and three-night/four-day fly-in safaris, starting and ending in Windhoek. Tanzania to Build Holiday Inn Hotel, April 16 2000 South Africa will help Tanzania build a Holiday Inn hotel with a total investment of US $13 million dollars. Tanzanian Tourist Board (TTB) managing director Peter Mwenguo said that a South African hotel group will start the construction of the 162-room hotel in Dar es Salaam next month. South Africa’s Southern Sun Hotels, the largest hotel operator in the continent with a chain of 79 hotels and 13,299 rooms, is the owner of the project. The hotel will include 152 rooms, 10 executive rooms and modern facilities. Southern Sun already has a stake in Tanzania’s tourist infrastructure through a strategic investment in several game lodges and camps. Tanzania presently has 215 hotels/lodges with 7,500 rooms and 13,400 beds to cater for more than 550,000 tourists visiting its attractions annually. Wilderness’ Botswana Camps Ready for Dry Season, April 23 2000 The early part of this year has seen great activity at Wilderness Safaris’ various Botswana camps. Its new Xigera Camp, with thatched main pub and dining room as well as a new swimming pool, opens on May 1. The eight-tented camp is situated in a private area of the central Okavango. Wilderness is also now operating Stanley's Camp, which opened on April 9. The camp is in the Boro Wildlife Reserve, a concession on the southern tip of Chief's Island - a massive area with many different habitats. It will be used for Wilderness' overland Jacana Safari, as well as for small groups that are looking for exclusivity. The new, relocated Mombo camp will open on May 15. Vumbura and Little Vumbura in the northern Okavango are closed until June 1 to have their decking raised. The airstrip serving Jao and Kwetsani, in the western part of the Delta, has been completed. Jacana Safari now using Stanley’s Camp, April 23 2000 Stanley’s Camp is the new "land" activity camp in the Jacana Safari. It is located in the furthermost northern region of Botswana’s Boro Wildlife Reserve, close to the southern tip of Chief's Island, bordering on the Moremi Game Reserve. There is excellent game viewing in the concession, and activities in the camp will center around morning and afternoon game drives. "Mokoroing" is possible from June through October. Stanley’s Camp is an 8 bedded classic Africa style camp consisting of 6 meru tents with en suite facilities. The dining room and lounge area is on a raised deck with a canvas roof. Groups who are looking for privacy can also book the camp. New Namibia Camps Open, April 23 2000 Namibia has had record rains and the countryside is looking stunning. Much of the underground water tables have been replenished this year and the country should have enough water to last many a year. Wilderness Safaris opened their Skeleton Coast Camp on schedule. It is a stunning new camp and is very comfortable - without being out of place in the remote and isolated environment. Guests are accommodated in large walk in with en suite facilities. The peace and tranquillity of the location is extraordinary. It is a safari that everyone who enjoys wild places needs to do at least once in their lives! The Ongava and Ongava Tented Camp upgrades are also complete and both camps look incredible. Ongava Tented Camp will rival any Botswana tented camp for atmosphere and looks. There is now a massive black rhino re-introduction program on the way at Ongava in conjunction with the country's park's authorities. The first four black rhino have arrived and another six or so will be arriving once they have settled in. These black rhino will complement the white rhino already on the reserve. Guests are being taken down to the rhinos and are being involved with the conservation program and love the experience. Wilderness to Include Trip Insurance in 2001 Rates! April 23 2000 Wilderness Safaris will be adding a compulsory insurance cover for all guests into our 2001 prices. This insurance will be relatively inexpensive and will save travelers between US$100 and US$300 per person per safari depending on their insurance and the length of their safari. The cost should be about US $3 to US $5 per person per night whether or not guests stay at Wilderness properties. The insurance will cover all guests for emergency evacuation of up to US$30,000 (including evacuation to their home country), medical and hospital insurance up to US$1.5 million. Cancellation and curtailment insurance coverage up to US$10,000 per person. Paint by Safari, April 23 2000 Aspiring artists yearning to sketch, paint or photograph Botswana's fauna and flora can now participate in Gametracker’s Botswana's 'Safari Sketchbook' painting safari in June 2000. This is being held to compliment fellow Orient Express Hotel, Cape Town's Mount Nelson’s Botanic Art Classes which have been held at the hotel for the last two years. Students will be taken out on game drives by leading American artist Katie Lee, who will teach students how to make their own safari journal, filled with sketches, photos and memorabilia. The seven-day safari package includes a six-night/seven-day stay at one of Gametrackers' three safari camps. Kruger Malaria Washed Away by Floods, April 23 2000 The huge increase in malaria that was predicted in South Africa’s Kruger National Park after the heavy rains and floods in February never materialized. According to William Mabasa, manager of public relations at the Park, the number of malaria cases reported in Mpumalanga and Northern Province was the lowest recorded for years. Apparently many of the mosquito larvae were washed away by the floods. Mabasa also said that the malaria season is near its end and that the recent cool weather is reducing mosquito activity. Modern Day Explorer Retracts Livingstone's African Funeral Route, April 23 2000 Modern day explorer Kingsley Holgate is retracing the route of "Africa's longest funeral march" when missionary-explorer David Livingstone's two faithful followers carried his body 1,500 km overland to be returned to Britain. Holgate was scheduled to cross the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe on Tuesday. He and his expedition left Lesedi Cultural Village near Hartbeespoort on Monday and should be at the spot where Livingstone died by May 1, the 127th anniversary of Livingstone's death. From there the expedition will proceed to follow the route of what Holgate calls "Africa's longest-ever funeral march". Holgate says that the expedition is in honor of Chuma and Susi, two unsung heroes of African exploration. James Chuma and Abdallah Susi took Livingstone's body from Chitambo's village in north-east Zambia to Bagamoyo on the Indian Ocean, from where it was transported to Zanzibar and then to Britain to be entombed in Westminister Abbey. Several Zimbabwe Lodges and Camps Close for Weekend, April 23 2000 The Zimbabwe government has continued to orchestrate violence against supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change. The violence, earlier limited to areas around Harare has now spread to the country’s second largest city, Bulawayo. The violence is not random. In response, and with client safety being the foremost concern, several safari camps and lodges in south-western Zimbabwe have closed for the Easter weekend. These are Jijima Camp, Big Cave Camp, Camp Amalinda and the Farmhouse, all on privately owned land. Clients from the Matobo properties are being accommodated in hotels or guest lodges in Bulawayo with the lodges are organizing day trips to the Matobo. Jijima Camp is moving their clients to Imbabala west of Victoria Falls. The Zimbabwe government accused the foreign media of exaggerating recent events. "There is no chaos in this country. A few incidents of violence are found everywhere," Mr. Mahachi said. "There was violence yesterday when Leeds was playing a Turkish team in the UK. You can't say London is in chaos." Kenya Culls Lions to Protect Rare Bongo, April 23 2000 The Kenya Wildlife Service has culled about 200 lions from the Aberdare range to protect the rare bongo antelope species, which is threatened with extinction. The bongo population has dropped to just about 100 in the Aberdares, a matter of grave concern to conservationists. Sources say the KWS was alarmed at the high breeding rate of the lions in the Aberdares, which threatened other species, such as the bongo, the giant forest hog and the rhinoceros. Lions were allegedly introduced into the Aberdares without any environmental impact assessment. Ban on Ivory Trade Is No Victory for Kenya, April 23 2000 Kenya asked that elephant populations in southern Africa be classified as endangered, but this proposal was rejected and there is no consolation in the extension of the ban on trade in ivory because a fourth country was allowed to sell tusks. There has been much celebration and chest-thumping over the decision to maintain the 11-year-old ban on international trade in ivory. The custodians of Kenya's wildlife feel this move by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is a big victory for the country. Nothing could be further from the truth. From the outset, it was clear to those knowledgeable of the intricacies of Cites conferences that the Nairobi meeting, which ends today, would be a no-win situation for the protagonists in the struggle for the survival of the African elephant. Kenya failed to have its key proposal accepted. It had asked that the southern African elephant populations be uplisted from Appendix II, which provides for restricted trade, to Appendix I - for very endangered species. Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe will still trade in ivory. The only party that left with a trophy from the meeting was South Africa, whose one-off sale was endorsed without it having to put up any fight. Indeed, there was nothing new in the decision other than that South Africa had been "licensed" to trade in ivory. Fears were rife that the Nairobi decision could expose the elephant to new threats. Before the Nairobi meet, only three African nations - Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe - had been allowed by Cites to sell off their stockpile of 57 tons of ivory. Now the number has increased, with South Africa on board. What does this scenario portend for Kenya's wildlife? Since 1997, when Cites took the unprecedented move to downlist the southern African populations, the Kenya Wildlife Service claims poaching went to overdrive. At least four tons of ivory were seized last year en route to sale points in Europe and the Far East. KWS director Nehemiah Rotich says poaching picked up because traders were anticipating the end of the temporary lifting of the trade ban. Other’s would argue that poaching had not increased in Kenya. Only that the high tech security systems that were put in place at Kenya’s main airport during the same period attributed to the ivory being detected. The compromise between Kenya and the southern African states announced earlier in the week was arrived at following intervention by Europe last Friday, a day ahead of the potentially explosive debate on the status of the elephant. This was tactical on the part of EU. It was clear the protagonists were headed for a major conflict and the fence-sitting parties, including Uganda and Tanzania, were likely to support the pro-trade lobby. The next Cites conference is in three years' time, and Kenya cannot hope to harp on the same appeal about the elephant being at risk of being wiped out. Because the future of the elephant is more or less sealed, the next step is to find fault with Kenya's conservation strategy. Kenya's wildlife conservation network and programs are clearly off-target and any signals of an impending trade in game products could seriously undermine the country's heritage. Its response to wildlife management and conservation has been ad hoc and too political. At the Cites meeting, it was apparent that Kenyans were ill-equipped when it came to dealing with the issues and thus concentrated on figures. This was in stark contrast to the southern Africans, who descended on Nairobi armed with facts and figures, and emotions to boot. Kenya's strength was based on the rhetoric and sympathy from the armada of emotional animal rights lobbyists. The Kenyan delegation could not explain what financial resources it allocates to wildlife management and conservation programs. The delegation avoided this line of argument completely. And for obvious reasons: One, the figures were hardly available; and two, it would have been obvious that Kenya spends very little on wildlife even as it continues to reap benefits from it. Economic mismanagement and corruption have weighed heavily on Kenya's ability to effectively police its game sanctuaries. This, coupled with the unsatisfactory compensation for the communities neighboring game parks receive, makes the future of the wildlife sector even more fluid and uncertain. But for how long will Kenya hold the other elephant range states to ransom? Take for example, Zimbabwe which has an elephant population of 80,000. The numbers keep increasing each day. The increasing human and elephant numbers fight for the available land. The government of Zimbabwe wants the elephant to justify its survival. "Use it or lose it" has been President Robert Mugabe's rallying call. The same logic must begin to apply in Kenya. Kenya should now stop grumbling and trying to hold other countries to ransom because of its own inadequacy. Ivory Sales Delayed for at Least 2 Years, April 23 2000 African nations at the 11th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreed to delay ivory sales for at least two years until the next CITES conference. This will allow sufficient time to determine whether elephant poaching is a real threat or whether it is safe to resume trade in tusks. This development prevents South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe from selling their ivory stocks for now. However, it recognizes that the elephant numbers of these countries are adequate and leaves open the possibility of future sales. CITES agreed that South Africa's population of elephants will be downlisted from Appendix 1, which bans all trade in a species, to Appendix II, which permits regulated trade based on a permits system." However, a zero ivory quota has been allocated, which means no ivory sales can take place before the issue is discussed again at the next CITES conference. Some sales of skins, live animals and trophies will however be permitted. The article states that the proposal by Kenya and India, calling for the return of the elephant populations of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia to Appendix I, was also withdrawn. In addition, efforts to improve data on elephant populations and on poaching incidents would be pursued by strengthening the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (Mike) system, and the Elephants Trade Information System (Etis). Avis Leads the World, April 23 2000 Car-rental company, Avis, has been named as the leading car rental brand worldwide by Brand Keys, a New York-based brand and customer loyalty consultancy. The consultancy surveyed 94 brands in 19 categories, with customer loyalty as the prime criterion, proof that Avis' slogan, "We try harder" has hit home with clients. Zimbabwe News Reports Misleading - Update, April 30 2000 During the past two months international journalists have had to learn about an obscure southern African country, namely Zimbabwe. In their zest for sensational cover stories they have naively reported what they thought was the truth – That Zimbabwe is on the edge of a civil war and that white people are the target. International journalists are now beginning to understand what many Zimbabwe experts already knew – that the recent violence has been orchestrated by the ruling Zanu – PF party and President Robert Mugabe specifically against the opposition political party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and their supporters – whether white or black. It is not black against white, nor the basis for a civil war. The land issue is not what it is made out to be. According to recent country wide polls the masses do not want the land. They want jobs! It is only a distraction to take the public’s eyes off of the government’s inability to manage the economy before upcoming parliamentary elections. In reality the Zimbabwe government already has millions of acres of farmland (purchased in the past from white farmers) however the land is not being redistributed for resettlement. This is due to lack of resettlement funds and the fact that the land is used by government insiders for personal gain. Zimbabwe’s government elite own huge tracts of farmland while the poor suffer. Claims that the USA and Britain reneged on deals to financially aid Zimbabwe with land reforms are not entirely true. Payments were stopped when it came to light that money to be used to purchase farms and resettle peasant farmers was being used by top government officials for personal gain. Again – we would like to note that the violence occurring in Zimbabwe is in no way directed at tourists. It is political. While in the national parks clients are far removed from the daily events in Zimbabwe. Here is a recent update from clients who just finished a Zimbabwe canoe safari through Mana Pools: "NATUREWAYS commenced their 2000 canoeing season, with a full complement of guests from all around the globe, including UK, Finland, Australia and America, over the Easter period. The trip went off brilliantly and all guests commented how Mana Pools is another world away from the negative press they have been hearing. Natureways staff drove into Mana Pools from Harare a distance of just over 400 kms. The drive was uneventful, with nothing to give an indication of the troubles that have been reported. Mana Pools is looking incredibly beautiful, lush and green. The river is very low, as all the flood gates at the Kariba dam wall have now been shut. In all my many years working in Mana Pools I have never seen the river this low. The flood gates are due to reopen sometime this week. The best news is that there is no water hyacinth. It has all been flushed away by the floods. The birding was wonderful many of the migrants are still evident including Blue Cheeked Bee-eaters, Woolly Necked Storks, Black Egrets and Dwarf Bitterns. A treat to experience was a Pels Fishing Owl sighting near the Mbera River mouth. We heard lion calling on two of the nights on safari. Crocodiles were strangely conspicuous by their absence. Due to the changes in the river many of the hippo pods have moved about.The butterflies at this time of year are amazing and we saw prolific populations all over the Park. We had excellent elephant sightings, particularly during the lower section of the National Park and into the Wilderness area. Several large cow herds were seen. On one of the early morning walks we came across a buffalo herd of 25 individuals. The weather was brilliant, with guests from colder climates enjoying the warm temperatures of Mana Pools. The sky was clear with very little breeze, which made paddling a pleasure. Comment from UK tourist on his canoeing trip: "As a lone British tourist I had my concerns about visiting Zimbabwe. I was not disappointed and the trip was wonderful, the scenery magnificent, the wildlife fantastic, and the guiding brilliant". Tim Hugo Surrey, UK Mount Nelson Hotel Adds Extra Comforts, April 30 2000 More than a century of gracious hospitality has taught the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town a thing or two about the importance of the personal touch for its guests and the recent implementation of a few little extra comforts has proved extremely popular, says a hotel spokesperson. The housekeeping department has taken to making up guests' beds according to personal preference, offering a variety of pillow types ranging from foam, non-allergenic to full down goose feathers. And should you leave your reading glasses on the plane, the hotel's well-filled specs case is on hand to find the perfect pair for your eyes. A friendly pair of goldfish are on loan for the duration of the stay, to provide comfort to lonely single travelers, young or old. Should visitors arrive feeling ill, staff will rally round with a steaming bowl of soup brought to the room, a pot of herbal tea and a pack of aromatherapy products. An assortment of CDs, videos and magazines are also brought in to alleviate bed ridden boredom. Standard bedroom amenities are mouthwash, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and luxury soap, plus six individually sized bathrobes from baby, toddler, teenager, lady, gentleman or extra large for those who prefer a bit of extra comfort. Kenya’s Tourism Sector Recovering, April 30 2000 Kenya's tourism sector has shown signs of recovery and they are expected to continue well beyond this year, according to Kenyan Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry Nicholas Biwott. Over the past four years the country's tourism has undergone a sharp decline mainly due to the deteriorated infrastructure (particularly roads), political violence and incidents of violence against tourists. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
